Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
******
Half a month later, various major factions on the Douluo Continent noticed that the Spirit Hall seemed to have become quite busy, heavily purchasing metal ores, clearly preparing to manufacture weapons.
In an instant, suspicions arose among the major factions. Was the Spirit Hall planning to attack the Tian Dou Empire or the Star Luo Empire? However, what was even more puzzling was that of the two great empires on the continent, only the Star Luo Empire had begun defensive actions, while the Tian Dou Empire appeared completely uninterested in the movements of the Spirit Hall. They continued with their original reforms and evolution, seemingly indifferent to the Spirit Hall's actions.
"Doesn't the Empress Ren Xue of the Tian Dou Empire care about the Spirit Hall?" Dai Weisi, upon receiving the relevant intelligence, was filled with doubt. "Or could it be that Empress Ren Xue has already aligned herself with the Spirit Hall?"
"Perhaps," Zhu Zhuyun replied, bringing tea and snacks to Dai Weisi. "After all, even when she was Xue Qinghe, she had already formed close ties with the Spirit Hall. The Tian Dou Empire's rise was largely due to the Spirit Hall's assistance."
Zhu Zhuyun paused for a moment before continuing, "Speaking of which, my sister seems to be leaning toward the Spirit Hall as well. She hopes the empire can introduce Tang San's martial soul for cultivation, particularly the convenience of the Blue Silver Network and the value of the Spirit Beast Illusionary Realm. These are things the Star Luo Empire is already falling behind on compared to both the Spirit Hall and the Tian Dou Empire."
"A blatant power play," Dai Weisi mused, pondering for a moment before letting out a helpless sigh. "That guy, Tang San, doesn't even bother with schemes. Instead, he openly presents the benefits, attracting people to pursue them... He truly understands people's instinct to seek profit and avoid harm."
"Right," Zhu Zhuyun added. "According to him, the pursuit of a better life is the source of all motivation."
"Open and aboveboard, with no need for deception. In front of him, any conspiracy seems irrelevant."
Zhu Zhuyun did not argue but simply said, "Then, why don't we agree as well? Since the Haotian Sect has come down from the mountains, they have not made any clear support for our Star Luo Empire. The Haotian disciples haven't even sought us out. That so-called... god seems entirely uninterested in worldly affairs, focusing only on teaching the sect's disciples."
"Silence," Dai Weisi said sternly. "No matter what, Tang Chen is a level 100 powerhouse, a god. If anyone speaks ill of him behind his back, he might sense it, and we could face divine punishment."
As an emperor, it was natural for him to want to maintain authority without rivals.
But Tang Chen was a god.
Helpless—
"Merchants from the Sun Moon Empire have also arrived in our territory," Zhu Zhuyun observed, no longer discussing the previous matters. "They claim to be here for communication, but in reality, they are investigating the situation with the two great empires and the Spirit Hall."
"Has the Spirit Hall made any moves in response?" Dai Weisi asked.
"According to the intelligence reports from there, there has been no response. It seems the Spirit Hall doesn't care about these merchants from the Sun Moon Empire," Zhu Zhuyun summarized the gathered intelligence. "With the Spirit Hall's power, they probably don't need to bother. Just relying on Tang San alone, he could probably make the entire Sun Moon Continent bow to him."
The difference in power left Dai Weisi feeling deeply helpless.
There was a time when he had the ambition to catch up.
But now, he could no longer muster any desire for comparison. The gap was like a chasm, one that he could never cross, and his confidence had already shattered.
"Though I don't want to admit it, the Star Luo Empire is no match for the Spirit Hall. As for those merchants from the Sun Moon Empire, we must investigate them thoroughly," Dai Weisi inhaled deeply, making a decision. Just as he was about to summon his ministers to discuss this matter, he received urgent news from the border area between the empire and the Star Dou Forest—
[A monster has appeared in the northwest. It resembles a soul beast, but it can walk upright. Those injured by it are infected with strange energy and turned into monsters... The Star Luo border has already fallen! Crisis! Crisis! Crisis!]
The word "Crisis" in the Star Luo Empire's intelligence report indicated the severity of the situation, signaling the potential outbreak of a major war. The message was signed off with three "crisis" markers.
This meant the Star Luo Empire was facing a threat that could lead to the destruction of the empire!
"Bang!"
Dai Weisi slammed the letter on the desk and rushed to the royal palace to convene a meeting with his ministers, discussing the monsters at the border between the Star Luo Empire and the Star Dou Forest...
---
Half a month later, the border area between the Star Luo Empire and the Star Dou Forest had already turned into a desolate wasteland. The trees were charred black, and the soil was scorched yellow. There was no sign of normal life anywhere.
The presence from another dimension had eroded everything within a hundred-mile radius, creating a zone of gray-black miasma along the edges. Any living being—whether a human soul master or a soul beast—that came into contact with it would be corrupted.
Those who couldn't withstand it naturally became a pool of pus.
Even those who managed to survive wouldn't live long, as they would be transformed into Abyssal creatures.
Among these Abyssal creatures, some possessed intelligence. They led the others who had been transformed, carrying out some kind of ritual, as if summoning an existence to descend.
With a burst of pitch-black light shooting out from the dimensional space, a blood-colored egg appeared and swiftly made its way through the darkness.
Boom!
Boom boom!
Accompanied by the powerful sound of a heartbeat, a baby rapidly grew inside the transparent blood egg, constantly absorbing the energy of the Douluo Continent's heavens and earth.
Crack!
The blood egg shattered, revealing a young man with blood-red hair. His blood-colored eyes were filled with an air of indifference: "Douluo Continent, I, Xu Huang, have returned!"
"At level ninety-nine, but according to Tang San's detailed breakdown of the ninety-nine levels—semi-god, demi-god, and quasi-god—this blood god clone of mine should have reached the quasi-god realm."
"And such a clone, along with me, my true form, I have three thousand of them!"
"Heh, Tang San, no matter how strong you are, what can you do to me? Let alone the fact that my true form is already close to the god-king realm... It's just a pity that my true form and the other clones are currently working with the Abyssal Saint Lord and others to prevent the re-opening of the spatial passage that connects the divine realm to this continent, as we build the Netherworld. Otherwise, if we all came, Douluo Continent would have no means of resistance."
As he spoke, the blood god clone glanced coldly at the local Douluo Continent creatures who, corrupted by the Abyssal miasma, kneeled before him, offering their meager faith. With a sneer, he raised his hand and annihilated a large group.
This was the grand blood feast in honor of his return to the Douluo Continent!
The Abyssal creatures felt no fear but instead showed intense fanaticism. They would have gladly been part of that bloody display, eager to give up everything for the glorious arrival of their great master and to cheer for his coming!
"Up ahead is a human city," the blood god clone said, raising his hand. "Kill them all, expand our race, occupy this world, and bring eternal silence and peace to the continent!"
With a wave of his hand, countless Abyssal creatures howled in frenzy and charged toward the newly established border of the Star Luo Empire, which had been in place for nearly half a month.
So what if the Star Luo Empire had advanced soul tools?
While they had not yet developed devices capable of protecting against the Abyssal miasma, a direct assault was the best course. As long as they were contaminated by even a trace of the Abyssal energy, they would either die or be assimilated.
In the endless resentment, hatred, and loathing, the ability of the Abyssal miasma to corrupt was eerily terrifying!
Meanwhile, the blood god clone expanded the dimensional passage, summoning a strange being with nine heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand arms, and eight legs to descend upon Douluo Continent...
(End of Chapter)