Xu Yuan waved his hand dismissively.
Though his energy consumption had been immense, he hadn't suffered any fundamental damage.
After all, he truly possessed strength at the Limit Douluo level.
Moreover, his overwhelming dominance just now wasn't due to sheer overpowering strength but rather because the puzzle pieces of his abilities had finally come together.
The soul skills of soul masters were unique. Some hundred-thousand-year soul skills even involved laws or domain-like abilities with peculiar effects that could forcibly amplify the soul master's power while suppressing their opponents.
Xu Yuan possessed multiple domains, and these domains could overlap with one another, creating a synergistic effect that made him exceptional.
Those weaker than him couldn't escape the sanctions of his overlapping domains.
And those stronger than him would still have to contend with their own soul skills within his domains.
Star Shift was merely the first of Xu Yuan's soul skills further developed within the Blood Essence Domain—it wouldn't be the last.
This might very well be the correct way for soul masters to unlock their potential.
By developing all their soul skills to the level of universal laws, then complementing and integrating them like puzzle pieces, they could achieve unimaginable effects.
Take Xu Yuan, for instance. His Blood Essence Domain, combined with his abilities to Devouring Heaven and Earth, Dream Space, and Stellar Visualization Technique, turned an entire area into his personal world. Moreover, he possessed an incredibly potent devouring ability.
Although he couldn't instantly devour everything, the gradual process of attrition would inevitably give him the upper hand.
Physical beings might be devoured slowly, but energy-based Abyssal creatures were almost completely suppressed by Xu Yuan.
Even if the rate of devouring was slow, it was still happening. This ebb and flow ensured Xu Yuan's inevitable victory.
After devouring Ba Emperor, though he hadn't fully digested the energy, his soul power had still risen to level ninety-four.
In essence, Xu Yuan had become akin to a walking plane master, capable of transforming a surrounding area into his dominion. However, like the Abyssal Emperors, he couldn't perfectly consolidate and unleash the full power of his domain.
"Xu Yuan, why did you let Ghost Emperor and the others enter the celestial phenomenon?" Zhang Huanyun approached Xu Yuan, his tone heavy with inquiry.
What he really wanted to ask was why Xu Yuan hadn't simply destroyed the cosmic phenomenon altogether. If he had, the long-standing Abyssal threat to Douluo Planet would have been permanently resolved.
"Commander, do we have anyone here who could subdue Ghost Emperor without injury?" Xu Yuan countered.
Zhang Huanyun fell silent.
Indeed, subduing Ghost Emperor would likely come at a great cost.
It seemed as though Ghost Emperor had been wary of Cao Dezhi during the battle, but that was because he believed he still had a future and wasn't prepared to fight desperately. In his mind, however, with Ardent Emperor's arrival, Cao Dezhi might actually go all out, unleashing power beyond his limits.
In reality, if Ghost Emperor also chose to fight desperately, no one could subdue him without suffering injuries.
"There are many evil soul masters, but not all of them need to be killed to resolve the issue. Two thousand years ago, during the era when the Spirit Hall still existed, all evil soul masters were driven to Slaughter City, and there was no longer rampant destruction caused by them in the outside world."
The cosmic phenomenon was both a passage and a prison.
In fact, Xu Yuan sighed inwardly.
He felt that today's attack by evil soul masters hadn't been large enough.
The number of evil soul masters that attacked today was within the Blood God Legion's capacity to handle. Had the Ardent Emperor not appeared, they might have successfully defended against the assault.
It was only Ardent Emperor's unexpected arrival that forced Xu Yuan to use his trump card and risk devouring Abyssal energy.
He had the ability to devour, but he hadn't dared to try it before.
It was this crisis that finally pushed him to make a decision.
In truth, he had just verified that the consequences of devouring Abyssal energy were manageable, with side effects within acceptable limits.
Though it turned out that Xu Yuan had worried unnecessarily, given the dire situation, he naturally hoped his risky decision would resolve more problems.
If the attacking evil soul masters had doubled in number, the outcome would likely have been similar.
In that case, more than just Ghost Emperor and the two others would have fled into the cosmic phenomenon.
With more evil soul masters entering the cosmic phenomenon, fewer would remain on Douluo Planet, allowing the rear lines to stabilize somewhat.
