There was still a group of people waiting for Huo Yuhao's judgment.
These were the furnaces captured alive when Shrek was destroyed.
Not all of them were members of the Huo Alliance—some were women with decent talent, like Lan Yin of the Dong Alliance. Previously, their consciousness had been sealed and they had been imprisoned.
Now, it was time to awaken them—to become the first batch of "believers" in Huo Yuhao's Divine Kingdom.
Huo Yuhao didn't waste words with them.
He started by indoctrinating them.
When they awoke, the look in their eyes toward Huo Yuhao was filled with nothing but worship, respect, and admiration.
Huo Yuhao lifted Lan Yin's chin.
She didn't resist—instead, a blush crept onto her cheeks.
One must know, in the past, Lan Yin was not this kind of woman. She had always been a heroic and valiant girl.
Because Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao weren't at Shrek, Lan Yin had been stationed there long-term to oversee the Dong Alliance.
And now, she had fallen into Huo Yuhao's hands.
Before he even made a move, Lan Yin had already closed her eyes, presenting herself as if ready to be taken.
Huo Yuhao smiled, "You girls truly bring me joy."
Then, he bestowed upon all the furnaces a truly powerful cultivation method, so they could quickly strengthen themselves within the Divine Kingdom.
"From now on, you will reside in my Divine Kingdom, join my holy faith, and act as my emissaries."
And this was only the beginning.
But in the future, not everyone would qualify to enter Huo Yuhao's Divine Kingdom.
Only those from the faithful clans or those whom Huo Yuhao deemed worthy would be allowed in—to serve him and enjoy the blessings of the Divine Kingdom.
In the future, the demon sons, demon grandsons, and Lotus Heart demons would also be incorporated into the Divine Kingdom.
"But for now, while the demon sons and the Lotus Heart demons continue their conquest across the seas, the furnaces from the various nations' harems can enter the Divine Kingdom early and improve themselves."
After settling Lan Yin and the others…
Huo Yuhao prepared to break through his cultivation in one go.
All of the immortal herbs had been made ready.
In a valley filled with blooming flowers, the immortal herbs took on human form—per Huo Yuhao's request—all becoming beautiful women, their appearances flawless.
Then, they surrounded Huo Yuhao, ready to offer their everything to aid in his cultivation.
In the fragrance of the immortal herbs, their power washed over Huo Yuhao's body, refining both his body and soul. In the process, a unique power of creation was generated.
This came as no surprise to the Sacred Feathered Serpent, who had long known the effects of immortal herbs.
"Using the immortal herbs to break through will give him a much stronger foundation. In the future, whether it's becoming a God King or even a Supreme God King, his chances of success will be higher."
Everyone can cultivate quickly, but breaking into the higher realms depends on one's foundation—be it bloodline, fortune, or treasures like the immortal herbs.
As Huo Yuhao advanced, the skies above the Divine Kingdom churned with his destiny energy. His Destiny Golden Body radiated with a brilliant glow.
Then, from within this golden body, a golden snow lotus suddenly emerged. It grew large and cradled the golden body, as if it had entered a unique state of enlightenment.
While drawing on the power of the herbs for his breakthrough, Huo Yuhao suddenly felt the immortal herbs vanish around him. A cool sensation pressed against his body.
He opened his eyes mid-breakthrough—and saw the snow lotus floating above, glowing in radiant seven-colored light.
Gradually, the snow lotus transformed into the figure of a woman in a blue-gold dress.
She was perfect in every way—porcelain skin, stunningly beautiful, like an unattainable flower blooming atop a snowy peak, or a soul-drawing mandrake by the River of Forgetfulness.
Her lips were painted an icy blue—a color few could carry, but on her, it was harmoniously elegant.
Everything about her—her figure, her face, even each strand of hair—aligned perfectly with Huo Yuhao's image of the ideal woman.
Even Huo Yuhao, who had experienced countless women, couldn't help but speak aloud:
"How could such a perfect woman exist in this world?"
"Are you my heart demon?"
The woman looked down at him and smiled faintly.
"Heart demon? Heh. Then I am your heart demon—born from the depths of your own heart!"
"Huo Yuhao, I want you to aid my cultivation!"
Huo Yuhao's eyes widened.
"Preposterous!"
"Demon! Face my rod!"
