The envoys sent by the Purple Blazing Tribe to the Golden Sun Tribe and the Silver Moon Tribe traveled day and night, using the fastest flight-type soul tools to deliver letters personally written by Xu Yu and stamped with the highest seal of the Purple Blazing Tribe to the leaders of the two great tribes.
The content of the letters was simple and direct, yet it struck the hearts of Golden Sun Tribe leader Zhao Hui and Silver Moon Tribe leader Kong Ze like a thunderclap.
"Visitors from overseas? Three Titled Douluo? They wish to unify the Sun Moon Continent and establish a federation?"
Zhao Hui, a red-haired old man with a burly build, a resolute face, and an aura as scorching as the midday sun, gripped the letter so hard his knuckles turned white. He read it three times, his brows knitting into a knot.
Titled Douluo? How could this be possible? Since the dawn of the Sun Moon Continent, there had never been a clear record of a Titled Douluo appearing! That was a realm that existed almost exclusively in legends! Had that old fellow Xu Yu suffered a cultivation deviation and gone mad? Or was this... a trap set for him and Kong Ze?
Kong Ze, a middle-aged man with a feminine temperament, handsome features, and a moon-white robe, stroked the unique soul power seal left by Xu Yu on the letter, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.
He was more cautious than Zhao Hui and more inclined to believe that Xu Yu was not a man to act without cause. Xu Yu might exaggerate, but he would never gamble with the fate of the entire Purple Blazing Tribe. An overseas continent? Titled Douluo? If this were true... then the heavens of the Sun Moon Continent were about to change.
The two leaders, almost simultaneously, utilized an extremely secret emergency communication method known only to the three tribal leaders to conduct a brief, remote exchange.
"Old Zhao, what do you make of this?" Kong Ze's voice came through an ancient Moonlight Mirror, carrying a hint of gravity.
"What do I make of it? I think that old scoundrel Xu Yu is talking nonsense!" Zhao Hui's voice was like a booming bell, filled with irritation. "Titled Douluo? And three of them? Why doesn't he just say the gods have descended!"
Kong Ze was silent for a moment before saying slowly, "Xu Yu's seal cannot be faked, and the tone of the letter does not seem like a fabrication. Besides... he has no reason to invent a lie so easily exposed. If we go and find it is false, how would his Purple Blazing Tribe face the consequences?"
Zhao Hui snorted coldly, "Who knows what that old thing is plotting! Maybe he's set a trap and is waiting for us to jump in!"
"Even so," Kong Ze analyzed calmly, "if it truly is a trap, with our combined strength and the ancestral treasures we each carry, even if we cannot defeat them, we should be able to escape unscathed.
But if it is true... if we do not go, we will have directly offended three potential Titled Douluo. Can your Golden Sun Tribe afford that consequence?"
Zhao Hui fell silent. Kong Ze's words hit the crux of the matter. If they didn't go and the news was true, it would be a catastrophe. If they did go, the worst-case scenario was a fight, and they were confident in their ability to survive. Weighing the options, there seemed to be no better choice.
"Damn it! Then let's go meet these overseas visitors! Let's see what kind of sacred beings they are!" Zhao Hui finally gritted his teeth and said.
Several days later, Golden Sun Tribe leader Zhao Hui and Silver Moon Tribe leader Kong Ze, each bringing a few trusted experts, arrived at Purple Blazing Dragon City with a mixture of trepidation and vigilance.
Xu Yu greeted them personally at the city gate with a smiling face, but the hint of irrepressible awe deep in his eyes made Zhao Hui and Kong Ze's hearts sink even further. They had known Xu Yu for decades and knew each other inside and out; when had they ever seen Xu Yu display such a demeanor toward anyone else?
Outside the main hall of the magnificent Purple Blazing Palace, Xu Yu had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Zhao Hui and Kong Ze arrive together, he wore a complex smile and stepped forward, saying, "Brother Zhao, Brother Kong, I trust you have been well. You have traveled a long way, and I apologize for not welcoming you sooner. I hope you will forgive me."
