Star Luo Empire.
Within its former vassal state, the Kingdom of Pelagius.
After annexing all the vassal kingdoms and duchies of the Heaven Dou Empire and restoring its peak territory, Ye Yu dispatched his Mirror Image Clone, Ye Xiuquan, to follow the Heaven Dou army and the Spirit Master Legion of Spirit Hall in their continued assault on the Star Luo Empire.
The first target of attack was the Kingdom of Pelagius, one of Star Luo's three great vassal kingdoms.
Compared to the Kingdom of Balak, which was shielded by towering mountains between its neighbors, the Kingdoms of Kirikes and Hadrian—where only a few key passes were enough to secure the defense line—Pelagius was a much softer target.
That was why Balak was known as the "Gateway to Heaven Dou."
But between the province of Phanos and the Kingdom of Hadrian, most of the land was open plains, with hardly any natural barriers.
Thus, the Kingdom of Pelagius had to be taken first.
From a strategic standpoint, this was the surest way to gain the upper hand.
Advance, and one could strike further. Retreat, and one had defensible ground.
With Ye Xiuquan leading the charge, the combined forces of the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall swept through Pelagius's defenses like a storm.
In the end, they successfully occupied the Kingdom of Pelagius.
Yet even if the victory seemed overwhelming, marching directly from Phanos's border to Pelagius's capital still took over half a month.
Even with Ye Yu's aid, it would take the Heaven Dou army and Spirit Hall nearly a full month to subdue a single kingdom.
And occupying was only the beginning—digesting and consolidating such gains required far more time.
Thus, Ye Xiuquan remained stationed in Pelagius's royal capital.
But on this day, Heaven Dou's Marshal Ge Long arrived at Ye Xiuquan's temporary residence, his expression peculiar, accompanied by several subordinates.
"Ge Long, paying respects to Lord Ye Yu!"
Since Ye Xiuquan always acted under Ye Yu's name to better spread the faith of the Lord of Creation and to manifest "miracles," Ge Long regarded him as the true Ye Yu.
Upon seeing him, Ge Long bowed respectfully and greeted him.
"Marshal Ge Long, what brings you here?"
Ye Xiuquan asked curiously.
"Lord Ye Yu," Ge Long said with a strange look, "I come to deliver news. The Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall, Hu Liena, has suddenly arrived in Pelagius. She says she wishes to see you—that she knows you, and that you will surely meet her. Do you wish to grant her an audience?"
"Hu Liena? She wants to see me?"
Ye Xiuquan was a little surprised.
Though merely a clone, he shared Ye Yu's memories, and thus knew of Ye Yu's relationship with Hu Liena.
So her appearance here wasn't entirely unexpected.
"Bring her to me."
Ye Xiuquan gave the order directly.
Not long after Ge Long left, a soldier escorted Hu Liena to the gates of Ye Xiuquan's residence. His eyes shone with fervent devotion as he bowed deeply before entering.
"Follow me! When you meet the great Lord of Creation, do not forget to bow and offer your respects!"
The soldier, brimming with pride, opened the doors and led Hu Liena inside.
"Glory to the great Lord of Creation!"
Upon seeing Ye Yu's visage, the soldier's eyes burned with fanaticism. He dropped to his knees, prostrated himself fully, and began chanting with reverence.
Soldiers revered strength. On the battlefield, death was ever present; all of them had long accepted that their lives might be forfeit at any time.
Yet who truly wished to die if survival was possible?
And in battle, Ye Yu had displayed a power so overwhelming it defied comprehension—summoning vast forests of blue crystal in an instant, reshaping terrain itself, subduing tens of thousands of elite troops within a heartbeat, and delivering victories without bloodshed.
How could the soldiers who had witnessed such miracles not be awed, not become zealous believers?
"Rise."
Ye Xiuquan gestured lightly, dismissing the soldier.
Once the soldier had left, Ye Xiuquan turned to Hu Liena with a faint smile.
