After a brief moment of hesitation, Cao Dezhi and Zhang Huanyun ultimately agreed to Yun Ming's proposal.
Counterattack!
The Blood God Legion now had a total of nineteen Limit Douluos.
Among them were the original four Limit-level powerhouses of the Blood God Legion—Xu Yuan, Cao Dezhi, Mu Ye, and Zhang Huanyun. The first wave of reinforcements included Chen Xinjie from the War God Hall, Leng Yaozhu and Xu Shengqun from the Spirit Pagoda, Zhuo Shi and Long Yeyue from Shrek Academy, the Divine Mechanic Douluo from the Mecha Alliance, and the Celestial Spirit Douluo from the Celestial Spirit Sect. Originally, there was also the Scorching Sun Douluo, who had been killed by Xu Yuan.
Later, three more Limit Douluos joined—one each from the top three sects of two thousand years ago: Yue Ruxue from Moonlight Pavilion, Qiangu Dieting, the Heaven War Douluo, and Hu Jie, another Limit powerhouse.
Afterward, Yuan Zhen arrived, and during the four months when Xu Yuan left the Blood God Legion, yet another Limit Douluo joined—a familiar face to Xu Yuan: Tong Yu, the Qilin Douluo.
This Qilin Douluo had broken through the Limit and swiftly completed his transformation, reaching demi-god status. Xu Yuan estimated that if given enough time, he could craft a custom four-word battle armor for Tong Yu, allowing him to quickly achieve quasi-God-level.
After all, Tong Yu's conditions were exceptional—his ten-thousand-year soul rings were practically protagonist-tier.
Moreover, Xu Yuan truly owed him a set of four-word battle armor, as he had promised back on the Star Luo Continent.
It wouldn't be difficult to select suitable materials from their stockpile of heavenly-forged metals, but Xu Yuan could also custom-make it specifically for Tong Yu, ensuring even greater compatibility.
However, there simply wasn't enough time for that now.
On the first day of Yun Ming's arrival, he explained the situation to Zhang Huanyun and Cao Dezhi, requesting that all Limit Douluos participate in the battle.
By the second day, all the Limit Douluos, including Xu Yuan and Hu Jie, who possessed Limit-level strength, had gathered.
Nineteen Limit Douluos assembled in one place—an extremely grand event in the world of soul masters.
No, not nineteen—twenty, since Yun Ming himself was still considered a Limit Douluo.
Twenty Limit Douluos. Even during the most devastating battles six thousand years ago, such a gathering would have been extraordinary.
In the entire history of the soul master world, there had only been one other instance where twenty Limit Douluos gathered in one place. This was the second time.
Six thousand years ago was a catastrophe.
Now, it was an era of prosperity!
At least, that's how many of the Limit Douluos viewed it—even Xu Yuan shared this sentiment.
The current soul master world was indeed a golden age!
After all, En Ci hadn't arrived yet, nor had the Limit Douluo from the Dou Ling Continent or the Brain-type soul master from the Spirit Pagoda. Additionally, Qiangu Dongfeng hadn't arrived.
If you counted carefully, there were at least five more ready-made Limit Douluos scattered across the continent.
An era with twenty-five Limit Douluos—wasn't that a sign of prosperity?
In terms of peak power, if you included the soul beasts' side—Di Tian, Xiong Jun, Da Ming, and Er Ming—they could rival the thirty-six Emperors of the Abyss.
What they lacked now was just one thing: a supreme powerhouse, someone strong enough to oppose the Abyssal Sage King.
However, despite the Stellar Phenomenon drawing the Abyssal Sage King's attention, the Plane Sovereign of Douluo Planet had shown no signs of appearing or intervening.
If that was the case, then they would have to create their own god.
---
The newly reconstructed command center was vast.
Of the twenty Limit Douluos, nineteen sat in their respective seats, behaving very obediently.
The reason? Yun Ming stood at the front, his gaze sweeping over them.
"I've already grasped the current situation within the Stellar Phenomenon, and all of you are aware that the influence of the Abyss' laws on this space is growing stronger. We need to take countermeasures. The most direct solution is to seize more territory and spread the power of our Douluo Planet soul masters across a wider area, thereby attracting more of Douluo Planet's laws."
"Soul masters below the Limit can only passively draw upon Douluo Planet's laws. However, everyone here has some understanding of the laws and can actively stimulate them."