The woman smiled playfully, unafraid.
This battle was both physical and spiritual.
The breakthrough to First-Rank God took longer than expected.
It took three full days.
Huo Yuhao finally opened his eyes in the grass.
His eyes were a bit dazed—it had been years since he last felt so drained. But he also felt deeply satisfied.
The weakness was merely an illusion.
Huo Yuhao now felt inexhaustible strength surging within him.
He had officially ascended to the First-Rank God realm!
His body, soul, and will were all perfected.
All the women formed from the immortal herbs immediately surrounded him once he awoke, tending to his every need.
But the mysterious woman from before was nowhere to be found.
Yet Huo Yuhao now knew who she was, and where she was.
He touched his chest.
There, a blue-gold snow lotus mark flashed briefly.
"So in the end, it was you who helped me the most."
With the immortal herbs alone, he could have broken through—but not so flawlessly.
The woman—Snow Lotus—had been able to appear because of the power of creation generated by the fusion of the herbs' energies.
That creation energy gave Snow Lotus form, allowing her to complete a yin-yang fusion with Huo Yuhao, enabling a deeper refinement.
Thinking of her face, his heart burned with passion again.
He knew he needed to help her form a true physical body.
The First-Rank God realm wasn't fundamentally different from the Second-Rank—but its power was far greater.
Huo Yuhao's only current limitation was the lack of a god position, but with his mastery of various powers and attributes, he was already strong enough to challenge other First-Rank Gods.
Thanks to Snow Lotus, his breakthrough was exceptionally perfect, and he now possessed the strength to battle powerful First-Rank Gods.
"If I can ascend to God King, then even Old Tang won't be a match for me."
"I just hope the continent's chaos can keep him distracted… otherwise—"
Somewhere in the Divine Kingdom, inside a mountain cave.
A figure was suspended by chains—chains specially crafted to suppress the soul power of the captive.
It was none other than Feng Ling, who had been captured.
Huo Yuhao walked out from within the mountain cave, entering the chamber, and finally stood before Feng Ling.
He then lifted his hand, pinching Feng Ling's chin and raising her drooping head.
Only then was her face clearly visible. Feng Ling was unconscious, but her brows were tightly furrowed, her face occasionally twitching in pain. A faint black aura continued to seep from the center of her brow.
The SkyDream Silkworm lay on Huo Yuhao's shoulder, looking curiously at Feng Ling and asked,
"Brother Hao, what's wrong with her?"
Huo Yuhao replied,
"Although Feng Ling joined the Holy Spirit Cult and became Zhongli Wu's wife, she's still under his control."
"Zhongli Wu infiltrated Feng Ling's soul using certain techniques, taking control of her. This has lasted for decades. Removing the methods he left behind from her soul will take time. We need a gentle approach—if we force it, we'll damage her soul and sever her future potential."
"To Zhongli Wu, Feng Ling wasn't someone he truly cared for. He merely saw her as a useful tool."
Feng Ling's life was truly tragic.
In her youth, her martial soul was the Dark Phoenix—she was considered a prodigy and successfully entered Shrek Academy.
But due to her relationship with Yan Shaozhe, his Light Phoenix martial soul awakened the latent evil in her own Dark Phoenix soul, ultimately transforming it into the Evil Phoenix martial soul.
Thus began her path as an evil soul master.
She later joined the Holy Spirit Cult and married Zhongli Wu. Outwardly she seemed glamorous, but in truth, she was just a pawn in his hand.
In the original story, she was eventually forced by Zhongli Wu to burn away everything she had, transforming herself into a source of power for him to fight Huo Yuhao.
Now, however, she had fallen into Huo Yuhao's hands. It seemed like he was helping her break free, but in reality, Huo Yuhao merely wanted to switch her owner.
Even a second-hand car can't be left with the former owner's keys.
"Speaking of which, Zhongli Wu and Yan Shaozhe are half-brothers, right? One loved Feng Ling, the other married her. Is that irony, or fate?" Huo Yuhao wondered aloud.
But that wasn't important.
Now, Feng Ling was a Rank 97 Titled Douluo. To grow stronger, she needed to continually devour Phoenix bloodlines—primarily soul beasts with phoenix traits or humans with Phoenix martial souls.
