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"Origin... Flash!!" the Twelve-Winged Origin Angel whispered. Simultaneously, a blinding white light erupted from its entire body.
In the next instant, countless humans, animals, and soul beasts within the forest who had sensed the angel's presence looked up at the sky in a daze. They didn't know why they were staring at the empty expanse of the heavens.
Qian Renxue looked down from her high vantage point at a sea of clouds, the emerald-green earth stretching beyond its edges, and the boundless blue ocean to the far west that reached the very horizon.
At this moment, she had reached an altitude of ten thousand meters.
The Twelve-Winged Origin Angel pointed the blazing gold holy sword in its hand toward a certain sea area in the far west and said tonelessly, "Judgment!"
The golden holy sword, hundreds of meters long, radiated the most dazzling white light. In less than the blink of an eye, that light extended instantaneously across the ocean.
The Mysterious Waters, Sea God Island.
"Grandmother!! I've finally completed the first trial of the Sea God!!" Tang San laughed excitedly.
"As expected of Tang Chen's descendant, your talent is no less than your grandfather's." Bo Saixi looked at Tang San with a kind and gentle gaze. The more she observed Tang San's talent and perseverance, the more she grew to like him.
Suddenly, Tang San squeezed his eyes shut, using his hand to block a sudden, intensely powerful light.
The light was simply too piercing!
A few seconds later, Tang San slowly opened his eyes. He looked on in shock as blood began to pour from Bo Saixi's chest, appearing as if something had pierced right through her.
"Grandmother!!!" Tang San's expression changed instantly. Who was it?! Who could possibly wound his grandmother?!
Bo Saixi looked at the wound on her chest in bewilderment. She had no idea what had happened.
Deep blue soul power erupted instantly, blasting Tang San over ten meters away. She immediately unleashed her "Martial Soul Avatar," and her mental domain expanded, scanning everything in the sea for any suspicious individuals.
In the next moment, it felt as if her consciousness had flickered for the briefest of seconds.
Bo Saixi looked down in confusion as blood began to seep from her arm.
"Who is it?!!"
Bo Saixi immediately looked back, tracing the trajectory from her two injuries. In the dimming azure sky, she spotted a tiny, minute speck of light.
In the next instant, that speck glowed slightly.
A shimmering sword of light instantly struck her left arm.
"How is this possible!!!" Bo Saixi was shocked by the opponent's method of attack. This light sword's attack range was hundreds of thousands of meters long!
"No matter who you are!! You have provoked me!! Sea God Descent!!!" Bo Saixi let out a furious roar. Her ninth soul ring flashed with a brilliant blood-red light, and she instantly transformed into a five-hundred-meter-tall, majestic figure of the Sea God.
Yet, in the very next second, Bo Saixi looked at the sky in confusion. She murmured, "What am I doing? Why did I use 'Sea God Possession'?"
"Hiss—"
The pain from her body cleared her mind slightly, but she had no memory of how she had been injured.
"Little San, do you know what happened?" Bo Saixi asked, puzzled.
"Grandmother, I don't know!! I only feel like my eyes hurt terribly." Tang San rubbed his watering eyes.
The unknown nature of the damage made Bo Saixi's skin crawl. With a grim expression, she muttered, "Just who could it be? Could it be... a God?"
"Xiaoxue, we almost overplayed our hand!" Ye Lan said suddenly.
"Hmph, if I didn't give her a lesson, the resentment in my heart wouldn't subside!" Qian Renxue replied.
"The effect of 'God Cannot Be Looked Upon' is too broken. If we had been just a bit slower, she might have used space manipulation to teleport over," Ye Lan noted.
"Blehh!! I've played enough!!" Qian Renxue laughed softly.
A white light flashed as Ye Lan and Qian Renxue immediately deactivated their "Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
"Wait!! Why have you grown bigger!!" Qian Renxue looked at the adult Ye Lan, with his blue-gold hair, in surprise.
"Did you forget so quickly? The Twelve-Winged Origin Angel resets all statuses upon use. Naturally, that includes my weakened state," Ye Lan explained.
Qian Renxue sized Ye Lan up carefully, appearing quite satisfied with his new blue-gold hair color.
"Mmph... what are you doing!!" Qian Renxue was suddenly pushed down by Ye Lan, and she began to resist with her hands and feet.
"Replenishing mana, of course! Our Martial Soul Fusion Skill requires mana replenishment before it can be used again!"
"You rogue!! Mmm... don't bully me!" Qian Renxue's eyes grew misty, and her resistance gradually weakened.
"Remember how you bullied me before? I'll show you what I'm capable of," Ye Lan laughed softly.
A long time later, Ye Lan held a limp Xiaoxue in his arms, staring at the starry sky as he contemplated his next move.
