Faith Collapses

Gentle mist mingled with the fresh air. Sea God Lake's azure waters were pure, blue with a tender, tranquil elegance. Ripples rose and fell across the lake's silken surface as several figures strode over the water, hurrying toward the Sea God Pavilion's conference hall. The golden shadow of a great tree reflected upon the lake...

"Elder Yue, everyone is here, but one important person is still missing," Cai Yuer said softly.

At that, Ya Li frowned. She knew Yun Ming had gone to save Gu You, but even after so much time had passed, and even after watching the Federation news, Ya Li still feared that another accident might have occurred.

"No need to wonder. I'm back." Space tore open as Yun Ming slowly stepped out.

All the Pavilion Elders turned their gazes toward him.

"Brother Yun!" Ya Li rose to her feet, her eyes filled with excitement.

"Mm." Yun Ming gave Ya Li a faint smile.

"What exactly happened? Why did you go personally?" Long Yueye was already advanced in years, yet her temper remained as fiery as ever. However, problems with her body made her appear far more aged.

"It's a long story. Sister Yue, how are your injuries?" Yun Ming asked.

"Not very well, but not bad enough to kill me. I'm already over two hundred years old. I only hope for a peaceful end." Long Yueye gave a bitter smile. She had once been a prodigy, possessing twin ultimate martial souls—the Light Holy Dragon and the Dark Holy Dragon. In her youth, she had been praised as a genius comparable to the first generation of the Shrek Seven Devils. But now, her younger years had passed. Thinking back on those matters again, she had too many emotions that could not be put into words.

"Sigh... Elder Chen... forget it, I won't mention it. Everyone is probably curious about what I went to do, so I'll explain it all at once. Ya Li and Old Madman already know. The child from the recent news story about the New Era Three-Good Youth is my adopted godson. During his travels, he encountered an Evil Soul Master with strength close to that of a Limit Douluo. I had a sensing device linked to him at the time, so I had no choice but to go rescue him." Yun Ming sat at the head of the long table. Beside him sat Long Yueye, the vice master of the Sea God Pavilion.

What?!

An Evil Soul Master at the Limit Douluo level.

The Pavilion Elders were naturally shocked to learn that Gu You was Yun Ming's godson, but what truly stunned them was the Evil Soul Master with Limit Douluo-level strength. If that were true, it was equivalent to an eleventh-grade soul-guided bomb hanging over the Federation's head.

"There's no need to panic. I killed her," Yun Ming said calmly.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but Long Yueye's face turned somewhat pale. She raised her head and looked at them. "Does everyone still remember the Nether King?"

The room fell silent.

Everyone's expressions grew solemn. The truly gifted Evil Soul Master, the one chosen by the plane—the Nether King Douluo.

Back then, countless powerful figures had exhausted every effort to kill him. Who among those present did not know? He had been a true Limit Douluo, a demigod-level Evil Soul Master.

"Elder Yue, did something happen?" Zhu Shi asked.

Long Yueye sighed. "Yesterday, I saw the Golden Ancient Tree take human form. He told me that the Plane Master had acted, and the energy fluctuations from that action were enormous. The overall Soul Power fluctuations of the Douluo Plane have dropped by one percent!!"

Everyone sprang up in shock. Yun Ming's expression became strained. He was furious inside. If what Gu You had said was true, then the current Plane Master should be Tang Hao! The father of Tang San, the Sea God. Yun Ming could not understand what this Plane Master was thinking. How could the person chosen by the plane be an Evil Soul Master? And this time, he had attacked Gu You for no reason at all. It was too vicious!

Yun Ming's faith was gradually collapsing, yet his heart still held on. After all, it was not only his own belief. It was a conviction that the entire Douluo Plane had upheld for twenty thousand years. Once it was lost, Shrek's reputation would be gone forever.

Yun Ming was deeply conflicted. What was right? What was wrong? He was no longer confused...