Because of these breakthrough requirements, Feng Ling was actually one of the less murderous members of the Holy Spirit Cult.
Huo Yuhao raised his hand. A drop of golden blood floated from his palm—pure, radiant, almost like divine liquid rather than blood.
Within it faintly appeared the image of a phoenix.
Huo Yuhao smiled,
"Let me help you break through this bottleneck. It'll also hasten the cleansing of your soul and restore your strength."
"Remember this favor—someday, you'll pay it back with everything you have!"
He then injected the golden blood into Feng Ling, aiding her in absorbing it.
As she began absorbing its power, her soul power suddenly surged. She broke through Rank 97 to 98, just one step away from the Ultimate Douluo level.
However, her soul power was soon suppressed again by the chains, restoring calm.
Even so, the pain on Feng Ling's face visibly lessened, and more black aura flowed from her brow.
"That's it?" the SkyDream Silkworm asked, confused.
Huo Yuhao chuckled,
"This is divine blood—far more precious than the essence of celestial herbs. She's only just begun to refine it. Once fully absorbed, she'll not only become an Ultimate Douluo, but also have a chance to ascend to godhood."
"So she's quite lucky," the SkyDream Silkworm marveled.
"Well, a Phoenix-blooded cauldron of this caliber is rare. In the future, I'll have her devour Yan Shaozhe's Light Phoenix bloodline. Light and evil will merge, and her bloodline will undergo a higher evolution."
Huo Yuhao had already planned Feng Ling's path.
"Speaking of Phoenix bloodlines... Ye Xeshui's bloodline must be strong too, right?" the SkyDream Silkworm suddenly asked.
Huo Yuhao nodded.
"Though Ye Yueshui never cultivated the Light Phoenix martial soul, her bloodline has evolved with her power. Her Light Phoenix bloodline is anything but simple."
"But I have a different plan for Ye Yueshui. She's not just a cauldron—she's an ideal mother vessel."
"A mother?" The SkyDream Silkworm looked confused. "Brother Hao, didn't your spirit body already complete its prenatal reversal? Why do you need to be reborn again? Or are you trying to separate your Upper and Middle Corpses this way?"
Huo Yuhao didn't hide it.
"I don't need it. I can already separate my Upper and Middle Corpses. Using Ye Xeshui as the mother is to prepare for Xuelian(snow lotus). Her body needs someone to nurture it."
"With Ye Yueshui's help, Xuelian can be reborn with an innate physique."
While ordinary people can give birth to prodigies, it's rare. And it's undeniable that the children of strong individuals often start from a higher baseline and have greater potential.
Of course, there's always the chance of a waste offspring—but even they wouldn't be completely useless.
If Xuelian's new body inherits the Phoenix bloodline, her future achievements would be even greater.
The Phoenix God's divine seat would also suit her well.
"Xuelian is going to take human form too?" The SkyDream Silkworm wasn't too surprised. He simply sighed. That Hundred-thousand-year-old Xuelian, once just a spiritual plant, now had independent thought—and soon, a humanoid form.
Truly, time changes all things.
The SkyDream Silkworm thought that these few years of experience had been more eventful and meaningful than his previous million years of life.
Having set Feng Ling on her path of transformation, Huo Yuhao left the cave and sealed it shut.
His minions had already gone to the sea to track down Ye Yueshui and Long Xiaoyao. It wouldn't be long before they too fell into Huo Yuhao's hands.
Next, Huo Yuhao would prepare to rescue people in the Dou Ling Empire.
At the same time Huo Yuhao achieved his breakthrough…
Xu Tiancheng had unearthed Zhongli Wu's secret.
At this moment, Xu Tiancheng arrived at the Mingdou Great Forest.
The Mingdou Great Forest, located within the Mingdou Mountains, was once a border area between the Sun-Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire. Now, it was fully incorporated into the Sun-Moon Empire.
This forest was known for its soul beasts, with some hundred-thousand-year ones hidden deep inside—though rare. Compared to other regions, it was famous for producing mutated soul beasts.
Due to the forest's special geography, soul masters who came here to hunt in the past usually had to be strong—otherwise, they'd be mistaken as spies by either empire's troops and executed without appeal.
Now, it was completely a hunting ground for soul masters of the Sun-Moon Empire. The number of hunters had increased, but they were all Sun-Moon Empire citizens.
