Douluo Hall

The sobbing within the Crystal Palace gradually faded, leaving only the low, rhythmic gasps of mother and daughter as they held one another.

Qian Renxue was the first to steady her emotions. She raised a hand to gently wipe the tears from Bibi Dong's cheeks, then dabbed at her own reddened eyes, both pairs of eyes filled with the tenderness of a reunion long thought impossible.

She helped Bibi Dong down from the altar and recounted everything that had transpired over the past ten thousand years.

She spoke of how she had risked her life to protect that final wisp of soul, drifting through the world with the remnants of the Martial Soul Hall; and how the will of the Dragon God had manifested, setting the ten-thousand-year covenant.

She told of her awakening after ten millennia, her travels across the continent in the company of Gu Yuan, witnessing the shifting landscape of the new era, and recovering the Rakshasa God Fragment; finally, she described their arrival at the Star Dou Forest, where they used the origin of the Life Lake and the Annihilation God Core to complete this resurrection that spanned an age.

She also spoke of the earth-shattering changes that had befallen the continent.

The Heaven Dou Empire had split into the Heaven Dou Empire and the Dou Ling Empire, creating a three-way standoff between the empires, yet all were held in check by Shrek Academy. The Tang Sect, founded by Tang San, had risen and fallen, while Shrek Academy had become the holy land of the spirit master world; his statue stood at the very center of Shrek City, worshipped by spirit masters across the entire continent.

Meanwhile, the former Martial Soul Hall had been nailed to the pillar of historical shame, becoming synonymous with "evil" and "cruelty" in the history books, forcing all surviving spirit masters to live in the shadows for ten thousand years, bearing the stigma of "remnants."

Qian Renxue spoke calmly, yet every word struck Bibi Dong's heart like a heavy hammer.

She listened in silence, moving from initial shock to surging hatred, then to an icy numbness, until finally, only the clarity of one who had traversed the boundary of life and death remained.

Her entire life had been lived in hatred. She hated Qian Xunji for ruining her life, hated Yu Xiaogang for his misunderstandings and cowardice, hated Tang San for destroying everything she had spent her life building, hated the injustice of the heavens, and hated the cruelty of fate.

She had believed that her death at Jialing Pass was the end of that hatred, yet she never imagined that upon waking ten thousand years later, her enemy would stand at the pinnacle of the God Realm, having become the faith of the entire Douluo Continent.

And that daughter she had owed so much to had spent ten thousand years in the darkness, waiting for her return, striving to bring her back to life.

Bibi Dong raised a hand, gently stroking Qian Renxue's cheek, her fingertips trembling with a faint chill, her eyes filled with an inescapable sense of guilt and heartache.

Only at the very end did she realize that the most precious thing in her life had been by her side all along.

"Xue'er, you have suffered." Bibi Dong's voice remained hoarse, yet it carried a tenderness she had never shown before.

Qian Renxue shook her head and smiled at her, then turned to look at Gu Yuan and Gu Yuena standing not far away, whispering to Bibi Dong, "Mother, it was Lord Gu Yuan who gave us this chance to start over. Without him, I could never have brought you back to life alone."

Bibi Dong followed her gaze, landing on the man in the dark brocade robes.

From the moment she awakened, she had sensed the vast, boundless pressure radiating from this man, a power that stood far above all living things.

She could clearly feel that the Annihilation God Core within her was like a mere stream facing a vast ocean in his presence; she could not even summon a single thought of resistance.

What shocked her even more was that she could sense a destructive aura from this man similar to her own, yet it was infinitely purer and more vast than she had ever been at her peak—it was the supreme law that truly governed the birth and death of the universe.

She had lived a lifetime and seen countless powerhouses; even Tang San, with his dual-god fusion, had never exerted such extreme pressure upon her.

Bibi Dong slowly straightened her posture, smoothing her purple dress, and the dignity and aura of the Martial Soul Hall's Pope returned in an instant.

She walked toward Gu Yuan and slowly knelt, performing a gesture that was neither servile nor overbearing, yet profoundly solemn.

"Bibi Dong pays her respects to Lord Dragon God."

She did not prostrate herself like Di Tian and the others, but she used the most formal posture to express her reverence.

