The sky was only faintly bright when Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi were summoned to the command tent of White Tiger Duke Dai Hao.
The moment the two entered the tent, they immediately sensed a change in the atmosphere.
Inside the spacious command tent, only White Tiger Duke and Princess Xu Jiujiu were present. White Tiger Duke sat in the main seat, his eyes flickering uncertainly. Beside him, Xu Jiujiu's pretty face had turned deathly pale. Only when she saw Yu Tianhuang and Ye Guyi arrive did a trace of color return to her ashen complexion.
"Tianhuang, the intelligence from the Heavenly Soul Empire has come back." Xu Jiujiu paused slightly here, her chest heaving as she gritted her teeth and spoke in a low, heavy voice.
"The Heavenly Soul Empire has suffered a complete rout along the entire front."
"I'm afraid a true catastrophe is about to sweep across our Douluo Continent this time." White Tiger Duke let out a long sigh, stood up, and handed the letter in his hand to Xu Zihuang.
Xu Zihuang took the letter. Both he and Ye Guyi slightly changed color. Although he had already anticipated such an outcome, he had not expected that even with the bow corps equipped with Thunderfire Arrows, the Heavenly Soul Empire would collapse so quickly.
The two lowered their heads and read the detailed contents of the letter.
"The Heavenly Soul Empire has been completely defeated across the entire front. Several provinces in the northwest border region have fallen. The Sun Moon Empire army has already captured more than one-quarter of the Heavenly Soul Empire's territory and is continuing to press toward Heaven Dou City. The Sun Moon Empire has committed a total of 300,000 troops, including seven soul engineer legions. Among them are the two pillar legions, the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion and the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion. At the same time, the Holy Spirit Cult has dispatched large numbers of evil soul masters to assist, completely suppressing the Heavenly Soul Empire's soul masters and soul engineer legions."
"On the Heavenly Soul Empire side, Poison Undying, Sect Master of the Body Sect, led the Body Sect elites to desperately resist at the front, but ultimately, they were outnumbered and suffered heavy losses. With the Holy Spirit Cult's leader at the head, several evil soul masters above Super Douluo level participated in besieging Poison Undying. He was defeated and led the remnants of the Heavenly Soul Empire to retreat to Heaven Dou City. In this battle, a bow corps newly formed by the Heavenly Soul Empire played a miraculous role. The entire bow corps is equipped with a special type of arrow called Thunderfire Arrow, which can be activated without soul power. The arrowhead can connect to fixed soul cannon shells, and its range far exceeds that of the same-level fixed soul cannons. It was precisely thanks to the covering fire from this bow corps that the Heavenly Soul Empire's remnants were able to limit their losses to a certain extent during the retreat. The Heavenly Soul Empire is now contracting its defensive lines and preparing to defend Heaven Dou City at all costs."
"At present, the Heavenly Soul Empire's defeat is already a foregone conclusion. Our side and the reinforcements from the Dou Ling Empire are rushing toward Heaven Dou City at full speed to converge with the Heavenly Soul Empire's forces."
The contents of the letter ended there.
The situation of the Heavenly Soul Empire looked very grim, but compared to what Xu Zihuang remembered from his previous life, it was much better; at least the core Heaven Dou City of the Heavenly Soul Empire had not yet fallen.
Heaven Dou City, as the capital of the Heavenly Soul Empire, had already been one of the foremost major cities on the continent ten thousand years ago. As long as the Heavenly Soul Empire could catch its breath, muster strong experts and troops, and fight with their backs to Heaven Dou City, even if the Sun Moon Empire army pressed in, it would not be something they could capture in a short time.
But the Heavenly Soul Empire surely could not hold out for long. The Star Luo Empire would have to take action to relieve the pressure on them.
Even the usually calm and composed Xu Zihuang furrowed his brows at this moment.
Xu Jiujiu could not help but ask with hope in her eyes: "Tianhuang, Duke, what should we do now?"
In such a critical moment, this princess ultimately lacked some decisiveness and did not dare to easily make a judgment that would carry corresponding responsibility.
Xu Jiujiu looked at Xu Zihuang and Dai Hao. Dai Hao subconsciously turned his gaze toward Xu Zihuang.
Once the Heavenly Soul Empire could no longer hold, the fate awaiting the Star Luo Empire was foreseeable.
In this situation, there seemed to be multiple choices, but none of them could perfectly address the current predicament. For a moment, White Tiger Duke Dai Hao found himself completely caught in a dilemma.