According to Zhongli Wu's memories, Xu Tiancheng found an underground ruin deep beneath the Star Dou Forest.
"So this is… the burial grounds of the progenitor of Sub-Dragon?"
Looking at the ruins and feeling his bloodline stir, Xu Tiancheng grinned with excitement.
Huo Yuhao: From now on, you have only one sun—and that is me!
The Ancestor of the Sub-Dragons is commonly believed to be the Purple Radiance Destruction Dragon.
But in reality, the current Purple Radiance Destruction Dragon bloodline is a castrated version, merely a top-tier existence at best.
The true Sub-Dragon Ancestor was a divine-level being!
It's similar to how both the Fire Dragon Clan and the Water Dragon Clan have true dragons among them — but only those who were granted divine favor by the Dragon God can be considered the true Fire Dragon King or Water Dragon King.
Xu Tiancheng didn't need to interrogate Zhongli Wu. He simply searched Zhongli Wu's soul and learned everything.
Naturally, both Zhongli Wu and the Bone Dragon King were devoured by Xu Tiancheng.
Because both of them had obtained fragments of the Sub-Dragon Ancestor's legacy, Xu Tiancheng chose not to waste it — devouring them allowed for more efficient absorption.
From Zhongli Wu's memories, Xu Tiancheng learned how the burial site of the Sub-Dragon Ancestor was discovered.
It all started with fragments of information recorded in the Sacred Spirit Church's archives.
The Sacred Spirit Church has a long lineage, even predating the Sun-Moon Empire itself — it simply wasn't always called that.
Among the heritage passed down, many ancient secrets were included.
In his pursuit of power, Zhongli Wu found a clue in the records left behind by predecessors.
At first, he didn't know exactly what it pointed to — he merely suspected that the clue might be related to a fallen deity and possibly a divine legacy.
These kinds of ancient tales weren't unfamiliar, but no one had ever believed them.
Before the Sun-Moon Empire connected with the Douluo Continent, no one believed gods were real — they were considered myths.
After all, if you tell a bunch of scientists that cultivating the self is the true path and leads to godhood, you're likely to get slapped.
You might even get tied to a soul tool crucifix and executed by a soul cannon for heresy and spreading superstition.
Even after the Sun-Moon Continent connected with Douluo, the Shrek Academy's information blockade kept people from ever seriously considering godhood as a possibility.
Over time, even soul masters on Douluo Continent began treating godhood as mere legend.
Until Xu Tiancheng's meteoric rise, and Shrek Academy's leaks about the path to godhood, brought the matter to everyone's attention — suddenly, soul masters in the Sun-Moon Empire realized: "Wait, there's a way to become a god after reaching Limit Douluo?!"
Sun-Moon Empire soul masters: You could've told us earlier! I'd have started cultivating seriously years ago!
It didn't matter whether one truly had a shot — if there was even a sliver of hope, who wouldn't want to become a god?
In the past two years, more factions have emerged seeking the path to godhood. But so far, no one had found a genuine opportunity.
Only ancient sects like the Holy Spirit Church could possibly have records of such secrets.
The clue spoke of this: In the eastern lands of the continent, a sun fell from the sky, and afterward, beasts began mutating, giving birth to soul beasts.
Zhongli Wu went straight to the easternmost region of the Sun-Moon Continent — the Mingdou Mountains.
Deep in the Mingdou Great Forest, he actually uncovered a clue, and after extensive digging, unearthed the Sub-Dragon Ancestor's tomb.
And now, Xu Tiancheng has entered the same place.
From the layout, it was clearly a mausoleum, complete with murals praising the buried figure's achievements. Judging from the tomb's scale, it didn't seem to be for a mere mortal.
"Looks like the Dragon God didn't completely destroy the Sub-Dragon Ancestor after all — even gave it a luxurious tomb. Probably no one would guess that the Dragon God would bury it on Douluo Continent."
"But it makes sense — if the Sub-Dragon Ancestor were truly wiped out, the Purple Radiance Destruction Dragon martial soul in the royal family wouldn't exist."
"Besides, the Sub-Dragon Ancestor contributed greatly to the Dragon God. Even if its destructive power became uncontrollable, the Dragon God couldn't just obliterate it coldly — that would demoralize the others. Morale matters when you're running a crew."
