Crimson Domain.
Inside the massive dark red palace, the Crimson Mother sat in the main seat. Below her, numerous figures prostrated themselves on the ground.
Among them, a super-divine level expert looked respectfully at the Crimson Mother and asked, "Mother, why didn't you let us attack? If we had all attacked together, we should have been able to keep him there."
Rong Nianbing's strength was indeed formidable, but his physical body wasn't absurdly powerful. He couldn't ignore super-divine level attacks like the Golden Dragon King could.
So what that super-divine level expert said wasn't impossible. If they all swarmed him, they could indeed try to keep Rong Nianbing there.
The Crimson Mother had been looking at the stars outside. She turned her head at his words, her tone cold.
"You said 'should,' which means you're not certain. And even if we did keep him there, how much would the Crimson Domain have to pay?"
In the battle just now, she—the strongest being in the Crimson Domain—had been completely at a disadvantage.
Although she hadn't brought out her trump cards, Rong Nianbing likewise hadn't used his full strength.
If they fought to the death, even if they won, the price would be devastating. Countless years of accumulation would be destroyed in an instant. That was something the Crimson Mother couldn't accept.
After all, without those foundations, what would she use to reach that next level?
"Remember, our goal isn't to fight some expert to the death. It's to complete the Crimson Domain's final transformation."
The Crimson Mother's gaze was deep. "Once the Crimson Domain advances to become a Divine Realm, I will be a true God King. At that point, what is a mere Rong Nianbing?"
The super-divine level expert who had asked the question quickly kowtowed. "Mother is wise!"
The Crimson Mother waved her hand and said flatly, "However, that deity named Rong Nianbing is indeed a threat. He may obstruct our actions in the future. Monitor his movements, but do not act rashly."
In the hall, everyone kowtowed in union.
"Yes, Mother!"
After that topic ended, the Crimson Mother gave some instructions and dismissed the crowd, leaving only Yan Long behind to inquire about another matter.
"What is the current situation with the Tianma Twin Stars?"
The Tianma Twin Stars were the plane the Crimson Mother most wanted to devour. Divine-level experts had already begun to emerge there. It was a semi-divine realm with rich accumulations. If she could devour the Tianma Twin Stars, the Crimson Mother was confident she could transform the Crimson Domain into a true Divine Realm.
(Note: The Tianma Twin Stars are the Dragon Horse Twin Stars from Soul Land IV. Since the Dragon Valley hasn't been attracted there yet and no dragons have been born—only the Tianma race exists—they are called the Tianma Twin Stars.)
However, although the Tianma Twin Stars had no Plane Lord, they did have a Life Core named Tianyang, a half-step God King who was also a headache for the Crimson Mother.
His strength, strictly speaking, wasn't great. Tianyang was a Life Core, skilled in the power of creation, which differed from her power of destruction. He wasn't good at combat. Moreover, the Tianma Twin Stars currently didn't even have a single super-divine level expert, so the Crimson Mother was confident she could take them. (Super-divine level experts were born on the Dragon Horse Twin Stars after the Dragon Valley was attracted there, between Soul Land III and IV.)
However, as an incorporeal energy plane, while the Crimson Domain's devouring and destructive abilities were strong, it was less stable than solid planes. If she recklessly devoured the Tianma Twin Stars, there was a high chance that Tianyang would digest the Crimson Domain instead, benefiting the Tianma Twin Stars and allowing it to become a Divine Realm.
Moreover, a half-step God King was still a half-step God King. The Crimson Mother couldn't afford to underestimate Tianyang. Who knew how many trump cards he had accumulated over countless years?
So the Crimson Mother had no plans to act against that place for now. She wanted to wait until she became stronger and had more confidence before devouring the Tianma Twin Stars.
But the Crimson Mother also understood that while she was growing, Tianyang and the Tianma Twin Stars were certainly growing too, so she had been keeping watch.
If there were signs of super-divine level experts appearing on the Tianma Twin Stars, she would need to intervene and limit them.
Yan Long said in a low voice, "Mother, rest assured. There are currently no signs of super-divine level experts being born there."
"Good."
The Crimson Mother nodded slightly. "How is Tianshen doing?"
Tianshen was the Abyss Saint Lord. If the other beings in the Crimson Domain were created by the Crimson Mother, the Abyss Saint Lord was personally nurtured by her.
The purpose of nurturing him was mainly to stabilize the Crimson Domain. There was a period in the past when she had devored planes too quickly, causing the Crimson Domain to become unstable. She had no choice but to take this measure—splitting off an Abyss Plane to ensure the Crimson Domain's stability. Thus, the Abyss Saint Lord was born.
So in recent years, she had actually devoured very few planes, mostly focusing on stabilizing the Crimson Domain.
But after the Abyss Plane was born, the Crimson Mother had other ideas.
