The Angel God's Promise, Long Xiaoyao's Panic, and Ling Luochen, No Longer One of the Shrek Seven Devils (4.8k bonus update)

"Based on your account, I am ninety-eight percent certain that Yan Shaozhe is an undercover agent planted in Shrek Academy by evil soul masters. The Sea God's Pavilion has been thoroughly infiltrated."

After a brief brainstorming session, Long Xiaoyao tentatively concluded that something was wrong with Yan Shaozhe. Who had secretly recruited him remained unknown, but this hidden pawn was undoubtedly a successful one.

Yu Tianjun looked at Long Xiaoyao and said in a low voice, "I don't know whether Yan Shaozhe is a pawn of the evil soul masters. But I will settle today's debt another day."

"What do you intend to do? As someone who's been through it, let me advise you: never let your passion or your sense of justice die. I can tell you cherish loyalty and affection, and your heart seeks the light. You mustn't let one setback destroy everything you've upheld for years."

Long Xiaoyao could picture the Holy Spirit Cult joyfully welcoming the Dark Qilin, and tried to guide him back onto the righteous path.

A traitor to the Holy Spirit Cult had stepped forward. Long Xiaoyao was one.

"Your talent is extraordinary, unlike anything I've seen in my life. My past has been full of hardship, and seeing you reminds me of my younger self. Never fall into darkness over a moment's anger. You would be bidding farewell to everything beautiful. I'm sure a young man like you must have plenty of girls who like him."

Looking at Yu Tianjun's face, Long Xiaoyao felt a responsibility to protect the continent. When he met Mu En again, he could puff out his chest and say he had saved the continent's soul master world.

His earlier examination had revealed that Yu Tianjun's foundations were as deep and solid as an abyss, and his martial soul's potential far exceeded that of every evil soul master in the Holy Spirit Cult. That meant the cult could use any method on him without worrying about side effects.

It wouldn't take long. By the time the Soul Fighting Tournament after the next began, he would finish the Soul Master Tournament in four hours, seize the Mingdou Mountain Range in five days, and blitz through Heaven Dou City in eighteen.

He would conquer the Heavenly Soul and Dou Ling Empires in twenty-seven days, take Shrek City—with the continent's strongest army—in thirty-nine, and stand beneath the walls of Star Luo City, supposedly impregnable, within two months.

The holy spirit would descend, invincible beneath the heavens. Ordinary soul masters would have no chance of survival. The continent's people could only pray that the ferocious beast emperors slumbering in the forbidden zones would emerge to protect all living beings and wage a bloody war against the holy spirit.

If even the supreme beings of the forbidden zones lost, this continent would have no hope left.

Damn it, I must be insane to pin my hopes on those soul beasts!

Long Xiaoyao felt that Yan Shaozhe had driven him mad.

"Don't worry, Elder Long. I only want revenge. If I became someone like Yan Shaozhe because of this, I would be betraying who I used to be. Earlier, I watched my second uncle lose his arm. I couldn't control my emotions, so I kept making threats."

"Shrek is powerful. Senior, please see your kindness through to the end and go to the Heavenly Dragon Sect to protect my family for a while."

Yu Tianjun cupped his hands in appeal. His dim eyes were sorrowful but calm, and he seemed to have regained his reason. "My grandfather and father are in seclusion. If Yan Shaozhe leaves the canyon and goes to Dragon City, my family will be wiped out..."

"I agree! I'll treat your injuries right now, and we'll leave once you're healed! One minute! Just one minute!"

Terrified that Yu Tianjun's words might become a prophecy, Long Xiaoyao whipped out pills at lightning speed and fed them to uncle and nephew. He dared hold back none of the resources he had accumulated over his lifetime. The Limit Douluo was so anxious that sweat covered his forehead.

"Actually, there's no need to rush quite so much." The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird's clear, ethereal voice rang out, bringing with it a soothing power.

"What do you mean?"

Long Xiaoyao looked at the unusual soul beast, which could speak despite being less than a hundred thousand years old. Yu Tianjun also turned his gaze toward it.

The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird pointed a massive wing, naturally divided into black and white, at Yu Tianjun. A humanlike smile appeared on its face, wreathed in currents of yin and yang.

"This human is very useful to me."

Yu Tianjun rubbed his chest as his blood and vital energy gradually settled, slowly exhaled a turbid breath, and asked, "What use am I to you? Do you want to refine me?"

The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird immediately rolled its eyes. "Don't judge me by those inferior soul beasts."

"Our kind are soul beasts with ancient bloodlines, born from the chaotic yin and yang energies left over from the birth of heaven and earth. There can only be one on a planet. We possess tremendous fortune and are absolutely unique. Understand?"

