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Spirit Hall, Death Row.
Tang Wei, after enduring ten grueling days in the dark and gloomy death row, looked at the pig slop thrown in by the jailer and could no longer suppress his appetite. He stuffed the mushy food into his mouth in large gulps.
The pig slop he had originally despised now seemed to have a unique flavor.
After satisfying his hunger, Tang Wei noticed the beaming smiles on the faces of the Spirit Hall guards and recalled the cheers that had occasionally erupted from outside the prison.
Tang Wei was very surprised. In his view, Spirit Hall's destruction was imminent, so why were these people in Wuhun City so joyful every day?
Could it be that the crisis hadn't hit Wuhun City yet?
He was still waiting for the Clear Sky Clan to rescue him!
But these Spirit Hall Soul Masters didn't look worried at all. Could it be that Spirit Hall wasn't going to fall and might even rise again?!
With doubts in his heart, Tang Wei said:
"Hey! Tell me, what happened in Spirit Hall? Why are you all so excited?"
Facing Tang Wei's inquiry, the nearby jailer acted as if he hadn't heard anything, completely ignoring him.
Seeing these low-level Soul Masters, who used to lick his boots, now ignoring him completely, Tang Wei instantly snapped.
"You lowly Soul Masters, tell this old man immediately why you are so happy!!"
"Do you know who I am?!!"
"I am a Spirit Douluo, someone you usually can only look up to!!!"
Hearing Tang Wei's clamoring, the guarding jailer said impatiently:
"Are you barking like a dog?!"
"Bark again, and you won't even get pig slop to eat in the future!"
"I..." Hearing that he wouldn't even get pig slop, Tang Wei was speechless for a moment.
After a long while, Tang Wei said:
"Brother jailer!!"
"Brother jailer!!"
The Spirit Hall death row jailer rolled his eyes at Tang Wei. "Who is your brother!"
Tang Wei was choked into silence by the jailer. After doing a lot of mental work on himself, Tang Wei said, "Lord Jailer, please tell this lowly one why you are so happy. Did your Spirit Hall produce a new Titled Douluo?"
Seeing Tang Wei's attitude improve, the jailer said, "Titled Douluo? That's nothing. Spirit Hall has already added two new elders in the past two years."
"What!!?" Tang Wei turned pale with shock.
The jailer couldn't be bothered to explain Spirit Hall's "Soul Core Method" to Tang Wei. Instead, he said proudly:
"The current Holy Son of Spirit Hall and Hall Master of the Sanctuary, Lord Ye Lan, has created a 200,000-year Artificial Soul Ring!! From now on, Spirit Hall will never lack any soul rings!"
Hearing the jailer's answer, Tang Wei's face went white. He said in disbelief:
"Impossible!! Impossible!!"
"Spirit Hall is clearly on the verge of destruction!!!"
"How could a mere Spirit King like Ye Lan create a soul ring of several hundred thousand years!!"
"You must be lying to me!!"
"You must be lying to me!!"
"Hahahahaha!!"
Hearing Tang Wei speaking nonsense, the jailer roared in anger:
"Shut up!!! Your pig slop for the next three days is gone!!"
"Don't!! Don't!!! I admit Ye Lan created the Artificial Soul Ring, okay?! Please, Lord, give me the pig slop!!!" Tang Wei immediately wailed.
Clear Sky Clan.
A middle-aged man with a center-parted hairstyle sat with a roast chicken in one hand and fine wine in the other, his face glowing red.
Below the main seat where the middle-aged man sat was a group of slender, graceful women.
These women were quite thin. As they danced, their gazes occasionally swept over the chicken leg in the middle-aged man's hand.
However, the middle-aged man turned a blind eye, simply watching their graceful dance and laughing excitedly.
The Clear Sky Clan was about to re-emerge, and Spirit Hall's status was precarious. Nothing made Tang Xiao happier than this.
Just as Tang Xiao was enjoying himself, a black-clothed man rushed up to him.
"Didn't I say not to disturb me?! Rushing in like this, what does it look like?" Tang Xiao said angrily.
The Clear Sky Clan spy couldn't care about that and said hurriedly, "Sect Master!! Something terrible has happened!!"
"What is it? Spit it out!" Tang Xiao's gaze remained fixed on the thin women.
"Sect Master, Spirit Hall's Holy Son Ye Lan has successfully created Artificial Soul Rings!! And not just tens or hundreds of years, but rings of several hundred thousand years!!" the spy said anxiously.
"What did you say!?" Tang Xiao grabbed the spy by the collar and lifted him up.
