Ice Empress tilted his head, looking puzzled. "How could someone like you understand these things?"
Xuan Ming did not answer. His thoughts were still on Bo Saixi's unusual anger. It seemed there was no hope for the Fourth Trial; he had to find another way.
Most of the known Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast on the Douluo Continent are immobile. But if one were to cross the ocean to the Sun Moon Continent...
" The Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler..." Xuan Ming murmured to himself.
Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, Di Tian had mentioned this guy to him. A long time ago, Di Tian had been to the Sun Moon Continent and discovered the Evil Eye Tyrant Clan, which was entrenched in the Evil Demon Forest.
Although they were wary of each other and did not fight at the time, Di Tian could roughly sense that the guy's cultivation level had exceeded 700,000 years.
The terrifying being that entrenched itself on the Sun Moon Continent had Soul Ring that was indeed very suitable for his Black Dragon Martial Soul.
Snow Empress keenly sensed his thoughts, a complex emotion flashing in her icy blue eyes. "You're going to the other continent?"
Xuan Ming picked up his teacup, his gaze resolute. "Since this path is blocked, we must find another way."
Ice Empress curled her lip. "Just for a Soul Ring, you went that far? You really are..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but her eyes were filled with utter incomprehension.
In her view, Xuan Ming's willingness to cross oceans to hunt powerful Soul Beast rather than bother to understand the feelings of those around him was indeed difficult for others to comprehend.
Xuan Ming, however, felt that this decision was perfectly reasonable.
Since Bo Saixi was unwilling to accept his "deal" and the God's Trial was at a stalemate, the most direct way to improve his strength was to find a suitable Soul Ring.
The Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler is undoubtedly an excellent choice.
His Divine Power has reached a level that even Gu Yuena cannot define, far surpassing the Peerless Douluo and also far surpassing Di Tian, who is also at the Half-Step Divine Consciousness Di Tian.
If he were to acquire the Soul Ring of the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler, his mental attacks should also reach the God Level!
The following morning, Sea God Island, Ice Crystal Castle.
Xuan Ming stood on the rooftop terrace of the castle, facing the rising sun, holding a black scale that shimmered with an eerie light in his hand. This was a communication token left to him by Di Tian.
When Di Tian learned that Xuan Ming was going to the Sun Moon Continent to hunt down the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler, he clearly hesitated.
"Does Your Majesty know about this?" Di Tian asked cautiously.
Xuan Ming remained silent for a moment before briefly explaining the recent events. After listening, Di Tian indicated that he needed to consult Gu Yuena.
Upon learning this, Gu Yuena's silver-purple eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness. Looking towards the distant Sea God Hall, she sighed softly, "Let him go. Consider it a trip to clear his head. As for the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler... try communicating with him first. If he's unwilling, let Xuan Ming handle it himself."
After receiving permission, Di Tian quickly arrived near Sea God Island. The two figures transformed into streaks of light and flew towards the distant western sea.
Above the vast and boundless ocean.
Two figures swept across the sea at an astonishing speed; they were Xuan Ming and Di Tian, who had transformed into human form.
During the flight, Di Tian took the initiative to introduce Xuan Ming to the Sun Moon Continent and the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler.
"The people on that continent claim to be from the Sun Moon Empire, hence the name Sun Moon Continent," Di Tian said in a deep voice. "The two continents have been cut off from each other for tens of thousands of years, largely because of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, who occupies the distant seas."
He gazed at the deep, distant sea. "In the distant past, before the Angel God and the Sea God were born, there was trade and cultural exchange between the two continents. But later, a massive catastrophe caused by the Rakshasa God erupted, almost completely destroying the previous generation of human civilization on the Douluo Continent."
Xuan Ming was taken aback. "Another Rakshasa?"
Di Tian continued, "That disaster not only severely damaged humanity, but also caused heavy losses to my Soul Beast Clan. The evil power spread by the Rakshasa God corrupted many Soul Beast, causing them to degenerate into Evil Soul Beast that only knew how to kill and devour, just like the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger you encountered."