Aside from directly devouring the Tianma Twin Stars, she could also wait for the Abyss Plane—a copy of the Crimson Domain—to grow and seek its own opportunity to become a Divine Realm. Then she could reclaim that plane of the same origin, using it to elevate the Crimson Domain or make herself a God King.
After all, unlike the Crimson Domain, which was approaching its peak, the Abyss Plane still had considerable room for growth.
"Mother, there's no news from Big Brother. He still seems to be in the Divine Realm's jurisdiction, attacking that plane. He hasn't moved."
Yan Long replied.
"Six thousand years, and still not successful?"
The Crimson Mother raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest in her smile.
"It seems the plane he chose to devour has a rather strong origin."
They were all her children. How could she not know the thoughts of the Abyss Saint Lord and the others?
Now that they had split off, the Abyss Saint Lord naturally wanted to become completely independent.
So over the years, the Abyss Plane had been moving along the edge of the Crimson Mother's perception range—neither going far nor approaching, maintaining a delicate balance.
And this attack on that plane, which had lasted six thousand years, showed that the plane was a tough nut to crack. At the same time, it showed the Abyss Saint Lord's determination. He probably believed that devouring that plane would give his confidence to speak to her as an equal, right?
"How interesting."
The Crimson Mother chuckled. "I'll wait and see what kind of surprise he can give me."
A flicker of complexity passed through Yan Long's eyes. After some thought, he said, "Mother, since Big Brother hasn't achieved results for so many years, should we send some people to support him? With another super-divine level expert assisting, not many planes can stop the Abyss Plane."
"If he wants independence and hasn't asked for help, then give him more time." The Crimson Mother glanced at Yan Long. "You should set aside those little thoughts of yours."
Besides the Abyss Saint Lord, if any other Crimson Domain beings had the chance, they would certainly want to become truly independent too.
Going to help the Abyss Plane? They'd probably end up hindering it or competing for control of the Abyss Plane instead.
Yan Long's heart tightened. He lowered his head.
"Mother, I dare not have any other thoughts. It's just that a half-step God King level expert has appeared in this star region. I'm worried something might happen on Big Brother's side."
The Crimson Mother raised an eyebrow.
"You mean that one named Rong Nianbing?"
Yan Long nodded. "Exactly. That half-step God King's origins are unknown, and his strength is so formidable. If he happens to pass by Big Brother's location..."
He didn't finish, but his meaning was clear.
If Rong Nianbing passed by the Abyss Plane, then the Abyss Saint Lord would be done for.
After a pause, Yan Long added, "Moreover, the sudden appearance of a half-step God King level expert in this star region makes me worry that another plane has grown after losing the Divine Realm's suppression. If some experts also appear on Big Brother's side, his operations might not go smoothly."
The Crimson Mother was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "You have a point. Then we'll intercept Rong Nianbing in this star region. Since he likes meddling in others' affairs, we'll give him plenty to do. As for the Abyss Plane, I have my own judgment."
"Tch, I really did lose."
Just as Gu Ruiqiu, dejected after losing to Yuanen Zhentian, was walking off the competition stage, she felt a familiar spatial fluctuation. She didn't resist and let the power bring her to Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena.
"Losing is losing. No need to feel so down."
Huo Yuhao smiled.
"It's not like you're the one who lost."
Gu Ruiqiu pouted, then turned her gaze to the only "stranger" present.
"And who's this?"
"My name is Tang Wutong. Hello." Tang Wutong's divine consciousness greeted proactively.
Gu Ruiqiu blinked and carefully examined the woman before her. Her features were delicate, her temperament lively, but her form was somewhat ethereal—clearly a divine consciousness.
"Tang Wutong?"
She tilted her head, feeling the name was familiar. With the characteristic of it being a divine consciousness, she soon remembered. "Hello, I'm Gu Ruiqiu. You're the Butterfly God from ten thousand years ago, right?"
Tang Wutong nodded. "Just a wisp of divine consciousness."
Gu Ruiqiu gave an thoughtful "oh," her eyes shifting between Tang Wutong and the nearby Huo Yuhao, Snow Empress, and the others. She couldn't help muttering, "So what's the situation now? Have you all... reached an agreement?"
Huo Yuhao said, "You could say that."
Gu Ruiqiu scratched her head, a bit confused about the situation. But seeing the relatively peaceful atmosphere among them, she didn't ask further.
Tang Wutong looked at her with curiosity. "Your title is Dragon God? That's the same as my teacher's from ten thousand years ago."
Titles could be reused. After all, there were only so many good titles. Over tens of thousands of years, some titles would inevitably be repeated.
Unless it was a title like Spirit-Ice or Silver Moon—titles that had left a deep mark on history—later generations usually wouldn't use them out of respect.
So Tang Wutong had no issue with Gu Ruiqiu using the same title as Elder Mu. She simply felt a bit nostalgic upon hearing the words.
