At the break of dawn, as the first light of day began to shimmer, Yu Yuanchen and his group quietly departed the inn in Black Stone City where they had been staying, without alerting a single soul.
They no longer bothered to conceal their auras, their figures transforming into several streaks of light that shot directly toward Oak City, the main city of the Oak Tribe, at a speed far beyond what any ordinary person could imagine.
The journey of a hundred miles was but a fleeting moment for these peak powerhouses of the world. A city far grander than Black Stone City, with taller walls and a denser array of soul tools, appeared within a basin surrounded by mountains.
On the city walls, thick barrels of soul guidance cannons flickered with a faint, eerie light, and the energy shield covering the entire city glowed with a pale yellow hue. The energy fluctuations were indeed a notch stronger than those in Black Stone City, reaching roughly the level of a fifth-grade soul tool. Yet, to Yu Yuanchen and his companions, it remained as good as non-existent.
Yu Yuanchen's divine sense swept across the city like mercury pouring over the ground, instantly locking onto the existence with the strongest energy reaction within the most magnificent stone fortress at the center—a soul emperor with a cultivation level of around sixty-three. His qi and blood were already showing signs of decay, his potential exhausted; he was undoubtedly the leader of the Oak Tribe.
"Let's go. We shall ask for clarity directly." Yu Yuanchen spoke calmly, and with a wave of his sleeve, an invisible power of space enveloped the group. The next instant, they appeared like ghosts inside the deepest council hall of that stone fortress, ignoring the city's energy shield and patrolling guards entirely.
The hall was quite spacious, with some glowing illumination soul tools embedded in the walls, and the furnishings were simple yet tidy.
An old man wearing a beast-hide coat, with graying hair and a face that carried a hint of weariness beneath his majesty, was hunched over a desk examining a massive beast-hide map. Suddenly feeling the space around him stagnate, he looked up in horror, only to see six figures with auras as deep as the sea appearing out of thin air before him!
"Who goes there?!" The Oak leader was both shocked and furious. His soul power erupted instinctively, and six soul rings—white, yellow, purple, purple, purple, and black—rose instantly. He gripped a heavy black battle axe martial soul in his hand, looking at Yu Yuanchen and the others with extreme vigilance.
Raging waves crashed in his heart; to be able to bypass the city's defenses and guards without a sound and appear directly before him—such methods were not something the Oak Tribe could contend with!
"You must be the Oak leader, I presume." Yu Yuanchen's tone was peaceful, yet carried an unquestionable majesty. "Do not panic. We bear no malice. We are merely passing through and wish to inquire about the specific locations of the three major tribes: Purple Blazing, Golden Sun, and Silver Moon."
Upon hearing this, the Oak leader did not relax; instead, the vigilance in his eyes deepened, and a flash of resolution even crossed his face! He stared fixedly at Yu Yuanchen and the others, especially feeling their unfathomable auras that seemed to merge with the very heavens.
He had once represented the Oak Tribe in an audience with the leaders of the three major tribes, and not one of the people before him had an aura inferior to those leaders. The three in the lead were even stronger by more than a notch. Since when had the Sun Moon Continent possessed such powerhouses?
At this moment, a terrifying thought surged into his mind: "You... you are transformed fierce beasts?! You want to pry into the secrets of our human race's core tribes? Dream on! I, Oak Doron, would rather die than betray my own kind!"
He had mistaken Yu Yuanchen and the others for transformed fierce beasts! After all, in his understanding, apart from the leaders of the three major tribes, only those legendary fierce beasts could possess such terrifying strength and such bizarre ways of appearing.
Yu Yuanchen and his group were stunned for a moment, then looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh. Tang Chen couldn't hold back his laughter: "Old man, in what way do we look like those fur-covered, horned beasts?"
