DD Black White [181-190] (Patreon)

Chapter 181: Plucking the Yearning Heartbroken Red

The twin dragons of ice and fire soared and spiraled through the sky before both dived straight toward Gu Yue.

Xue Di's expression instantly turned cold. She reflexively prepared to intervene and protect Gu Yue.

But at that moment, she noticed Lu Jingming gently shaking his head at her, signaling not to act rashly.

Facing these two imposing, charging dragons, Gu Yue showed no fear at all.

Her expression was complicated, her eyes full of tangled emotions as she slowly extended her hand.

Strangely enough, as the enormous, majestic dragons neared Gu Yue, their forms gradually shrank.

By the time they reached her, they had become only as thick as her arms—now appearing like two adorable, lively little dragons, circling around Gu Yue with affection and joy, much like two huskies greeting their master.

"So it's you two…" Gu Yue murmured, her expression full of complex sorrow.

She instantly recognized the true identity of these little dragons, and her heart surged with emotion.

She also finally understood the origin of this mysterious land.

This was the place where the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings had fallen. No wonder this place brimmed with such powerful life force, spawning so many precious, rare immortal herbs.

After all, the fall of two god-king level dragons here would leave behind immense energy and life essence. It would be more surprising if no miraculous treasures were born from it.

And these two little dragons were the lingering dragon souls of the fallen Dragon Kings, now left with only instinct and no complete intelligence.

They had long slumbered within the Dragon Kings' remains, awakened only now by the pure aura of the Silver Dragon King from Gu Yue.

Thinking of this, Gu Yue couldn't help but glance at Lu Jingming beside her.

Her heart was full of confusion and amazement. How much did this guy know, exactly?

Even she, as the Silver Dragon King, hadn't known the Dragon Kings had perished here, yet Lu Jingming seemed to know everything, even bringing her here deliberately. He clearly knew about the existence of these dragon souls all along.

Even the immortal herbs that had lived here for ages didn't know this secret!

With the souls of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings suddenly appearing and being effortlessly subdued by Gu Yue, all the hundred-thousand-year immortal herbs were instantly stunned.

Just from the aura the dragon souls emitted, the herbs could tell—these two were the very source of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

If even the source had submitted, what reason did the herbs, who depended on this very environment, have to hesitate?

Gu Yue's easy subduing of the dragon souls saved Greater Lord Rukkhadevata a great deal of effort.

Even the most hot-tempered of the herbs, like the Infernal Delicate Apricot, submitted obediently, expressing their willingness to follow Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

Of course, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's innate ability to win the favor of all plant life played a crucial role here.

Winning the trust of these immortal herbs was never easy.

Seeing the intelligent, hundred-thousand-year herbs all submit, Lu Jingming didn't stand on ceremony.

He directly harvested all the immortal herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Earth Dragon Golden Melon, Black Jade Divine Bamboo, Star Luo Holy Pearl, Origin Energy Immortal Grass, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, and more—none escaped his grasp.

While these herbs weren't particularly useful to him directly, they'd be perfect for cultivating his subordinates or as gifts for his close female friends.

With the help of these immortal herbs, women like Zhang Lexuan, Xu Jiujiu, Ye Guyi, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, and others would surely progress much faster in their cultivation.

After all, compared to those like Firefly and Castorice who were summoned here, their natural talent was a bit inferior.

With these herbs, their talent and cultivation would be significantly boosted.

Of course, Lu Jingming didn't overdo it—herbs that hadn't matured, he deliberately left behind.

He also left behind seeds of other herbs; given the Well's tenfold growth rate, more would grow in time.

At this moment, Lu Jingming's gaze fell on a small red flower ahead, and he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

This immortal herb, the Yearning Heartbroken Red, had extremely harsh picking requirements.

It could only be picked by the heartfelt blood of one who truly loved; otherwise, it couldn't be taken at all.

If one tried to take it by force, it would instantly lose all its medicinal properties.

Even with Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, Goddess of Life, present, the Yearning Heartbroken Red remained stubborn as a rock: without the blood of true love, it refused to submit to anyone.

"Sigh, if I'd known, I'd have brought Lexuan along." Lu Jingming shook his head in frustration.

He'd thought that Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's affinity and authority would be enough to tame the herb, but he'd underestimated its resolve. Even the Goddess of Life's presence meant nothing if not for true love.

Now, he was at a loss.

Of all his close female friends, Zhang Lexuan undoubtedly had the deepest feelings for him.

He couldn't be sure about the others, but with Lexuan, there was no doubt.

As for himself, he knew better than to try.

When the group learned of the herb's unique requirements, Xue Di, Bing Di, and Gu Yue all exchanged glances in surprise.

To think there existed such a bizarre herb, with such strange conditions!

 "Between the four of us, who can pick it?" Bing Di surveyed the group with an odd expression.

She knew she couldn't, having never truly loved anyone.

Xue Di subtly glanced at Lu Jingming, then shook her head slightly.

She figured she probably couldn't either. At most, she liked Lu Jingming a bit, but nowhere near the level of undying love.

"How about you two give it a try?" Lu Jingming suggested helplessly.

He'd miscalculated the herb's stubbornness and could only pin his hopes on Gu Yue and Xue Di.

Of those present, only those two might stand a chance; he knew both harbored some affection for him, but wasn't sure how deep it ran.

If it didn't work out, he'd just bring Zhang Lexuan next time.

After all, there was no way anyone else could break through the Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes's barrier anytime soon.

"Let's try."

Gu Yue hesitated for a moment, then summoned her soul power, drew out a drop of her heart's blood, and spat it onto the Yearning Heartbroken Red.

The next instant, everyone stared in shock.

The Yearning Heartbroken Red absorbed Gu Yue's blood, then detached itself from the rock.

Gu Yue instinctively caught the flower, which had now turned golden-red, her face full of disbelief.

"I… picked it?" Bing Di and Xue Di looked at Gu Yue in astonishment.

Gu Yue herself was completely stunned. She hadn't expected to succeed!

Lu Jingming's mouth twitched, regarding Gu Yue with a complicated look.

Seriously? Did her affection run that deep?

Thinking back, he hadn't even tried to woo Gu Yue!

Even in the simulation universe, he'd been merciless; he never tried to butter her up.

Are soul beasts just this pure? Once they fall for someone, is it really for life?

Lu Jingming suddenly thought of the original series' soul beasts—Ah Yin, Xiao Wu, Wang Qiu'er, Bai Xiu Xiu, and so on—always ready to sacrifice themselves for love.

Maybe this devoted for life trait really was a soul beast racial instinct. The thought made Lu Jingming look at Gu Yue a bit more gently.

Maybe he should treat her better in the future—at least go easier during sparring.

"What are you looking at?!" Gu Yue clutched the flower, her face flushing, heart pounding.

Even she found it unbelievable—how did she succeed?

She admitted she liked Lu Jingming, but hadn't realized it ran so deep.

Xue Di frowned and tried with another Yearning Heartbroken Red, biting her lip and dropping her own blood onto it.

The next moment, that flower also gently fell into Xue Di's hand.

"Huh?" Bing Di stared at Xue Di in disbelief.

Lu Jingming was also stunned. Xue Di, what are you doing? What's your deal?

"It's not hard. Just think of the one you love, with a clear mind, and it will accept you." Xue Di wiped blood from her lips and spoke calmly.

As she mentioned "the one you love," her gaze briefly landed on Lu Jingming.

Chapter 182: The Exchange Students Arrive

"So that's it. The key is to think of your beloved and keep your mind clear, then the Yearning Heartbroken Red will acknowledge you." Lu Jingming stroked his chin, lost in thought.

That made sense.

