"Young one, no need to be nervous. I bear you no ill will."
A calm, aged voice echoed by his ear. Shuyan's consciousness was muddled, and for a moment, he seemed to hear the majestic roar of a dragon. But in the next instant, it felt as if he had been yanked out of a raging tide his mind cleared, and the golden soul power enveloping him dissipated. He dropped to the ground, landing on one knee and gasping for breath, still shaken.
Chiangu Chaosheng slowly withdrew his hand, the smile in his eyes unchanged as he spoke softly:
"So this is the future of the Star Luo Empire? Not bad. You managed to barely resist my dragon's might with the strength of a Soul King. The Ice Empress... Truly worthy of being an ultimate-attribute Super Martial Soul. Even compared to the twin divine dragons of light and darkness, it's not the least bit inferior..."
Xu Jiujing hurried to Shuyan's side, worry etched on her face.
"A'Yan, are you okay?"
Shuyan gently shook his head. With Xu Jiujing's support, he slowly stood up and gave a slight cupped-hands salute toward the always-smiling old man.
"Thank you, Senior, for your mercy."
Chiangu Chaosheng shook his head, his eyes carrying a deeper meaning as he looked at Shuyan. After a moment of silence, he said:
"I see great promise in you. Cultivate well... In the future, I shall bestow you an opportunity."
With that, Chiangu Chaosheng nodded lightly at the Ice and Snow Emperors and turned back into the shadows. As he passed Xu Jiawei, he said in a low voice:
"Your Majesty need not worry. When there is a shared goal, the hatred and divides between races can be set aside—at least temporarily. Sincerity and trust are the prerequisites for cooperation. You should understand this better than I do..."
He sighed softly, adding:
"No more words. Everything is fate. Treasure it."
His voice drifted into the air as his figure slowly vanished into the shadows.
Xu Jiawei remained frozen until Chiangu Chaosheng completely disappeared. Then he turned toward the calm Snow Empress below the stage and the still-sulking Ice Empress. A flicker of realization flashed in his eyes. Xu Jiujing was still holding Shuyan's arm. For a moment, silence fell between the five of them. Yet they all knew—the pact had been formed. Deepening it... would be a matter for the future.
---
Night fell.
Xu Jiujing sat cross-legged atop the Starlight Platform, cultivating by absorbing the power of the stars. Starlight danced around her like tiny celestial bodies, eventually forming a regal crown upon her head, encrusted with eighteen glowing gemstones. In that moment, she appeared like a divine goddess of the stars—dazzling and transcendent.
Unfortunately, this breathtaking sight was something only Shuyan could admire without reservation.
Shuyan sat alone on the rooftop, gazing up at the waning moon. The moonlight was cold and ethereal, casting a faint glow on his wind-tousled hair. As he organized his thoughts, his mind inevitably wandered to the private conversation he'd had with Xu Jiawei earlier.
From Xu Jiawei's words, Shuyan had confirmed his suspicions.
The old man—Chiangu Chaosheng—was actually the true identity of Elder Qian. His Martial Soul was the top-tier weapon soul: the Coiling Dragon Staff. Based on Xu Jiawei's hints, this old man was very likely a descendant of the sixth and seventh consecrated elders of the Spirit Hall—the greatest soul master power of the continent ten thousand years ago.
Shuyan wasn't very familiar with the events of the Legend of the Tang Sect era, but he did know quite a bit about the original Douluo Dalu period.
The great Douluo Qianjun and Jiangmo had not died in the final battle. After the Spirit Hall's fall, they had simply vanished from the public eye. Whether they had descendants was unknown—but in the Douluo Dalu 3 timeline, the Chiangu Clan, inheritors of the Coiling Dragon Staff, did emerge. Putting all this together, it was almost certain: Elder Qian was a descendant of the two consecrated elders of Spirit Hall.
"A descendant of the Spirit Hall, huh... Things are getting more and more interesting."
After pondering for a while, Shuyan let out a chuckle.
This continent was already full of excitement. What harm was there in adding more variables? Shuyan had to admit—he was someone who enjoyed a bit of "chaos."
A soft sound behind him was followed by a familiar fragrance. Without turning, Shuyan already knew who it was.
Under the moonlight, the Snow Empress appeared even colder and more aloof. She merely stood there quietly, yet it felt as if she had stolen all the moon's beauty. Both she and Shuyan had white hair and blue eyes—peerlessly graceful—forming a picture too perfect for words.
Watching from afar, Nebula Douluo sighed. She seemed lost in memories of her youth. Back then, she too had been a renowned beauty of the Star Luo Empire...
But time was merciless. Now she was old—far from the girl she used to be.
The Snow Empress studied Shuyan for a while, then sat down gracefully on the wooden beam of the rooftop and asked softly:
"Any discoveries?"
Shuyan stretched lazily and replied casually:
"Hard to say. Elder Qian seems closely tied to the Spirit Hall from ten thousand years ago. And I mean really closely—almost no doubt about it."
"Spirit Hall?"
The Snow Empress murmured the name, seeming puzzled.
Shuyan snapped back to himself. Of course—the Snow Empress still knew very little about human history. He continued explaining:
"The Spirit Hall was the strongest soul master organization ten thousand years ago. It once produced two gods—the Angel God, who represented light, and the Rakshasa God, who represented evil."
"After the war of the gods, both were slain by the Sea God, and the Spirit Hall was destroyed. But many of its top experts survived, and their bloodlines carried on through the ages. Elder Qian is likely a descendant of the sixth and seventh consecrated elders of the Spirit Hall."
The Snow Empress frowned slightly, clearly thinking. After a while, she asked:
"And then?"
Shuyan looked up at the moon and sighed.
"Most of the Spirit Hall's bloodline still lingers today—some even here in the Star Luo Empire. I only just learned that from my royal brother."
The Snow Empress nodded, then asked suddenly:
"Are you planning to recruit them?"
Shuyan was momentarily surprised, then nodded.
"The war ten thousand years ago was brutal. Spirit Hall's survivors bear deep hatred toward the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires, and the destruction of Shrek is a trauma etched into their very bones. Revenge and redemption are powerful lures to them."
"But now, with the Star Luo Empire under new leadership, the grudge has shifted from the Dai family and Duke Netherworld to the current White Tiger Ducal House. In some ways, the royal family has no real enmity with them anymore. In fact, there may even be... special ties. That's clear from Elder Qian's status and my brother's attitude."
"In a way, our goals overlap. Do you remember what I told you back in the Extreme North? This is reality if one wishes to become a god in this era, clashing with Shrek and the Sea God is inevitable."
The Snow Empress fell silent. She remembered his words clearly. Though she didn't know how Shuyan came to know so much, one truth became crystal clear to her:
In this era, if you wish to ascend to godhood, you must either submit to the Sea God's will and become his obedient pawn or defy the heavens themselves and seek your own path. There truly seemed to be no third option.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/XenTronix