"I'm sorry... I failed to protect the creations bestowed by the God of Games..."
Faced with Long Yeyue's rebuke, Ya Li could only lower her head aggrievedly and admit fault. Long Yeyue was Yun Ming's master's wife, her elder, and an immensely powerful Limit Douluo. She could not argue back.
"Elder Long, you can't judge it like that! Li'er already did everything she could. Without her, we probably wouldn't have gotten any of the divine creations bestowed by the God of Games!"
Yun Ming immediately stepped in front of his wife to defend her. He had heard about how this World Quest had unfolded. It was precisely because Ya Li had provided healing that they had obtained these divinely bestowed treasures.
Without Ya Li, they probably would not even have qualified to receive the treasures. Guan Yue and Zang Xin, standing nearby, also spoke up in support.
"Elder Long, Sister-in-law already did her best."
"Exactly. Even if I had called on the Tang Sect's forces, we would still have moved slower than the Spirit Pagoda..."
Even Xuan Zi stepped forward to support her.
"Little Ya Li really did work hard. She alone received forty percent of the rewards."
Faced with their objections, Long Yeyue snorted coldly and pointed accusingly at Ya Li again.
"So what? This quest was centered on healing to begin with. As the continent's number one healing-type Soul Master, she actually let the Spirit Pagoda and that Angel Douluo beat her to it."
"She didn't even get half the total rewards, yet she calls herself the continent's number one healing-type Soul Master? What a joke!"
Seeing them all contradicting her, Long Yeyue's temper flared too. Fine, fine, fine. For this unrelated woman, you juniors actually dare to talk back to me. This woman really is a scourge.
Everyone was dumbfounded by Long Yeyue's accusations. What kind of logic was that? Just because Ya Li was the continent's strongest healing-type Soul Master, she was supposed to secure every reward flawlessly? What was that supposed to mean?
Even Xuan Zi and Mu En froze, staring at Long Yeyue in disbelief, unable to understand how her mind worked.
"Elder Long, you've gone too far! Why didn't you go yourself when the World Quest began? Now you're blaming the person who earned us credit?"
Yun Ming's expression darkened as well. You dare criticize my Li'er? Long Yeyue, I see you've already found your path to death!
As everyone knew, love Gu trumped honor Gu, and Wu Changkong was the most successful example. Now that Long Yeyue was criticizing his wife, Yun Ming naturally could not tolerate a second of it.
"You! Yun Ming! Are you rebelling?!"
Long Yeyue looked incredulously at Yun Ming as he talked back to her. Publicly humiliated, she immediately summoned her Martial Soul in fury.
The next moment, a ferocious black dragon appeared. It was none other than the Dark Holy Dragon Martial Soul, and the pressure of a demigod-level Limit Douluo instantly bore down on Yun Ming and everyone else present.
Yun Ming snorted coldly and summoned his own Martial Soul, the Atlas Spear, instantly blasting the pressure away. Although he was still recuperating, even going forward, a piece of trash like Long Yeyue could not compare to him.
Just from the collision of their presences, Long Yeyue took a step backward, falling into a disadvantage. Seeing that the two were about to fight, the others immediately intervened.
"Brother Ming, Elder Long, there's no need for this!"
Zang Xin and Guan Yue both stepped between them, while Xuan Zi also tried to persuade them.
"Let it go, Light Dark Douluo. This happened because of me. If you must blame someone, blame this old man..."
"Everyone, we're all from Shrek and the Tang Sect. Let's not fall into infighting."
Mu En also took the initiative to settle their dispute. They were all on the same side, after all; the palm and the back of the hand were both flesh. Still, Long Yeyue really had gone too far this time.
Seeing this, Long Yeyue gritted her teeth. Her eyes bloodshot and her breathing like an ox's, she glared at Yun Ming.
"You dare treat me like this because of that temptress? Yun Ming, you'll regret this."
"Elder Long, I am the Sea God Pavilion Master!"
Faced with Long Yeyue's threat, Yun Ming retorted coldly. His attitude infuriated her so much that she slammed the door and left.
Bang!
After Long Yeyue left, Yun Ming also stormed off in a huff, pulling Ya Li along. Watching the two leave Shrek Academy, Guan Yue turned to Zang Xin.
"A Xin, I'm a little worried about Brother Ming. I'll follow them and take a look."
"All right. Leave things here to me."
After saying his goodbyes, Guan Yue followed Yun Ming and the others out. Once they had left, Zang Xin took out the deity's creations: Mora, Primogems, experience books, and Mystic Enhancement Ore.
The group began studying these divine creations. Meanwhile, elsewhere, in the Martial Soul Realm.
After using Invincible Golden Buttocks to withstand Golden Crocodile Douluo's attack head-on, Tang Hao rode the momentum and flew away, successfully escaping pursuit.
