Lu Jingming recalled that moment just now when Sparkle' expression had twisted into near-yandere madness, and his eyelid couldn't help but twitch.
What kind of nonsense fills this troublemaker's head?
Still, with his discerning eyes, he saw straight through the little schemes practically written on Sparkle' face—and that almost-overflowing craving for him, and for the fun he represented.
Very well.
A masked Fool kept in sight and within arm's reach for a timely knock on the head is far preferable to a time bomb hidden in the dark that could explode into an even bigger mess at any moment.
Keep her close, restrain her—and perhaps… make good use of her.
Having decided, Lu Jingming's face wore a calm, in-control smile. He spoke softly:
"From today on, you'll stay by my side. As for the pleasures you pursue…"
He paused slightly, eyes darkening.
"So long as you don't touch my bottom line, I can tolerate some of it."
At that, Sparkle' smile instantly bloomed like a flaming rose at full blaze—gorgeous, scorching, with a dangerously destructive allure.
"Oh?"
She cupped her still-warm cheeks in both hands, mischief and expectation glimmering in her eyes.
"Then if… I accidentally do touch your bottom line? Will it be the same kind of… strange punishment as just now?"
She weighted the word "strange," her tone ambiguous.
Lu Jingming leaned in slightly, close to her ear, and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear, laced with a faint, elusive chill:
"No. It would be something even more 'excessive' than that. I think it's an experience you wouldn't want to have firsthand."
His words held layered meaning—and a warning.
Sparkle' smile faltered, almost imperceptibly.
More excessive than earlier… and not just killing her?
In an instant, certain restricted, blush-inducing images sprang, unbidden, into her mind.
Though she chased pleasure and, deep down, even felt a stir of eagerness toward such unknown excess, the reason left to her made her shudder hard and restrain the urge to keep testing the edge of danger.
The punishment just now had been within her tolerance—indeed, it had opened a door to a new world, bringing a shivering delight she hadn't expected.
But one step further… and ahead lay an abyss from which, once stepped into, there'd be no return.
For now, she didn't want to fall that completely.
"You really intend to keep her?"
A cool voice sounded.
Gu Yuena slipped forward to stand beside Lu Jingming, very close.
Her violet eyes drifted over Sparkle, carrying a barely noticeable scrutiny and concern.
As she spoke, a faint, elegant fragrance lingered at Lu Jingming's nose.
"Even if I'm not familiar with her, I can feel it—she's trouble, through and through."
Gu Yuena's tone was steady, but her gaze was sharp.
She had clearly seen Sparkle's earlier sick, frenzied expression.
It was hard to fathom that, in such circumstances, someone could treat suffering as a pleasure… Humanity's diversity—she had witnessed it today.
Her worry wasn't without reason.
Keeping such a being by their side—one who fed on chaos and delight, whose actions were hard to predict—was undoubtedly like placing a bomb nearby that could go off at any time.
Hearing the concern in Gu Yuena's voice, Lu Jingming smiled with composure and gestured for her to rest easy.
"I understand your concern."
He explained to Gu Yuena:
"The Masked Fools are indeed known for chasing pleasure and stirring chaos. But the 'pleasure' they seek has always presupposed the existence of life—without life, what is there to feel, to enjoy? For that reason, deep down, they maintain a certain respect for life."
He paused, glancing at Sparkle.
"Take Sparkle: she's playful, seemingly capricious, but have you ever seen her truly trample life's bottom line? That incident in Mingdu—detonating a ninth-rank stationary soul tool shell and blowing open a space-time channel—she didn't hesitate precisely because Mingdu had already become an empty city. Civilians had either been evacuated early or already perished. Most wandering within were claws of the antimatter legion."
"As for those drawn into the time-space turbulence—they didn't die. Sparkle merely caused them trouble. For a Masked Fool, that's everyday fare."
Finally, he said softly to Gu Yuena, "Besides, I have you all by my side. Sparkle isn't good at fighting. With your strength, restraining her is more than enough."
Hearing his clear, reasoned analysis, Gu Yuena nodded slightly. The furrow in her brow gradually eased.
