Word Count: 3,130 Words
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A massive rift tore open in the sky. Countless black stars burned within it, an eerie contrast against the clear blue beyond, and beneath the vast sword might of One Breath Stills the World, space itself shattered like crystal.
"Heavens... is this divine punishment?"
Terror swept through the Imperial Dragon Spirit Guidance Legion. They threw everything they had into raising their linked defensive spirit barrier.
BOOM—
Sword Might: One Breath Stills the World and the Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shell Sky Splitter each stood at the summit of its own path, one the utmost limit of a Spirit Master, the other the finest craftsmanship a Spirit Guidance Master could achieve. Their collision turned the land outside Sunrise City into an ocean woven from gold and blue.
Against that explosion of heavenly wrath, the linked barrier proved no sturdier than a sheet of paper. A shrill screech like tearing fabric split the air, and every Spirit Guidance Master of the Imperial Dragon Legion spat blood as the backlash of the shattered formation tore through them all at once.
Resplendent sword light broke through the aftershocks and descended. Stripped of the linked barrier's protection, dozens of Class 4 and Class 5 Spirit Guidance Masters died where they stood, their heads bursting apart. Even a deputy commander at the eight-ringed Spirit Douluo level was ground to nothing by the Sword Intent: Heavenly Brilliance riding within the strike.
Xu Tianyuan roared. Layer upon layer of silver light blazed across his body as his Class 9 spirit barriers and Invincible Barriers all flared to life in the same instant!
Schiik—
Every barrier split into two perfect semicircles. A golden line traced from the center of his brow down through his torso, and Xu Tianyuan's tall frame parted in half, dissolving into specks of golden light that scattered across the field.
"Commander!"
Only those at the outer edges of the legion had survived, saved by their various spirit barriers, and they watched Xu Tianyuan's end unfold in full. Panicked cries broke out one after another.
A golden, six-winged figure flashed into place above the corpse, a Starlight Sapphire ring spinning idly at his fingertip. The pupils of another surviving deputy commander contracted violently, and he muttered in despair:
"The commander's Storage Spirit Guidance Device... It's over. It's all over..."
The hostages of the Three Great Empires had escaped, and with them the empire's plan to hold the continent's hand. The commander of the Imperial Dragon Spirit Guidance Legion lay dead. The treasures hoarded by generations of commanders had fallen into enemy hands. The deputy commander did not dare imagine what fate awaited the few of them lucky enough to survive once Xu Tianran learned of this catastrophe!
"Brothers, take him down with us!"
He knew full well that going home meant death. Better to stake everything on killing the man responsible!
Ling Bai pocketed the Storage Spirit Guidance Device and looked down at the fearless remnants of the legion. The Seraphim's eighth spirit ring bloomed. A chill ran down the legion's collective spine as a golden sun and a black moon fused into one, light and darkness merging together, and a pillar of black-gold radiance swept across the battlefield.
Chaos Reversion!
...
High above, the Bone Dragon King carried the Spirit Masters of the Three Great Empires toward the border while Sun Moon defenses stood on full alert below.
The Bone Dragon King lacked Ling Bai's keen aerial perception, but it possessed Limit Douluo cultivation. Apart from the Hand that Protects the Nation in linked formation and Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shells, no ordinary Sun Moon spirit guidance legion could truly threaten it.
The Spirit Masters of the Three Great Empires looked down at row upon row of cold, ominous spirit cannons lining the earth and drew a sharp collective breath. Without the Bone Dragon King shielding their flight, even a successful escape from the water dungeon would have ended with them swallowed whole by that firepower.
"Mom, why isn't he back yet?!"
Nan Qiuqiu kept glancing behind them, anxiety written plainly across her pretty face. "The Imperial Dragon Spirit Guidance Legion has so many Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shells. Holy Evil Douluo is out there all by himself..."
"Heaven watches over the good," Nan Shuishui said with a soft sigh. "All we can do is trust him and try not to become a burden."
