Xu Yuan's mecha itself exuded an extraordinary presence, and from a distance, it inspired awe. Thus, the many members of the Yuanen family did not display any hostility.
As the mecha approached and landed, the presence of Yuanen Zhentian became perceptible to them, further dispelling any ill intent.
Among the crowd, a burly man with a fierce appearance looked at Yuanen Yehui among the three visitors, his gaze the most complex.
He was Yuanen Tianshang, the younger brother of Yuanen Tiandang and also Yuanen Yehui's uncle. His wife had sacrificed her life due to the Demon Gate summoned by Yuanen Yehui's mother, so he harbored deep resentment toward the existence of the Fallen Angel martial soul.
However, his hatred was primarily directed at his sister-in-law—Yuanen Yehui's mother—who had personally killed his wife, rather than at Yuanen Yehui herself.
Yuanen Yehui was just a child, and he could distinguish that much.
But the bloodline of the Fallen Angel had to be abolished; only then could another tragedy be avoided.
"Father."
Yuanen Tianshang stepped forward, addressing his father before turning his gaze toward Yuanen Yehui.
Yuanen Zhentian smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"The issue with Yehui's martial soul has been resolved."
Yuanen Tianshang frowned.
He clearly sensed Yuanen Yehui's soul power, which didn't seem like what one would expect after having their martial soul abolished.
Moreover, within Yuanen Yehui's soul fluctuations, there was a very strong demonic presence.
Seeing his confusion, Yuanen Zhentian sighed and said, "Let's go inside first. I'll explain everything to you slowly."
With that, he dismissed the gathered family members and led Xu Yuan and Yuanen Yehui to the hall where the Yuanen family held their meetings.
"So, Father, are you saying that although Yehui's martial soul hasn't been abolished, there's no longer any concern about her summoning the Demon Gate?"
"To be precise, it's not that the problem has disappeared," Xu Yuan interjected, correcting Yuanen Tianshang's statement. "Yuanen's martial soul is that of a Fallen Angel, and its origin lies with Alba. That's an unchangeable fact. Alba can still influence her mind and open the Demon Gate when she reaches the ninth ring. However, at this point, Alba likely wouldn't dare to do so. And once she overcomes the initial weakness after breaking through to the ninth ring and reaches the Super Douluo level, Alba won't be able to affect Yuanen across planes anymore."
"Of course, Yuanen is also working hard to upgrade the fourth soul skill of the Fallen Angel into the Demon Gate. If she succeeds, she'll have control over her ninth ring, and she won't become a medium for Alba's influence. Naturally, this will eliminate the last lingering concern."
In short, Yuanen Yehui still carried some risk, but the danger was now minimal.
Yuanen Tianshang hesitated and nodded.
He had just heard Yuanen Zhentian's explanation about the Demon Plane.
The Demon Plane, like the Douluo Plane, had both strong and weak individuals. The strongest among them, Alba—the one preparing to open the Demon Gate and invade Douluo Star—was at most at the Limit Douluo level.
"With my strength alone, I could've dealt with that Demon King Alba. However, his army of demons was too vast, and we didn't detect the opening of the Demon Gate in time, allowing the demon forces to gather. That's what caused the disaster," Yuanen Zhentian explained.
On the way here, he had reflected deeply and realized that the harm caused by Yuanen Yehui's mother opening the Demon Gate wasn't solely due to the demons themselves, but more so because of their inappropriate response.
If they had detected it early and overcome their fear of demons, even without external assistance, they could have successfully resisted the demon invasion.
Of course, the losses would still have been severe.
After all, Alba commanded many Greater Demons.
But now, there was no need to fear.
Alba had been forced to flee by Shrek, and his forces were scattered. Even if he managed to reclaim territory and rebuild his strength, it wouldn't happen anytime soon.
Most importantly, for the foreseeable future, both he and Yuanen Yehui would likely remain with the Blood God Legion.
If Alba dared to open a passage there, Yuanen Zhentian would genuinely admire him.
Under Xu Yuan's reminder, Yuanen Zhentian and the others finally remembered Yuanen Tiandang.
Since Yuanen Yehui's martial soul issue had been resolved, there was no reason to keep him confined.
This was a dimly lit room, devoid of any light.