The spy's face turned the color of pig liver as he said:
"Sect Master, the Spirit Hall Holy Son created a 200,000-year Artificial Soul Ring!!"
Tang Xiao released the spy, his face full of disbelief:
"Impossible! Impossible!! Tang Hao used all his strength just for a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, and it even led to our Clear Sky Clan sealing itself off."
"You're telling me the Spirit Hall Holy Son created a 200,000-year Artificial Soul Ring?"
Mentioning Tang Hao, a complex look flashed through Tang Xiao's eyes.
Thinking back to when he, Ah Yin, and Tang Hao traveled the Douluo Continent together, both he and Tang Hao fell in love with the innocent and romantic Ah Yin.
But Ah Yin chose Tang Hao. Heartbroken, he chose to return to the Clear Sky Clan.
When he heard news of Tang Hao and Ah Yin later, he learned that Ah Yin was actually a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form. Even more incredible was that Ah Yin had sacrificed herself to Tang Hao.
He had suspected Tang Hao, but things being what they were, he had no choice but to accept reality.
After all, having succeeded as the Sect Master of the Clear Sky Clan, he could not ignore the talented Tang Hao who possessed a hundred-thousand-year soul ring. The Clear Sky Clan could not do without Tang Hao.
But after hearing the spy's news, Tang Xiao instantly felt the sky collapsing.
Spirit Hall could actually create hundred-thousand-year soul rings?!
In that case, how could their Clear Sky Clan ever turn the tables in the future?
As time passed, it was obvious that Spirit Hall would have more and more Titled Douluos with hundred-thousand-year rings. What qualifications would the Clear Sky Clan have then to call itself the Number One Sect in the World?
Aside from Spirit Hall's growing strength, what terrified Tang Xiao even more was the matter of them inciting the vast number of Heaven Dou Empire Soul Masters to protest.
Under his sister Tang Yuehua's further planning, those protesting Soul Masters had attacked quite a few Spirit Hall properties.
If Spirit Hall found out the Clear Sky Clan was behind it, the Clear Sky Clan would be finished.
After all, the whereabouts of their ancestor Tang Chen were still unknown.
Whether the ancestor was dead or had become a god, there was no news at all.
Without Ancestor Tang Chen, the Clear Sky Clan couldn't stand against Spirit Hall even a little bit.
He could only hope that Spirit Hall would abide by the promise Qian Daoliu made back then never to step into the Clear Sky Clan's territory.
After considering all the consequences, Tang Xiao decisively ordered the black-clothed spy:
"Quick!! Quickly contact Tang Yuehua and tell her she must keep her mouth shut!! Also, recall Tang Wei and Tang Long as soon as possible, and have them purchase more supplies for the Clear Sky Clan!! We are closing the sect!!"
"After more than ten days of squandering, the Clear Sky Clan's supplies are already tight!" Tang Xiao said decisively.
"Yes, Sect Master!! I will go immediately!!" The spy's figure flashed away.
Tang Xiao had completely lost the mood for drinking and watching beauties; he paced back and forth incessantly.
After a long while, Tang Xiao immediately summoned another spy.
Before the spy could bow, Tang Xiao hurriedly said, "Go find Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao immediately and tell him he must return to the sect!"
Then Tang Xiao handed a map to the spy, marking locations where Tang Hao often appeared, such as Holy Spirit Village, the Waterfall, the Slaughter City, etc.
"Yes, Sect Master!!" The spy then disappeared.
"I hope it's in time," Tang Xiao sighed.
Star Luo Empire, Myriad Beast City, Myriad Beast Sect.
The Myriad Beast Sect was different from ordinary sects; it seemed to be situated within a forest.
Aside from human architecture, the most abundant things here were towering trees and various beautiful lakes.
In the core area of the Myriad Beast Sect, the aura of life seemed ready to overflow. The towering trees here were at least a hundred meters tall.
The most central place was also the most tranquil.
A silver-haired girl was sitting cross-legged on the grass, quietly meditating. Her cascading silver hair seemed to flow with scattered starlight.
Just then, a loli voice rang out:
"My Lord!! My Lord!!! Something terrible has happened!!!"
The silver-haired girl slowly opened her eyes, looked at the purple-haired girl, and asked:
"Zi Ji, what happened?!"
"My Lord!! The Auspicious Beast Three-Eyed Golden Lion's third eye is gone!! It... it... it!! It turned into a Two-Eyed Golden Lion, and it became much stupider!!"
"How is that possible!! It carries the fortune of our Soul Beast race. How could such a change happen without reason?"
"Did it come into contact with humans? Didn't I order not to let it contact any humans?" Gu Yuena frowned.