Nan Qiuqiu seemed to wilt all at once. She wrapped her arms around her mother, pearly teeth sinking into her red lip as she whispered, "He and I are around the same age, but the gap between us is heaven and earth. I couldn't help him even a little. The whole way here he just carried me around like a baby chick..."
"Then all the more reason to train twice as hard, now that you've seen how weak you are."
A clear, smiling voice rang out above them. Nan Qiuqiu whipped her head around. A figure stood atop the Bone Dragon King's skull, arrived at some moment none of them had noticed. Sunlight haloed his outline and left his expression unreadable, and only the excited cries of the others snapped her back to herself.
"Holy Evil Douluo!"
Ling Bai had returned safely, and the Spirit Masters of the Three Great Empires broke into joyous smiles all at once. Nan Qiuqiu stared for several blank seconds before she finally laughed in relief, tears glistening in her eyes.
Nan Shuishui could only shake her head with a rueful smile. One truly should not meet someone too dazzling in youth. Her daughter's heart had only just begun to stir, and that whole spring tide of feeling was destined to flow away in vain.
Ling Bai stood atop the dragon's head and, from ten miles out, cut down the Sun Moon Empire's prized High-Altitude Aerial Surveillance Spirit Guidance Devices one after another, guiding the Bone Dragon King's course.
Limit Douluo combat power was no laughing matter. The Imperial Dragon Spirit Guidance Legion had been annihilated, and Ling Bai had never thought much of their overall strength to begin with. His only real concern had been Xu Tianyuan detonating all twenty Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shells at once in a final act of mutual destruction.
Had he chosen that path, Xu Tianyuan would have been the first to die. So long as even the faintest chance of survival remained, he would never have taken so absolute a road, and by the time One Breath Stills the World broke through Sky Splitter, it was already far too late for him to act.
With Ling Bai guiding the way, the rest of the journey grew smoother still. At the Heavenly Soul border, spirit fortifications that had only just been repaired were wrecked all over again. Ling Bai swept them with a Divine Skyfire, the Bone Dragon King followed with a blast of Wind-Fire Transformation, and the Sun Moon border defenses were left in ruins.
The moment they crossed into the Heavenly Soul Empire, the taut string in every heart finally went slack. Their homeland had never looked so beautiful. After months of torment, the Spirit Masters of the Three Great Empires wept openly, and some were so overwhelmed they dropped to their knees and kissed the ground.
The rescue had ended in perfect success, and everyone prepared to go their separate ways. Before departing, they came forward one after another to offer Ling Bai solemn bows and heartfelt thanks.
"We will never forget this kindness. If you should ever need us, the Proud Sword Sect is willing to serve you!"
"Holy Evil Douluo is truly merciful and righteous! The Heavenly Armor Sect will follow your lead without question!"
"Same here!"
"We are all Spirit Masters of the Douluo Continent, and the Sun Moon Empire is our common enemy. Everything I did was simply my duty.
You have all suffered greatly, and your bodies are weak. Please return to your sects at once to rest and recover. We will meet again!"
Ling Bai cupped his fists toward the crowd, every bit the righteous young hero devoted to his people and his land. These sects and academies already owed him a debt of gratitude, and there was no need to cash it in now. First, the image of absolute righteousness had to be firmly planted!
"Holy Evil Douluo, until next time!"
The crowd bid farewell with endless gratitude, and Ling Bai harvested yet another great wave of goodwill. This moment would be branded into their hearts forever. For the rest of their lives, they would remember the kindness of Holy Evil Douluo.
As agreed, Ling Bai accompanied Nan Shuishui and Nan Qiuqiu to Dragon City. Nan Shuishui raised no objection whatsoever. A life-saving favor outweighed heaven itself, and besides, the Earthdragon Sect had spent thousands of years failing to work out how to mine that secret land. They had been sitting on a treasure mountain the entire time, so handing it over cost them nothing at all.
Back at the sect, Nan Shuishui led them to a well in the rear courtyard. As they drew near, the Heavenly Snow Woman left arm spirit bone stirred with sudden excitement, and inside his Spiritual Sea the Snow Empress's beautiful eyes brightened as well. Something down that well was truly calling to her.