"Oh."

Yu Tianjun responded, then tilted his head toward the bird. "You're different from the Emperor Auspicious Beast. Devouring living beings might give you indigestion."

"Human, sometimes being a little stupid makes for a better conversation."

A dark line creased the Yin-Yang Chaos Bird's forehead.

Yu Tianjun forced a faint smile. "Normally, I'd be delighted to befriend an intelligent soul beast. But you saw what I went through. Please understand, and get straight to the point."

"As long as it doesn't cross my bottom line, I'm open to any mutually beneficial cooperation."

"Straightforward." Pleased with Yu Tianjun's attitude, the Yin-Yang Chaos Bird raised its head and began explaining:

"The heart of Death Canyon has always emitted netherworld death energy. This energy makes soul masters and soul beasts violent and cruel, leaving them prone to becoming evil beings.

"To other creatures, this death energy is a terrifying, destructive substance. If left to spread, it would destroy Douluo Planet.

"A great being brought me into existence by stirring the currents of chaos. The purpose of my existence is to balance all of this with the power of yin and yang."

"Before I was born, a powerful being arose among you humans: Spirit Hall's Angel God. She attained godhood by purifying evil soul beasts and exterminating evil soul masters. Have you heard of her?"

"Of course."

Yu Tianjun and Long Xiaoyao nodded. The Angel God was the first god in Douluo Continent's history and the founder of Spirit Hall. Even if she wasn't the progenitor of soul masters, she came close.

The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird said, "Before the Angel God ascended to the Divine Realm, she came here several times specifically to suppress it, awakening the divine beast that was the source of the death energy.

"She wasn't strong enough to purify it completely. She could only keep that divine beast lucid for a time. I was created by that divine beast."

"The Angel God was truly righteous."

Long Xiaoyao raised a thumb, and approval showed in Yu Tianjun's eyes.

The hundred-thousand-year Dark Prison Lion Emperor spoke in a deep, majestic voice. "Before the Angel God ascended, she reached an agreement with that being and the soul beasts of Death Canyon.

"Every successive level-ninety-nine Angel Douluo would spend three months in Death Canyon every ten years, refining the death energy with the Angel Domain. Death Canyon became a training ground for Spirit Hall."

"The Angel God said that, with successive generations of Angel Douluos and the Chaos Bird continually suppressing the death energy, the next Angel God would be able to eliminate the threat forever."

"That's right."

The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird nodded, a touch of nostalgia entering its voice. "I remember the last Angel Douluo to come here was called Qian Daoliu. A decent old man."

"One day, he sighed and said his son had done something he shouldn't have and died. The next Angel Grand Enshrined would have to wait until his granddaughter grew up, so he would be the one coming from then on."

"The last time he came, he said his granddaughter would become the new Angel God. I thought my ordeal was finally over. But then... boo-hoo, Spirit Hall was gone! And the Angel God he'd promised was gone too!"

The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird sniffled. Having worked since birth, the bird had waited tens of thousands of years for freedom, only for its successor to die before arriving. It had been forced to endure another ten thousand years.

"Ten thousand years! Nobody knows how I survived those ten thousand years! Every day, I endured death energy piercing my heart. This mighty bird was practically dying..."

The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird wailed, "That damned Sea God shattered the angel godhood! We tried asking him for help, but he thought Death Canyon's overwhelming death energy meant there had to be treasure here.

"He didn't find any. He got a faceful of death energy, stole piles of our heavenly treasures and soul bones, and called us remnants of Spirit Hall. He said sparing us was already an act of mercy, out of consideration for how difficult cultivation was for soul beasts..."

"Tell me, how can anyone be that awful?"

Spirit Hall gave you a like and tipped you one Bibi Dong.

"To think Shrek's great, glorious, and righteous Asura God King had a side like that."

Long Xiaoyao clicked his tongue in amazement. Death Canyon hadn't participated in the Spirit Hall Empire's war, yet had still been branded a remnant. Tang San had cast his net of collective punishment far too wide.

"That sort of conduct doesn't surprise me."

Yu Tianjun took it in stride and said to the Yin-Yang Chaos Bird, "The Bright Phoenix is Shrek's current dean. Would you be interested in sending him a few gifts?"

The Dark Prison Lion Emperor's resonant voice rang out. "We don't usually take the initiative to attack powerful soul masters from outside. But Yan Shaozhe charged in himself, so naturally, some hundred-thousand-year soul beasts will give him a couple of stabs."

"The Nine-Headed Blood Bat King already has his sights on him. The Blood Bats King's eyes and ears are everywhere in Death Canyon."

