Word Count: 2,896 Words
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Ignoring Ling Bai's feeble attempt at an explanation, the Angel God gazed into the endless distance. Her crimson lips parted slightly as she transmitted her voice directly into his mind:
"I can sense it... The shattered Angel God Position is being corroded by evil power."
Ling Bai's gaze sharpened. The Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King!
The Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King was the guardian spirit beast of the First Generation Rakshasa God, commanded to lurk within the Bloodsea of Slaughter City. Cunning and treacherous, it had amassed a long and terrible record of accomplishments.
Ten thousand years ago, it seized control of Clear Sky Douluo Tang Chen, one of that era's three Limit Douluo, reducing him to the Slaughter King. Only when Tang San purified Tang Chen's mind with the Sea God's Light did he finally break free.
Unable to survive its 700,000-year heavenly tribulation, the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King took a desperate gamble, snatching the shattered Angel God Position from Bibi Dong's hands and hiding in the ruins of Slaughter City ever since.
According to the Angel God's perception, that evil spirit beast had grown outrageously bold. It was actually attempting to devour the divine power within the Angel God Position!
"I'll reclaim the Angel God Position as soon as possible," Ling Bai promised.
"Mm."
The Angel God acknowledged softly. This sliver of remnant consciousness had manifested for two reasons. First, the trident rune on Wang Dong Er's forehead had startled her awake. She had thought the Sea God had descended upon the Douluo Continent regardless of the consequences, only to discover the rune was merely a control seal.
Second, she wanted to warn Ling Bai. The Angel God Position might be shattered, but the divine power it contained remained a supreme treasure coveted by every living being.
The Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King was an evil spirit beast whose nature fundamentally clashed with the Angel God Position's holy attribute. There was no telling what strange secret techniques the First Generation Rakshasa God might have taught it. The Angel God Position had to be reclaimed quickly, before its divine power leaked away.
Fortunately, before departing for Mingdu, Jianmu Douluo had instructed Ning Fengya to send scouts to investigate the ruins of Slaughter City. By the time the Spirit Master Tournament concluded, Ling Bai should have their findings.
"I don't know when we'll meet again. Keep striving, little one."
The Angel God's beautiful silhouette grew fainter and fainter until she vanished completely. Her last sliver of remnant consciousness sank once more into slumber.
Silence blanketed the arena. A remnant consciousness was still a God, a being an entire plane above humanity. The spectators were entranced by the angel's holy beauty yet equally stricken by a God's proud, imperious majesty.
Regent Xu Tianran gripped his wheelchair's armrests until his knuckles turned white. In that moment, he finally understood why the Holy Spirit Cult pursued Ling Bai's death with such manic obsession.
This was no ordinary Seraphim. The very will of the Angel God slumbered within his bloodline!
Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan climbed onto the stage on trembling legs and announced:
"Semifinals, first match: Angelic Sanctuary versus Tang Sect. Angelic Sanctuary wins!"
The seven Tang Sect members hung their heads in defeat, utterly drained. In the end, they had failed to bridge the vast gulf in strength. The Spirit Fusion Skills they had trusted as trump cards crumbled at first contact.
Bei Bei's once-straight spine curved downward, making him resemble an old man watching his life's candle gutter out. Tang Ya, the Tang Sect, Shrek Academy… the three most precious things in his heart had all been trampled beneath Ling Bai and Angelic Sanctuary's feet.
He Caitou propped up the spent Huo Yuhao, whose bloodshot eyes brimmed with bitter unwillingness and hatred.
Wang Dong Er clutched her head, pain splitting her skull. Her gaze shifted whenever it found the distant Ling Bai, flickering between hatred and tenderness, as though two separate consciousnesses quarreled endlessly within her.
In the Sun Moon Imperial Academy's rest area, Xiao Hongchen lounged with one leg crossed over the other, speaking with carefree ease:
"Runner-up again. Well, runner-up isn't bad...
This tournament went rather smoothly for us. Holy Spirit Cult, Body Sect, Tang Sect... we didn't face a single powerhouse team.
Besides, we booted Shrek Academy out during the group stage. That alone is enough to satisfy Grandfather and the people back home."
Meng Hongchen shot him a look of pure disdain. "Trash brother, can't you show even a shred of ambition? We've made it to the finals. Shouldn't we at least try?"
