From a distance, at first there was only a single Juzi-red light spot shining within Yuming City, then in an instant it expanded to dozens of kilometers away, like the sun in the sky descending upon the mortal world.
The surrounding space became distorted under this terrifying energy fluctuation, emitting a buzzing roar. The earth, the sky, everything in this world was violently trembling.
The design blueprint for the level-nine fixed soul cannon that Xu Zihuang had given to Shrek Academy back then recorded a high-explosive type level-nine fixed soul cannon. The level-nine fixed soul cannon produced by Shrek Academy's soul tool department, with the combined efforts of the three deans Xian Lin'er, Qian Duoduo, and Fan Yu, was naturally also a level-nine high-explosive fixed soul cannon.
High-explosive fixed soul cannons are known for their high burst and high temperature. Among all types of level-nine fixed soul cannons, their destructive power is enough to rank in the top three.
That enormous Juzi-red light sphere lasted for a full quarter of an hour before gradually dimming. But the scorching air that swept outward affected an area more than a hundred kilometers away. All plants within a fifty-kilometer diameter had almost all their moisture evaporated in an instant, turning into flying ash and melting away completely.
Yuming City, built on the branch mountain peak of the Ming Dou Mountain Range, was thus forcibly erased and ceased to exist.
The clouds in the high sky were dispersed by the power of the previous level-nine fixed soul cannon, and the blood-colored setting sun poured down once more, making the scene here exceptionally clear. On the Star Luo Empire side, White Tiger Duke Dai Hao, Star Fragment Douluo, Xuanji Douluo, and the others who had already withdrawn to the rear all gazed silently at the now-empty stretch of land.
What had disappeared was not only Yuming City, but also the entire branch mountain range where Yuming City had been located.
Just as they had hoped to see, Saint Dragon Douluo had used the entire Saint Dragon Family and Yuming City as the price to directly destroy the Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group, one of the Sun Moon Empire's five protector hands.
Saint Dragon Douluo had perished, and the entire Saint Dragon Family had been wiped out, it could be called quite tragic. But compared to the Sun Moon Empire losing a Beast King Soul Mentor Group, the Star Luo Empire had actually gained the advantage. After all, the combat power of the Sun Moon Empire's Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group far surpassed that of the Saint Dragon Family. Moreover, with the Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group destroyed, the Sun Moon Empire's invasion steps would definitely be delayed.
The Star Luo Empire's goal had been achieved.
Unlike the heavy mood of White Tiger Duke and the others, Xu Jiujiu simply let out a breath of relief. Her pink fists were tightly clenched, and her azure-blue, beautiful eyes faintly flickered with an excited light.
She would always place the interests of the Star Luo Empire first. There is no war without casualties. If they could continue to destroy the Sun Moon Empire's protector hand soul mentor groups at such a cost in the future, she absolutely would not hesitate in the slightest.
This turning point finally allowed her to see a glimmer of hope.
Along with White Tiger Duke Dai Hao and Xu Jiujiu's retreat were Tuoba Yu, who had been entrusted by Saint Dragon Douluo. Nearly five years had passed since he graduated from Shrek Academy's outer court. Limited by his talent, he was now merely a high-ranking Soul King.
Of course, compared to other peers on the continent, this was still an outstanding existence.
Tuoba Yu gazed in the direction of Yuming City, his body trembling, his fingernails deeply piercing into the flesh of his palms. Only now did he belatedly realize that his grandfather and clansmen had not withdrawn from another direction at all, but had chosen this decisive method to delay the Sun Moon Empire's advance.
He did not understand. He truly did not understand.
Tuoba Yu suddenly turned around, his eyes bloodshot as he looked toward White Tiger Duke Dai Hao, Xu Jiujiu, and the Star Luo Empire's group of Title Douluo. His voice was hoarse as he questioned them.
"Why…"
Especially upon seeing the excited look in Xu Jiujiu's eyes, he found it even harder to suppress the anger in his heart.
"Why must our Saint Dragon Family go to such lengths for the Star Luo Empire?! Even if it's because of the sin committed by our ancestor ten thousand years ago, haven't we been fighting on the front lines for the Star Luo Empire all these years enough to wash away this shame?! Why?!"
Out of guilt in their hearts, Dai Hao and the Star Luo Empire's group of Title Douluo did not show any displeasure toward Tuoba Yu, only sighing lightly in their hearts.
Xu Jiujiu restrained her own emotions and gently comforted Tuoba Yu, "This was a choice made by Saint Dragon himself. Our Star Luo Empire will never forget the contributions made by the Saint Dragon Family. I will immediately have someone return to Star Luo City and have my imperial brother issue an order to confer upon you the hereditary title of Saint Dragon Viscount, allowing the Saint Dragon Family to enjoy eternal glory."
