Chapter 18: Hu Liena Is Selected, and Tang Hao Arrives at Stone Village!
Although that world was extremely dangerous, so much so that even a single grain of dust could crush a person, people die for wealth just as birds die for food. High risk often meant high reward.
As long as one could find a powerful backer like Zhu Zhuqing, even becoming a mere servant could allow them to soar to the heavens in a single step.
During the early stage, they just needed to keep a low profile. Once the one-year period ended, they could immediately return to the Douluo world.
By then, whether it was Spirit Hall or the great sects, all of it would become insignificant.
"Pick me, pick me!"
"I'm willing to work like a slave for the Immortal Lord! I only beg for a chance to be chosen!"
"Pah! You're only a Soul Saint, and you dare say you want to serve the Immortal Lord? I'm a Soul Douluo. That position belongs to me!"
...
For a time, countless soul masters across the entire Douluo Continent began shouting toward the sky. Some even knelt on the ground and kowtowed on the spot, desperately hoping to be selected.
Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy.
Dai Mubai, whose bones were nearly broken, struggled to crawl out of a muddy pit. Ignoring the dirt covering his face, he stared fiercely at the sky screen with bloodshot eyes.
"It has to pick me! Zhu Zhuqing, you shameless woman. When I get there, I will definitely drag you back!"
"You are my fiancée. How could you wash someone else's sword? I will not allow it!"
At that thought, Dai Mubai's eyes turned red with rage. His body trembled uncontrollably as his twisted possessiveness and jealousy pushed him toward madness.
[Selection begins!]
In the next moment, golden light began rolling across the sky screen, capturing everyone's attention.
[Ding! First selected candidate: Clear Sky Sect's abandoned disciple, Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao!]
"Roar!!"
Almost at the exact moment the sky screen announced the result, a worn-out figure suddenly shot into the sky outside Holy Soul Village.
It was none other than the long-disappeared Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao.
However, Tang Hao was completely different from his usual depressed and gloomy appearance. Holding the enormous Clear Sky Hammer in his hand, although his face was still covered with stubble, his eyes were frighteningly bright!
"So it really chose me!"
Feeling the terrifying power emanating from the sky screen, Tang Hao could not help bursting into loud laughter, his face filled with excitement.
"Ah Yin, wait for me!"
"I don't need to become an immortal. I only need to find something that can revive you!"
"So what if it's the Perfect World? Tang Hao has never been inferior to anyone. Even if that place is hell, I will still go and break through it!"
...
[Ding! Second selected candidate: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Sword Douluo Chen Xin!]
"Good! Good! Good!"
Inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Sword Douluo Chen Xin immediately stood up from his flying sword, shouting three times in excitement.
With the Seven Kill Sword on his back, his white robes fluttered without wind as a sharp sword intent radiated from his entire body.
"To hear the Dao in the morning and die in the evening without regret!"
"I must personally witness the sword intent within that Sword Washing Pool!"
"Even if I die while pursuing the path of the sword, it is still better than remaining a frog at the bottom of a well in this world!"
Meanwhile, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's sect master, Ning Fengzhi, stood nearby with a worried expression.
After all, Sword Douluo was one of the sect's greatest combat forces. If he were to perish in that so-called Perfect World...
Ning Fengzhi did not dare to continue thinking further. However, before he could say anything, Chen Xin had already transformed into a streak of sword light and flown into the sky, ready to be teleported away at any moment.
...
[Ding! Third selected candidate: Spirit Hall Golden Generation, Saintess Hu Liena!]
Inside the Pope Hall.
Hu Liena's delicate body trembled as soon as she heard the announcement. A trace of panic flashed through her beautiful eyes. She had never expected to be chosen by the sky screen.
"Teacher..."
In her urgency, Saintess Hu Liena looked toward Bibi Dong, who sat upon the Pope's throne nearby.
Sensing her disciple's gaze, Bibi Dong turned her head and looked at her before immediately giving a stern instruction.
"Nana, this is your opportunity."
"Remember, after you arrive there, you must put away the pride you carry as a member of Spirit Hall. That world far surpasses ours. Your first task is simply to survive."
"And ideally, you should follow the example of Zhu Zhuqing. No matter what methods you must use, even if it means using your beauty, you must find a powerful force to rely on at all costs."
"As long as you can safely return from the Perfect World, the next Pope of Spirit Hall will be you."
Seeing the hope in Bibi Dong's eyes, Hu Liena clenched her teeth and nodded heavily.
"Nana understands! For Spirit Hall!"
...
[Ding! Fourth selected candidate: Shrek Academy, Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Hongjun!]
"Ah? Me?"
At Shrek Academy, the fat Ma Hongjun had been hiding behind the crowd, praying that he would not be selected. Now he stared blankly as he pointed at his own nose in disbelief.
The next moment, he let out a pig-like scream.
"No! I don't want to go!"
"In that world, even a Golden Winged Peng is just a snack. If I go there, I'll be eaten like a fat chicken! I don't want this!"
"Boss Dai, save me! Third Brother, save me!"
Ma Hongjun was terrified to the point of almost wetting himself. He desperately tried to grab Dai Mubai's leg, but although he moved quickly, the descending pillar of light moved even faster.
In the blink of an eye, the beam of light descended mercilessly and enveloped his entire body.
"Fatty, get yourself together! Remember, you must find Zhu Zhuqing!"
Just before Ma Hongjun was teleported away, Dai Mubai shouted those final instructions.
Then he stared at the empty space left behind, grinding his teeth in hatred.
Damn it. Why wasn't he the one chosen?
...
[Teleportation begins!]
With the sound of a mechanical announcement, four pillars of light shot into the sky and flew directly into the enormous sky screen.
After seeing four more lucky individuals chosen, the soul masters and even the soul beasts of the entire Douluo Continent fixed their eyes on the sky screen without blinking.
They desperately wanted to see more of the truths hidden within that world.
Soon enough, the sky screen satisfied their wish. After a brief pause, new images began to appear.
But this time, the perspective was no longer focused on Zhu Zhuqing.
Instead, it showed a stubble-faced man.
Tang Hao.
"Bang!"
Having learned from the mistakes of the previous two groups of chosen explorers, Tang Hao did not shout in panic upon landing like those earlier cannon fodder.
Instead, the moment he landed, he immediately activated the Clear Sky Avatar to withstand the terrifying gravity before quickly finding cover and hiding behind it.
"So this is the Perfect World?"
Hidden behind cover, Tang Hao took a deep breath of the spiritual energy in the air. Instantly, he felt the blood within his body begin to boil violently.
"As expected, it is a great opportunity!"
Feeling this, Tang Hao's eyes lit up with excitement.
However, knowing that he could not afford to be careless, he quickly suppressed the excitement in his heart and began carefully observing his surroundings.
As far as the eye could see, the land stretched endlessly, like the depths of a vast wilderness. There was not a single soul nearby.
Only in the far distance stood an ancient village, quietly resting in the wilderness.
At the entrance of the village, a charred willow tree stood rooted in the ground.
End of Chapter