"You—you recognized me?!" Jin Ling'er demanded, pointing at Su Wen.
She'd caused chaos in the God Realm; very few should know. Even her little sister, who had hidden away in this world, shouldn't have known...
Yet looking at them,
neither seemed surprised—in fact, they appeared almost playful.
"Who are you, really!" she demanded, erupting in a bid to seize Su Wen, to escape—this place was as perilous as the God Realm.
POW!
Gu Yuena, face impassive, slammed her fist into Jin Ling'er's belly, sending her flying.
"My good sister... you really thought I didn't exist?"
"Pfft~"
Jin Ling'er spat golden blood, clutching her stomach, pain and fury on her face.
Black energy surged.
"So strong..."
"No, you're just weak."
Gu Yuena, arms folded: "I guessed you'd be drawn by my lingering aura after Tang San and his people injured you so badly..."
"But didn't expect you to be this weak."
She stepped forward, boot on Jin Ling'er's stomach. She bent, smirking: "So, sis, are you here to devour me?"
"Hiss—!"
Jin Ling'er sucked in pain; injured, now stomped on too—pure revenge.
"Hm?" Gu Yuena's eyes cold, she ground her boot.
"So what if I am?!" Jin Ling'er gritted her teeth, returning her gaze with stubborn fury.
"Want revenge?"
Su Wen gestured for Gu Yuena to release her, crouched and grinned at the resentful girl.
"Revenge? Heh."
Jin Ling'er scoffed, looked Su Wen over, sneered: "Just you? Do you know who my enemy is? Don't think your looks can get you anywhere. The people I want dead are—"
"Tang San!" Su Wen cut in.
Jin Ling'er's expression turned even more shocked.
"Or should I say, the Asura God, as it was the Asura God who sealed you away."
"You… even know that?" Jin Ling'er stammered.
"So, want revenge?"
Su Wen's gaze was sincere, extending a hand.
"..."
Maybe it was the shock, or the sudden change messing with her mind—Su Wen seemed to radiate a dazzling glow, and unconsciously, she put her hand in his.
Thus, the Golden Dragon King was successfully roped in...
"This, this..."
Before Elder Mu could speak, Elder Xuan appeared: "Xiao Wen, she's not human? And… you know each other?"
"No!!" ×2
Jin Ling'er and Gu Yuena answered in unison, immediately facing away from each other.
"Really?" Elder Xuan scratched his head suspiciously.
"Where do we look like we know each other?!" Gu Yuena huffed.
"..."
The elders looked between the pair: You think we'd buy that? The resemblance was almost identical, only hair and eye color differed.
"Tsk~"
Yan Shaozhe propped his chin, sighed: "Your charm, man. Even I'm jealous…"
"That vice-patriarch of the Spirit Hall still talks about you, you know." Su Wen muttered at him. Let's hurt each other!
Yan Shaozhe twitched and was pulled away by Cai Meier.
Sea God Pavilion.
Golden tree, meeting hall.
Su Wen sat at the head; elders lined both sides.
Several elders had submitted retirement applications, ready to live leisurely lives—or just not bother with academy matters. Su Wen approved; you need room for new people.
But standards for the Pavilion were still high—you had to be Titled Douluo level, and have earned great merit for the academy.
His current team still needed work.
The strongest among the Inspection Team's students only just reached Soul Douluo; with armor, some could barely reach Titled level, but lack the merit.
Others, even with armor boosts, still fell short.
In short, the future looked good, but Shrek's leadership needed renewal over time...
Returning from the future, Su Wen better understood how important armor would become.
The strength of this batch relied entirely on Elder Du, the sole divine blacksmith of his era.
That's right—Heavenly Forging!
Even the weakest armor for Soul Kings was made with heavenly-forged metal...
A thousand years later, this would make people envious.
Excessive luxury!
The core of spirit technology and forging skills lagged behind, but the metal itself made up for everything.
No wonder Zhen Hua was so popular...
A divine blacksmith was as valuable as an alchemy master.
"Your reforms are progressing, starting with small cities around Shrek, then expanding to Star Luo, Heaven Soul, and Dou Ling Empires," Yan Shaozhe reported, handing over a document.
As Head of the Pavilion, Su Wen held near total authority.
Business was business; private was private.
Yan Shaozhe was as respectful as if before Elder Mu.
"Good…" Su Wen nodded.
"Finish the first phase within half a year—then expand."
"Wouldn't this draw resentment from other powers?" Yan Shaozhe hesitated. "We're openly pulling up those noble roots. Not that we fear, but with war at the front, would it look right?"
"Hehe, half a year later, the war will be done." Su Wen smiled.
The emperor's identity means little—I just want to be the one crowning them.
Let them fight to the bitter end. After that, even the proudest old powers would see their true worth.
Peaceful takeover, boiling-frog style, would ultimately be better for the people...
"I see..."
Yan Shaozhe fell silent.
"One more thing—that pokeball…"
Elder Lin spoke up, sounding perplexed: "The pokeballs you mentioned, Pavilion Master, are unique. I've searched the archives—nothing like them exists."
"Beast-wielding martial souls are rare, and meet few standards for your… Pokeball Tower."
"Thank you for your hard work," Su Wen smiled, taking out a white ball.
"Actually... I've already worked it out—look."
Everyone's eyes shone.
"These can catch soul beasts?"
"Like yours, they grow stronger with their masters?!"
"Give me a whole basket!!"
"..."
The elders were thrilled.
After all, Su Wen's insane combat power had elevated "beast mastery" abilities to a whole new level.
Even the best student "beast masters" couldn't match him.
For a similar martial soul to appear—who wouldn't be excited?
Even a fraction of Su Wen's power would make them happy.
"Mm… it needs special metal, a space array like a storage device, and a contract array for soul beasts—it can now be mass-produced." Su Wen nodded.
This was Electrolux's handiwork.
Death himself could change the world's basic rules… (Not too hard, given only Douluo Star's twisted system needed alteration, not the whole God Realm's subordinate planes.)
"And it can replace soul rings."
Su Wen smiled.
"Each pokeball can catch a soul beast of a corresponding age and color."
"After capture, no ring is formed. Instead, you get a pokeball in your spirit sea, where the beast resides, sharing your cultivation speed, and fights alongside you."
"Soul beasts return some of their strength—like defense, speed—so you survive easier..."
"So going forward, human combat power depends mainly on soul beasts?" Elder Lin mused.
"Right," Su Wen nodded.
"What if soul beasts aren't enough?" Elder Zhuang asked anxiously.
"There's an inheritance option."
"If the human dies, their contracted beasts may go free or contract to the next generation."
"Not bad." Yan Shaozhe nodded.
"With contracts letting soul beasts gain our cultivation speed, they'll want to keep renewing them. This symbiotic relationship should ease tension with soul beasts..."
"What do you think?"
Su Wen smiled, glancing outside.
"Buzz—"
"I have no objection."
A massive black dragon appeared above the Pavilion, booming, then turned into a handsome black-clad man.
"Let us begin the contracts, starting from Shrek..."
"Pokeball Tower, founded!!"