69novels Chapter 440: War or Peace?
Chapter 440: War or Peace?
Tianxing Academy, behind the mountain.
After the initial reforms were finalized, Tang Chuan finally had a brief respite.
It was late at night, and the blue silver grass on the back mountain of the academy swayed gently in the moonlight, with cyan-gold specks of light floating in the air like starlight.
In the distance, Tiandou City has gradually returned to order.
The first batch of students at the Soul Master Academy also began to enroll.
The Control Yuan's authority spread throughout the country.
Ah Yin has returned to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well to continue stabilizing her recovered body, while Tang Hao remains in Holy Soul Village forging iron, like an empty shell crushed by sin and regret.
Tang San then disappeared completely.
The Blue Silver Emperor's Life Network covered the entire Douluo Continent, yet it never managed to detect his Rakshasa aura again.
Tang Chuan knew that this was not the end, but merely the calm before the storm.
Therefore, he must become a god as soon as possible.
Only by truly inheriting the divine position can one be qualified to face Tang San when he returns.
On the stone platform behind the mountain, Tang Chuan sat cross-legged.
The trident of Poseidon was stuck in front of him, emitting a faint blue-gold glow.
His first martial soul, the Blue Silver Emperor, slowly emerged.
Nine soul rings rose up in succession.
Red, red, red, red, red, white gold, red, gold.
Each spirit ring exuded an extremely terrifying aura.
mimic.
Blue Silver Clone.
Instant cure.
Emerald light waves.
Tragedy of fate.
Void and Explosive Eight-Stage Throw.
Blue Silver True Form.
The Soul of the Azure Dragon in Blue Silver Sky.
The abyss—where all streams flow into silence.
These nine spirit rings pushed Tang Chuan's first spirit to the limit that a mortal spirit master could achieve. Life, Healing, Resurrection, Disguise, Clone, Destiny, and Ocean Control.
This is no longer an ordinary Blue Silver Grass, nor even a simple Blue Silver Emperor.
This is a life-bound martial soul that is transforming into a Blue Silver God.
But Tang Chuan knew very well that merely perfecting his first martial soul was not enough.
The eighth test of Poseidon has arrived.
The assessment content is:
With both martial souls perfected, the ice sea became one.
My first martial soul, Blue Silver Emperor, is already at full level.
However, the second martial soul, Snow Emperor, is still far from enough.
Tang Chuan slowly raised his left hand.
An extreme chill spread from the palm of his hand.
Fine ice crystals condensed in the air.
The phantom of the Snow Emperor's martial spirit appeared behind him, with long silver-white hair, ice-blue eyes, and a noble and aloof demeanor, like a snow emperor from the far north.
The second spirit ring appeared.
The first spirit ring, the Snow Empress's Wisdom Spirit Ring, is orange-gold and nearly 700,000 years old.
The second spirit ring, the Ice Emperor's Wisdom Spirit Ring, is orange-gold in color and has been around for approximately 400,000 years.
The third spirit ring, a ten-thousand-year-old red Titan Giant Ape sacrificed by Erming, replenishes the Snow Empress's martial spirit with power, earth, mountains, and the foundation for support.
The fourth spirit ring was obtained by hunting down the Demon Emperor, the wife of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King!
But that's still not enough.
The eighth trial of the Sea God requires that both martial souls be truly perfected.
According to the assessment instructions, the Snow Empress Martial Soul must complete at least nine soul rings to achieve a true balance between ultimate ice, strength, earth, life, and ocean.
Now, we need four more.
Tang Chuan opened his eyes, his brows furrowed slightly, and he muttered to himself:
"We still need four more spirit rings, and we can't just add them randomly. The Snow Empress Martial Soul is different from ordinary ice-attribute Martial Souls; its spirit rings must be sufficiently compatible with the Extreme North Origin."
"If the age limit is too low, it will actually hinder the development of the second martial soul."
"If the attributes are incompatible, it will also disrupt the power balance between the two Ice and Snow Emperors."
What he needs now is not an ordinary 100,000-year-old soul beast, but a truly top-tier existence among ice-attribute soul beasts. But how easy is it to find such a soul beast?
Just as Tang Chuan was deep in thought, a clear and familiar voice suddenly rang out in his mind: "You've finally thought of the second martial soul."
Tang Chuan's expression shifted slightly, and he said in a low voice:
"Snow Emperor?"
In the sea of spirit, the figure of the Snow Empress slowly emerged. She still had that noble and aloof appearance, with long silver hair hanging down and ice-blue eyes like the glaciers of the far north that have never melted.
But now, her connection with Tang Chuan is even closer than before.
As a smart soul ring, she not only resides in Tang Chuan's second martial soul, but is also one of the original consciousnesses of the Snow Empress's martial soul.
Tang Chuan said:
"My eighth trial requires both martial souls to be at their peak. Do you have any suitable soul beasts to choose from?"
Xue Di nodded.
"I know."
"Although the path of the sea god belongs to the sea, you are not the sole inheritor of the sea god."
"Your first martial soul is the Blue Silver Emperor, which focuses on controlling life and the ocean."
"My second martial soul is me, the ultimate ice."
"To truly become a god, one must achieve balance between the two martial souls."
"Otherwise, even if you inherit the position of the Sea God, you will still leave a flaw."
Tang Chuan said:
"The Snow Empress's Martial Soul is still missing four Soul Rings."
Snow Emperor said:
"So, you should go to the far north."
Tang Chuan looked up.
"The far north?"
Xue Di nodded gently.
"That's my hometown, and the best place for you to complete your second martial soul."
"Although the far north doesn't have as many soul beast groups as the Star Dou Great Forest, there are still quite a few truly top-tier beings. There are still two powerful soul beasts left in the far north."
Tang Chuan's heart stirred, and he murmured to himself:
"Titan Snow Demon King and Ice Bear King?"
Xue Di glanced at him.
"good."
"Titan Snow Demon King, one of the three Heavenly Kings of the Far North. In terms of cultivation, although it is not as powerful as me and the Ice Emperor, it possesses the strongest physique and strength in the Far North. Ancient ice and snow giant blood flows in its veins, making it extremely powerful in terms of strength, ice, mountains, and blizzards."
"Although your second martial soul has the foundation of earth and power brought by the sacrifice of the Titan Giant Ape, it is ultimately the power of the Star Dou Forest, which is not completely compatible with the origin of the far north."
"If you can obtain the sacrifice of the Titan Snow Demon King, it can make your Snow Emperor Martial Soul truly possess the immense power of the far north and the foundation of the snow mountain."
Tang Chuan nodded.
"What about the Ice Bear King?"
A hint of gentleness appeared in Xue Di's eyes.
"Little White the Ice Bear King is the child I raised back then."
"Although its cultivation level is not as high as that of the Titan Snow Demon King, its bloodline is pure and it possesses the strongest ice defense and life resistance among the Arctic Ice Bear clan."
"Its soul rings are suitable for replenishing your extreme cold protection and ice and snow vitality."
"and……"
Xue Di paused.
"If I were to ask, they might be willing to offer sacrifices."
Tang Chuan remained silent for a moment.
Sacrifice.
This word is too heavy for a soul beast.
Even though Tang Chuan needs a spirit ring now, he is unwilling to force a spirit beast to sacrifice itself easily.
He didn't follow Tang San's hunting route.
He started with blue silver grass and has relied on life, purification, and healing to get to where he is today.
If one forces soul beasts to sacrifice themselves in order to become a god, then how is he any different from those soul masters who only use soul beasts as tools for their soul rings?
Xue Di seemed to have seen through his thoughts and calmly said:
"Tang Chuan, I know what you're thinking."
"You don't want to force them."
"That's good, and it's why I'm willing to truly acknowledge you."
"But you must understand that the current situation is no longer about you becoming a god alone."
"Tang San did not die; Rakshasa God rescued him."
"The next time he returns, he will most likely truly inherit the position of Rakshasa."
"By then, if you cannot become a god, many people will die on Douluo Continent, many soul beasts will die in Star Dou Great Forest, and the far north will not be spared either."
Tang Chuan remained silent.
Xue Di continued:
"Although the Titan Snow Demon King and the Ice Bear King are soul beasts, they are not stupid."
"If they knew Tang San was a threat, knew that you became a god to stop Rakshasa from devouring the entire world, and knew that sacrificing yourself to you would grant them eternal life, they would make their own choice."
"I won't decide for them; I'll just take you to see them."
Tang Chuan nodded slowly.
"it is good."
Snow Emperor said:
"However, there may be other spirit rings suitable for you in the far north."
"Besides the Titan Snow Demon King and the Ice Bear King, you also need two more soul rings."
Tang Chuan asked:
"Do you have a goal?"
Xue Di looked up, her gaze seemingly passing through Tianxing Academy and looking towards the endless ice plains in the far north.
"have."
"Deep in the far north, there lies the remnant soul of an ice dragon that has slumbered for many years. It is not a truly living soul beast, but rather the primordial spirit left behind after the fall of an ancient ice dragon."
"If you can gain its approval, it may become the soul ring of your Snow Empress Martial Soul, allowing your Ultimate Ice to possess the true frost pressure of the Dragon Clan."
Tang Chuan's eyes flickered slightly, then he looked up and gazed northward.
"The remnant soul of the ice dragon".
The night was dark.
But in his eyes, it was as if he could already see the endless snow and wind in the far north.
Just then, the Trident of Poseidon emitted a deep hum.
The Blue Silver Emperor swayed gently behind him, while the Snow Empress Martial Soul emitted an increasingly intense chill.
"Then let's go to the far north."
Xue Di nodded slightly.
Under the moonlight, Tang Chuan's figure transformed into a streak of blue-gold light, speeding towards the northern horizon.
Wuhun City.
The city was enveloped in golden angelic light.
Since Qian Renxue became a god, the atmosphere of Wuhun City has been completely different from before.
In the past, Wuhun City was solemn, dignified, and cold, like a holy city built up by the majesty of countless soul masters; but now, the entire city is like a golden sun that never sets, and even when night falls, there is still a faint holy glow flowing in the city.
In front of the shrine, statues of angels stand tall.
With its six wings spread, it exudes sacred majesty.
Countless Soul Masters from the Martial Soul Empire would instinctively bow their heads in respect when passing by the Hall of Worship.
Because they all know that the Spirit Empire is no longer the same.
They have a god.
The true God.
Angel God, Qian Renxue.
However, the atmosphere inside the offering hall was far from relaxed.
Inside the spacious hall, golden stone pillars supported the dome, and the walls were engraved with ancient patterns of the angel race. In the center of the hall was a huge round stone table, on which was spread a map of the entire Douluo Continent's battle situation.
Heaven Dou Empire, Star Luo Empire, Martial Soul Empire.
The three territories are marked with different colors.
Different soul power markers were placed in the Star Dou Great Forest, Tian Dou City, Jialing Pass, Sunset Forest, and various dead cities.
These markings represent the dramatic changes in the situation on the mainland in recent months.
Tang San massacred the city.
A thousand-foot snow-covered army descends to fight against the heavens.
Tang Chuan returns.
The Starry Sky Forest formed an alliance.
Rakshasa God intervened and rescued Tang San.
Tang San has gone missing.
Tang Chuan traveled to the far north.
One event after another almost completely disrupted the originally clear war situation.
Qian Renxue sat in the main seat.
She had already put away her angelic divine armor, wearing only a long gold and white dress, her long golden hair cascading over her shoulders. Even without unfolding her six wings or revealing her divine armor, she still exuded an aura of majesty that made people afraid to look directly at her.
Golden Crocodile Douluo sat to her right, his expression solemn.
The powerful figures from the Hall of Worship, including Azure Phoenix Douluo, Lion Douluo, Radiant Feather Douluo, Thousand-Pound Douluo, and Demon-Subduing Douluo, took their seats in turn.
Besides the Hall of Offerings, several military commanders of the Spirit Empire and the remaining powerful elders of the Hall of Elders were also in the hall. This was the first real meeting held by Qian Renxue after returning to Spirit City.
There is only one issue.
The question remains: will the Spirit Empire choose war or peace?
After a long silence in the hall, Lion Douluo was the first to speak.
He was by nature fierce and was one of the most warlike retainers in the Spirit Empire.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the ceasefire should not continue at this time."
Upon hearing this, many people in the hall looked up.
Qian Renxue's expression remained unchanged; she simply said:
"Go on."
Lion Douluo stood up and said in a deep voice:
"Tang San has disappeared."
"Although the Rakshasa God rescued him, his aura is no longer present on the Douluo Continent. It is impossible for him to return to the continent and cause trouble in the short term."
"And His Majesty has already achieved the position of Angel God. Now, in the entire Douluo Continent, apart from Tang Chuan, no one can directly confront His Majesty."
"The Heavenly Dou Empire has just experienced internal strife and reforms, the aristocratic system is in turmoil, and the morale of the army is unstable."
"Although the Star Luo Empire still has military strength, it is far from the main force of the Martial Soul Empire. As long as we concentrate our strength, first swallow the Heavenly Battle, and then suppress the Star Luo, the two empires simply cannot stop us."
At this point, Lion Douluo looked at the map and emphasized the location of Heaven Dou City.
"This is the best opportunity."
"If we miss this opportunity, and Tang Chuan completes the Nine Trials of the Sea God and truly inherits the Sea God's position, it will be difficult for us to unify the continent again."
The Demon-Slaying Douluo nodded as well.
"I agree."
"Tang Chuan has not yet become a god, but His Majesty is already a first-level god."
"If we don't seize this opportunity to take down Tian Dou and Xing Luo now, are we really going to wait until they become gods? At that time, the Spirit Empire will truly have no chance."
The Thousand-Pound Douluo said in a deep voice:
"Although Tang Chuan said that the three parties should not go to war before Tang San died, Tang San is no longer in Douluo Continent now."
"If we keep using Tang San as an excuse to drag things out, the Spirit Empire's army will be stationed there in vain, morale will drop, supplies will be depleted, and the soldiers on the front lines will become dissatisfied."
"More importantly, Tiandou is undergoing reform."
"Tang Chuan abolished private punishments by nobles, re-examined land registers, and established the Soul Master Academy and the Supervisory Council."
"These may seem like domestic issues, but if successful, Tiandou will reunite the people's hearts and minds."
"If we don't act now, we will not be facing the corrupt Heaven Dou Empire in the future, but a new Heaven Dou Empire reshaped by Tang Chuan."
Upon hearing this, many military generals of the Spirit Empire in the hall showed solemn expressions.
They are not afraid of the corrupt Heavenly Battle.
However, a new Heaven Dou Sect that possesses Tang Chuan's prestige, the wealth of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and the intimidating presence of Dugu Bo, and has begun to cultivate commoner soul masters, is definitely not a good thing.
This means that the longer it drags on, the higher the cost for the Martial Soul Empire to annex the two great empires will be.
Lion Douluo continued:
"Your Majesty, the Spirit Empire has already reached the gates of Heaven Dou City."
"Jialing Pass has fallen, and Tiandou City was almost incorporated into the Empire's territory."
"The soldiers on the front lines fought bloody battles, not for a final handshake and peace."
"Now, a single alliance agreement is enough to stop the Martial Soul Empire's attack. I'm worried that the army will be dissatisfied."
"and……"
He paused, then his voice became even stronger.
"Qian Daoliu made a great sacrifice to help His Majesty become a god, all for the sake of making our Martial Soul Empire reach the pinnacle of the continent. If His Majesty becomes a god now, but stops at the gates of Heaven Dou City because of a single sentence from Tang Chuan, I am truly unwilling."
The atmosphere in the hall instantly sombered at the mention of Qian Daoliu. (End of Chapter)