"While the mainland was engulfed in chaos, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King unleashed a war in the ocean," Di Tian said. "The entire sea was shrouded in bloodshed and slaughter, making long-distance ocean voyages impossible for humans. Over time, the connection between the two continents was completely severed."
Xuan Ming pondered for a moment, "So, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King inadvertently protected the Sun Moon Continent, sparing it from the calamity of the Rakshasa God?"
"That's one way to put it," Di Tian nodded. "But precisely because of this, the human civilization of the Sun Moon Continent was able to develop independently in a relatively closed environment, embarking on a path completely different from that of the Douluo Continent."
He then changed the subject, mentioning the goal of their trip. "As for that old monster, the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler... it dwells deep within the Evil Demon Forest of the Sun Moon Continent, possesses extremely high cultivation, and is probably close to eight hundred thousand years old now. Its intelligence far surpasses that of ordinary Ferocious Beast, and it is extremely cunning."
A hint of apprehension flashed in Di Tian's dragon eyes. "The most troublesome thing is that it seems to have reached some kind of secret symbiotic relationship with the human empire of the Sun Moon Continent. It uses its terrifying Divine Power to influence the rise and fall of the human empire from behind the scenes."
"Oh?" Xuan Ming became interested.
Di Tian paused for a moment, "Whenever it senses that human civilization is developing too rapidly and may threaten its living space, it will secretly instigate wars and cause internal strife, plunging humanity into a long period of internal strife and preventing it from expanding outwards."
Especially in the world of Soul Master, it has always been suppressing the growth of Soul Master on the Sun Moon Continent. Although the continent is rich in resources, the total number of Titled Douluo on the entire continent is probably less than double digits.
Because the Soul Master force on the Sun Moon Continent is very weak, human society there is far more stable than here. In human terms, the Sun Moon Continent can be described as peaceful and prosperous most of the time.
"Because of the existence of the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler, there is no Soul Master organization like the Spirit Hall on the Sun Moon Continent. Soul Master and nations are highly intertwined, and because of this, it is revered as a guardian totem by the human empires there."
"In return, the human empire will provide it with all the rare resources it needs and... soul nourishment."
"Relying on the vast resources obtained through controlling humanity, the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler's cultivation has improved extremely rapidly. Now, it is probably close to reaching the level of 800,000 years of cultivation."
Chapter 383 The Demon Empress Returns
Upon hearing this, a look of understanding flashed in Xuan Ming's eyes.
So that's how it is. A Soul Beast overlord who uses the manipulation of human civilization to sustain his cultivation? This is quite different from his understanding of the way Soul Beast survive.
"Since the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler can influence human civilization in this way, why don't you and the Soul Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest follow suit? With your strength and wisdom, it shouldn't be difficult for you to interfere with human development, right?" Xuan Ming asked.
Upon hearing this, Di Tian's dragon eyes flashed with disdain, and he replied in a low voice, "First of all, there is no need. The situation on the Douluo Continent is completely different from that on the Sun Moon Continent. The disaster caused by the Rakshasa God tens of thousands of years ago almost completely destroyed the previous generation of human civilization, and its lingering effects continue to this day."
Although the Angel God later appeared and curbed the spread of the Evil Soul Beast, the humans of the Douluo Continent were preoccupied with internal strife for a long time, struggling even to protect themselves, resulting in slow civilizational development. More importantly, the number of Soul Master in the past was far fewer than it is now, and their overall strength was weak; interfering with them would have little practical value for us.
Di Tian paused, then continued, "Over the past 20,000 years, since the ascension of the Angel God, his descendants have established a church-like organization. They spread Angel faith throughout the continent, but at the same time, they secretly interfere in the wars and alliances of human kingdoms to ensure that they do not become overly unified and powerful."