Golden Crocodile Douluo, Mighty Lion Douluo, and the others from Spirit Hall were all stunned, deeply shaken by the sheer absurdity of Tang Hao's ninth Soul Skill.
"There's no such Soul Skill!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo wore an incredulous expression. The sheer cursedness of this Soul Skill had shaken their entire worldview. Still, it had broadened their horizons. Before seeing it with their own eyes, they would never have believed such a Soul Skill existed.
Just as they were about to search for Tang Hao's trail, they saw a server-wide announcement: a player with the ID East Sea Little Changkong had obtained the server's first Heart of Africa.
"Star of Africa? What's that?"
"No idea... Second Brother, are we still pursuing him?"
None of them understood the sudden message. Then they faced a dilemma: pursue him or not? Golden Crocodile Douluo pondered briefly before speaking.
"Keep sending people to search. If you find the target, notify me immediately."
"As you command, Second Worship!"
Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo and Demon Bear Douluo accepted the order, while Golden Crocodile Douluo and Mighty Lion Douluo returned to Spirit Hall afterward.
Meanwhile, Spirit Hall also underwent reforms. The first batch of Titled Douluos had all condensed their first Soul Cores, raising their Soul Power by one level across the board.
At the same time, the newly advanced Level 95 Titled Douluo, Ghost Leopard Douluo, also became one of their high-level combatants. Super Douluos certainly counted as high-level combatants, while Limit Douluos represented the very pinnacle of combat strength.
Seeing everyone's Soul Power rise by one level, Golden Crocodile Douluo and Mighty Lion Douluo both marveled at the cultivation techniques from twenty thousand years in the future.
Meanwhile, thanks to the Soul Core cultivation method, three people who had been stuck at Level 89 for years also broke through to Level 90. They were now just one Soul Ring away from becoming newly advanced Titled Douluos.
At the same time, Qian Daoliu's group returned. Sensing their return, Golden Crocodile Douluo and Mighty Lion Douluo came out to welcome them.
Everyone was dumbstruck when they saw all the treasures, talent, and resources the group had gathered.
There were treasures that increased Innate Soul Power, experts in Soul Guidance Technology, leading talents in the field of Battle Armor, and more.
What amazed them even more were the Soul Spirits belonging to Qian Renxue and Ye Guyi. Looking at the little horses accompanying the two, both men wore inquisitive expressions.
"So these are Soul Spirits? A new-era cultivation system that lets you increase the age of your Soul Rings afterward, and even grants multiple Soul Rings through a single Soul Spirit?"
Faced with something new, Golden Crocodile Douluo and Mighty Lion Douluo could hardly help being curious. Qian Daoliu also summoned the available elders for a meeting and explained what he had gained on this trip.
When they heard there were so many Limit Douluos outside, Golden Crocodile Douluo and Mighty Lion Douluo were both stunned.
What did he mean, Limit Douluos, of whom their era had only three, were a dime a dozen twenty thousand years later?
Next came an introduction to their cooperation with Leng Yaozhu. Several leading figures in secondary professions moved into Spirit Hall, and everyone there entered a period of learning.
Meanwhile, Qian Daoliu also ordered people to search extensively for resources to extract within the Martial Soul Realm, which they could later trade with Leng Yaozhu for more resources.
After Qian Daoliu returned to Spirit Hall, it began adapting to the changes of this era to the fullest extent possible.
Meanwhile, Golden Crocodile Douluo, Azure Luan Douluo, Thousand Jun Douluo, and Demon Subduing Douluo entered seclusion to condense their first Soul Cores.
Mighty Lion Douluo guarded the portal, while Light Feather Douluo assisted Qian Daoliu with various miscellaneous matters. Everything operated in an orderly fashion.
Light Feather Douluo appeared in a dedicated classroom, where a Phoenix Clan instructor responsible for teaching Battle Armor design was explaining the origins of Battle Armor from the very beginning.
The many students below listened attentively. From Soul Emperors to Titled Douluos, they all paid close attention, while the instructors teaching them were only at the Soul Emperor or Soul Saint level.
However, Qian Daoliu had issued strict orders: these instructors held the same status as elders and were not to be slighted. Anyone who violated this would receive a home visit from Light Feather Douluo to deliver some warmth.
Listening to the lesson, Light Feather Douluo initially found it quite interesting, as though he were listening to a story. Soon, however, he grew bored. His figure flashed, and he arrived in the classroom teaching the secondary professions of Battle Armor manufacturing and repair.
As he listened, he still found it boring. He wandered around like a school administrator, eventually arriving at the forging room to observe.
With their cultivation as Super Douluos, learning would have been quite easy if they wanted to. However, he could not stand these tedious lessons, so he simply wandered around.
As he wandered, he arrived where Qian Daoliu was and happened to see the two little angels fighting.
The battle between the two little angels, Qian Renxue and Ye Guyi, was quite pleasing to watch.
