"Hmm?" Gu Yuena's delicate body trembled slightly, and she suddenly stopped, a hint of surprise flashing in her silver-purple eyes!
A warm and powerful emerald green beam descended from the sky, completely enveloping her! Within the beam, extremely pure Life energy flowed into her body like sweet rain, nourishing her essence damaged by the Dragon God's split years ago and repairing those subtle yet stubborn hidden wounds!
She could even clearly feel that her recovery progress, which had stagnated for a long time, was improving at a visible speed! Although the increase was not huge, the feeling of her essence being nourished and her foundation being stabilized was incredibly real!
"This is... the primordial Divine Power of the Goddess of Life?" Gu Yuena felt the changes occurring within her body, a complex expression appearing on her beautiful face. She hadn't expected the God Realm Committee to reward her in this way.
Xuan Ming also stopped, looking at Gu Yuena enveloped in emerald light, feeling the vast and gentle Life force. A hint of understanding flashed in his icy blue eyes, which then turned into silence.
What a bunch of peeping toms! He barely finished speaking when the delayed reward arrived.
The emerald green divine light lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before slowly dissipating.
Gu Yuena slowly opened her eyes, her silver-purple pupils becoming even deeper and brighter, and her aura seemed to become more harmonious and restrained. Although she was still far from her peak, this 20% restoration of her essence was an extremely precious gift to her.
[ Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena assisted in completing the first and Second Trial Sea God Nine Trials First Trial; reward distribution will be delayed.]
[ First Trial Reward: 10% recovery of original injuries.]
[ Second Trial Reward: 10% recovery of original injuries.]
A majestic and ancient stream of information simultaneously imprinted itself into the minds of Gu Yuena and Xuan Ming.
"How are you feeling?" Xuan Ming asked.
"Much better," Gu Yuena said.
The restoration of the Goddess of Life's Divine Power included the restoration of her Godhead essence. Although it was only 20%, its effect on her was a gift that might not have been able to recover on its own even after tens of thousands of years.
Although the existence of the Dragon God's Heart allowed her to barely use God Level power, it was ultimately too much of a strain. Now, she possesses stable God Level power.
If her injuries are fully healed, she will be able to return to her former Half-Step God King level.
At that time...
The closer you get to the mainland, the more pronounced the tense atmosphere becomes.
The once peaceful sea route was occasionally punctuated by patrols carrying the flag of the Spirit Hall Empire, creating a tense atmosphere.
The once bustling port city now appears somewhat desolate, with unease and fear on people's faces.
As they continued flying inland, the situation became increasingly dire.
Amidst the vast fields, one can often see the ruins of burned villages, the smoke of battle still lingering.
Along the official road, displaced refugees, with their families in tow, their faces etched with hunger and fear, migrated towards places they perceived as safe.
In some remote mountainous areas, banditry has become rampant, with bandits even daring to openly attack small groups of Soul Master and merchant caravans. Chaos and disorder are spreading.
What's even more striking are the Soul Master who belong to the Spirit Hall Empire and are stationed in various places to maintain order.
Many of them, dressed in brand-new Spirit Hall uniforms, ran rampant in towns and villages, levying heavy taxes, oppressing the common people, and even using the pretext of suppressing bandits or investigating traitors to extort and plunder, displaying an extremely arrogant and domineering attitude.
As if overnight, they gained power and became superior to others, trampling the old order and morality under their feet.
"It seems that since the establishment of the Spirit Hall Empire, the power below has become a bit too inflated." Gu Yuena looked at a village below where the Spirit Hall's Soul Master were forcibly requisitioning supplies. Her silver-purple eyes remained calm. She seemed to have long been accustomed to human conflicts and ugliness and did not care.
The only things she cared about were Xuan Ming and the future of the Dragon Clan.
Xuan Ming remained expressionless, simply raising his right hand. The sky instantly changed color, and hundreds of Destruction Thunderclap bolts crashed down, instantly reducing the "hero of the chaotic world" he saw to ashes.
Xuan Ming withdrew his hand, and the strange phenomenon in the sky instantly subsided, as if the earth-shattering Thunderclap had never appeared. The arrogant Soul Master of the Martial Soul Spirit Hall Empire below, along with their evil deeds, turned into charred ashes, which vanished without a trace when blown by the wind.
The surviving villagers stared in terror at the sky, at the two figures that resembled gods and demons, and knelt down, muttering incantations, whether in prayer or gratitude, it was unclear.
Xuan Ming didn't look down again, and said calmly to Gu Yuena, "Let's go."
The two transformed into streaks of light once more, speeding towards Spirit City, leaving behind only a desolate village and bewildered survivors.
Gu Yuena glanced at Xuan Ming's cold profile. She could sense that Xuan Ming's mood was not as calm as he appeared.
