"Nine hundred and sixty-five years ago, in the year 1637 of the Heaven Dou calendar and 1275 of the Star Luo calendar, an entirely new calendar burst onto the world stage. On the Sacred Mountain revered by Soul Masters, Pope Qian Mengying announced that she would establish a home for all ordinary Soul Masters, an organization dedicated to sheltering all ordinary people, preserving peace throughout the world, and eradicating criminal forces and Evil Soul Masters in every form. Its name was Spirit Hall, and that year became known as Martial Soul Year One."
"The announcement stunned the world. Countless people of lofty ideals felt their blood boil and embraced it as their lifelong pursuit. Countless Soul Masters flocked to the Sacred Mountain, and the forest that should have posed some danger suddenly seemed like an open highway. Ordinary people, too, found hope for a new life. They endured a thousand hardships to reach this place and, alongside the many Soul Masters, built a new Holy City around the Sacred Mountain."
"That was Spirit City, the very land beneath our feet today. As for the first Pope, we prefer to call her the Holy Emperor, to express our respect for her."
At this point, Wang Yan stopped, closed his eyes, and began to meditate. Whenever he reached this part, he could not help imagining the magnificent sight of the Pope raising her arm in a rallying cry and righteous souls across the world answering her call, gathering here. Had he lived in that age, he would gladly have spilled his blood and laid down his life for Her Holiness the Pope. Even with certain death awaiting him ten times over, he would never have turned back.
In truth, he still felt the same way. If the Pope ever decided to wage war against the Two Great Empires, he would charge straight to the front, no matter what. Unfortunately, Spirit Hall had fought no wars since its founding battle, and he would probably never have the chance to take part in such a Holy War in his lifetime.
Listening to Wang Yan's account, Leng Xiyue also felt hot blood surge into her heart. In an age like that, Spirit Hall had undoubtedly been light and hope. How could people who had endured oppression for so long ever give up on it?
"In just one year, nearly a hundred thousand Soul Masters and several hundred thousand ordinary people gathered at the foot of Martial Soul Mountain. They built a city larger than the imperial capitals of the Two Great Empires combined and erected two sacred halls on Martial Soul Mountain. The first, the Papal Hall, was built halfway up the mountain and served as the seat of power for all of Spirit Hall. The second, Douluo Hall, stood at the summit. The gravestones of all the righteous souls who had sacrificed themselves resisting the empires were moved there, and to this day, it remains our spiritual totem."
"Such unity finally frightened the Two Great Empires. They chose to cease hostilities and cooperate, determined to wipe out the newborn Spirit Hall in a single stroke. The Heaven Dou Empire finally united as it once had against the Star Luo Empire, its blades pointed straight at Spirit City."
"Her Majesty the Holy Emperor showed no fear. She immediately declared a Holy War to overthrow the rotten empires and personally led the Holy War Army, composed of the finest righteous warriors in the world, to confront the combined Heaven Dou and Star Luo forces outside Martial Soul Forest."
"The allied forces numbered a full 1.6 million, including as many as five hundred thousand Soul Masters, while the newly formed Spirit Hall Army had only sixty thousand Soul Masters. Even with nothing but crude hammers or kitchen knives, and not so much as armor, ordinary people were willing to fight the imperial alliance to the death on the battlefield. The Holy Emperor, however, ordered them to stand down."
"With such a vast disparity in numbers, the outcome should never have been in doubt. Yet the million-strong army of ordinary people that Heaven Dou and Star Luo had assembled to pad their ranks became an unexpected source of aid. Eighty percent of them were not diehard imperial loyalists. Apart from the armor on their backs being worth a little money, they had practically nothing. The empires had simply forced them into military households. Perhaps they had once harbored thoughts of resistance, but little by little, they had grown numb."
"The Holy Emperor's speech before the armies awakened their longing for freedom. The Holy City that countless ordinary people regarded as paradise stood right before their eyes, yet not only were they forbidden to enter, they had been brought here to destroy it. When one utterly inconspicuous soldier suddenly struck down the squad leader beside him and raised his arm with a rallying cry, the allied forces instantly descended into chaos. The Royal Knights, on whom the Heaven Dou Emperor relied, were swept up in the turmoil and could not unleash their true might. As troops loyal to the nobility slaughtered indiscriminately to suppress the revolt, some soldiers who had never intended to rebel were cut down as well. Seeing this, those who remained had no choice but to join the resistance if they wanted to live."
"Nearly a thousand years of accumulated resentment between Star Luo and Heaven Dou erupted as well. Though they were allies, neither side had ever thought much of the other. While things were stable, no one dared say much, but amid the chaos, shortsighted Star Luo soldiers seized the opportunity to attack the Heaven Dou soldiers. Naturally, the Heaven Dou soldiers refused to back down and struck back. The chain of command broke apart, soldiers fought on their own, and the million-strong army collapsed completely."
"Spirit Hall's Holy War Army swiftly joined the turmoil. The righteous warriors already had ample experience distinguishing diehard noble loyalists from ordinary soldiers. They singled out those loyalists and the elite Royal Knights for slaughter, while rallying the brave rebels to their side, reorganizing them on the battlefield, and launching orderly attacks against the imperial troops."
"The emperors of the Two Great Empires were utterly powerless to halt the chaos. They could only lead their finest experts against the Holy Emperor. Yet Her Majesty's cultivation reached the heavens. She had received the Angel God's inheritance and possessed the body of a demigod. How could sect experts without such an inheritance possibly contend with her? The other elders also possessed extraordinary cultivation. In the end, all four Peerless Douluo from Heaven Dou's Upper Three Sects and among Star Luo's princes were killed. Of the eight Super Douluo at level ninety-seven or above, five fell as well. The other fifty Titled Douluo hurried to flee when they saw the tide turning, but the Holy Emperor led the elders in pursuit and slew more than half of them. The emperors of the Two Great Empires were captured. Thus, this vast Holy War had scarcely begun before the dust had already settled."
"Though a decisive victory had been won, everyone understood that the empires could not be destroyed. For one thing, their systems of government were not necessarily unworkable; the problem lay with those implementing them. For another, even if Spirit Hall had united the Two Great Empires at the time, its new system would have been largely the same as theirs, with only minor differences. Without the fervor of resisting the empires, people would likely have forgotten those hardships within a few generations. They might even have led Spirit Hall back down the empires' old path, dividing Soul Masters from ordinary people, with one side ruling the other."
"This had also been the Holy Emperor's greatest concern, but the other two elders who had founded Spirit Hall alongside her had already provided an answer."
"That answer was the arrangement we have today. Spirit Hall does not interfere with decisions made by the upper leadership of the Two Great Empires, but the empires must establish a Spirit Hall Branch in every city and village. Spirit Hall oversees these branches and is responsible for eliminating criminal forces, while the empires must provide every assistance. Spirit Hall has priority over the empires in recruiting Soul Masters, as well as law-enforcement authority in every city except the two imperial capitals. At the same time, all Peak Douluo above level ninety-five serving the empires at the time were ordered to take their own lives. No expert above level ninety-five could be permitted to emerge thereafter, nor could an emperor's strength exceed that of a Titled Douluo. Armies of ordinary people were strictly forbidden from exceeding fifty thousand soldiers. Any violation would be regarded as a challenge to Spirit Hall's authority."
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