After thinking it over, the only realistic option was to go all out and break through the Sun Moon Empire's defensive line in the Ming Dou Mountain Range, to attack what the enemy must save. If they could capture the Ming Dou Mountain Range and drive straight into the southern heartland of the Sun Moon Empire, the enemy army would have no choice but to turn back. In that case, the crisis facing the Heavenly Soul Empire would naturally be resolved.
With the Star Luo Empire's foundation, if they went all out, they indeed had a chance to force their way through. But the losses would inevitably be enormous. Even if they broke through, they likely would not have enough strength left to truly threaten the Sun Moon Empire.
The main threat still came from the Death God Tower on the highest peak of the Ming Dou Mountain Range. In the end, they first had to either destroy the Death God Tower or render it ineffective, and then eliminate the high-altitude detection soul tools above the Ming Dou Mountain Range to severely impair the Sun Moon Empire's reconnaissance capability. Only then could losses be minimized.
Judging from the intelligence coming from the Heavenly Soul Empire, the actual force the Sun Moon Empire had stationed in the Ming Dou Mountain Range was only two to three soul engineer legions. Moreover, the leader of the Evil Monarch Soul Engineer Legion, Mad Bull Douluo Wang Yiheng, had recently been killed by Yu Tianhuang with a single finger. Even if a new legion leader took over, the overall combat power would inevitably be reduced to some extent.
Although that was the case, actually carrying it out was far from easy.
White Tiger Duke took a deep breath and said solemnly to Xu Jiujiu:
"Princess, for now, please seal off the news. We must not let others know and affect the morale of the army, not even the commanders of the various soul master legions."
Hearing the Duke's reminder, Xu Jiujiu's heart jolted. At such a critical moment, the importance of sealing the information was beyond doubt. As if she had found her backbone, her expression gradually calmed.
"Duke, I understand. I'll handle it right away."
But before Xu Jiujiu could take more than a few steps, Xu Zihuang stopped her. Sensing something, he raised his head and met Dai Hao's gaze.
"Jiujiu, wait until the Duke finishes speaking first."
Xu Jiujiu was stunned and stopped, turning back to look.
Dai Hao pondered for a moment before speaking gravely:
"Princess, I intend to organize all the Title Douluo of our Star Luo Empire tonight to raid the Death God Tower on the highest peak of the Ming Dou Mountain Range."
When Dai Hao said these words, he was already prepared to bear all the responsibility and risk. Although the soul guidance defensive positions built by the Sun Moon Empire in the Ming Dou Mountain Range were extremely powerful, their threat to Title Douluo-level powerhouses was actually quite limited.
With twelve Title Douluo on the Star Luo Empire side, forcing a path through would not be a problem. The only thing to consider was the terrifying killing power of that Death God Tower. A single mistake, and even a Title Douluo could perish there in hatred.
However, compared to the risk of losing the Star Luo Empire Title Douluo, he was even less willing to sit idly by while the empire fell into such a passive and unfavorable situation. If they waited until the Sun Moon Empire occupied the entire Heavenly Soul Empire and attacked Star Luo from both the west and the north with no way to turn the tide, then he would truly become a sinner of the empire.
"This operation will be personally led by me." White Tiger Duke added, his tone extremely firm.
Xu Jiujiu's eyes widened. She immediately rejected it decisively:
"No! Duke, you are the commander-in-chief of the three armies. If anything happens to you, who will the empire rely on afterward? Even if my brother were here, he would absolutely not allow you to take such a risk."
White Tiger Duke was about to say more when he saw Yu Tianhuang and Ye Guyi calmly sit down at the edge of the sand table.
"If the Duke has such determination, there is actually no need for you to lead personally. I can use the true body ability of my Golden Pupils martial soul to teleport all the Title Douluo of the Star Luo Empire directly to the highest peak of the Ming Dou Mountain Range, and at the same time destroy all the high-altitude detection soul tools above the Ming Dou Mountain Range. Just like the detection range of Void Eyes, my maximum teleportation distance is also one hundred and fifty kilometers. The Star Luo Empire's Title Douluo only needs to strive to destroy the Death God Tower in the shortest possible time. Then you, Duke, will be responsible for commanding the army to provide support. I believe this is the safest approach. Of course, there will still be risks."
"Tianhuang, you can use the true body of your Golden Pupils martial soul to teleport across such a long distance?" Xu Jiujiu froze for a moment, then looked at Xu Zihuang with wild joy.