"My Lord, I don't know either!!"
"According to Chi Wang (Scarlet King), no human has contacted it at all, but its eye suddenly disappeared!!" Zi Ji said, flustered.
"Take me there. I'll go take a look." Gu Yuena said.
"Okay, My Lord, follow me!"
Moments later, Gu Yuena saw the Scarlet King with his head lowered in guilt, and the Two-Eyed Golden Lion who only cared about playing with a grass ball.
Gu Yuena beckoned, and the Auspicious Golden Lion immediately pounced into her arms, rubbing its face against her, trying to act spoiled.
After discovering that the Auspicious Beast's third eye was truly gone, Gu Yuena's pupils contracted. She immediately sensed the nearby soul power particles and the fluctuations of life force within her own body.
After a long while, Gu Yuena frowned and said:
"The Auspicious Beast has degenerated. The Soul Beast fortune on its body has been reduced by half; it can no longer support the Eye of Destiny."
"Now, the growth speed of Soul Beasts around it can only be accelerated by about five times."
"My Lord, what should we do then!!" Zi Ji looked anxious.
At this moment, the Scarlet King inched toward Gu Yuena step by step, like a child who had done something wrong.
The Scarlet King whispered:
"My Lord, I didn't mean to..."
Gu Yuena waved her hand and said, "Chi Wang, this is not your fault, although the Auspicious Beast's Eye of Destiny has disappeared."
"But now the Auspicious Beast doesn't need to worry about contact with humans. This way, its range of activity is larger, and more Soul Beasts can benefit from the accelerated growth."
Then Gu Yuena looked at Zi Ji and said:
"Zi Ji, have there been any strange changes on the Douluo Continent recently?"
"What is the current situation of Spirit Hall? Is there any news of Ye Lan?"
Zi Ji twirled her index fingers around each other and said awkwardly:
"I don't know. I haven't heard news of Ye Lan for a long time."
"Oh right!! Di Tian asked me to find you. He seems to have very important news. It's about some Human... Human..."
"Human what? Never mind, I'll go myself."
Silver soul light flashed in Gu Yuena's palm, and an elemental staff appeared instantly. Space rippled.
Gu Yuena stepped toward the ripple and leaped into the spatial tunnel.
In the next instant, she arrived inside the main hall of the Myriad Beast Sect.
The moment she appeared in the main hall, she saw Di Tian sitting in front of a desk piled high with paper documents.
Di Tian's golden pupils rippled occasionally, looking very worried.
"Di Tian, has something major happened on the Douluo Continent? The Soul Beast fortune on the Auspicious Beast suddenly dropped by half," Gu Yuena said.
"My Lord, you said the Soul Beast fortune on the Auspicious Beast dropped by half?!"
Di Tian thought of something and suddenly realized:
"So that's it. It seems that news is true!"
"My Lord, I'm afraid all of this is related to Ye Lan."
"Oh? The disappearance of Soul Beast fortune is related to Ye Lan?" Ripples appeared in Gu Yuena's purple pupils. She remembered that blonde youth who overcame all difficulties to ultimately defeat her and win the Continental Elite Soul Master Competition.
"Correct! Previously, a large-scale anti-Spirit Hall protest erupted in the Heaven Dou Empire, causing great impact on Spirit Hall's industries."
"I followed your instructions and adopted a strategy of watching the tigers fight from the mountain."
"If this continued, Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire would have become vulnerable!"
"We would only need to defeat Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong."
"However, the Heaven Dou Riot was terminated before it even lasted half a month."
"According to our intelligence channels cross-referenced with the Star Luo Royal Family's intelligence, Spirit Hall's Holy Son Ye Lan successfully developed Artificial Soul Rings."
"And not an experimental version, but extremely mature Artificial Soul Rings. A 200,000-year Seraphim Artificial Soul Ring has already been absorbed by Spirit Hall's Young Miss, Qian Renxue—the quasi-successor to the Angel God."
"Originally, I didn't dare believe this intelligence was true. After all, it's all too dreamlike."
"But if half of the Auspicious Beast's fortune has disappeared, it means the fortune of the Soul Beast race has transferred to that human, Ye Lan."
"I'm afraid the contribution of the 'Artificial Soul Ring' to our Soul Beast race is too great. If he weren't human, perhaps all the fortune on the Auspicious Beast would have been transferred away!!" Di Tian said in shock.
"Artificial Soul Ring? A 200,000-year Seraphim Soul Ring? Di Tian, tell me the specific principles of the Artificial Soul Ring." Ripples rose again in Gu Yuena's heart. That blonde human not only possessed heaven-defying combat power but even researched Artificial Soul Rings that could change the fate of the Soul Beast race?