In the original, Huo Yuhao liked Wang Dong'er, but had also liked Wang Qiu'er. Yet when he picked the herb, his heart was set on saving Wang Dong'er—no distractions, and thus succeeded.

Clearly, the herb's judgment wasn't so precise after all.

Ten thousand years ago, Zhu Zhuqing and Yu Xiaogang failed because they were distracted.

If you keep your mind clear and think only of your beloved, anyone could do it!

Lu Jingming felt a bit regretful; if he'd known, he would've tried himself.

If he'd managed to pick it, it would've been the perfect tool for raising affection. Whose affection to raise would depend on the situation.

All in all, this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well visit was a tremendous success.

All kinds of immortal herbs had been collected, even the famously picky Yearning Heartbroken Red. The dragon souls of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings now belonged to Gu Yue.

This adventure was a perfect ending.

Besides the rare herbs and dragon souls, the greatest gains were the four intelligent, hundred-thousand-year immortal herbs.

The essence of the World Tree was memory, knowledge, and wisdom.

By acquiring the memory and power of those four herbs, the World Tree Stigmata had grown yet again.

Lu Jingming channeled the mark's power, and suddenly, a blazing flame appeared in his hand, radiating extreme heat, as if to incinerate all.

The next moment, the flame disappeared, replaced by chilling cold.

A crystal-clear ice crystal formed in his palm.

Now, he had mastered both ultimate ice and ultimate fire—powers from the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot.

For the World Tree Stigmata, memory equaled power. Acquiring the herbs' memory meant gaining their unique abilities.

Besides those two, he also gained the abilities of the Aromatic Silk Beauty and Beautiful Silk Tulip—one granting complete poison immunity, the other the ability to sense traits of spiritual plants, both passive effects.

The memories of the other herbs were also absorbed.

Although those without intelligence had vague memories and didn't grant new powers, it was enough.

What Lu Jingming needed wasn't more abilities, but for these memories to further evolve the World Tree Stigmata.

This was closely tied to his future plans, even affecting his path to godhood.

As for the four herbs whose power and memory were absorbed, Lu Jingming would arrange for them properly, not just discard them.

..

…

"Haiyuan City, we're back!"

Meng Hongchen landed gently from the sky, putting away her flying soul tool and stretching lazily.

Looking at the familiar city, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of soon seeing Lu Jingming.

"So this is Haiyuan City. Truly impressive!" Jing Hongchen gazed at the stunning soul tool architecture, especially the massive artificial island—the Eye of the Abyss—admitting that Haiyuan City's soul tool research had surpassed the Sun Moon Empire, at least in civilian applications.

"Hallmaster Jing, esteemed guests from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, welcome to Haiyuan City. I'm Zhang Lexuan of St. Freya Academy, here to handle the exchange program."

A gentle, pleasant voice rang out as Zhang Lexuan, leading ten St. Freya students, gracefully approached the newcomers.

The Sun Moon Academy took this exchange seriously; Jing Hongchen himself led Meng Hongchen and the exchange students to Haiyuan City.

Zhang Lexuan glanced over the group, instantly recognizing Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, familiar faces from the recent tournament.

She also had detailed information on the other exchange students, from both the simulation universe and the Wuchang Division.

After all, a member of the Wuchang Division—Juzi—was also a Sun Moon Royal student and a close aide to Crown Prince Xu Tianran. As soon as the exchange list was finalized, Zhang Lexuan was informed.

"I'll be relying on you for this exchange." Jing Hongchen smiled at the bespectacled, thin middle-aged man beside him.

"I'll keep an eye on things." Xuan Ziwen nodded gently.

Normally, he had no interest in such matters, but this time, the exchange was with St. Freya Academy. The prospect of meeting the Lady Herta made him volunteer as the supervising teacher.

"Hallmaster Jing, we trust our students to your care. We hope they'll learn much at your academy. Likewise, we'll do our best to teach your students at St. Freya."

Zhang Lexuan smiled, nodding to the lead teacher accompanying the exchange students.

That teacher led the ten St. Freya students toward Jing Hongchen.

Jing Hongchen nodded to Xuan Ziwen, who adjusted his glasses and led his group over to Zhang Lexuan.

With both sides sincere, the exchange went smoothly.

Watching Jing Hongchen spread his giant flying soul tool and depart with the St. Freya students, Zhang Lexuan turned to Meng Hongchen and her group, smiling: "Welcome again—come, I'll take you to the academy."

Following her, Meng Hongchen and the others entered St. Freya Academy.

"I'll take you for entrance testing first, then assign classes, uniforms, and accommodation."

As they walked, Zhang Lexuan explained the academy's procedures.

"Entrance testing?" Meng Hongchen and the others were surprised—was this a show of strength from St. Freya?

"Hehe, don't worry. The test isn't what you think. It's actually a benefit for new students."

Zhang Lexuan quickly clarified, sensing their concerns.

Per Lu Jingming's instructions, Meng Hongchen and the others were to be treated as normal new students—no special privileges, no deliberate suppression.

All the benefits due to St. Freya students would apply to the exchange students as well.

The upgraded holographic strategy system now offered a wide range of challenges.

Meng Hongchen and her group followed Zhang Lexuan to the login room, where they learned about the academy's grading system.

Their performance in the holographic battle would determine their student rank.

"May I ask, what rank are Lu Jingming and the others?" Xiao Hongchen, now more steady after Jing Hongchen's guidance, couldn't help but ask for confirmation.

"They're all S-rank!" Zhang Lexuan answered with a bright smile.

"In that case, we only have one goal—right, Meng?" Xiao Hongchen clenched his fists, eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

He'd lost to Lu Jingming before and didn't want to lose again in the rankings.

"Right, brother, I don't want Lu Jingming to look down on me either!" Meng Hongchen was equally determined.

"If we become S-rank, can we learn swordsmanship from Snow Moon Douluo?"

Among the exchange students, a cold, sword-bearing youth suddenly spoke.

"Of course!" Zhang Lexuan looked him over carefully. Instantly, his details appeared in her mind.

Ji Juechen, only twenty, yet already a five-ring Soul King and top of his class in actual combat engineering—known as the Sword Maniac.

Despite being born with only rank-three soul power, through sheer will and obsession with the sword, he'd forged a unique sword from an ordinary meteorite.

His cultivation level wasn't the highest among his peers, but with such low innate power, reaching Soul King at twenty was unprecedented.

If anyone else had started with only rank-three soul power, they'd be struggling to reach Soul Grandmaster at his age, let alone Soul King.

Chapter 183: The Black Tide Monsters

Ji Juechen, through sheer determination, had shattered the limits set by his talent.

He proved to all: there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters.

Initially, the Sun Moon Academy chose exchange students of similar age to Meng Hongchen and the others.

But Ji Juechen immediately applied for the exchange, and as the undisputed top of his class, he was accepted.

His sole reason for joining was to meet Jingliu.

In the simulation universe, he'd challenged nearly every strong opponent he could find.

The system allowed users to fight AI versions of any known expert.

Ji Juechen made full use of this, sparring against all he knew, even dueling the legendary Sword Douluo Chen Xin from ten thousand years ago.

Of course, the simulation always matched the opponent's strength to the player's, so it wasn't real danger.

Among all the strong, Ji Juechen had also sparred with Jingliu's data avatar.

After a duel of swordsmanship, he concluded: this Snow Moon Douluo was truly the peak of swordsmanship, far surpassing even the famed Sword Douluo of ten thousand years ago.

For Ji Juechen, obsessed with the sword, Jingliu was a guiding light to higher levels.

Since encountering Jingliu's data, he no longer challenged any other strong opponent in the simulation.

Each time he logged in, his only opponent was Jingliu's avatar.

