Divine Throne, You're a Copycat!

Why wasn't Huo Yuhao nervous? Naturally, it was because he hadn't pinned all his hopes on the Divine Throne of Eternity and Creation. Earning its favor would be wonderful, but failing to obtain it wouldn't be the end of the world. Why bother being tense? Seeing that Huo Yuhao wasn't nervous, Tianmeng and the Ice Empress naturally relaxed as well. As for Electrolux... what grand spectacle hadn't he witnessed in his lifetime? Before him was a mere seventh-rank of the ninth step—an entity that wouldn't even qualify as a quasi-god by Douluo Continent's standards. What reason did he have to be afraid? The Eternal Angel took a deep breath as she surveyed the remarkably composed youth and the three spirits beside him, choosing not to make a fuss over their attitude. "I am the Eternal Angel, guardian of the Domain of Eternity, tasked with watching over the heavens and representing the starlight within the Divine Throne of Eternity and Creation." "The Lord of Eternity has left this matter to my discretion. Am I to assume the human among you is the one taking the trial?" "That is correct." Huo Yuhao nodded and stepped forward. "Before beginning the trial, may I ask if I am permitted to use the aids I brought in with me? For instance, the three companions beside me, as well as weapons and the like." Being pulled into the Divine Throne at this stage had not been in his plans; he had assumed he wouldn't gain entry until he reached the Titled Douluo rank. "Of course," the Eternal Angel replied with a faint nod. When Long Haochen, the previous challenger of the Divine Throne, had entered, he had been permitted to wield Divine Tools, Super Divine Tools, and the assistance of the Spirit of Light, Yating. There was no reason to forbid this youth from utilizing his own strength and support. Since the Lord of Eternity had permitted these entities to enter, there was surely a reason behind it. If they wished to participate, so be it. The Lord of Eternity: "..." *I never said a word. You concocted that entirely on your own.* Huo Yuhao voiced his thanks and exchanged a glance with Electrolux. The elder nodded, conjuring a Gate of the Undead behind him and retrieving a Storage Ring. From it, Huo Yuhao drew out a metal cannon barrel and... eight Rank 9 stationary soul cannon shells! If asked what his favorite Soul Tool was, Huo Yuhao might hesitate, but if asked which was the most practical, stationary soul cannon shells were the undeniable answer. A single shell packed the full-power strike of an Ultimate Douluo without draining the soul engineer's soul power. What could possibly be better? Back when he presided over the Spirit Pagoda as an Ultimate Douluo, Rank 9 stationary soul cannon shells were precisely what he had manufactured the most. Elder Yi had just communicated through a mental transmission that the opponent before them possessed strength roughly equivalent to an Ultimate Douluo without Battle Armor, making these shells the ideal countermeasure. It was only proper respect for an artifact spirit! The Eternal Angel: "..." Staring at the soul cannon shells that radiated a suffocating pressure even before detonating, her brow twitched erratically. Cheating! Someone was brazenly cheating! It wasn't merely the Rank 9 soul cannon shells. When Electrolux opened the Gate of the Undead, she realized his strength was by no means inferior to hers. At his peak, he must have been a powerhouse of the ninth rank of the ninth step. Even though only a wisp of divine sense remained, it was exceptionally well-preserved. In all likelihood, she would not be his match. Seeing that Huo Yuhao seemed intent on pulling out even more Soul Tools, the Eternal Angel took a sharp breath and barked icily, "Stop! When did I ever claim I would test you at the peak of my power? No external aids or external items are permitted!" Huo Yuhao was currently a mere three-ring Soul Master; she naturally had no intention of unleashing her full might. Huo Yuhao froze in place. Before he could speak, Tianmeng grumbled, "Hey, Yuhao forged all of these himself. How can you call them external aids?" The Ice Empress cast a disdainful look at the staff in the angel's hand and scoffed softly. "Aren't you wielding an external object yourself? The nerve, criticizing others!" Electrolux chimed in smoothly, remarking in an unhurried voice, "At present, I serve as Yuhao's third Martial Soul. Joining the fray on his behalf is completely justified." "..." Never