"Therefore, the core of this meeting is to mobilize all Limit Douluos to enter the Stellar Phenomenon and push forward the Blood God Legion's territory."
Yun Ming's gaze swept over everyone, making even Qiangu Dieting, the Heaven War Douluo, hesitate to make any rash moves.
Even if there were objections, they would carefully phrase their words and wait for the right moment to speak.
"Gentlemen, do you have any thoughts?"
"Master Yun, we understand what you're saying. But the vast majority of Douluo Planet's Limit Douluos are gathered here. If we all enter the Abyss, especially if Xu Yuan enters as well, and the Abyssal Sage King acts, we won't be able to resist." One of the Limit Douluos spoke up—it was the current leader of the Hao Tian Sect, also this generation's Hao Tian Douluo.
"The priority will be to protect Xu Yuan. Even if he acts, we'll still have room to negotiate," Xu Shengqun said.
The Heaven War Douluo frowned, glancing at Xu Yuan seated to Yun Ming's right. Though he didn't show any unwillingness or dissatisfaction, after a moment of contemplation, he refrained from pressing his earlier point.
Indeed, as long as Xu Yuan was protected, he could still use the Stellar Phenomenon to threaten the Abyssal Sage King.
"Master Yun, the Abyssal Sage King was threatened once before. This time, I doubt he'll concede so easily," the Heaven War Douluo added.
"After all, we represent the vast majority of Douluo Planet's top-tier combat power. A single mistake would result in a catastrophic loss for Douluo Planet."
The Heaven War Douluo's logic was clear, and his next words made everyone alert.
"Remember, after the last great war, Ardent Emperor stayed behind on Douluo Planet. To this day, we haven't found his whereabouts. As the Emperor of the third layer of the Abyss, he serves as a coordinate for the Abyss to locate us. If all of us perish within the Stellar Phenomenon, the Abyssal Sage King would sacrifice the opportunity presented by the phenomenon just to ensure our demise. At that point, we'd be powerless to resist. And after the destruction of the Stellar Phenomenon, while the channel would also collapse, Ardent Emperor's existence would inevitably serve as a node for the Abyss to establish a new channel—one undetectable by the Federation. I dare say that within half a month, the Federation would fall to the Abyss."
Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed.
Though he didn't get along with Qiangu Dongfeng and didn't think highly of Qiangu Dieting, he had to admit that Qiangu Dieting's words were correct.
If everyone present perished, Douluo Planet would lose its ability to resist the Abyss.
They would become lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
Yun Ming looked at Xu Yuan.
The others also turned their gazes toward Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan stood up and asked in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, how many Limit Douluos are here?"
"Twenty!"
Under the puzzled gazes of the crowd, Xu Yuan continued solemnly, "We have twenty Limit Douluos here. Douluo Planet also has a few scattered Limit Douluos. In terms of peak power, our gap with the Abyss isn't large. Yet, we're at a disadvantage everywhere."
"Why?"
The Limit Douluos began to ponder.
Truthfully, they all knew the reason. It only took a moment's thought to understand Xu Yuan's meaning.
"We lack a true powerhouse—a leader capable of opposing the Abyssal Sage King."
"Let me tell you frankly: the Abyssal Sage King's strength far exceeds our understanding of gods. Based on my intelligence, if we continue assigning titles every ten levels and align with cosmic rankings, then above Level 100 is God-level, Level 110 is True God-level, followed by Super God-level and 1st Class God-level. The Abyssal Sage King is at least at the level of a 1st Class God and most likely even above that."
"His power isn't something we can overcome by fighting across ranks."
The reality Xu Yuan revealed weighed heavily on the atmosphere in the room.
The Abyssal Sage King was that strong?
Qiangu Dieting's eyes widened in shock.
The Limit Douluos present hadn't fully grasped the Abyssal Sage King's overwhelming strength. After all, six thousand years ago, the Federation had managed to withstand the Abyss' invasion. With the even more formidable lineup they had now, it shouldn't be too difficult to deal with the Abyss.
Yet, the Abyssal Sage King's strength left them feeling suffocated.
How many tiers higher was he?
Four!
It was like sending a group of Soul Kings to fight against a force with Title Douluos, where the enemy also had more Soul Kings and even two Soul Emperors.