Qian Daoliu was gratified to see the two youngsters improving so rapidly. Not long before, he had given them a Mystic Water Pill each, and both had advanced one level.
Spirit Hall was reforming, the Tang Sect was selling arms, Shrek was embroiled in infighting, the Spirit Pagoda was preparing to spam rockets, the Federation was investigating who had been resurrected from history, the War God Temple was maintaining order, and the Holy Spirit Cult remained as lax as ever.
At the Body Sect, Du Busi sank into thought as he looked at Mu Ye, the Level 94 Body Sect master.
"To think that ten thousand years later, my Body Sect has fallen so low that a Level 94 Titled Douluo is its sect master. It seems our Body Sect really has declined. We don't even have a single Limit Douluo."
Du Busi sat in his chair, questioning life. When he heard that Mu Ye was the Body Sect master ten thousand years later, disbelief filled his eyes.
At the time, he had looked as though he had seen a ghost. When he heard that Mu Ye could not break through to Super Douluo because he had fused his Soul Spirit into his mecha, smoke practically poured from his seven orifices in fury.
So these external things actually hindered his cultivation? Soul Tools were external things, after all, and such things were what Du Busi scorned most.
Especially since he himself had been blown to death by these external things, he hated Soul Tools even more.
In response to Du Busi's hatred of Soul Tools, Mu Ye brought out his savings. Body Douluo Mu Ye and Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua were fellow disciples, and he had some heavenly forged metal saved up.
He had originally intended to leave it for his disciple A Ruheng, but circumstances had outpaced his plans. Since Ancestor Du Busi had happened to possess him, he would let him taste the power of Soul Tools.
Later, witnessed by many Body Sect disciples, the Body Sect masters from the two eras found a place to fight. Mu Ye revealed his Four-Word Battle Armor along with his Red-Grade Mecha, displaying combat strength comparable to some Limit powerhouses.
Watching the Level 94 Mu Ye unleash Limit-level combat strength, Du Busi's eyes nearly popped out.
Then the two began a fierce battle, both using their Body Martial Souls' gold-grade awakenings. In the end, Du Busi lost. Mu Ye had two Soul Cores, and with his Four-Word Battle Armor, Battle Armor domain, and mecha enhancement, he really defeated the caveman Du Busi.
Afterward, Mu Ye spent some time making Du Busi a set of Four-Word Battle Armor too. Once Du Busi put it on, his attitude changed immediately.
"How the hell did I never realize Soul Guidance Technology had this kind of potential? This is great!"
After putting on the Four-Word Battle Armor, his combat strength firmly entered the ranks of the Limit realm. Later, with Du Busi's support, the Body Sect members from the Douluo II era also chose to follow the tide of the times and study Soul Guidance Technology.
Meanwhile, Du Busi also began condensing his second Soul Core. Now that he had this era's method of condensing three Soul Cores, he planned to first finish condensing his second to strengthen his foundation, then condense his third in one go and break through to the Limit realm.
The Body Sect also began reforming. Meanwhile, the geniuses of this generation, Long Aotian, Vina, and A Ruheng, were brought together for training.
Because the Body Sect was too poor, Mu Ye could not support such a large sect alone. Its disciples could only find ways to earn money.
Soon, some Body Sect disciples received exceptional promotions from the Federation for going out to rob people, entering the system and eating at public expense.
They'd been fucking thrown in jail!
The Body Sect was also reforming. Next was the Hongchen Clan. When Meng Hongchen saw Wu Changkong enter the arena, she was utterly smitten, but she soon grew afraid again.
She was afraid that this Wu Changkong might also be a woman disguised as a man. After all, some women's bottoms were not even as perky as East Sea Little Changkong's.
Combined with his long hair and cold, aloof appearance, he reminded her of Wang Dong back then, immediately frightening her. Meanwhile, Xiao Hongchen began cultivating like mad.
He had also learned about the greatest genius of this era, Atlas Douluo Yun Ming, who became a Titled Douluo at twenty-three and reached Limit at thirty-one. Such talent astounded him.
Thus, Xiao Hongchen put himself under immense pressure. He began eating metal directly and learning forging. In just a few days, his Soul Power rose to Level 15.
Jing Hongchen was also studying Battle Armor. As a top Level 9 Soul Engineer, he would become a Level 9 Battle Armor designer and manufacturer in less than a month.
Meng Hongchen was also cultivating diligently, but her speed was no match for Xiao Hongchen's. Lao Xiao had received an epic buff in this era; his talent for growing stronger by eating metal made him like a fish in water here.
Other places were also adapting to the changing times. For instance, Bone Douluo of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect broke through to Level 96 after condensing his first Soul Core, as did the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's old dragon, Yu Yuanzhen.
Now Chen Xin had also begun condensing a Soul Core, preparing to break through to Level 98 in one go.
The ninth and tenth updates for November 1, totaling twenty thousand words. All ten updates delivered; please send monthly votes.