Ge Long looked at the enemy's movements and sneered. "They're waiting for reinforcements. The Star Luo Emperor won't let him lose so easily. Within a few days at most, Star Luo Soul Masters transferred from elsewhere will certainly arrive."
He looked at Chen Chu and the others, his expression solemn. "Everyone needs to recover your Soul Power and repair the fortifications as quickly as possible. There are still plenty of battles ahead!"
Ge Long's words still echoed across the battlefield, yet the reinforcements they had anxiously awaited for days ultimately did not dare launch another frontal decisive battle. After half a month of stalemate, Star Luo's offensive quietly retreated.
But no one had expected that this temporary lull in the flames of war would become the beginning of a long confrontation. Year after year, wind and rain washed the smoke from the fortifications away, only for it to gather again. Chen Chu and the others grew from inexperienced responders into battle-hardened commanders at the front. In the blink of an eye, three years passed, and the battles Ge Long had once said were far from over had long since fermented into an endless war of attrition.
Deputy Commander's Main Camp
"The envoy delegation from the front has brought news. Both sides have reached a peace agreement, and Your Majesty's decree has arrived. Before long, you will lead the Imperial Guard back to the capital."
Over the three-year war of attrition, Chen Chu had stood out among the commanders and become the military's nominal—and actual—second-in-command on the front lines.
His cultivation had also reached rank eighty, yet he had been unable to break through for a long time. Advancing only five ranks in three years, one major reason for his slow progress was not merely the continuous war, but more importantly, the Asura God Trial.
The Asura God had descended with the divine trial when he broke through to rank eighty and gave him two choices.
First, Chen Chu could complete the divine trial step by step on his own. He would receive no help whatsoever. The risks would be great, but the rewards would be greater as well.
Second, once Chen Chu broke through the limit, Asura could directly transfer Tang Chen's divine trial onto him. At that point, he would only need to complete the final trial. Throughout the process of breaking through the limit, Asura would provide him with detailed assistance. However, after entering the God Realm, Chen Chu would have to act according to Asura's strategies and policies.
If I choose the second option, wouldn't I just become a tool? That old bastard Asura wants to keep controlling the God Realm even after passing on his divine position. He wants everything—he's really thinking too much.
Still, it was not as though choosing the first option meant that guy would not make him do things. It was simply that if he chose the first option, the divine trials would come one by one, following the proper procedure and leaving no evidence behind.
Besides, becoming familiar with the divine position step by step was certainly much better than inheriting it directly. Stuffing a watermelon up one's nose—if that did not cause backlash, it would be a miracle.
The first trial of his divine test was to transform Divine Slaughter's Domain into Asura Domain and break through to Soul Douluo.
Transforming Divine Slaughter's Domain into Asura Domain required vast amounts of killing aura and Killing Intent. He had to temper his domain and himself in a place of death and destruction. Now, only a battlefield strewn with corpses suited him, and over these past three years, he had indeed gained enormously.
Whenever war broke out, he always took the lead, wielding Sagros's pair of razor-sharp blood scythes across the battlefield to mercilessly reap lives and nourish Divine Slaughter's Domain, striving to complete its transformation.
For this reason, he had also earned several resounding titles within the army: Asura Mantis, Ten Thousand Slayer, and more.
At the same time, through his outstanding military achievements, his prestige within the Heaven Dou military and among the people of Heaven Dou had reached its peak. He was hailed as the Heaven Dou Military God, a genius seen only once in ten thousand years.
Ao Tian looked at Chen Chu, who sat alone in the military camp, and asked, "What are you going to do about your Eighth Spirit Ring? Go capture that Sky Azure Bull Python from last time?"
Ao Tian had no desire to learn about Chen Chu's affairs with Asura. Asura had left too great a shadow over him. Now, he only hoped that the kid beside him could safely inherit the divine position, so that he could at least get a share of the benefits.
Chen Chu opened his eyes and looked at the transfer order and imperial decree on the table. "We'll hunt the Sky Azure Bull Python first. Just send personal guards to deliver the message to Your Majesty. The army can return to the capital as planned, while the two of us leave ahead of them. It'll only take a few days. We can catch up with anything."
Given his and Ao Tian's speed, they should be able to finish hunting the spirit beast in less than a week. When they had let the Sky Azure Bull Python leave last time, Ao Tian had left a method on it. As long as they entered the range of perception, he would be able to sense it.
"Fine. Then let's set out quickly." Ao Tian nodded, packed up his things, gave his instructions, and then followed Chen Chu as they rushed ahead toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
A few days later, at the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, several academy-like teams appeared at an inn near the entrance.
A little girl in pink clothes, with rabbit ears and braided hair, bounced around as she chased butterflies. Behind her, another beautiful young girl in a princess dress chased after her. "Xiao Wu, wait for me! What's gotten into you? Why are you so excited the moment we get here?"
The girl behind her was none other than Ning Rongrong. She had originally been supposed to study at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but Chen Chu had resigned from his post and gone to the front lines. Ning Fengzhi therefore stopped forcing his youngest daughter and allowed her to go out on her own to attend this academy—Shrek Academy.
"There's an inn up ahead! Little San, Teacher, let's go have a proper meal there."
When the two girls saw the establishment ahead, their eyes immediately lit up. Xiao Wu in particular ran back at once, grabbed Tang San's arm, and pleaded pitifully.
There was no other reason. She had already spent all of this month's allowance on clothes, socks, and carrots. Now, she relied entirely on Tang San to support her.
Tang San smiled helplessly and nodded. Looking at Zhao Wuji behind him, he said, "Teacher Zhao, why don't we rest at the restaurant ahead for a while? It's noon already. We can have lunch, and everyone's tired."
The moment he said this, he received support from almost everyone present. Zhao Wuji could only nod. "Fine. Everyone can rest through the afternoon. Once you've rested well, we'll enter the Star Dou Great Forest early tomorrow morning!"
By the time Chen Chu and Ao Tian arrived, it was already night. Normally, neither of them would have wasted time at an inn, but Ao Tian said there was the aura of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast inside, which caught Chen Chu's interest.
As he approached, he understood. It was the aura of that rabbit, along with a group from Shrek Academy. However, they were currently arguing with people from another academy.
Chen Chu even heard that outrageously arrogant line: "Our dean says that those who don't cause trouble are mediocre!" Then the two sides began fighting. After Tang San used some trick to defeat the other academy's teacher, they fiercely humiliated him, and he left in disgrace.
Chen Chu did not interfere throughout the entire affair. The strong preyed on the weak; no one was wrong. The only mistake was that this bastard was too weak. Chen Chu was no saint and had no interest in meddling.
Only after their fight had ended did Chen Chu approach them. His gaze paused on Tang San for a moment before shifting to the peach-eyed man at the very back, Oscar.
"Oscar, long time no see. Have you thought over what I told you last time?"
Chen Chu looked at Oscar, revealed a faintly friendly expression, and asked.
Before you continue