Now, with a chance to meet Jingliu in person, he couldn't pass it up.

Fighting a data avatar was rewarding, but could never compare to real teaching.

Thus, when he heard S-rank students could get Jingliu's personal guidance, Ji Juechen's fighting spirit flared—no less intense than Xiao or Meng Hongchen's.

For Xiao Hongchen, it was pride; for Meng Hongchen, a desire to impress Lu Jingming. But for Ji Juechen, it was pure sword passion.

"Go ahead. I'll open a team challenge for you. Your performance will be fully recorded for your ranking."

The holographic system, now much evolved, offered far more variety than simple solo stages.

Zhang Lexuan opened a team instance for the exchange students.

Defeat the monsters, and get rewards and rankings based on your performance.

With a slight dizziness, Meng Hongchen and the others soon recovered—familiar with the sensation from previous simulation logins.

They found themselves in the ruins of a vast arena, dimly lit, surrounded by shattered buildings.

But there was no time to admire the scenery, for black shadows began to gather in the corners.

"Hey, Old Ji, I've got a bad feeling about this," whispered a bespectacled young woman with long black hair to Ji Juechen.

"Isn't that what makes it fun?" Ji Juechen sensed the mounting pressure, slowly drawing his iron sword as a sharp aura burst forth.

He glanced at her, "If you're scared, just hide behind me."

"As if! When have I, Jing Ziyan, ever been scared?" she retorted, brandishing a purple energy whip.

Suddenly, a black tide swept in, and six terrifying monsters appeared before them.

"What are these things!"

Seeing the hideous forms, everyone gasped, faces tense.

Thankfully, the system kindly displayed the monsters' names above their heads.

The first, a Dark Sun Gryphon, looked like a cracked black beast with molten light coursing through its body, a spinning orange core in its head.

Next, the humanoid Black Tide's Decrepit Bow, holding a sinister black bow, its arrows ready to kill.

Nearby, the muscular Black Tide Battle General wielded a massive black sword, glinting coldly.

The slender, dagger-wielding Black Tide Councilor had already vanished, lurking in stealth.

The hulking Black Tide Erode Demon, with dragon-like arms, conjured falling meteor stones behind it.

And the Black Tide Erode Axe, holding a giant axe as tall as a man, radiating destruction.

There were ten exchange students, but against these six monsters, their morale was low.

Each monster exuded madness and destruction, their killing aura so intense it made the students freeze up, unable to bring out their full strength.

Only Ji Juechen seemed unaffected, his fighting spirit burning even brighter.

Boom!

The Black Tide Battle General raised its sword, leaping and slamming down on the team.

A shockwave burst out, dust flying, and the battle began.

Sword light flashed—Ji Juechen's sword slashed like a storm at the Battle General.

But sparks flew—his attacks failed to break its defenses.

Xiao Hongchen and the others frowned. Ji Juechen was famous for his sword skills, and even he couldn't break through?

The others felt desperate. One monster was already so tough, and there were six!

But as elite students, they quickly adjusted and formed up.

As they dodged attacks, their soul tool turrets fired a colorful barrage at the enemy.

The Black Tide's Decrepit Bow fired energy arrows, intercepting many shots in midair with explosions.

The Erode Demon hurled meteor stones like shooting stars at the students.

The Councilor, hidden, silently approached for a deadly strike.

The Erode Axe swung a massive axe, unleashing an orange arc of destruction.

Explosions and roars echoed through the ruined arena.

…

Outside, Zhang Lexuan watched the battle calmly on the screen.

Meanwhile, their supervising teacher Xuan Ziwen was not watching the students at all.

He was lovingly stroking the equipment in the holographic room, eyes full of passion.

To a soul engineer like Xuan Ziwen, this room was a peerless treasure.

If not for a shred of reason, he'd have already begged Zhang Lexuan to let him live here for a month, just to study these advanced soul tools to his heart's content.

Chapter 184: Zhang Lexuan's Thoughts

"Teacher Xuan, if you're interested in the Holographic Strategy Room, our academy has detailed information about it. The library also has a wealth of soul tool technology resources. This exchange will last nearly five years, so you'll have plenty of time to study in depth."

Zhang Lexuan smiled as she looked at Xuan Ziwen.

The importance of soul tool technology varies in the eyes of different factions.

For many powers on the Douluo Continent, these materials are indeed critical—mastering them could rapidly advance their soul tool technology.

But for Haiyuan City, which boasts a cosmic-level genius like Herta, the situation is quite different.

As long as they have enough resources, Haiyuan City has the capability to build space stations, planet-destroying cannons, spaceships, and even extinction-level weapons capable of annihilating star systems.

Therefore, some soul tool technologies simply aren't that important to Haiyuan City.

From their perspective, resources are the most crucial factor.

Moreover, as long as Herta wishes, any soul tool technology can be upgraded at any time. There's no need to worry about others acquiring these technologies and posing a threat to Haiyuan City.

That's the immense influence and value a cosmic-level genius brings.

In fact, it's the relatively scarce resources of the Douluo Continent that have limited Herta's progress—and so has Lu Jingming.

Otherwise, with Herta's capabilities, he might have long since lost interest in this little planet.

As a result, Herta's main focus now is on exploring parallel worlds and researching the mysteries of the God Realm.

To her, compared to the trivial affairs on Douluo Star, exploring parallel worlds and delving into the God Realm's secrets is far more captivating.

Because of this, Zhang Lexuan felt fully confident and saw no reason to restrict Xuan Ziwen's access to soul tool technology.

On the contrary, she thought this was a perfect opportunity to win Xuan Ziwen over.

After all, as Haiyuan City develops, it truly needs more research talents like Xuan Ziwen.

Many matters can't always rely on Herta alone; a diverse pool of talent is what allows Haiyuan City to grow and thrive.

People like Xuan Ziwen, who are completely obsessed with soul tools and single-mindedly devoted to research, are actually the easiest to recruit.

For him, as long as you can offer an irresistible condition, he'll willingly leave Mingde Hall and join Haiyan City.

And coincidentally, Haiyuan City has the ability to satisfy any of his demands.

Whether it's more advanced, cutting-edge soul tool technology, precious opportunities to interact with Herta, or even just a chance to see a Herta automaton, any of these would be enough to win him over completely.

After all, for someone obsessed with soul tool research, these temptations are simply irresistible.

Furthermore, the exchange students from Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy might not be impossible to win over either.

Zhang Lexuan's gaze shifted to the holographic strategy display, where Ji Juechen was fiercely battling a Black Tide Warrior, his iron sword slicing through the air with sword intent radiating in every direction.

Jing Ziyan wielded a whip-type soul tool, controlling smoke with agile movements, while Meng Hongchen, clad in ice-blue soul armor and wielding twin swords, displayed a heroic figure.

All of them had a good chance of being recruited by Haiyuan City.

Ji Juechen is obsessed with the Sword Dao, and Jingliu is the teacher he dreams of studying under.

If Ji Juechen joins Haiyuan City, Jing Ziyan is unlikely to leave either.

After all, Zhang Lexuan could instantly see Jing Ziyan's feelings for Ji Juechen; the two are close, so if Ji Juechen stays, Jing Ziyan most likely will as well.

As for Meng Hongchen, Zhang Lexuan had her own plans. She thought as long as Lu Jingming made a move—a handsome man strategy—winning Meng Hongchen over would be a piece of cake.

Once Meng Hongchen is won over, Haiyuan City could leverage this to establish ties with the Hongchen family.

The Hongchen family is one of the oldest in the Sun Moon Empire, deeply rooted and with centuries of heritage.

