Just as Light Feather Douluo was clamoring, a presence of light flew in from outside the Spirit Pagoda. Sensing the familiar presence, Azure Luan Douluo was the first to look over.
"It's the Great Enshrined! The Great Enshrined is back!"
"Big Brother?!"
Hearing this, everyone turned to look. The space before them split open, and Qian Daoliu walked out with a beautiful brown-haired woman.
In an instant, Light Feather Douluo, who had been enthusiastically approaching to greet him, froze in astonishment. Azure Luan Douluo, Qian Jun Douluo, and Demon Subduing Douluo were also dumbfounded, staring in confusion at the extraordinarily beautiful but frail woman before them.
Qian Renxue, who had also come forward, was dumbfounded too. Seeing Qian Daoliu return with a beautiful woman, she felt as though the sky had collapsed. Oh no! Grandpa found me a young grandma!
Ye Guyi looked at the returning Qian Daoliu and Ya Li, whom he had brought back. Both radiated an incomparably holy presence, making them look rather well matched. She immediately called out:
"Greetings, Master and Mistress."
The form of address made Qian Daoliu pause, and Ya Li froze as well. Realizing that the girl was addressing her, she hurriedly shook her head and explained:
"No, you've misunderstood. His Excellency Angel and I are only friends. I already have a husband."
Hearing Ya Li's explanation, everyone turned their eyes to Qian Daoliu, who explained as well:
"This junior encountered an ambush by the Holy Spirit Cult during my trip. I intervened to save her. It was merely a chance encounter."
"Oh, so that's what happened. I thought you'd found your second spring, Big Brother!"
Only then did Light Feather Douluo understand. A mischievous grin spread across his face, and he could not resist teasing him. Hearing this, Azure Luan Douluo silently moved away from him. You really dared to say that!
Just wait for your death!
Sure enough, Qian Daoliu immediately fixed his gaze on Light Feather Douluo, an explosively friendly smile appearing on his face.
"Guang Ling, you seem to be on the verge of breaking through to Level 97. Why don't I give you a little guidance?"
"Huh? No, no, no! Big Brother, I was wrong!"
Seeing that their boss was about to beat him up, Light Feather Douluo instantly backed down. What a joke! A Level 96 like him fighting a Level 99? He was not the protagonist. How could he possibly fight above his level?
Watching Light Feather Douluo back down, Azure Luan and the other two Enshrined could not help laughing. Seeing the seemingly harmonious group, Ya Li also relaxed. Then she bid Qian Daoliu farewell:
"Your Excellency Angel, thank you for escorting me. I will remember your kindness."
"Think nothing of it. It was merely a helping hand."
After they said their goodbyes, Ya Li headed toward Shrek Academy. After Ya Li left, Leng Yaozhu arrived as well. Although the god's rewards were important, she still intended to receive Spirit Hall's party first.
"Everyone, sorry for the wait. As an apology, I will present Spirit Hall with some heavenly treasures on behalf of the Spirit Pagoda."
"Then sorry for the trouble, Your Excellency Heavenly Phoenix."
Qian Daoliu nodded slightly. Under Leng Yaozhu's guidance, the group arrived at the Spirit Pagoda's display area for heavenly treasures. Prices were marked on the items; this was where the Spirit Pagoda supplied cultivation resources for its disciples to purchase.
"Hmm? Little pills? They increase Innate Soul Power! Is that real?!"
The party's arrival in the exhibition hall was much like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden. Light Feather Douluo discovered a little item called the Mystic Water Pill, which could actually increase Innate Soul Power, and his eyes widened.
In the era of Douluo I, once someone awakened their Innate Soul Power, it represented their upper limit. Unless they encountered some exceptional heavenly treasure, such as an immortal herb, increasing it afterward was simply impossible.
"It's true. Mystic Water Pills originated ten thousand years ago. They were developed by a sect called the Mystic Nether Sect and refined from the blood essence of over a dozen kinds of water-attribute Soul Beasts."
"When taken by Soul Masters below Level 30, they cleanse the meridians and marrow, increase Soul Power by one level, and improve Innate Soul Power as well. After Level 30, however, their effects begin to diminish. They have virtually no effect on those above Soul Saint."
"Then there's drug resistance. The first Mystic Water Pill is the most effective, and subsequent doses have half the effect. We recommend waiting a month after the first pill before taking the second, and stopping at the third."
Listening to Leng Yaozhu's introduction broadened the Spirit Hall party's horizons. Qian Daoliu also glanced at the price: around four million, which converted to roughly forty thousand Gold Soul Coins.
"A treasure that can increase Innate Soul Power costs only forty thousand Gold Soul Coins?"
Qian Daoliu felt that it was a little too cheap. In their era, people would have scrambled to buy it even for a million Gold Soul Coins. Even ten million was possible.
A certain sect wealthy enough to rival a nation deserved a special mention here. For instance, if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect-no, it should now be called the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect-saw such a treasure, it would buy it even for ten million Gold Soul Coins.