Suddenly, a beam of light shone in, illuminating the interior.
Inside the room, there was a disheveled man sitting on the ground with his eyes closed.
The sudden brightness seemed to make him uncomfortable. He furrowed his brow, lifted his eyelids, and looked toward the door.
His gaze swept over the four figures, finally settling on Yuanen Yehui. Seeing the red-haired woman who bore a striking resemblance to the woman in his memory, tears began to well up in Yuanen Tiandang's eyes.
"You… are you Yehui?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Upon recognizing Yuanen Yehui, he was initially overjoyed, but then fear crept in. He looked toward Yuanen Zhentian, his eyes pleading.
Yuanen Zhentian sighed.
"Tiandang, you've suffered these years. Yehui is back with me, and her martial soul issue has been resolved—or rather, it's already been resolved."
Hearing this, Yuanen Tiandang turned to carefully examine Yuanen Yehui's appearance. A smile immediately spread across his face.
It's resolved!
Although his cultivation had been abolished, his perception remained intact. He could sense Yuanen Yehui's soul fluctuations and feel the same energy as her mother's.
Having heard from his father that Yuanen Yehui's issue was resolved—and seeing her standing there healthy, her aura steady, and her soul power stable and even powerful—he naturally understood that the resolution wasn't simply the crude abolition of her martial soul.
It seemed their decision back then was correct. Letting Yuanen Yehui leave the family had indeed given her a chance at survival.
Yuanen Tiandang trembled slightly, finally putting down the heavy burden he'd carried for years.
His wife had been bewitched by demons, opened the Demon Gate, and slaughtered their clansmen. This was a thorn in Yuanen Tiandang's heart. He felt guilty toward every member of the family. Yet, his own daughter's martial soul was to be abolished because of it, and he couldn't bear to face such a reality. Sending Yuanen Yehui away had given her a chance at survival.
Now, upon learning that her martial soul was no longer a problem, he finally felt relief.
"Father."
Yuanen Yehui rushed into Yuanen Tiandang's arms. Father and daughter embraced tightly, expressing the emotions they had suppressed for over a decade.
After a long while, Yuanen Tiandang's gaze turned to Xu Yuan.
This young man wasn't part of the family.
Not only was his face unfamiliar, but his physique also didn't resemble anyone from their clan.
Could it be—
Yuanen Tiandang's heart skipped a beat, sensing something ominous.
He stared at Xu Yuan, trying to see through him. But no matter how he perceived it, he couldn't fathom this young man.
The soul power fluctuations were incredibly strong—ridiculously so. Stronger than Yuanen Tianshang and even comparable to himself before his cultivation was abolished.
Yet, Xu Yuan appeared so young, seemingly around the same age as Yuanen Yehui.
"Tiandang, this is Xu Yuan, the disciple of Shrek's Sea God Pavilion Master and the leader of the Blood God Legion. His strength surpasses even mine," Yuanen Zhentian introduced Xu Yuan upon noticing Yuanen Tiandang's lingering gaze.
Yuanen Tiandang was stunned.
What?
This young man was stronger than his father?
He was utterly shocked and scrutinized Xu Yuan closely.
It wasn't just Yuanen Tiandang—even Yuanen Tianshang felt the same. While he had sensed Xu Yuan's strength, he hadn't expected such an evaluation from his father.
Even their father, who was nearing quasi-god status, admitted he couldn't match him?
Just how terrifying was this young man?
Quasi-god?
A quasi-god at such a young age…
Impossible!
Perhaps his actual age was older, but his youthful appearance masked his true age.
Seeing the emotional fluctuations of his two brothers, Yuanen Zhentian let out a bitter laugh and provided a more detailed introduction of Xu Yuan.
He wanted them to understand Xu Yuan's significance.
This wasn't just some junior—it was a true prodigy.
"He's not old—only twenty, three years younger than Yehui. Just six months ago, he killed a demi-god in front of ten Limit Douluos."
Killing a demi-god!
Such an achievement was impressive enough to speak for itself.
Yuanen Zhentian knew from this feat alone that he couldn't match Xu Yuan.
It wasn't about dignity—it was pure rationality.
Both Yuanen Tiandang and Yuanen Tianshang gazed at Xu Yuan with newfound reverence.