Through Meng Hongchen, forging a good relationship with the Hongchen family would be a huge boost for Lu Jingming's future plans to dominate the Douluo Continent.

In Zhang Lexuan's view, Meng Hongchen's role is similar to that of Xu Jiujiu.

As long as it benefits Lu Jingming, she doesn't mind having more sisters. Wholeheartedly devoted to Lu Jingming, she's unknowingly become an advocate for his harem—willing even to help push him along.

Before long, the battle in the holographic strategy room neared its end.

Except for Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, Jing Ziyan, and Ji Juechen, the remaining six students had all been eliminated and were clutching their foreheads, immersed in the aftereffects of simulated death.

Most were killed by the stealthy Black Tide Counselors.

These terrifying monsters could invisibly approach, and as soul engineers, the students rarely had time to react before their throats were slit or even decapitated—gruesome scenes.

At this point, among the six Black Tide monsters, only the Black Tide Warrior had been destroyed, its core broken.

Through the joint efforts of Ji Juechen and Meng Hongchen—after sacrificing six classmates—they finally managed to kill one monster.

Suddenly, a flash of dark blade light. Xiao Hongchen's expression changed drastically, and he immediately activated his life-preserving soul skill—Golden Devotion—his body instantaneously turning into golden liquid, narrowly dodging the Black Tide Counselor's deadly strike.

However, just as the golden liquid reformed not far away, a black energy arrow shot out like lightning, piercing directly through his forehead.

"Brother!" Meng Hongchen cried out in shock, watching helplessly as Xiao Hongchen's figure faded to light.

"Old Ji!" At almost the same moment, Jing Ziyan's whip wrapped around Ji Juechen's waist, and with a forceful motion, flung him toward the Black Tide's Decrepit Bow.

But she herself was struck by a massive axe light.

With a deafening boom, the ground shook violently in a ring, a giant crater appearing instantly.

Amidst the swirling dust, scattered points of light appeared—the sign of Jing Ziyan's simulated death.

Ji Juechen didn't hesitate. His gray Sword Intent spread out, and with a silent yet deadly sword light—like a black lightning bolt—he pierced the Black Tide's Decrepit Bow's core, killing it in one blow.

Yet before Ji Juechen could catch his breath, a black claw wreathed in orange flame slammed down toward his head.

At the critical moment, as an icy flash appeared under the monster's feet, Meng Hongchen instantly materialized, her twin ice-blue swords slashing down to block the Black Tide Corrosion Demon's fatal blow.

Looking at the monsters closing in from all sides—the Black Tide Corrosion Axe, Black Tide Counselor, Dark Sun Gryphon, and the menacing Black Tide Corrosion Demon—Meng Hongchen couldn't help but twitch her mouth.

Ten entered the battle; eight were dead, and they'd barely managed to kill two monsters. The difficulty was unimaginable.

After intense fighting, Meng Hongchen and Ji Juechen were both exhausted. Facing the monsters' encirclement, they had little strength left and were quickly eliminated, vanishing as lights from the holographic strategy simulation.

Thus, the team instance ended in the complete defeat of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.

"Alright, your test is over for today. I'll take you to your dorms to rest," Zhang Lexuan said with a clap and a smile to Meng Hongchen and the others.

"What's our rating?" Even pale and exhausted, Xiao Hongchen was still anxious to know their rating; the others also looked to Zhang Lexuan expectantly.

After such a tough battle, they were eager to know how they ranked in St. Freya Academy's evaluation system.

"Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, Ji Juechen, Jing Ziyan: A-level students. The rest are B-level," Zhang Lexuan replied after glancing at the evaluation.

"Only A-level?" Xiao Hongchen's face darkened.

He knew from the moment he was eliminated that he'd missed out on S-rank; after all, how could someone who died in the test earn the highest rank?

"Correct. This rating considers all aspects of your performance, not just how many monsters you killed," Zhang Lexuan patiently explained.

Defeating all the Black Tide monsters in this trial is extremely difficult.

Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and the others are all top talents, but even at their best, they only managed to kill two monsters.

The ratings take into account age, soul power, combat intelligence, and more.

In terms of age and soul power, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen are superior to Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan, but in combat wisdom, will, and skill, Ji Juechen surpasses Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen.

Thus, all four received A-rank evaluations; Ji Juechen's slightly older age didn't lower his rating.

Just comprehending Sword Intent alone was enough for Ji Juechen to earn A-rank.

After all, Sword Intent is a profoundly mysterious concept—many Titled Douluos never grasp it in their lifetimes—yet Ji Juechen, as a Soul King, not only comprehended it but applied it in battle.

He didn't get S-rank mainly due to age, cultivation, and relative ordinariness of his martial spirit.

As for Jing Ziyan, her combat talent was also impressive, so she barely earned an A-rank as well.

Chapter 185: Castorice's Shyness

Only Xiao Hongchen and the other three earned A-rank; the rest were B-rank—their performance made that their limit.

In terms of talent pool, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy indeed falls short of Shrek Academy.

Most of Shrek's inner court disciples would earn at least an A-rank, showing their depth of talent.

On St. Freya Academy's training grounds, Ji Juechen wielded his iron sword with agile form, sword shadows weaving like a storm toward Jingliu.

His eyes burned with passionate fire, every strike full of sword devotion.

Jingliu stood calmly with hands behind her back, sword qi quietly gathering at her fingertip.

Unhurried, she effortlessly parried every attack.

Each clash of sword and finger rang with a clear, metallic sound throughout the grounds.

Ji Juechen grew more and more excited. Having a swordmaster of Jingliu's caliber to spar with was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Every exchange subtly improved his swordsmanship, fueling his obsession.

The iron sword's gray Desolation Sword Intent grew denser, the energy compressing into a giant gray sword.

The massive blade tore through the air with a sharp howl, carrying the force to cleave everything, striking fiercely at Jingliu.

Sensing the power in this blow, Jingliu nodded slightly—a rare sign of approval for Ji Juechen's recent progress.

She then extended a finger, sending out a dazzling sword light like a meteor.

A crisp shattering sound followed as the giant sword broke, and Ji Juechen was sent flying like a broken kite.

"Old Ji!" Jing Ziyan rushed over to catch the battered, bleeding Ji Juechen.

Despite the wounds, Ji Juechen's eyes shone with unprecedented brightness.

"Thank you, Teacher!" he said, ignoring his injuries and bowing deeply to Jingliu.

Though Jingliu hadn't formally accepted him as a disciple, she had taught him swordsmanship without reservation, earning his heartfelt respect.

At first, Ji Juechen expected that as a student from the Sun Moon Academy, even if he could consult the Snow Moon Douluo, she would only offer some perfunctory advice.

To his surprise, Jingliu cared nothing for his background; she taught him meticulously, sparred personally, pointed out his flaws, and taught him ways to hone both sword intent and technique.

He even learned some swordsmanship transcending the world's norms.

Jingliu's grandeur and vision won Ji Juechen's utmost admiration.

Besides Ji Juechen, Meng Hongchen also learned some swordsmanship from Jingliu.

She used twin swords and was highly interested in the art, though not as purely obsessed as Ji Juechen, so she learned less.

Nevertheless, she gained much, especially as Jingliu was also an expert in the Dao of Ice, which matched Meng Hongchen's ice-attributed soul power.

Jingliu was quite satisfied with Ji Juechen; his sword talent was excellent, and his dedication admirable.

Though his soul master aptitude wasn't superb, his willpower compensated, promising future achievement in Sword Dao.

By contrast, a certain pink-haired girl had even greater sword talent but lacked devotion, much to Jingliu's regret.

…

"Achoo!"

In Heaven Dou City of the Heavenly Soul Empire, March 7th suddenly sneezed. Frowning, she muttered, "Ugh, who's talking about me?"