The real gap would only be greater than that.
The Limit Douluos present understood well that the higher a soul master ascended, the greater the gap between each level became. Even a basic numerical increase at each step was staggering, and for those who were exceptionally talented, a single level could create an even more terrifying disparity.
Perhaps the gap between God-level and True God-level alone was already insurmountable.
Among the many Limit Douluos present, only a handful could confidently say they might hold their own against Spirit Emperor or Ardent Emperor.
"What we lack is a true top-tier powerhouse—a leader capable of opposing the Abyssal Sage King."
Xu Yuan delivered his conclusion.
As his words fell, eighteen pairs of eyes naturally turned to Yun Ming.
So, is this person Yun Ming?
Or...
Their gazes shifted back to Xu Yuan.
Although Xu Yuan hadn't yet broken through to Level 99, he already possessed the qualifications to surpass most of the Limit Douluos present.
Once he broke through and had some time to grow, he might even surpass Yun Ming.
But time was clearly insufficient now.
Understanding the Abyssal Sage King's strength made them acutely feel the pressure of the five-year deadline.
That five-year limit was merely a ruse released by the Abyssal Sage King to mislead them. It was very likely that the final battle would come in less than five years—perhaps in four or even three years.
And already, a year had passed.
"Teacher plans to enter the Stellar Phenomenon and attempt a breakthrough."
As everyone's gaze fell on him, Xu Yuan's words shocked them.
"What?"
Several of the quasi-gods present—Chen Xinjie, Qiangu Dieting, Cao Dezhi, and Long Yeyue—were stunned.
Long Yeyue hadn't been informed by Yun Ming in advance either.
Xu Yuan's revelations had deeply shaken them.
"Master Yun, do you have confidence?" Qiangu Dieting asked gravely.
His voice trembled slightly.
God-level!
This was the goal all the Limit Douluos were striving for, and the quasi-gods had spent half their lives chasing this realm.
"I've felt the environment within the Stellar Phenomenon. It can serve as a place for breakthroughs. As for the continuation of the soul master path, I've already figured out a general direction. As for whether I can succeed, I don't have absolute confidence."
There was never a hundred percent guarantee for breakthroughs.
Yun Ming had prepared extensively for this breakthrough, yet he still didn't have complete certainty.
However, his words exuded confidence.
Though he didn't have absolute confidence, he had abundant self-assurance.
His confidence infected the Limit Douluos present.
Such boldness—it was fitting of the continent's strongest.
"Gentlemen, unless there are urgent matters to attend to, you can now enter the Stellar Phenomenon. The great battle will erupt in three days, and we'll need to prepare accordingly."
"Agreed."
The Limit Douluos raised no objections.
This meeting proceeded smoothly.
"I believe that when the survival of the plane is at stake, none of you will hesitate to act. You'll give your all. Similarly, the Blood God Legion won't let your efforts go unrewarded."
"In this upcoming battle, if the Abyssal Sage King intervenes, Teacher will intercept him. If the Abyss sends a large number of Emperors, anyone who can hold off a Limit-level Emperor will receive a piece of heavenly-forged metal after the battle. Those who can kill a Limit-level Emperor will receive three pieces of heavenly-forged metal.
Additionally, anyone who can intercept five or kill three Super Douluo-level Emperors will also be rewarded with a piece of heavenly-forged metal, though the stellar energy obtained must be contributed to the Legion's reserves."
The Limit Douluos' eyes gleamed.
Heavenly-forged metal as a reward?
Just the reward mechanism itself made their hearts race.
This was practically throwing heavenly-forged metal to motivate them.
It seemed Yun Ming's chances of breaking through were high!
The Limit Douluos present understood that Xu Yuan's rewards weren't solely based on repaying contributions to the Blood God Legion.
Of course, there were some inconsistencies in Xu Yuan's proposed rewards. For instance, the reward for killing a Limit-level Emperor didn't quite match the difficulty.
After all, killing a Limit-level Emperor was equivalent to defeating a Limit Douluo equipped with four-word battle armor, yet the reward wouldn't even cover the cost of crafting a full set of four-word battle armor.
"Of course, the stellar energy obtained from killing a Limit-level Emperor belongs to the individual. Also, previously, the Scorching Sun Douluo suggested dedicated training rooms, which is impossible. However, private training rooms can be established. Any Limit Douluo who kills a Limit-level Emperor will have ten private training rooms built in their designated area. The usage rights of these rooms will belong to the Limit Douluo, though the stellar energy required to use them must still be earned through merit."