"What difference does it make which family member takes the championship? I freely admit I can't beat my brother-in-law!" Xiao Hongchen declared without a hint of shame. "You're the one who should be questioned here, Little Meng!
Always going on about climbing into his bed, yet I haven't seen you manage it once. All you do is hug your pillow and roll around on the mattress!
And stop grinning like an idiot. His official girlfriend will be pregnant with their third child before you make your move!"
"Xiao! Hong! Chen!"
Meng Hongchen erupted in embarrassed fury. Enough heart-stabbing crap! She lashed out with a vicious kick aimed straight at her dear brother's crotch!
With the Sun Moon Imperial Academy's victory over the Heavenly Dragon Sect, the Spirit Master Tournament finalists were officially set.
Angelic Sanctuary versus Sun Moon Imperial Academy.
It was a complete mismatch. The Sun Moon Imperial Academy's true combat strength didn't even rank among the tournament's top four. Their survival past the group stage owed entirely to Angelic Sanctuary slaughtering the Holy Spirit Cult, which forced the cult's withdrawal from the competition.
The outside world unanimously agreed that Angelic Sanctuary had already secured the championship. The finals were merely a formality.
Mingdu's feverish atmosphere hadn't cooled in the slightest, however. The Spirit Master Tournament might have lost its suspense, but another spectacular competition was about to begin.
The finals of the Mingdu Spirit Guidance Elite Tournament, hosted by the three major underground forces, would be held on the eve of the Spirit Master Tournament finals!
...
Linglong Pavilion.
Ning Fengyu sprawled lazily across a sofa, all pretense of aristocratic grace abandoned. She twirled a lock of green-gold hair between her fingers, her slender, flawless feet lightly nudging the handsome youth beside her.
"Tomorrow's the Spirit Master Tournament finals. Xiao Tian mentioned you're not participating."
"Mm."
"It's the championship, practically guaranteed! What a waste to give it up!"
"In the eyes of the world, Angelic Sanctuary is already the champion."
Ling Bai brushed aside her mischievous little feet and replied calmly, "A bit of empty fame isn't worth mentioning. We've only ever cared about profit.
The Spirit Guidance Tournament starts soon. Are you planning to keep slacking off?"
"Alright, alright. I went to so much trouble to wait out my sister and the old man, and now you're lecturing me too."
Ning Fengyu pouted and slowly rose to her feet. "Xiao Bai, those... arrangements. Everything's in place?"
Ling Bai flashed an OK sign. Ning Fengyu nodded slightly, a glint of excitement flickering deep in her green-gold eyes. Ling Bai didn't care about the Spirit Master Tournament championship, so she naturally didn't care about the Spirit Guidance Tournament championship either.
Continental war was already underway, and Xu Tianran was frantically seizing every shred of power within reach. Linglong Pavilion had no choice but to leave the Sun Moon Empire, but before departing, they intended to take one last massive score!
Ling Bai produced a thin sheet of human skin. Once he pressed it to his face, his peerless features melted away, replaced by those of an ordinary, mildly handsome young man.
Class 8 Spirit Guidance Device, Disguise Mask.
Today he would accompany Linglong Pavilion to the Spirit Guidance Tournament venue. His Class 9 Thousand Illusion Charming Appearance was currently on Death Abyss Douluo's face, so he'd settled for this Class 8 substitute instead.
Ning Fengyu stared at him for a long moment, then said wistfully, "Change to a different face. I prefer handsome."
"So demanding."
Ling Bai grumbled but silently adjusted to a face only slightly inferior to his true appearance. Ning Fengyu immediately beamed and eagerly linked her arm through his as they headed downstairs.
The venue lay in Mingdu's outskirts, and Linglong Pavilion had prepared a carriage in advance.
The two of them drew back the carriage curtain to find Holy Angel Ye Guyi inside, taking deep breath after deep breath. Her movements were somehow endearingly cute, and Ling Bai couldn't help but chuckle.
"Nervous?"
Ye Guyi wore a goose-yellow dress that accentuated her noble elegance and sacred, inviolable bearing. She answered with absolute conviction:
"I'm called 'Not Nervous.' The Angel Clan's duty is to slay evil and eradicate wickedness. I absolutely won't allow Evil Spirit Masters to poison the Douluo Continent!"