The strong deserved respect.
Xu Yuan, possessing such strength at such a young age, was truly admirable.
But why had he come to the Yuanen family?
Yuanen Tiandang's thoughts raced. Perhaps it wasn't impossible…
He began to feel hopeful.
"Captain, can my father's injuries be treated?" Yuanen Yehui turned her head, looking at Xu Yuan with a hint of expectation.
Although Xu Yuan wasn't a healing-type soul master, he directly controlled life force and possessed a fragment of the Life Gold. In terms of healing, he still carried significant authority.
Moreover, Xu Yuan had replicated several healing-type martial souls and soul skills. Combined with the life force of the Life Gold, the effectiveness of his healing techniques was truly top-tier on the continent.
"Uncle's physical condition is good, and there's a chance for recovery."
Xu Yuan naturally understood Yuanen Tiandang's situation and offered this conclusion to reassure Yuanen Yehui.
He stepped forward, approaching Yuanen Tiandang, and placed his right hand on Yuanen Tiandang's shoulder. Using his spiritual power, he examined the internal state of Yuanen Tiandang's body.
Yuanen Tiandang instinctively tried to resist but quickly realized what was happening and restrained himself.
In truth, resistance was futile.
Realizing this fact left him feeling an inexplicable sense of loss and helplessness.
For over a decade after his cultivation was abolished, he rarely grieved over the loss of his soul power. Yet now, he couldn't shake this feeling.
Xu Yuan paid no mind to the patient's psychological state.
After scanning with his spiritual power, he quickly assessed Yuanen Tiandang's physical condition.
Turning his head, Xu Yuan said to Yuanen Yehui, "Your father's condition is very good."
Very good?
Yuanen Yehui looked at Xu Yuan skeptically.
His cultivation was abolished, and I'm asking if it can be restored. What do you mean by saying his condition is good?
Xu Yuan explained, "Your family's martial soul is passed down through bloodline inheritance—a typical bloodline-type martial soul. The martial soul is inherently tied to the bloodline. Although your father's soul power was abolished and his martial soul severely damaged, the bloodline was only injured, not completely severed."
As long as the bloodline wasn't completely severed, it still existed.
"Your father's physical condition is excellent. Over the past decade, though he didn't receive specialized care, his bloodline injuries have stabilized. If we can reactivate the bloodline, the martial soul can re-condense, and as the martial soul solidifies, the bloodline will recover even further."
Yuanen Yehui revealed an expression of disbelief.
Is this really possible?
"Martial souls are wondrous," Xu Yuan remarked with admiration.
After more than a decade of cultivation, this was his greatest realization.
The existence of the martial soul was truly extraordinary.
This was the true hallmark of the Douluo Plane.
"So, Captain, do you have any way to help my father reactivate his bloodline?" Yuanen Yehui asked urgently.
Xu Yuan pointed at Yuanen Tiandang.
"The answer lies within Uncle himself. Now that his mental block has been lifted, he can attempt to break through to the Spirit Realm. A breakthrough in spiritual power should stimulate his bloodline, allowing his martial soul to re-manifest. Afterward, nurturing the bloodline will suffice."
As he spoke, one soul ring after another emerged beneath Xu Yuan's feet.
"I can refine and purify his bloodline to some extent."
Beneath his feet, rings of soul energy glowed with a crimson hue.
Seven blood-red soul rings lined up, causing the pupils of Yuanen Zhentian and his two sons to contract sharply.
Yuanen Zhentian had heard a little about Xu Yuan's abilities, but witnessing his soul rings firsthand still left him awestruck.
Yuanen Tiandang and Yuanen Tianshang were utterly shocked by Xu Yuan's soul ring configuration.
Could this really be the soul ring setup of a human soul master?
The fifth soul ring beneath Xu Yuan's feet flickered.
Xu Yuan's fifth soul ring was formed during the second awakening of his martial soul, when pure blood energy condensed into blood essence and merged with Jue's body. This soul skill allowed for the materialization of blood energy, which Xu Yuan had developed into a branch technique resembling the Dao of Heaven and Earth. Moreover, this soul skill could also influence bloodlines.
If Xu Yuan hadn't temporarily lost interest in bloodline energy, he could have used this soul skill to refine his own bloodline energy—
A bloodline unique to him alone.