"I hope he doesn't die."

Yu Tianjun sincerely hoped Yan Shaozhe would make it out alive. He turned to the Chaos Bird. "You need me to help you deal with the canyon's death energy?"

"That's right! You've got a good brain, human. Much more flexible than some of those angel old-timers."

Hope danced in the Chaos Bird's differently colored eyes. "With your Ultimate Darkness attribute, you counter death energy even better than the Six-Winged Angel."

"Agreed. Give me a few years. Also, may I ask what I'll receive in return?"

Yu Tianjun closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the emotion in his words gradually settling.

"Death Canyon's heavenly treasures. This place is a paradise for dark soul masters to cultivate. I can order suitable soul beasts to sacrifice themselves to you and help you break through."

"Even hundred-thousand-year soul beasts?"

"Drink more water. Dream less."

Yu Tianjun nodded, then asked, "What about you? I think we'd be a good match."

The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird's feathers bristled instantly, its face saying, "Human, what are you talking about?"

"This mighty bird has seventy thousand years of cultivation! Becoming a ferocious beast will be a breeze. You want me to follow a human whose lifespan won't exceed three hundred years?"

"With your abilities, I believe you'd be able to preserve your soul in a soul ring or soul bone even if you sacrificed yourself to me."

A sharp light returned to Yu Tianjun's eyes as he said earnestly, "Three hundred and sixty days a year, the knives of wind and swords of frost press mercilessly upon you. Living here is painful. I can see you're thoroughly sick of your current life and desperately need someone to take your place."

"You and I both have a score to settle with Shrek. Once I reach the Limit rank, I will destroy Shrek and seize the Golden Tree. This is a fine place. We can transplant the Golden Tree here to balance the continent's ecology."

"If I become a god, we will both live forever. There's no need to say more. If I fail, I'll help you take rebirth in the Golden Tree. You were born from chaotic energy, so I believe you could survive by relying on the Golden Tree, the life core. That would be equivalent to immortality."

As he spoke, the Dark Qilin appeared and released its domain.

The Dark Prison Lion Emperor quietly retreated two steps. A hundred-thousand-year soul beast had to protect itself out in the world.

The next instant, darkness vanished and the five elements reappeared.

Five-colored light circled him. A trace of resolve crossed Yu Tianjun's face as he murmured, "The five elements generate one another. Fire at its ultimate."

The cycle of generation stopped at the fire element. The five-colored radiance turned crimson, and the fire attribute rose to the ultimate level.

"Ultimate fire?"

The ultimate-level fire element washed over Long Xiaoyao. He froze, and the Darkness Holy Dragon looked as though he were questioning his entire life.

"Earth at its ultimate."

The cycle of generation hadn't ended. Fire generated earth, producing deep-yellow ultimate earth. Then earth generated metal, metal generated water, water generated wood...

Ultimate Metal, ultimate water, ultimate wood—before finally returning to the natural five elements.

This was the Five-Element Qilin's ultimate secret: generating the ultimate attributes through Five-Element Generation. Yu Tianjun had mastered it after advancing to Soul Ancestor.

Individually, the five ultimate elements were less powerful than Ultimate Darkness, but they provided ample variety in combat without affecting his cultivation speed.

The Yin-Yang Chaos Bird stared at Yu Tianjun, its eyes growing brighter and brighter. It craned its head forward and asked, "I acknowledge your talent. Any more plans for the future?"

Yu Tianjun said, "When adversity reaches its extreme, fortune turns. Ultimate darkness gives birth to ultimate light. I'll use the five elements to evolve a complete world of darkness, commanding wind and lightning, and even space."

"I'll unite the five elements and cultivate the Great Five-Element Divine Light, with all five as one. After merging with you, I'll evolve into the Heavenly Stems Qilin."

"My Qilin is also an auspicious beast. We both carry fortune. Following me won't wrong you."

"For soul cores, my provisional goal is yin-yang complementary dual soul cores, challenging humanity's limits."

Yu Tianjun said solemnly, "Whether or not I become a god, the Golden Tree will belong to Death Canyon."

"Deal! I'll wait here in Death Canyon for you to return as a Quasi-Soul King."

Having witnessed the Qilin's outrageously high capabilities firsthand, the Yin-Yang Chaos Bird chose to believe in Yu Tianjun's future.

"Dark Prison, give those two soul bones back to him."

"Sure."

The Dark Prison Lion Emperor returned the two soul bones dropped by Bi Yangde as a show of sincerity.

Yu Tianjun made a gesture wishing them a happy partnership, helped the gradually awakening Yu Xiaoying to his feet, and said to Long Xiaoyao, "Elder Long, I'm counting on you."