Yu Yuanchen shook his head helplessly and signaled to Tang Chen. Tang Chen understood, stepped forward, and not bothering to explain further, let his thoughts stir. A vast aura erupted with a boom; he didn't release it fully, fearing he might scare the soul emperor to death, but it was roughly at the level of a Super Douluo.
BOOM!
Purple, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, red, red! A full nine soul rings ascended from beneath his feet, and a giant hammer of awe-inspiring power appeared in his hand.
The air in the entire hall seemed to solidify. That terrifying pressure caused Oak Doron, a soul emperor-level powerhouse, to have his legs go weak, nearly kneeling to the ground, and he almost lost his grip on the battle axe in his hand!
"Nine... nine soul rings! A Titled Douluo!?" Oak Doron's eyes widened like copper bells, his voice sharp and distorted from extreme shock, filled with disbelief.
A Titled Douluo! These were supreme powerhouses that only existed in the legends of the three major tribes! The known Titled Douluo on the entire Sun Moon Continent could be counted on one hand! Yet now, one had appeared alive before him.
"Do you believe us now? You surely don't think there are hammer-spirits in this world, do you?" Tang Chen spoke lightly and retracted his aura, yet that invisible majesty remained even more pronounced.
Oak Doron woke as if from a dream, cold sweat instantly soaking his back. He hurriedly dispersed his martial soul and fell to his knees with a thud, his voice trembling with awe and fear: "The... the lowly one, Oak Doron, had eyes but failed to recognize greatness and offended you, my lords! I beg for your mercy! Mercy!"
He no longer had a shred of doubt; the pressure of a Titled Douluo could not be faked, and if the other party were truly a fierce beast, why would they waste their breath on him?
"Rise. Those who do not know are not to be blamed." Yu Yuanchen raised his hand in a gesture of support, and a gentle force lifted Oak Doron up. "We come from another continent beyond the Sun Moon Continent and are traveling through these parts. We are quite interested in the local customs and traditions, especially the three major tribes. Just tell us everything you know about the map and the information regarding those three tribes."
"Yes! Yes! This lowly one obeys!" Oak Doron dared not show the slightest hesitation; he hurriedly presented the most detailed beast-hide map from his desk with both hands and began to explain in detail.
The map was not exquisitely drawn, but the main mountain ranges, rivers, and the locations of some important tribes were marked. The territories of the three major tribes occupied the most fertile and vast areas of the map, standing in a tripod formation.
The Purple Blazing Tribe was located in the Purple Blazing Mountain Range in the southeast of the continent, the Golden Sun Tribe dominated the Sunset Plains in the center, and the Silver Moon Tribe occupied the Moonlight Forest in the northwest.
In addition to these three giants, the map was dotted with dozens of small and medium-sized tribes, but many of the markings had "abandoned" or "suspected extinct" written next to them, showing how difficult survival was for small and medium tribes under the threat of soul beasts.
"The three major tribes have unfathomable strength, each with a Titled Douluo presiding over them, and their soul tool technology is the best on the continent. Although they have occasional friction, they join forces when facing powerful soul beasts. As for specific intelligence... a leader of a small tribe like me truly cannot know their core secrets," Oak Doron said bitterly.
Yu Yuanchen scanned the map, his mind already clear. He put the map away and was about to take his leave when Oak Doron knelt down again with a thud, knocking his head against the floor, his voice filled with immense earnestness and a touch of desperate resolution:
"My lords! I... I have a presumptuous request! I implore you to take in my Oak Tribe! My Oak Tribe is willing to submit our entire clan and pledge eternal loyalty! I only ask... I only ask to receive your protection!"
He raised his head, his eyes filled with a complex mix of longing and despair: "On the Sun Moon Continent, soul beasts run rampant. My Oak Tribe lives in a corner; it may look like we have three cities, but in reality, we are walking on thin ice! Every time there is a beast tide, we must pay a heavy price to barely hold on!"