Of course, this was merely Xu Yuan's regret.
The Holy Spirit Sect had launched simultaneous attacks on over twenty cities, and now they had mustered so many people to attack the Blood God Legion, nearly exhausting the majority of their accumulated forces.
The remainder were likely essential personnel needed for the next phase of their plans.
"Never would I have imagined that you've reached this level of strength unconsciously." Cao Dezhi approached Xu Yuan, his expression complex, filled with deep emotion.
When they first met, Xu Yuan was only at level sixty-something.
At that time, though Xu Yuan already possessed the strength of a Titled Douluo, he was still considered a junior in front of Cao Dezhi, appearing quite inexperienced.
Now, after just two short years, Xu Yuan had undergone such a transformation.
From level sixty-five to ninety-four—a jump of nearly thirty levels—had occurred in just two years.
Moreover, Xu Yuan's strength had catapulted him to the top tier of the continent.
After the recent battle, everyone understood that this rising star now had the power to influence the balance of the continent.
Though his strength might not yet reach the level of a quasi-god, it certainly wasn't inferior to one.
If he could stand toe-to-toe with Ardent Emperor, how much more so with a quasi-god?
But don't forget, Xu Yuan was a Divine Craftsman.
With his physical constitution, he could fuse with four-word battle armor at any time.
Add the amplification of four-word battle armor, and who knows how monstrous he would become.
Cao Dezhi merely pondered this briefly and already felt a sense of awe.
This was a boy not yet twenty years old.
"By the way, Xiao Yuan, you're not yet twenty, right?" Cao Dezhi asked, seeking confirmation.
"I'll be twenty in a month," Xu Yuan replied.
As he said this, he himself became slightly lost in thought.
Time flew so quickly.
Unconsciously, he had been on the path of soul master cultivation for nearly fourteen years.
Fourteen years—from awakening his martial soul to possessing the strength to sway the fate of the continent—was this leap exaggerated?
No, it wasn't!
Xu Yuan took a deep breath.
Though it seemed he had only trained for fourteen years, with the accelerated time within the Dream Space, his learning time had effectively increased by at least ten years.
Of course, in terms of his physical age, he had indeed only trained for fourteen years.
He was still very young.
"Breaking through to Titled Douluo before turning twenty, with five steps left to reach level ninety-nine—even advancing one level per year means achieving the Limit Douluo level by twenty-five. But that's not enough."
The Abyssal Sage King said there were five years left—but did Xu Yuan believe it?
Definitely not.
It was possible that the cosmic phenomenon would mature in just three years, triggering the true conflict.
Though it might not be the final battle, Xu Yuan would still need sufficient strength to compete; otherwise, he wouldn't have the qualifications to claim a share.
Cao Dezhi didn't know what Xu Yuan was thinking, but he could sense a sense of urgency.
He immediately recalled the Abyssal Sage King's final words.
At most, five years remained until the decisive battle between the two planes erupted.
He opened his mouth, wanting to suggest that Xu Yuan destroy the Abyss outright.
But he found himself unable to utter the words.
Of course, he knew that if Xu Yuan had the ability to destroy the passage but hadn't done so, it meant he had other plans for the cosmic phenomenon.
Whether it was for the treasures that would emerge from the cosmic phenomenon or something else involving the Abyss, both possibilities were extremely dangerous yet perfectly aligned with Xu Yuan's circumstances.
A plane's Limit-level combatant under twenty—he had the qualifications.
Through the path of devouring, even without consuming the entire Abyss, devouring just a dozen Abyssal Emperors would give him an absolute chance to break through the shackles of godhood.
Just now, when Xu Yuan devoured Ba Emperor, he clearly hadn't fully digested all the energy.
Now, as the battle had ended, hundreds of mech components still hovered around Xu Yuan's body, each seemingly brimming with terrifying energy.
Ba Emperor, though his individual energy level was limited, was the emperor of a layer of the Abyss—a core figure—and his energy reserves were massive. So massive that losing him caused the collapse of his entire layer of the Abyss.
"Commander, organize the post-battle statistics and adjust our strategy within the cosmic phenomenon. All our previous preparations were destroyed by the Abyss. We need to explore anew, and since the Abyssal Sage King's power has spread here, he likely manipulated the space using Abyssal laws. Our situation is different now, and we must remain vigilant against those three evil soul masters."
