The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King finally departed, but not before taking every last snack Chen Yi had prepared. Not even a single plate remained.
Once the massive shadow had completely vanished into the distant depths of the sea, the Great Elder and Qian Renxue, who had been watching from afar, finally approached and landed on the reef where Chen Yi stood.
"How did it go?" Qian Renxue asked eagerly the moment she arrived. Chen Yi had already reached god-level cultivation. His soul rings and soul bones were of immeasurable value. If he could successfully recruit the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, the benefits to his future cultivation would be unimaginable.
Noticing the worry in Qian Renxue's eyes, Chen Yi smiled calmly. "He hasn't verbally agreed yet."
After a brief pause, he added confidently, "However, he's clearly tempted. I believe he'll make the wise choice soon."
The conditions he had offered were extremely attractive to a being like the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.
"Seems like there's no problem then," the Great Elder said, stroking his chin. His eyes shone with admiration and surprise. "A creature at the level of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King possesses intelligence no less than the greatest human sages."
"The moment he accepted those snacks, his stance was already clear. It was only a matter of time," Chen Yi replied with a smile.
The Great Elder's assessment was still a little too conservative.
He clearly remembered that in the original story, after Tang San absorbed the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's spirit ring and spirit bone, his level had skyrocketed from 96 to 99. Although the Sea God's power had played a role, the terrifying energy within the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's soul ring and soul bone was undoubtedly one of the main reasons.
Moreover, Chen Yi still possessed the god-level Thunder Dragon torso bone granted by the God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life. Its quality and energy far surpassed even the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's offerings. If he succeeded in fusing with it, reaching the pinnacle of soul power would no longer be a mere dream.
With that thought in mind, Chen Yi turned to Qian Renxue. "How did the island reclamation and harvesting go?"
A heartfelt smile bloomed on Qian Renxue's beautiful face the moment he asked.
"The harvest was excellent. The seven cities of Sea God Island house many sea soul masters and their families, and they also contain the wealth and resources Sea God Island has accumulated over the centuries."
"The quantity and quality of the treasures stored there far exceeded my expectations."
"We also seized a large number of soul tools and personal treasures from the sea soul masters who stubbornly resisted."
Because Chen Yi and the Great Elder had targeted the core of Sea God Mountain from the very beginning, the Body Sect's subsequent sweep of the cities had been relatively superficial. As a result, Spirit Hall's gains this time were substantial—more than enough to support its development for a long time.
Chen Yi nodded, then turned to the Great Elder with a solemn expression.
"Elder, I feel I'm only one step away from breaking through to level 80. I plan to find a quiet, secluded place on Sea God Island for isolated cultivation to overcome this bottleneck."
"However, before entering seclusion, I want to convert everything I've gained from this campaign into actual combat power as quickly as possible."
"Please instruct the sect elders to distribute appropriate resources—especially soul bones—according to each person's individual needs. If any of the seized soul bones suit someone better, I can help facilitate an exchange."
He then looked at Qian Renxue. "The same applies to the Spirit Hall elders and meritorious soldiers. Those who deserve rewards should receive them. Use these resources generously for development."
"In short, it would be best if both our factions could achieve a qualitative leap before the next great era arrives."
Listening to Chen Yi's meticulous plan, the gentle light in Qian Renxue's eyes deepened. She nodded quietly.
"Understood. I will personally oversee the resource distribution to ensure everything is carried out effectively. I'll also take responsibility for supporting the soul bone transplants."
"It's fine," Chen Yi said with a warm smile, looking at her straightforwardly. "This is what I should do."
The Great Elder nodded in approval. "Xiao Yi has thought everything through very thoroughly. I'll go tell those youngsters to act quickly. You should seize this opportunity and enter seclusion to break through as soon as possible."
"With Xue'er and me here on Sea God Island, everything will be perfectly safe."
...
Meanwhile, on the Douluo Continent, within the Star Luo Empire.
Left Wall Fortress.
This imposing stronghold, perched atop a steep mountain range, was one of the Star Luo Empire's most critical strategic fortresses. It guarded the vital passage leading to the empire's heartland and its largest grain-producing region—the Star Lou Plain.
If the fortress fell, the enemy could advance unhindered and directly threaten the imperial capital, Star Luo City.
At this moment, the once-impregnable fortress had turned into the bloodiest and most brutal meat grinder on the continent.
Ear-piercing battle cries, the explosive sounds of colliding soul skills, and the groans of the wounded blended into a grim symphony of death.
On and around the city walls, mountains of corpses piled up, their blood staining the rocks and ground crimson.
The flags of Spirit Hall and the Star Luo Empire fluttered violently amid the smoke of war.
The soldiers on both sides fought with bloodthirsty ferocity.
In the center of the battlefield, a massive ghostly cat dashed through the enemy lines at blinding speed. With every flash, its sharp claws drew sprays of blood, and at least one Spirit Hall spirit master would scream and fall.
Wherever it went, chaos and death followed.
"Meow—!"
The Nether Cat let out a sharp cry and pounced toward a Spirit Hall Soul Saint commanding the formation, its claws thrusting straight at his throat.
Suddenly, the space before the Soul Saint twisted slightly without warning.
In the next instant, a ghostly figure completely merged with the shadows appeared as if teleporting.
The figure flashed past in an instant. Knife-sharp leopard claws struck the side of the Nether Cat's true form from an incomprehensible angle.
"Bang!"
The Nether Cat's true form let out a pain-filled groan, was sent flying, and crashed heavily onto the ground. It slid dozens of meters, its body covered in deep claw marks from which blood gushed out.
The ghostly figure flashed again and materialized in the distance as a pitch-black ghostly leopard. It elegantly raised its front paw and licked the blood from its claws.
"Nether Archduke, Zhu Mingfeng?"
The Ghost Leopard Douluo's casual voice rang out, laced with undisguised mockery. "The so-called fastest man in the Star Luo Empire? Not very impressive, huh."
"Husband!" A sorrowful tiger roar rang out. On the opposite side of the battlefield, a petite white tiger recklessly charged toward the Ghost Leopard Douluo. Its claws stirred up a fierce wind, aiming straight for his head.
A flash of contempt appeared in the Ghost Leopard Douluo's eyes. He slightly turned sideways to dodge the tiger claws and delivered a backhand strike to the white tiger's ribs.
"Snap!"
A sickening sound of bones cracking rang out.
The white tiger let out a terrifying, pain-filled roar, twisted its body at an unnatural angle, and rolled away pitifully.
"Lady!"
Zhu Mingfeng's eyes widened in terror. Enduring the intense pain, he crawled to his feet, rushed to his wife's side, and shielded her behind him.
The couple watched the nearby Ghost Leopard Douluo warily.
"Quick! Fuse your martial souls!"
The heavily injured female tiger growled lowly. In a one-on-one fight, neither she nor her husband could defeat the Ghost Leopard Douluo.
Zhu Mingfeng gritted his teeth and nodded. Their soul powers surged violently as black and white lights rapidly fused.
"Roar—!!"
A massive Nether White Tiger appeared in the light. It let out an ear-piercing roar toward the Ghost Leopard Douluo and charged fiercely.
"Oh? Nether White Tiger? Interesting."
A faint hint of amusement appeared in the Ghost Leopard Douluo's leopard pupils. Far from afraid, he grew even more intrigued.
Since awakening his ability to condense a soul core, he had yet to encounter a worthy opponent. This fusion technique would be a good chance to stretch his muscles.
"Two mere Soul Douluos relying on a fusion technique to challenge a peak Douluo?"
The Ghost Leopard Douluo sneered coldly. His figure suddenly vanished. In the next instant, he appeared beside the Nether White Tiger. Sharp claws emitting profound light that seemed to slice through space slashed fiercely toward their heads.
"Today, we'll slaughter all of you so-called pillars of the Star Luo Empire and see who else in the empire dares to resist!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The two sides clashed instantly.
The Ghost Leopard Douluo moved like a ghost, constantly flashing around the massive Nether White Tiger like lightning, his claw shadows filling the sky.
