At the same time, the gazes of everyone across the continent converged on the depths of the Sunset Forest.
The dense forest that had long been shrouded in miasma was suddenly torn apart by a terrifying pressure.
The sky seemed to be lifted open by an invisible giant hand. A dazzling golden pillar of light shot straight into the heavens, piercing through the thick clouds in an instant and dyeing the entire Sunset Forest, and even the sky for thousands of miles around it, in gold.
The pillar of light was not a single color. Within it, six streams of black, purple, blue, red, and other hues intertwined and rotated wildly, forming a massive vortex of energy.
This was the manifestation of the six attribute powers of the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger after its soul core and one hundred thousand years of cultivation were burned, forcibly condensed, and refined.
Wherever the pillar of light passed, space let out an unbearable hum. The surrounding miasma was instantly evaporated, and even the earth trembled slightly.
Compared to the pillar of light that had appeared when the Soul Beast Rankings reward was granted, this one was even more massive, more dazzling, and filled with even more heart-stopping energy fluctuations.
Across the entire continent, whether soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest or soul masters of the major sects, all were drawn by this sudden golden pillar of light. One after another, they stopped what they were doing and looked toward the direction of the Sunset Forest, their eyes filled with shock and reverence.
"What… what is that?!"
"Such terrifying energy fluctuations! A hundred times more frightening than a Titled Douluo's full-strength strike!"
"It's the Sunset Forest! Could there be some peerless powerhouse hidden there?"
"Look! There are six colors of flowing light inside the pillar! That is… the attribute power of the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger!"
When someone recognized the attributes contained within the pillar of light, the entire continent fell into a deathly silence, followed by an unprecedented uproar.
"The Dark Devil God Evil Tiger?! How could it be in the Sunset Forest?!"
"Could it be… could it be that Senior Li Tianyi really captured it?"
"That pillar of light… it is the light of sacrifice! The Dark Devil God Evil Tiger is offering itself in sacrifice!"
This thought spread across the continent like a plague, and everyone was stunned by the speculation.
...
By the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest, Gu Yuena suddenly rose to her feet. The elemental power around her surged violently, her eyes filled with disbelief, fury, and unwillingness.
She stared fixedly toward the direction of the Sunset Forest, sensing that familiar yet unfamiliar energy fluctuation within the pillar of light. Her body trembled slightly with anger.
"Li Tianyi… you actually dared…"
She ground her teeth as she spoke the name, her voice filled with boundless hatred and helplessness.
She knew very well that she was no match for Li Tianyi. The gap between a God King and one who was not a God King was like the difference between heaven and earth.
She could only watch as the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger was sacrificed, powerless to do anything.
Di Tian, Zi Ji, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, and the others also sensed that terrifying pressure and energy fluctuation. One after another, they lowered their heads, their eyes filled with awe and fear.
Only then did they truly understand just how terrifying the strength of the headmaster of the Heavenly Path Academy was.
On the training ground of Shrek Academy, Tang San, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and the others stared blankly at the sky, their eyes filled with shock.
They could clearly feel that the energy contained within that pillar of light was enough to reduce all of them to ashes with ease.
"A sacrifice… it really is a sacrifice…"
Tang San murmured softly, his eyes filled with reverence and yearning. (TL/N: Is it me or did the author copied and paste most of the paragraphs from previous chapter?)
He knew that the sacrifice of the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger meant that a soul master was about to be reborn and gain a powerful hundred-thousand-year soul ring. That soul master's strength would inevitably undergo a qualitative leap.
"My heavens… Senior Li is far too domineering, isn't he? He directly captured the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger and used it as Zhu Zhuqing's soul ring…"
Ma Hongjun opened his mouth, his face full of disbelief.
Just as the people of the continent were still reeling from the sacrifice of the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger, an even more shocking scene unfolded.
As the golden pillar of light continued to rise, a magnificent academy suspended among the clouds slowly appeared at its summit.
It was an academy beyond description. Its entire structure was built from an unknown white jade-like material, emitting a faint golden glow.
Within the academy, pavilions and towers were arranged in perfect harmony. Waterfalls and streams flowed gently, and countless exotic immortal herbs shone under the sunlight, exuding rich life energy.
At the very center of the academy stood a massive statue. The statue depicted a young man dressed in green robes, handsome and upright, standing with his hands behind his back. His gaze was deep, as if it could pierce through heaven and earth.
"That is… an academy?!"
"It's actually suspended in the clouds! What level of power is this?!"
"Could it be… this is the legendary Heavenly Path Academy?!"
When someone spoke the four words "Heavenly Path Academy," the entire continent erupted.
No one had ever known where this academy was located.
And now, because of the sacrifice of the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger, this mysterious academy had actually revealed itself above the Sunset Forest.
"So the Heavenly Path Academy has always been in the Sunset Forest!"
"No wonder no one found it all these years. It's actually a floating academy!"
"So magnificent! Is this what an academy with a God King is like?"
All major forces across the continent, whether the Spirit Hall, Shrek Academy, or the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires, turned their gazes toward the Sunset Forest.
With the location of the Heavenly Path Academy exposed, the structure of the Douluo Continent was bound to undergo earth-shaking changes.
...
Within the Sunset Forest, Li Tianyi stood with his hands behind his back. His green robes swayed gently in the breeze. There was no ripple on his handsome face. Only his deep eyes were fixed tightly on the golden pillar of light rising into the sky.
He could clearly see the soul fire of the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger burning fiercely. The power of its six attributes was being continuously extracted, transforming into a black torrent of energy that surged toward Zhu Zhuqing, who was seated cross-legged.
Zhu Zhuqing had her eyes closed, her soul power circulating wildly. The phantom of the Dark Devil God Evil Tiger martial soul slowly unfolded behind her, resonating from afar with that black energy.
Her aura was soaring at a speed visible to the naked eye.
From the peak of the Soul Emperor realm, it broke through little by little. Finally, with a crisp cracking sound, her aura surged explosively as she successfully broke through to Level 68.
At the same time, her sixth soul ring slowly condensed. It was a pitch-black hundred-thousand-year soul ring, emitting the radiance of six attributes. Under the sunlight, it shimmered with an eerie yet powerful glow.
When the last trace of energy merged into Zhu Zhuqing's body, the golden pillar of light that had shot into the heavens abruptly converged, turning into countless points of starlight that dissipated into the air.
The projection of the Heavenly Path Academy above also gradually faded, once more retreating into the clouds and disappearing from sight.
But everyone knew that from this moment on, the Sunset Forest was destined to know no peace.
The Sunset Forest would become the new focal point of the Douluo Continent.
As for all of this, Li Tianyi was actually somewhat speechless.
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