Blood God Army, Long Yuxue: "I Held You When You Were Little, You Should Call Me Uncle Dragon"

The black-grade mecha sped across the ancient desert beneath a sky full of yellow sand, arriving at Blazing Fire Basin, the most densely populated region in the west.

The Blood God Army was stationed in the Heaven's End Mountain Range at the edge of Blazing Fire Basin. Heavy snow sealed off the mountains year-round, leaving not a blade of grass alive. The conditions were exceedingly harsh, wholly unsuitable for ordinary people.

Blazing Fire Basin, however, was completely different. A million civilians lived here. The western Douluo Continent was sparsely populated, and Blazing Fire Basin was the most important city in the entire west. Before entering the Heaven's End Mountain Range, Zhao Xuanzhen would replenish some necessary supplies here.

This place truly lived up to its name. The temperature was abnormally hot and stifling. Most buildings were homes made of earth and stone, while the locals dressed in styles vastly different from those popular elsewhere on the continent.

Along the way, Zhao Xuanzhen saw that nearly every resident wore a veil over their face to block the wind and sun. Only Soul Masters unafraid of the scorching sunlight dared reveal their faces. Some bold female Soul Masters wore cool tube tops and shorts, their skin a healthy wheat color baked by the sun, giving them a uniquely appealing air.

After buying his daily necessities, Zhao Xuanzhen took a few photos of Blazing Fire Basin's local scenery and customs and sent them to the girls. A series of Beep Beep Beep notifications immediately rang out as replies came flooding in. After responding to each of them, he suddenly noticed something odd.

Everyone had wished him a safe journey, except for one silver-haired girl who had to be different. She had sent a teary-eyed sticker, as though she had some unspoken grievance and was growing angrier the more she kept it bottled up.

He made a Soul Guide Communication call. Na'er was still as lively and spirited as ever, though the howling wind and rushing air around her suggested that she was traveling at high speed.

Once he confirmed that Na'er was unharmed, Zhao Xuanzhen did not press further. The black-grade mecha transformed into a Soul Guide car, its engine roaring as it crossed Blazing Fire Basin and charged straight toward the Heaven's End Mountain Range.

The biting wind was like blades as it swept across the rolling snow lines, dyeing heaven and earth a magnificent silver-white. The gale rolled up snowflakes, which refracted the thin daylight as they spiraled and collided.

Looking into the distance, ice cliffs as sheer as if cut by blades and axes soared into the clouds. Glaciers wound and sprawled like the roof of the world, gleaming with a dark blue luster beneath the deep azure sky. Zhao Xuanzhen put away the black-grade mecha and pressed onward against the wind and snow, stepping over jagged ridges.

Leng Yaozhu had specifically instructed her disciple that there was a special rite before joining the Blood God Army: one had to cross the Heaven's End Mountain Range alone and reach the military district. No external aid such as battle armor or mechas was permitted, nor could one use Soul Power. One had to rely purely on physical fitness and unyielding willpower to contend against nature's cruelty.

Frost and snow settled over Zhao Xuanzhen's ink-black hair. He did not release his martial soul, and not a trace of Soul Power fluctuated around him. Yet as his feet landed in waist-deep snow, every lift and step was unbelievably light, as though he stood not atop snow but on solid ground.

After all, he was an Eight-ring Soul Elder with an utterly absurd base stat panel. Cold alone could no longer pose any obstacle to Zhao Xuanzhen.

Climbing steep ice cliffs with his bare hands was almost relaxing. His knuckles gripped frozen crevices as his body twisted and sprang like an agile ape. With a leap, he used the force of his descent, his feet carving deep furrows into the snowy slope, and continued onward without the slightest injury.

The frigid wind poured into his lungs, and the thin air was enough to suffocate an ordinary person. Zhao Xuanzhen's chest rose and fell faintly, his breaths long and profound, carrying a unique rhythm of heaven and earth. As his figure rose and fell, he seemed to have strangely melted into this vast world.