"So, build a grand tomb, leave a legacy — enough to silence the critics."
Xu Tiancheng held a soul lamp as he explored the tomb, pausing occasionally to admire the murals depicting the glorious past of the Sub-Dragon Ancestor.
The murals focused on the Sub-Dragon Ancestor conquering planets and defeating powerful foes.
In short — the dude was a total badass.
Thanks to Zhongli Wu's memories, Xu Tiancheng was already familiar with the tomb's layout.
There were traps and trials, naturally, as befitting a place of legacy.
But since Zhongli Wu and the Bone Dragon King had already undergone those trials — and Xu Tiancheng devoured them — he was considered to have passed the trials as well and could proceed unhindered.
Zhongli Wu's memories also revealed the three conditions for obtaining the Sub-Dragon Ancestor's legacy.
Xu Tiancheng: "Three conditions again? Why do all these gods love the number three? My Fire God trial had three too, and I haven't even completed one yet."
The three conditions for inheriting the Sub-Dragon Ancestor's legacy were:
Be a Sub-Dragon — must possess sub-dragon bloodline.
Endure the baptism of Destruction — must remain conscious during the washing of destructive energy.
Obtain the Golden Ancient Tree to suppress the Heart of Destruction — and gain the means to sense its location.
Condition three made Xu Tiancheng suspect whether the Golden Ancient Tree on Douluo was truly planted by Tang San, or whether it had other origins.
Or perhaps the condition referred to another Golden Ancient Tree in the universe, not necessarily the one on Douluo Continent.
But it was certain: Condition three was why Zhongli Wu targeted the Golden Ancient Tree. It likely also aided with condition two.
Since the Golden Ancient Tree could suppress the Heart of Destruction, it could also help maintain consciousness during destructive baptism.
You had to admit — the reasoning was sound. But Zhongli Wu clearly misjudged his own strength.
He probably thought that reaching Limit Douluo meant he was invincible.
But those who think they're invincible usually fall first.
Zhongli Wu only managed to reach Limit Douluo because he fulfilled condition one, having inherited part of the Sub-Dragon Ancestor's power along with the Bone Dragon King.
Finally, Xu Tiancheng reached the tomb's deepest chamber — the place where the legacy would be passed down.
There, he saw a massive pool, and above it, a huge dragon head statue — vaguely resembling the Purple Radiance Destruction Dragon, but even more domineering.
"Well then, let me take on the trial that Zhongli Wu failed."
"Purple Radiance Destruction Dragon, possess!"
"Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul Avatar!"
The true form of the Purple Radiance Destruction Dragon descended, and charged straight into the pool.
In the next second, a ritual seemed to activate — array patterns lit up within the pool.
Then, the eyes of the dragon head statue lit up, and its mouth opened wide, unleashing a torrent of destructive energy down onto the Martial Soul Avatar in the pool.
The Baptism of Destruction had begun!
The Purple Radiance Destruction Dragon tilted its head and let out a roar — part agony, part madness.
This was not just a baptism — it was a rebirth.
Under the assault of destructive force, Xu Tiancheng could clearly feel his dragon martial soul's core power growing!
Xu Tiancheng: "Let the baptism rain down harder!"
The coalition formed by the Four Great Empires had already arrived at the Douling Empire. They were searching for the location where the Shrek Inspection Group was stationed, intending to rescue its members.
Those participating in the operation were all powerful individuals from the Four Empires, including:
The Four Great Guardian Deities—
Guardian of the Sun Moon Empire, Silver Moon Douluo Kong Deming, Level 96, Rank 10 Soul Engineer (though publicly stated as Rank 9). His combat prowess was comparable to that of a Limit Douluo.
Guardian of the Star Luo Empire, Lion King Douluo, Level 98. After allying with Xu Jiujiu, he received a blessing from Huo Yuhao, increasing his strength by one level.
Former Guardian of the Heavenly Soul Empire, Dou God Douluo, Level 98. After pledging allegiance to Wei Na, he too received a blessing, raising his power by one level. However, the guardian position was passed on to Poison Immortal.
New Guardian of the Douling Empire, Azure Luan Douluo Nanmen Yuzhi, Level 96. She was the youngest and lowest-leveled among the guardians, but with her super martial soul—the divine-beast-bloodline Jade Azure Luan—her strength was on par with the others.