Bo Saixi's appearance had directly disrupted his "Whale Glue" grand plan, stalling the project to empower all soul masters on the Douluo Continent.
This rebirth had made Ye Lan even more cautious.
Bo Saixi's "Quasi-God" level strength was still too terrifying. Limit Douluos were mainly divided into two stages: Demi-God and Quasi-God. The gap between these two stages was larger than the gap between a human and a dog. Once one reached the Quasi-God level, their mastery over space was beyond anything other soul masters could compare to.
This was why he had been easily caught by Bo Saixi despite using the four-fold stack of "Flicker," "Gravity Mire," "Instant Step," and "Sonic Shift" to teleport tens of thousands of meters.
If Xiaoxue hadn't held back just now, Bo Saixi might have used "Sea God Descent" to cross space and fight them. If a battle truly broke out, the outcome would be unpredictable. Win or lose, it wouldn't be a good ending for them.
Sensing the soul power in his body, Ye Lan sighed softly.
Although the "Twelve-Winged Origin Angel" had saved him half a year of recovery time, the month spent since his rebirth was still a waste of time. He should have reached Rank 62 by now, but he was still only Rank 61.
With his current strength, he had no way to resist Bo Saixi or any "Sea God Consciousness" that might appear. Furthermore, after using the "Nature Domain" to be reborn, the moment he showed himself, future enemies would certainly be on guard against his resurrection methods.
In other words, his life-saving trump card was no longer as reliable.
A large part of his confidence in acting recklessly across the Douluo Continent had come from the resurrection ability of the "Nature Domain." But resurrection was useless against an overwhelmingly powerful enemy; if you couldn't win, you couldn't win.
The gap between a Soul Emperor and a Quasi-God was too vast. Between them lay the chasms of the Soul Saint and Soul Douluo ranks, plus the nine ranks of Titled Douluo where every level was a world apart. This disparity was even greater than that between a Divine Officer and a Quasi-God! After all, Bo Saixi's "Sea God Descent" was essentially borrowing divine power—it had already touched the realm of the gods.
"Xiaoxue, don't tell anyone else that I'm alive except for Lengleng and Teacher. My strength isn't enough yet; I won't consider revealing myself until I reach the Soul Saint rank," Ye Lan said.
"Mm, I understand!" Qian Renxue replied obediently.
"By the way, Xiaoxue, have you started the Angelic God Trials?" Ye Lan asked.
"Yes, Grandfather told me about it," Qian Renxue said.
"No matter what happens in the future, do not complete the Ninth Trial of the Angelic God," Ye Lan stated firmly.
"Why?!" Qian Renxue was confused.
"Just trust me. It's for the best," Ye Lan didn't offer a deep explanation.
"Fine! I'll listen to you!" Qian Renxue agreed.
"In a while, take me back to the 'Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.' I'll go into secluded cultivation there. Then, have Chenxiang come see me; I need to arrange the future development of the Temple," Ye Lan continued.
"Alright, I've got it!! Oh, Ye Lan—while you were being reborn, the Empire of Ten Thousand Beasts attacked the Heaven Dou Empire. Do you have a plan?" Qian Renxue asked.
"The Empire of Ten Thousand Beasts attacked Heaven Dou??! They changed their name? Who is leading them?" Ye Lan asked sharply.
"Di Tian of the Beast Spirit Sect, who is also the current Beast Emperor. If Grandfather hadn't rushed to the front lines, the Heaven Dou front would have already collapsed," Qian Renxue explained.
Hearing this, waves rose in Ye Lan's heart.
Gu Yuena, what is your goal? Attacking Heaven Dou at this time—for what? Is it to divert internal conflicts within the Beast Empire?
Although the Star Luo Empire's Dai family had been wiped out by the Beast Spirit Sect in cooperation with the Star Luo Zhu family, the throne of the Star Luo Empire should never have fallen to the newly risen Beast Spirit Sect. But Di Tian's strength was too great for anyone to resist. There was undoubtedly resentment among the people.
However, compared to the Beast Spirit Sect, the Star Luo citizens should hate him—the "Emperor-Slaying" Holy Son of Spirit Hall—even more.
But since he was "dead," the Beast Empire should have had no reason to launch a war. Unless Di Tian and Gu Yuena were taking advantage of the fact that he wasn't "completely dead" and that the people's hatred hadn't faded to launch a war and shift internal pressure. After all, a wartime Emperor is the most secure.
However, even if the Beast Empire hadn't started it, once his plan to empower all soul masters was complete, he would have had his Teacher launch a war against Star Luo anyway.