Di Tian's voice carried a hint of worldly-wise indifference. "After all, if life is stable and prosperous, who would be so fanatical as to pursue that elusive divine salvation? Only when people are in the midst of war, suffering, and chaos will they desperately crave faith and the desire to be saved. The Six-Winged Angel Clan understands this well."
"This situation continued until about five thousand years ago," Di Tian's tone turned serious. "At that time, an Auspicious Beast was born in the Star Dou Great Forest. The current Level 99 Great Enshrined of the Six-Winged Angel Clan sensed the aura of the Auspicious Beast and, in order to seize this treasure that was related to destiny, brazenly broke into the core area of Star Dou Great Forest."
A flicker of reminiscence and fierceness flashed in Long's eyes. "In that battle, I clashed fiercely with him. In my rage, I charged out of the forest, pursuing and killing several Titled Douluo from the Angel Clan. Even that Great Enshrined was severely injured by me. If he hadn't escaped back to the Angel Temple, triggering the Angel God will that forced me to retreat, I would have wanted to eradicate the very foundation of the Angel God Church!"
"After this battle, we established a pact that no member of the Six-Winged Angel Clan shall ever again set foot in the core area of Star Dou Great Forest, or I will strike again, to the death. It was also because of that battle that the Six-Winged Angel Clan was severely weakened, which is why they reduced their main forces and ultimately decided to locate the Angel Temple on the Pope's Mountain where Spirit City is now located."
"As for the Spirit Hall," Di Tian added, "It was established about a thousand years ago, after the human Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire had initially stabilized. It was spearheaded by the Six-Winged Angel Clan and united with several powerful Soul Master families. Before that, the core strength of the Six-Winged Angel Clan had almost always been entrenched on that Angel God, rarely paying attention to the secular world."
The Douluo Hall within the Spirit Hall today was actually moved to its current location next to the Angel Temple only a few hundred years ago. The families that initially united to establish the Spirit Hall have either declined or, due to ideological differences with the Six-Winged Angel Clan or being ostracized, have successively broken away and established their own independent entities, such as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. In recent centuries, the Six-Winged Angel Clan has become the sole dominant force within the Spirit Hall.
After listening, Xuan Ming gained a clearer understanding of the changes in the power dynamics of Soul Master on the Douluo Continent. However, a new question immediately arose in his mind, "How do you know so much about the details of these changes in human power? Aren't you always guarding the Silver Dragon King deep in the Lake of Life and rarely going out?"
Di Tian glanced at Xuan Ming, a hint of arrogance flashing in his dragon eyes. "Don't underestimate my Half-Step Divine Consciousness Divine Power, and my control over space. Although my physical body rarely leaves the core area of Star Dou Great Forest, my Divine Power can cover an extremely wide area. I have been paying close attention to the development of the human world, especially the movements of the Soul Master forces."
"However, because of the existence of the Angel God's legacy, I cannot directly interfere in human affairs. Otherwise, how could I allow them to grow and thrive under my nose?"
Xuan Ming suddenly realized. Although Di Tian, as Beast God, was limited by the rules and could not easily take action, he was by no means ignorant of worldly affairs.
However, in the original timeline, Di Tian hesitated to intervene in human affairs in the past because he was wary of the Angel God. Later, with the emergence of the Sea God and the Asura God Tang San, he dared not act rashly.
Xuan Ming digested the secrets revealed by Di Tian and had a deeper understanding of the structure of Douluo Continent. He suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, how did you place the child of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King?"
Mentioning this matter, a hint of helplessness flashed in Di Tian's eyes. "With the death of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, the Demon Whale Sea Area, which it originally occupied, lost its ruler and was immediately divided and occupied by other powerful Sea Soul Beast clans. The Deep Sea Demon Whale Clan, having lost its protection, has also scattered and fled, and is difficult to find. Helplessly, I could only temporarily take that little guy back to the Star Dou Great Forest, place him in the Lake of Life, and entrust him to the Sky Azure Bull Python for care."