After crossing several towering snow peaks, the view abruptly opened up. Within the boundless Vast Expanse of snowfields, a military camp lay silently crouched, emitting an aura of iron-blooded solemnity.

Zhao Xuanzhen descended from the sky and landed steadily on the snowfield. His gaze swept over the seemingly flat snow ahead, and the corners of his lips lifted in an almost imperceptible curve. He casually raised his right foot and lightly stomped down.

A muffled boom spread out, like a drumstick striking the core of the earth. An exquisitely controlled force of vibration traveled from beneath Zhao Xuanzhen's foot into the layers of snow below.

"Crack, crack—"

Vast Expanse after Vast Expanse of snow split apart. Four figures in white camouflage leaped out of the snow pits somewhat awkwardly. Their focus on their surveillance mission was instantly replaced by incredulous shock and sudden, intense vigilance.

They raised their Soul Guide ray guns and aimed them at Zhao Xuanzhen, every muscle in their bodies taut as though they had discovered a Super Fierce Beast invading their territory. That stomp just now had contained not the slightest trace of Soul Power, yet it had left them dizzy and disoriented. The difference in strength between the two sides was undoubtedly as vast as heaven and earth.

Facing four Level Seven Soul Guide ray guns, Zhao Xuanzhen remained calm. He unhurriedly reached into his clothes and took out a letter.

The lead scout seemed to realize something. He raised a hand to stop his companions from launching an attack at any moment, then quickly stepped forward and took the letter with both hands. After carefully checking the Blood God Army imprint on it, he opened the letter and read it closely.

The next moment, the scout abruptly straightened. His right hand clenched into a fist and struck heavily against the left side of his chest over his heart with a resounding bang. The other three made the exact same motion at top speed, perfectly synchronized and full of force.

"Third Reconnaissance Squad of the Iron Blood Regiment, Blood Master Division, Blood God Army, salutes the descendant of martyrs!"

The scout captain's voice was slightly hoarse with excitement. The looks in his squad's eyes had changed completely. Their vigilance had turned into blazing respect, their gazes piercing through the wind and snow with heartfelt solemnity and reverence.

"Spirit Emissary Zhao Xuanzhen, the Blood God Army welcomes your arrival!"

The two shook hands amicably, the captain tightly gripping Zhao Xuanzhen's hand to convey his goodwill.

Zhao Xuanzhen had been born in the Blood God Army. Because of the ties left behind by his parents, the military high command had specifically kept tabs on news about him.

As Zhao Xuanzhen's reputation grew ever greater, even sweeping across the two continents of Douluo and Star Luo, those higher-ups felt immensely proud, believing that a child of the Blood God Army truly was extraordinary.

Word spread from one person to ten, then from ten to a hundred. Zhao Xuanzhen's name became a frequent topic throughout the Blood God Army. Though he had never personally set foot in the Blood God Army before, his legends were everywhere within it.

There was no need to elaborate on the stature of one of the Four Great Spirit Emissaries of the current era. A Spirit Emissary's status was equivalent to a Sea God Pavilion Elder of Shrek Academy or one of the top five War Gods of the War God Hall. Every one of them was a powerhouse with the combat strength of a Super Douluo, and the strong deserved respect.

Besides this, the Spirit Pagoda had just undergone a changing of the guard. The Phoenix family, newly in power, urgently needed strong experts to hold the fort. Heavenly Phoenix Douluo had also publicly named Zhao Xuanzhen as the next-generation heir to the position of Pagoda Master. The fact that he could set aside such a bright and promising path to come suffer in the Blood God Army was itself worthy of their admiration.

"Please follow me!"

The reconnaissance captain returned the letter neatly to Zhao Xuanzhen, gestured for him to proceed, and spoke with deep respect in his voice. The three soldiers slipped back into the snow, and the surface swiftly became smooth again, as though they had never appeared at all.

