Deep in the Dragon Graveyard, ten thousand years had not only quietly revived the Dragon God's Origin, but had also given rise to the foundations of a legacy unique to the remnants of Spirit Hall in this forbidden land, once home to nothing but the dead and silent bones of dragons.
Under the cover of the Ten Thousand Year God-Locking Array, a magnificent palace had been built in the heart of the Dragon Graveyard: Spirit Hall.
Its bricks were made of Dragon God Crystal Jade. Angelic patterns etched into the floor intertwined with the dragon patterns of the Dragon Clan, as sacred golden light and the boundless majesty of dragons blended perfectly within its walls.
The spirit tablets of Spirit Hall's past sages stood in neat rows along both sides of the hall. Even after ten thousand years, it had preserved the most complete traces of Spirit Hall's former glory.
At that moment, the atmosphere inside Spirit Hall was solemn.
Seated in the place of honor was Qian Renxue, who had only recently awakened.
She had shed the long dress she wore while asleep and changed into a fitted gold outfit. Six-Winged Angel patterns ran from her collar to her cuffs, and her brilliant golden hair was tied high, revealing a smooth, full forehead.
All that remained in her golden eyes was the cold composure forged through life and death, along with the noble pride carved into her very bones. Even sitting quietly, the majesty of one who had once been a god kept everyone in the hall from daring to overstep.
To her left sat a man dressed in a dark brocade robe.
He had a refined, handsome face, and his black hair fell loosely around him. His eyes held the detachment and depth of someone who had seen through ten thousand years. Not a trace of Soul Power radiated from him, yet every Titled Douluo-level expert in the hall felt an irresistible reverence deep in their souls.
He was the Dragon God, who had taken human form after reviving and adopted the name Gu Yuan.
To make it easier to discuss matters with the people of Spirit Hall, and to avoid drawing attention when he eventually ventured out into the world, the Dragon God had reined in all his draconic majesty and presented himself as a human man. Only deep within his divine soul did he retain the Origin that stood above all living things.
Below them, the core leaders of Spirit Hall's remnants sat in rows along either side of the hall. Every one of them was someone who could stir up trouble in the Dragon Graveyard—or even in the hidden undercurrents of the entire continent.
At the head of the left-hand row sat a burly, middle-aged man.
His skin was bronze, his features resolute, and an alligator-shaped mark sat between his brows. A weighty, mountain-like pressure seemed to radiate from him, while golden dragon shadows flashed in his tiger-like eyes.
He was Jin Chen, a direct descendant of Golden Crocodile Douluo.
Ten thousand years ago, Golden Crocodile Douluo had died in battle at Jialing Pass while defending Spirit City. His direct descendants had followed Qian Renxue through countless trials and tribulations, eventually reaching the Dragon Graveyard.
For ten thousand years, the Jin Clan had guarded the outskirts of the Dragon Graveyard from generation to generation. Nourished by the endless dragon aura and the Dragon God's Origin, Jin Chen's inherited Golden Crocodile King Martial Soul had undergone an unprecedented evolution. It had shed the beastly nature of the crocodile and awakened the bloodline of the Golden Dragon, becoming the Golden Dragon Crocodile Martial Soul.
He was now a level 98 Power Attack System Titled Douluo, with the title "Dragon Crocodile." His strength was no less than Golden Crocodile Douluo's had been, making him the strongest fighter among Spirit Hall's remnants.
Seated below Jin Chen was a woman of peerless beauty.
She wore purple, her features naturally alluring yet touched by a cool detachment. Nine fox-tail phantoms swayed faintly behind her, and the fluctuations of Soul Power around her were elusive and hard to read. Her captivating, peach-blossom eyes seemed able to see right through people.
She was Hu Lingyue, a direct descendant of Hu Liena.
Hu Liena had not died in battle at Jialing Pass. After the fall of the Spirit Hall Empire, she had risked her life to gather the remnants and followed Qian Renxue all the way to the Dragon Graveyard. In the end, she had lived out her days there, leaving behind a line of descendants.
For ten thousand years, the Hu Clan had inherited Hu Liena's spiritual techniques. Nourished by the Dragon Graveyard's Origin, their original Demon Fox Martial Soul had continued to evolve. By Hu Lingyue's generation, it had fully awakened into the Nine-Tailed Sky Fox Martial Soul, making her a level 97 Control System Titled Douluo with the title "Sky Fox."
She was in charge of Spirit Hall's intelligence network, which spanned the entire continent, and knew more than anyone else present about the current state of the world.
Farther down sat Ye Fantian, the current commander of the Angel Legion.
He wore silver-white armor and had a stern face. An Angel Phantom appeared behind him, and his Martial Soul was the Angel inherited by the Angel Legion. He was a level 95 Power Attack System Titled Douluo with the title "Holy Wing."
For ten thousand years, the Angel Legion's descendants had never let their legacy die. Even while lying low in the Dragon Graveyard, they had maintained the strictest training. The Angel Legion of today was Spirit Hall's sharpest blade, and Ye Fantian wielded it.
There were also the inheritors of other Douluo and the direct descendants of the various major sects and branch halls of Spirit Hall from years past.
Their ancestors had followed Qian Renxue into the Dragon Graveyard. They had put down roots there, generation after generation, guarding Spirit Hall's last Core Flame. They had waited for ten thousand years.
"Everyone, be seated."
Qian Renxue's cool voice rang through the hall. It held no unnecessary emotion, yet it lent the already solemn chamber an even greater air of authority.
Everyone below bowed in unison. Only then did they take their seats, their gazes fixed on the two figures in the place of honor.
They had heard the legend of their lord only through the stories passed down by their ancestors.
Only today had they finally laid eyes on the Angel God who had slept for ten thousand years. Though she released not a trace of divine power, the majesty etched into their blood was enough to make them bow willingly.
"Our lord has awakened! After ten thousand years of waiting, our hopes have finally been fulfilled!" Jin Chen was the first to rise and drop to one knee, his voice ringing like a bell.
"The Jin Clan has followed our ancestors' final command for generations. We swear to follow you to the death and serve Spirit Hall, even at the cost of our lives!"
"The Hu Clan swears to follow our lord to the death!" "The Angel Legion swears to follow our lord to the death!" "We swear to follow our lord to the death and restore Spirit Hall!"
In an instant, everyone in the hall rose and knelt on one knee. Their vows shook the chamber and echoed through Spirit Hall, while fervent light burned in every eye.
For ten thousand years, they had borne the slanderous name of "Spirit Hall remnants" and struggled to survive. Now, at last, their lord had awakened, and with her came the hope of restoration.
Qian Renxue looked at the loyal faces below, at the resolve and fervor in their eyes. A flicker of emotion passed through her golden eyes, almost too subtle to notice.
Ten thousand years ago, she had failed to protect Spirit Hall and those who had followed her. Yet for all those ten thousand years, these people and their families had remained loyal to Spirit Hall and never wavered in their promise to her.
"Rise, all of you." Qian Renxue's voice softened without her meaning it to.
"Ten thousand years ago, I failed to protect Spirit Hall and allowed its glory to be tarnished. I forced your ancestors to wander through hardship. That was my fault. For ten thousand years, you have held fast, generation after generation, guarding Spirit Hall's Core Flame. Thank you for all your efforts."
"You give us too much credit, my lord!" Ye Fantian raised his head, his voice ringing with conviction.
"Spirit Hall has never fallen. As long as you are here, and the Angel God's glory remains, Spirit Hall will endure forever! All we have ever wanted is to await your awakening and follow you in restoring Spirit Hall's former glory, making those people pay in blood!"
Qian Renxue nodded slightly, then turned to Hu Lingyue. "You oversee the continent's intelligence network. Tell us first: what is the current state of Douluo Continent?"
"Yes." Hu Lingyue rose and bowed slightly. Her captivating peach-blossom eyes were now filled with solemnity.
"Reporting to my lord, sir. It has been nine thousand seven hundred and sixty years since the Battle of Jialing Pass and the fall of the Spirit Hall Empire."
The words made everyone in the hall draw a sharp breath.
They all understood that this was the moment they would truly set the continent's tides in motion. And now was the perfect time to lay their plans.
Hu Lingyue continued, "Douluo Continent is no longer divided between the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires as it was ten thousand years ago. Three thousand years ago, infighting within the Heaven Dou royal family split the empire into the Heaven Soul Empire and the Dou Ling Empire. With the Star Luo Empire and the Sun Moon Empire, which arrived after colliding with the continent, the balance now stands at three empires against one."
"The empires keep one another in check, their borders are constantly rife with friction, and wars break out frequently. None of them can completely swallow up another. For us, this is a perfect opportunity."
"The Soul Master World's situation has changed even more dramatically," Hu Lingyue said, her tone turning more serious.
"Because of Tang San, Shrek Academy is now recognized across the continent as the number one academy. It stands above the rest, outside the control of the three empires, and attracts the continent's most talented young Soul Masters every year. Its foundations are unfathomably deep."
"But the Tang Sect, founded by Tang San himself, has fallen into decline."
At her words, Jin Chen clenched his fist so hard that his knuckles cracked. A murderous gleam flashed in his eyes. "Shrek! If it weren't for Tang San and those people from Shrek, how could our Spirit Hall have ended up like this? Sooner or later, we'll collect that blood debt—with interest!"
"Please, stay calm," Hu Lingyue said, then continued.
"Besides the Tang Sect and Shrek, there are several other forces on the continent that cannot be underestimated."
"First is the Sun Moon Empire's Mingde Hall. They focus on developing Soul Tools, and their technology has advanced to levels we can scarcely imagine. The Mingde Hall enjoys the trust of the Sun Moon Empire's royal family and controls the supply of Soul Tools to the empire's military. Their power is immense."
"Second is the Body Sect. This sect focuses on cultivating Body Martial Souls and is domineering and mysterious in its ways. Its influence has expanded rapidly in recent years, and it is now nearly a match for Shrek."
"Besides these, countless sects and Soul Master clans are scattered across the empires, locked in endless disputes. The continent may seem stable, but beneath the surface, undercurrents surge everywhere. There are openings for us to exploit at every turn."
Qian Renxue listened in silence, lightly tapping the armrest with her fingers. Not a ripple stirred in her golden eyes.
Ten thousand years truly were enough to change everything. The Douluo Continent she remembered and the world Hu Lingyue described were now as different as night and day.
Soul Tools? The Body Sect? These were things she had never encountered before.
She turned to Gu Yuan beside her and asked softly, "What do you think, sir?"
Gu Yuan lifted his eyes and swept his gaze across everyone in the hall. His voice was gentle, yet carried the clarity of one who could see through the whole picture. "The current balance of power seems unfavorable to us, but in truth, it is full of opportunities."
"Ten thousand years are enough for any sect to breed corruption and fracture, especially those standing at the top of the continent. They have more enemies than we do. The Body Sect, Mingde Hall, and even the four great empires—none of them will willingly watch Shrek remain above them forever."
"The empires keep one another in check, and the wars never cease. That means they need an endless supply of Soul Masters—and leverage powerful enough to break the balance."
Every word Gu Yuan spoke struck home.
The heavy atmosphere, brought on by Shrek's strength, eased in an instant.
Only then did they remember that the man seated beside their young mistress was no ordinary expert. He was the Dragon God, who had once stood against the Five Great God Kings of the Divine Realm.
With him here, what was there to fear?
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