He paused, then added, "After all, given its current strength and status, if it were to rashly appear in the ocean, it would likely become a target of everyone and would find it difficult to survive."
Upon hearing Di Tian's explanation, Xuan Ming felt a sudden sense of foreboding. He frowned slightly and subconsciously murmured, " The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King is dead, and the little demon whale was taken to the Lake of Life by you... If the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's wife returns and finds her husband dead, her child missing, and her tribe scattered..."
Before Xuan Ming could finish speaking...
Rumble!!!!
The vast sea ahead, which had been relatively calm, erupted without warning!
It was as if the entire ocean was being violently churned by an invisible giant hand, with towering waves instantly rising and soaring into the sky! The sky suddenly darkened, with dense clouds, lightning, and thunder! An incomparably terrifying, extremely violent, yet heart-palpitating atmosphere of sorrow and madness, like a tangible tsunami, erupted from the depths of the sea, sweeping across the entire world!
This aura is extremely similar to that of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King from back then, but it is even more profound and darker, filled with the meaning of Destruction and despair!
Amidst the towering waves, an immense shadow, Entanglement in deep purple Destruction energy, slowly emerged from the ocean's deepest depths. Within its enormous eyes burned flames of hatred powerful enough to incinerate the world.
This is none other than the consort of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, the even more elusive Demon Empress!
She had just returned and had not yet figured out the specific reasons for the dispersal of her clan when her extremely keen senses instantly captured the incredibly clear aura of her husband, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, on Xuan Ming's body—aura that had even merged with the very source of his power!
"It's you--!!!"
A piercing scream, a mixture of endless grief and overwhelming hatred, tore through space, making Xuan Ming Di Tian's eardrums ache. The Demon Empress's enormous eyes were fixed on Xuan Ming, filled with no questions, no hesitation, only a pure and utterly Destruction desire!
Without any communication, and without even giving Di Tian a chance to speak or stop her, the Demon Empress's enormous body suddenly stirred, and the entire sea area seemed to transform into her domain.
A " Heaven-Sweeping Demonic Surge," several times more terrifying than any previous tsunami, rose out of nowhere. The pitch-black seawater contained a dark Soul Power that devoured everything. It not only instantly severed Di Tian's spiritual perception and path, but also, like a giant cage, directly swallowed Xuan Ming and dragged him towards the deeper and darker seabed!
" Xuan Ming!" Di Tian's expression changed, and his dragon might erupted as he tried to tear apart the strange black waves. However, the dark power contained within the demonic waves was extremely special, possessing strong isolation and corrosive properties, making it difficult for him to break through for the time being.
Xuan Ming felt a sudden tightness all over his body, as if he were being gripped by countless cold, giant hands. Instantly, his vision was filled with endless dark seawater, and his body sank uncontrollably into the abyss below, where even light could not reach. He was speechless; this Demon Empress didn't even give him a chance to explain.
The pressure from the deep sea increased sharply, but for Xuan Ming's current physique, this was no threat. He steadied himself and tried to communicate with the enormous shadow that was frantically pursuing him using his Divine Power: "Big sister, calm down, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King Sacrifice willingly..."
Xuan Ming paused.
Voluntary Sacrifice? That doesn't seem quite right. Although the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King did Sacrifice, it was a forced Sacrifice.
If he hadn't been unable to defeat the Deep Sea Demon Whale King in a fight or escape, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King wouldn't have willingly Sacrifice. In other words... could it be said that he killed the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King?
So this doesn't seem to be a misunderstanding.
Chapter 384 The Last Will of My Deceased Husband
Several deep purple beams of Destruction light, condensed to their fullest extent, pierced through layers of seawater like a judgment from the underworld, hurtling towards him with an aura of annihilation!
The Demon Empress had clearly gone completely mad and was deaf to any words. Her only thought at that moment was to tear this human, who was tainted with her husband's aura, to pieces and avenge him!
A hint of helplessness flashed in Xuan Ming's eyes; it seemed that words were ineffective.