Earlier, when rescuing White Tiger Duke, she had seen Yu Tianhuang use an ability similar to crossing through the void up close, but she had never associated it with this.
Teleporting across one hundred and fifty kilometers was simply too unbelievable.
Although White Tiger Duke Dai Hao also felt some surprise, he was much calmer compared to Xu Jiujiu.
Out of instinctual intuition, he always had an inexplicable trust in Yu Tianhuang. Perhaps because Yu Tianhuang had saved him last time, deep down, he felt that Yu Tianhuang could help with this plan.
He just hadn't expected Yu Tianhuang's ability to be so outrageous. Teleporting across one hundred and fifty kilometers meant they could launch the operation directly from inside their own camp; the Sun Moon Empire would have no chance to detect it at all.
If the Sun Moon Empire was caught completely off guard, they might actually find an opportunity. And the risk would also be reduced to a minimum.
"Tianhuang, teleporting a dozen Title Douluo at once, will that burden you too much?" Dai Hao asked seriously.
Xu Zihuang replied frankly: "The essence of my void-crossing teleportation ability is that I use mental power to connect coordinates between two points, then control spatial power to guide them. The mental power consumption depends on the teleportation distance, while soul power is used to control spatial force. Title Douluo have all condensed soul cores and have sensed the mysteries of spatial power. As long as they do not deliberately resist, it is actually easier than teleporting ordinary people."
Xu Jiujiu's eyes lit up. She eagerly asked another question.
"Tianhuang, then, after Granny Man Yi and the others destroy the Death God Tower, can you teleport them back?"
"The distance is too great. I may not be able to accurately determine their coordinates." Xu Zihuang shook his head.
Xu Jiujiu's gaze fell on Xu Zihuang and grew even more fervent.
"So that means, within a certain distance, you can safely bring Granny Man Yi and the others back? Then Tianhuang, could you—"
Before Xu Jiujiu could finish, Ye Guyi coldly snorted and interrupted her.
"Tianhuang and I came to support the Star Luo Empire on behalf of Shrek Academy. I believe we already made it clear beforehand that we will not go to the front lines. If Princess Jiujiu wants Tianhuang to join your operation, then there is no need to mention it."
According to the original plan, their follow-up actions would depend on the situation. If Ye Xishui was left in poor condition after being hit by the Death God Beam, then he and Xu Zihuang would decisively cross through the void to pursue and strike while she was weak. If Ye Xishui was not significantly affected, then they could only let these Title Douluo of the Star Luo Empire fend for themselves.
Moreover, Ye Guyi already harbored a strong dislike toward Xu Jiujiu and naturally would not let her scheme succeed.
Xu Jiujiu's expression alternated between livid and pale. As a princess of the Star Luo Empire with an extremely high status, when had she ever been mocked like this?
But in the current situation, she truly did not dare to flare up.
Dai Hao frowned slightly. Xu Jiujiu had indeed gone too far earlier. Yu Tianhuang was already granting them enormous favor by offering help; demanding that he go risk his life at the front was truly inappropriate.
However, given his position, it was not appropriate for him to reprimand Xu Jiujiu, so he simply changed the subject.
"Tianhuang, I trust your ability. But I still have one question. How do you plan to destroy those high-altitude detection soul tools above the Ming Dou Mountain Range? Conservatively estimated, there are at least two hundred of them. Although they are not too scattered, they still cover a very large area. There are even ultra-high-altitude detection tools floating at three thousand meters. Even if we send more than a dozen Title Douluo, I'm afraid it would be impossible to destroy all the high-altitude detection soul tools in a short time."
"You need not worry about that, Duke. I have a soul skill that can precisely lock onto and destroy those high-altitude detection soul tools, and it can function on the front lines through the projection of my Golden Pupils." Xu Zihuang smiled faintly.
"If the Duke trusts me, then you can start preparing. Before that, I also need to adjust my own condition." After saying this, Xu Zihuang left with Ye Guyi, without even glancing at Xu Jiujiu again.
Women like Xu Jiujiu were truly repulsive.
Xu Jiujiu's expression kept changing. After calming down, she also realized she had lost her composure earlier. Her beautiful eyes were filled with regret.
"Duke, did I really do something wrong?"
Dai Hao clearly understood the situation but made no response.
To be fair, what Xu Jiujiu said was for the benefit of the Star Luo Empire; no one could find fault with that. But being overly utilitarian would make people dislike her, and that was also a fact. Yet judging from Xu Jiujiu's appearance, she clearly did not think she had done anything wrong.
