Mission Content: Defend Mondstadt City!

"This... who won?"

Everyone held their breath, staring at the deep red clouds swirling within the light screen.

While others might be unsure, the many Titled Douluo present knew exactly what was at stake!

That was Tang Hao's ultimate technique!

It would be no exaggeration to call it the strongest attack beneath the level of a god!

Not only the Heaven Dou Empire side, but the many members of the Spirit Empire also had their eyes wide, their breathing nearly stagnant as they stared unblinkingly at the screen.

Only Chen Fan remained indifferent, offering a disdainful smile. "With just this level of strength, you want to challenge the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles?"

"What a joke."

Sure enough!

As a gentle breeze swept past, the massive mushroom cloud dissipated, revealing the figures within.

Tang Hao held his Clear Sky Hammer—a weapon three times his size—yet it was effortlessly blocked by the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, who held a single Deep Red Cube against it.

In fact.

Tang Hao's arms were trembling as he tried to break free, yet it was as if he were mired in a swamp, unable to pull back even an inch.

"Hiss!"

The Rakshasa God Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue beside her, and the various Titled Douluo of the Spirit Hall all gasped in unison upon seeing the scene!

Especially Bibi Dong!

In her current severely wounded state, she could clearly sense that Tang Hao's attack—the simultaneous detonation of all nine rings—was capable of posing a massive threat to her.

Yet.

An attack of such magnitude had been blocked so casually, with nothing but bare hands?

How was that possible?

Is this person who calls herself the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles truly this terrifying?

However.

Just as the crowd was reeling in shock.

The scene within the light screen shifted.

"Boom!"

A dull thud echoed from the screen.

There were no earth-shattering energy fluctuations, no terrifying shockwaves to shatter the void.

Tang Hao's massive Clear Sky Hammer, which had gathered the power of nine detonated rings and possessed the strength to rival a god, remained frozen in mid-air.

Blocking it was nothing more than a single dark red cube.

The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles held her hand out, her expression cold and detached. The dark red cube pressed against the hammerhead without a single crack appearing on its surface.

Veins bulged on Tang Hao's arms as his muscles tore and bled. He roared, trying to force the hammer down, only to find an irresistible devouring force emanating from within the cube.

"This is impossible!" Tang Hao's eyes were bloodshot.

The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles did not answer. She curled her fingers slightly and made a light grasping motion.

The dark red cube instantly disintegrated into countless tiny red crystals, which flowed backward along the handle of the Clear Sky Hammer.

"Crack—"

The indestructible Clear Sky Hammer spirit began to fracture, dense cracks spreading across its surface.

Tang Hao tried to let go and retreat, but his hands were stuck fast to the handle. The red crystals spread up his arms, forcibly sealing his flesh, bones, and soul power wherever they touched.

"Ah!"

The scream was cut short as the red crystals covered his neck and face.

In just two seconds.

The Clear Sky Douluo, who had once shaken the entire Douluo Continent, was rapidly encased in a massive, dark red rhombic crystal, leaving behind no trace of his presence.

"Now is our chance!"

At that moment.

Lumine and Aether, who had been watching from the sidelines, appeared silently behind the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. Each brandished a glowing golden sword, thrusting toward her.

The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles glanced sideways.

The void behind her collapsed in a massive area, and hundreds upon thousands of dark red cubes surged out like a torrential rain, instantly sealing off all paths of retreat for the twins.

The golden light dimmed rapidly under the pressure of the red cubes.

Lumine and Aether were swallowed by the torrent of cubes, likewise transformed into two rhombic crystals, which the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles gathered into her palm.

The battle ended.

The entire encounter had lasted less than thirty seconds!

"This..."

Douluo Continent, the battlefield of Jialing Pass.

Dead silence.

A silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.

Countless soul masters looked up at the scene, every single one of them staring with wide, vacant eyes and gaping mouths. "Is this..."

"Over?"

In everyone's mind, the scene replayed: the mighty Haotian Douluo, in all his unbridled arrogance, had been utterly defenseless, sealed on the spot by that Deep Red Cube...

That was Tang Hao!

