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The Self-Sovereign Douluo, Du Dexie, watched as a purple-haired, middle-aged man toyed with the dark patterns on his sleeve. The man spoke with a calm authority: "I am Xu Tianlong. Spirit: Purple Brilliance Heaven-Exterminating Dragon. Rank 98 Super Douluo, titled the Purple Emperor."
A red-haired woman, leaning lazily against the Purple Emperor's arm, let out a slow yawn, sleepiness still clinging to the corners of her eyes. "Tianfeng. Spirit: Scarlet Flame Phoenix. Rank 96 Super Douluo, titled the Sky Phoenix."
"This old man is Xu Haoran. Spirit: The Sun. Rank 98 Super Douluo, titled the Sun Douluo," a lean, white-haired elder added slowly. He stroked his white beard, his eyes appearing cloudy yet harboring a sharp, hidden brilliance. He then pointed to a silver-haired man nearby. "And this is my nephew, Xu Beiming. Spirit: The Moon. Rank 96 Titled Douluo, titled the Moon Douluo."
"Old man, don't keep rambling about me," a blue-haired youth chimed in loudly. "I am Xu Chen. Spirit: The Stars. Rank 95 Titled Douluo."
Xu Tianlong frowned at the youth. "Xiao Chen, is that any way to speak to your grandfather?"
Xu Chen picked at his ear, ignoring the Purple Emperor. His gaze wandered aimlessly as he surveyed the inner palace's architecture. The pillars were carved with intricate dragon motifs, and the floor was paved with dark gold tiles that reflected a dim, metallic luster. He muttered to himself, "Why does the decor here look so much like the Sun-Moon Continent from several thousand years ago?"
Du Dexie stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the five of them—from the Purple Emperor's hair to the Star Douluo's blue robes. A smirk played on his lips. "Impressive," he murmured. "It seems the Sun-Moon royalty has been completely rounded up by the Silver Dragon King. I wonder if that brat Nitian is actually behaving himself and practicing back at the sect."
Du Dexie cleared his throat and addressed the throne. "Silver Dragon King, may I ask why you have brought us here? Is it to deal with the Heaven Dou Empire you mentioned? Just how strong is this empire that it could force even Di Tian into a retreat?"
The Sun-Moon royals also turned their attention to the silver-haired woman seated upon the dragon throne. She wore a long, silver-white gown that trailed across the floor, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders. Her fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, her expression as indifferent as a still lake.
They were equally shocked. Was there truly a power on the Douluo Continent capable of making the legendary Di Tian suffer a defeat?
Gu Yuena's mind was clearly elsewhere. Without looking up, she said tonelessly, "Di Tian, you are responsible for explaining the situation."
"The Heaven Dou Empire," Di Tian began, "was originally a royal house supported by both the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Its national power is currently comparable to our Myriad Beast Empire. However, for tens of thousands of years, there has been a power that spans the entire continent: Spirit Hall."
"Spirit Hall is a religious power," Di Tian continued. "But rather than saying they aren't rejected by the Myriad Beast and Heaven Dou Empires, it is more accurate to say that neither empire has the strength to resist their encroachment. The Angelic Family of Spirit Hall once produced a First-Class God: the Angel God."
"A God?!!" Du Dexie exclaimed, his composure breaking.
"Di Tian, if what you say is true, are we mortals not just mantises trying to stop a carriage?" The Sun Douluo frowned deeply. "If the Angel God senses us, how are we supposed to resist?"
"Calm yourselves!" Di Tian waved a hand. "As far as I know, the Angel God no longer exists in the current Divine Realm. Spirit Hall merely possesses the inheritance of the Angelic Godhood. Furthermore, the ultimate goal of our Myriad Beast Empire is to see our Lord become a true deity. Why should we fear a God?"
The Sun-Moon group looked at Di Tian with suspicion. Though they were uncertain, Di Tian's tone suggested these people had backgrounds far greater than they had imagined. They actually knew the internal state of the Divine Realm? To them, "Gods" were nothing more than legends on the Sun-Moon Continent.
"Back to the point," Di Tian said. "Because Spirit Hall possesses the Seraphim, a God-level spirit inheritance, they produce a Limit Douluo almost every few generations. Thus, their expansion has remained unchecked. The Heaven Dou Empire we face is, in reality, a coalition of Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou. Though the relationship between the current Emperor, Xue Qinghe, and the Pope of Spirit Hall remains unclear, their alliance is an undeniable fact."