"If you would like some, I can arrange a transaction."
"Then sorry for the trouble, Your Excellency Heavenly Phoenix. How many Mystic Water Pills does your pagoda have left?"
Once Leng Yaozhu indicated that a transaction was possible, Qian Daoliu was equally straightforward and asked about their stock.
"Please allow me to check our warehouse records... The Spirit Pagoda has a little over five hundred Mystic Water Pills remaining."
Leng Yaozhu checked the inventory. There were still over five hundred Mystic Water Pills. After all, this was a major organization that had to supply countless prodigies with cultivation resources.
"Then we'll take a hundred for now."
"Certainly. I'll have them brought over for Your Excellency. Please look around and see if there's anything else you want."
With Leng Yaozhu's go-ahead, Qian Daoliu's party practically bought everything they saw.
Soul Ascension Pills, Whale Rubber, unusual Soul Tools, heavenly treasures-they bought some of everything. During this time, Qian Daoliu brought up the secondary professions related to Battle Armor, and Leng Yaozhu also transferred several seventh-rank secondary professionals from her clan to Spirit Hall to teach those professions.
Spirit Hall's party reaped a rich harvest from this trip, witnessing the diversity of this era. In addition, Qian Daoliu reached a cooperation agreement on Spirit Hall's behalf with Leng Yaozhu's Phoenix Clan.
It concerned cooperation over minerals from the Martial Soul Realm. The Martial Soul Realm could also be considered a continent, and it possessed abundant mineral resources.
Qian Daoliu agreed that once Spirit Hall mined the minerals, it would supply them directly to Leng Yaozhu in exchange for more resources.
Their conversation was very harmonious. Even Qian Daoliu could not help admiring Heavenly Phoenix Douluo. For a woman to possess such capabilities, she truly deserved to be called a formidable career woman.
No wonder she could become a Level 99 Moon-Controlling Realm Peerless Douluo. Afterward, Spirit Hall's party returned fully laden, taking the portal back to the Martial Soul Realm.
Meanwhile, in his office, Qiangu Dongfeng placed four things on his desk: Mora, Primogems, experience books, and Mystic Enhancement Ore.
He began studying these four things, guessing that Mora was probably a game currency bestowed by the God of Games. As for the Primogems, their appearance was multicolored; perhaps they were a cultivation resource.
The red Adventurer's Experience Book might contain a great deal of knowledge from beyond the Douluo Continent. As for the purple crystal, he guessed that it was a metal from beyond this world and might be used to forge Battle Armor.
On the outskirts of Eastsea City, numerous powerful presences descended. A black-haired figure wandered anxiously through the nearby cities, looking somewhat crazed as he cried:
"Li'er! Where are you? Li'er! How am I supposed to live without you, Li'er!"
This man was none other than Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion Master, Atlas Douluo Yun Ming. Not long ago, he had burned his divine seat and Battle Armor to kill the Blaze Emperor.
However, the price he had paid was heavy as well. His strength had fallen from the peak of Quasi-God to the Quasi-God level, and even his injuries would require several years of recuperation.
He was somewhat emotionally out of control. Although he and Ya Li had established a life contract, and the information fed back to him through that contract indicated that Ya Li was fine.
But who knew what inhuman atrocities those beasts from the Holy Spirit Cult might inflict on his Ya Li? Right now, Yun Ming felt as though he could unleash Yunli's Three Ultimates.
"Hnnngh, aaaaah! Aaaaah!"
"Longing for Li Fist, Longing Surges Like Fists!"
"Yearning for Ya Sword, Never Forgotten!"
"Yunli Palm, Life After Life!"
"Li'er! Li'er! Li'er!!!"
The radiance within life, Holy Spirit's Hymn!
The sublimation within the ultimate realm, Spirit of Prayer!
The truth within the primordial, Life Feedback!
The solitary dance within the unceasing, Prayer of Life!
While Yun Ming was in agony, Zang Xin, Xuan Zi, and Guan Yue returned from different directions. All three kept their heads lowered, not knowing how to face Yun Ming for a moment.
He had trusted them so much, yet they had failed to protect his wife. Seeing the three of them with their heads lowered, Yun Ming's heart died completely.
In an instant, Yun Ming's eyes turned bloodshot, and he began panting like an ox. Blazing flames burned in his eyes as he threw his head back and roared.
"Holy Spirit Cult! Ghost Emperor! I, Yun Ming, swear I will kill you in this lifetime!"
Yun Ming had never expected to lose his wife just from going out once. For someone bewitched by love, this was fatal. Gone was his usual high-spirited vigor; all that remained was grief and rage.
"I'm sorry, Brother Ming... I failed to protect your wife..."
Guan Yue lowered his head. He very much wanted to say, Brother Ming, you may have lost your wife, but you still have me. I could absolutely take on the role of your wife, but he did not say it aloud.