The chaos and injustice seemed to have touched upon something he didn't want to talk about.
The closer one gets to Spirit City, the more intense the somber and tense atmosphere becomes.
The towering city walls seemed even more formidable than before, and the number of patrolling soldiers and Soul Master had increased significantly. The air seemed to be filled with a sense of impending doom.
The checks at the city gate were strict, and people coming in and out all looked cautious.
When Xuan Ming and Gu Yuena's undisguised powerful auras, along with the dazzling golden Sea God Trident on Xuan Ming's shoulder that was impossible to miss, appeared in the sky above Spirit City, the entire Spirit City seemed to be put on pause.
Countless gazes were cast in shock towards the sky, and the Spirit Hall Soul Master who recognized Xuan Ming's identity changed their expressions drastically.
"It's... it's him! He's back!"
"What's that on his shoulder? It's terrifying!"
"Quickly report to His Holiness the Pope!"
The city's garrison instinctively raised their massive crossbows, but then, sensing the suffocating aura emanating from that abyss, they trembled and lowered them. No one dared to lay a hand on this being.
Ignoring the commotion and vigilance below, Xuan Ming turned his gaze directly to the majestic Pope's Palace.
He could clearly sense a familiar yet somewhat sinister, chaotic, and oppressive powerful aura lurking there.
The aura was deeper and more... unstable than before.
Instead of entering through the city gate, he casually swung his arm and hurled the Sea God Trident like a javelin towards the square in front of the Pope's Palace!
boom--!!!
A golden streak of light tore through the air, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound, and landed with perfect precision in the center of the square directly in front of the Pope's Palace gates!
The immense impact seemed to shake the entire Spirit City. Centered on the point where the trident landed, the hard stone slabs were instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks that spread for hundreds of meters!
That divine weapon, symbolizing the authority of the Sea God, now resembled a giant warning sign, radiating a chilling pressure. It was deeply embedded in the ground, its shaft trembling slightly and emitting a low hum.
This throw was simple and brutal, yet it carried an unparalleled deterrent power!
The entire square fell into a deathly silence!
All the guards and Soul Master stared in disbelief at the Golden Trident so close at hand, feeling the overwhelming pressure emanating from it, making it difficult even to breathe.
Xuan Ming and Gu Yuena then slowly descended beside the trident.
The moment Xuan Ming and Gu Yuena landed, the heavy doors of the Pope's Palace burst open!
A powerful aura, a mixture of majesty, eeriness, and oppression, surged forth first. Then, a remarkably noble figure in purple robes, surrounded by a group of cardinals, slowly emerged. It was Bibi Dong, the current Empress of the Spirit Hall Empire.
Almost simultaneously, several powerful auras soared into the sky from the direction of the Elder Hall. Led by Yue Guan Gui Mei, the elders of the Elder Hall also appeared one after another, landing on the other side of the square, looking solemnly at Xuan Ming, Gu Yuena, and the Sea God Trident stuck in the ground.
Aside from Yue Guan Gui Mei, the elders were unaware of the specific relationship between Xuan Ming and Bibi Dong. At this moment, Xuan Ming's actions, which could almost be seen as disrupting the proceedings, made them nervous.
Both the Golden Trident, exuding immense majesty, and Xuan Ming posed a tremendous threat to them!
Did Bibi Dong and Xuan Ming have a falling out?
Bibi Dong's gaze first fell on Xuan Ming, and a complex emotion flashed in her purple eyes, including concern, anger, and an indescribable flutter.
But when her gaze swept over Gu Yuena, who stood beside Xuan Ming with an ethereal air and beauty that was in no way inferior to hers, the scene from that night involuntarily flashed through her mind, and that slight flutter was instantly replaced by a chilling coldness.
Little bitch!
Finally, her gaze settled on the Sea God Trident, and her pupils contracted slightly.
"What do you mean by this? You came back just to ruin my business?"
"This thing is too heavy, I can't lift it," Xuan Ming said.
"..."
The air fell silent; everyone was bewildered by Xuan Ming's unconventional explanation.
Could you be any more perfunctory?
"Heavy?" Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow slightly, slowly stepped forward, came to the side of the Sea God Trident, and directly reached out and grasped the divine weapon.
Pull hard!
It didn't budge an inch!
"..."
A fleeting look of astonishment and disbelief crossed Bibi Dong's stunningly beautiful face.
Although she wasn't a strength-type Soul Master, she was still Level 99 Peerless Douluo. Even without being serious, her physical strength was comparable to that of a typical strength-type Titled Douluo. Yet, even so, she couldn't budge that trident in the slightest?
A hint of defiance flashed in her purple eyes, and her Soul Power surged as she exerted her strength once more!
