At dawn, the east brightened.
High in the clouds, unnoticed by anyone, several streaks of light sped toward the Sun Moon Continent across the ocean.
"Bleurgh!"
Xie Yue was still as earth-shaking as ever, but he was in much better condition than the first time.
Bi Ji followed behind Bear Lord. Whenever Xie Yue seemed close to losing consciousness, she immediately treated him.
Jiang Mian covered his face, too embarrassed to look at Xie Yue. Bringing him along on this trip had truly been a mistake.
"We'll need to fly over the sea for at least half a month, so prepare yourselves." Di Tian pointed at the boundless azure waters below. "We've entered the deep-sea region. There are no traces of humans left here."
"There must be especially powerful Sea Spirit Beasts in a place like this, right?" Jiang Mian asked curiously.
"Possibly." Di Tian smiled faintly. "But there shouldn't be any stronger than me."
Jiang Mian laughed and did not pursue the subject. He did not know where the Deep Sea Demon Whale King was at the moment, but if that beast dared to show itself, Jiang Mian would not mind making it the target of his sixth soul ring.
At Jiang Mian's current strength, unless a god descended into the world, perhaps no one alive could harm him in the slightest.
Xie Yue had recovered somewhat. Lying on Bear Lord's back, he did not dare use his Mind's Eye to look down. Bear Lord was both amused and exasperated by this final disciple of his.
Bear Lord simply let Xie Yue lie on his back. He was his final disciple, after all. What else could he do but spoil him?
Jiang Mian watched the beautiful scenery below. Sea Spirit Beasts continuously leaped from the water, stirring up wave after wave.
Di Tian suddenly accelerated, and the scenery below shifted rapidly. Yet Jiang Mian's eyesight was astonishingly good; he could take everything in at a glance.
Before they knew it, thirteen days passed in the blink of an eye.
Jiang Mian and the others drifted over the sea for a full thirteen days. At last, on the fourteenth day, Jiang Mian vaguely saw the edge of land.
"We're here." Di Tian looked surprised. "No, we shouldn't have reached the Sun Moon Continent this quickly."
"Could we have been faster this time?" Jiang Mian asked curiously. "Di Tian, aren't you being a little oversensitive?"
"No." Di Tian shook his head, his expression suddenly turning grave. "It feels as if the Sun Moon Continent is slowly moving toward the Douluo Continent."
"How is that possible?" Jiang Mian was shocked. According to the timeline, the Sun Moon Continent's continental drift should not bring it close to the Douluo Continent until ten thousand years later. How could it be happening now?
Could his arrival have caused even the course of this world to change?
"We'll head straight for the Evil Eye Forest. Don't disturb the other things on this continent too much." Di Tian warned, "I have a faint sense of unease."
"Perhaps the Sun Moon Continent and the Douluo Continent will collide soon." Jiang Mian's words were startling as he smiled. "That is not mere speculation."
"Even if they collide, what then? At most, it will trigger a devastating war." Di Tian said, "You should pay attention to the Soul Tools of the Sun Moon Continent. Their destructive power may only be so-so, but ordinary soul masters absolutely cannot afford to underestimate them."
"Interesting." Jiang Mian smiled faintly. He estimated that the Sun Moon Continent's Soul Tool research had already far surpassed that of the Douluo Continent.
However, the Douluo Continent was currently teeming with monsters and geniuses, with heroes as numerous as fish crossing a river. Even if the Sun Moon Continent dared collide with it, it would still have to obediently bow its head in submission.
"What about the language here?" Jiang Mian asked. "It must differ greatly from ours."
"Yes. Try not to communicate with others." Di Tian looked around. "We're currently on the western coast of the Sun Moon Continent, where there are relatively few humans. Let's clean ourselves up and hurry to the Evil Eye Forest."
"Interesting." Jiang Mian clenched his fist. He was waiting for the Sun Moon Continent to crash into the Douluo Continent. Then, as an imperial tutor and powerful minister, the territory under his authority would become enormous.
"The Evil Eye Forest is right ahead." Di Tian pointed toward a vast expanse of towering primeval woodland visible to the south. "It's there."
"Though it is not as grand in scale as the Star Dou Great Forest, it is indeed quite large." It was Snow Empress's first time on the Sun Moon Continent, and she clicked her tongue in amazement. "I've long heard of Evil Emperor's great name. I truly want to meet him."
"He's just a madman." Di Tian brushed dust from his shoulder. "But with so many powerful beings standing before him, I doubt he would dare act rashly."
"Interesting. I'd like to test this Evil Emperor myself." Bear Lord cracked his knuckles. "After all, he is an ancient existence as famous as you, Di Tian."
"You can try all you want." Scarlet King laughed. "Let Evil Emperor break all three of your legs."
