The sun was warm, the wind gentle. The final rays of the sunset swept across the sky, casting a golden veil over the ancient city below. In that moment, Star Luo City was cloaked in an ethereal glow solemn, mysterious, and dignified.
Its towering city walls stood as solid sentinels of history, their every crack and scar whispering tales of past glories, the rise and fall of eras, and the blood of countless memories. To the people of the Star Luo Empire, these walls were not just stone they were a legacy etched into their very souls.
Known as the "Imperial Capital That Will Never Fall," Star Luo City had been the heart of the empire for over ten thousand years. Even in an age of rapid change, it remained the largest and most prosperous city on the Douluo Continent, holding unmatched prestige and influence.
As night fell, a sea of lanterns lit up the entire city. Streets bustled with people and traffic, the pulse of civilization flowing endlessly through its vast avenues. Star Luo City, now expanded beyond a hundred li in every direction, outshone even Shrek City home of the legendary Shrek Academy. Only the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu, could barely compare.
Its population had soared past eight million, not counting countless transient souls passing through. Supporting such a city required astronomical resources—but the wealth it generated in return was equally staggering. The annual tax income from Star Luo alone rivaled the top provinces of the empire.
At the city's heart stood a vast, imposing palace—the very seat of the Star Luo imperial power. Like the city itself, the palace had been built and expanded over millennia, forming a majestic core protected with the tightest security imaginable. Defensive soul tools, elite guards, and rotating shifts of Title Douluo-level protectors ensured not even a sparrow could trespass undetected.
Within this palace resided the empire's supreme authority Emperor Xu Jiawei.
And just beneath him stood a royal figure of equal fame and admiration: his beloved younger sister, Princess Xu Jiujiu.
Known to the court as Princess Jiujiu, she was the last surviving princess of the royal family. A woman of stunning beauty and rare talent, she was Emperor Xu's pride and the apple of his eye. Little was known about her in the outside world a deliberate decision to protect her. Invisibility, after all, was often the best shield.
Her private estate, nestled deep within the palace grounds, was opulent and expansive, decorated to her tastes and filled with rare treasures most people would never glimpse in their lifetimes.
Princess Xu Jiujiu carried herself with grace and poise, sharpened by elite education and political grooming. She wielded charm and intellect in equal measure, seamlessly navigating the imperial court, climbing ever higher in power and influence.
And yet, for all her calm and majesty, in the arms of one young man, she became soft, tender—utterly transformed.
Laid across a soft chaise lounge, Xu Jiujiu's golden hair clung to her skin in the warm, humid air. A blush bloomed on her flawless face, and in that moment, her beauty could melt even the coldest of ice.
After a moment in his embrace, she lifted her head and gently bit the boy's lip, then leaned her cheek against his firm chest, her voice lazy and sweet.
"Ah Yan, I spoke with Royal Brother today. He's agreed to our engagement. In a few years, we'll be wed how does that sound?"
The boy, Shu Yan, simply nodded, seemingly indifferent to such monumental news.
Not pleased with his casual response, Jiujiu tugged hard at his collar, baring his chest, and gave him a sharp little bite leaving a neat row of teeth marks behind.
Shu Yan didn't react muchhe was used to her mischief. He ruffled her hair gently and went back to playing with her silken blonde locks.
She pouted but quickly softened, eyes brimming with affection.
"In three days," she said, "Royal Brother will have Fragment Star Douluo escort you to the Extreme North for your fourth soul ring. I'll send Granny Man Yi with you as well just in case."
Shu Yan frowned slightly.
"Granny Man Yi should stay and protect you. Fragment Star Douluo is strong enough to handle any problems. If not, just bring Mighty Strength Douluo too."
A subtle smile curled Jiujiu's lips. She loved how much he cared.
"I won't be leaving the palace for a while. There are plenty of strong soul masters to protect me. And besides…" She paused, voice gentle. "Royal Brother values you even more than he values me."
"You're the only human in a thousand years to awaken the ultimate ice element—a peerless talent with the Ice Sky Snow Maiden martial soul. You are the future of the empire now. Compared to you, I'm almost forgotten."
She sighed softly, not without a hint of mischief.
Shu Yan just chuckled and shook his head, drifting into thought.
Thirteen years ago, he'd been nothing more than a dark-skinned athlete back on Earth, trying to win a bet with his roommate by eating a can of fermented herring only to die from the stench. The next time he opened his eyes, he was in the world of Douluo Dalu.
It was both unfamiliar and familiar. As a former anime fan, Shu Yan knew the basics of the original Soul Land series, but he only had a vague understanding of the Peerless Tang Sect era he now lived in.
Like most transmigrators, he'd arrived as an orphan his past life had no parents, and his new one didn't either. Raised in one of Star Luo City's state-run orphanages, life wasn't easy, but it was enough.
His first meeting with Xu Jiujiu? Straight out of a cliché.
She had come as the royal representative to oversee the martial soul awakening ceremony. Everything was going smoothly until it was Shu Yan's turn.
As his martial soul awakened, a blast of chilling air erupted from within him, instantly freezing the hall. Clouds formed overhead, and snow began to fall indoors. Alarmed, Man Yi Douluo, Jiujiu's personal protector, reacted instantly freezing everyone nearby in place.
Darkguards intervened. So did Mighty Strength Douluo.
Shu Yan was taken directly to the palace.
As for those who witnessed the anomaly? He didn't know their fate. Jiujiu later told him they'd had their memories erased by spirit-type soul masters. But who could say for sure?