Zhao Hui, with his fiery personality, snorted coldly and questioned him bluntly, "Xu Yu! Enough with the pleasantries! What is this all about? Where are these Titled Douluo from overseas? If you dare to toy with us, don't blame me for being heartless!"
Although Kong Ze did not speak, his cold gaze was fixed on Xu Yu, waiting for his explanation.
Facing the questioning, Xu Yu's expression remained unchanged. He simply sighed softly and gestured with his hand, "The two of you, please calm down. You will know the truth once you see them. The three Crowned Ones are waiting in the side hall. Please, follow me."
Seeing Xu Yu so composed, Zhao Hui and Kong Ze felt their suspicions deepen, but since things had reached this point, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow.
Inside the palace, Yu Yuanchen, Qian Daoliu, and Tang Chen sat in the seats of honor, while Ye Zhilan, Avril, and Yang Xueqi sat slightly to the side.
The three men's auras were peaceful, as if they had merged with the surrounding environment, but the moment Zhao Hui and Kong Ze stepped into the hall, they felt an invisible, suffocating pressure wash over them!
It was a deterrence brought about by an absolute gap in the hierarchy of life! Zhao Hui and Kong Ze were both Titled Douluo—one at level 94 and the other at level 93—making them top-tier existences on the Sun Moon Continent. Yet, in front of these three, they felt like a small boat facing a vast ocean: tiny and helpless!
"Zhao Hui of the Golden Sun Tribe and Kong Ze of the Silver Moon Tribe pay respects to the three Crowned Ones!" The two dared not be negligent and quickly bowed, their posture extremely low. Based on this sensing of their auras alone, they already believed seven or eight parts of the story! These were definitely powerful beings far beyond their understanding!
Yu Yuanchen swept his calm gaze over the two and spoke lightly, "The two leaders need not be so formal. Leader Xu has surely explained our intentions. I wonder, what do you think?"
Zhao Hui, being more straightforward and fiery, suppressed the agitation in his heart, looked up at Yu Yuanchen, and said in a deep voice, "I admire your strength, Crowned One. However, unifying the continent is no small matter. My Golden Sun Tribe has been passed down for a thousand years with our foundation here; how can we easily submit based on your words alone? You must at least make us... convinced and willing!"
His words sounded tough, but they were actually a precursor to backing down; he simply wanted to confirm the other party's strength once more, or perhaps find a more stable way out for himself and his tribe.
Upon hearing this, Yu Yuanchen exchanged glances with Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on the corners of all three men's mouths.
"You want to be convinced and willing? Simple." Tang Chen laughed, stood up, and said, "Why don't you try taking a blow from my hammer?"
Before the words had even faded, the aura around Tang Chen surged violently! He did not use his Martial Soul True Body; with a simple clench of his fist, a tyrannical and peerless power, as if capable of suppressing the heavens and the earth, erupted from him as the center! The air in the entire hall instantly solidified, and the space itself emitted a groan of unbearable strain!
Zhao Hui and Kong Ze's complexions changed drastically. They felt an irresistible, immense force pressing down on them, their internal soul power circulation instantly stagnated, and their martial souls were almost forced back into their bodies! They groaned, unable to help themselves, and took several steps back before barely steadying their figures, their faces filled with horror!
Just the release of soul power and aura, without even using a soul skill, had such power?! If they were to actually fight...
"That is enough, Brother Tang." Yu Yuanchen spoke softly. His voice was calm but seemed to carry a strange magic, instantly smoothing out Tang Chen's tyrannical aura.
The hall returned to calm, but Zhao Hui and Kong Ze's hearts were still pounding, their backs soaked with cold sweat. The two looked at each other, seeing the fear and disbelief in each other's eyes.
"Now, are you convinced?" Yu Yuanchen asked lightly.
Zhao Hui took a deep breath, suppressed his churning qi and blood, and bowed with a wry smile, "Your divine might is peerless, Crowned One. I am... convinced and willing!" He finally understood that if the other party really wanted to fight, they wouldn't even be able to take a single blow! The so-called ancestral treasure, the Level Nine Soul Tool, was likely just a joke in the face of such an absolute gap in strength.