The two headed to the military camp to report in. The reconnaissance captain was a twenty-year veteran. According to him, when he had still been a greenhorn, Zhao Xuanzhen's father, Zhao Liuyun, had saved his life. During the Abyssal Tide, Abyss creatures were endless. The Silver Giant had been like an unbreakable city wall, standing alongside the graceful and nimble phoenix to protect the Blood God Army with their lives.

The moment the captain met Zhao Xuanzhen, he opened up, continuously voicing his gratitude while bringing up Zhao Xuanzhen's many great achievements in the outside world. The way he looked at Zhao Xuanzhen was practically the way one would look at a human hero.

This time, Zhao Xuanzhen chose to be a proper listener. He nodded and smiled, handling the conversation with ease without revealing much emotional change. Humans were complicated creatures. He was not a saint who would dedicate himself without complaint or regret, but what the outside world saw of him was mostly his radiant and righteous side.

Zhao Xuanzhen had never considered himself a person of noble character. His reasons for joining the Blood God Army were, first, that killing the abyss was everyone's responsibility; second, that he wanted the Abyss Energy and the Blood God Army itself.

The Huanglong Spear could devour Abyss creatures and feed their power back to its wielder, drastically shortening cultivation time. The Auspicious Water Pig needed this opportunity to complete its spirit ascension and break through to a Hundred Thousand Year Cultivation Level. Furthermore, the Blood God Army's geographical position was naturally suited to restraining the two great western and northwestern legions, completely eliminating the Phoenix family's future worries.

Of course, now that he was here, his purpose no longer mattered. Even if some personal benefit was mixed in, feelings were still feelings in the end.

The reconnaissance captain accompanied Zhao Xuanzhen to the military camp. The snow near the camp had been cleared away, allowing them to walk directly on hard ground instead of continuing to sink through the snow.

Everything in the camp was orderly. When the two arrived before a building, the reconnaissance captain raised his hand and pressed a red button. A beam of light shot out and scanned their entire bodies. Once verification passed, the metal doors before them Slowly Opened.

Stopping outside an inner room, the reconnaissance captain struck his chest with a fist and said in a deep voice, "Reporting to the major, the new recruit has arrived!"

"Come in." A cool, crisp voice came from inside.

Having delivered him, the reconnaissance captain stopped outside the door and signaled for Zhao Xuanzhen to enter alone. Zhao Xuanzhen nodded. Warm air mixed with a faint, elegant fragrance met him from within, as though it belonged to an entirely different world from the brutal cold of the Heaven's End Mountain Range.

Beyond the door was a simple office, with a metal desk, hard chairs, and a huge Soul Guide Screen hanging on the wall. Two figures stood behind the desk.

Their appearances were similar, but their age difference was obvious. They looked to be mother and daughter, yet the daughter's military rank was more than a level above her mother's. The major insignia on her epaulets shone brightly.

The female major wore a crisp white military uniform tailored to fit, accentuating her graceful curves. Her beautiful brown hair was cut short, and her skin was fair and delicate. Her eyes were a clear light brown. Her high nose added a few touches of toughness to her feminine beauty, and her entire presence exuded the valiant bearing of a soldier.

When she saw Zhao Xuanzhen's clear and outstanding face, a flash of amazement passed through the major's eyes. Then her slender brows furrowed slightly. She felt that his face seemed quite familiar and asked doubtfully, "Have we met somewhere before?"

The words sounded exactly like a stock pickup line. Zhao Xuanzhen replied calmly, "Zhao Xuanzhen, the soldier recommended by the Spirit Pagoda for this intake."

Hearing that thunderous name, the mother and daughter instantly changed expression. Shock and excitement mingled on their faces as they stared Zhao Xuanzhen up and down as though trying to stare flowers out of his face. The female major's beautiful eyes glimmered as she said, "Little Brother Xuanzhen, I'm Long Yuxue. You might not remember, but I held you when you were little!"

