Temptation of Divine Inheritance, Calm Before the Storm, Forces Converge!

"Xishui, you summoned me."

A deep, resonant voice rang through the hall. Space twisted slightly, and the Dragon Emperor Douluo, Long Xiaoyao, appeared out of thin air in black robes.

His expression was as complex and restrained as ever, yet whenever he looked at Ye Xishui, his eyes always held an indulgence that could not be erased.

Ye Xishui did not waste words. She directly told him everything about the secret realm in the Ming Dou Mountains, including how Zhang Peng had brought back a Seventy-Thousand-Year Dark Soul Bone and advanced a full rank in Soul Power.

After hearing this, Long Xiaoyao frowned deeply.

"A secret realm that opens specifically for dark Soul Masters?

Xishui, could this be a trap?

Qian Jue and Chen Hai only finished their battle not long ago. The timing of this secret realm's appearance is far too coincidental.

Besides, how could Divine Inheritance possibly appear so easily?"

"A coincidence? How could there be so many coincidences in this world?"

Ye Xishui snorted coldly, her eyes filled with fanaticism.

"The Seventy-Thousand-Year Dark Soul Bone Zhang Peng brought back is real, and the surge of Soul Power within him is real!

More importantly, the secret realm rejects ordinary Soul Masters and accepts only members of our Holy Spirit Cult.

What explanation could there be besides a gift from a Dark God?"

Ye Xishui rose to her feet and walked step by step toward Long Xiaoyao, staring at him with blazing eyes.

"Xiaoyao, Mu En is dead, and Shrek is now nothing more than an exhausted force.

As long as we obtain the Divine Inheritance within the secret realm before Shrek gathers those ten thousand Soul Masters, no one in this world will be able to stop us!

Even Qian Jue and Chen Hai will have no choice but to bow before the power of a true god!"

"Xiaoyao, if this truly is the Divine Inheritance Grounds, it does not matter whether you or I ultimately receive a god's favor. After all, Xiaoyao, you and I... have always been one."

Ye Xishui stepped forward and gently rested her head against Long Xiaoyao's broad chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. Her voice was soft enough to melt steel.

"As long as we fulfill this wish and use divine power to unite the continent, once we both become gods, we can leave this land of strife together and become an immortal couple in the God Realm, all right...?"

Feeling the softness and warmth in his arms, Long Xiaoyao's body stiffened slightly before gradually relaxing.

He lowered his head to look at Ye Xishui's still breathtakingly beautiful face. A trace of indescribable bitterness and deep affection flashed through his eyes.

How could he not know that her words contained some measure of exploitation and calculation?

He understood even more clearly her twisted obsession with power, as well as the shadow left behind by the dead Mu En.

But so what?

For the woman before him, Long Xiaoyao could abandon even light and his own bottom line. He had willingly sunk into this dark mire for a hundred years; why would he care about risking his life for her once more?

"All right, Xishui."

Long Xiaoyao pulled Ye Xishui into his embrace, his voice low yet carrying an unquestionable resolve.

"As long as it is something you desire, even if it is a divine throne in the heavens, I will seize it for you.

Whoever stands in your way, I will kill."

Upon hearing Long Xiaoyao's promise, the vulnerability on Ye Xishui's face, hidden against his chest, instantly vanished. In its place came absolute coldness and fervor.

"Pass down the order!"

Ye Xishui abruptly turned around, her voice resounding throughout the Holy Spirit Cult's headquarters.

"All elders and consecrated members at Titled Douluo rank or above are to follow me to the Ming Dou Mountains immediately!

This time, we will seize the gods' gift before the rest of the continent!"

"..."

News of the emergence of Divine Inheritance swept across the entire continent like a storm, instantly shocking everyone.

Even the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament was forced into an indefinite postponement.

After all, a mere soul battle competition was not worth mentioning before the illusory yet maddening prospect of Divine Inheritance.

In only a few days, the once sparsely populated Ming Dou Mountains had become packed with Soul Masters.

Forces from every side gathered there and, remarkably, reached an unspoken understanding. They each occupied separate peaks, dividing themselves into distinct camps.

At that moment, on a concealed mountain peak less than twenty kilometers from the secret realm entrance, was Shrek Academy's camp.

Xuan Zi led the Shrek group as they lay in ambush, coldly watching the ever-growing number of Soul Masters below.

"Elder Xuan, the news has spread completely."

Bei Bei reported in a low voice.

"Not only have the major sects of the three great empires—Star Luo, Heavenly Soul, and Dou Spirit—and the Sun Moon Empire arrived, even many reclusive independent cultivators have rushed here after hearing the news.

By rough estimate, the number of Soul Masters gathered outside the barrier has already exceeded tens of thousands."

"Good."

Xuan Zi tilted back his head and took a swig of strong liquor. A sharp glint flashed through his clouded old eyes.

"The more people there are, the greater the commotion. The less likely Senior Chen Hai will be to miss it.

Once Senior Chen Hai arrives, the opportunity within this secret realm will ultimately belong to Shrek."

"But Elder Xuan..."

Huo Yuhao kept his Spirit Eyes open, a faint golden gleam flickering in them. He stared with furrowed brows at the enormous barrier in the distance, which emitted a dim, dark glow.

"I have a bad feeling about this.

The aura coming from that barrier is too cold and evil. And it seems that large numbers of Holy Spirit Cult Evil Soul Masters have also mixed into the crowd."

"It is perfect that the Evil Soul Masters are here!"

Xu Sanshi snorted, killing intent flashing in his eyes. "When Senior Chen Hai descends, we can use his hand to wipe out these rats hiding in the gutters!"

While the Shrek group waited eagerly for "Chen Hai" to descend, high above the Ming Dou Mountains—

"There are certainly quite a few people here. It seems this old man has not arrived too late!"

A vast cloud of dark green poisonous miasma suddenly rolled across the sky. Immediately afterward, a burly figure tore through the air, unleashing without restraint the terrifying aura unique to a rank ninety-eight Super Douluo.

This man was none other than the Body Sect's leader, Du Busi.

Behind him followed several Titled Douluo-level elders of the Body Sect, each of them emanating a fierce aura.

"So it is that old poison Du Busi. I never expected even him to come join this excitement..."

On the mountain peak, Xuan Zi narrowed his eyes, his expression growing increasingly grave.

"It is the Divine Inheritance Grounds, after all. Who could resist such temptation?" Bei Bei sighed from the side.

The rest of the Shrek group remained silent, and the atmosphere became oppressive.

Only Huo Yuhao's expression grew increasingly strange, fine beads of cold sweat even appearing on his forehead.

"Yuhao, what is wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Wang Dong noticed Huo Yuhao's abnormality and hurried closer to ask with concern.

"N-No, it is nothing. I just think this ruin is extremely strange," Huo Yuhao said in a lowered voice.

This was not a baseless guess. It was because Electrolux in his spiritual sea had just issued a stern warning.

Elder Yi had clearly told him that the barrier was filled with an extreme aura of destruction and death. If anyone forced their way inside, they would undoubtedly die!

This was absolutely a world-shaking death trap set by someone. Its purpose was to lure the continent's high-level Soul Masters here and then wipe them all out in one stroke.

"Do none of you think this ruin appeared far too strangely?"

Huo Yuhao drew a deep breath and spoke despite the pressure.

"If this truly were the Divine Inheritance Grounds, how could Qian Jue, as a God Rank powerhouse, possibly remain unaware?

This matter has been spreading for so many days, yet he himself has not shown up at all."

This was what made Huo Yuhao feel the most terrified.