Kong Ze also quickly bowed, his tone extremely respectful, "Kong Ze of the Silver Moon Tribe is willing to lead the entire clan to submit to the three Crowned Ones! We await your commands!"
Thus, the three most powerful tribes of the Sun Moon Continent, under the absolute crushing strength of Yu Yuanchen and his companions, chose to submit without any real resistance.
It is worth mentioning that perhaps because their martial souls were dragon-related, the Purple Blazing Tribe naturally leaned toward Yu Yuanchen, who possessed the Thunder Sacred Dragon. The Golden Sun Tribe's sun martial soul belonged to the same category of light and sacredness as Qian Daoliu's Angel Martial Soul, so they naturally gravitated toward Qian Daoliu.
As for the remaining Silver Moon Tribe, although their attributes did not align with Tang Chen's Clear Sky Hammer, Kong Ze wisely chose to pledge loyalty to Tang Chen so as not to fall behind the other two tribes in the future landscape.
Tang Chen did not mind this at all; he laughed and accepted them readily, and Yu Yuanchen and Qian Daoliu were happy to see it happen.
This subtle balance might be more conducive to future governance. Of course, they knew clearly that the true core and leader would always be the strongest among them, Yu Yuanchen.
With the general situation settled, Yu Yuanchen began to inquire about one of the issues he cared about most—the soul beast forces of the Sun Moon Continent, especially the situation regarding top-tier soul beasts.
Xu Yu, Zhao Hui, and Kong Ze were now "their own people," so they naturally told them everything they knew without reservation. The information they revealed made Yu Yuanchen and the others feel somewhat surprised, and even grave.
According to their descriptions, while the number of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts on the Sun Moon Continent was not small, it had not reached the point of being rampant.
There were only five known large-scale soul beast habitats clearly occupied by hundred-thousand-year soul beasts: the "Evil Spirit Forest" in the center of the continent, the "Jingyang Mountain Range" in the east, the "Scorching Volcano Cluster" in the south, the "Death Desert" in the west, and the "Dark Radiance Forest" in the northeast.
"According to the investigations and records of our ancestors, the total number of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts clearly existing in these five dangerous lands should not exceed twenty," Xu Yu said with a grave expression. "Furthermore, over a thousand years ago, the human race on our Sun Moon Continent was not as distressed as it is today. At that time, there were three great empires on the continent, which were the predecessors of our three tribes."
The national power was strong, Soul Masters emerged in great numbers, and the number of Titled Douluo far exceeded that of today. The interior was prosperous, the people lived in peace, and although Soul Beasts remained a threat, few dared to invade human cities as wantonly as they do now.
Soul Tool technology also developed during that era, but unlike today, Soul Tools were difficult to popularize at the time, and the imperial leadership had no intention of making them widespread.
Zhao Hui interjected, his tone carrying a trace of resentment and helplessness: "The turning point for everything stemmed from a single Silver Dragon!"
"A Silver Dragon?" Yu Yuanchen's gaze sharpened.
"Indeed!" Kong Ze nodded, a flicker of palpitation flashing in his eyes. "A terrifying Fierce Beast with a cultivation level of over three hundred thousand years—a Silver Dragon! It did not reside in any fixed location but often wandered throughout the continent.
It seemed to have a keen interest in human creations, especially those shiny Soul Tools imbued with Soul Power, and would often break into human kingdoms to 'demand' the things that caught its eye."
"Demand?" Tang Chen raised an eyebrow.
"It was plain robbery!" Zhao Hui snorted coldly. "That beast possessed immense strength. The strongest individuals of the Three Great Empires at the time were only Super Douluo, and facing it alone, the odds of victory were slim.
Although it rarely took the initiative to slaughter living beings on a large scale, such behavior was undoubtedly a massive provocation to the majesty of the Three Great Empires! Moreover, no one could guarantee when it might succumb to its ferocious nature."
Xu Yu sighed and continued: "After long-standing grievances, finally, after the Silver Dragon snatched a precious treasure from the Zihuang Empire, the Three Great Empires decided to join forces and, at any cost, eradicate this scourge completely!"
"At the time, my Zihuang Empire had a Level 97 ancestor, Jin Yang, and the Jinyue Empire also had their own Level 96 powerhouses. Together with three ordinary Titled Douluo elders, a total of six Titled Douluo set a dragnet and finally intercepted the Silver Dragon on the edge of the Sunset Plains."
Xu Yu's voice carried a hint of reminiscence and regret: "Although the Silver Dragon was strong, it was no match for the combined assault of six Titled Douluo, especially the three Super Douluo. It was severely wounded and fled in a panic."
"How could the six ancestors let it go? They pursued it all the way, and in the end... they chased it into the Soul Beast forest in the center of the continent known as the 'Evil Spirit Forest'."
"The Evil Spirit Forest?" A thought stirred in Yu Yuanchen's mind, and he recalled the Evil Eye Tyrant Lord from the original work.
A look of mixed confusion and fear appeared on Xu Yu's face: "The Evil Spirit Forest is extremely eerie, inhabited by a large number of evil-attribute Soul Beasts, especially the Evil Eye clan, which is incredibly difficult to deal with. But according to the investigations at the time, apart from two 100,000-year-level Evil Eye Tyrants, there seemed to be no particularly powerful entities in the depths of the forest. After the six ancestors chased the Silver Dragon inside, they initially sent back some messages indicating they were about to succeed. But later... the messages were completely cut off."
Zhao Hui said in a deep voice: "Just as the Three Great Empires were waiting anxiously, even preparing to send a second batch of powerhouses to investigate, that Silver Dragon... it came out on its own! And the wounds on its body seemed to have mostly recovered!"
Kong Ze interjected, his tone trembling slightly: "What was even more terrifying was that only the Silver Dragon came out! The six ancestors... and the heirloom Soul Tools they carried, were all nowhere to be found!
And the Silver Dragon, having reappeared, seemed to have been thoroughly enraged. It let out a Dragon Roar that shook the entire continent, summoning all the powerful Soul Beasts within its territory and along its path, forming an unprecedented and terrifying Beast Tide!"
"That Beast Tide..." Xu Yu closed his eyes, a look of pain on his face. "The imperial capitals of the Three Great Empires bore the brunt of it. The city walls were like paper under the Silver Dragon's personal attack and were breached in an instant... The prosperous imperial capitals were reduced to ruins, countless powerhouses and civilians perished... The imperial centers were destroyed, and every region fell into chaos..."
Zhao Hui said bitterly: "To make matters worse, 100,000-year Soul Beasts from other habitats, seeing the weakness of human power, also took advantage of the situation to launch attacks! It was a massacre that lasted for decades, even a century! Human civilization was almost severed! Countless legacies were lost, and cities turned into ghost towns..."
Kong Ze concluded: "It wasn't until later that some survivors managed to regain a foothold in the ruins, preserving the most precious legacy of the imperial era—Soul Tool technology—and began to study the popularization and simplification of Soul Tools. Only then did they slowly rebuild their homes, gradually forming the current situation of tribal fragmentation where people defend their cities.
As for the glorious history of the Three Great Empires, it is only clearly recorded in the core heritage of a very few ancient tribes."
After listening to the three men's account, the great hall fell into silence.
Yu Yuanchen frowned slightly. The human civilization of the Sun Moon Continent had actually experienced such a tragic collapse! And the culprit behind all of this was that Silver Dragon, and... that mysterious Evil Spirit Forest!
A Silver Dragon of over three hundred thousand years possessed strength that definitely exceeded that of an ordinary Super Douluo by more than a notch. Yet, six Titled Douluo, especially with three of them being Super Douluo carrying Level Nine Soul Tools, had joined forces to hunt it down, only to be completely wiped out? And the Silver Dragon seemed to have received some kind of "help," launching its revenge after recovering.
The Evil Spirit Forest... could it be that the Evil Eye Tyrant Lord took action? But why did it not reveal itself to the world, to the point where the humans of the Sun Moon Continent didn't even know of its existence, leading them to dare to invade its territory? Yu Yuanchen thought to himself.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan