Dou Ling Empire, Imperial Palace.
Emperor Xue Yuntian sat upright on the dragon throne, his brow tightly furrowed.
He had learned of the news that the Sun-Moon Federation had unified the Douluo Continent. As the empire's monarch, his mood was complex and difficult to describe.
The Dou Ling Empire was established earlier than the Star Luo Empire, being the first power to find a new continent and multiply there.
When they fled from the Douluo Continent back then, fewer than three thousand survivors successfully reached this barren new continent.
In the first millennium, the entire empire devoted all its energy to population growth.
To promote population growth, the empire even had to permit consanguineous marriages. For a long time, the Dou Ling Empire saw a large number of deformed children born.
However, consanguineous reproduction did not always result in problems—there were also normal children born.
It was under such difficult conditions that the Dou Ling Empire gradually recuperated and developed, slowly forming a considerable population scale.
This continent was initially completely barren; everything had to start from scratch.
Apart from the spirit beast species being somewhat similar to the Douluo Continent, there weren't even any indigenous humans on this land.
This was also an important reason why the Dou Ling Empire's development was fraught with difficulties.
The original imperial family surname was deliberately changed to Xue after relocating here, symbolizing everything starting anew.
After the efforts of several generations, the Dou Ling Empire finally got on the right track and gradually developed and grew stronger.
"When times were hardest, the Sun-Moon Federation didn't care at all. Now that we've just made some progress, you tell me... we're going to be unified?"
Xue Yuntian murmured to himself, his voice carrying deep helplessness and bitterness.
He stood up and walked to the window of the imperial palace's great hall, looking out at the cityscape that had just begun to take shape.
Pedestrians bustled on the streets, buildings stood in orderly rows—this was all the result of several generations of the Dou Ling Empire's efforts.
"Your Majesty, this matter requires careful consideration."
The State Master bowed to offer advice. This Level 98 Titled Douluo also showed worry on his face at this moment, "The Sun-Moon Federation is now powerful. If we forcibly resist, I'm afraid..."
"Ah..."
Xue Yuntian sighed, "I understand."
Just then, a spatial fluctuation suddenly arose in the imperial palace's great hall.
Before everyone's eyes, two figures stepped out calmly.
The leading man was clad in black, possessing extraordinary bearing. The woman beside him had silver hair and purple eyes, pure and transcendent.
Xue Yuntian looked at the two, his expression changing slightly: "You are... Speaker Fang?"
"Precisely."
Fang Yang nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the great hall, "The Star Luo Empire has submitted. Now it is the Dou Ling Empire's turn to make its choice."
Upon hearing this, Xue Yuntian was silent for a long time.
When he saw Fang Yang's deep eyes, he finally slowly knelt down on both knees: "Speaker Fang, the Dou Ling Empire... is willing to submit."
"Very good."
Fang Yang nodded slightly: "The Dou Ling Empire is restructured as the Dou Ling Duchy, with Xue Yuntian serving as the first Grand Duke, accepting unified Federation governance."
"We respectfully obey the Speaker's command." Xue Yuntian responded respectfully.
With the Star Luo Empire and Dou Ling Empire both submitting, Fang Yang opened the spatial crack once more and took Gu Yuena's hand to return to Mingdu.
Xue Yuntian gazed in the direction where the two disappeared, silent for a long time.
Finally, he took a deep breath, his voice spreading throughout the entire imperial palace: "Pass my decree: from this day forth, the Dou Ling Empire is restructured as the Dou Ling Duchy and submits to the Sun-Moon Federation."
Mingdu, top-floor office of the Federal Parliament Building.
"The three continents are finally unified." Gu Yuena said softly.
Fang Yang's gaze was profound: "This is only the beginning."
At this moment, the great undertaking of unifying the Douluo Continent finally drew a perfect conclusion.
An era of unity and peace, led by the Sun-Moon Federation.
In the shadows, a hidden space.
"Yellow, it is time to first give Tang San a small gift. Tang Hao's gift can wait." Liu Yang instructed indifferently.
"Purple, rest assured."
Xu Jinghuang nodded, a cold smile curving at the corner of his lips, "Faith poison—I have long been prepared."
...
Divine Realm, deep within the endless black hole.
Tang San suddenly spat out a mouthful of golden divine blood, and his Sea God divine armor instantly dimmed.
The violent tremor coming from the godhood core nearly caused him to lose his footing.
"Brother San!"
Xiao Wu panicked and supported his swaying body.
"Not good... my Sea God godhood!"
Tang San's face was deathly pale, sensing the abnormal fluctuations of the godhood within his body.
This was an abnormality that had never occurred since inheriting the Sea God position.
Ever since destroying the Spirit Hall twenty thousand years ago and establishing Sea God faith on the Douluo Continent.
Human faith power had surpassed the ocean, becoming the most important source of power for his godhood.
The faith of sea spirit beasts was ultimately not as pure as human faith.
It could be said that the Sea God godhood's ability to break through limits and rise to God King level.
The vast majority of the credit came from the billions of humans on the Douluo Continent offering devout worship.
Now, with the unification of the Douluo Continent, this faith had undergone drastic changes.
"How is this possible...?"
Tang San looked inward at the Sea God core in disbelief.
The originally pure golden faith power was being massively polluted, transforming into black filled with negative emotions.
Sea God divine power had even faded from brilliant blue-gold to pure black.
"Ahhhh..."
Tang San knelt to the ground, clutching his head with both hands, emitting painful roars.
"Something has happened... to my Douluo Continent..."
Tang San's eyes were bloodshot, gnashing his teeth and growling lowly.
Negative emotions from the Douluo Continent surged continuously into the Sea God godhood.
As a god who inherited his godhood, Tang San had never truly cultivated himself.
Poseidon, who created the Sea God godhood, had never taught him knowledge in this area, and the arrogant Tang San had never actively asked.
In his view, cultivation was still too demanding in terms of technique—far less convenient than directly harvesting faith power.
But now, when the faith backlash came, he had no way to respond.
"Brother San!"
Xiao Wu watched in panic as black energy continuously surged from Tang San's body—that was polluted faith eroding his divine body.
In the entire history of the Divine Realm, there had never been a precedent of a faith god being backlashed by his own faith.
Tang San, this existence who had schemed against the Destruction and Life God Kings, pioneered this shameful precedent.
Boom!!!
The Sea God godhood exploded...
The explosion of the godhood instantly blew the magnificent Sea God Temple into ruins.
A massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky. The impact caused by a God King position's explosion even made the entire Divine Realm tremble.
Fortunately, the Divine Realm was large enough, and there were no other gods' temples in the vicinity of the Sea God Temple, which belonged to a first-level god.
Otherwise, this explosion alone could have taken out a large batch of other gods.
In the smoke and dust, Tang San, his Asura divine armor covered in cracks, struggled to crawl out from the ruins.
His current appearance could be described as terrifying—not only were his seven orifices bleeding, but wounds covering his entire body had almost dyed him completely red.
"Xiao Wu... are you alright?" Tang San asked weakly.
He was truly afraid that his Asura divine sword scabbard had been blown to death.
"Brother San, I'm fine. When I saw something was wrong with you, I used Invincible Golden Body plus Void."
Xiao Wu hurriedly stepped forward to support him, tears swirling in her eyes.
Upon hearing this, Tang San's suspended heart settled down.
Using his last breath, he sent a message to his parents and newborn brother far away on the Douluo Continent, then lost consciousness.
"Brother San, Brother San wake up, don't scare me!"
Xiao Wu held the unconscious, divine-blood-dripping Tang San, crying helplessly, her sobs echoing through the dead silent ruins.
Such a huge commotion at the Sea God Temple naturally attracted the attention of all the God Kings of the Divine Realm.
"Dad! Mom!"
Tang Wutong brought her husband Dai Yuhao rushing over. Seeing the tragic scene before her, Tang Wutong's face instantly turned deathly pale, nearly fainting.
Immediately after, other members of the first generation Shrek Seven Devils—Ning Rongrong, Oscar, Ma Hongjun and others—rushed over from various places.
The Good and Evil God Kings also arrived at the scene at the first opportunity. Even God Kings from other divine realms came to watch the spectacle.
Everyone looked at the ruins before them and Tang San lying in a pool of blood, all shocked and pale-faced.
No one could imagine that Tang San, the dignified Sea God and Asura God possessing dual godhoods, could end up in such a state.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)