"You little mutt, why are you boosting others' prestige and undermining our own?" Bear Lord immediately demanded. "Tell me, are you a spy sent by Evil Emperor?"
"Bullshit! I'm loyal to the core." Scarlet King slapped his chest and cursed angrily. "How dare you slander me for no reason?"
"Enough." Di Tian frowned slightly, cutting off the squabbling between the two Ferocious Beasts.
"The last time you came to the Evil Eye Forest, you discussed Jiang Mian with the Evil Eye Tyrant Overlord, didn't you?" Bi Ji approached Di Tian with her usual elegance and asked, "But when you returned, you never told us the result. What exactly happened?"
"The Evil Eye Tyrant Overlord hesitated as well." Di Tian said calmly. "But he did not trust me and fought me fiercely. King of Ten Thousand Demons, the other Ferocious Beasts, and I joined forces to teach him a lesson."
"So, with Jiang Mian himself here this time, there is a chance we can settle things without fighting, right?" Jade Swan Bi Ji was peaceful by nature. Naturally, she did not want everyone fighting to the death, only to injure the enemy by a thousand while suffering eight hundred themselves.
Di Tian sneered, clasping his hands behind his back. Naturally, peaceful resolution would be best. But if that failed, with so many powerful beings gathered here, were they supposed to fear that they could not subdue Evil Emperor?
"Let's go." Di Tian grabbed Jiang Mian and instantly flew toward the Evil Eye Forest, with everyone following close behind.
Di Tian did not wish to waste time. Only King of Ten Thousand Demons and a group of juniors remained to guard the Star Dou Great Forest, and their lord had yet to fully recover. He did not dare delay for too long.
Within the Evil Eye Forest, a gigantic eye more than five hundred meters in diameter slowly appeared. Sensing the fluctuations of Soul Power between heaven and earth, he roared furiously, "Di Tian!"
A beam of light shot straight into the heavens, like the Heaven and Earth Connection. Evil Emperor's figure floated above the Evil Eye Forest. His massive body made him visible to every soul beast within the forest.
Di Tian and the five Ferocious Beasts brought Jiang Mian and Xie Yue to the edge of the Evil Eye Forest. Di Tian's golden eyes shifted, and though his tone was calm, his voice rang through the entire forest.
"Evil Emperor, I have come for you. If you insist on fighting, we will accompany you to the end!"
"Di Tian, you brought helpers and think that means I fear you?" Evil Emperor's voice seemed to come from everywhere as that enormous eye stared intently at Di Tian. "With such Soul Power fluctuations, you truly spared no expense."
"So this is Evil Emperor?" Snow Empress stepped forward. In an instant, vast snow clouds gathered above the Evil Eye Forest, and snowflakes drifted down, quickly covering a large portion of the forest.
Snow Empress was demonstrating her strength to Evil Emperor. With that silent step, she had directly unleashed Emperor's Cold Heaven at full power, causing the weather to transform in an instant.
Evil Emperor's tone became noticeably more wary. "Such methods... could you be Snow Empress of the Extreme North?"
"Correct." Snow Empress's icy voice resounded through heaven and earth. A smile lingered on her lips as she said, "Evil Emperor, do you have anything to say?"
"Six of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts have gathered here. What a sight not seen in ten thousand years!" Evil Emperor's tone seemed much gentler than before. "Those two little ones... could they be the ones you mentioned when you came last time, Di Tian?"
He really did bully the weak and fear the strong. As expected, strength was the only true source of confidence.
The giant eye in the sky vanished. A middle-aged man in black suddenly appeared before Jiang Mian. His build was similar to Di Tian's, but his pair of blood-red eyes was especially striking. It seemed that looking directly into them could stir up the darkest terrors buried deep within one's heart.
"Hello." Jiang Mian stayed close to Di Tian and timidly greeted him.
Evil Emperor frowned slightly. He looked at Jiang Mian, then at Di Tian, as though asking, This is the hope of all soul beasts you spoke of? Why does he look so frail?
"He has not yet grown up." Di Tian said calmly. "Evil Emperor, this is precisely the opportunity to become gods. You have lived for seven hundred and eighty thousand years. You should know that soul beasts being unable to become gods is an ironclad law. This young man is the greatest hope for breaking that law."
"Interesting." Evil Emperor sized Jiang Mian up and down, then suddenly asked, "How old is this boy?"
"I'll be fourteen soon." Jiang Mian met Evil Emperor's gaze and replied.
"Good." Evil Emperor looked at Jiang Mian, and even his violent temper seemed to ease somewhat. With five Ferocious Beasts before him, no matter how bad his temper was, he did not dare act up lightly.
"This little one is interesting too." Evil Emperor turned toward Xie Yue. "I can sense the deepest darkness within you. What is going on?"