"Then give it your all. Aunt Yu and I will have your back."
…
In the Qingse Hotel's meeting hall, Heavenly Centipede Douluo Nangong Wan paced with mounting anxiety, glancing at the hanging clock every few seconds as he muttered:
"Why isn't Death Abyss Douluo here yet..."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the doors burst open. Three figures strode into the hall, and at their head stood the very man Nangong Wan had been yearning for: Death Abyss Douluo!
"Brother Death Abyss, Vengeance, Old Seven—you're finally here!"
Nangong Wan rushed forward to greet them.
Vengeance Douluo, a Holy Spirit Cult Worship. Martial Spirit: Vengeance Soul, Rank 94 Titled Douluo.
Masquerade Douluo, the Holy Spirit Cult's Seventh Elder. Martial Spirit: Demonic Maggot, Rank 91 Titled Douluo.
The Spirit Guidance Tournament was critical to the Holy Spirit Cult's grand plans. Among the three underground forces, the Alto Chamber of Commerce barely warranted concern, but the reclusive Linglong Pavilion Master was another matter entirely. Nangong Wan suspected she might be a hidden powerhouse, so he had requested Death Abyss Douluo's presence as a safeguard.
Death Abyss Douluo, ever so generous, had brought Vengeance Douluo and Masquerade Douluo along to keep Nangong Wan company.
"These three brats are representing the Duskwater Alliance?"
Vengeance Douluo bared his teeth in a grin, revealing a mouthful of blackened, rotten stubs. Combined with the evil aura rolling off him, the sight struck the three contestants to their cores and set their hearts and souls trembling.
Ever since learning that Death Abyss Douluo was overseeing the Duskwater Alliance, Huo Yuhao and He Caitou had pulled a vanishing act. The Alliance's contestant roster had been reshuffled: the Third Elder Dark Lightning Douluo's two disciples, Number 96 Huang Zheng and Number 98 Mo Ke, along with a Class 6 Spirit Guidance Master trained internally by the Alliance.
"Brother Vengeance, stop teasing them." Nangong Wan shook his head. "You three, listen carefully. The tournament rules were agreed upon by all three underground forces. Each side sends three participants.
You'll have three hours to craft a Spirit Guidance Device. Materials are unrestricted. Once all devices are complete, the nine contestants will battle it out to determine the champion.
The Cult Leader and Crown Prince Xu Tianran place enormous importance on this tournament. They hope we can subjugate the other two forces through peaceful means, and success hinges entirely on whether you can defeat Linglong Pavilion and the Alto Chamber of Commerce's contestants.
If any one of you claims the championship, beyond the tournament's Class 9 Spirit Guidance Device prize, I'll personally grant an additional treasure on behalf of the Duskwater Alliance."
Nangong Wan produced a box. The instant he cracked it open, a murderous aura like the charge of an iron cavalry spilled forth.
Huang Zheng and his two companions possessed only Spirit Emperor cultivation. A steel torrent formed by a million-strong army seemed to materialize before them, its savage killing intent nearly shattering their minds. All three hastily manifested their Martial Spirits, barely managing to steady themselves.
Inside the box lay a cylindrical object roughly one and a half meters long, conical at the front with a ring-shaped groove at the rear, gleaming with cold metallic luster.
"A Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shell: Annihilation Storm!" Nangong Wan declared. "This is from my personal collection, a reward for whichever genius Spirit Guidance Master takes first place.
If you want it, fight with everything you have!"
"Yes, Alliance Leader!"
The three shouted in unison. To any Spirit Guidance Master, a Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shell held more allure than even a spirit bone. It represented the absolute pinnacle of modern Spirit Guidance Technology!
When the Body Sect, Shrek Academy, the Star Luo Empire, and other major powers learned of the Sun Moon Empire's blockade, they had paled in horror for precisely this reason. Each of the eastern, southern, and northern approaches was fortified with five Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shells!
Combined with Limit Douluo standing guard, those three directions were utterly impregnable, not a single weakness to exploit. Left with no alternative, the great factions had been forced to rally allies and turn their combined strength toward the unknown western front.