Nan Shuishui smiled. "Holy Evil Douluo, the Earthdragon Sect's secret land is this cold spring. The water is rich with spiritual energy and nourishes any Spirit Master who bathes in it.
Beneath the spring lies a cavern full of ice-attributed ores. The trouble is that the temperature down there is far too low. Even a Titled Douluo cannot remain for long. Your Seraphim possesses Ultimate Fire, so it should pose no difficulty for you."
Ling Bai nodded and produced a spirit bone, holding it out to her.
"This place is of great use to me, and I will take everything beneath the spring. This skull spirit bone came from a 100,000-year Cyclops. Consider it a small token of my thanks."
A 100,000-year spirit bone!
Mother and daughter both swallowed hard. Neither had ever laid eyes on a 100,000-year spirit bone, let alone a spiritual-attribute skull bone!
Ling Bai's expression remained perfectly calm. After plundering the Holy Spirit Cult, the Body Sect, and the sea, he had more 100,000-year spirit bones than he could count. The Cyclops skull had been Zhongli Wu's gift after he cured the Bone Dragon King's ailment years ago, and giving away someone else's property cost him nothing at all.
Nan Shuishui held the skull for a long while, thinking, then pushed it back toward him and said in earnest:
"Holy Evil Douluo, this spirit bone is far too precious for the Earthdragon Sect. We are not worthy of accepting it. If you truly feel uneasy about the exchange, I would like Qiuqiu to join the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Could you grant her a position as an outer disciple?"
Nan Qiuqiu blinked in surprise. Mom never said a word to me about joining the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan!
"Annihilation is an extraordinarily rare attribute. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan will always welcome Miss Nan. As for this spirit bone, let it stand as a token of friendship between our two sects."
With that, Ling Bai plunged into the depths of the well. A single 100,000-year spirit bone could not begin to compare in value with the Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence. He would take the essence, the Earthdragon Sect would gain a treasure to pass down through generations, and both sides would come away richer.
At the wellhead, Nan Shuishui caught her daughter staring down into the dark without so much as a blink, and promptly smacked her on the back of the head.
Nan Qiuqiu let out an "Ouch!" and clutched her head, complaining, "Mom, what was that for?!"
"Put those little thoughts of yours away. Your mother watched Holy Evil Douluo the entire way here, and he never once spared you a proper glance. Give up early, before you get hurt."
"Who doesn't like someone handsome and strong? Your daughter's got a big chest, a slim waist, long legs, and a pretty face. I'm at least qualified to be a little concubine..."
Nan Qiuqiu pouted, then caught sight of her mother's hand rising like the Five Finger Mountain and hurriedly shrank her neck down. "Don't hit me, don't hit me! He and the young miss of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan are childhood sweethearts anyway. I'll behave myself. Whatever Holy Evil Douluo tells me to do, I'll do!"
"That's more like it." Nan Shuishui nodded, satisfied. "Every era has its own leader, and an age of great strife is when every major power gets the chance to reshuffle the deck.
Qiuqiu, it wasn't easy for us to connect with Holy Evil Douluo. I fought hard to win you a place in the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. You must seize this chance!"
"Mm-hm! I promise I won't let you down!"
...
Frigid yin energy surged up to meet Ling Bai the instant he entered the well. He dove deeper through the cold and found a stone door.
Beyond it lay the cavern Nan Shuishui had described. Crystals formed its walls, shimmering with flowing light, pure and translucent, as though a fairyland had been buried beneath the earth.
Strange ice pillars filled the space, forty-five in all, crisscrossing one another in intricate patterns. They were white as jade, and something liquid seemed to move faintly within each one, releasing wave after wave of terrifying cold.
"Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence!"
The Snow Empress burst from his Spiritual Sea. She stared at the cavern in stunned silence, and the icy currents within converged toward her as though paying homage to their sovereign.
"It's real... it really is Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence. You didn't lie to me..."
She stroked one of the pillars gently, her gaze complicated beyond reading. Had the cave of Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence in the Extreme North never been drained dry by the Skydream Iceworm, all Four Great Beasts of the Extreme North could have passed their heavenly tribulations with ease.
Yet here she stood inside another such cave, with every last pillar of it hers for the taking.
"When have I ever lied to you?" A warm smile reached Ling Bai's eyes. "Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence is a Heaven and Earth Treasure of Ultimate Ice, and the Heavenly Snow Woman is the spirit of heaven and earth born in the Extreme North, the purest form of Ultimate Snow. Use this essence as your foundation and you can rebuild a body of your own, then leave my Spiritual Sea and move freely from now on."
"Your intentions are never that simple. There's a catch!"
The Snow Empress let out a cold hmph and drifted toward the nearest pillars. She seized one in each hand, and rings of white light streamed steadily into her body.
Ling Bai felt her soul fusing with the essence little by little, becoming a wholly new life-form woven from ice-attributed energy.
"Bone Dragon King. Get to work."
The cavern also held the rare metal Divine Ice Crystal, but the temperature here approached absolute zero. No other Spectral Creature could survive the mining, which left only the Bone Dragon King fit to be exploited.
Time flowed on. The Snow Empress grew steadily more solid, the aura of Ultimate Ice pouring off her ever vaster. Snow-white ribbons appeared beyond her gauzy dress, drifting around a figure both slender and breathtaking.
"Quite the price," Ling Bai said softly. "A full thirty pillars of Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence. Two-thirds of this cave's entire energy, all for one body of flesh and blood."
"Regretting it?"
She came to him through the air. Her face was so beautiful and cold it seemed untouched by mortal dust, and her sky-blue eyes shimmered with the luster of frost.
"No. All forty-five pillars belong to you."
Ling Bai raised his left hand. Deep blue patterns of light rippled and shifted, gathering into a strange snowflake-shaped rune.
Fifteen pillars of Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence rose like drifting blossoms of ice, shrinking in midair until they formed a bracelet of crystal snowflowers. Ling Bai took her hand in his. Her skin was soft and cool against his palm, tender as snow given flesh, and he wound the bracelet around her pale wrist himself.
The Snow Empress looked down at it and smiled. It was a beautiful smile. She always carried that cold, distant air, the kind of beauty that kept strangers at arm's length, but when a smile bloomed across that peerless face it was enough to steal the breath from a man's lungs, and warmth seemed to spread through the frozen cavern in its wake.
The other girls all had immortal herbs, spirit rings, or spirit bones. Only the Snow Empress, whose original spirit beast body had long since been lost, had never received anything from him. This time he was making up for all of it at once.
"Bing'er, Xiao Bai, Ah Tai... fifteen pillars should be more than enough for the three of them to survive the heavenly tribulations bearing down on them."
The Snow Empress truly loved the bracelet, but the Three Arctic Kings needed the essence, and so it could only be hers for a little while.
Ling Bai cleared his throat. "The Ice Bear King agreed to a new name, by the way. He goes by Xiao Pang now."
The record had to be set straight. 'Xiao Bai' was standing right here.
"He spent more than two hundred thousand years as a perfectly honest Xiao Bai. He's older than the Angel God herself." The Snow Empress rolled her eyes at him, the gesture carrying an unexpectedly girlish charm. "And who exactly do you think you are, renaming my child?"
A teasing, mischievous grin tugged at her lips. Ling Bai caught her hand and drew that exquisite figure into his arms. Nose nearly touched nose, barely a hairsbreadth apart, and their warm breath mingled until the frigid air of the cavern seemed to carry a trace of sweetness.
"Tell me, then. What am I to you?"
Brilliant golden pupils filled her vision, warm with unspoken feeling. The Snow Empress held his gaze for a long moment before her sky-blue eyes, clear as autumn water, slowly drifted shut. Her long lashes trembled.
A woman closing her eyes in silence was answer enough.
A searing kiss branded itself on lips that were cool and yielding beneath his own. When her eyes opened again, all that clarity had melted into a hazy, unfocused blur. She leaned in close to his ear, her voice barely more than a breath:
"Make love to me. Right now."