"You are all likely aware of the 'Soul Core Condensation' method, which greatly boosts a Titled Douluo's endurance. Unfortunately, the Heaven Dou Empire also possesses this technique. They have the full support of Spirit Hall, with 'Artificial Soul Rings,' 'Soul Tools,' 'Whale Gel,' and 'Soul Pills' being distributed across the board. As time passes, our window for an offensive is closing."
Di Tian's expression grew grim. "Heaven Dou currently possesses two Limit Douluos. One is Qian Daoliu, the inheritor of the Seraphim spirit. He is a Rank 99 Titled Douluo. Once he activates his ninth soul skill, 'Angelic Descent,' his power reaches the Quasi-God level. That is why I did not make a move at Castle City. If he and I fought without regard for casualties, the Myriad Beast Empire's soul master armored divisions would be wiped out in a single battle."
"The other Limit Douluo is Pope Bibi Dong. Her spirits are the Twin Super Spirits: Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eating Spider Emperor."
"A Limit Douluo with Twin Spirits?!" Shock flashed in Xu Tianlong's eyes.
"It seems one truly cannot underestimate the heroes of this world," the Sun Douluo lamented. "I thought Du Dexie was the limit of Titled Douluos, but the Douluo Continent actually has four Limit Douluos!"
"Then wouldn't the Pope's second spirit have an all-black soul ring configuration?" Xu Chen whispered.
"All-black? It is likely not that simple," Di Tian noted. "Based on our intelligence, Bibi Dong once revealed the ring configuration for her second spirit, the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor: six black and one red. However, you know the nature of 'Artificial Soul Rings.' While the principle is unknown, high-year artificial rings are not rare for Spirit Hall. With Bibi Dong's physical constitution, the two unabsorbed rings could potentially reach the 900,000-year level."
"Over 900,000 years?! These artificial rings are terrifying!" The Sky Phoenix Douluo gasped.
"Who invented these rings? Does this mean we Titled Douluos are destined for the trash heap of history?" the Moon Douluo muttered.
"Him..." Di Tian sighed with a hint of respect. "At age twenty-three, as a Soul Emperor, he single-handedly annihilated the Clear Sky Sect, which possessed a Rank 97 Super Douluo. Unfortunately, the heavens are jealous of genius. He was killed by the Seagod Douluo in the Western Continent not long ago."
Xu Chen felt his scalp go numb. He thought reaching Rank 95 at age thirty-six made him a once-in-ten-thousand-years genius, but there were monsters far beyond him. A Soul Emperor destroying a sect with a Super Douluo? And who was this Seagod Douluo? Likely another Limit Douluo. What was wrong with this continent?
"Aside from the two Limit Douluos," Di Tian continued, "there is the Young Mistress of Spirit Hall, Qian Renxue. She is a Rank 92 Titled Douluo capable of unleashing power comparable to a Rank 98 Super Douluo. Intelligence says she is currently in seclusion within the Douluo Temple. When she emerges, she will likely be yet another Limit Douluo."
"Beyond those three, Heaven Dou has eleven other Titled Douluos above Rank 95, and over a dozen below that rank."
Xu Tianlong frowned. "Di Tian, though you and Du Dexie are powerful, isn't Heaven Dou's strength a bit too much? Can the eight of us really take the entire empire?"
Di Tian replied coldly, "Our Lord's power is beyond your imagination. If not for the Divine Realm, we wouldn't need you Sun-Moon people at all. Our Lord alone could take the entire continent."
The Sun Douluo sighed. "According to you, the Silver Dragon King cannot act. So how do we fight? You and Du Dexie are only two Limit-level combatants. The five of us can't beat twenty-plus Titled Douluos."
Di Tian smirked. "Naturally, it won't just be the five of you."
Snap! Snap!
Di Tian clapped his hands, and ten figures instantly materialized.
A man in a black robe with blue hair, looking like a child, pinched the fat on his own cheek and blinked. "I am the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler. Quasi-God level combat power."
Du Dexie stared at the four-foot-tall 'child' with immense caution. He whispered, "Isn't that the totem worshiped by the Sun-Moon Empire? No wonder it disappeared recently; the Silver Dragon King brought it to the Douluo Continent."