Gu Ruiqiu's expression froze. She glanced at Gu Yuena, who had looked away, and puffed her cheeks. "That's not my title! It's what outsiders call me! Dragon God was never a title I wanted!"
She now felt uncomfortable every time she heard "Lord Dragon God." What did that mean? It meant her intuition as the Auspicious Beast was telling her that this title carried a great ominous omen—she had to shake it off!
Tang Wutong: "..."
It was just a title. No need to react so strongly, right?
Could it be because of the legendary Dragon God?
Tang Wutong's eyes showed confusion, but no one explained it to her.
After all, Emperor Tian and Elder Electrolux were equally confused when they saw this. And Huo Yuhao, Gu Yuena, and Snow Empress, who knew the truth, had no intention of explaining.
Gu Yuena: "???"
Wait, something felt wrong.
Gu Yuena glanced at Snow Empress, who seemed to know something, and her expression shifted slightly.
Right, Snow Empress had left a divine consciousness on Yuhao. Had she also heard the stories about the Dragon God?
With that thought, Gu Yuena saw Snow Empress turn her head and give her the same gentle smile as always, as if understanding her thoughts.
Gu Yuena's heart gradually sank.
Those outrageous legends, those absurd past events and astounding wisdom, all those black histories that made her want to dig a hole through the entire Divine Realm with her toes...
Snow Empress knew all of it!
This overwhelming sense of social death. She felt she would never be able to hold her head up in front of Snow Empress again!
Dragon God, you've done terrible things!
Gu Yuena's expression remained cool and noble on the surface, but internally she was already "criticizing" the Dragon God to alleviate her embarrassment.
Fortunately, the arrival of the two Limit Douluo on stage successfully drew everyone's attention.
Gu Yuena secretly sighed in relief, temporarily pushing those awkward thoughts aside and turning her gaze to the arena.
On the stage, two figures stood facing each other from a distance.
Both appeared to be in their early thirties, but at the Limit Douluo level, appearance could no longer represent true age.
What drew Huo Yuhao's attention even more were their names.
"Qianku Qingfeng... The Eternal Clan isn't hiding anymore, are they?"
Huo Yuhao looked at one of them, deep interest flashing in his eyes.
Although the number one person of this era was Yun Ming, truth be told, Huo Yuhao didn't have much interest in Yun Ming. The people he valued most in this era were Ling Zichen and Qianku Qingfeng.
The former's mechanical ascension and survival to ten thousand years later needed no elaboration.
As for Qianku Qingfeng—the other person from this era who lived to Soul Land IV—he had his own remarkable achievements. His research capabilities were also extremely high.
He destroyed the remnants of the Holy Spirit Cult. Using a small amount of data seized from the Cult, he continuously developed his brain domain. Not only did he live for over ten thousand years—becoming one of the five people who spanned the eras to reach Soul Land IV—but he also reached the level of a second-class deity in the mortal world, with spiritual power reaching the super-divine level.
Moreover, besides his achievements in research, lifespan, and cultivation, the problem of evil spirit masters in the original story was also solved by him.
During the process of destroying the Holy Spirit Cult remnants, he discovered that evil spirit masters had gradually taken the path of no return due to unfair treatment. So he established the Dark Department within the Tiandou Department to accommodate those people, solving the problem of evil spirit masters.
Yes, a problem that three generations of protagonists in the Douluo Continent hadn't fundamentally solved was solved by him.
It could be said that Qianku Qingfeng was admirable in both character and achievements.
At the very least, compared to the abstract Limit Douluo of the Douluo Continent, he was far more normal and had actually accomplished real things.
"Having Qianku Qingfeng participate in the selection—is the Eternal Clan also interested in the position of War Temple Temple Master?" Gu Ruiqiu asked in confusion.
Qianku Qingfeng hadn't shown much talent in his youth and wasn't valued by the Eternal Clan. He later left to travel and study. When he returned, he made a name for himself at the Spirit Transmission Tower. His experiences were similar to those of some story protagonists.
However, unlike some protagonists who, after rising to power, would destroy their own families, although he had had disagreements with his family, they were just youthful pride and friction—nothing that would create a rift between him and the Eternal Clan, or even the Spirit Transmission Tower.
After all, while the Eternal Clan hadn't valued him, they hadn't shortchanged him on resources either. And within the Spirit Transmission Tower, his talent was far better than most commoner spirit masters, so he naturally wasn't lacking in resources either.
With Qianku Qingfeng's character, he wouldn't take those resources for granted. What he wanted to fight for was simply his pride.
So, although Qianku Qingfeng hadn't held a high-ranking position in the Spirit Transmission Tower and was considered a reclusive Limit, he was indeed a member of the Spirit Transmission Tower. If anything truly happened to the Tower, he would certainly act.
That said, given his experiences and his lack of an official position in the Spirit Transmission Tower, becoming the War Temple Temple Master didn't seem out of place. Gu Ruiqiu inexplicably felt it was quite fitting.
***
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