had she encountered souls of such staggering impudence! The Eternal Angel glared at the three spirits for a moment before raising her staff toward the sky and incanting, "Lord of Eternity, manifest your divine might." In an instant, the heavens dissolved into a haze of pale white. An immense pressure bore down, making Huo Yuhao knit his brows, though he was far more intrigued by the transformation unfolding across the Eternal Angel's form. Enveloped in the pale-white radiance, her aura plummeted precipitously until it settled at the level of a four-ring Soul Master. Behind her materialized four golden Spirit Rings speckled with the brilliance of stars. *The number of strange Spirit Rings just keeps growing.* *If Elder Yi could turn himself into an unorthodox Martial Soul, it makes sense that the Divine Throne can accomplish something similar,* Huo Yuhao mused, raising an eyebrow in silent astonishment. It wasn't entirely unexpected. Though classified as a Super Divine Tool, the Divine Throne inherently came with its own divine position; one could easily view it as a vessel of divine succession. Any existence who had ever possessed the Divine Throne received the brand of the God of Creation. Regardless of the rules governing their native plane, they were ultimately exempt from them. Upon ascending to godhood, the brand of the God of Creation granted a unique divine spark to oversee the plane on the creator's behalf. Planar rules were essentially nonexistent to it, so adapting its artifact spirit into the Douluo system posed little difficulty. "The powerful figure beside you may not intervene, nor may you utilize other armaments. Put that Storage Ring back this instant! You may rely only on your own strength and your Soul Spirits! Accordingly, I shall employ the cultivation system of your plane, adjusting my power to just one rank above yours... purely to preserve the challenge of this trial!" Having restricted her cultivation, the Eternal Angel felt her own cheeks burn as she delivered her ultimatum. Restricting the challenger's opportunities and weapons while insisting on maintaining an edge in raw power—she felt almost as shameless as the three spirits before her. Observing from the shadows, the Lord of Eternity: "..." *Can't you tell?* *Those cunning old schemers were playing you! How could you just lower the difficulty like that? Did you ever stop to think why I dispatched you directly to test his combat prowess? Did you honestly believe your peak strength surpassed his?* Unable to bear the upcoming battle, the Lord of Eternity looked away. They were all beings who had lived for over ten thousand years, but Huo Yuhao's companions were sharp down to the marrow. By comparison, the artifact spirits under his command were hopelessly naive. Then again, swaying an opponent through words was a skill in its own right, leaving little room for reproach. Besides, he was already well aware of Huo Yuhao's true strength; this trial was nothing more than a formality. Still... should he find an opportunity to send these artifact spirits into the world for some tempering? Confined within the Divine Throne's domain for so long, their minds had grown far too rigid. Seeing that the Eternal Angel had suppressed her power to such an extent, a glimmer of amusement surfaced in Electrolux's eyes. Without another word, he stepped aside and vanished into the background. Tianmeng and the Ice Empress said nothing more either, returning straight into Huo Yuhao's body. Huo Yuhao glanced at the Spirit Rings encircling the Eternal Angel. Three golden rings flared to life around him, and in an explosive burst of speed, he lunged forward to seize the initiative. At that very moment, a ring of light materialized directly across his path. Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes and shifted sideways in a flash, evading the descending radiance. A chain shimmering with starlight shot out from that exact spot, grasping only empty air. Simultaneously, a brilliant pillar of golden light surged up around the Eternal Angel, causing her aura to swell even further. The golden pillar churned with luminous golden mist, dotted with flecks of starlight that spiraled and ascended in a wondrous display. Though an angel, she carried no aura of light. True to the astral power she represented, her entire being radiated starlight. Yet, Huo Yuhao recognized this ability all too well. It was a Soul Skill belonging to the Star Crown! *Divine Throne, you're a copycat!*