After a brief moment of silence, Shu Yan gently set down the exquisite wine cup in his hand. The crisp clink it made drew everyone's attention, their gazes naturally turning toward him, waiting for what he was about to say next.
Shu Yan's eyes swept across the hall before finally settling on Xu Jiawei. His voice was calm and composed as he said:
"Imperial Brother, since we've all gathered today, there's something else I wish to share with you. It's no small matter on the contrary, it concerns the very future of our world. I say this with no exaggeration: this matter has the potential to change the course of history on this continent."
Though his tone wasn't loud, every word was crystal clear, reverberating in the ears of everyone present. A collective shock gripped the room as all eyes locked onto Shu Yan. Xu Jiawei's grip on his wine cup tightened involuntarily, causing the liquid to ripple. In that brief instant, the warmth of a gentle older brother was replaced by the steely authority of a sovereign emperor. His presence shifted—commanding, imperial.
He slowly placed down his cup and said in a low, weighty voice:
"Ah Yan, speak freely. There are no outsiders here. And even if there were… no one leaves the imperial palace alive with secrets."
This was not an empty threat. The Star Luo Imperial Palace was home to many powerful cultivators. As the most formidable of the three great empires born from the former Douluo Continent, Star Luo Empire's strength went far beyond its surface. Its hidden forces were equally terrifying. Take, for example, the mysterious High Priest of the Royal Worship Hall—no one had ever seen his true face, yet Shu Yan knew without a doubt that this figure existed and wielded terrifying power. He had deduced this much from past conversations with Xu Jiawei.
Under the table, Shu Yan gently held Xu Jiujing's hand, then spoke, clearly and slowly:
"Imperial Brother, have you ever considered the possibility that Limit Douluo is not the pinnacle of human power? Whether it was the Divine War ten thousand years ago, or the later ascension of the Seven Gods, all of it proves one thing—gods are real. And what's more, it is a realm humans can reach through cultivation and destiny…"
"For ten thousand years, this continent has seen one genius after another—perhaps even more than during that ancient era. Yet no one has managed to replicate the rise of the Seven Gods. Is it because today's geniuses lack the talent? Or is it something else entirely? No one has an answer."
He paused briefly. The hall fell into a deathly silence—even the faintest breath seemed to vanish. Xu Jiawei stared at his rippling wine, lost in thought.
The four Title Douluo exchanged glances, their expressions filled with unease and suspicion. But none of them dared speak. At a moment like this, silence was the only safe choice—anything else could bring unnecessary trouble.
Sensing that Shu Yan's words were heading toward dangerous territory, Xu Jiawei's expression shifted again. He raised his hand slightly, interrupting Shu Yan, then cast a sharp glance toward the four Title Douluo. The moment his gaze landed on them, three of the four couldn't help but break out in goosebumps—as if some monstrous beast had turned its attention on them.
Understanding the emperor's intent, Strength Douluo and Skyfiend Douluo exchanged a glance and stood up simultaneously, speaking without hesitation:
"Your Majesty, this is a family matter. We shall withdraw. We swear upon our Martial Souls and very souls that we will not utter a single word of what we've seen or heard here today. If we do, may our Martial Souls shatter on the spot and may we perish instantly."
Xu Jiawei responded with a faint hum of acknowledgment. The two Douluo visibly relaxed, then vanished from the hall without a trace.
Starshatter Douluo and Nebula Douluo looked at each other, clearly hesitant. Xu Jiawei turned toward them and, after a moment's thought, said:
"You may leave as well. There is someone watching over matters today. No need for you to worry—just remain on standby outside the hall."
The two were stunned at first, then quickly regained composure. Realization dawned in their eyes as their expressions grew solemn. With a deep bow, they too vanished, leaving not even a whisper behind.
The loyalty of these four Title Douluo to the Star Luo Empire was unquestionable. But even so, they were not qualified to hear what Shu Yan was about to reveal. Their departure was, perhaps, for the best.
Xue Jiujing calmly watched the four Douluo exit the hall, sparing Xu Jiawei a second look. At the very least, she acknowledged that he possessed the courage and composure befitting an emperor—traits that were exceedingly rare in this age.
Watching this unfold, Xu Jiujing, who had quietly been observing from the side, couldn't help but show a flicker of concern. But with Shu Yan's comforting grasp, she could only sigh softly and remain seated in silence. She knew well—within this hall, as the Star Luo Princess, she had the least say of anyone here. Without exception.
Shu Yan gave a faint smile and cleared his throat before continuing:
"Since the birth of the Douluo Plane, countless ages have passed. Seas have turned to mulberry fields and back again. In the vast river of time, the human body is less than a speck of dust. And perhaps that is precisely why cultivation gained its true meaning and purpose."
"When humans learned to hunt soul beasts and absorb soul rings to gain strength, human greed grew boundlessly. With power came privilege—and with that, an ever-growing hunger for more. The limits of human lifespan became a shackle to growth. This cycle has repeated endlessly since the dawn of Martial Souls, continuing to this day."
"As I said—most powerhouses will fight with everything they have to climb higher. It's dictated by both their position and their nature. And in that sense… I'm no different."
Suddenly, Shu Yan chuckled softly. His laughter, unrestrained and clear, rang throughout the grand hall. Everyone stared at him, yet he remained unfazed. Finally, he said:
"Imperial Brother, the matter is simple. You know that with my current talent, neither Title Douluo nor even Super Douluo is my end goal. Limit Douluo is powerful, yes—but it cannot satisfy my ambition. What I truly desire… is to recreate what happened ten thousand years ago. I want power that surpasses all, and time without end. Eternal life may be but a fleeting dream, but it's a dream countless beings still chase."
"In some sense, Xue Jiujing and Bing Di chose to ally with me not just because of my talent and Martial Soul, but because of the soul beasts' curse—an inability to become gods. The looming threat of the next Heavenly Tribulation only adds to their urgency."
As Shu Yan slowly rose to his feet, tendrils of frost began to spread from his body. Ice-blue mist curled around him like a dreamscape, transforming the world around him into one of ice and snow. Behind him, a breathtakingly beautiful figure slowly took shape—vaguely resembling Xue Jiujing herself.
Then, five black soul rings floated into the air.
At that moment, Xu Jiawei could no longer remain composed he crushed his wine cup in one hand. Even Xu Jiujing, seated beside Shu Yan, was utterly stunned.
In just eight short months, Shu Yan's soul power had soared to the level of a Soul King. All five of his soul rings were ten-thousand-year rings. And he was only thirteen years old.
Faced with such overwhelming evidence, no one could ignore the implications of what Shu Yan had just said.
His talent was simply too extraordinary. It would not be an exaggeration to say that even the Sea God who triumphed in the Divine War ten thousand years ago hadn't achieved such feats at this age.
Just as the atmosphere in the hall grew heavy and tense, Xue Jiujing who had been silent until now finally spoke:
"He speaks the truth. We are all seekers of eternal life. When the path forward became utterly blocked, we chose a different road one with no precedent. The path to creating gods. Put simply, we seek to use mortal strength to forge divinity. Bing Di and I are both participants and contributors to this endeavor. If Shu Yan succeeds, we will share in the rewards. If he fails… the result is obvious."
Her voice faded, and Bing Di added in a calm, resolute tone:
"I, too, once doubted this path. But Shu Yan gave us a glimmer of hope. At the very least, I am unwilling to accept a predetermined fate. Call it defying the heavens if you must. Even if we fail… at least we'll die without regret."