Regardless, it was destined that only one nation between Heaven Dou and the Beast Empire would remain. It was like the Qin Dynasty unifying the six kingdoms; a unified empire was far better for peace than the fractured Spring and Autumn periods. For peace, a necessary period of pain was allowed.
Since the Beast Empire initiated the war, he and Spirit Hall wouldn't have to bear the guilt of being the aggressors. But since he was "dead," he couldn't participate directly.
Ye Lan understood that war was a battle of logistics. Once the top-tier combat power of both sides reached a stalemate, it became a contest of whose soldiers were braver, who had more food, better weapons, more armor, and most importantly, stronger morale.
Though he couldn't take the field, he could influence the outcome from behind the scenes.
"Spirit Tool Weapons," "Whale Glue," and "Man-made Soul Rings"—using these three as military incentives would maximize the combat enthusiasm of the Heaven Dou soul masters and significantly boost their power.
As for the civilian armies, because he had brought most of the Blacksmith Association's smiths to Spirit Hall, the quantity and quality of Heaven Dou's weapons and armor would surely surpass the Beast Empire's. Most of the Beast Empire's current equipment was likely old stock from the Blacksmith Association. As time passed and durability dropped, Heaven Dou's civilian army would inevitably gain the upper hand.
Most importantly, the Heaven Dou Royal Family—which was effectively Spirit Hall now—was wealthier than the Beast Empire's royalty. Thanks to man-made soul rings and the Medicine Hall's pills, Spirit Hall's wealth had exploded. This wealth meant Heaven Dou could mobilize manpower and resources without raising taxes, maintaining the front lines while keeping the hearts of the people.
Conversely, for the Beast Empire to sustain the war, they would have to tax the nobles and commoners heavily. No matter how much they wanted to avenge the former Star Luo Emperor, that sentiment would wither as their gold coins were drained.
Having analyzed the odds, Ye Lan felt at ease.
"Xiaoxue, don't worry about the war. The advantage lies with Heaven Dou," Ye Lan said.
A few days later: Spirit City, Supreme Pontiff Palace.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
The echo of high heels on the floor caught Bibi Dong's attention. As she looked up, her eyes filled with surprise and guilt.
"Xiaoxue?"
"My name is Qian Renxue. I'm here to notify you of one thing: Ye Lan is still alive. He is currently in the Sunset Forest," Qian Renxue said calmly.
"Is that true?!!!" Joyful tears streamed down Bibi Dong's haggard face.
Seeing Bibi Dong's tears, Qian Renxue tossed a file onto the desk and turned to leave.
The sound of her footsteps was even heavier as she left. Bibi Dong froze and called out, "Xiaoxue!! Please forgive Teacher!"
"I will never forgive you!" Qian Renxue didn't look back as she hurried away.
If Bibi Dong hadn't fallen in love with Ye Lan, Qian Renxue would have hated her purely. But those tears told Qian Renxue that she truly loved him. This left her flustered, unsure of how to process her hatred.
Watching Qian Renxue's back, Bibi Dong felt more guilt than ever. She whispered, "Xiaoxue, I'm sorry. Let Mother be selfish just this once!"
Bibi Dong then picked up the paper file. The handwriting was exactly that of her disciple, the one she missed night and day: Ye Lan.
She read every word, missing nothing. The information within made her eyes light up.
Besides Ye Lan's analysis of why Heaven Dou would win, the document outlined policies to be implemented during the war.
First, Recruitment: Beyond Spirit Hall's own Knight Legions, the "Man-made Soul Ring," "Soul Pills," "Spirit Tool Weapons," and "Whale Glue" would be opened to Heaven Dou soul masters. Military merit could be exchanged for these cultivation resources.
For Civilian Armies: Merit would primarily earn "Spirit Tool Weapons" and "Whale Glue," which could increase the probability of their next generation awakening high-level tool spirits. Additionally, enlistment pay and pensions would be increased.
Logistics: The Empire would nationalize strategic resources like salt, iron, and grain, banning private reselling. Grain grown by commoners would be purchased at a fair price to prevent speculation and famine.
Public Opinion: Through decrees, monuments, and storytellers, the war would be framed as a righteous defense against aggression, unifying the nobles and commoners.
Manpower: Gold coins would be used to recruit laborers for military production, logistics, and fortifications. A "Bureau of Military Equipment" would be established to centralize blacksmiths for weapon and siege engine production.
Medical Care: "Military Doctors" would be stationed in camps. Stockpiles of herbs, high-proof spirits (for disinfection), and splints would be prepared. Sanitation would be strictly managed to prevent plague, and bandages had to be boiled. The Medicine Hall would also produce mass healing pills.
After reading dozens of pages of wartime policy, Bibi Dong was deeply shaken. These policies solved Heaven Dou's most urgent problems. If implemented correctly, Heaven Dou would be unified and virtually impossible to defeat.