His confidence—and his trust in her strength—unconsciously brought the faintest smile to her eyes, like thawing ice rivers meeting the first waters of spring.
"In that case."
Her cool voice, for once, held a hint of good cheer.
"Let it be as you say."
With Sparkle settled, the next step was to help Qian Renxue take control within the Spirit Hall Empire. Lu Jingming could trust Qian Renxue—he understood her.
But he did not trust Bibi Dong. That woman was mad, beyond normal reckoning—and a love-brained one at that, still pining for Yu Xiaogang even now.
She sent people to attack the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan for the Spirit Hunt Plan? No—the deeper reason was a petty, personal grievance over Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang had been scorned within that clan and drifted for years; she wanted to trample the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan underfoot to vent that twisted urge to defend him.
Therefore, this world could not be left to Bibi Dong, that madwoman. He would not cooperate with her. For Qian Renxue's sake, he could spare Bibi Dong's life—after all, she was a first-tier god and still combat power.
But Bibi Dong must surrender her authority. His only ally could be Qian Renxue—because she was more controllable.
At present in the Spirit Hall Empire, Bibi Dong commanded the Elder Hall, and the newly selected Seven Great Sects were loyal to her.
But in terms of strength, Qian Renxue's side held the upper hand. Bibi Dong was constrained by Qian Renxue, while under Qian Renxue, the Worship Hall's seven worships—except for the already sacrificed Grand Worship Qian Daoliu—left six worships, each a peak Titled Douluo above rank 96. In raw combat strength, they completely suppressed the Elder Hall.
And not all Titled Douluo in the Elder Hall obeyed Bibi Dong: for example, the Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo were Qian Renxue's subordinates.
However, Bibi Dong still held the title; she was Empress of the Spirit Hall Empire. They needed her to relinquish the throne and pass it to Qian Renxue.
On that, Lu Jingming already had a plan. According to Qian Renxue's intelligence, Bibi Dong was preparing to mobilize against the Star Luo Empire, to destroy it in one stroke and unify the continent completely.
Having just annexed the Heaven Dou Empire, Bibi Dong wasn't thinking of rest, but of continuing the war—clearly treating the empire's foundations as nothing.
Yet her move would corner the Star Luo Empire and Tang San's group. For Tang San and company, what they now lacked most was time.
…
Spirit City.
Before the vast plaza of the Pope's Palace, a sea of soldiers and soul master formations stood in solemn ranks, stretching to the horizon.
Sunlight fell on cold armor and varied soul master robes, reflecting a chilling, dazzling glare. A killing aura soared skyward, as if to rend the clouds.
On the high dais stood a beautiful, imperious figure—the Empress of the Spirit Hall Empire: Bibi Dong.
She did not deliberately release pressure, yet the intangible aura of the Rakshasa God covered the entire plaza like the vast might of heaven.
The air seemed frozen. Everyone present felt awe and trembling from the depth of their souls, compelled to bow.
Divine might like a prison—boundless and overwhelming!
Behind her and slightly to the side, the Saintess Hu Liena stood in quiet attendance.
Clad in splendid saintly attire, her beauty was peerless. Under Bibi Dong's tutelage, her bearing now held a faint air of sovereign grace and decisiveness.
Bringing Hu Liena to such an occasion spoke for itself—Hu Liena was the designated, unshakable successor.
Bibi Dong's deep, cold gaze swept over the colossal army below. Her vermilion lips parted, and a clear, commanding voice carried to all present:
"Warriors of the Empire!"
Just the opening line ignited the crowd.
"Heaven Dou now submits beneath the feet of our Spirit Hall Empire. Yet the continent's strife is not quelled. Star Luo clings on stubbornly. Traitors and bandits band together, dreaming of blocking our path to unification. Such obstinate fools must be ground to dust by thunderous force."
Her voice suddenly rose, brooking no dissent:
"Today, We command you to push westward. Aim the spearhead at Star Luo. With your wrath, burn away all who dare to set ant-arms against the Empire's chariot."
With her words, fervor swept the square.
