Star Luo Enters the Scene

There's a term in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, in the biography of Deng Xun, that left a deep impression on Ling Yi. 69ʂɧųҳ.ƈơɱ

Use barbarians to control barbarians.

In his past life, Ling Yi learned Russian from a Russian girl, but progress wasn't ideal at first. So, he found a Japanese girl to learn Japanese from, and coincidentally, the Russian girl found out...

The process is not important; the result is that Ling Yi finally gained a thorough understanding of the context of Russian in different situations and also gained a deep understanding of the pronunciation of certain parts of Japanese.

Unfortunately, Ling Yi's language talent was limited at the time, and he was also distracted by other things and did not continue to study, so he was ultimately unable to master both foreign languages.

However, Ling Yi's initial intention to learn foreign languages was good, just as the "Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms" says, "Learn the superior techniques of the barbarians to control the barbarians!"

Similarly, this concept can be applied to various situations in life.

Just like the current Douluo Continent, with the development of Lingyun City, its strength has grown stronger and stronger, and it has begun to gradually intervene in the mainland stage.

The size of the stage is predetermined, and the spotlights and cameras are also limited. The larger the position and the heavier the role of [Lingyun City], the more it will inevitably encroach on the interests of other characters.

Although Ling Yi's development strategy has always followed a path of cooperation and mutual benefit in order to expand the pie and avoid dividing the interests of other forces as much as possible, it is like the difference between a small fish and a shark or even a whale. The latter can swallow enough of the resources that the former needs for half a lifetime just by breathing.

Therefore, many forces on the Douluo Continent still hold a hostile attitude towards the rise of Lingyun City.

In this situation, the primary factor Ling Yi needs to consider is how to smoothly integrate Lingyun City into the complex power structure of the Douluo Continent, under the watchful eyes of various forces and through the subtle relationships between them, to achieve Ling Yi and leverage.

Whether by coincidence or not, Ling Yi naturally drew parallels between the current situation on the Douluo Continent and the turbulent history of his previous life.

The Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect stand at the top of the pyramid, two super powers. The former has the advantage of being the first to act, having absorbed most of the geniuses and strongmen who have emerged in the Douluo Continent over the years. Its overall strength can almost be said to be unparalleled! Just like a bald eagle.

The latter possesses the same level of "Sea God force" as the former, and its overall strength, amplified by numerous affiliated Soul Master families, is rapidly approaching that of the former. It's remarkably similar to a polar bear.

Other similar entities can be found in the following categories: the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Elephant Armor Sect, the seven Lower Four Sects families of the Great Soul Fighting Arena Alliance, the two empires, and their affiliated kingdoms and duchies.

Ling Yi's [Lingyun City] sees itself as a rabbit that hasn't fully unleashed its power yet.

In the past, the Five Great Gangs could determine the course of world events. On this Douluo Continent, the Spirit Hall and the Upper Three Sects, these four forces that openly possess Titled Douluo- level combat power, can do the same.

Ling Yi's current goal is to sit in the fifth seat.

From the rabbit, Ling Yi understood that strength is fundamental, interests are key, and reputation is an aid. Only with these three things can the rise of a power be relatively smooth.

Of course, we also need to study the personalities of the leaders of each faction, since this is a world where personal power resides in one person, and the phenomenon of one-man rule is to be expected.

Just as Ling Yi knew the arrogance of Qian Xunji, the current Pope of the Spirit Hall, and his hostility towards the Clear Sky Sect; the domineering nature of the Clear Sky Sect and its hostility towards the Spirit Hall; the pride of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and their hostility towards the Clear Sky Sect; the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's ability to play both sides and its unawareness of its own arrogance; the cold-blooded heritage of the Star Luo Empire; the military weaknesses of the Heaven Dou Empire; and the superficial unity but underlying discord among the seven major families behind the Great Soul Fighting Arena Alliance...

Sometimes, when he felt tired of cultivating his Martial Soul, or when his research projects stalled, these intricate relationships always brought Ling Yi some enjoyment.

"You know what, I'm actually curious to see what kind of expression Xue Ye has on her face now..."

"Sunset Forest, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well," Ling Yi said to Dugu Bo beside him, sitting on a stone beam nearly a hundred meters above the red and white springs.

Dugu Bo curled his lip, glanced at him, and said, "So when he invited you to a banquet at the palace, you replied that 'the person left the city yesterday'?"

"Thankfully, that kid Mang Li is smart. He quickly arranged for everyone to have the same story, at least saving face for Xue Ye's side, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?" Ling Yi retorted. "Is he going to eat me?"