"Hahaha, Saint Dragon Viscount?" Tuoba Yu laughed self-mockingly, his body staggering as he turned and walked away in a daze.
"Grandfather, is this the result you wanted?"
Star Cloud Douluo, who served as Xu Jiujiu's personal guard, saw Tuoba Yu acting so rudely and was about to reprimand him, but was stopped by Xu Jiujiu raising her hand.
Dai Huabin and Dai Luoli could not help but glance at Dai Hao in front of them.
Saint Dragon Douluo and the Saint Dragon Family's actions must have received permission from Dai Hao, the commander-in-chief of the three armies. Dai Hao, allowing his subordinates to use such a method to heavily damage the Sun Moon Empire's soul mentor group, was a huge departure from their previous understanding of him. Coupled with the incident they had encountered at the White Tiger Duke's mansion earlier, they realized that Dai Hao's image was not as perfect as they had imagined.
…
On the peak of the Ming Dou Mountain Range, the faces of the Sun Moon Empire's level-nine soul mentors were all extremely gloomy, their eyes filled with shock.
"How does the Star Luo Empire have a level-nine fixed soul cannon?!" Star Sky Douluo Ye Yulin angrily looked toward the group of level-nine soul mentors beside him.
The Sun Moon Empire had always maintained extremely strict control over level-nine fixed soul cannons; it was basically impossible for them to leak out. Level-nine fixed soul cannons were not something just anyone had the qualifications to mobilize.
So his first instinctive reaction was to suspect the level-nine soul mentors on the Sun Moon Empire's side.
The others did not dare to act out due to Ye Yulin's seniority and strength, but Fire Phoenix Douluo Luan Feng, the former commander of the Fire Phoenix Soul Mentor Group, did not indulge him and immediately scolded him with a cold face, "Ye Yulin, are you suspecting this old woman?!"
"Sorry, I didn't mean that."
Ye Yulin also realized his loss of composure, his expression somewhat embarrassed. After calming down and thinking about it, the Sun Moon Empire's level-nine soul mentors had no reason to do such a thing. That would be treason. Only those wolf-hearted, inhumane, evil soul masters from the Holy Spirit Cult might do it.
Thinking of this, he looked solemnly toward Juzi.
"Marshal, this matter is of great importance and still needs to be reported to His Majesty as soon as possible."
"Elder Ye is right." Juzi appeared much calmer than everyone present and rationally issued orders.
"However, the urgent priority now is still to stabilize the situation on the Ming Dou Mountain Range side and confirm the condition of the Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group."
Although the faces of Star Sky Douluo Ye Yulin, Fire Phoenix Douluo Luan Feng, and the others remained ugly, they all nodded in agreement. But they all noticed that Juzi seemed a bit too calm.
Facts proved that their feeling was correct.
Although Juzi had not anticipated beforehand that the Star Luo Empire would use the level-nine fixed soul cannon in this way, she had indeed harbored certain private motives when dispatching the Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group as the vanguard.
The Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group had been the first to collude with Xu Tianran's family back then. The palace coup in the Sun Moon Empire's imperial palace and the changes in the Purple Glow King's mansion all had the shadow of the Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group behind them.
Juzi had long harbored the thought of taking advantage of this war to have the entire Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group suffer losses. It was not only to avenge Xu Zihuang's family, but also to use this opportunity to eliminate Xu Tianran's faction for Xu Zihuang, to facilitate the implementation of Xu Zihuang's subsequent plans.
Among the five protector hand soul mentor groups, only this Evil Monarch Soul Mentor Group had no value or necessity for recruitment.
At this moment, an eighth-rank soul mentor from the Sun Moon Empire side urged his flight soul tool and rapidly swept over, steadily landing on the mountain peak.
"Reporting to the Marshal, a message has come from His Majesty's side. Not long ago, the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Group and the Terrorclaw Soul Mentor Group stationed in the Heavenly Soul Empire's territory, together with the National Teacher and the numerous powerhouses under his command, launched a surprise attack on Dragon City in the northern border of the Heavenly Soul Empire. His Majesty hopes that you can exert pressure on the Star Luo Empire from the Ming Dou Mountain Range side."
"What did you say?!" Juzi, who had previously appeared extremely calm, now had a drastic change in expression.
In the northern part of Dragon City in the Heavenly Soul Empire, adjacent to the Extreme North, there existed a precious, rare metal vein. The Sun Moon Empire had originally set its sights on Dragon City precisely to occupy this rare metal vein. It was only because the Holy Spirit Cult had been heavily damaged by the powerhouses of the Body Sect that the operation had been forced to stop.