Tang Xiao and the five great elders of the Clear Sky Sect, in particular, nearly had their eyeballs pop out of their sockets!

Wait!

That was their Clear Sky Sect's ultimate technique!

The Great Sumeru Hammer Ring Detonation, which only the Haotian Douluo of each generation could learn!

Just like that? Just like that, it was easily blocked and then countered?

Without even causing a ripple?

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

The Second Elder of the Clear Sky Sect, who had always revered Tang Chen, looked utterly devastated, as if he had lost all his faith. He muttered, "The profound mystery of Ring Detonation was created by the Old Sect Master himself!"

"How could this be? How could this be..."

The Second Elder of the Clear Sky Sect was of the same generation as Tang Xiao's father; the one he referred to as the Old Sect Master was naturally Tang Chen!

But...

The only response to his words was the majestic voice of the Heavenly Dao!

[Participant Tang Hao, fallen!]

[Heaven Dou Empire mission failed.]

[Failure penalty: All soul masters belonging to the Heaven Dou Empire will have their soul power level reduced by ten levels!]

[However, as this is the first time Douluo Continent has participated in a Heavenly Dao mission, each empire is granted a Newbie Protection Period reward, which can offset 90% of the penalty!]

As the voice faded.

Within the Heaven Dou Empire camp, thousands of soul masters groaned in unison.

The light of their soul power flickered violently, then visibly dimmed.

"My soul power! I just broke through to Soul Saint!"

"I dropped a level! I really dropped a level!"

"How could this happen?"

Panic spread through the Heaven Dou army.

Emperor Xue Beng turned deathly pale, a sweet taste rising in his throat as he spat out a mouthful of blood, nearly falling from his horse!

This time, the Heaven Dou Empire had not only lost a Title Douluo-level combatant, but the entire empire's soul masters had paid the price!

Everyone's soul power dropped by ten levels! Even with the Newbie Protection Period reward offsetting the loss, it was still a solid one-level drop in soul power!

Those around the Great Soul Master level were fine, but for a Title Douluo, that one level of lost soul power...

"No, I worked so hard to break through to Soul Emperor!"

However, before Xue Beng could recover from his shock.

A shrill, pig-slaughtering scream erupted from the Heaven Dou Empire's camp!

Listening closely.

Wasn't that the Heaven Dou Empire's State Preceptor, Yu Xiaogang!?

Long ago, thanks to the Nine-Grade Spirit Mushroom given by Tang San, Yu Xiaogang had finally broken through the shackles of level twenty-nine, reaching over level fifty as a Soul King during the Heaven Dou palace coup.

And now, during the divine war at Jialing Pass, after a sudden surge in progress, he had stepped into the level sixty Soul Emperor realm!

Unfortunately, with the great battle imminent, he hadn't had time to hunt for a soul ring, so he remained at level sixty soul power.

But under this penalty...

Level sixty, instantly became level fifty-nine!

Yu Xiaogang's mentality collapsed!

"There's a penalty for mission failure?"

On the Spirit Empire side, they also heard the voice of the Heavenly Dao.

The Rakshasa God Bibi Dong's pupils constricted violently, and Qianjun Douluo and Jiangmo Douluo beside her also changed color.

As Title Douluos.

They naturally understood how hard-won every step of the soul power level they had cultivated through their own efforts truly was!

But right now, this...

To have everyone's levels drop in an instant—how could that be acceptable?

"My goodness..."

Likewise.

Seeing this scene, Chen Fan also gasped.

He had considered that there would be penalties for failing the mission, but he had guessed it would be something like natural disasters—mountain floods or tsunamis—resulting in the deaths of some soul masters.

But he hadn't expected this.

The punishment was actually applied to the entire faction!

Moreover, it seemed to be directed solely at the soul master population!

In other words...

"This means it's already too late for me to run..."

Before this, Chen Fan had been thinking that if the opportunity arose, he would definitely choose the thirty-sixth stratagem—running away!

It was just a pity that Bibi Dong had been watching him too closely, leaving him no such chance.

And now that he finally had an opening, it seemed... he couldn't run away after all!