"I haven't settled the score with him for what happened with the Heaven Dou Border Army last time, and this time he went so far as to send people to attack ' Lingyun City ' directly. Does he really think I have no temper?"

Dugu Bo (⊙⊙)

"What's wrong?" Ling Yi turned to look at Dugu Bo had a surprised expression on his face.

"..."

Dugu Bo remained silent at first, scrutinizing Ling Yi from head to toe before speaking with a strange expression, "I still have a feeling that you were switched by that kid Long Yin. Are these your lines?"

Ling Yi ignored Dugu Bo's complaints, simply looking up at the sky revealed after the white mist at the valley entrance had been dispelled, and said calmly, "This time, thirty-two people died in ' Lingyun City '."

"Over the years, as the Green Wood Merchant Association has grown, people have died unexpectedly one after another, including guards in the Guard Team, managers in charge of business dealings, and service staff in some shops..."

"Although I understand that compassion is not the way to command an army, and righteousness is not the way to manage finances, each of these people is someone else's child, parent, or blood relative. Since they are willing to follow me, I will do my best to help them live a good life."

"Thirty-two people may seem like just a Bingbing number, but they represent thirty-two families."

"In Xue Ye's eyes, these were nothing more than insignificant ants; their deaths were no big deal."

"But for me," Ling Yi pointed to his heart, "There's always something I need to remember..."

Seeing Ling Yi's actions and his seemingly expressionless face, Dugu Bo sighed softly, "You—"

"Ah Yi, you must understand, in the Douluo Continent, kindness gets you nowhere..."

"You're clearly the smartest person in the world, so why do you always have this melancholy that only the 'weak' have?"

Dugu Bo felt a sense of disappointment and frustration. In his opinion, if Ling Yi were ruthless enough, the Douluo Continent would have been engulfed in war long ago, and Lingyun City would have been able to rise to power amidst the chaos and become a top force comparable to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

"Hehe—" Ling Yi chuckled as he looked at the round blue sky reflected in his eyes, "Senior, what you see as useless emotions are, in my eyes, a rare and precious experience—"

Since using the "Blue Silver Small World" in the Green Cloud Mountain Range and combining it with his own "Superego Mode" to construct a biological supercomputer, Ling Yi 'Ling Yi mental power has begun to increase at a speed beyond his expectations.

That's right, it's the power of the mind, not the state of mind!

Ling Yi's mental state remains at the level of "Meditative Trance - Minor Concentration," and he is still far from achieving Major Concentration or even Constant Concentration.

→

Because Ling Yi didn't know how to break through these two stages.

The original novel of "Emperor of the Cosmos" only briefly mentions it with a few simple words, and it is not even as detailed as the descriptions of the later realms of "Fetal Breathing" and "Sitting in Forgetfulness".

Another point is that Ling Yi's current world is Douluo Continent, not Emperor of the Cosmos. All his power comes from the Martial Soul system, and he has to explore the path forward Ling Yi his own. All other systems are only for reference and cannot be used directly.

This led to Ling Yi's emotions gradually becoming indifferent as his mental power surged. He gradually transformed into the universe, looking down on all things in the world, unmoved by the rising and setting of the sun and moon, or the changing of the seasons.

In this situation, Ling Yi instinctively wanted to retain his human emotions.

Joy, anger, worry, thought, grief, fear, surprise, desire...

Dugu Bo looked at Ling Yi's profile. Although he didn't understand the meaning behind Ling Yi's words, he still chose to believe him. He believed that with Ling Yi's wisdom, even if he was sentimental, he could still properly arrange all the solutions.

"Alright~" Dugu Bo shook his head and said, "I don't understand those complicated matters either. Anyway, if there's anything I need to do, just let me know in advance..."

"Don't worry~" Ling Yi turned around and smiled at Dugu Bo, "Senior, there will be many ways we'll need your help in the future—"

"Once you become Titled Douluo, our [Lingyun City] will surely dominate the Douluo Continent and leap to become a top-tier power like the Upper Three Sects!"

"You brat—" Dugu Bo pointed at Ling Yi and laughed, "So you're just using me as free labor, huh?"

"I remember that Chen Xin was only a few levels away from becoming Titled Douluo, and that Erlang was no match for even Chen Xin..."

"And then there's His Seven Kill Douluo, who lives in seclusion in ' Lingyun City' —he's a true Titled Douluo!"

"By the way, Yang Clan's daughter and Ah Yin, goodness, I had no idea they could actually use Martial Soul Fusion Skill, and even defeat Tang Hao, Soul Saint..."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo suddenly looked wistful, recalling a few years ago when he was Ling Yi's strongest fighter. Who knew that he would suddenly fall out of the top five!

