Prologue

Sun Moon Federation Era

Douluo Continent, Shrek City, Shrek Academy.

As the continent's largest city and its number one academy, this had once been a place countless people yearned for.

But now, everything had vanished without a trace.

The most powerful weapon humanity had ever created, the God-Slaying Soul Guidance Cannon Shell, had been stolen by the Holy Spirit Cult in collusion with the Spirit Pagoda and the Ancient Qian Family, then deployed against Shrek Academy.

To leave the academy one last hope,

the strongest man on Douluo Continent, Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion Master, Yang Ming, had burned his Self-Created Godhood, his entire cultivation as a level 99 Quasi-God, and his life. He had pushed himself to the limits of godhood, and in the end, not only blocked the God-Slaying Soul Guidance Cannon Shell, but also annihilated a large number of attacking Holy Spirit Cult powerhouses, leaving the Holy Spirit Cult severely crippled.

In the end, this earth-shaking incident concluded with the deaths of eight Titled Douluo from the Holy Spirit Cult; the death of the peerless prodigy who had created his own godhood, Yang Ming; and the destruction of the mighty Shrek Academy, ending a legacy that had dominated the continent for more than twenty thousand years.

Yet unbeknownst to everyone, Yang Ming's soul had been carried to an unknown place by the Space-Time Rift created when the God-Slaying Shell collided with the Power of the Gods.

Spirit Hall Era

Douluo Continent, Heaven Dou Empire, outside the capital, Heaven Dou City

A small mountain village surrounded by mountains. At this time of day, the village would usually have cooking smoke curling into the sky and children playing merrily. But now, there was no cooking smoke, only smoke from the fires of war.

An old man dressed in a black robe, tall and thin, with blood staining his clothes, hurriedly appeared in the village carrying a heavily pregnant woman.

The woman in his arms was only sixteen, with delicate features and a beautiful appearance that resembled the old man's by thirty percent. At this moment, however, her face was filled with pain. Looking closely, one could even see blood at the corner of her mouth that had not been completely wiped away.

The old man was named Yang Wudi. He was the Clan Leader of the Breaking Clan, one of the Four Single-Attribute Clans affiliated with the Clear Sky Sect, a renowned powerhouse on the continent, and a master of pharmaceuticals. The beautiful woman was none other than his only daughter, Yang Ying.

Why, then, was Yang Wudi covered in blood, carrying his pregnant daughter, and appearing so disheveled in this dilapidated mountain village? The matter had to be traced back to a shocking event that had recently occurred in the Soul Master World.

Not long ago, Tang Hao, heir to the leadership of the Number One Sect Under Heaven, the Clear Sky Sect, had killed Qian Xunji, the current Pope of Spirit Hall, the continent's foremost Soul Master force, for reasons unknown. Spirit Hall had flown into a rage and demanded that the Clear Sky Sect hand Tang Hao over, or else it would send troops to attack the sect.

The Clear Sky Sect was powerful, and its disciples were arrogant and domineering, so it naturally refused to hand him over easily. The two sides fought a chaotic battle, but compared with Spirit Hall, the Clear Sky Sect's strength was far inferior. After the battle, the Clear Sky Sect suffered heavy losses. To ensure the sect's survival, it publicly declared that Tang Hao, its heir to the leadership, had been expelled from the Clear Sky Sect. The sect then sealed its gates and withdrew from the Soul Master World, with its disciples no longer traveling the continent.

That should have been the end of the matter. But who could have expected that, after the Clear Sky Sect's own disciples safely withdrew to their sect atop the mountains, it would cut off the mountain passage used by its affiliated sects, directly abandoning the Four Great Clans that had served it for many years? The four clans had just forged a bitter enmity with Spirit Hall by fighting for the Clear Sky Sect, and were now exposed to Spirit Hall's blades, becoming sacrifices offered by the Clear Sky Sect to appease Spirit Hall's fury.

What happened afterward was obvious. The Clear Sky Sect redirected Spirit Hall's hatred toward its subordinate Four Great Clans, causing the already weakened clans to be hunted down by Spirit Hall. After a fierce slaughter, the Four Great Clans scattered and fled for their lives.

Among them, the Breaking Clan had lost nearly half its people. Almost all of Yang Wudi's family had been killed or wounded. His only son had died tragically in the battle, while his younger brother, Yang Wushuang, had been captured by Spirit Hall. Even Yang Wudi's son-in-law, Yun Huang, Yang Ying's husband, had died on the battlefield while blocking an attack from a Spirit Hall powerhouse that had been aimed at Yang Ying. If Yang Wudi and Yang Ying had not gone in the opposite direction and hidden in plain sight, their fate would still have been uncertain. However, although most of the force behind the Spirit Hall powerhouse's attack had been blocked, the remaining power had still injured Yang Ying, whose cultivation was not high, and triggered a premature birth!!!

"A Ying, hold on! Hold on!"

The old man found a relatively clean courtyard and directly broke through the door. Soon, the painful moans of a woman rang out from within the Small Courtyard. Her cries were heart-wrenching and hoarse with agony.

"Ah~"

The excruciating pain tore at Yang Wudi's heart as he helped deliver the child.

No one knew how much time had passed. Then, accompanied by a woman's heart-rending scream, the cry of a baby rang out.

"Brother Yun!!!"

"Wah! Wah!!"

Joy rose in the old man's heart as he looked at the grandson in his arms, even dispelling some of the sorrow he had suffered that day. But before Yang Wudi could finish celebrating, he felt his daughter's life force rapidly declining. His expression changed drastically. He set down his grandson and hurriedly used his own Soul Power to sustain his daughter's life.