She was the final Pope of the Martial Soul Hall and a former Rakshasa deity; even before the Dragon God, she possessed her own pride.

Yet she knew clearly that the man before her was her savior, the only one who could help her and Xue'er exact their blood debt, and the only hope for opposing the God Realm and Tang San in the future.

"Ten thousand years ago, I died at Jialing Pass, my soul and spirit shattered, destined to vanish from this world. It was you, my Lord, who gave me the chance to live again. This debt of gratitude, Bibi Dong will never forget."

Bibi Dong looked up, her purple-gold eyes devoid of flattery, filled only with iron-clad resolve: "I know your goal, my Lord, is to overturn the order established by the Five Great God Kings, to take revenge on Tang San, and to revive the Dragon Clan and the spirit beasts. Xue'er and I share an irreconcilable blood feud with Tang San."

"From this day forth, I, Bibi Dong, swear upon my martial soul to serve Lord Dragon God as my master. In the future struggle against the God Realm and the overthrow of Tang San's rule, Xue'er and I are willing to be your vanguard, and we shall not shrink from death."

As she finished speaking, dark purple Annihilation God patterns slowly emerged behind her, and a soul-bound oath flew from between her brows, landing before Gu Yuan.

This was the most supreme of oaths; to break it would mean the collapse of one's origin and eternal damnation.

Gu Yuan looked at the woman before him, a flicker of approval in his eyes.

He had long since seen through the entirety of Bibi Dong's life from Qian Renxue's memories.

This woman had lived a life of sorrow, possessing intellect and cunning far beyond the ordinary, as well as world-shaking talent and ruthless courage.

She had risen from a woman crushed by fate to the position of Pope of the Martial Soul Hall, achieving a divine inheritance on her own—she was no ordinary person. With her and Qian Renxue working together, he would not need to waste another thought on the chess game of the mortal world.

Gu Yuan raised his hand and gave a light wave, and the soul-bound oath transformed into a stream of light, merging into his own soul.

He spoke calmly, his voice carrying an unquestionable weight: "Rise. Since I promised to resurrect you, I will not break my word. On the road ahead, we are allies; there is no need for such formalities."

"Many thanks, my Lord." Bibi Dong rose slowly, her aura shifting slightly as she began to look inward, probing her reborn body and power.

The moment she did, even someone as experienced as Bibi Dong could not help but have her pupils shrink, her face filled with incredulous shock.

Her Twin Martial Souls had undergone a heaven-defying evolution.

Her original Death Spider Emperor martial soul had completely transformed; the body of the spider was now wreathed in dark purple Annihilation law patterns, and its eight spider legs were like the sharpest divine artifacts—a single movement could tear through space and annihilate all life.

The attributes of her martial soul had evolved from death and poison to the ultimate Annihilation attribute, mastering the most fundamental laws of life and death. A single thought could wither all things, a single thought could sever life—it was leagues stronger than the Rakshasa divine power of her past.

Her other martial soul, the Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor, had evolved beyond imagination. Its original mental shock and devouring abilities had been amplified countless times. The six compound eyes of the spider could see through all illusions in the world, controlling the ultimate shadow and mental laws, evolving into the ultimate Shadow attribute.

Even a quasi-god-level powerhouse would be instantly devoured, their soul sinking into eternal darkness, never to have the chance of reincarnation, if they were ever shrouded by her shadows.

What shocked her even more was that her spirit rings had undergone an unprecedented transformation.

At her peak, she had only possessed a configuration of two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red ring; even after achieving the Rakshasa God position, her rings had never undergone such a fundamental upgrade.

But now, each of her two martial souls was equipped with nine spirit rings, and from the first to the ninth, they were all a dazzling crimson red—every single one was at least a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring!

These rings had been forged for her by Gu Yuan, using the power of the Dragon God combined with the origin of the Life Lake. Each one was perfectly tailored to her martial soul and laws, fitting without the slightest hint of rejection.

Her cultivation had stabilized firmly at the level of a 99th-rank Limit Douluo at Grand Perfection, just a single step away from the godhood level.

Because of the existence of the Annihilation God Core, her divine foundation had long been forged; as long as she fully integrated it, she could step directly into the godhood level.