Additionally, the Douling Empire sent Nanmen Yuruo, the cousin of Nanmen Yuzhi. She too possessed the super martial soul Jade Azure Luan and had a spirit power level of 96.
When the two of them revealed their full strength, all doubts about their identities and power vanished. Many factions only then realized that the Nanmen family had been secretly hiding two Super Douluo.
Adding in the not-yet-fully-developed young clan leader Nanmen Yuner, who also possessed the Jade Azure Luan martial soul and had recently broken through to the Spirit Douluo stage with power far surpassing her peers—it was foreseeable that the Nanmen family would become a terrifying "One Clan, Three Supers" force.
What others didn't know was that the Nanmen family was another key phoenix bloodline collection point for Huo Yuhao, and he had heavily cultivated them.
In fact, the number of hidden Titled Douluo in the Nanmen family rivaled that of the Zhu family.
Even though not all members awakened the Jade Azure Luan martial soul, those with phoenix bloodlines at the very least awakened top-tier martial souls.
The Nanmen family, like the Zhu family, was a furnace clan.
However, to support Empress Xuehui in ruling the Douling Empire, the Nanmen family revealed its top combat forces. The Zhu family, on the other hand, while supporting Xu Jiucheng in seizing power, only revealed ordinary Titled Douluo and mid-tier forces—rarely exposing their top-tier Super Douluo.
Besides the Super Douluo:
The Sun Moon Empire deployed three ordinary Titled Douluo.
The Star Luo Empire, three ordinary Titled Douluo.
The Heavenly Soul Empire, two ordinary Titled Douluo.
The Douling Empire, one ordinary Titled Douluo.
In total, this force comprised five Super Douluo and nine Titled Douluo.
The lineup included power attackers, agility attackers, support types, healers, and soul engineers—very balanced, with no weaknesses.
To many factions, this team seemed extremely formidable—capable of destroying any force beneath the Four Great Empires.
But to those who truly knew the inner workings, this team was half-hearted.
Compared to the true might of the Four Empires, these forces were negligible.
Still, at least in the public eye, it seemed the Four Empires were putting their best effort forward—even deploying their guardian deities.
Many factions rejoiced:
"Great! With the guardian deities here, the Shrek Inspection Group will be saved!"
Some even anticipated that once the Inspection Group returned, they would lead the resistance against the Holy Spirit Church.
Then, the guardian deities—old and new—gathered in one place, staring silently at each other.
They had each been briefed by their respective leaders before setting out. They knew the battle plan and the identities of their teammates.
Kong Deming was bewildered:
When did our emperor become allies with the other three empires?
Did our emperor secretly hook up with the queens of the other empires?!
But then again, the new empress of the Douling Empire was just a teenager… wouldn't that be too much?
Lion King Douluo, who understood that all of this was orchestrated by "that person"—the true ruler of the Four Empires—was very friendly to his new allies.
Nanmen Yuzhi, fully aware of Huo Yuhao's identity and plans (and as one of his furnaces), believed her status was higher than the other guardians.
Dou God Douluo was actually the last to learn the truth. The Heavenly Soul Empire's royal succession had already changed hands before he realized what was going on. Facing Poison Immortal's fists, he pledged loyalty.
At this moment, Dou God Douluo recalled Long Aotian's advice before departure. His emotions were mixed.
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would one day be working with the guardian deities of the other empires.
"Alas, the country is no longer its own. The Heavenly Soul Empire has been taken from within… but… Hundred-thousand-year soul bones are too tempting."
— Dou God Douluo pondered if he could earn more rewards by performing well on this mission.
Although his own soul bones were full, his descendants and disciples still needed lucky opportunities to grow stronger.
As everyone stayed silent, Nanmen Yuzhi stepped forward, naturally assuming the leadership role:
"I won't say much. You were all briefed before coming. All I'll say is: don't mess up. The Corpse God will also coordinate with us. If anyone ruins the plan, don't blame me for being merciless!"
Kong Deming, Lion King Douluo, and Dou God Douluo looked at the beautiful Nanmen Yuzhi, then at her equally beautiful cousin Nanmen Yuruo.
They understood how Nanmen Yuzhi had risen to power.
Whether it was Xu Tiancheng or Huo Yuhao—being good-looking was always a bonus.
So they said nothing and nodded in agreement.
No one was foolish.
The reality of the Four Empires had become clear—they were essentially unified.
This likely meant eventual dissolution of the Four Empires.
But in the face of such overwhelming power, no one wanted to be the mantis trying to stop the carriage.
Instead, with their status and strength, staying loyal and performing their duties now would likely result in good outcomes later.
"Old now… We geezers can't understand this new era. You youngsters take the helm. Us old folks will do our best."
— Kong Deming said.
Lion King Douluo quickly agreed:
"Same here!"
Dou God Douluo:
"+1."
Nanmen Yuzhi nodded with satisfaction,
"Good. Begin the operation! Move out!"
As for the other nine Titled Douluo, they didn't have the right to speak. They had been carefully selected for their loyalty—no need to worry about problems from them.
The rescue mission went very smoothly.
After locating the trapped Inspection Group, the team cut through waves of zombies, clearing a path to the small town where the group was besieged.
When the Shrek Inspection Group and elders saw that the rescuers were Title Duoluo from the Four Empires, they were both ecstatic and confused.
"Why are you the ones coming to our rescue? Where are our Shrek powerhouses? What's going on outside?"
— Elder Song asked, puzzled.
At that, Nanmen Yuzhi and the others fell silent.
Nanmen Yuruo (quietly):
"There are five Guardian Deities in the Four Great Empires…"
Elder Song suddenly had a bad premonition.
She anxiously asked, "Say something, all of you!"
"Sigh." Kong Deming let out a sigh. "Let me explain."
"The Holy Spirit Cult's leader, Zhongli Wu, broke through to the rank of Limit Douluo. He then joined forces with the Cult's Grand Elder, Ye Xeshui, and Chief Worshipper Long Xiaoyao — three Limit Douluo in total. Together with the cult's worshippers, elders, and other titled Douluo, they launched an attack on Shrek City."
"Shrek City, Shrek Academy, and the Sea God's Pavilion were all destroyed. Not a single person survived. They were all blood-sacrificed by the Holy Spirit Cult. The Sea God Pavilion Master, Huo Yuhao, as well as senior academy figures like Yan Shaozhe, Cai Mei'er, Xian Lin'er, and Qian Duoduo, are all missing or presumed dead. The Golden Tree has vanished."
"Rumor has it that only the former Holy Son of the cult, Bei Bei, survived. He was seen outside the ruins of Shrek, but his whereabouts are now unknown."
As Kong Deming finished speaking, everyone on Shrek's side widened their eyes in disbelief.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Elder Zhuang trembled with agitation.
"Shrek... destroyed?" Elder Song murmured blankly, her gaze vacant.
The other Elders swayed unsteadily, barely able to stand.
Zhang Lexuan, Han Ruoruo, and others were also frozen in shock.
Lion King Douluo sighed. "Sigh, I know you may not want to believe it, but we personally went to the ruins of Shrek City. Everything we said is what we saw with our own eyes."
Battle God Douluo spoke with grief, "The Holy Spirit Cult moved too fast. The entire massacre and blood sacrifice were completed in less than half a day. By the time the Heavenly Soul Empire realized something was wrong, it was already too late. Based on our deduction, the Holy Spirit Cult must have planned this for a long time."
Nanmen Yuner added, "You and the monitoring team were helping our Dou Ling Empire resist the corpse tide, which left Shrek's defenses weakened. The Empress has stated that the Dou Ling Empire will do whatever it takes to help rebuild Shrek."
Kong Deming continued, "People of Shrek, please pull yourselves together. The Holy Spirit Cult has grown to an uncontrollable level. We need Shrek's experts to step forward, issue a call to arms, and lead the continent's powerful individuals in resisting the cult together!"
"It's you! It's all your Sun Moon Empire's indulgence that allowed the Holy Spirit Cult to grow this powerful!" Elder Zhuang suddenly shouted angrily at Kong Deming.
Kong Deming, however, remained calm. He had anticipated this.
"Our Sun Moon Empire never indulged the Holy Spirit Cult. We merely lacked high-ranking soul masters and adopted a conciliatory approach toward the cult's soul masters. We never expected Zhongli Wu to gain such fortuitous encounters and become so brazen."