He could run, but his faction affiliation remained with the Spirit Empire!

If, in some future mission, that idiot Bibi Dong actually accepted a challenge, he was afraid he would be implicated as well!

"Your Majesty, we..."

Qianjun Douluo took a deep breath, just as he was about to speak.

Suddenly.

The light in the sky dimmed, turning into a black screen.

Immediately after, that majestic voice of the Heavenly Dao resonated once more in everyone's hearts!

[Now, the Heavenly Dao issues the second mission.]

The moment this voice rang out, Chen Fan abruptly looked up at the light screen!

The black screen on the light curtain had already displayed a new image!

It was a vast, boundless green plain where giant windmills turned slowly in the breeze, and a magnificent city built on an island in the center of a lake came into view.

Towering city walls, an ancient cathedral, and a massive statue of a deity in the center of the city.

The voice of the Heavenly Dao sounded simultaneously, carrying an unquestionable pressure as it broadcasted information to the entire Douluo Continent:

[The Teyvat Continent is divided into seven great nations: Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, and Snezhnaya.]

[Each is governed by one of the seven deities.]

[In addition, there is also a Celestia, governed by the Heavenly Principles, which rules over the seven gods.]

[Mondstadt City is the nation of Mondstadt, one of the seven, the land favored by Barbatos, the God of Wind, representing the nation of freedom and wind.]

[Information update complete!]

[Mission Title: War of Annihilation · Defend Mondstadt City!]

[Mission Type: Individual Mission.]

[Mission Content: Defend Mondstadt City!]

[Participation Requirement: Soul power level no lower than level ninety!]

This mission, issued without a moment to catch their breath, stunned everyone instantly.

"The second mission already?"

"Can't it at least give us a cooldown period to let everyone catch their breath?"

"What are you catching your breath for? This is restricted to Titled Douluo; it has nothing to do with us, right?"

"Bullshit! If this mission fails, we'll all suffer the consequences!"

"Exactly, exactly! Have you forgotten how our soul power levels just dropped?"

The ones arguing the most were the low-to-mid-level soul masters.

Meanwhile, the high-ranking officials of the various empires fell into silence, saying nothing.

"Your, Your Majesty..."

On the Heaven Dou Empire side.

Grand Marshal Ge Long's voice trembled slightly, "This... this mission, I fear we..."

"Your Majesty, this mission is likely something only the Blue Consumption King is qualified to undertake!"

Prince Xue Xing also spoke in a deep voice, "The Heavenly Dao made it very clear: this is a nation governed by a deity!"

"Furthermore, this is a war of national annihilation!"

"I fear it is in no way inferior to that Sustainer of Heavenly Principles we saw earlier..."

Xue Beng could not help but look toward the military camp. A healing-type Soul Master walked out, and upon seeing the Emperor's gaze, he immediately shook his head. "Your Majesty, the Blue Consumption King is still in a coma."

"I fear he cannot join the battle..."

As these words fell, the hearts of many sank to the bottom of the abyss.

Aside from Tang San, the Sea God, the Heaven Dou Empire's single strongest combatant, Tang Hao, had already been killed.

According to their assessment, this nation called "Mondstadt" also possessed a deity on the same level as that Sustainer of Heavenly Principles!

And since this was called a war of defense, it meant the opponents would inevitably have deities of their own!

Therefore...

They could only hope for a god to take the field!

But the problem was, Tang San was still unconscious. How were they supposed to fight?

"Your Majesty, this mission... I fear we cannot accept it!"

Yu Xiaogang, having finished his wailing and howling, had finally regained his composure after much comforting from Liu Erlong and Flander. He said in a deep voice, "Little San has yet to wake up, and we have already exhausted our 'Newbie Protection Period' offset. If we accept this mission and fail, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

"Based on my deductions, if we force ourselves into this battle, the success rate is less than 1%!"

Damn you, isn't that just pure nonsense!?

Xue Beng's mouth twitched. He wanted to curse, but considering that Yu Xiaogang was Tang San's teacher, he suppressed the urge to lash out and swept his gaze across the room.

However.

The Title Douluo of the Heaven Dou Empire who met his gaze all subconsciously took half a step back in unison; some even looked up at the sky as if they were counting the clouds.

They were not fools.

From the majestic voice of the Heavenly Dao, they had already deduced a very logical conclusion!

First, this Sustainer of Heavenly Principles possessed strength comparable to a god.

Second, Mondstadt City was a nation protected by a deity known as the "God of Wind."

Third, right now, even a nation protected by a god was about to be annihilated!

Therefore.

Their conclusion was: the enemy attacking Mondstadt City was absolutely on the same level as the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles who had just insta-killed Tang Hao!

This was definitely a god-level war of destruction!

It was even on the same scale as the battle between the two gods at Jialing Pass!

They were merely Title Douluo; why would they go to a divine war?

Did they not remember the fate of Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong?

Are you kidding me?

Wasn't that just blatantly throwing their lives away?

They hadn't lived enough yet; how could they be in such a rush to reincarnate?

Likewise.

Thousands of miles away in the Star Luo Imperial City.

The Star Luo Emperor also wore an extremely grave expression as he said in a deep voice, "Seal off the area around the portal! No Title Douluo is permitted to step within half a step of it!"

"Yes!"

He had seen the contents of the light screen earlier and had gained some understanding of this world within "Teyvat."

That was absolutely not something they could touch!

"Your Majesty, please be cautious!"

Before Jialing Pass.

Qianjun Douluo looked at the Rakshasa God Bibi Dong, whose expression showed signs of being moved, and said in a deep voice, "Your strength is currently less than one-tenth of its peak; you cannot perfectly unleash the power of a god. If you go alone and fall..."

Hearing this, Bibi Dong's face turned as dark as a storm cloud.

"Indeed, Your Majesty!"

Guibao Douluo, who was still wrapped in bandages and hadn't even had time to rest after his treatment, also advised, "The Heavenly Dao just clearly stated that Mondstadt City is governed by a deity."

"And only a god could annihilate a nation governed by a deity."

"Once you enter, you might even be besieged by two gods. At that time..."

Bibi Dong's heart tightened.

That was true!

Once she went in, setting aside whether she was in her prime, her status as an outsider from another land would make it difficult for anyone to trust her. She might even be treated as an enemy and hacked to death first!

At this thought.

Rakshasa God Bibi Dong took a deep breath and finally spat out two words: "Give up!"

Right now.

The Spirit Empire had already suffered heavy losses.

The number of Title Douluo, once in the dozens, could now be counted on one hand.

If they participated, losing even a single Title Douluo would be a massive blow, not to mention the subsequent penalty of a drop in soul power levels for all soul masters across the entire empire!

The three great empires had all, by unspoken agreement, chosen to retreat.

No one dared to look directly at those three portals radiating red light.

Chen Fan also regained his composure. Looking at the scene at Jialing Pass in the distance, he could naturally guess what the three great empires were thinking.

But...

"Logically speaking, if none of the three empires participate, it shouldn't result in a failed auction, right?"

"It should... most likely be a random selection of lucky participants?"

Chen Fan's muttering had barely faded when that majestic voice of the Heavenly Dao resounded once more in everyone's hearts!

[Task issuance complete!]

[If no one from the three great empires voluntarily accepts the task within 90 seconds of its issuance, the Heavenly Dao will randomly select one qualified soul master from each of the three empires and forcibly transport them into the portals.]

As soon as these words were spoken.

Every Title Douluo on the continent felt as if they had been plunged into an ice cellar!

If they didn't go voluntarily, they would be picked at random? Forced execution?

This was practically holding a blade to everyone's throat!

"Randomly selected?!"

The first to be struck with terror were naturally those on the side of the Heaven Dou Empire!

One had to realize!

Among the three great empires, the Heaven Dou Empire currently possessed the highest number of Title Douluo!

Ah Yin, Tang Xiao, the five great elders of the Clear Sky Sect, the Shrek Six Devils, Dugu Bo... (Tang San was a deity, so he was not counted among the Title Douluo).

That was a full fourteen Title Douluo!

Looking at the Spirit Empire side, those who could still stand were only Qianjun Douluo, Jiangmo Douluo, Guibao Douluo, Tianfeng Douluo, and Chen Fan.

That was only five Title Douluo!

The Star Luo Empire had even fewer; in the first generation, the Star Luo Empire hadn't even shown a single Title Douluo, so there were likely only a sparse two or three.

Looking at it this way, if it were truly a random selection, the probability of the Heaven Dou Empire "winning the prize" was undoubtedly the highest!

"This... Your Majesty, what should we do?"

At this, the entire Heaven Dou Empire side fell into a deathly silence.

Grand Marshal Ge Long clenched his fists, his voice trembling as he looked toward Xue Beng, his gaze sweeping over the other Title Douluo, feeling his lips grow exceptionally parched.

Conversely.

The Spirit Empire was not panicked in the slightest.

At most, they had five Title Douluo, while the Heaven Dou Empire had a full fourteen!

It was impossible that their luck would be so bad that they would actually be picked, right?

Therefore!

The ones most panicked were undoubtedly the Title Douluo of the Heaven Dou Empire!

"Leave it to fate."

Xue Beng closed his eyes, feeling a pang of heartache.

He had originally thought this "Portal" would allow him to become the most outstanding emperor in the history of the Heaven Dou Empire.

But he never imagined it would nail him to the cross of incompetence!

What was an incompetent emperor?

This was it!

"If this Mondstadt City..."

Meanwhile.

Deep in the rear of the Spirit Empire.

Chen Fan's expression shifted uncertainly.

From the earlier Sustainer of Heavenly Principles and those twins, Chen Fan could be certain that this was a game plot he was familiar with!

If he remembered correctly.

This destruction of Mondstadt City should be one of the main story quests... and it was only a raid on Mondstadt City by no more than ten Hilichurls!

With a lineup like that, the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt wouldn't even need to mobilize. Master Diluc and that "True Monarch of Sea-Crossing" Kaeya—those two best buds—could handle it easily with a single coordinated strike.

This is what you call a city-destroying war?

The Heavenly Dao plays these word games far too well!

It uses the most grandiose vocabulary to package the most pathetic beginner-village quest!

Information asymmetry, this is nothing but information asymmetry.

Chen Fan took a deep breath, forcing down the corners of his mouth that were threatening to curl into a wild grin.

The natives of the Douluo Continent were terrified out of their wits by Tang Hao's death, and combined with the highly deceptive introduction from the Heavenly Dao, they had forcibly imagined a "clear the mobs" quest into "Ragnarök."

Of course!

It was also possible that the Heavenly Dao was misleading him!

If that escort quest for the twins didn't exist, Chen Fan would have truly leaned toward that possibility!

But as things stood...

"Damn it, I'm going for it!"

"Risk it all to turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!"

[Countdown: 30 seconds.]

Red numbers pulsed in the sky.

Chen Fan's brain raced at top speed.

The current situation was clear:

Stay and run? Even though Tang San was unconscious, his protagonist halo remained, and he could wake up at any moment. Once Tang San woke up, the Spirit Empire would surely be destroyed, and as an elder of the Spirit Hall, he would definitely be liquidated. Even if he hid at the ends of the earth, he would be hunted down by the gods.

Wait for a random draw? If it didn't pick him but picked Qianjun and Jiangmo instead, the Spirit Empire would lose more national destiny and dissolve on the spot. If it did pick him, he would be entering the fray passively, completely unprepared.

Accept the quest proactively?

Go to the Teyvat Continent, beat up a few Hilichurls, and claim the "God-level rewards" and "national destiny boost" from the Heavenly Dao.

Is there even a choice here?!

The heavens are practically shoving a cheat code into his mouth!

[Countdown: 15 seconds.]

"I'm all in!"

Chen Fan's gaze sharpened. His soul power surged, and his figure transformed into a streak of light, charging straight toward the portal on the front line!

"Chen Fan?"

The Rakshasa God Bibi Dong snapped her eyes open and shouted sharply, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"Stop!"