"The strongest in the tribe is only a soul emperor like me, whose potential is exhausted. If it weren't for this place being remote and barren, failing to attract powerful soul beasts, we would have been wiped out long ago! Meeting you, my lords from overseas, is truly a heaven-sent opportunity! I beg you to give my Oak Tribe a way out!"
His mind raced quickly. Titled Douluo from overseas had no roots on the Sun Moon Continent; if he could submit to them, he would be the first to reap the rewards—it was a once-in-a-millennium opportunity for the tribe's survival! Even if he only received a shred of protection, it would be far better than his current days of living in constant fear.
Yu Yuanchen and his group looked at each other, their brows slightly furrowed. Taking in this weak, remote little tribe? It didn't seem to have much meaning and would only add trouble. Resources? They didn't care for the meager assets of the Oak Tribe. Manpower? The strongest in the tribe was only a soul emperor; what help could they provide?
However, Yu Yuanchen looked at Oak Doron, who was kneeling on the ground, his body trembling slightly from excitement and fear, and a thoughtful light flashed in his eyes. After pondering for a moment, amidst the slightly puzzled gazes of Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen, he spoke slowly: "Rise. The matter of submission is not entirely off the table."
Upon hearing this, Oak Doron looked up abruptly, a look of unbelievable ecstasy erupting in his eyes!
"However," Yu Yuanchen changed the subject, "we have important matters to attend to on this trip and cannot stay here permanently to protect you."
Oak Doron's heart tightened again.
Yu Yuanchen continued: "I will dispatch some personnel from overseas to assist you in managing the tribe and provide a certain level of protection. But the Oak Tribe must fully comply with their instructions and carry out reforms. Can you do that?"
"I can! I certainly can! This lowly one swears by my martial soul that the entire Oak Tribe will follow your orders, my lord!" Oak Doron swore without hesitation. For him, being able to cling to the powerful thighs of overseas experts was already a stroke of immense luck; how could he dare to set conditions?
"Very well." Yu Yuanchen nodded, then said to Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen: "Brother Qian, Brother Tang, this matter requires your assistance."
Although Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen did not understand Yu Yuanchen's deep meaning, out of trust, they both nodded in agreement.
Immediately, Yu Yuanchen opened the Hell Gate, and the three of them returned to the Douluo Continent separately.
After returning to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and having a brief discussion with his father, Yu Mingfeng, Yu Yuanchen selected over a dozen shrewd and capable deacons and disciples with surnames other than Yu, whose cultivation levels ranged from Soul King to Soul Emperor and who were extremely loyal to the clan. They were led by Yu Luoyun, a collateral elder of the Yu Family with a cultivation level of Soul Douluo.
These people possessed impressive combat power and were even better at management and operations.
Qian Daoliu dispatched several Platinum Bishops and Soul Sage-level backbone members from Martial Soul Hall who were skilled in construction, trade, and missionary work, while Tang Chen sent several Soul Emperors and Soul Sages from the Clear Sky Sect who were proficient in forging, architecture, and defense.
The three parties gathered in Oak City. Although there were not many of them, only thirty-odd people, the lowest among them was a Soul King, and the leaders were three Soul Douluos! This force, placed on the Sun Moon Continent, was enough to easily sweep through a medium-sized tribe like the Oak Tribe!
Yu Yuanchen introduced Oak Dolong to the leaders of the three parties and set the tone: the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would take the lead, with Martial Soul Hall and Clear Sky Sect providing support to jointly govern the Oak Tribe.
The primary task was to help the Oak Tribe improve their strength, reorganize their internal affairs, promote more advanced cultivation methods (the basic Martial Way Foundation Building Chapter) and forging techniques, and gradually build this place into a stable stronghold. At the same time, bullying the weak was strictly prohibited, and they were to use gentle means to win over the hearts of the people.
All of this took a full three days. Watching this group of powerful and efficient overseas Soul Masters, Oak Dolong wept with excitement; he knew that the fate of the Oak Tribe would be completely changed from this moment on!
