More than a century had passed since the great war.
In the imperial palace and the Royal Spirit Academy, statues stood everywhere—heroes who saved the world.
By now, all those heroes had ascended to the God Realm and become deities admired by all—except Gu Ran and Ye Lingling, who remained.
Gu Ran reigned for a hundred years, diligent and tireless, remembering Tianlin's teachings. The continent flourished.
Before leaving, Tianlin left each of them a wisp of Holy Emperor divine power. With it, both Gu Ran and Ye Lingling surpassed Limit Douluo, reached level 100, and though godless, enjoyed long lifespans and looked unchanged. Yet they often missed the days of fighting alongside brothers.
With only the two of them left on the continent, they often felt lonely and considered abdication.
But years ago, war began anew—not civil war, but the Sun-Moon Empire's collision with Douluo, which should have come ten thousand years later, arriving early.
It was somewhat related to Tianlin. When he shifted continents back then, he didn't move the Sun-Moon, but the movement of others tugged it along, pulling it into early collision.
The Sun-Moon's soul tool research was still ahead of Douluo's, though not by as much as in later ages.
In raw power, Douluo was far stronger. Gu Ran immediately sent envoys declaring no intent to war and a desire for peaceful coexistence.
But the Sun-Moon's ambition was great. Their combat relied on soul tools channeling soul power. Seeing Douluo's lagging soul tool development, they mistook it for weakness and launched a war.
Gu Ran inherited Tianlin's kindness—but also Gu Rong's ruthless edge. Kindness is not indulgence. If they come to your door, you must fight back.
He rallied Douluo's soul masters and demonstrated what a power gap looks like.
The Sun-Moon's strongest was their Mingde Hall Master, Silver Moon Douluo, a level 95 who could barely contend with Limit Douluo using soul tools.
But Douluo's lineup froze them in terror.
Because of the Holy Emperor's power back then, Douluo now hid nearly a hundred Title Douluo—and all with god-bestowed rings as rewards for contributions against the Evil Sword Immortal.
Beyond Gu Ran and Ye Lingling, there were several level-100 powerhouses. The people even made rankings beneath the emperor and empress.
First, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Supreme Elder, Thunder God Douluo Yu Tianxin—the true "Thunder God," elder brother of Yu Tianheng. For the clan's sake, he refused Yu Tianheng's offer to bring him to the God Realm and chose to stay, so Yu Tianheng granted him Thunder God's mark, boosting his talent and lifespan. He could reportedly borrow Thunder God's power in battle, known as the Thunder God's Emissary; first among Title Douluo, ranked fourth overall.
Rakshasa Douluo Dong'er, the greatest genius in a century at the Royal Academy, with twin spirits: Devourer Spider Emperor and Death Spider Emperor. Many were put off at first by those frightening spirits, but upon meeting her, found her kind, open, and helpful. With her beauty, she became the academy's goddess. Gu Ran recognized her immediately as Bibi Dong reincarnated and ordered that she be cultivated and educated with care.
With abundant resources, she reached Title Douluo at a young age. After graduation, she joined the Spirit Hall to oversee soul masters across the land, dedicating her life to peace. Grateful to the academy and Gu Ran, she did not take the Pope's seat in old age, but returned to teach, hoping to train a better next generation. Now a respected vice dean, second only to Dean Gu Ran, she ranked third.
The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect's sect master, Jun Liuli—a continental legend, daughter of founding emperor Jun Tianlin. Kind-hearted and a savior of many, stunningly beautiful, reportedly inheriting the Kindness God King's position in the God Realm—having passed eight of nine trials. The world's foremost support. With the Divine Craftsman Lou Gao's farewell gift, the artifact Feiwen Huari Divine Sword, plus swordsmanship left by her father Tianlin and great-grandfather Chen Xin, she could support herself while fighting, making her battle strength second on the continent.
The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect's guardian Douluo, Demon Sword Douluo Jun Yuetian—a continental legend, son of founding emperor Jun Tianlin. A peerless prodigy whose sword dao shook the ages, nearly matching his father and great-grandfather. Decisive and merciless toward evil, he struck down countless villains; evildoers shuddered at his name. He had been acknowledged by a vacant God King position—the Evil God—but too proud to pick up someone else's legacy, he pursued the creation of his own god position, the Demon God, one step away from ascension. His maxim: "All beings are mired in sin. If gods won't save them, then I, the Demon, will."
Led by the emperor and empress, these four level-100s, and nearly a hundred Title Douluo, the Sun-Moon Empire was no match and was subdued within days.
Upholding Tianlin's "defeat with minimal killing," Gu Ran prioritized surrender. Most of the enemy yielded, and slaughter was limited.
With Mingde Hall's techniques in hand, soul tool development soared again.
After the war, Gu Ran and Ye Lingling abdicated in favor of their child, Gu Nianlin.
In retirement, they cultivated. For their contributions, they sensed the power of the plane and succeeded as the Plane's Lord and the Life Core deity.
Then Gu Ran sensed a foreign plane approaching—likely to collide in thirty or forty thousand years: the Abyss.
This was a higher-tier plane than Douluo. Once war began, the outcome was uncertain.
Gu Ran wanted to go to the God Realm to ask Tianlin for help, to pull that plane in and devour it first—thus elevating Douluo.
But Ye Lingling refused. As Holy Emperor, Tianlin should treat all planes equally—helping Douluo devour another plane would violate the natural order.
Ultimately, kind-hearted Ye Lingling made a decision. She borrowed the Holy Spirit Pearl from Tianlin, then transformed into a Nine-Heart Begonia and entered Douluo's core, using her Life Core godhood and the Pearl's inexhaustible life force to nourish the plane and help it advance, so that even when Abyss arrived, Douluo could resist.
Tianlin deeply respected her resolve and lent the Pearl without hesitation.
Thus Ye Lingling and Gu Ran parted for a time. She became a flower at the core, nourishing the world for three thousand years; Gu Ran guarded outside for three thousand years.
At last, after three millennia, the plane advanced. Aside from those with innate divine power, others could now break past level 100 without a god position.
Gu Ran and Ye Lingling also advanced their god positions to God Kings. They then retired to a beautiful, secluded place, continuing to guard the continent in secret.