This surge of Annihilation Power was several times stronger than the Rakshasa God at her peak back in the day.

"This..." Bibi Dong looked at her own hands, feeling the surging Annihilation Divine Power within her body, her fingertips trembling slightly.

She had never dreamed that in this rebirth, not only would she survive, but she would also possess such terrifying power.

"The Annihilation God Core is a perfect match for your divine soul. This physical body was recast by Yue Na and me using Life Gold combined with a Dragon Clan Secret Technique; it is born to bear power at the level of a God King," Gu Yuan said indifferently, explaining her confusion.

"Your Twin Martial Souls were already gifted, but the Rakshasa God position you held back then was incomplete, making it impossible to unleash your true potential. Now, with the blessing of the Annihilation God Core, your martial souls will naturally complete their ultimate evolution."

"Many thanks to you, my Lord, for the grace of rebirth!" Bibi Dong bowed again, the respect in her tone deepening.

She understood that this Dragon God before her had given her more than just a new life; he had given her a path to the pinnacle of the universe.

Beside her, Qian Renxue watched the light reignite in her mother's eyes, a sincere smile appearing on her face.

She had waited for this day for far too long.

"Now that you have been reborn, it is time to discuss our subsequent plans."

Gu Yuan walked slowly to the center of the great hall, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, his expression turning serious.

He waved his hand, and a light screen appeared before everyone. It clearly outlined the map of the entire Douluo Continent, the territories of the three great empires, the distribution of major forces like Tang San, Shrek City, Mingde Hall, and the Body Sect, as well as every piece placed by the remnants of Martial Soul Hall in the shadows of the continent—all marked with absolute clarity.

"My goal has always been only one: to overthrow the rule of the Five Great God Kings in the God Realm, break the unjust laws they have set, revive the Dragon Clan, and provide a way forward for the soul beast race. Tang San has many pieces planted across the Douluo Continent, and they are the greatest obstacles we must remove."

Gu Yuan's finger tapped on Shrek City on the light screen, his voice icy: "Tang San has operated on the Douluo Continent for ten thousand years, long since turning it into his own backyard. Through the deep integration of Shrek, he controls the most elite soul master resources on the entire continent; even the imperial families must act according to their whims."

"More importantly, he has spent ten thousand years brainwashing the soul masters of the entire continent, molding himself into a savior while nailing Martial Soul Hall to the pillar of shame as the embodiment of evil."

"Therefore, we must dismantle the order he has built from its foundation, seize the hearts of the people, hollow out his roots, and turn his ten thousand years of management on the Douluo Continent into nothingness."

Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong exchanged a glance, both seeing the realization in the other's eyes.

The two of them—one who had lurked in the Heaven Dou Empire as crown prince for years, and the other who had once been the Pope of Martial Soul Hall—were most adept at this kind of open conspiracy to consolidate public support.

"I need the two of you to leave the Star Dou Forest and establish a brand-new super force on the continent with you as the core." Gu Yuan spoke his plan, word by word.

"A brand-new force?" Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow and asked softly.

"Does my Lord mean to restart Martial Soul Hall?"

"No." Gu Yuan shook his head, directly rejecting the idea.

"For ten thousand years, Tang San and Shrek have spared no effort in stigmatizing Martial Soul Hall. In the eyes of the continent's soul masters, the current Martial Soul Hall is synonymous with evil and brutality. Once we raise the banner of Martial Soul Hall, we will immediately invite a siege from Shrek. Even if we have the strength to resist, it will disrupt our layout, alert the enemy, and startle Tang San in the God Realm."

"Therefore, this new force must absolutely not use the name of Martial Soul Hall." Gu Yuan's finger wrote three large characters in the center of the light screen—Douluo Hall.

"Douluo Hall?" Bibi Dong looked at these three characters, a flash of brilliance in her eyes. She instantly understood Gu Yuan's intention.

"That's right, call it Douluo Hall." Gu Yuan nodded slowly. "This name stands upon the entire Douluo Continent, impartial and untainted by any past grievances. Douluo Hall is Martial Soul Hall, just under a new name."

Gu Yuan intended to build a neutral force that would shelter all soul masters on the continent, especially civilian soul masters; it would be the core for confronting Tang San and integrating the power of the continent in the future.