As he channeled his Soul Power, he also took out all kinds of rare medicinal pills that were almost impossible to find in the outside world. Things he had once felt heartache using even the tiniest amount of were now consumed in whatever quantity might save his daughter's life. Yang Wudi, the master of pharmaceuticals, could no longer care about anything else. While administering the medicine, he anxiously spoke, trying to bring his daughter back.

"A Ying, don't sleep! Father will cure you, A Ying!"

"A Ying! Look, look at Father! Please, I beg you, don't sleep!"

Seeing that her life force continued to weaken and that she might leave him forever at any moment, Yang Wudi suddenly thought of his newborn grandson. Like a drowning man grasping the last strand of life-saving straw, he hurriedly shouted,

"A Ying! You've only just become a mother. The child still needs you to accompany him as he grows up. You absolutely cannot sleep! Even if it's for the child, you must not sleep!"

Perhaps Yang Wudi's medicine had finally taken effect. Perhaps a mother's great maternal love had been awakened by her child and was forcing her to hold on. Yang Ying finally regained some awareness from her dazed state. In a halting voice, faint and almost inaudible, she slowly spoke.

"Father, the chi...child?"

Her voice was tiny. Even to Yang Wudi, a Peak Soul Saint whose five senses far surpassed those of ordinary people, it sounded like a whisper. Yet that whisper was still heavenly music to Yang Wudi's ears. Overjoyed, he quickly carried his grandson to his daughter's side while continuing his treatment without pause.

But Yang Ying's vitality had been damaged too severely. Her condition had already become irreversible, and the treatment could only delay her death!

Yang Wudi clearly understood Yang Ying's condition, but he refused to give up. He had already lost three family members that day. He did not want to lose his precious daughter as well. His voice slightly choked as he spoke.

"It's a boy. He looks especially like you, as delicate as a carved doll. You have to get better. You still need to watch him grow up!"

Listening to her father's voice, Yang Ying turned her head toward the son beside her. A blissful smile appeared on her pale, delicate face, and she said gently in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum,

"A son? That's good, too!"

Perhaps sensing that her life was nearing its end, Yang Ying began whispering to her son.

"Son, Mommy may not be able to accompany you as you grow up."

"Don't be picky with food... Eat more and grow up quickly."

"And remember to make friends. You don't need many friends. A few true companions you can trust will be enough."

"Although Mommy isn't very good at it... you must study pharmaceuticals and cultivation well. But everyone has things they're good and bad at. Even when you encounter difficulties, you mustn't become too discouraged. At the academy, respect your teachers and seniors."

"And don't focus only on studying and cultivation. Make sure to rest properly."

"Although you'll become interested in women in the future, remember this: don't let any strange women cling to you. Find a good woman like your mother."

"From now on, you'll encounter many painful and bitter things. You must firmly remain yourself."

As her emotions poured out, Yang Ying's tears could no longer be stopped. Her voice choked with sobs.

"And..."

"And..."

"And..."

"And..."

"And..."

"There are really so many more things I want to tell you."

"I also want to keep... staying by your side."

"I love you."

"And one last thing: your father never got to see your birth, but he loves you just as much as your mother does!"

Beside her, Yang Wudi heard his daughter's final words to her grandson, and sorrowful tears slid from the corners of his eyes. He could feel it—he could feel that his daughter was about to hold on no longer.

After speaking at length to her son, Yang Ying, whose strength was clearly running out, summoned her final remaining energy and spoke to her father.

"I'm sorry, Father. In the end, I still had to make you grieve for this spoiled daughter of yours. The child... I'll have to entrust him to your care."

"Lastly... give the child a proper name again, and help him become a real man."

After speaking these final words, Yang Ying left this world with regret and reluctance.

"A Ying!!!" Yang Wudi cried out in grief, tears streaming down his aged face.

"Wah~~ Wah~~"

At that moment, the child beside Yang Ying may have sensed his mother's death and suddenly began crying in sorrow. His cries fell one after another like pearls from a broken string, making anyone who heard them grieve and weep.

Perhaps they had heard the sounds of the grandfather and grandson. Two Soul Kings, each with five Soul Rings shining around them, broke into the Small Courtyard and surrounded Yang Wudi.

After sensing the outsiders, Yang Wudi's sorrow over his daughter's death instantly transformed into overwhelming killing intent. He wiped away his tears, picked up his grandson, and a Dark Black spear appeared in his hand. Seven Soul Rings emerged around his body one after another. With a furious shout, he charged straight out.

"Kill!!!"

The two Spirit Hall Soul Kings were horrified when they realized that the person before them was Yang Wudi. But if they did not fight, they would certainly die, so they could only battle to the death with the resolve to perish together.

Before long, the dust settled. The courtyard door opened, and Yang Wudi, his body radiating murderous energy and his eyes red like a hellish fiend's, walked out of the courtyard carrying the child. Looking inside from outside the door, the two Spirit Hall Soul Kings were already lying in pools of blood, completely lifeless.

Only after venting his fury did Yang Wudi remember the grandson in his arms. The killing intent around him faded as he began examining the child. Fortunately, the child was unharmed. He was merely asleep, perhaps exhausted after crying for too long.

Yang Wudi glanced at the gloomy sky, dark as spilled ink and resembling the Nether of hell. Then he looked at the grandson in his arms, and his hoarse voice rang out.

"Above, reach the clouds; below, probe the Nether!"

"From this day forth, you will be called..."

"Yang Ming!!!"

P.S. I'm a new author with a new book, so please add it to your collection. During the new-book period, please keep reading instead of shelving it. If everyone shelves it, the poor data might end up raising Guantou to death.

The internal submission has already passed. Everyone is welcome to invest and deliver righteous punishment to the Tang Family father and son.

I hope all you esteemed readers will cast plenty of votes. Continued reading during the new-book period is very important.