Private training rooms?
The Limit Douluos present exchanged meaningful glances.
Even Qiangu Dieting's eyes flickered, clearly intrigued.
While it might not seem significant at first glance, considering the practical implications, ten private training rooms were immensely valuable.
Currently, the Blood God Legion was overcrowded. Even entering a training room required scheduling and queuing.
Many soul masters could only train for two or three days a month.
Divided into daily portions, that amounted to just two hours a day.
Moreover, the training rooms were always booked, and breakthroughs couldn't be attempted inside, as it would affect subsequent users. An extended breakthrough could disrupt the schedules of many soul masters for days.
With ten private training rooms, it meant that the younger generation of their faction could gain an additional 240 hours of training slots per day.
How many people were there in a faction?
At most, there were about ten geniuses.
This effectively allowed the geniuses to train around the clock.
In two years, perhaps they really could cultivate another batch of Limit Douluos!
The Heaven War Douluo's eyes burned with enthusiasm. His grandson, Qiangu Zhangting, was already a Title Douluo at just over thirty years old. With a private training room, he could potentially reach Level 95 in half a year. With the accumulated cultivation insights of the Qiangu family and ample stellar energy, he might reach Level 98 within a year. Afterward, using the Stellar Phenomenon for refinement, he could achieve Limit-level strength!
Nothing was impossible.
The Limit Douluos present, especially those from families with inherited martial souls and fixed cultivation paths, radiated eagerness.
Because of their family inheritance and similar cultivation methods, combined with abundant stellar energy, even the bottleneck of a Super Douluo could be overcome within two years.
---
Stellar Phenomenon.
The twenty Limit Douluos gathered at the Blood God Camp, with soul-guided arrays set up in four directions around them.
There wasn't just one array.
There were five arrays.
One of them was provided by Xu Yuan—a Five Elements Array with him as the core and Tong Yu as the assistant.
Additionally, Qiangu Dieting mobilized the resources of the Qiangu family to quickly gather materials and set up a Coiling Dragon Evil-Sealing Array.
Zhang Huanyun and Cao Dezhi arranged a Blood God Array.
Mu Ye and Hu Jie set up a Blood Essence Array.
Another array was arranged by Chen Xinjie—the Sea God Array, capable of summoning a sea and transforming the battlefield into an ocean with his domain.
Yun Ming gave them three days. While they worked on the arrays, Yun Ming quietly disappeared.
Three days to construct five arrays.
The resource consumption for these arrays was unimaginable.
But to maximize their gains in the upcoming battle, all parties gritted their teeth and allocated vast resources from their reserves to complete the arrays. Both Chen Xinjie and Qiangu Dieting used divine artifacts as the cores of their arrays, enabling them to be set up in a short time.
As for the Blood God Array, its construction had already been underway—it was simply expedited now.
The Blood Essence Array wasn't so much an array as it was a secret technique of the Essence Sect. With Xu Yuan's assistance in mobilizing the Primordial Dream Space, it helped them absorb stellar energy more efficiently to recover their blood essence.
As for Xu Yuan's Five Elements Array?
Its core was Jue.
The energy conversion core was Tong Yu.
Their Five Elements powers were somewhat aligned, making their cooperation seamless. Combined with their shared history, this collaboration became possible.
Three days passed quietly.
After disappearing for three days, Yun Ming finally reappeared before everyone.
The moment Yun Ming returned, everyone felt a strong premonition and looked toward the sky.
The Stellar Phenomenon's space had been heavily eroded by Abyss energy, leaving the sky dim.
But now, a beam of light illuminated the darkened sky.
A blinding white light exploded in the upper reaches of the Stellar Phenomenon.
Soul masters across the Douluo Plane felt something stir within them. Their martial souls resonated, bowing in reverence to the colossal spear that appeared in the sky.
The Abyss creatures also looked up, their gazes filled with endless malice toward the spear.
The Atlas Spear pierced through the Stellar Phenomenon's heavens. The blinding white light exploded, rapidly spreading across the entire space, bathing it in radiant brilliance.
The space trembled.
The laws manifested.
At this moment, the first true God of the soul master system was born.
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