A Ten-Thousand-Year Continent on Kunpeng's Back, Adrift at Sea!

Across the boundless sea, a vast "island" drifted slowly and aimlessly onward.

At the heart of the Northern Underworld Continent stood North Nether City, capital of the Northern Underworld Empire.

In the city center stood a temple of unusual design.

One half was sea blue, the other sky blue. Rivers, lakes, and seas were carved into one side; skies and clouds adorned the other.

Inside the great hall stood two statues: one of a fish, the other of a bird.

In the northern depths lived a fish named Kun. It transformed into a bird named Peng. Together, they were Kunpeng.

Before the divine statues, countless people knelt in worship, their faces filled with utter devotion. No—they prostrated themselves.

For everyone knew that this continent was, in truth, an ancient divine beast born in the primordial age: Kunpeng.

Bei Mingyuan was Kunpeng. Revered as the North Nether Progenitor, he was the god most venerated by every living thing here, the one who had kindled the flame of civilization with his own hands!

Behind the temple stood the palace of Kunpeng City. Inside, countless figures of great influence across the Northern Underworld Continent lined both sides of the hall.

Humans stood on one side, Soul Beasts on the other.

Military and civil officials, academy heads, and the leaders of Soul Master clans and sects had all gathered today. Every one of them watched the sovereign on the throne with eager anticipation.

At last, Bei Mingxue slowly opened her eyes. A dark glimmer flashed within them.

"Your Majesty!"

An elder at the front, dressed in silver-green robes, hurried forward. "Your Majesty, has the Progenitor delivered a Divine Decree?"

At that question, everyone else in the hall turned toward the first empress in all their long history.

Bei Mingxue was the supreme ruler of the Northern Underworld Empire and the mightiest empress—the only person in ten thousand years to possess the Kunpeng Martial Soul.

Fifty thousand years ago, the North Nether Progenitor, Bei Mingyuan, discovered that evil ran rampant across the continent and its people lived in misery. He took human form as the first North Nether Great Emperor, united the continent through absolute strength, and founded the Northern Underworld Empire.

Ever since, the empire's rulers had all been his descendants. Only those sovereigns who possessed the Kun or Peng Martial Soul could communicate with the Progenitor, and even then, only in the vaguest way.

But Bei Mingxue was the only person besides the North Nether Great Emperor to awaken the Kunpeng Martial Soul—and the only Level 99 Limit Douluo who could hear the Progenitor's Divine Decree clearly!

"The Progenitor has indeed awakened."

The hall erupted. Everyone grew excited.

"This is wonderful!"

The silver-green-robed elder broke into a smile. "Your Majesty, what instructions has the Progenitor given us this time? Has he discovered another new continent?"

Bei Mingxue nodded slightly. "Elder Di is right. The Progenitor has given us instructions. We are approaching a continent—but one we have encountered before."

The silver-green-robed elder paused, then nodded. "I see. Then we should make preparations! Your Majesty, could it be the Sun Moon Continent again?"

An armored general stepped forward at once. "Your Majesty, at the speed of our Soul Tool fleet, we could reach the Sun Moon Continent in less than three days!"

The silver-green-robed elder stroked his beard and smiled. "As it happens, I'd like to test my skills against the experts there and see whether they've improved."

"Elder Di is right!"

Another elder stepped forward. "We've held a contest every time we've made contact with the Sun Moon Continent. The last time was five thousand years ago, and we won. I imagine they still aren't happy about it!"

A few soft chuckles rose from the crowd below.

Two hundred and fifty thousand years ago, Bei Mingyuan had crossed into the Douluo Continent and been born as a Kunpeng hatchling in the sea.

Though only a hatchling, Bei Mingyuan was far from weak. In a mere thousand years, he had become a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Just as he was preparing to break through the hundred-thousand-year threshold, he awakened the Evolution System. As long as he remained in water or rode the wind, he would grow stronger.

And so Bei Mingyuan began drifting through the sea. As time passed, he grew larger and larger, until mountains, rivers, stone forests, and other natural wonders appeared on Kun's back.

From time to time, he transformed into Peng and flew over the mainland, rescuing humans and Soul Beasts along the way.

Gradually, a complete ecosystem formed on his back, where humans and Soul Beasts lived and multiplied.

After roughly fifty thousand years, his cultivation surpassed Level 100. Concealed by the Evolution System, he became one of the Gods, passed safely through his hatchling stage, and entered childhood.

From then on, he rarely assumed Peng form. He drifted through the sea as Kun instead.

Over the years, he slept and woke, slept and woke. Before he knew it, the civilization on his back had developed—and split into many factions.

Soul Beasts fought Soul Masters, Soul Masters fought Soul Beasts, and the factions clashed without end, as irreconcilable as fire and water.

Bei Mingyuan had no wish to see that. He condensed a human avatar and used the power of his Divine-Level Martial Soul, Kunpeng, to crush every faction, bringing the Northern Underworld Empire into being.

Afterward, he returned to peaceful slumber and let the empire develop as it would, while his true body drifted wherever the sea took him.

During that time, he passed several continents, as well as islands and smaller landmasses—among them the Douluo Continent, the Heavenly Profound Continent, and the Sun Moon Continent.

He had delivered Divine Decrees then, guiding the continents to make contact and learn from one another. Many Soul Masters and Soul Beasts also came to live on the Northern Underworld Continent, bringing with them the knowledge of how to make Soul Tools.

After tens of thousands of years of development, the Northern Underworld Empire's Soul Tool technology had become exceptionally mature—top-tier in every respect.

What was more, under Bei Mingyuan's deliberate guidance, Soul Masters and Soul Beasts had grown remarkably close.

Many Soul Beasts capable of taking human form held important positions in the Northern Underworld Empire. Some humans and Soul Beasts had even married and started families.

In this atmosphere, Title Douluo among the humans and powerful members of the Soul Beast clans were too numerous to count. The realm as a whole was flourishing.

"No."

Bei Mingxue shook her head. "According to the Progenitor, the continent we are about to meet is called the Douluo Continent."

"The Douluo Continent?"

Elder Di paused and frowned in thought. A moment later, he remembered. "Your Majesty, I believe the imperial records mention the Douluo Continent!"

"That's the one. This time, the Progenitor has ordered us to... Who's there?!"

Just as Bei Mingxue was about to continue, her expression changed drastically. In the next instant, she appeared outside the hall.

The others hurried after her.

High in the skies above Douluo Star, streaks of golden radiance slowly gathered into a scroll depicting mountains and rivers. It began to unfurl.

[Hummm~~~!]

The next instant, a vast bell tolled. Everyone on Douluo Star heard it clearly.

On the Douluo Continent.

Spirit Hall.

The Heaven Dou Empire.

The Star Luo Empire.

The Star Dou Great Forest.

Every sentient being who heard the bell raised their head.