The five Sun-Moon royals stepped back in unison, their expressions wary. They thought they had escaped the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler, only to meet it again here. The "child" looked at them and smirked, his eyes glowing with a brilliant blue-violet light. The royals felt as though they were falling into an abyss.
"Xiao Xie, that's enough," Gu Yuena said.
The pressure vanished instantly. They couldn't even sense Gu Yuena's mental power, but in the Evil Eye Tyrant's eyes, if its own mental power was an ocean, its Lord's power was a galaxy. It lowered its head. "Yes, Lord."
"Zi Ji, introduce yourselves," Di Tian commanded.
A beautiful girl with purple hair, tanned skin, and a stunning figure clad in black scales stepped forward. "I am Xiao Zi. Spirit: Hell Demon Dragon. Rank 93 Titled Douluo, titled the Demon King!!"
Xu Chen's eyes lit up. He brushed his hair back. "Let's get to know each other. I am Xu Chen, Rank 95 Titled Douluo, titled Star!"
Zi Ji pouted her red lips in annoyance. "Who wants to know you?!"
A blue-haired girl with a small, youthful frame standing next to Zi Ji giggled. "Xiao Zi wouldn't look twice at you. I am Bing'er. Spirit: Ice Jade Empress Scorpion. Rank 94 Titled Douluo, titled the Ice Emperor!"
"I am Xiong Jun! Spirit: Darkgold Dreadclaw Bear. Rank 97 Titled Douluo, titled the Bear Tyrant!" A massive man beat his chest and roared.
"Hahaha! Xiong Jun, your title makes me laugh every time!!" Bing'er clutched her stomach, howling with laughter. Xiong Jun scratched his head—what was wrong with 'Bear Tyrant'? It was perfectly domineering.
"Wan Yao Wang. Spirit: Treant Demon. Rank 96 Titled Douluo, titled the Treant Demon." A serious man in brown leather with blood-red eyes spoke curtly.
"Wang Chi. Spirit: Three-Headed Scarlet Demon Mastiff. Rank 93 Titled Douluo, titled the Red King!" A burly, gold-haired man smashed his fists together.
"Bi Ji. Spirit: Emerald Swan. Rank 98 Super Douluo, titled the Swan." A girl with emerald hair spoke softly.
"I'm Xiao Lang. Original form: Ice Azure Wolf," a blue-haired youth said, wearing only wolf-skin shorts as he admired his own muscular arms and chest.
"Medusa," a woman in green said. She wore a black silk blindfold, but what was truly terrifying was her hair—countless strands moved like living snakes. Despite her seductive figure, her aura was so dangerous that Xu Chen didn't dare look twice.
"Gugu. Original form: Nether Skeleton King," a hulking man in a black robe growled. His face was hidden by a hood, showing only two flickering blue ghost-fires for eyes.
"Crocodile King! Original form: Golden Crocodile King!" The last was a man nearly three meters tall, his muscles bulging like solid gold.
Du Dexie studied the newcomers. If they hadn't said it, I wouldn't have known they were soul beasts. This transformation technique is divine. So, Di Tian is also a beast? A Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King acting as a human emperor... fascinating.
Di Tian's golden eyes swept the room. "Now that we are assembled, the war against Heaven Dou begins! For certain reasons, our Lord cannot participate yet. But with myself, Du Dexie, and the Evil Eye Tyrant—three Limit-level fighters—we can bridge the gap, even if their mundane and soul master armies are stronger!"
Sifa, Capital of a Heaven Dou Vassal Kingdom.
Cheers rolled through the city like a tide. Citizens carried flowers and Heaven Dou flags, flooding the streets. They were celebrating the retreat of the Myriad Beast Empire and the recovery of lost territory. Every face was alight with joy.
In the central Garden Square, the crowd was even denser. Thousands of people pressed toward a large, three-dimensional light cone in the center. Suddenly, a flying sword streaked across the sky. The crowd erupted: "The Sword Douluo!!!" "Grand Marshal!!!"
The sword descended slowly. Chen Xin, dressed in snow-white robes, landed and looked at the light cone. He turned to Ning Fengzhi. "Fengzhi, this is what the Myriad Beast Empire left behind in the capital."