"A new generation surpasses the old—" Dugu Bo glanced at Ling Yi beside him with a somewhat resentful look.

That one glance sent a chill down Ling Yi. Upon seeing this, Dugu Bo immediately burst into laughter. "Hahahahahaha—!!!"

Ling Yi glanced helplessly at the grinning Dugu Bo, then gave a wry smile, before laughing along with him.

After a while, Dugu Bo stopped laughing, but still had a smile on his face. He said, "That's right. Just remember, kid, behind you are me, Long Yin and the others, the Yang Clan girls, and the entire Lingyun City. Any force on the Douluo Continent, if you want, we will all follow you to overthrow them!"

"What's a little Xue Ye!" A fierce look appeared on Dugu Bo's gaunt face. "If you really push him too far, I'll sneak into the palace and poison him!"

"Senior, it's not that bad, it's not that bad—" Ling Yi quickly reassured Dugu Bo, "I've already made arrangements for Xue Ye, and I'm sure I won't let him get away with it. Just you wait and see—"

If Dugu Bo were to infiltrate the palace and poison Xue Ye, regardless of his relationship with Lingyun City, Dugu Bo would undoubtedly be placed on the Heaven Dou Empire's kill list. Even the Star Luo Empire and the Spirit Hall would not spare him because of their differences with the Heaven Dou Empire.

Thinking of this, Ling Yi immediately changed the subject, saying, "Speaking of which, the Heaven Dou Empire has truly declined. Although Xue Ye has only been on the throne for a short time, this attack was carried out by imperial palace officials. Unlike the other two empires, which sent out people hidden in the shadows..."

Hearing Ling Yi say this, Dugu Bo understood his meaning and took the opportunity to shift the focus, saying, "You said it yourself, they are just retainers. After being captured, their lives are in your hands, so naturally they will answer any questions. The other two groups are obviously suicide soldiers; they only know how to do things and don't even know who they are working for... However,..."

As if remembering something, Dugu Bo asked again, "Could it be that they said that on purpose?"

"No, not at all," Ling Yi shook his head, saying with certainty, "I went back and asked them myself, and they really don't know who's behind it all..."

"Of course, finding the people behind them isn't something you can only do by looking at these pawns."

A strange smile appeared on Ling Yi's face, "Sometimes, to untangle a tangled ball of yarn, you don't necessarily have to start from the outermost thread."

"After all, every ball of yarn actually has two ends."

Given Ling Yi's arrangements with various forces in the Douluo Continent over the years, although very few of the undercover agents he infiltrated have risen to high positions, and even those in the middle ranks are few, there are still ways to utilize those at the grassroots level.

For example, although these grassroots units cannot keep track of who their respective factions interact with every day, it is not difficult for them to find out the amount of food wasted each day without attracting attention.

Besides food, the overall atmosphere of the faction—whether it's somber, relaxed, or the members rushing around—can all indicate the emotional shifts of the faction's leadership.

To others on the Douluo Continent, this might seem like trivial information, but to Ling Yi, who was able to construct a "biological supercomputer," it represented a great deal of useful information.

"However, I didn't expect that neither the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan nor the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would show up this time, but the Star Luo Empire, with whom I haven't had much contact, suddenly emerged..."

A hint of surprise flashed in Ling Yi's eyes.

The fact that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan did not send anyone to Lingyun City to take advantage of the chaos was within Ling Yi's expectations.

After all, because of Yu Xiaogang, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had already sent spies to Lingyun City. They knew about the existence of the Chen Family father and son, and that both of them had combat power above the Soul Douluo level.

Without deploying Titled Douluo- level combat power, a surprise attack on Lingyun City would be of little significance. However, if Titled Douluo were to participate, it would inevitably escalate the situation and could potentially provoke a joint attack from the Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect.

To be honest, Ling Yi wasn't surprised that the Star Luo Empire sent people to attack Lingyun City. Over the years, Ling Yi had always maintained a very friendly relationship with the Douluo Continent Heaven Dou Empire on the surface, especially within the Heaven Ling Yi Heaven Dou Border Army, where his status was almost on par with the generals who held power.

Therefore, despite the fact that the Blacksmith Association and the Heavenly Craft Academy, which have a close relationship with Ling Yi, are located within the Star Luo Empire and outwardly support the Star Luo Empire, and that the Green Wood Merchant Association had previously dealt with them in the business of "Qi and Blood Blue Silver Grass," in the eyes of the Star Luo Empire, Ling Yi's Lingyun City is still on the side of the Heaven Dou Empire.

The Star Luo Empire would certainly not let go of this opportunity to weaken Lingyun City!

Still writing, goodnight everyone!