Now Xu Tianran suddenly issuing such an order was completely beyond her expectations. Moreover, judging from the message conveyed by Xu Tianran, this operation was most likely related to the Holy Spirit Cult's Cult Master Zhongli Wu. It was very possible that it was to take revenge on Xu Zihuang and vent anger on the Heavenly Dragon Gate, from which Xu Zihuang's mother originated. There might even be the two long-silent Supreme Elders of the Holy Spirit Cult supporting it.
Everyone's gazes converged on Juzi. Over the years, they had never seen Juzi react so strongly.
Juzi's full chest rose and fell slightly as she tried her best to calm her emotions, but the worry in her heart could not be suppressed, no matter what.
"Zihuang…"
Northern border of the Heavenly Soul Empire, Dragon City.
Dragon City was constantly shrouded in ice and snow throughout the year. Yet such harsh conditions had never affected Dragon City's prosperity; it stood tall like a solitary, beautiful highland flower. Until the day of its destruction arrived.
On the south side of Dragon City, the tall and majestic hundred-meter city wall now had a huge breach. Broken walls and ruins lay scattered everywhere. In front of the Sun Moon Empire's powerful linked soul tools, countless Dragon City soldiers disappeared forever from this world along with this massive breach.
Soldiers who had luckily avoided the Sun Moon Empire's linked soul cannon bombardment were also killed in the concentrated fire from the other soul tools of the Sun Moon Empire's soul mentor groups. Around the city wall breach, there were mutilated corpses everywhere, and blood dyed this white, snowy world red, like a purgatory on earth.
In the gray, dim sky, hundreds of figures filled the air. One side was deep purple, the other dark gold, clearly distinct.
They were precisely the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Group and the Terrorclaw Soul Mentor Group from the Sun Moon Empire's five protector hands.
Below Dragon City, brilliant soul power lights flickered from time to time, stirring up violent energy storms. These were the remaining resistance forces within Dragon City, primarily members of the Heavenly Dragon Gate and Earth Dragon Gate sects.
Ever since the Heavenly Soul Empire's imperial palace had been raided, the Heavenly Soul Empire had especially strengthened the defenses of Heavenly Dou City. This resulted in limited assistance from the Heavenly Soul Empire to Dragon City.
Most of the soul master legions and ordinary troops stationed by the Heavenly Soul Empire in Dragon City had gathered at the south city gate and were almost completely wiped out under the surprise attack of the Sun Moon Empire's Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Group and Terrorclaw Soul Mentor Group.
The Heavenly Dragon Gate and Earth Dragon Gate, unwilling to submit, led the various soul master sects within Dragon City in resistance. However, most of those small sects were fence-sitters and quickly defected to the Sun Moon Empire, leaving only the Heavenly Dragon Gate and Earth Dragon Gate still fiercely resisting.
"Ang—ang—ang—" Three consecutive, thunderous dragon roars exploded in the sky above Dragon City. Three awe-inspiring giant dragons suddenly appeared out of thin air.
Leading them was a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon over a hundred meters long, majestic and imposing. Its dragon head was raised to the sky in a long cry, its entire body flashing with blue-purple lightning as it charged recklessly through the soul tool positions of the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Group and Terrorclaw Soul Mentor Group.
The other two giant dragons were somewhat smaller in size, but still over fifty meters long. They were a Crimson Dragon with red wings on its back and a Rouge Dragon covered in fine, pale pink dragon scales all over its body.
The identities of the three giant dragons were self-evident: they were Heavenly Dragon Gate Master Yu Yeran, Heavenly Dragon Gate Elder Xing Heng, and Earth Dragon Gate Master Nan Shuishui, who had all unleashed their martial soul true bodies.
Crystal-blue Blue Lightning Dragon breath, crimson dragon flames, and pink annihilation light swept across the sky.
They were all frantically assaulting the aerial soul tool positions of the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Group and Terrorclaw Soul Mentor Group, unleashing all kinds of powerful soul skills. These people could die fighting for their respective beliefs and integrity, but they had to buy a sliver of chance for the young elite generation within their sects to survive.
As long as these people escaped from Dragon City, the inheritances of the Heavenly Dragon Gate and Earth Dragon Gate would not be severed.
In the intricate alleys of Dragon City, Nan Qiuqiu's eyes were filled with despair and grief.
Although the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Group and Terrorclaw Soul Mentor Group had been thrown into chaos by Yu Yeran and the other two, temporarily preventing the two major protector hands from using linked soul tools, this also allowed the two soul mentor groups to split off some people to pursue and kill the young elite generation of the Heavenly Dragon Gate and Earth Dragon Gate.
Nan Qiuqiu had just personally witnessed scene after scene of sect elders sacrificing themselves to protect her, only to be obliterated by soul tools.
"Mom—" Nan Qiuqiu looked at the Rouge Dragon's true body in the sky and let out a sharp, mournful cry. Tears continuously overflowed from her eyes. Only now did she finally understand how ignorant and ridiculous her previous thoughts had been.