"Hu Liena. It's been a long time."
"Ye Yu!"
At the sight of his familiar figure, Hu Liena's beautiful eyes welled up with tears. Her voice caught as she choked back sobs, and she could no longer restrain herself. She rushed straight toward him.
But Ye Xiuquan sidestepped her embrace.
"Hu Liena, calm yourself. There's something I must tell you."
"I am not the Ye Yu you seek. I am but one of his incarnations, created to manifest his miracles and spread his faith. The true Ye Yu is still in the Heaven Dou Imperial Capital. I can take you to him."
Hu Liena froze. The man she loved—avoiding her embrace?
After betraying her teacher Bibi Dong and uncovering her true nature, Hu Liena's heart had been torn between bitter satisfaction and uncertainty. More than anything, she longed for someone she could lean on.
At first, she thought Ye Yu had rejected her. Her heart ached, her eyes stung, and her nose burned.
But after hearing his explanation, relief flooded her chest. She exhaled softly, as though a weight had been lifted.
Still, curiosity and disbelief lingered.
"You mean… you're only Ye Yu's incarnation? But on the way here, I heard you summoned an entire crystal forest and crushed Pelagius's army in an instant!"
Ye Xiuquan merely smiled proudly.
"Though only a clone, I am still invincible on this continent. My strength is no weaker than that of the so-called gods."
Hu Liena was shaken to the core.
If even Ye Yu's clone wielded such godlike power, how terrifying must Ye Yu himself be?
"Come. I'll take you to him."
With that, Ye Xiuquan tore open space itself, preparing to bring Hu Liena to the Heaven Dou capital.
Though as a clone he could use the Blue Silver Space to perform long-distance teleportation, that ability was Ye Yu's greatest hidden trump card—a growing miniature world, not merely a transit station. Unless absolutely necessary, it was better not to expose it.
Now that Ye Yu had mastered spatial rending across the entire Douluo Star, Ye Xiuquan naturally could as well. There was no need to rely on the Blue Silver Space.
—
Meanwhile, in the Star Luo Imperial Capital.
Within the mansion of the Duke of Hell.
As one of the two pillars of Star Luo, Grand Duke Zhu Xuanfeng was already aware.
Ye Yu could summon a vast crystalline forest with ease, subduing tens of thousands of elite soldiers in moments. His power rivaled the legendary gods.
Against such an enemy, Zhu Xuanfeng despaired. The unification of the Douluo Continent now seemed inevitable.
But what of the Hell Spirit Cat Clan?
The Star Luo Empire's fall meant doom for their clan as well, bound as they were to the royal family. Would the Heaven Dou royal house and Spirit Hall not erase them too?
No. He could not allow the Hell Spirit Cat Clan to perish in his hands. How could he face his ancestors if their line ended with him?
Gritting his teeth, Zhu Xuanfeng made a decision that betrayed his forebears.
His youngest daughter, Zhu Zhuqing, had already joined the Lord of Creation, Ye Yu.
At first, he had only pitied her—knowing she and Dai Mubai were destined to lose against Zhu Zhuyun and First Prince Dai Weisi in the cruel system of succession
Better to let her follow Ye Yu than be sacrificed.
And there was also Poison Douluo Dugu Bo to consider.
But now, Zhu Xuanfeng never expected that his moment of kindness would allow him to hit the jackpot!
Perhaps through his daughter Zhu Zhuqing… there was a chance to preserve the clan.
"Dai Tianfeng, oh Dai Tianfeng," he thought darkly. "Though our Hell Spirit Cat Clan has been tied to your royal family for generations, as the saying goes—'Husband and wife are but birds of the same forest; when calamity comes, they fly apart.'
If our clan is to survive, then we must bow to the victor… even if it means forsaking you."
Thus, for the sake of survival, the wise would submit—while the Star Luo royal family would have to bear the suffering.