"...It's not your fault... It's those damned beasts from the Holy Spirit Cult! I intend to convene a Sea God Pavilion Meeting and reactivate the Shrek Inspection Corps. Even if I have to dig three feet beneath the entire Douluo Continent, I'll find Li'er and bring her back!"
Yun Ming did not blame the three of them. After all, the Holy Spirit Cult had launched a surprise attack and deployed a full four Limit Douluos. They had only had three Limit Douluos at the time, so being outmatched was normal.
"The fault this time lies with me. I shouldn't have coveted the god's rewards and left the group without permission. I'm willing to lead the Shrek Inspection Corps myself to arrest every Evil Soul Master!"
Xuan Zi's eyes were filled with guilt. To make amends, he intended to lead the Shrek Inspection Corps himself and arrest Evil Soul Masters.
Zang Xin glanced at Xuan Zi, finding him increasingly unreliable. Yun Ming did not think much of it either. After all, he had yet to realize the seriousness of letting Xuan Zi lead a team, and the man was wholeheartedly devoted to Shrek Academy.
Just then, Yun Ming's communicator rang. He immediately frowned and picked it up to check. It was an unfamiliar number. This was his private communicator, which generally only rang for important matters.
He immediately answered the call and heard the voice he had been yearning for.
"Brother Ming, it's me, Ya Li."
"Li'er! Are you all right?!"
Hearing Ya Li's voice again, Yun Ming's emotions rose and fell like a roller coaster. He wondered whether his Li'er was being coerced.
"Brother Ming, I'm fine. I've already returned to Shrek Academy."
"Good, I'll come back to you right now! I'll never leave you again. Wait for me, Li'er!"
As Yun Ming spoke, his figure flashed, and he sped toward Shrek Academy. Nothing mattered more than his wife.
Li'er, Li'er, my Li'er! Ohohoho...
As Limit Douluo Demigods, Guan Yue, Xuan Zi, and Zang Xin had also heard the contents of the call. They followed Yun Ming back to Shrek Academy.
The many pavilion elders and senior elders also received the news and withdrew, heading toward Shrek Academy. Only one person remained here.
At Eastsea Academy, a young man with long blue hair and golden eyes sat in a chair on the balcony of the teachers' dormitory, questioning his life.
Beside him was a six-year-old little girl with long black hair and eyes of the same color, wearing a little brown dress.
"Changkong, have you started finding me unappealing?"
Looking at Wu Changkong's expression of existential doubt, the little girl raised an eyebrow and questioned him. Wu Changkong came back to his senses and hurriedly shook his head.
"Of course not! I could never find you unappealing, Bing'er. I'm just wondering why you were resurrected as a six-year-old."
Indeed, the six-year-old girl before Wu Changkong was his lover, Long Bing, resurrected in the form of her six-year-old self.
As for the reason? All rights of interpretation belonged to the God of Games. The God of Games declared, I only said I'd resurrect your partner. I never said how old your resurrected partner would be.
Kekeke! Now I have a reason to openly love my Little Changkong!
Long Bing looked at her current six-year-old self and found it quite novel. Bringing the dead back to life was indeed a god's power. But given a second chance at life, what more could she ask for?
Long Bing sat there on a little stool, her small feet dangling in the air. Originally, upon meeting again, the two of them should have embraced excitedly and poured out their longing for each other, and so on.
Unfortunately, Long Bing's current state as a six-year-old girl caught Wu Changkong somewhat unprepared. Although his lover was indeed adorable like this, he really did not want to get electrocuted!
This had left the two of them in their current awkward situation. Just as they were both silent, unsure what to say, Wu Changkong turned to look as though he had sensed something, and saw a red-haired figure standing in the courtyard of the teachers' dormitory building.
His pupils immediately contracted. He abruptly stood up and stared fixedly at that figure. Startled, Long Bing also stood and asked:
"What's wrong, Changkong? What happened?"
"My master is here..."
"Is it that Teacher Scarlet Dragon?"
Hearing this, Long Bing hopped on the spot before managing, with difficulty, to lean over the balcony and look outside. Her gaze met that of the red-haired old man in the courtyard.
Looking at Wu Changkong and the black-haired little girl beside him, confusion flashed through Zhuo Shi's eyes. Where was Long Bing? It couldn't be that child, could it?
A question mark appeared over his head. Looking at the black-haired girl, who seemed to bear some resemblance to Long Bing, he finally confirmed that she was the resurrected Long Bing. He simply did not know why she was in a six-year-old state.
Once he saw that Wu Changkong had noticed him, he turned his back, preventing the two of them from seeing his expression.
Wu Changkong was now Level 75. The cultivation he had suppressed for ten years had erupted all at once, ultimately bringing him to Level 75. However, the hidden injuries within his body had not fully healed, so his cultivation still faced some impediments.
October 31's double-length chapter. Preview: ten updates on November 1.