"March, are you alright?" Princess Weina looked at her with concern.

Robin and Firefly also glanced over, eyes full of inquiry.

They were in a high-end restaurant, invited by Princess Weina.

Robin, together with Firefly and March 7th, traveled the continent, experiencing local customs and helping the weak.

After arriving in Heaven Dou City, they met Princess Weina, who quickly became a close friend.

"I'm fine, don't worry!" March 7th waved it off and turned her attention back to the elaborate food.

Meanwhile, in the flower fields behind St. Freya Academy, Castorice sat hugging her knees, gazing gently at the meditating figure of Lu Jingming.

Suddenly, purple ripples appeared in the air beside her, like a stone dropped into a calm lake.

A giant purple dragon head slowly emerged from the void.

"Shh, quiet, Pollux!" Castorice gently stroked the dragon's head, her voice soft, reminding it not to make noise and disturb Lu Jingming.

Pollux understood, enjoying her touch and nuzzling Castorice, obediently silent.

As they interacted, soul power surged rapidly within Lu Jingming, compressing and purifying until an invisible bottleneck was instantly breached.

The next moment, Raiden's figure appeared behind Lu Jingming, gently hugging him from behind.

At the same time, the Thunder Stigmata on his left hand shone with dazzling red light.

The Black Abyss Spear appeared in his hand, its body gleaming mysteriously.

Two purple, two black, one red—five soul rings encircled the black spear, radiating powerful energy.

As the Thunder Stigmata continuously channeled thunder power into the Black Abyss, a blood-red soul ring with golden lightning patterns began to form on the spear.

Strong soul power rippled outward, affecting the real world.

Nearby flowers shook under the surge, nearly destroyed.

At the last moment, Lu Jingming opened his eyes, and the powerful aura vanished instantly.

He smiled at the new red-and-gold-ring on his spear.

For him, the barrier to Soul Emperor was as thin as paper; the breakthrough came naturally.

Thanks to the Thunder Stigmata, he didn't need to hunt a hundred-thousand-year soul beast for a soul ring.

His Thunder Stigmata's quality far exceeded ordinary hundred-thousand-year rings, almost on par with a fierce beast ring.

His soul ring color was still blood-red, but the golden lightning pattern revealed its extraordinary nature.

Feeling accomplished, Lu Jingming stretched and stood up.

Months had passed since his trip to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Now, not only had he advanced to Soul Emperor, but his plans were progressing smoothly—everything was on track.

As he broke through, Pollux withdrew into the void—her exclusive death domain, inaccessible to the living.

"I told you, Castorice, you're my lucky star. I broke through here last time too."

Lu Jingming grinned, gently pulling Castorice to her feet and embracing her.

Castorice's cheeks flushed red, embarrassed by both his words and the warmth of his hug.

Looking at the shy, lovely Castorice in his arms, Lu Jingming felt a surge of affection and couldn't resist lowering his head to gently kiss her soft lips. As their mouths met, he daringly slipped his tongue between her parted lips, tasting her sweetness.

Castorice's body tensed at the unexpected intrusion, but she didn't push him away; instead, she closed her eyes and shyly responded, her own tongue tentatively meeting his in a sensual dance.

In the beautiful, quiet flower field, their entwined figures seemed to be the whole world. Lu Jingming's hands roamed her back, pulling her closer as their tongues explored each other's mouths with increasing fervor.

They melted into each other, lost in sweetness and warmth, oblivious to everything else. Soft moans escaped Castorice's throat as Lu Jingming's tongue caressed hers, sending shivers down her spine.

"Castorice, Xiao Ming, you—?!"

Meng Hongchen, holding a lunchbox, stopped dead at the sight of the intimate pair, her face filled with shock and disbelief.

Startled by her voice, Castorice's eyes flew open, full of embarrassment and panic, wanting to break free. But Lu Jingming only held her tighter, as if to merge her into himself, continuing the deep, passionate kiss. His tongue delved deeper, tasting every corner of her mouth.

Chapter 186: Meng Hongchen's Directness

Castorice was afraid to hurt Lu Jingming and couldn't resist, so she just closed her eyes and let him have his way, blushing furiously, unable to face Meng Hongchen. Her body betrayed her as she instinctively pressed closer, her tongue now eagerly tangling with his.

After a few minutes of this heated exchange, under Meng Hongchen's resentful gaze, they finally parted. A thin silver string of saliva fell from their lips, connecting them briefly before vanishing into the flowers. Both were breathless, their lips swollen from the intensity of their passionate kiss.

Lu Jingming finally let go of the breathless Castorice, still somewhat unsatisfied.

But he knew when to stop—Castorice's tolerance for his affection was already enough. If it were Keqing or March 7th, they'd have pushed him away the moment Meng Hongchen appeared.

Castorice's gentle patience made Lu Jingming love her all the more.

"Meng, what delicious food did you bring today?"

Lu Jingming acted nonchalant as he took the lunchbox from Meng Hongchen.

Since he'd returned to Haiyuan City, Meng Hongchen had been actively pursuing him, often cooking and bringing meals for him to try.

Although he hadn't directly responded to her feelings, their relationship had naturally grown closer over time.

Even their terms of address had shifted from distant classmate to more intimate names.

"It's your favorite golden shrimp balls. I even learned from the restaurant's chef," Meng Hongchen replied absentmindedly, still dazed by the scene she'd witnessed.

Castorice hid behind Lu Jingming, her face flushed like a ripe apple, not daring to look at Meng Hongchen.

"Let's eat together."

Lu Jingming calmly led Castorice and Meng Hongchen to a pavilion, setting out the dishes.

He sat in the middle, subtly keeping Castorice and Meng Hongchen apart—Meng Hongchen couldn't get too close to Castorice, or there would be trouble.

Meng Hongchen finally recovered from her shock, her gaze lingering on their lips, emotions complicated.

Castorice, feeling her gaze, blushed even more and lowered her head.

Lu Jingming remained calm, picking up a shrimp ball and gently feeding it to Castorice.

"Um, I'm fine with that too!" Meng Hongchen blushed, pointed at her own lips, and looked at Lu Jingming expectantly.

"Ahem!"

The usually unflappable Lu Jingming was nearly caught off guard, almost choking.

Castorice stared at Meng Hongchen in disbelief—how could she be so bold?

"Meng, let's talk about that later!"

Lu Jingming, though well aware of Meng Hongchen's give-it-all nature, hadn't expected her to be so direct, especially in front of Castorice.

He was speechless—did she really not care about the situation? Such courage! No wonder she's Miss Meng!

"Alright…" Meng Hongchen's eyes flashed with disappointment and a bit of relief, her feelings in turmoil.

She was actually shy, but after deciding to pursue Lu Jingming, she had long since put shame aside.

For a girl, it takes courage to be so forward.

It was precisely Meng Hongchen's honest, straightforward pursuit that rapidly deepened her relationship with Lu Jingming in just a few months.

Her straight ball attacks, plus her natural allure as a beautiful white-haired girl, made it hard for Lu Jingming to resist.

With today's scene, the dynamic between them was sure to change; Meng Hongchen would likely become even bolder, making their interactions all the more interesting.

…

…

Parallel World—Douluo Continent.

Since the emergence of the simulated universe, strange changes have swept the land.

At some point, strange entities formed from negative emotions and energy—corruption points—began appearing everywhere.

These points resembled malignant tumors, exuding a repulsive aura and powerful pollution.

They silently corrode their surroundings, turning them barren and spawning terrifying monsters from negative energy.

The Spirit Hall, a powerful force, was the first to detect these corruption points.

After sending elite investigators, they discovered that if left unchecked, these points would expand uncontrollably, polluting everything and producing ever stronger monsters.

But they also found that clearing all the negative-energy monsters would cause the corruption point to naturally dissipate.

Even more miraculous, the negative energy would reverse, transforming into abundant positive energy and coalescing into coveted treasures.

Spirit Hall acted quickly, sending a Titled Douluo to clear a corruption point that had spawned a Soul Douluo-level monster.

After a fierce battle, they succeeded—and the loot was jaw-dropping: a fifty-thousand-year soul bone!

Such a soul bone is every soul master's dream.

Beyond that, they also found soul power crystals for rapid cultivation, uniquely shaped soul tools, and other rare treasures.

Different corruption points create different monsters, some even human-like or resembling long-gone historical figures.

For example, the monster at that particular site was a former Titled Douluo of Spirit Hall.

Luckily, Spirit Hall intervened before it grew to full power, averting disaster.

Notably, these monsters are bound by mysterious forces and cannot stray far from their corruption point; if they do, they lose energy and dissipate, dropping no treasures.

In a few months, news of the corruption points spread across the continent.

Everyone knew: clear a corruption point, and you gain priceless treasures.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, after clearing one near their domain, obtained a powerful Level 7 soul tool.

Tests showed the tool could be used by auxiliary soul masters, granting them combat power rivaling a Soul Sage.

With so many auxiliary soul masters in their ranks, the sect saw their overall strength multiply.

Such prospects drove them wild with excitement.

The entire continent was swept up; all the great forces—Spirit Hall, the Seven Great Sects, the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires—offered rich rewards for information on corruption points.

As these points appeared randomly, many lucky people stumbled upon them.

As long as they survived the monsters, they could report the location for a hefty reward.

Suddenly, ordinary people were getting rich overnight, and the entire continent was gripped by both fear and anticipation.

The fear came from the terrifying pollution: normal people who approached a corruption point suffered severe illness afterward.

The monsters spawned inside were even worse—pure malice, attacking any living thing with savage brutality.

Yet, despite the danger, people still looked forward to them.

After all, they also brought irresistible opportunities.

Chapter 187: Shui Bing'er

During this period, as a large number of Contamination Points were successfully cleared, the structure of the soul master world underwent significant changes.

Some previously unknown soul masters, through rare treasures obtained from Contamination Points, experienced tremendous leaps in strength. New Title Douluos even emerged, completely changing their destinies and the power dynamics within the soul master world.

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was a prime example. By successfully clearing some Contamination Points, they were fortunate enough to acquire several soul tools.

Obtaining these soul tools greatly enhanced the sect's overall strength.

Realizing the value of soul tools for their sect's development, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect eagerly devoted themselves to soul tool research.

However, the field of soul tool research is deep and complex, with a steep learning curve. Despite their efforts, they had yet to make significant progress.

Still, given the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's persistence, they were unlikely to give up easily.

They understood that they couldn't always rely on chance encounters with Contamination Points to obtain soul tools. Not only do Contamination Points appear randomly and unpredictably, but they also don't always yield soul tools—sometimes other rare treasures appear instead.

While these treasures were also valuable, soul tools were better suited to the clan's support-soul master focus and could maximize their battle capabilities. Thus, researching soul tools was a must.

Meanwhile, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City, was bustling more than ever.

The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, held every five years, was about to begin its Heaven Dou Empire preliminary rounds here.

This grandest event in the soul master world drew attention not just from soul masters, but from everyone—from the highest nobility to commoners. Every citizen of Heaven Dou City saw the tournament as the year's greatest festival, eagerly awaiting its start.

The tournament venue was the Heaven Dou Grand Soul Arena—the empire's largest battle arena, able to seat 80,000 spectators. When the tournament began, it would become a sea of passion and excitement.

At the same time, advanced soul master academies from all over the Heaven Dou Empire set out for Heaven Dou City to prepare for the upcoming preliminaries.

Though the tournament was a month away, many academies arrived early to acclimate and adjust their state.

Skywater Academy, one of the empire's renowned Five Elemental Academies, was led by its powerful Soul Douluo-level dean.

While this strength might not be top-tier on the Douluo Continent, it was enough to make Skywater Academy famous and highly respected.

At this moment, Skywater Academy's team had already left Skywater City a month early and finally arrived in the vicinity of Heaven Dou City after a long journey.

"Big sister, look! What's that?"

Within the Skywater Academy team, a lively, pretty blue-haired girl pointed in surprise toward a distant mountain range.

The one being called was also a blue-haired beauty—none other than Shui Bing'er, captain of the Skywater Battle Team.

The playful girl who spoke was her half-sister, Shui Yue'er.

Not just Shui Bing'er, but the rest of the team also looked in the direction Shui Yue'er pointed.

"What is that...?" They saw wisps of black mist slowly rising from a small mountain range in the distance.

With the keen eyesight of soul masters, they could clearly see the black mist gradually spreading outward.

Wherever it touched, lush trees instantly withered, and the once-vibrant earth turned dry and barren, as if all life had been drained away.

Meanwhile, nearby animals and birds sensed a deadly threat and frantically fled, escaping the terrifying area shrouded in black mist.

"A Contamination Point! This isn't far from Heaven Dou City—how has it gone unnoticed and unpurged? Could it be a newly formed Contamination Point?"

The teacher leading the Skywater team was Shui Ming'er, the academy's head instructor and aunt to Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er. She was a level 76 control-type Soul Sage, a key figure at Skywater Academy.

"What luck. It's a new Contamination Point; the monsters inside shouldn't be too strong. Judging by its size, the strongest would be at most at the Soul Emperor level."

Shui Ming'er—her long blue hair making her look not much older than her twenties—couldn't hide her delight.

After all, clearing a Contamination Point often yielded generous rewards, and a newborn one was relatively less dangerous. With her strength, she could handle it easily.

Shui Ming'er instinctively glanced at Shui Bing'er.

As the most talented student in Skywater Academy's history, Shui Bing'er carried the academy's highest hopes.

Most of the rewards from previous Contamination Point clearings were prioritized for her.

Thanks to this, Shui Bing'er's soul power had already reached level 49, just a step away from breaking through to Soul King.

If she could obtain a soul power-boosting treasure from this Contamination Point, she might break through before the tournament began.

If Shui Bing'er advanced to Soul King, with her top-tier Beast Martial Soul, the Ice Phoenix, the only real threat in the tournament would be Spirit Hall; Skywater Academy would have no rivals among the other teams.

Of course, Shui Ming'er also knew that Skywater Academy wasn't the only one who could benefit from Contamination Points—other academies could also obtain valuable treasures to boost their students.

Especially Spirit Hall—as the continent's largest organization, its intelligence network was unmatched, with branches in almost every city.

With such reach, Spirit Hall could often discover and clear Contamination Points first, reaping the richest rewards.

So even if Shui Bing'er broke through, Shui Ming'er didn't expect to win the championship; she only hoped Skywater Academy would outperform the other Elemental Academies.

Though the Five Elemental Academies once shared strong ties, in recent years, Elephant Armored and Thunderclap Academies had grown apart and left the alliance.

Mainly, Elephant Armored Academy was backed by the Elephant Armored Sect, and Thunderclap Academy by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect. Only Skywater, Blazing, and God Wind Academies had no powerful sect support—they were purely academic.

Thus, Skywater, Blazing, and God Wind Academies grew closer, while a rift formed with Elephant Armored and Thunderclap.

Still, being close allies didn't mean Skywater Academy wouldn't relish surpassing its friends in strength—it would give them more say in the alliance.

Without hesitation, Shui Ming'er decisively led the team toward the distant Contamination Point.

With her Soul Sage-level strength, she was confident.

Even if she couldn't clear the Point, she could still lead the team to retreat safely.

Soul masters moved swiftly; the weakest among them was at the Soul Ancestor level, and none were slow.

Soon, they reached the Contamination Point's edge.

"Quick and decisive! This spot isn't far from Heaven Dou City—others will find it soon. Bing'er, you command the team," Shui Ming'er ordered.

"Alright, everyone, stay close to me," Shui Bing'er replied calmly.

Though she was only a month older than the youngest, Shui Yue'er, and younger than the other team members, none underestimated her.

On the contrary, everyone followed her orders.

While this Contamination Point was new, Shui Bing'er and the others had joined academy experts in clearing such Points before.

They knew these Points birthed strange monsters—mindless, purely killing machines with formidable combat power.

Slaying them would leave behind various treasures.

But to completely clear the Point, they had to kill its core monster—the strongest being within.

Shui Bing'er and her teammates' main task was to clear the mobs, buying Shui Ming'er time and space to deal with the core.

After all, only the core monster's dropped treasures were truly rare.

Soon, they stepped into the black mist. Instantly, a wave of nausea and discomfort surged over them.

This was the terror of a Contamination Point—anyone entering was constantly eroded by negative energy, while negative emotions flooded their minds.

If affected, soul masters would become irritable or even lose control, attacking their own teammates.

Chapter 188: The Strange Contamination Point

In recent months, many soul masters had died at the hands of their own companions while clearing Contamination Points.

Facing this harsh environment, Shui Bing'er and her team were well-prepared. They quickly circulated soul power throughout their bodies to block the invasion of negative energy.

At the same time, they focused their mental strength to shield themselves from negative emotions.

However, they couldn't maintain this state for long—their soul power would be depleted and their minds would tire.

But this was the basic survival method inside a Contamination Point. Otherwise, once eroded by negative energy and polluted by negative emotions, even soul masters would need months to recover.

Crack!

A dry branch snapped under Shui Bing'er's foot, echoing in the silence.

She looked around at the devastated landscape, finding it hard to believe that it had been a lush forest not long ago.

But she knew that once the Contamination Point was cleared, the land would soon recover. Negative energy would be purified and transformed into life-giving positive energy, restoring the land to vitality.

If not cleared in time, though, the consequences would be dire.

Contamination Points would expand like malignant tumors, birthing ever-stronger monsters.

Spirit Hall and the two empires had deduced that if a Point expanded to the size of a main city, its monsters could reach Title Douluo level—or even beyond, to peerless Douluo.

At that point, the Douluo Continent would face unprecedented disaster.

Even worse, if a Point went undiscovered and expanded unchecked, it could possibly spawn god-level monsters.

While tightly monitored on land, the vast oceans were a worry.

The seas were huge and mostly inaccessible to humans.

If a Contamination Point appeared in the deep sea and went unaddressed, who knew what horrors it could breed.

If these monsters weren't defeated, the cycle of expansion and strengthening would continue, threatening the continent's very existence.

Many realized this potential crisis, but most didn't care, thinking, "Let someone else handle it if disaster comes."

"Careful! Something's off! Why are all these monsters humanoid?" As the team ventured deeper, Shui Ming'er's expression darkened.

Although the monsters at the edge were weak—mostly Soul Grandmaster and Soul Elder levels—they were humanoid, clad in black soul tool armor and wielding all kinds of soul tools: ranged, control, support, defense. This caused Shui Bing'er's team great trouble.

According to Spirit Hall and the empires' recent research, most Contamination Points spawned beast-type or other bizarre monsters, rarely humanoid ones.

But Points that spawned humanoids were the hardest to handle.

They were modeled after soul masters—possessing martial souls, soul rings, and a variety of soul abilities, making them formidable foes.

Shui Bing'er's team had heard how, in the Star Luo Empire, a Contamination Point birthed a humanoid monster modeled after the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's Sword Douluo.

Though only Soul Sage level, it took five Soul Douluos to bring it down, since it was accompanied by a Soul Emperor-level Ning Fengzhi support clone. With no emotions and terrifying combat instincts, its actual power surpassed the real Sword Douluo.

Thus, everyone avoided humanoid monsters when clearing Points.

Now, even at the very edge, the monsters looked like a fully equipped soul master army.

It was hard to imagine what dangers awaited deeper inside.

The only consolation was that the Point was new, with little accumulated negative energy, so the monster levels weren't too high—yet.

Crack!—the sound of shattering ice. A black-armored soldier, frozen by Shui Bing'er, was smashed by her palm, dissolving into black mist and leaving behind a spherical soul tool.

Shui Bing'er picked it up and, after infusing it with soul power, hurled it at another black-armored soldier.

Boom!—an explosive blast obliterated the target, leaving only a piece of metal.

Her teammates were amazed.

These soul tools were extremely useful—just pour in soul power, and they unleashed immense force.

Even support- or food-type soul masters could wield them effectively.

They had just experienced the power of these soul tools firsthand—if not for Shui Ming'er's presence and Shui Bing'er's alertness, they would have suffered casualties.

It was impressive that Soul Ancestors nearly got injured by Soul Grandmasters and Soul Elders, showing just how dangerous these black armored soldiers were—more so than the regular soul master armies of the empires or Spirit Hall.

Shui Bing'er thought further: if these black soldiers formed a large-scale legion with powerful soul tools, they would be terrifying.

They'd only encountered small groups so far—if it was an organized army, retreat would be their only option.

Though the fighting was tough, the rewards were rich.

Each black-armored soldier dropped a soul tool or soul tool metal.

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was collecting soul tools in bulk, and selling these to them would be very profitable. Even low-level soul tools fetched high prices, and they also wanted the metals.

As they moved forward, the black mist thickened and the battles became harder. Even martial soul fusion techniques were used.

The monsters grew stronger; their soul tools more powerful—even Shui Bing'er got slightly injured.

At this point, Shui Ming'er began to reconsider.

There were far more monsters than expected. While they didn't threaten her, her students were at risk.

Who knew what weapons the core monster would wield? If Shui Bing'er or others got badly hurt and missed the tournament, it would be a disaster.

She signaled the team to stop, then turned to Shui Bing'er: "Bing'er, wait here at the edge. I'll go alone to try to kill the core monster."

"Aunt, isn't that too risky? This Contamination Point is too strange and dangerous!"

Shui Bing'er frowned. Everything about this place felt wrong, and she didn't want her aunt taking risks.

They'd cleared Points before, but never one filled entirely with humanoid monsters—an organized soul master army in all but mind.

Only their lack of intelligence kept them from fighting as a proper unit; otherwise, the team wouldn't have made it this far.

But as they got deeper, they could feel the Point madly gathering negative energy, with new monsters forming constantly.

And the soul tools' powers were all unpredictable.

Who knew if the core monster's weapon could threaten Shui Ming'er?

"It's fine. I'll check things out. If it's too much, I'll retreat."

Confident in her strength, Shui Ming'er couldn't believe that a newly formed Contamination Point could truly endanger her.

"Please be careful, Aunt!"

Seeing her aunt's confidence, Shui Bing'er was anxious but could only nod—she knew she couldn't stop her.

"Don't worry. I'll be back soon."

With a gentle smile, Shui Ming'er turned into a blue streak and shot toward the core.

"Sis, do you think Aunt will be alright? I feel uneasy..."

Shui Yue'er looked at the withered grass, cracked earth, and rising black mist. Even while focusing on resisting the negativity, her usual liveliness was gone.

Anyone would feel pressured in such an environment—Shui Yue'er was no exception.