Bibi Dong swept her arm and began to name forces:
"For this campaign: ten legions of the Temple Guard, two hundred thousand of the Sacred Imperial Army, and three hundred thousand consolidated levies from the kingdoms and duchies—six hundred thousand strong, the bedrock of our Empire."
"The Soul Master Legions will march with the army, including the Angel Legion, the Holy Dragon Legion, the Flame Hawk Legion… Eight Soul Master Legions in total—ten thousand soul masters—to blaze trails and crush enemy lines."
Her eyes fell on the formations radiating far greater power:
"The newly established Seven Sects—Holy Dragon, Wind Sword, Black Tiger, Fire Leopard, Rock Antelope, Wasp, and Elephant Armor—you are the Empire's sinew and bone. In this war, show the continent what it means to face the Empire's edge."
Led by Huyan Zhen, the strongmen of the seven sects answered in unison, shaking the land.
Finally, her gaze settled on those fearsome figures at the very front below the dais, exuding terrifying soul power fluctuations.
"Elders of the Elder Hall, hear Our command."
Headed by Ghost Douluo Gui Mei and Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, nearly ten Titled Douluo bowed together, their surging soul power warping the air.
"You shall accompany Our personal campaign. Target: the Star Luo imperial capital. We will see with Our own eyes how long that Dai royal family's hard bones can endure beneath Our divine might."
"Long live! Long live! Long live!"
A mountain-shaking roar erupted to the heavens, making all Spirit City tremble.
Six hundred thousand troops, ten thousand soul masters, seven great sects, nearly ten Titled Douluo—and a god personally commanding.
Such power could crush any known resistance on the continent.
Banners where the golden Angel sigil and the purple-black Rakshasa emblem intertwined fluttered—symbols of unmatched power and will.
The army set forth.
Like an unstoppable flood of iron, with the momentum to destroy all in its path, it rolled toward the Star Luo Empire.
…
In Star Luo's imperial palace hall, the air was so heavy it could be wrung into water.
When word arrived that Bibi Dong had assembled the Spirit Hall's Soul Master Legions and hundreds of thousands of troops, with the new Seven Great Sects and many Elder Hall Titled Douluo, and was pressing on Star Luo's border like rolling black thunderclouds, the hall fell into dead silence.
Emperor Dai Yutian sat high upon the throne, a gloom and resolve that could not be dispelled between his brows.
Below him had gathered all the power on the continent that could still counter Spirit Hall: Heaven Dou remnants Prince Xue Xing and Crown Prince Xue Beng, protected by Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.
Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect Master Ning Fengzhi with Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect Master, Thunder Douluo Yu Yuanzhen.
Shrek Academy's Flender, Liu Erlong, Yu Xiaogang—and the now-grown Tang San, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing.
Even the Clear Sky Sect's Howling Sky Douluo Tang Xiao had arrived.
And from a parallel world, Shrek's group—Xuan Zi and three Super Douluo, Ma Xiaotao, Han Ruoruo, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Xu Sanshi, and other young elites—stood among them. Their presence added an anomaly—and a subtle hope.
"Spirit Hall… just couldn't wait."
Dai Yutian's low voice broke the suffocating silence.
He swept his gaze over the crowd, lingering especially on Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, and Tang Xiao.
"We thought Bibi Dong would need at least a few years to digest Heaven Dou's territory. Who knew she wouldn't grant even a moment to catch our breath."
Repressed murmurs spread through the hall.
Bibi Dong's thunderous methods had completely disrupted their original plans.
Ning Fengzhi's brows were tightly knit. At his side, Sword Douluo stood with arms folded, eyes sharp as blades, yet tinged with gloom.
Their original plan was to seek Sea God Island and let those with the aptitude attempt to inherit divinity, gaining power to match the Angel and Rakshasa gods.
But with Spirit Hall's army upon them, the thing they lacked most—time—had become a luxury.
"God trials require time; passing them needs opportunity. With the enemy at the gates… we have no time."
Ning Fengzhi's voice carried a trace of weariness.
This truth weighed on every heart—faced with Spirit Hall's two gods, they could hardly see any chance of victory.