Xu Yuan looked at Zhang Huanyun.
Zhang Huanyun took a deep breath, his expression turning troubled.
What a headache.
Shrek Academy.
The Sea God's Island.
One by one, the inner court students returned from the Demon Plane.
"I heard that besides the Demon Plane, our Douluo Planet is also connected to other planes."
"The Abyss?"
"You know about it too?"
"My family sent me some information. The academy is also mobilizing the inner court students to return. They're probably going to announce something important to us."
"Sounds pretty serious."
"Very serious. My father said it might involve the future of the entire plane," the student with connections solemnly stated.
The surrounding students fell silent.
After returning from their training in the Demon Plane, they had already come to understand the brutality of inter-planar wars. For instance, they themselves were invaders this time—invading the Demon Plane and exploring its resources. However, their invasion was relatively mild compared to others. In the territories of other rulers within the Demon Plane, countless planes had been utterly invaded, enslaved, and turned into slaves for demons, losing all freedom.
From their classmates' words, it wasn't hard for them to deduce that the Abyss and Douluo Planet likely shared an invader-invaded relationship.
"Let's go back and meditate for a few days to digest what we've gained over the past few years. I feel like I'm getting closer to breaking through to level eighty."
"I'm almost at seventy."
"Yeah, I broke through while in the Demon Plane, but I haven't fused with a new spirit yet. My family has a hereditary hundred-thousand-year spirit. I originally planned to try fusing it when I reached nine rings, but after being tempered by demonic energy in the Demon Plane, I think I can give it a shot now."
---
The Sea God Pavilion.
Feng Wuyu, Zhuo Shi, and Long Yeyue convened a meeting of the Sea God Pavilion.
All three bore expressions of exhaustion.
The Holy Spirit Sect's assault had been swift and relentless, sparing no cost. A group of madmen, now completely unrestrained, wreaked havoc across cities without hesitation. The Federation gathered all the War Gods of the Hall of War Gods and appealed to various factions to suppress this uprising of evil soul masters.
This suppression campaign lasted a full seven days.
After seven days, most of the evil soul masters had been eradicated, but nearly a million ordinary people had perished.
The exhaustion evident on the faces of these three Limit Douluos was not just from their constant travel and battles, but also from the rage they felt after witnessing the horrific aftermath.
"We should consider ourselves fortunate that there weren't any figures like the former Underworld Emperor among these evil soul masters. Otherwise, if several cities were consecutively slaughtered, the entire Federation would have descended into chaos."
Even with the timely extermination of evil soul masters, it was still difficult to quell the ensuing chaos.
"A few days ago, the Blood God Legion received news. Ghost Emperor of the Holy Spirit Sect appeared in the Endless Mountains, launching an attack on the Blood God Legion. In the end, Ghost Emperor and two other ninety-eight-rank evil soul masters entered the cosmic phenomenon. Ardent Emperor, the third-layer ruler of the Abyss, entered Douluo Planet, though his current whereabouts are unknown," Long Yeyue said gravely.
"One of the Abyssal Emperors infiltrated our Douluo Planet?" Feng Wuyu frowned, his expression darkening.
Long Yeyue's face showed a strange expression as she shook her head.
"Not exactly. It was Xiao Yuan who stopped him and prevented his return. Those three evil soul masters, including Ghost Emperor, were let through by Xu Yuan."
"Xiao Yuan?" Feng Wuyu clearly didn't expect Xu Yuan's name to pop up in such a critical context.
Ardent Emperor was stopped by Xu Yuan, and the evil soul masters were released by him.
It sounded as if Xu Yuan had orchestrated the entire event.
Zhuo Shi also looked at Long Yeyue, waiting for her explanation.
Long Yeyue didn't beat around the bush. Taking a deep breath, she relayed all the information she had received.
"This..."
Feng Wuyu and Zhuo Shi exchanged glances, both somewhat dazed.
"Has Xiao Yuan really grown to this extent? Dominating a war between two planes?"
"To clarify, Xiao Yuan merely used his control over whether or not to destroy the cosmic phenomenon to threaten the Abyssal Sage King, thus securing a relatively peaceful five-year period for competition," Long Yeyue corrected. "However, Xiao Yuan's performance was indeed extraordinary—he suppressed a ninety-eight-rank evil soul master, devoured an Abyssal Emperor, and even fought evenly against Ardent Emperor."
There were bound to be some discrepancies in communication. Clearly, Long Yeyue didn't fully grasp every detail of the events, but she understood the general gist.
Feng Wuyu and Zhuo Shi suppressed the shock in their hearts.
"There's no need for the Blood God Legion to call for mobilization now," Feng Wuyu sighed helplessly.
This was a war—a war about to erupt between two planes.
Throughout the continent, any faction that had access to information about the great battle involving the Blood God Legion now knew of Xu Yuan's existence.
One person had turned the tide of the battle.
While some smaller factions with only a member or two serving in the Abyss didn't fully comprehend the strength of an Abyssal Emperor, they understood the significance of easily suppressing a ninety-eight-rank evil soul master.
The larger factions, however, which had a more comprehensive understanding of the Abyss, truly felt immense pressure.
For sixty years, Yun Ming stood alone as the strongest, maintaining his position as the top powerhouse of the continent.
Now, Xu Yuan, not yet twenty years old, had already demonstrated abilities akin to a quasi-god.
Moreover, his quasi-god-level abilities approached the tier of Ardent Emperor, who possessed divine power.
From Ardent Emperor above to the peak demi-gods below, Xu Yuan might not be able to resolve everything, but he could handle it all.
And this individual was less than twenty years old!
It was foreseeable that, barring any accidents, the future would belong to Xu Yuan.
Of course, whether that future would exist remained uncertain.
The threat of the Abyss had never been so vividly presented to everyone.
Destroy the passage entirely?
This proposal had been brought up repeatedly in the parliament.
Yet, each time, the result was indecision.
Xu Yuan hadn't destroyed the passage, which already revealed his intentions—he desired more.
But what could anyone do?
Given Xu Yuan's displayed prowess, who could force him to destroy the cosmic phenomenon—an opportunity considered a treasure of cosmic proportions?
Besides Xu Yuan's strength, the reason the parliament consistently rejected forced destruction of the passage was because they saw hope.
True consumption of Abyssal energy!
This was another key ability Xu Yuan had demonstrated.
He had devoured an Abyssal Emperor!
Even if this ability couldn't be generalized and only Xu Yuan himself could master it, it was still a powerful weapon for Douluo Planet against the Abyss. Moreover, given his terrifying talent, perhaps devouring a few more Abyssal Emperors could give him the ability to face the Abyssal Sage King directly.
Apart from the Federation, the Spirit Pagoda had also convened multiple high-level elder meetings.
Xu Yuan's name frequently surfaced during these meetings.
The Spirit Pagoda was currently in a phase of power struggle, urgently needing a leader to step forward and take command.
Otherwise, the scattered forces of the Spirit Pagoda were destined to decline.
Even for the sake of the entire soul master community and Douluo Planet, after this war, if the once-mighty Spirit Pagoda remained fragmented and lacked cohesion, it would surely be divided and consumed by various factions.
If the war was lost, everyone would perish together.
But if the war dragged on or even succeeded, the Spirit Pagoda might quickly be eroded and vanish from history.
At this critical juncture, Xu Yuan's presence had a tremendous impact on the internal power struggles within the Spirit Pagoda.
Xu Shengqun's competitiveness continued to rise.
---
The Star Luo Continent and Douling Continent.
The two empires occupying the two continents also received the news.
Without hesitation, war was inevitable.
This was a catastrophe for the entire Douluo Planet. Even if they hid outside Douluo Continent, on small patches of land deep beneath the sea, they couldn't escape.
Once the Federation fell and the Abyss invaded the Douluo Plane, they wouldn't escape this calamity either.
But how to provide support became a problem.
The vast, endless ocean posed the greatest obstacle to their support of the Federation.
---
The Demon Plane.
In the northwest territory, a golden dragon's shadow coalesced in the sky. Its roar shook the heavens and earth.
This roar carried boundless anger and madness.
BOOM!
A golden dragon over a hundred meters long rampaged above Dragon City.
In just one night, Dragon City was reduced to ruins.
Three days later, a young man slowly rose, clutching his head. He looked around at the ruins, memories flooding back into his mind.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)