"Moreover, according to our investigations, many of the cult's evil soul masters and top fighters originally came from the other three empires — all of whom were once persecuted by your three empires and Shrek."
"Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xeshui also had deep ties with Shrek's Dragon God Douluo. When they came to our Sun Moon Empire, they were already powerful. We were powerless to oppose them."
"Oh, and by the way, the Holy Son and Holy Maiden of the cult were also from Shrek."
After saying this, Kong Deming said no more. Elder Zhuang and the others were left speechless.
Elder Song closed her eyes, suppressed her grief, took a deep breath, calmed herself, and finally opened her eyes to survey the Shrek members around her.
"What His Grace Silvermoon said is correct. Shrek bears some responsibility for the Holy Spirit Cult's rise. But now is not the time to argue about right and wrong."
"We must break through the encirclement of the corpse tide, unite with the experts from the four empires, and fight back against the Holy Spirit Cult to rebuild Shrek!"
There were some thoughts that Elder Song did not voice aloud. She believed that Huo Yuhao was likely still alive, since he had once told her that he received a legacy from an ancestor in the Clear Sky Sect.
This also made Elder Song suspect that perhaps the Holy Spirit Cult was the very crisis foretold in the divine prophecy of that ancestor.
The ancestor had always watched over the Douluo Continent. If a truly irreparable crisis ever arose, the ancestor would not just stand by and watch.
Once the Shrek members had calmed down, Elder Song began giving orders. She first looked at Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo.
"Lexuan, Ruoruo, go gather the other members of the monitoring team and prepare for a breakout. This is our last chance!"
After Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo left, Elder Song turned to Elder Zhuang and the other old elders.
"Elder Zhuang, we old folks must be ready. No matter what, we must ensure the children escape!"
Elder Zhuang and the others immediately understood. Elder Song meant that if necessary, they would sacrifice themselves to protect Zhang Lexuan and the others.
They all nodded solemnly. They did not fear death — they only feared dying in vain.
Finally, Elder Song looked seriously at Nanmen Yuzhi and the others, then bowed deeply. Elder Zhuang and the rest followed her lead.
The people from the four empires were moved by the gesture and stepped aside to give way.
"Elder Song, Elder Zhuang, what are you doing? Please rise quickly," Nanmen Yuzhi said hurriedly.
Still bowing, Elder Song said sincerely, "Everyone, thank you for supporting Shrek. If the situation becomes hopeless, we ask that you protect the children and retreat. We will stay behind to cover your escape."
"The future of Shrek is now in the hands of the four empires!"
Elder Song knew clearly — Shrek had reached the point of no return.
As long as even one Shrek person escaped, there would still be a future for Shrek.
"Elder Song, everyone, please rise quickly!" Nanmen Yuzhi echoed emotionally. "Shrek has contributed greatly to the peace of the continent. The four empires will not forget that. Rebuilding Shrek is a decree from our Dou Ling Empress!"
"As long as the four empires stand, Shrek will not be destroyed. If the other three empires do not help, Shrek can come to our Sun Moon Empire. We are willing to take full responsibility for rebuilding Shrek," said Kong Deming, slipping in opportunistically.
"Hmph, you old fox! I knew you had an agenda!" Lion King Douluo snapped. "Our Star Luo Empress has also vowed to help rebuild Shrek! She is even willing to grant Shrek the territory of the former White Tiger Duke's estate!"
That comment was borderline dark humor, making several people twitch at the corners of their mouths — but it also showed the Star Luo Empire's sincerity.
Battle God Douluo, however, was indignant. "Shrek is already in our Heavenly Soul Empire, okay? If anyone's rebuilding it, it should be us! Our ties go back ten thousand years! And don't forget, our Empress and the Sea God Pavilion Master had a relationship — it may have ended due to circumstances, but there's still a connection!"
Hearing the four empires' guarantees, Elder Song finally stood up slowly, a more genuine smile on her face.
Perhaps there had been many conflicts between Shrek and the four empires in the past, but when a real crisis hit, they still stood with Shrek.
Nanmen Yuzhi and the others stopped bickering and exchanged glances, each with subtle expressions in their eyes.
Everything Shrek needed — that person had predicted it all.
One could only say: Shrek's downfall... was not unjust.
Nanmen Yuzhi: "To rebuild Shrek — it is our solemn duty!"