His Soul Power began to surge, and a cold glint flashed in his icy blue eyes. He prepared to subdue her by force and calm her down first.
However, just as he was about to make his move—
A familiar mental fluctuation, carrying both urgency and reassurance, suddenly emanated from the depths of his Sea of Consciousness. It was the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, who had been slumbering in his Sea of Consciousness since the Sacrifice!
"My lord! Don't do it! Let me explain to her!" the remnant soul of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King cried out urgently.
He knew all too well how terrifying Xuan Ming's strength was now; even he himself in his prime had been defeated by him, let alone the Demon Empress who had lost his mind in grief.
If Xuan Ming were to actually make a move, the Demon Empress would undoubtedly die!
Xuan Ming paused, then nodded.
The next moment, a faint yet incredibly pure spiritual fluctuation, carrying the unique aura of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, slowly spread from Xuan Ming's brow, gently brushing towards the raging Demon Empress opposite him like ripples.
The Demon Empress, who was gathering Destruction energy and preparing to launch her next frenzied attack, suddenly froze. The familiar aura, etched into the very essence of her soul, caused her enormous eyes to freeze instantly. The burning, mad hatred within them was abruptly extinguished as if doused with ice water, replaced by an incredulous tremor and profound confusion.
"... Husband?" A trembling and extremely uncertain thought spread through the deep sea like a murmur.
The world-destroying aura paused for a moment, and the deep purple Destruction energy Entanglement her also became momentarily disordered.
"It's me! Calm down and listen to me!" The remnant soul of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King conveyed a powerful urgency and reassurance. "My demise is not what you think! I willingly Sacrifice as a sacrifice to Lord Xuan Ming; it was an agreement we made!"
"Voluntary? Sacrifice?!" The Demon Empress's mind was filled with pain and confusion. "Why?! We have roamed the oceans for countless years, why should we bow down to a human, even to the point of sacrificing our Life?! He forced you, didn't he?!"
Her emotions surged again, and the surrounding seawater began to churn violently in response to her anger.
"It was absolutely not coercion!" The remnant soul of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King flickered steadily, transmitting clear fragments of memory and the resolute state of mind he had at the time. "I fought him fairly, and lost convincingly. More importantly, I saw hope! My lord possesses the Dragon God Bloodline, with boundless potential. By following him, our child will no longer be confined to this ocean, no longer need to worry about the threat of Heavenly Tribulation. He will have the opportunity to reach the God Level, or even higher!"
"We Soul Beast have reached our limit after cultivating for a million years; our path forward is blocked. I'm risking my remaining body and all my cultivation for an unprecedented future for my race and for our children! Isn't it worth it?"
Xuan Ming's eyes looked strange as he listened to the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's advice.
He had just glanced at the message sent by the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King out of curiosity—well, let's just say it was an abridged version!
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King removed all the threatening parts of him, leaving only Gu Yuena, Di Tian, and the scenes of their battle.
"She's your wife, why aren't you telling her the truth?" Xuan Ming asked, puzzled.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was somewhat speechless. "What if she fights you to the death if I tell the truth?"
He truly accepted his defeat, but it was definitely not a voluntary Sacrifice!
At that time, with Di Tian, Snow Empress, and Silver Dragon King, if he wasn't willing, these guys had plenty of ways to make him willing!
"Our child... where is he now?" The Demon Empress's mental state softened, filled with maternal urgency.
"It's safe," the remnant soul of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King responded. " Di Tian took it to the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest, where it is cared for by the Sky Azure Bull Python. There, it will not be threatened by other species in the ocean and will receive the best environment for growth. All of this has already been arranged by Lord Xuan Ming."
Upon hearing that the child was safe and sound, the Demon Empress's last trace of aggression vanished.
Her massive head slowly lowered, her gaze turning complexly to Xuanming, who had been standing silently to the side, letting them Xuan Ming. Her eyes still held the pain of losing her husband, but more than that, there was a scrutiny, and a heavy sense of unavoidable acceptance.