Three days later, everything was ready. Yu Yuanchen and his party did not linger any longer. Amidst the grateful gazes of Oak Dolong, they transformed into streams of light and sped toward the location of the Purple Blazing Tribe marked on the map.
Above the clouds, the wind brushed against their faces. Qian Daoliu finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind: "Brother Yu, why invest so much energy here? This Oak Tribe is weak and located in such a remote area; it doesn't seem to be of much help to our goal of focusing on the continent."
Tang Chen also looked over, clearly just as puzzled.
Yu Yuanchen looked at the desolate mountains and plains flashing rapidly beneath his feet, his gaze deep as he spoke slowly: "Brother Qian, Brother Tang, what do you think of the current Douluo Continent?"
Qian Daoliu pondered: "Sects are numerous, empires stand side by side; although there is friction, it is generally stable. Martial Soul Hall maintains order and spreads faith, which can be considered orderly."
Tang Chen snorted: "Stable? That's only because no one has started a war! The two great empires are divided in heart despite their outward agreement, and the major sects all have their own agendas. If it weren't for us holding them down, and the threat of the external Demon Plane appearing in between, it would have been in chaos long ago—it's just a pile of loose sand."
Yu Yuanchen nodded, then shook his head: "What Brother Tang says is the appearance. What Brother Qian says is order from the perspective of Martial Soul Hall. But what I am talking about is the 'rigidity' and 'bottleneck' behind this order."
His tone became grave: "The two great empires have been passed down for thousands of years, their systems are rigid, various noble and Soul Master families are intertwined, and the path for commoners to rise is narrow. The major sects cling to their traditions, and their barriers are strict. The power of the entire continent is scattered and consumed by internal friction."
"It is like a pool of stagnant water; calm on the surface, but decaying underneath. If not for us pushing the development of Soul Cores, the Martial Way, and introducing the pressure of the Demon Plane, this water would only be even more stagnant."
Qian Daoliu frowned slightly. As the head of Martial Soul Hall, he was naturally aware of these drawbacks. Martial Soul Hall appeared transcendent, but in reality, it was constrained by the balance of various forces; trying to push for major reforms was met with heavy resistance.
Yu Yuanchen continued: "I have long intended to change things. But how to change? Overthrow the two great empires? Destroy all the sects? Let my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan unify the world?" He laughed at himself, "With me here, it might not be impossible to succeed, but even if I did, a thousand years later it would be nothing more than changing to a 'Yu Family World'."
"While I am here, I might be able to suppress everything, but what if I leave? Would the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan become the next Heaven Dou or Star Luo? How can the cycle of history be broken?"
He looked at Qian Daoliu: "To be honest, Brother Qian, I actually quite admire the model of Martial Soul Hall. Breaking the boundaries of nations and sects, uniting Soul Masters through faith and relatively fair order, and giving opportunities to commoners. This is more vibrant than the imperial system. However—"
His tone shifted, his gaze sharp: "The current Martial Soul Hall is the 'Qian Clan's' Martial Soul Hall. The root of the Angel faith is the Qian Clan. If I bring the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to join, it is submission. I have a deep friendship with Brother Qian and do not wish to create a rift with the Qian Clan because of this, but I also do not want my family to be subservient to others."
"But if it is not led by Martial Soul Hall, how can reform be easy in the face of the intertwined situation of Douluo Continent, where one move affects the whole? Forcing it would surely lead to a bloodbath, which is not what I wish for."
Qian Daoliu remained silent; he understood what Yu Yuanchen meant. The core of Martial Soul Hall was indeed the Angel faith and the Qian Clan's bloodline; this was a foundation that could not be changed.
"Therefore," Yu Yuanchen's gaze turned to the distance, toward the heart of the Sun Moon Continent, "coming to this continent, seeing the chaos, backwardness, and... the blank slate not yet fully tainted by old forces, I have a new idea."