She was a princess of the Star Luo Empire. The interests of the Star Luo Empire should always come first.
Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi returned to their tent and sat together on the bed.
Having just openly mocked Xu Jiujiu once, Ye Guyi was in an exceptionally good mood.
"Let's cultivate and adjust our condition."
"Mm." Xu Zihuang smiled slightly and began meditating as well.
In the end, White Tiger Duke decided to trust Xu Zihuang and go all in tonight. At the same time, he and Xu Jiujiu sealed off news of the Heavenly Soul Empire front line. The entire camp appeared very calm.
Late at night, the sky was dark. Tonight, there was a thin mist in the air, and the entire sky seemed shrouded in a faint veil.
On the westernmost mountain peak of the camp closest to the Ming Dou Mountain Range, more than a dozen figures stood silently. This peak was over a thousand meters high and offered the widest field of view in the area. Looking up, one could see the towering and perilous outline of the Ming Dou Mountain Range.
Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi were among them, along with White Tiger Duke and the other Title Douluo of the Star Luo Empire. All Title Douluo of the Star Luo Empire would participate in this operation. For safety or other reasons, Xu Jiujiu did not come to this side tonight.
"Success or failure hinges on this one move. Dai Hao earnestly requests everyone to go all out for the empire." Dai Hao said in a low, grave voice.
"Tianhuang, begin."
This mission was truly too important for the Star Luo Empire. The price of failure was enormous, but success would affect the entire war situation on the continent.
Xu Zihuang's gaze sharpened. He responded with action.
Six red and one gold, seven soul rings rose. A massive Golden Pupils phantom appeared behind him out of thin air, dyeing the surrounding space the same color.
Brilliant golden light shimmered. Space twisted.
The twelve Title Douluo of the Star Luo Empire, led by Fragmented Star Douluo, instantly vanished from their original spots.
On the highest peak of the Ming Dou Mountain Range, the figures of Fragmented Star Douluo and the others abruptly appeared from the golden pupils' phantom. At the same time, strange dark red ripples spread outward. Every single high-altitude detection soul tool above the Ming Dou Mountain Range was wrapped in dark red crystal without exception, then instantly shattered into countless powder.
But Fragmented Star Douluo and the others did not pay attention to the shattered high-altitude detection soul tools first. Instead, their gazes locked onto that dark red conical tower-shaped soul tool.
"Finally, we can really let loose!" The tall and burly Giant Hammer Douluo roared. He raised his right hand, and a ball of yellow light lit up in his palm.
A crystalline yellow giant hammer appeared in his right hand. The moment it appeared, it released a thick, heavy aura.
Two yellow, two purple, five black, nine soul rings pulsed around him in succession. He swung both arms, and the giant hammer in his hand smashed down fiercely. The other Title Douluo followed closely behind, each unleashing their own abilities.
A violent rumbling sound erupted. Their target is the Death God soul tool.
But at that moment, an eerie, intense blood light suddenly burst from the Death God soul tool. It was not directed at anyone in particular, but rather an all-encompassing field-like coverage.
The giant hammer in Giant Hammer Douluo's hand was instantly dyed blood-red. With a low grunt, he was forcibly repelled dozens of meters away. Then a massive blood-colored hand crushed him into a mist of blood.
A powerful Title Douluo was obliterated in an instant, leaving not even bones!
At this sight, everyone's expressions changed.
"Giant Hammer!" Fragmented Star Douluo roared with a ferocious face. Purple Fragmented Starlight rose and enveloped everyone inside. Yet within that blood light, his Fragmented Star light could no longer tear the air apart or produce its shattering might. A powerful oppressive force rapidly contracted the Fragmented Star light he released inward.
A figure slowly walked out from the blood light. When she appeared, the surrounding air visibly distorted. All the blood light seemed to bow in worship toward her, heralding her arrival into the world.
From her figure, one could tell it was a woman. Her slightly husky yet magnetic voice suddenly rang out.
"So it's a spatial-attribute martial soul. But with your level of mental power and spatial control, how could you possibly pass through my mental barrier? No matter. Since you've come, none of you is leaving. My Death God Tower happens to lack some powerful souls to serve as the main souls to guard it. I'll take all of you."
The woman stepped forward step by step. Rings of soul power began rising from beneath her feet.
Black! Black! Black! Black! Black! Black! Red! Red! Red!