Only by experiencing it personally would one truly feel the cruelty of war. And this time, she would part with Nan Shuishui forever.
"Big Sis, run!" Xiao Ye roared with slightly red eyes, grabbing Nan Qiuqiu's wrist and fleeing toward the north city gate of Dragon City. Earlier, it had been his grandfather who had perished while protecting Nan Qiuqiu.
The young elite generation of the Heavenly Dragon Gate had also converged with Nan Qiuqiu and the others under the leadership of Yu Tianlong. Seeing the first wave of pursuers from the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Group and Terrorclaw Soul Mentor Group approaching, he angrily spread open a pair of blue-purple dragon arms. In his martial soul possession state, his arms were already thick and sturdy, but under the amplification of the ten-thousand-year Tyrant Dragon arm soul bone skill Tyrant Change, his pair of dragon arms actually swelled once more, his entire body emitting a ferocious aura.
"Go to hell!"
His feet stomped fiercely on the ground. Yu Tianlong crossed his arms in front of him and actually withstood the attacks of seven or eight sixth-rank soul mentors head-on. Then a pair of dragon wings flapped behind him, turning into a blue-purple electric light afterimage that swept past, directly tearing these several fairly powerful soul mentors into pieces.
After landing on the ground again, he looked back once more at the battlefield where Yu Yeran was and at the even higher sky, then led the young elite generation of the Heavenly Dragon Gate northward in a grief-stricken and indignant breakout.
"Everyone, follow me!"
Several thousand meters up in the high sky, an equally domineering and awe-inspiring Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon coiled there, but this Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's body length exceeded a thousand meters, its aura as deep as an abyss. Violent thunder elements surged, turning the space behind it into a blue-purple thunder prison.
And the one confronting Yu Yangyan was a group of evil soul masters led by Zhongli Wu. Including Zhongli Wu himself, these evil soul masters numbered a full twelve!
Zhongli Wu held the Death God Scythe, his expression somewhat unsightly. He had not expected that Yu Yangyan, who was of the same generation as Yan Shaozhe, had actually broken through to rank ninety-eight in soul power.
Thunder-attribute soul masters were naturally suppressive against evil soul masters like them, and Yu Yangyan was fighting with a desperate stance. As a result, even after he gathered the power of twelve Title Douluo evil soul masters, he had not gained any advantage.
It was not that they were suppressed by Yu Yangyan alone, but rather that none of them wanted to pay the price for it. After all, everyone had their own selfish motives. The vast majority of these twelve Title Douluo were worshippers from the Holy Spirit Cult's Worship Hall. Although they had joined the Holy Spirit Cult for various reasons, they would not obey his orders as Cult Master unquestioningly.
"Yu Yangyan, this Cult Master will definitely kill you today! And that little beast from your Heavenly Dragon Gate who dared to oppose our Cult—before long, I will make him come accompany you." Zhongli Wu seemed to have made a decision. His expression turned icy as he raised the Death God Scythe in his hand, killing intent overflowing in his eyes.
The group of evil soul master Title Douluo behind Zhongli Wu, began to emanate bloody light from their bodies, merging into the Death God Scythe in his hand.
A wisp of dark red appeared silently in front of Zhongli Wu. During this time, his Death God Scythe had completely transformed into a strange, dark red. He swung it forward forcefully.
"Blood Sea Resentful Spirit Spear!"
That wisp of dark red light instantly transformed into a sinister, blood-colored long spear. Its hue looked as if fresh blood was about to drip down from it. Even more terrifying was that the moment it appeared, the area around Yu Yangyan's body had already turned into a vast sea of blood, congealing his body so tightly that dodging was now impossible.
"Spatial lockdown?!" Yu Yangyan immediately understood the effect of this Blood Sea Resentful Spirit Spear. But even though he knew this, it was not so easy to break through this spatial lockdown. A trace of resolve and regret could not help but surface in the depths of his eyes. The soul core in his chest rapidly spun and expanded under his control.
It was a pity that he would not be able to personally avenge his daughter.
But at this moment, this blood sea disappeared like melting ice and snow, vanishing in an instant.
A tall and straight young man stepped out from the void. Gold sun and silver moon earrings swayed on the left and right, reflecting each other brilliantly. He slowly extended his fair and slender right hand, blocking the path that the Blood Sea Resentful Spirit Spear must take.
A heart-palpitating pitch-black light surged in his palm. The instant the Blood Sea Resentful Spirit Spear made contact with his palm, it collapsed and disintegrated, as if it had been completely erased from this world.
The young man wore a purple-gold long robe that fluttered in the wind. A pair of deep purple eyes indifferently gazed at Zhongli Wu opposite him.
"Zhongli Wu, today is your day of death."
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master the novel is already finished on Patreon."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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