"Why don't we... draw a new scroll on this blank sheet of paper?" Yu Yuanchen's voice carried an unprecedented ambition.
"Unify this Sun Moon Continent, and then build a brand-new nation here! A nation that draws on the strengths of Martial Soul Hall, but discards the drawbacks of one family dominating! We can try a... 'Federal Republic' system!"
"Federal Republic?" Both Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen showed thoughtful expressions; the term was quite novel to them.
"Simply put, it means uniting all the tribes to form an alliance. The alliance will establish a supreme council composed of representatives from each tribe or region to jointly decide on major matters."
"The alliance will have a unified army, laws, and a Soul Tool research institution. However, each tribe (which can be changed to a province or autonomous region in the future) will retain significant autonomy in internal affairs." Yu Yuanchen explained.
"And the leader of the alliance, perhaps called an 'Archon' or 'Grand Speaker', will be elected by the council and have a term limit, rather than being hereditary."
"At the same time, we will vigorously promote the Soul Master training system and establish a Soul Master organization similar to Martial Soul Hall, but it will not be controlled by any single family. Instead, it will belong to the alliance, responsible for Soul Master management, commoner awakening, and maintaining order. It would be like... an enlarged, de-familialized version of Martial Soul Hall!"
The more Yu Yuanchen spoke, the clearer his thoughts became: "We can bring the more advanced cultivation systems, forging techniques, and management systems of Douluo Continent here to help the humans here develop rapidly, resist Soul Beasts, and unify the continent."
"In this process, Martial Soul Hall, the Clear Sky Sect, and my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan can all participate, sending personnel and imparting knowledge, but the leadership must be held by our three-party alliance, rather than any one family dominating."
"Once the Sun Moon Continent is unified and stable, and the system is mature," Yu Yuanchen's eyes gleamed, "then we will establish contact with Douluo Continent, conduct exchanges, trade, and even... eventually merge! When the power, systems, and cultures of the two continents collide and fuse, the stagnant water of Douluo Continent will naturally be stirred up!"
"At that time, relying on the foundation and powerful influence we have built on the Sun Moon Continent, pushing for reform in Douluo Continent will face much less resistance! The ultimate goal is to build a unified, powerful, and vibrant new order that spans two continents! A powerful civilization that truly belongs to all the humans of the Douluo Plane, rather than any royal family or any single clan!"
Yu Yuanchen's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the hearts of Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen! They had not expected Yu Yuanchen's scheme to be so grand! This was no longer just about exploration and acquiring resources, but about personally creating a brand-new nation on another continent and using it to influence and transform their homeland in return!
Unifying the Sun Moon Continent, establishing a federation, merging two continents... every step of this was earth-shattering!
Qian Daoliu took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with light. He had to admit that Yu Yuanchen's concept was extremely tempting! This was far more interesting and meaningful than carefully maintaining a balance in the complex situation of Douluo Continent!
Moreover, the model of Martial Soul Hall could be practiced and sublimated on the New Continent, and the Angel faith might also be spread in a more inclusive way, which might not be a bad thing for the Qian Clan.
Tang Chen was even more fired up, slapping his thigh hard: "Good! Old Yu, this idea of yours is exactly to my liking! Carving out a new world here, just thinking about it is exciting! It's much more refreshing than playing political games with those old foxes back home! Let's do it! We must do it!"
Looking at the flames burning in the eyes of his two best friends, Yu Yuanchen knew they had been captivated by this grand blueprint. He smiled slightly, looking toward the direction of the Purple Blazing Tribe, his gaze firm.
Subduing the Oak Tribe was just the first step in this big game of chess. Next, they would go to meet the so-called three major tribes of the Sun Moon Continent. To see if they were qualified to be part of this new order, or... if they were obstacles that needed to be cleared away.
A new journey had already begun. And this time, their goal was not just exploration, but conquest and creation!
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan