Endless Mountain Range.
A forbidden land covered in ice and snow all year round.
Deep in the mountains was stationed the strongest defensive force on Douluo Continent—the Blood God Legion.
Six thousand years ago, the Abyss Plane had slammed into Douluo Continent like a festering wound that refused to heal. Ever since, this legion had stood guard here, generation after generation, using their flesh and blood to seal the passage that continuously seeped an aura of death.
As for where the Abyss came from?
Don't ask. Asking was just asking for death!
At that moment, a ray of sunlight filtered through the window and fell on a six-year-old boy in the room.
"I can't believe I really got banished to the Douluo World... and in the era of Legend of the Dragon King, no less."
Luo Yang rubbed his brow, digesting the scattered memories in his mind, and couldn't help giving a bitter smile.
God King Tang's divine power really was terrifying.
All he'd done was join in with a few choice words about his family while watching Douluo-related videos. How could he have known that the petty God King would toss him straight into this godforsaken place?
Worse still, the place he was in now was the front line against the Abyss invasion—the Blood God Legion's base.
If the Abyss Tide erupted at full force, he, a little kid who hadn't even awakened his Martial Soul, could easily be swallowed up as a snack by an Abyss creature.
But the odds of that were probably about the same as winning five million in the lottery.
After all, he'd lived here for six years and had never seen a large-scale Abyss rampage. Surely the Abyss wouldn't cause trouble on the very day he awakened his Martial Soul...
(That's jinxing it. Should be fine.)
Thinking of that, Luo Yang felt a little more at ease and began considering what to do next.
The most pressing thing was to awaken his Martial Soul as soon as possible.
On Douluo Continent, a Martial Soul determined a person's potential.
He hoped he'd awaken a top-tier Martial Soul...
Of course, preferably one with no connection to dragons.
In this era, dragon Martial Souls were a "version trap." With Tang Wulin, the "dragon slayer," hanging over everyone's heads, anything dragon-related was bound to end badly.
Just then, a cool voice came from outside the door:
"Luo Yang, are you ready? Today's the day you awaken your Martial Soul."
Click.
The door opened automatically.
A tall woman walked in.
Her short silver hair was neat and dashing, and her striking, dignified features were framed by a classically beautiful profile.
She was taller than most women, her muscles sleek and powerful. The stunning curve from her waist to her hips gave her the perfect physique of an ancient Greek sculpture.
Wait, she didn't even knock before coming in?
What if I'd been doing something unspeakable and you'd caught me at it??
Luo Yang complained furiously in his mind, but wore a well-behaved smile as he said:
"Aunt Eight."
His parents had once been members of the Blood God Legion, but had died at the hands of Abyss creatures many years ago. After that, he'd been raised by several of the Blood Gods in the legion.
The woman before him was the eighth-ranked of the nine Blood Gods—Blood Eight. He'd called her Aunt Eight ever since he was little.
Blood Eight walked up to him. The cold beauty, usually indifferent to others, now wore a gentle smile on her exquisite face.
"Your parents earned great merit for the legion." Blood Eight reached out and ruffled his hair, her voice softening. "I hope you can carry on their will and inherit their Martial Souls. If they were watching over us from beyond, they'd be so proud."
"I will, Aunt Eight." Luo Yang nodded.
"Come on. Your uncles and aunts are all waiting for you." As she spoke, she naturally reached out to take his hand.
At that very moment—
The ground shook violently!
Blood Eight staggered and nearly lost her footing, but Luo Yang was quick enough to catch her.
The next instant, a piercing alarm rang throughout the entire base!
Blood Eight knew that alarm all too well. Her expression changed abruptly, and she immediately let go of his hand.
This was the highest danger level!
Luo Yang's heart lurched, a foreboding feeling rising within him.
"Stay in your room. Don't come out!"
Blood Eight left him with those words and strode away. The door slammed shut behind her.
Luo Yang stood where he was and blinked.
...No way?
That "it can't be this much of a coincidence" thought of his hadn't actually jinxed it, had it?
Not funny...
Exit of the Abyss Passage.
One twisted, hideous figure after another came pouring madly out from the depths of the passage.
The Soul Guidance defensive array outside the passage had fully activated. Soul Guidance Rays and shells formed a dense web of firepower, tearing apart the Abyss creatures at the front.
Their shattered bodies turned into gray streams of energy, which the Abyss slowly sucked back in.
Yet more monsters continued to pour out.
Squad after squad of Blood God Legion soldiers fearlessly rushed to the front line.
"Hold the line! Hold it even if you die! Don't let them out of the passage!"
The deputy commander of the Iron Blood Regiment roared hoarsely.
This was the largest Abyss Tide in history, its ferocity on par with the Abyss Plane's first arrival more than six thousand years ago.
If the line fell, the entire human world would be plunged into misery!
"ROAR—!!!"
Just then, a howl came from the deepest part of the Abyss. It wasn't a sound, but a shock wave that struck directly at the soul.
Dozens of soldiers spat blood and collapsed on the spot.
The next second, a hundred-meter-tall shadow appeared with six sharp claws and a body covered in black, horny plates!
With a mere swing of its body, countless dark-red orbs of light shot in every direction.
The defensive fortifications at the passage exit exploded amid a deafening roar!
The deputy commander of the Iron Blood Regiment felt his heart sink.
The Abyss Plane had a hundred and eight layers, and the king of each layer possessed at least the strength of a Super Douluo. The monster before them was definitely one of the Abyss Kings!
"How could an Abyss King have appeared?!"
The deputy commander's heart nearly stopped. A foreboding chill washed over him like icy water.
And with the exit breached, the Abyss creatures surged out even faster!
"BOOM—!"
A mecha fighting nearby was suddenly seized by a dark-green figure.
Its silhouette was roughly that of a human woman, but its body was grotesquely exaggerated. Its waist was slender, its hips enormous, and sharp bone spurs grew from the ends of its limbs. Ghostly green flames burned in its eyes.
A Demon Charm!!
One of the Abyss's top predators.
"Long live the Soul Masters—!"
A resolute roar came from inside the mecha, followed by a thunderous self-destruction!
The flames engulfed a swath of Abyss creatures, along with the Demon Charm.
Every Blood God Legion soldier was prepared to do the same. They knew there could be no good end if they fell into the hands of Abyss creatures—they would only become their nourishment.
Better to take the enemy down with them than become nourishment for the Abyss.
Scenes like this played out every second.
One mecha after another became a ball of flame at the passage entrance. Together with the frenzied barrage from the Soul Guidance positions, they barely managed to hold back this wave.
But the deputy commander of the Iron Blood Regiment had bloodshot eyes, his heart bleeding.
There was no way to truly destroy Abyss creatures. When they died, they turned into streams of Abyss energy and returned to the Abyss. But the soldiers of the Blood God Legion were truly gone forever.
In just this short time, the Iron Blood Regiment had lost nearly a third of its strength. They were all soldiers he'd personally trained!
"Damn it... I'll fight you bastards to the death!"
Grief and rage overwhelmed his reason. The deputy commander of the Iron Blood Regiment roared as Three-Word Battle Armor instantly covered him!
"Stay calm."
A hand pressed down on his shoulder.
The steady force made Chen Lie's raging Soul Power falter. He turned and saw a familiar, dignified face.
The commander of the Blood God Legion, Zhang Huanyun.
The old man had commanded the defensive line for thirty years. His expression was calm, but deep in his eyes lay frozen killing intent.
His arrival quickly steadied the soldiers around them.
"Commander... You have to avenge our brothers!" The deputy commander's voice trembled, his eyes webbed with blood vessels.
"We will have our revenge, but right now your job is to command, not throw your life away." Zhang Huanyun's voice was calm.
"...Yes!"
The deputy commander clenched his teeth and obeyed, then turned and resumed directing the battle.