However, the Sea God Trident remained firmly embedded in the earth, as if it had taken root there, without even the slightest tremor.
The square fell silent; everyone held their breath.
His Holiness the Pope... couldn't even lift this weapon?
Xuan Ming looked at Bibi Dong's slightly flushed cheeks and tightly pursed lips, and added in a calm tone, "I already said, it's very heavy."
On his way here, in order to test his current strength, he asked Gu Yuena to add a little weight to the Sea God Trident.
Now, this thing weighs 1.08 million jin, or 540 tons.
Five hundred and forty tons of weight are condensed into this weapon. To lift it, you don't need just five hundred and forty tons of force, but five hundred and forty tons of wrist strength and grip strength!
Let alone Bibi Dong, even someone as strong as Tang Chen couldn't lift this thing.
Currently, the only people in the human world who can lift this thing, besides him, are Gu Yuena, Di Tian, Xiong Jun, and Zi JI.
To put it bluntly, this is not something a human could lift.
Bibi Dong took a deep breath, suppressing the shock and a hint of inexplicable embarrassment in her heart, and released her hand.
Gu Yuena noticed Bibi Dong's predicament, stepped forward, grasped the Sea God Trident, and pulled it up with force.
Then, a flash of silvery-white light restored the damaged square.
Gu Yuena looked at Bibi Dong and said softly, "I'm sorry, I made it too heavy. Don't be angry, it's not his fault."
"..." Bibi Dong.
"..." Xuan Ming.
Chapter 339 You Should Hate Me
Bibi Dong gave Xuan Ming a deep look, then glanced at Gu Yuena, who was easily carrying the Sea God Trident. Finally, she suppressed her turbulent emotions and turned to walk towards the Pope's Palace.
"Come in and talk."
Xuan Ming and Gu Yuena exchanged a glance and followed. Gu Yuena casually handed the Sea God Trident, now back to its normal weight, to Xuan Ming. Xuan Ming took it, and the heavy divine weapon still seemed effortless in his hands.
Elders Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged bewildered glances and quickly followed. Their hearts were filled with doubt and unease, but judging from the His Holiness the Pope's attitude, it didn't seem to be the hostile situation they had anticipated.
Upon entering the solemn Pope's Palace, they dismissed their attendants, leaving only a few core elders.
Bibi Dong sat on the Pope throne, rubbing her temples, her voice tinged with weariness. "What do you plan to do now that you've returned?"
Xuan Ming did not answer, but instead asked, "What is the current situation of the Spirit Hall Empire?"
Bibi Dong sighed, "The expansion has gone relatively smoothly. Although Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empire have joined forces to resist, it's only a matter of time before they are forced to retreat in the face of overwhelming power."
She gave a general overview of the current territory and military deployment of the Spirit Hall Empire, as well as the fierce resistance from the two major empires.
Xuan Ming glanced at the elders present. "On my way back, I saw a lot. The Spirit Hall Empire is expanding rapidly, but internal chaos and corruption are also brewing."
He briefly recounted what he had seen along the way: the Soul Master of the Martial Spirit Hall Empire who bullied and levied exorbitant taxes, the burned-down villages, and the displaced refugees.
After listening, Bibi Dong remained silent for a moment, then said, "I... I know that."
She rubbed her temples and explained, "In the early days of the empire, the forceful unification of various factions inevitably resulted in a mix of good and bad elements. Those below, having gained power, became arrogant, oppressing the innocent and enriching themselves—such things were unavoidable. I have issued orders to restrain them many times, but... the effect has been limited."
Her voice carried a hint of helplessness. "The foundation of the Spirit Hall Empire is its powerful military force and its belief in the supremacy of the strong. This ideology is almost the morale of the imperial army. The current chaos is an inevitable consequence of this ideology."
If I were to forcefully suppress them with high-pressure tactics now, the army's morale would inevitably decline. If the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empire Empires were to seize upon this and condemn us on a moral high ground, denouncing us as traitors and undermining morale... the consequences would be unimaginable."
She glanced at the elders below, whose expressions varied. "Don't forget, a considerable number of the Soul Master under our Spirit Hall Empire come from the two great empires and were invited here."
If it weren't for the fact that the original Soul Master legion of my Spirit Hall was strong enough to stabilize the situation, things would have been in complete chaos long ago.
In the propaganda of the two great empires, we are inherently rebels. On the moral high ground, we have no standing. Now we can only maintain our position through force, and the deep-seated problems within can only be addressed gradually.
Xuan Ming listened quietly, understanding Bibi Dong's predicament. Severe punishments are necessary in chaotic times, but such punishments can easily breed more violence and chaos. This is almost an unsolvable problem, especially in the early stages of an empire built on rapid expansion through force.