Heaven Dou Empire, Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
The once quiet spring was now a world of sorrowful reunion.
Bai Chenxiang threw herself into Ye Lan's arms, weeping uncontrollably. Looking at the distressed Chenxiang, Ye Lan realized how deep his bonds with this world had become. If he truly died, what would happen to his women?
Bai Chenxiang wiped her tears and asked, "Idol, why did you have Sister Xiaoxue bring me here?"
"It's about the development of the Temple. The Medicine Hall and Manufacturing Department need to recruit more commoners to produce weapons and medicine. Also, have the Blacksmith Association produce Spirit Tool Weapons. I promised Lou Gao not to let them produce weapons used specifically against Star Luo—but this is a defense against the Beast Empire."
"As for the Whale Glue, tell Yang Wudi that I have a solution. Have him send people here every month to collect Spirit Herbs to trade with the whales. He should take Blue Silver Grass and these herbs to find a group of Evil Eye Tyrant Whales west of Vast Sea City. Their leader is a 70,000-year-old beast who can speak human language."
"Once they find them, they must announce to the whale species that we are willing to trade herbs for Whale Glue. As word spreads among the whales, we will have a stable, peaceful supply," Ye Lan instructed.
Bai Chenxiang nodded. "Idol, I understand!!"
Then, she leaned into his chest, her face flushing as she whispered, "I want..."
Ye Lan pulled her close and lowered her to the ground.
"Zhuqing, I'm returning 'Dark Night' to you!" Ye Lingling smiled.
"Sister Lengleng, what did you need it for back then?" Zhu Zhuqing asked curiously.
"Nothing much! Zhuqing, Rongrong—when are you going to see Ye Lan?" Ye Lingling asked.
"Zhuqing and I can't go see him for now. We have to return to our clans to help Ye Lan promote the Spirit Tool Weapons, Whale Glue, and that new thing... oh right!! The Newspaper!!" Ning Rongrong said excitedly.
Her strength couldn't keep up with Ye Lan's, but he had sent a letter asking them not to participate in the war against the Beast Empire because he was worried about them. Being the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, she felt happy she could do so much for him.
"I'll help Rongrong promote Ye Lan's martial soul theories. Sister Lengleng, what about you?" Zhu Zhuqing asked.
"I'm going to Soto City to treat the wounded and disabled soldiers," Ye Lingling said firmly.
"Sister Lengleng, didn't Ye Lan tell us not to join the war? Are you really going?" Zhu Zhuqing asked worriedly.
"It's nice to know Zhuqing cares about me so much," Ye Lingling teased.
"Don't go!! I care about you too! Why don't we start the Green Emperor Chamber of Commerce together!!" Ning Rongrong pouted.
"Don't worry, Soto City is far in the rear. I'm just doing what I can. My mother is there too. If the front line collapses, we will retreat immediately!!" Ye Lingling's heart felt warm.
"Fine! Sister Lengleng, safe travels!! You must come back!!" the two shouted as they watched her figure shrink in the distance.
The Temple, Medicine Hall.
"Grandfather, why aren't you going to the front?" Dugu Yan asked Dugu Bo in confusion.
Dugu Bo used soul power to transmit his voice: "I wanted to, but my grandson-in-law won't let me. He said the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's destructive power is too great and would collateralize too many civilians and soldiers. He said if I kill too many, it will not only shorten my life but..."
"But what?" Dugu Yan asked.
"But it will be bad for my descendants," Dugu Bo replied.
Dugu Yan's face turned red. "Idol is right! Even if Heaven Dou is about to fall, Grandfather, don't you dare lift a finger!!"
Dugu Bo tapped her on the head. "Don't talk nonsense. If it truly comes to the worst, do you think your grandfather would just hide?"
Dugu Yan rubbed her head, pouting, then heard him ask, "Have you learned to recognize all the herbs in the Medicine Hall yet?"
"I... I think so..." she said guiltily.
"Ow!!" Dugu Bo tapped her again.
"What's the point? These are for healing people; they have nothing to do with the Poison Manual," she complained.
"Yanyan, medicine and poison come from the same source. Healing herbs can kill if mixed one way, and deadly herbs can heal if mixed another. I've been talking with that Yang Wudi kid lately, and my understanding of poison has deepened significantly."
"Oh... I see."
"I brought you here not just to learn, but because we need to produce as much healing medicine as possible for the front. Didn't Ye Lan say I shouldn't kill too much? Then as long as we save enough people, even if I have to go on a killing spree later, I can offset that karma and protect your future children."
Dugu Yan's eyes lit up. She grabbed his sleeve and pointed to a plant. "Grandfather, what's this one called? What does it do?"
(End of Chapter)