Six ten-thousand-year soul rings, three hundred-thousand-year soul rings. Although her soul ring configuration was inferior to Xu Zihuang's, when all nine soul rings appeared, even Fragmented Star Douluo felt suppressed and almost unable to breathe under her aura.
The woman's face could not be seen; her entire body was shrouded in a dark red cloak. But her identity was self-evident — she was the current Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult, Death God Douluo Ye Xishui.
Shock and horror filled Fragmented Star Douluo's eyes.
"Limit Douluo?!"
But the response was a tragic white beam as thick as a water tank. Space was completely sliced apart, yet it produced no powerful suction force, as if the entire world had been intimidated by it.
Death God Beam. To this day, no creature or substance has ever survived being swept by the Death God Beam, which is why it is also called the Eternal Annihilation Beam.
The only thing left behind is the soul. Any living being killed by the Death God Beam has its soul absorbed by the Death God Tower as nourishment.
However, just as the Death God Beam was about to devour Fragmented Star Douluo and the others, a massive Golden Pupils phantom silently appeared. The Death God Beam fell into the Golden Pupils' phantom and was directly channeled into the void.
At the same time, another Golden Pupils phantom appeared above Ye Xishui's head.
As a Limit Douluo-level powerhouse, Ye Xishui's perception of danger was extremely sharp. Yet the brilliant golden halo released by the Golden Pupils above her head caused her thoughts and movements to briefly lag.
The white beam poured down from the Golden Pupils' phantom above Ye Xishui's head. With it as the center, the central area of the entire mountain range instantly vanished, turning into nothingness.
The blood light Ye Xishui had brought earlier dissipated. The pressure on Fragmented Star Douluo suddenly eased. Driven by the instinct to survive, he and the remaining ten Title Douluo swiftly soared into the air and retreated from the area.
"Who is it?!" After a brief silence, a sharp, piercing scream filled with extreme rage and killing intent resounded through the sky.
"Get out of here!!"
High in the air, a blood-red figure flickered. Behind the figure was a gigantic phantom. The phantom stood a hundred meters tall, entirely dark red. Its arms cradled a massive tower spire.
The source of that piercing scream was the figure floating in front, Death God Douluo Ye Xishui.
At this moment, the dark red robe Ye Xishui had been wearing had mostly melted away under the Death God Beam, revealing fair skin. Her perfect features could be called peerlessly beautiful, but her face was deathly pale, and her ferocious blood-red eyes sent chills through anyone who met them.
Compared to before, her aura was clearly much weaker. Even as a Limit Douluo and the creator of the Death God Tower, taking a direct hit from the Death God Beam still inevitably injured her.
Having reacted, Fragmented Star Douluo and the others subconsciously looked up. But their gazes unanimously passed over Ye Xishui and converged on the purple-gold figure standing even higher above her.
Xu Zihuang looked down at Ye Xishui below with an indifferent expression. His raised right hand held a deep, strange black sphere of light. The sphere was not pure black; it also blended gradual shades of blue, purple, cyan, and more.
In an instant, the light sphere expanded to over a hundred meters in diameter, like an eerie black-purple sun. In the next instant, it contracted back to the size of a human head, floating above Xu Zihuang's palm. The originally energy-based form had become solid, almost tangible black matter.
Ye Xishui suddenly raised her head.
Xu Zihuang, his body covered in bizarre demonic patterns, pierced through the void and instantly appeared in front of Ye Xishui. With an icy expression, he pressed the black sphere against her cheek.
"I'm here. What can you do to me?!"
"BOOM—" A terrifying explosion resounded through the heavens. White light burst from the black sphere. The surrounding space felt as though it was shattering layer by layer. Below, the highest peak of the Ming Dou Mountain Range was swallowed by the continuously expanding white explosion radiance and completely melted away.
Purple Inferno Thunder Prison Dragon's fifth soul skill: Dark Demon Evil Thunder!
However, the Dark Demon Evil Thunder of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was merely a range attack fusing wind, lightning, and evil attributes, whereas Xu Zihuang's Dark Demon Evil Thunder fused six attribute energies: wind, lightning, destruction, darkness, evil, and space. Six in one.
In truth, that black-purple sphere with a diameter exceeding a hundred meters was the real Dark Demon Evil Thunder.
Using his powerful mental strength, Xu Zihuang compressed these six attribute energies to the extreme, giving birth to an exotic matter that did not exist in this world. When matter annihilates, it releases terrifying energy and explosive force.
This was a special application derived from Dark Demon Evil Thunder.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
[email protected]/facficmax10--------(@→a)