"According to reliable news: Artificial Soul Rings are divided into two types. One is condensed from human blood, and the other uses a drop of Soul Beast blood!"
"Moreover, aside from only increasing one rank after absorption, all other functions of the Artificial Soul Ring are no different from natural soul rings. It also has an advantage that ordinary soul rings don't have: it allows for limit absorption, producing a soul ring of the maximum possible age."
"Judging by the fact that the Heaven Dou City Platinum Sanctuary let a hundred-thousand-year soul ring dissipate naturally for no reason, hundred-thousand-year soul rings are not precious to Spirit Hall. Artificial Soul Rings can likely be mass-produced."
"In this way, the 'Soul Spirit System' has no advantage compared to the 'Artificial System'."
"Even the children's 'Ferocious Beast Soul Spirits' can only produce six soul skills. Only one soul ring can carry two skills; other gold soul rings only have one skill," Di Tian analyzed.
After listening to the information provided by Di Tian, Gu Yuena's heart could not calm down for a long time.
Gu Yuena had noticed Ye Lan before. Her intuition told her that the fragments of future memories she dreamed of were likely related to Ye Lan.
And now, Ye Lan's creation of the "Artificial Soul Ring" further confirmed this.
Could it be that all the variables in this life lay with Ye Lan?
"My Lord?! Should we continue with the plan?"
"'In my view, the 'Soul Spirit System' is far inferior to the 'Artificial Soul Ring System' for Soul Beasts, as every Soul Spirit represents one Soul Beast."
"Currently, the Soul Masters absorbing 'Soul Spirits' haven't discovered that 'Soul Spirits' can be inherited. Once Soul Masters discover this, I'm afraid it won't be a good thing," Di Tian said.
"Di Tian, you are right. If humans know the nature of 'Soul Spirits' and how to manufacture them, it would be a catastrophe for us Soul Beasts."
"Because of the 'Soul Spirit's' characteristics of exceeding age limits for absorption and inheritance, humans will definitely hunt Soul Beasts endlessly, leading to Soul Beast extinction. Soul Beasts would only exist eternally as 'Soul Spirits,' enslaved by humans forever."
"Fortunately, humans don't know how Soul Beasts turn into 'Soul Spirits.' Even if the inheritable characteristic of 'Soul Spirits' is discovered by humans, they cannot manufacture 'Soul Spirits'."
"In the future, whenever a Myriad Beast Sect Soul Master dies, we must retrieve the 'Soul Spirit' to ensure that no 'Soul Spirit' is enslaved by any human," Gu Yuena said.
"Yes, My Lord." Di Tian nodded.
"As for the Artificial Soul Ring system..." Gu Yuena fell into deep thought.
If Ye Lan wasn't that special person, if she hadn't awakened her memories, perhaps she would have walked hand in hand with that human, made peace, and cooperated, right?
"By the way, what attitude does Spirit Hall take toward Soul Beasts now?" Gu Yuena asked.
"My Lord, Spirit Hall Holy Son Ye Lan announced that all Soul Beast Forests within Spirit Hall's controlled areas belong to Spirit Hall."
"Any Soul Master who slaughters Soul Beasts indiscriminately, enters the Soul Beast Forests without permission, or attacks the Soul Beast Forest Guard will receive a Spirit Hall arrest warrant. Any Spirit Hall Soul Master can execute these Soul Masters on the spot," Di Tian said.
"Is that so? I didn't expect Ye Lan to adopt such a gentle policy toward Soul Beasts."
"Generally speaking, haven't greedy humans already started keeping rare bloodline Soul Beasts in captivity?" Gu Yuena murmured.
"My Lord, then shall we..." Di Tian asked again.
At this moment, Gu Yuena was struggling internally. She was thinking about one thing.
Are humans really trustworthy?
Can Artificial Soul Rings really allow humans and Soul Beasts to coexist peacefully?
If Douluo Continent Soul Beasts can coexist with humans, can Soul Beasts become gods?
Will the Divine Realm allow the Dragon God to return?
Countless thoughts flashed through Gu Yuena's mind. Finally, she remembered the original intention of the "Soul Spirit System."
Originally, the "Soul Spirit System" was a new Soul Master system developed to allow Soul Masters and Soul Beasts to coexist.
But after the "Soul Spirit System" was promoted, the situation spiraled out of control beyond her imagination.
She merely took a nap, and the Soul Beast race was almost completely exterminated by humans.