"He was chosen by a god." Bear Lord said. "Given time, he will certainly become a god."
Evil Emperor raised his brows. Di Tian's visit had truly brought him quite a few surprises.
"Whenever you and I meet, fighting has always been unavoidable." Di Tian smiled. "But for the future of our soul beasts, perhaps we can advance hand in hand."
Evil Emperor gritted his teeth and smiled. "If you are willing to give me one of these opportunities, then I, the Evil Eye Tyrant Overlord, will owe you, Di Tian, a favor."
"That is also because you are powerful, and you can greatly help this child grow." Di Tian said. "If you were not this powerful, the chance to become a god would not have fallen to you."
Evil Emperor chuckled. He rubbed Jiang Mian's head, and a rare gentleness appeared in his eyes. "This little one looks especially like my son."
"Since we can advance hand in hand, that is naturally a joyous outcome for everyone." Bi Ji smiled. "Evil Emperor truly lives up to his name. I admire you."
"No need for flattery." Evil Emperor quickly waved his hand. "Countless soul beasts would beg for such an opportunity. I won't miss it."
"Then let's do it quickly." Di Tian signaled with his eyes, and Jiang Mian hurriedly took out the Spirit Ball and held it out before Evil Emperor.
Evil Emperor acted decisively as well. Without the slightest hesitation, he entered the Spirit Ball directly, becoming Jiang Mian's sixth soul beast.
"This spiritual power!" Feeling his mental strength suddenly increase several hundredfold, Jiang Mian exclaimed, "As expected of Evil Emperor. I feel like I've taken another huge step forward."
"Did your Soul Power increase as well?" Scarlet King asked.
"It has already risen to rank sixty-three." Jiang Mian sensed the changes within himself and smiled. "Xie Yue, Evil Emperor is also very compatible with your Moon Blade."
"I've already taken Xie Yue as my final disciple. Things like this go by first come, first served." Bear Lord hurriedly shielded Xie Yue behind him. "Jiang Mian, don't go making random arrangements."
"Hahaha." Jiang Mian laughed knowingly. "I know you can't bear to part with your disciple. I was joking."
Evil Emperor jumped out of the Spirit Ball and said, "This feeling is truly wonderful. I really am not bound by anything at all. It feels just like normal."
"Your Soul Power will soar too." Bear Lord laughed. "This feeling is one of a kind."
"Interesting."
"Alright, since things went so smoothly, we should prepare to return to the Douluo Continent." Seeing Jiang Mian successfully obtain his sixth soul ring, Di Tian immediately said, "That place cannot do without our protection."
"Um, Di Tian." Jiang Mian said, "I have an improper request. I want to remain on the Sun Moon Continent for a while longer and see exactly what their Soul Tools are like."
"This..." Di Tian glanced at Evil Emperor and said hesitantly, "This is their territory, after all. Your safety here cannot be guaranteed."
"Are you taking a jab at me?" Evil Emperor laughed angrily. "With me here, if this boy loses even a single hair, then I don't deserve to be called Evil Emperor. Is that good enough?"
"With those words from you, I'm relieved." The corner of Di Tian's mouth lifted, revealing the expression of someone whose scheme had succeeded. "In that case, stay here. We must hurry back to guard the Star Dou Great Forest."
"Alright." Jiang Mian nodded. Xie Yue suddenly stepped before Jiang Mian and said, "I'll stay with Jiang Mian on the Sun Moon Continent for a while too."
"That works. Young people should broaden their horizons." Bear Lord nodded in agreement, then reminded him worriedly, "It's fine for you to stay here, but don't forget your master."
"Don't worry, Master. You, Bear Lord, will be my only master in this life. You were in the past, and you will remain so in the future." Xie Yue looked into Bear Lord's eyes and vowed solemnly.
"Then your master can rest easy." Bear Lord let out a long breath. Snow Empress walked up to Jiang Mian, bent down slightly, and pulled him into an embrace. "Jiang Mian, if you suffer any grievance or encounter any trouble, do not endure it alone. We will forever be your strongest support."
"Mm." Jiang Mian embraced Snow Empress as well. The two ignored everyone around them. Snow Empress gently kissed Jiang Mian on the forehead, then left with a smile.
"You brat really has extraordinary luck with women." Evil Emperor watched the five powerful beings depart and immediately teased, "Even Snow Empress, such a beautiful fairy, has fallen for you. A hero truly emerges in youth."
"That's called ability." Jiang Mian shook his wrist, then suddenly said mysteriously, "Evil Emperor, the entire Sun Moon Empire seems to regard you as its totem, right?"
"Yes. What are you trying to do?" Evil Emperor was somewhat bewildered by Jiang Mian's abrupt question.
"Then could you help me become the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire?"
Before you continue