The teleportation array inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well blazed with light.
A mighty legion marched out in orderly formation.
Their powerful spiritual energy, lavish equipment, and restrained yet immense presence all proclaimed them an elite force.
In a corner, Poison Douluo and his granddaughter stared in stunned horror at the battle formation, gaining a new understanding of the Holy Demon Federation.
"Grandpa, th-this is..."
Dugu Yan's face blanched as she swallowed hard.
Every soldier in this force that had suddenly arrived was giving off "Soul Power," and each one was incredibly strong?
What kind of foundation did it take to assemble such a force? Across the Douluo Continent, surely only Spirit Hall could just barely manage it?
"Don't look at me, I've never seen anything like this either. Even the weakest soldier is comparable to a sixtieth-level Soul Emperor. Pick any officer at random, and they're at least equivalent to a seventieth-level Soul Sage."
Dugu Bo was no less shaken than his granddaughter.
He smiled wryly, but was also relieved. Thank goodness he had surrendered decisively.
Just imagining being enemies with such a terrifying force was enough to make anyone despair. What could the Heaven Dou Empire possibly fight them with?
And clearly, the shock was only beginning. Since the massive teleportation array needed to recharge, it could only transport a limited number at a time.
Over the next long stretch of time, thousands more elite soldiers arrived in the Douluo world one after another, stationed all around under Long Haochen's command.
"The troops who came before were only the vanguard?"
Dugu Bo's head spun. He was completely speechless now.
He was still wondering how many more elite troops would emerge from the teleportation array, and what they would do next, when Chen Zidian suddenly called him over. Long Haochen stood nearby as well, and both men looked excited.
"Old Poison, it's about time. You and Hao Chen, go out and deliver an ultimatum to the people outside the forest."
Chen Zidian was brief as he outlined the next steps.
Dugu Bo understood almost at once. They were planning to start a war!
The so-called ultimatum amounted to ordering "irrelevant outsiders" to get lost and "persuading" the Heaven Dou Empire to surrender.
It might not make a difference, but the proper steps still had to be followed. After all, the Holy Demon Federation had invaded the Douluo world not to wipe everyone out.
As for why they wanted him to go along, Dugu Bo knew that too. It was a psychological tactic, meant to undermine their morale and perhaps even win without a fight.
Just imagine the despair and shock when the Heaven Dou Empire's troops and Soul Masters learned that the royal family's Titled Douluo retainer had defected before the fighting had even begun.
"I understand. Don't worry."
Dugu Bo sighed helplessly, not daring to object.
At this point, he had to prove his worth further if he wanted to cling to Lin Feng's "thigh."
He soon left with Long Haochen, flying out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and straight to the edge of the forest.
The camp had already reacted. The teleportation array kept roaring without pause; anyone would have been on edge.
In fact, as soon as the first batch of troops arrived, Qian Renxue had sent Porcupinefish Douluo into the air to inspect what was happening.
She had assumed Chen Zidian was causing trouble again, but after waiting a long while without seeing him, she realized something had gone wrong.
Something major was about to happen...
Qian Renxue grew alert and immediately ordered the whole army to stand ready.
At any other time, she would have sent a few of her experts over to investigate.
But how could she deliberately send people to their deaths against a mysterious and powerful enemy? She had no choice but to defend passively.
They waited like that for several whole days. When Long Haochen and Dugu Bo approached, Qian Renxue was not surprised. Instead, she let out a long breath of relief.
"Hmph, they're finally making a move!"
"I'll see what they're up to this time!"
"Strange. Only two Titled Douluo came. Are they not planning to fight?"
Qian Renxue kept her Soul Power concealed, sensing the two men from afar with her cultivation.
Just as she was about to order Qian Jun, Qianmo, and the other two to confront them, something felt off.
The newcomers' auras did not belong to any of Chen Zidian's six men. One was utterly unfamiliar, while the other seemed inexplicably familiar.
Before she could figure it out, Long Haochen and Dugu Bo arrived, "revealing the answer" outright. The camp erupted into an uproar.
"N-no, that can't be Poison Douluo?" Prince Xue Xing happened to be there too. He gaped at the sight, his expression twisting out of shape.
"Dugu Bo is still alive, and he's defected?" Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin were also seated cross-legged inside a tent. They frowned hard at the sight.
They were more uneasy about this than anyone else.
After all, Bone Douluo Gu Rong was in much the same predicament as Dugu Bo.
They immediately gathered together and flew into the sky, facing the newcomers from a distance as they released their Martial Souls.
At the same time, Yu Yuanzhen, head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and the four Qian Jun men stationed there in Spirit Hall's name appeared from all directions.
"Old Poison, what's the meaning of this?"
Chen Xin's eyes turned cold as he gripped the Seven Kill Sword and gathered his Soul Power.
"It means exactly what you think. I'm now a retainer of the Holy Demon Federation."
Dugu Bo certainly wasn't going to say that Lin Feng had coerced and enticed him, then branded him with Slave Shackles.
He had given himself the title of "retainer" to salvage some dignity. Keeping a straight face, he put on a grave expression.
"A retainer? Hah! What a joke!"
"If I remember correctly, you were a retainer of the Heaven Dou Empire."
"And now, after all this time, you've found yourself a new master? You've disgraced every Titled Douluo!"
Yu Yuanzhen's veins bulged with contempt as his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul surged, ready to strike.
Dugu Bo remained unmoved. He merely shot Yu Yuanzhen a disdainful glance, thinking, What's the old fool putting on airs for?
If you saw a crowd of super-powerful experts and an elite legion tens of thousands strong, you'd probably surrender even faster than I did.
"So you admit you've defected? In light of our past friendship, could you answer one question for me?"
Chen Xin took a deep breath, forcing down his anger.
Dugu Bo's expression remained unchanged.
He had guessed what Chen Xin wanted to ask. The corner of his mouth curled into a mysterious smile, and he chuckled deliberately.
"Don't worry, Gu Rong isn't dead. As for how he's doing now, you'll find out soon enough."
At his reply, both Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin felt their hearts give a sudden lurch.
A terrible premonition struck them. Could even the old bones have defected to the enemy?
But in the next instant, they steeled themselves again. Layer upon layer of support auras instantly covered the Seven Kill Sword.
They were about to charge at Dugu Bo. If they couldn't get a straight answer, they would capture him first and ask questions later.
"Hold it! When two armies fight, they don't kill envoys!"
"We're here to deliver an ultimatum."
"Everyone here must leave Sunset Forest before dusk. Otherwise, you'll bear the consequences."
"Haha, Chen Xin, I know you're in a hurry, but I'm not your opponent. I advise you to surrender quickly."
Dugu Bo was only a ninety-third-level Titled Douluo. How could he dare to face Sword Douluo head-on? After finishing his taunts, he immediately fled toward the rear.
Beside him, Long Haochen remained much more composed. He kept smiling, his body radiating powerful energy. Seeing this, he gave a slight nod.
"Senior, the Holy Demon Federation welcomes everyone to join us. Please give it careful consideration. Farewell..."
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