The utterly unfamiliar form of address made Zhao Xuanzhen lean back slightly. Na'er always called him by his full name. Gu Yue, Leng Yaozhu, Ye Xinglan, and the Bai sisters liked calling him the more intimate Xuanzhen. Boss was exclusive to Yuanen Yehui, while Class Monitor was favored by his classmates. Those names represented a closer relationship with Zhao Xuanzhen, clearly distinguishing them from other subordinates.

This was the first time since heaven and earth creation that anyone had called him Little Brother Xuanzhen. Did one of the Four Great Spirit Emissaries have no pride at all?!

As for Long Yuxue's eager attitude, Zhao Xuanzhen was not surprised in the least, because that letter had come from Long Yuxue's father, the Blood God Army's vice commander, Extreme Cold Douluo Long Tianwu.

It was Long Tianwu who had hoped Zhao Xuanzhen could join the Blood God Army for training and offer a stick of incense before Hero's Tomb. In Leng Yaozhu's words, if she had not arrived in time back then, Zhao Xuanzhen would certainly have been adopted by Long Tianwu's family.

"When did you even meet Xuanzhen? Don't scare the boy," Dragon Mother said with a chuckle. "What a handsome, upright young man. Your mother, Ye Ling, was a flower of the Blood God Army back then and attracted countless admirers.

"You're even more outstanding than Ling'er was, and your talent is beyond compare. You're not even nineteen yet, right? Old Dragon told us some time ago that you were already one of the Four Great Spirit Emissaries. We could hardly believe it."

Dragon Mother looked exactly like she was admiring the accomplished child of her best friend's family, her appreciation entirely undisguised.

"Dad, that letter you sent to Heavenly Phoenix Douluo worked! Little Brother Xuanzhen has come to join the Blood God Army. He's even more handsome in person than in the Zhang Tianzhao Kneeling Picture. Hurry over and take a look!" Long Yuxue eagerly contacted Long Tianwu.

After the initial excitement, the Long family mother and daughter pulled Zhao Xuanzhen over to sit and chat. Dragon Mother sighed. "Every few years, the four great powers—the Spirit Pagoda, War God Hall, Shrek Academy, and Tang Sect—send a group of elite disciples to enlist.

"Ling'er and Liuyun were selected from the Spirit Pagoda and War God Hall respectively. Here, everyone forgets the power they came from and devotes themselves to resisting Abyss creatures and protecting our Douluo Continent.

"I heard the continent has undergone drastic changes in recent years. Shrek Academy was bombed by Holy Spirit Cult Evil Soul Masters using a God-Slaying Soul Guide Cannonball. The continent's number one figure, Skyraising Douluo, perished. After Light Darkness Douluo succeeded him as Pavilion Master, she led Shrek graduates to launch a wave of resistance, only for the Federal High Command to label them a traitorous organization. The Tang Sect was implicated as well.

"The Federal Council is determined to sanction them, forbidding the Eight Great Legions and the Blood God Army from accepting disciples of the Shi and Tang families.

"The Spirit Pagoda has been Greatly Weakened. The Qian Gu Family took a large group of former students and fled to the Dou Ling Continent, causing personnel shortages in branches everywhere. This time, you are the only one who has come to the Blood God Army to enlist.

"Xuanzhen, we are very happy that you could come here for training. Whether you ultimately choose to remain in the Blood God Army or retire and return to the Spirit Pagoda to succeed as Pagoda Master, at least during This Period, we will certainly do everything in our power to help you."

"Creak—"

A figure pushed the door open and entered. Having received his daughter's communication, Long Tianwu had hurriedly set aside all his work and rushed over to see the son of an old friend with his own eyes.

"Senior Extreme Cold," Zhao Xuanzhen said as he rose.

Long Tianwu shook his head heavily, deeply dissatisfied with that form of address. He corrected him, "Zhao Liuyun and I were close friends in the past. Considering our fathers' relationship...

"You should call me Uncle Dragon."