To possess a Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shell wasn't merely to have a specimen for constant study of its craft. It was to hold a superweapon that ninety-nine percent of the continent's Spirit Masters instinctively feared!
Cross me, and we both go down!
Their fighting spirit ignited. Nangong Wan swept his hand through the air and stored away Annihilation Storm. The four Evil Douluo took the lead with Huang Zheng's trio close behind, flanked by a large contingent of Duskwater Alliance Spirit Masters as they marched in force toward Mingdu's outskirts.
The three underground forces had cordoned off over ten thousand square meters for the Spirit Guidance Tournament venue. Farther out, their people blocked every approaching road, keeping ordinary citizens well away.
The three factions stood in clearly delineated sections. In the center, Duskwater Alliance members wore matching black tunics and trousers, radiating the domineering air of a criminal syndicate's ruling clan.
To the left stood the Alto Chamber of Commerce. Their leader was a dignified middle-aged man of about forty, draped in a purple cloak.
Alto Chamber of Commerce President An Litong. Spirit Douluo cultivation. Under his leadership, the organization dealt in illicit commerce, smuggling, and assassination. No evil deed was beneath them.
To the right was Linglong Pavilion. Ning Fengyu had always been shrouded in mystery; precious few had ever glimpsed her true face. The world knew only that the Linglong Pavilion Master went by the name Feng Yu and had, in little more than a decade, built one of Mingdu's top three underground forces from nothing.
When Ning Fengyu carried herself with proper composure, her allure was devastating. Her beauty was unrivaled, her figure mature and voluptuous, and every gesture radiated an effortless noble elegance. The Sky Azure Vine Emperor's fresh, vital aura washed pleasantly over everyone nearby.
Gasps rippled through the gathered onlookers. Nangong Wan leaned toward Death Abyss Douluo with a smirk:
"Brother Death Abyss, hearing a name can't compare to seeing the real thing. That Linglong Pavilion Master truly is a peerless enchantress. Once we've captured her, she's all yours to enjoy!"
"Brother Nangong is too kind. From this day forward, you and I are brothers who'd bare our hearts for each other..."
Nangong Wan blinked. Why did it sound like Death Abyss Douluo was grinding those words out through clenched teeth?
The three underground forces took their positions, followed by the Spirit Guidance Tournament's seven judges. All hailed from the Sun Moon Imperial Family: three Class 9 Spirit Guidance Masters and four Class 8.
The tall elder seated at the center of the judges' bench rose to his feet and raised his right hand. A point of silver light shot skyward.
Starsky Douluo Ye Yulin!
Starsky Douluo's cultivation lay between Rank 92 and 93, and his combat prowess was in no way inferior to Illustrious Virtue Hall Master Jing Hongchen's. He specialized in crafting various high-altitude Spirit Guidance Devices, hence his title.
The Eye of Fear had been one of Ye Yulin's early creations, and the high-altitude aerial surveillance devices were likewise his handiwork. The championship prize for this tournament was a Class 9 Spirit Guidance Device called the Sun Moon Divine Needle, Starsky Douluo Ye Yulin's proudest work.
…
While the Spirit Guidance Tournament blazed ahead, two shadowy figures crept stealthily into the Sun Moon Treasury elsewhere in Mingdu. Ling Qiuxi crouched behind cover, studying the guards posted at the vault entrance, and tightened her grip on the Golden Dragon Spear.
"Golden Tortoise, cover me..."
The dark-gold tortoise patted its own shell:
"At your command, Dest—wise Miss Ling Qiuxi!
This turtle is an expert at providing cover!"
Deep within the Alto Chamber of Commerce's headquarters, Spirit Masters under Linglong Pavilion's banner observed the now-vacant defenses and allowed themselves identical cold smiles.
Meanwhile, at Duskwater Alliance headquarters.
Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Na Na, Xie Huanyue, and Nanmen Yun Er had assembled. A miniaturized 80,000-year Light Spirit Holy Dragon lay sprawled across Ning Tian's head.
Nangong Wan had drawn away the bulk of the Duskwater Alliance's fighting strength, leaving behind little more than a skeleton crew. Ning Tian turned to the others and pressed a finger to her lips, then beckoned forward with a light wave.
Sneak into the village quietly. Hold your fire!