The shadows around Ghost Douluo Gui Mei were originally condensing little by little. Seeing this scene, he could not help letting out a low chuckle, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.
"Yue Guan, do not be so angry. Making the list is better than not making it at all. Besides, the rewards are so generous. An Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb and a direct increase of one level of soul power. Countless people beg for such an opportunity and never get it. It is only a matter of gender. Why be so hung up on it?"
"What do you know!"
Yue Guan abruptly turned his head and glared at Gui Mei, his eyes filled with raging anger.
"I am a man! A Titled Douluo! Being discussed as a 'goddess', how am I supposed to keep my dignity on the continent in the future!"
"Dignity?"
Bibi Dong's calm voice rang out, instantly suppressing the dispute inside the hall. Her crimson eyes swept over Yue Guan, her tone carrying undeniable authority.
"Before absolute strength, dignity is worthless. The fact that this ranking breaks through gender limitations to include you proves precisely that your martial soul is special enough and your talent is top-tier. An Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb martial soul, unique on the entire continent. This very uniqueness is your capital."
She paused, her fingers lightly tapping the scepter as she continued.
"Moreover, the rewards are real benefits. The Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb can nourish the origin of your martial soul, and your soul power is forcibly increased by one level, from level ninety-five to level ninety-six. Do you know what that means?"
"For a Titled Douluo, every single level increase brings a qualitative leap in combat strength. In the future, when Spirit Hall faces the Dragon God and Heavenly Path Academy, this gives us more confidence. This benefit is a hundred times more important than so-called dignity."
Hearing this, Yue Guan's chest rose and fell violently. The shame and anger on his face gradually faded, leaving only reluctance and inner conflict.
Naturally, he knew how difficult it was for a Titled Douluo to level up.
He had been stuck at level ninety-five for decades. If he relied solely on his own cultivation, who knew how many more years it would take to break through.
Now the ranking directly bestowed him with one level of soul power, along with an Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb to nourish his martial soul. Advancing another level, or even reaching level ninety-eight, was not impossible.
This reward was indeed enough to make any Titled Douluo green with envy.
But the moment he thought about having ascended the Goddess Ranking and being discussed by soul masters across the entire continent, a wave of frustration surged in his heart.
At this moment, Qian Daoliu in the Hall of Offerings sensed the disturbance in the Papal Hall through soul power. His aged voice transmitted through soul power, calm yet carrying unquestionable authority.
"Yue Guan, rein in your emotions. The rewards of the ranking are a heaven-defying opportunity and must not be missed."
"Immortal-Grade martial souls are already rare. Being acknowledged by the ranking is also an honor for Spirit Hall. There is no need to dwell on the title of the ranking. Strength improvement is the key. Absorb the rewards as soon as possible, stabilize your soul power, and prepare for the upcoming changes on the continent."
Qian Daoliu's words were like a stabilizing pill. Yue Guan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shame and unwillingness in his heart. He snorted coldly, his tone somewhat awkward.
"Fine. For the sake of the rewards, I will not argue with the absurdity of this ranking for now."
As soon as his words fell, a dazzling golden pillar of light descended from the heavens, directly enveloping Yue Guan inside the Papal Hall.
Within the pillar of light, a strange chrysanthemum that was pure white throughout, with faint golden patterns along the edges of its petals, slowly floated into view. A rich medicinal fragrance instantly filled the entire Papal Hall and even spread into the streets and alleys of Spirit City.
The fragrance was gentle and mellow. With a single breath, one could feel a soft stream of energy flowing into the body through the nasal passages. Soul masters who had felt weak all over due to the Dragon God's pressure instantly felt much lighter, and the circulation of their soul power became far smoother.
Yue Guan gazed at the Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb within the pillar of light. A flash of greed and excitement crossed his eyes. Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herbs were already extremely rare, and one of the same origin as his own martial soul, the Sky-Piercing Chrysanthemum, was even more impossible to come by. It had miraculous effects in nourishing his martial soul.
He no longer hesitated. Reaching out, he grasped the Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb. Instantly, a vast yet gentle surge of energy poured from the herb into his body, racing through his meridians and nourishing his internal organs and the origin of his martial soul.
He could clearly feel his Sky-Piercing Chrysanthemum martial soul vibrating rapidly. The originally pale golden phantom became increasingly solid, the patterns on the petals growing clearer, radiating dense vitality and soul power fluctuations.
At the same time, the soul power that had long stagnated within his body began to surge wildly. The bottleneck of level ninety-five was like paper, easily shattered by this overwhelming energy. His soul power rose like floodwaters bursting through a dam, mid-stage level ninety-five, late-stage level ninety-five, peak level ninety-five…
Finally, it stabilized firmly at level ninety-six.
A stronger pressure spread outward from Yue Guan's body, causing the entire Papal Hall to tremble slightly. Soul masters in Spirit City outside the hall all sensed this pressure, their faces filled with shock and reverence.
Yue Guan slowly opened his eyes, a trace of ecstasy flashing within them. He could clearly feel the increase in his strength. Not only had his soul power broken through to level ninety-six, but the origin of his martial soul had also been greatly nourished. His combat strength had increased by far more than a single tier.
He clenched the remaining residue of the Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb in his hand. Although he still harbored resentment about being on the Goddess Ranking, the hesitation on his face had already been replaced by joy. He snorted lightly, his tone carrying a hint of pride.
"Hmph. At least this ranking has some discernment. Such rewards are worthy of my strength."
Bibi Dong looked at Yue Guan's state after the breakthrough. A trace of satisfaction flashed through her crimson eyes, and the corner of her lips lifted slightly.
"Very good. A level ninety-six Titled Douluo. Spirit City's strength has increased once again."
Ghost Douluo Gui Mei also nodded, his tone carrying recognition.
"Not bad. After breaking through, your combat strength has improved considerably. In the future, when we join forces, we will have greater confidence dealing with those ferocious beasts."
When the other soul masters of Spirit City learned that Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan had made the ranking and broken through to level ninety-six, they all erupted into cheers.
Although they had been shocked and confused at first by Yue Guan's appearance on the Goddess Ranking, seeing his strength increase was a tremendous joy for Spirit City. All doubts were replaced by excitement.
On the streets, soul masters discussed Yue Guan's breakthrough one after another, their eyes filled with pride and reverence. The atmosphere of Spirit City also became lively due to this sudden surprise.
...
On the rooftop of Heavenly Path Academy, Crimson Sun looked at the ranking information on the firmament as it gradually dissipated. A trace of surprise flashed in his dragon eyes, followed by an involuntary laugh, his tone tinged with teasing.
"Hahaha, this ranking is truly interesting. It even allows men onto the Goddess Ranking. Chrysanthemum Douluo is probably going to become the laughingstock of the soul master world. The title of 'Chrysanthemum Goddess' will likely spread across the entire continent."
Profound Frost stood beside him, her icy blue eyes shifting slightly. Her tone was calm, yet carried a hint of analysis.
"The judgment criteria of this ranking do not focus solely on gender. Talent, aptitude, and uniqueness are what matter most."
"Chrysanthemum Douluo's Chrysanthemum is the only Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb martial soul on the continent. Its potential is limitless and its combat strength top-tier. Based on this uniqueness alone, he is qualified to be on the ranking."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus chapters every 100 Power Stone!
10, 20, 30 Advanced chapters in my Patreon!
patreon.com/hollyrisk