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Heaven Dou City, Tang Sect
The secret meeting room was bathed in bright white light, yet everyone present felt an inexplicable gloom hanging over them. Shock and confusion were etched on their faces as they stared blankly at Tang Wulin.
Holy Spirit Douluo was the first to break the silence. "Wulin... what do you mean by 'Otherworldly Demon'? Are you saying that Bai Xu is..."
Her question voiced the doubt in everyone's minds. As Limit Douluos, they were not entirely ignorant of the world beyond. Over the years, numerous small dimensions connected to the Douluo Continent had been discovered, some of which even harbored life. However, most of these beings were weak, lacking higher thought and surviving purely on instinct.
A few powerful exceptions existed, such as the Abyss Plane—a hostile dimension that sought to devour the Douluo Plane to achieve its own evolution.
But... did Bai Xu also represent something from beyond?
"Yes, he is not from the Douluo Continent," Tang Wulin declared firmly. "Think carefully about Bai Xu's peculiarities. Despite possessing only the Heavenly Eye and elemental martial souls, with no bloodline to speak of, his physical body surpasses even mine, a bearer of the Golden Dragon Bloodline. From the outer academy tournaments, the Blood God Legion's trials, to now the destruction of four Spirit Pagoda branches—Bai Xu rarely relies on his martial souls or spirit rings in battle. Every time we see him, he seems vastly different, employing an array of bizarre techniques that appear self-created rather than spirit skills."
His words struck everyone like a bolt of clarity.
It was true! Bai Xu seldom used spirit skills in combat. Yet, over all these years, no one had noticed anything amiss or bothered to investigate further. It was as if an unseen force had been shielding Bai Xu, concealing his true identity.
Amorous Douluo spoke gravely. "Wulin, we trust you... but without concrete evidence, neither the Federation nor the public will take your word for it. Even with your status as the master of the Sea God's Pavilion, the Shrek Academy's influence is not what it once was. Its reconstruction is still incomplete, so..."
Xie Xie trembled slightly as he recalled past encounters with Bai Xu. He had always sensed something off about him, and now Tang Wulin's explanation made sense. Only the concept of an "Otherworldly Demon" could account for Bai Xu's abnormalities.
"Captain," Ye Xinglan interjected calmly, showing little surprise, "assuming Bai Xu truly is an Otherworldly Demon, how should we—or rather, the Douluo Continent—deal with him?"
Tang Wulin nodded. "That is precisely the purpose of this meeting. I intend to use the upcoming martial arts tournament to expose the Spirit Pagoda's vile deeds while simultaneously revealing Bai Xu's identity. As for evidence... I have my methods. However, Bai Xu has yet to commit any heinous acts. For now, the best course of action is to detain him and ascertain his motives—whether he comes in peace or, like the Abyss, with intentions of conquest. I plan to have our comrades join me in the tournament. Not only will this bolster the reborn Shrek Academy's influence, announcing to the world that Shrek is far from dead, but it will also allow us to kill two birds with one stone in the conflict between the Spirit Pagoda and Bai Xu. This is how we will ensure Shrek's full revival!"
The group voiced their unanimous agreement.
For the Douluo Continent, this was indeed the optimal strategy.
The martial arts tournament was clearly a trap Bai Xu had set for the Spirit Pagoda. An inevitable clash loomed, but the ultimate victor would be neither of them—only Shrek.
Exposing the Spirit Pagoda's collusion with the Holy Spirit Cult and revealing the existence of Otherworldly Demon would be achievements grand enough to thrust Shrek Academy back into the public eye, igniting a reconstruction wave even the Federation couldn't suppress.
This was the will of the people.
As for verifying Bai Xu's identity—Tang Wulin, as the Child of Nature, needed only to stand before him. If Bai Xu were truly Otherworldly Demon, the plane itself would reject him. And if not...
No, there was no "if not." His own father, the Sea God himself, had already confirmed it.
---
Star Dou Great Forest.
Core Region.
The area had withered significantly. The Lake of Life was on the verge of drying up, and without intervention, the soul beasts would face extinction.
The six great beast—Di Tian, Xiong Jun, Bi Ji, Wan Yao Wang, Zi Ji, and Chi Wang—had gathered here, awaiting Bai Xu's arrival.
Above the Lake of Life, space rippled before twisting into a swirling vortex. A spatial tunnel formed, its interior faintly illuminated by a white glow. Moments later, Bai Xu and Gu Yuena stepped out, one after the other.
"WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO OUR MASTER!"
They knelt, but their faces were filled with astonishment.
Bai Xu's current state was profoundly mystical. His body shimmered with flowing five-colored light, and fragments of time and space orbited him within a half-meter radius. His irises gleamed with the same five hues, and his mere presence exuded overwhelming majesty.
His gaze swept over the spirit beasts before surveying the core region. "To think it has deteriorated to this extent..."
His tone carried a hint of nostalgia. When he had last visited as a child, the land had been vibrant with life. Now, even the Lake of Life was nearly barren.
"We have indeed reached a point where a choice must be made," Gu Yuena said softly as she approached the spirit beasts, motioning for them to rise.
Xiong Jun stole a glance at the figure hovering mid-air and swallowed hard. Though he longed to challenge him, his beastly instincts screamed in warning, holding him back.
"Great One... you summoned us..." Di Tian ventured.
"This is to repay the karma between us and to test the insights I've gained into soul beasts during my years with the Spirit Pagoda."
Without further elaboration, Bai Xu glanced at Gu Yuena.
In her hand, the Five Elements Grand Formation materialized, expanding to envelop the entire core region.
Isolating everything within.
Then, the radiant light around Bai Xu intensified. The Wood Element flared, transforming into a kilometer-long Azure Dragon that coiled across the sky.
Di Tian was stunned. As a dragon himself, he felt no pressure, nor did he sense any bloodline resonance with the celestial serpent above. This meant Bai Xu's dragon was of an entirely different lineage.
Not of the Dragon God's bloodline.
The colossal Azure Dragon descended, its head lowering to Bai Xu's level. Their eyes met briefly before the dragon exhaled streams of verdant mist, showering Bai Xu below.
A surge of vitality instantly spread across the formation. Plants revived, and the earth regained its vigor—though the effect was confined to the core region.
As Bai Xu continued weaving hand seals, figures began emerging from the green mist.
Sacred Illusion Ape, Puppet Queen, Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear, Jade Swan, Azure Phoenix...
"SCREEEECH!!"
"ROOOAR!!"
The air shook with their cries. To the spirit beasts's amazement, these soul beasts did not scatter. Instead, they first bowed to Bai Xu, then to the spirit beasts and Gu Yuena, before stationing themselves calmly at the periphery. Among them were ten-thousand-year and thousand-year soul beasts, yet without exception, they exhibited high intelligence. Though incapable of human speech, their every action was deliberate and rational.
The Lake of Life stirred, its waters growing richer in hue.
Simultaneously, five-colored metallic fragments floated before each spirit beasts. Bai Xu explained, "These Five Elements Metals will adapt to your abilities upon absorption. They are roughly equivalent to a four-word battle armor for soul masters, enhancing your combat prowess—though not your cultivation."
"From this moment forth, my debt to the soul beasts is repaid."