The "Soul Spirit System," originally intended for coexistence, instead accelerated the demise of the Soul Beast race.
The "Artificial Soul Ring" only required a drop of Soul Beast blood and did not harm the Soul Beast's life.
But would the "Artificial Soul Ring" system really not evolve like the "Soul Spirit System," thereby accelerating the extinction of Soul Beasts?
Moreover, the enemies of Soul Beasts were not just the humans of the Douluo Continent; there was also a massive anti-Soul Beast, anti-Dragon God faction in the Divine Realm.
Gu Yuena kept her eyes closed for a long time. When she slowly opened them, her gaze was firm:
"Di Tian, proceed with the plan as normal. No matter what, facing humans, we had better hold a trump card in our hands!"
"In addition, search for the Dragon Tomb with all your might!"
"The 'Dragon God's Heart' must be controlled as soon as possible; there is no room for loss!"
"I understand!!" Di Tian nodded heavily.
"I'm going out for a bit. The Myriad Beast Sect will continue to expand. 'Hundred-Year Soul Spirits' and 'Thousand-Year Soul Spirits' can be sold now. Ensure all Star Luo Empire Soul Masters use Soul Spirits."
"Also, have the Star Luo Royal Family negotiate with Spirit Hall so that Star Luo Empire Soul Masters and the Myriad Beast Sect can purchase 'Artificial Soul Rings' from Spirit Hall. We will exchange rare Soul Beast blood with Spirit Hall."
"The 'Soul Spirit System' and 'Artificial Soul Ring' do not conflict. Human Soul Masters who have absorbed 'Soul Spirits' can absorb 'Artificial Soul Rings,' which can also reduce the consumption of 'Soul Spirits'."
"Also, look after the Auspicious Beast. Let her walk around more within the Soul Beast groups to further accelerate the growth speed of the Soul Beasts."
After Gu Yuena finished her instructions, the spatial ripples nearby began to tremble, and in the next instant, she vanished from Di Tian's sight.
Looking at his Lord's spatial mastery, Di Tian sighed:
"As expected of the Lord. There is no one on the Douluo Continent who can stop the Lord now, right?"
Di Tian did not follow. The current Gu Yuena no longer needed his protection.
After the Lord reached the Soul Saint level, her seventh pale gold soul ring directly granted the soul skill "Silver Dragon King Avatar."
After activating the soul skill, the Lord's strength was equivalent to the current limit of the Douluo Continent, which was the Quasi-God level.
Although the duration wasn't long, relying on the Lord's spatial mastery, no one could stop her.
On the other side, Gu Yuena's figure flashed continuously toward the west.
That direction was Wuhun City. She wanted to meet Ye Lan, the current "Child of Fortune" of the Soul Beasts.
Midnight.
The bright moon hung in the sky, scattering pure white moonlight into the dense forest.
Gu Yuena had arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest. Just as she was approaching Wuhun City, she sensed an extremely powerful aura of life.
With a flash of spatial fluctuation, Gu Yuena immediately appeared on the branch of a towering tree.
Looking at the scene below, she rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Beneath the towering tree, a blonde youth stood in the center of hundreds of Soul Beasts.
The hundreds of Soul Beasts sat quietly in front of the blonde youth like obedient babies.
This well-behaved appearance formed a sharp contrast with their ferocious exteriors.
Aside from the hundreds of obedient Soul Beasts, two other Soul Beasts were scurrying back and forth among them.
The two scurrying Soul Beasts were a fat Bloodthirsty Demon Bear and a fat Diamond Tiger.
The fat bear carried a huge bundle on its back, clinking as it moved.
The fat tiger carried two bamboo baskets on its shoulders, which also clinked.
The bear and the tiger, one south and one north, scurried constantly in their respective areas.
Whenever the fat bear passed a Soul Beast, it would take out a small transparent bottle.
The obedient Soul Beast sitting in front of the fat bear would take the transparent bottle, use its claw to cut its own fur, and let a stream of blood flow into the bottle. Once the bottle was full...
The fat bear would stuff this bottle of fresh blood into the bundle on its back. The Soul Beast that had donated blood would then eagerly run toward the blonde youth.
A golden soul light would flash in the blonde youth's palm, and some slender golden Blue Silver Grass would emerge.
Then, the blonde youth would feed these golden Blue Silver Grass to the blood-donating Soul Beasts.
After eating the golden Blue Silver Grass, the Soul Beast would silently withdraw from the circle of Soul Beasts.
But it wouldn't go too far from the blonde youth, as if it were very reluctant to leave that person.
(End of Chapter)