"No problem."

Long Xiaoyao lifted the two of them and stamped his foot. The order of space enveloped them, and they vanished.

Nobody saw that his expression was even more panicked than before.

With a Limit Douluo's might, a hundred li passed in an instant. A quarter of an hour later, Dragon City appeared before the three of them.

"We're here. Your grandfather and father haven't emerged from seclusion yet."

Finding the Heavenly Dragon Sect unharmed, Long Xiaoyao let out a great sigh of relief.

"We made it..."

Yu Tianjun also felt relief wash over him. Without disturbing his relatives who were still in seclusion, he explained everything to his mother, then left his second uncle, freshly recovered from severe injuries, behind and asked Long Xiaoyao to conceal his whereabouts.

He walked briskly to a detached villa in the deepest part of the Heavenly Dragon Sect, beside the Far North forest.

On a meditation platform covered in pristine snow, Ling Luochen sat upright, focused on her meditation. Her neatly tailored robes outlined the curves of her mature figure, and her lovely face was peaceful and serene.

Ling Da stood beside her, guarding her. The older generation's devotion to their family was beyond question.

"Level fifty-five. Your cultivation isn't slow."

Murmuring his admiration, Yu Tianjun gave Ling Da a look and slowly roused Ling Luochen.

"Tianjun, you're back?"

Ling Luochen awakened, a smile rising to her brows.

But the next moment, she noticed something was wrong. There was no smile on Yu Tianjun's face.

"I'm back. Something unexpected happened while I was away this time..."

Yu Tianjun's lips moved as he briefly recounted what had happened.

"How could this happen? Yan Shaozhe, he..."

Before she had heard even half of it, Ling Luochen's smile had vanished.

Panic, worry, and alarm wound around her heart like vines. She hurried forward and cupped his face, which had suddenly become so much more weathered, in her fair hands. Tears shimmered at the corners of her eyes, and her voice choked.

"How could something like this happen..."

"It's already happened. Saying that won't help."

Yu Tianjun's emotions had settled, and he said slowly, "This hatred is irreconcilable. We cannot live beneath the same sky. We're very close, and you might get caught up in this. So, Sis, you have two choices now."

"Tell me." Ling Luochen stared at him without blinking.

"First, publicly announce that you're severing all ties with me and take the Ling family away from Dragon City..."

"Tell me the second one. I won't let you say those things to me again!"

Ling Luochen roughly interrupted Yu Tianjun, her voice hurt and angry.

The sight warmed Yu Tianjun's heart. True affection still existed in this world.

Pressing his lips together, Yu Tianjun said gravely, "Leave with me. Leave Dragon City, and leave the Original Continent."

Ling Luochen froze for a moment, then realized what he meant.

"Go to the Sun Moon Continent?"

"Yes."

Yu Tianjun nodded. "You know Shrek's influence here better than I do. We can't stay."

"I know this puts you in a difficult position. So, Sis, you..."

"You're going to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy?" Ling Luochen interrupted him and asked another question.

Yu Tianjun answered softly, "Yes."

"Then let's go together."

Ling Luochen smiled. "My Inspection Corps Mission is over. I no longer owe Shrek anything, and I certainly can't remain in the same place as an enemy who almost killed someone dearest to me."

She tossed out her Shrek inspector's mask and cloak and pointed toward the sky. Ice elements formed into pyramids and riddled the inspector's equipment with holes.

"The Inspection Corps harms innocents and commits filthy deeds in the name of justice. From this moment on, there is no longer a Ling Luochen of the Shrek Seven Devils."

The evening glow fell upon Ling Luochen's lovely, unadorned face, illuminating a beauty that intoxicated the heart. She turned back with a radiant smile and spoke gently to Yu Tianjun:

"Mingdu is the continent's greatest city. I've wanted to see it for a long time. But let's make this clear: everyone I know there is an old rival. You can't leave me behind."

Looking at her faint but resolute smile, Yu Tianjun shook his head firmly. His old smile returned to his handsome, otherworldly face. "I won't. Never."

"We'll start over somewhere else. I promise you, we won't be dependents of the Sun Moon Empire. We're going there to escape Shrek and build our own strength."

"We don't need to become particularly powerful soul engineers. Sooner or later, we'll return."

The Five-Element Qilin and a member of the Former Seven Monsters would appear on the Sun Moon Empire's team and sweep aside the teams of the Original Three Kingdoms and Shrek. It would surely be quite a spectacle.

His original path had been cut off. Then let everything burn. Shatter it all and start again.

The Peerless Era's glory did not belong to Shi-Tang alone. He would measure just how high these heavens were, and how deep this earth ran.