Now, as he activated his fifth soul skill, Yuanen Tiandang immediately felt his blood energy condensing significantly. Deep within his blood, a force seemed to burn like wildfire, causing his entire body to flush red as if being baked alive.
At the same time, he felt changes occurring within himself.
This was a fundamental transformation.
Was this the refinement and purification of the bloodline?
Yuanen Tiandang was deeply shaken.
Was this the ability of a Limit Douluo? Or a quasi-god?
Recalling that his father lacked such means, Yuanen Tiandang concluded that this must be something only a quasi-god could achieve.
In reality, Xu Yuan's ability to do this was due to Yuanen Tiandang's condition.
For a normal soul master, Xu Yuan personally refining their bloodline would almost be impossible.
However, Yuanen Tiandang's martial soul had been abolished, dissipated, and his bloodline severely damaged. Xu Yuan encountered almost no resistance while manipulating his bloodline.
With other soul masters, the body's natural protective mechanisms would render Xu Yuan's techniques ineffective.
Even beneficial modifications could trigger these mechanisms, potentially causing the soul master's bloodline to erupt violently, leading to death.
After a long while, beads of sweat dripped from Xu Yuan's forehead.
Helping others refine and purify their bloodline was no small expenditure, but he gained something in return—his understanding of bloodlines and blood energy deepened further.
Retracting his soul skill, Xu Yuan stepped back a few paces.
"Uncle, feel your body's condition. You should now be able to mobilize your spiritual power."
Without the burden of bodily limitations, mobilizing spiritual power posed no problem.
Xu Yuan could even sense that deep within Yuanen Tiandang's body, soul power was beginning to regenerate. However, without a martial soul, it couldn't fully coalesce.
Yuanen Tiandang closed his eyes to feel his inner state and indeed sensed his sea of spiritual energy.
"Uncle, your spirit companions should also be sleeping within your spiritual sea. Awaken them—they might assist in the process of restoring your bloodline," Xu Yuan reminded him.
"Captain, thank you," Yuanen Yehui said gratefully.
Xu Yuan waved his hand dismissively.
"We're friends. It was a small effort."
"By the way, if Uncle doesn't mind the conditions at the front lines, he can go to the Blood God Legion to recuperate. Starlight energy might enrich your bloodline during the restoration process."
"The Blood God Legion?"
Yuanen Tiandang looked puzzled.
Yuanen Zhentian explained the existence of the legion and described the current situation.
"I see. Since my condition has been restored—thanks to your help, Xu Yuan—I certainly won't stay behind and idle away. When Father and Yehui return to the front lines, I'll accompany them."
Xu Yuan nodded.
Another peak combatant.
All told, the front lines now had sixteen or seventeen peak-level fighters.
On the Abyss side, the emperors of the first thirty-six layers were all at the Limit level, meaning the disparity between the two sides remained doubled.
However, the Federation's soul-guidance technology could compensate somewhat.
Previously, Abyssal laws within the Abyssal passage suppressed soul power entirely, yet the power of soul-guidance technology still opened a path for the Blood God Legion to resist the Abyss.
Now, although the Abyssal Sage's invasion had increased the proportion of Abyssal laws in the Starry Sky Phenomenon, suppressing soul masters once again, it wasn't to the point where martial souls and soul power were unusable.
The role of soul-guidance technology would be more pronounced than ever.
"Next, it's about improving my own strength."
Xu Yuan wasn't afraid of the Ardent Monarch or Spirit Emperor. He believed someone on Douluo Star could match them.
The only uncontrollable factor now was the Abyssal Sage.
"Five years..."
Xu Yuan's heart grew heavy.
More than half a year had already passed, and he had only just reached level 95.
"If it comes to the worst, there's always the path of reverse possession."
Though Xu Yuan was still striving forward, he needed to prepare for contingencies.
Preparations for reverse possession had to be made.
Three days later, Yuanen Zhentian, Yuanen Tiandang, and Yuanen Yehui set out for the Blood God Legion ahead of the others. The rest of the Yuanen family began preparations and would soon follow to the front lines.
Xu Yuan did not return with them. Instead, he departed from Shangling City and headed toward Shrek City.
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