Ning Fengzhi watched as people touched the light cone, their bodies flashing with light before they vanished. Every few minutes, a flash would occur, and someone would reappear.
"Oh? Even commoners without soul power can enter?" Ning Fengzhi asked, surprised.
"It is quite peculiar," Chen Xin explained. "Once inside, you can choose how to descend. One is 'Physical Descent,' the other is 'Possession.'"
"Physical Descent is simple: you enter a world teeming with soul beasts as yourself to fight. Your strength and appearance are identical to reality. If you 'die' in that world, you are simply kicked out of the light pillar. The cooldown time to re-enter varies for everyone."
"As for 'Possession,' that's what most commoners choose. You can pick a spirit and start as a Level 11 Spirit Master. As you kill soul beasts, your level in that world rises, and you even obtain soul rings from that world."
"No wonder so many are gathered here," Ning Fengzhi mused. "There must be tens of thousands in the square alone."
"Exactly. Commoners can experience being a Spirit Master, and Spirit Masters can hone their combat skills without real-world risk. It's no surprise it's so popular."
"Are there side effects?"
Chen Xin shook his head. "I went in once. I felt nothing adverse."
"Come, I must see this for myself." Ning Fengzhi jumped down from the sword. The crowd respectfully made way. He reached out and touched the light cone.
He felt the space around him ripple. A blue panel appeared before his eyes with two options: [Descent] or [Possession]. He chose Possession. Icons for various spirits appeared: Seven Kill Sword, Clear Sky Hammer, Hell Demon Dragon, Blue Silver Grass—a dizzying array.
Ning Fengzhi eventually chose the Seven Kill Sword. Suddenly, he felt weightless. With a flash, he was in a primordial forest. Giant trees reached for the clouds, and the air smelled of fresh earth and greenery. He checked his soul power; as expected, he was a Level 11 Spirit Master.
He summoned the spirit. A seven-foot Seven Kill Sword appeared in his hand, radiating a faint killing intent. It was identical to Chen Xin's, just vastly weaker. He pushed through the grass and saw a half-meter-tall ladybug. With a flick of his wrist, he cut it in two. He felt a tiny sliver of soul power rise within him.
He touched the green blood and even tasted it. The flavor was disgustingly real.
ROAR!
A deafening sound shook his eardrums. He turned to see a massive, dark-brown maw rushing toward him, teeth bared and a foul stench filling the air. As a Level 11 Spirit Master, his reactions were too slow. The giant python swallowed him whole. He felt the wet, slimy walls of its throat pressing against him before his vision went black.
The next second, he was back in the square. "BLEGH!" Ning Fengzhi doubled over, gagging at the memory of the stench.
Chen Xin laughed. "Fengzhi, that was fast!"
"Don't start. I was swallowed by some monster," Ning Fengzhi said, wiping his mouth. "How long was I in there?"
"Ten seconds," Chen Xin replied.
"Ten seconds? So the time ratio is about one to ten. That world is too realistic; no wonder people are obsessed."
Just then, a white pigeon fluttered down onto Ning Fengzhi's shoulder. He retrieved a small scroll from its leg. His eyes scanned the tiny, dense script.
"What news?" Chen Xin asked.
Ning Fengzhi used soul transmission to reply: "The Hidden Palace's investigation is in. This thing is called the 'Myriad Beast Platform.' Every city in the Myriad Beast Empire has one. They charge for entry based on your strength—from ten copper coins for commoners to one gold coin for Spirit Saints. Apparently, killing beasts inside can even increase the age of your 'Soul Spirits.'"
"I see. It's designed to work with their Soul Spirit system," Ning Fengzhi realized. "But even for us, it's invaluable. In the real world, if you die, you lose everything. There, you can walk the line of death every day to gain experience. No wonder their army fought ours to a standstill despite our better equipment."
Another pigeon—a black one this time—landed. Ning Fengzhi read the second message, and his face paled.
"Uncle Chen! We must go to Castle City immediately! The Myriad Beast Empire is massing for another attack on our vassal kingdoms! And this time... Di Tian is bringing over a dozen Titled Douluos!!"
Chen Xin's expression darkened. The Seven Kill Sword expanded, and the two leaped onto it, streaking across the sky toward Castle City, leaving the cheering crowds behind.
(End of Chapter)