The Nether White Tiger roared repeatedly, spewing black and white energy while swinging its claws in an attempt to catch the Ghost Leopard Douluo's true form.
The aftershocks of their battle caused soldiers within a radius of hundreds of meters to stagger, creating a blank zone around them.
Although the Ghost Leopard Douluo overwhelmed his opponents with superior speed and attack power, the Nether White Tiger could not be underestimated. Occasional counterattacks left bloodstains on the Ghost Leopard Douluo.
For a time, the two sides fought evenly.
"Roar—!!!"
However, just as the battle seemed to reach a stalemate, a fierce and oppressive roar suddenly echoed from the distant sky.
This terrifying roar instantly drew the attention of every being on the battlefield. Both Star Luo defenders and Spirit Hall attackers trembled involuntarily and slowed their movements.
Immediately afterward, a massive golden crocodile phantom brimming with terrifying power dove straight down from the sky toward the Nether White Tiger, which was still locked in combat with the Ghost Leopard Douluo.
A dark-golden crocodile claw as tall as a pillar slammed down.
Even before the claw reached it, the terrifying pressure caused the black and white energy surrounding the Nether White Tiger to churn violently.
"What?!"
"Not good!"
Zhu Mingfeng and his wife's pupils contracted sharply inside the Nether White Tiger. Their souls felt as if they were being gripped by the massive claw, and an unprecedented sense of deathly crisis engulfed them.
The Nether White Tiger let out a desperate roar. Its soul power burned fiercely as it gathered all its strength and charged madly toward the giant claw that covered the sky.
"Puff—!"
Before the disbelieving eyes of the Star Luo soldiers, the moment the Nether White Tiger touched the dark-golden crocodile claw, its body instantly collapsed. It turned into a mist of blood and vanished without a trace.
The Star Luo Empire's Duke and his wife… were dead.
The golden crocodile phantom paid no heed to the dissipating blood mist. It turned its massive head, and its dark-golden vertical pupils fixed on the gates of Left Wall Fortress.
Its enormous body twisted in the air, and its massive tail slammed into the unbelievably heavy city gate.
"Boom—"
Accompanied by an earth-shaking roar, the fortress gate—which was said to withstand even consecutive attacks from Super Douluos—shattered into pieces. Countless metal fragments mixed with shattered stone and bricks flew inward like a torrential rain.
The city gate had been breached!
The golden crocodile phantom charged through the smoke and dust into the fortress. It soared high into the sky with a roar, and the sound waves instantly swept across the entire stronghold, causing countless Star Luo defenders to bleed from their ears and noses while shattering their spirits.
Then, the light of the golden crocodile phantom receded, rapidly shrinking until it transformed into the figure of a robust old man clad in golden armor.
At this moment, the aura of the Golden Crocodile Douluo was as deep as the sea. He had finally broken through the barrier that had troubled him for nearly a century and stepped into the long-dreamed Limit Douluo realm!
The Golden Crocodile Douluo stood atop the ruined city gate, looking down at the Star Luo army's defensive forces below, who were engulfed in panic and chaos. He took a deep breath and let his voice, resonant like a tolling bell, echo across the entire battlefield and reverberate through the collapsing fortress.
"Surrender—or die!"
At the same time, Spirit Hall generals and soul masters from all directions shouted in unison. Morale soared.
"Surrender and you will not be killed!"
"Surrender and you will not be killed!"
The thunderous chant was like a tsunami, completely shattering the last vestiges of resistance in the Star Luo defenders' hearts.
Seeing the Golden Crocodile Douluo standing god-like atop the broken city gate and the Spirit Hall army glaring menacingly, the surviving Star Luo soldiers threw down their weapons one after another.
The Left Wall Fortress—the iron wall of the Star Luo Empire's west—had been breached in a single day by the absolute power of a Limit Douluo.
Standing amid the ruins and surrendering soldiers, the Golden Crocodile Douluo's gaze had already moved beyond the scene before him and fixed upon a distant, magnificent capital.
"Her Holiness the Pope is currently waging war overseas, so I cannot afford to fall too far behind."
"Before her triumphant return… I must seize the Star Luo Empire!"
…