Chapter 189: Tenfold Power in Darkness

"She should be fine. Aunt is a Soul Sage and has her Martial Soul Avatar. Even if she can't win, she can escape."

Shui Bing'er shook her head. Though she felt a vague sense of dread, she attributed it to the constant negative energy.

Just then, from a distant valley, a terrifying burst of cold erupted—a blue ice arrow shot across the sky, leaving a deep scar of ice.

The chilling cold made even Shui Bing'er, with her Ice Phoenix spirit, shudder.

"Bing'er, run! Don't look back, there is—!"

A powerful soul force surged, Shui Ming'er's voice echoing from afar.

But in the next instant, her voice was abruptly cut off. At the same time, her soul power vanished—as if snuffed out.

Sensing Shui Ming'er's soul power and life force disappear, Shui Bing'er's pupils contracted in disbelief.

"Aunt!" The disappearance of soul force and life—everyone knew what that meant.

All the Skywater Team members looked shocked. Shui Yue'er wailed in grief, tears streaming down her face.

"Go!" Despite her sorrow, Shui Bing'er held onto her reason.

She grabbed Shui Yue'er, spread her ice wings, and fled at full speed.

The sudden loss left everyone red-eyed with grief, but they didn't lose their heads. Obeying Shui Ming'er's final words, they escaped immediately.

Boom!

Not long after they left, a flaming object streaked down from the sky.

With a roar and explosion, a shockwave blasted a huge crater in the earth.

Scorching flames swept out, melting the ground into boiling magma—a scene of heat and destruction.

Within the smoke and heat, a tall figure shrouded in black gas could be vaguely seen.

Deep in the valley, thick black mist condensed into a pitch-black throne.

Seated on the throne was a white-haired youth, his hand propping up his chin, eyes closed. Pale cheeks were marked with black cracks, giving him a demonic and sinister air—like a demon king from the abyss.

Nearby, a lifelike ice statue stood silently.

Inside the ice, Shui Ming'er's face was frozen in shock and terror, a gaping hole in her chest where her lifeforce had been drained.

Not far away, a pink-haired girl, also shrouded in black mist and marked with black cracks, expressionlessly lowered her bow. As she closed her eyes, the chilling air gradually faded, leaving only deathly silence.

Deeper in the black mist, several blurry figures flickered in the darkness.

At the same time, all kinds of negative energies—murderous intent, resentment, death energy, evil aura, yin energy, demonic energy—rushed from the earth, converging here like a tidal wave.

"How interesting!"

On a mountain peak not far away, Lu Jingming quietly watched the black throne—and the figure that looked exactly like himself—his eyes full of curiosity.

Then, his gaze shifted to the pink-haired girl who had just shot down Shui Ming'er—his expression grew odd.

"So this is what they call 'ten times stronger when darkened'? Even March 7th herself couldn't beat this, right?"

Lu Jingming was sure that if March 7th faced this negative-energy doppelganger, she'd be utterly crushed.

After all, the negative-energy constructs were intimately connected to him; he knew how overwhelmingly strong they were.

"You're right. Planting the World Tree on this planet, letting its branches merge with the earth veins, manifesting all the negative energy accumulated over countless years, then having the soul masters purify it into positive energy—this can indeed accelerate the planet's evolution."

The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's figure appeared, also watching the black-misted valley with a sigh.

From the planet's perspective, Lu Jingming's actions were highly beneficial.

By drawing out and purifying the planet's long-accumulated negative energy, and transforming it into life force, the planet's growth would be accelerated.

However, for the beings and civilizations living here, this was far from friendly.

After all, this negative energy was produced by the intelligent life of the planet.

Oppressed commoners, hunted soul beasts—all harbored deep resentment, both in life and death.

These negative energies always existed; most people simply couldn't perceive or use them.

Lu Jingming, however, planted the World Tree, turning its branches into veins to draw this energy to the surface.

He did this purely to condense a divine position, with ambitions far beyond even a first-level god.

Take Poseidon, for example—he spent a thousand years gathering faith from the sea to become a first-level god. The Angel God did the same with faith from the continent.

Lu Jingming, however, dismissed first-level divinity—his minimum goal was God King.

So he set his sights on the planet itself.

Herta's research revealed that the God Realm was essentially a gathering of sentient thought, intangible and in another dimension. Faith is a form of sentient thought.

Thus, god positions formed from faith could only reside in the God Realm, since it is compatible with faith.

Because the God Realm is a formless world of thought, it was swept into a black hole by a spatial storm, while the solid planet remained unaffected.

On either version of Douluo Continent, collecting faith was slow and difficult.

Even unifying both continents wouldn't let Lu Jingming condense a God King position quickly—it would take over a century.

He had no patience for such a long wait. Third-level godhood could be achieved faster, but that was far beneath his ambitions.

Finally, with research from Herta and Möbius, he found a shortcut.

Since the planet itself has an awareness, it can provide sentient thought and faith.

While Douluo Star's will is only instinctual, it can still select chosen ones, proving it is a special form of life.

Like the Dragon-Horse Twin Stars' Long Tianyang, which developed intellect and will.

Douluo Star's will was not as powerful, and lacked self-awareness, so it couldn't actively worship a god and provide massive faith.

So Lu Jingming devised a mutually beneficial method.

He helps the planet evolve, and its will instinctively feels gratitude, feeding him sentient thought and luck.

He could then use this to condense his divine position.

In just a few months, through the World Tree manifested by the Stigmata, he had successfully planted it on the planet—this was the root cause of the continent's recent upheavals.

Using the soul masters to clear the planet's negative energy, thereby pushing its evolution, Lu Jingming only needed to wait patiently for the harvest.

It was estimated that once enough negative energy was cleared and converted, Douluo Star would directly evolve, becoming a semi-divine realm. The continent's power ceiling would rise beyond Title Douluo.

By then, the power fed back would be enough to help Lu Jingming condense a God King-level life and wisdom divinity.

He chose this parallel Douluo Star to execute his plan because the gods of this world's God Realm weren't so nosy—none watched a single Douluo Continent closely.

The God Realm governed a vast star system, with many high-level planes like Douluo.

Nobody would bother monitoring Douluo Star all the time.

Even the Former God of Asura and the Sea God who left inheritances only left a trace of divine sense, which only activated for inheritance matters, not for anything else.

So Lu Jingming could act boldly here, stirring up trouble as he pleased.

But in his original Douluo Continent, that wouldn't work—because an idle God King Tang San was always watching!

Chapter 190: Huo Wu and the Others Are Shocked

At the beginning, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was actually opposed to Lu Jingming's plan, since this approach would inevitably lead to the loss of many lives.

After all, for negative energy to be transformed, it must rely on the World Tree's memory abilities to give the energy a tangible, physical form.

Only then can the World Tree turn slain negative energy monsters into positive energy.

But monsters created from pure negative energy are deeply hostile toward sentient beings—this malice is no joke.

Moreover, the negative energy that the planet has accumulated over countless years could very well give rise to god-level monsters.

At that point, if gods of the same level don't intervene, the Douluo Continent might genuinely face extinction.

Additionally, monsters formed of negative energy often possess far greater combat power than other beings of the same level—even gods are no exception.

It's just like how evil Soul Masters are generally stronger than normal Soul Masters at the same rank.

Naturally, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was firmly against a plan that, if it spiraled out of control, could destroy the world.

After all, caring human is the core principle for the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Raiden Makoto.

Even though the humans here aren't from their original world, they still couldn't bear to see needless suffering.

However, Lu Jingming made a promise: he would have the World Tree collect the memories and souls of those who died tragically, so they could enjoy happy lives in the virtual world created by Herta.

Compared to suffering endlessly in reality, being able to live happily in a virtual world was at least some comfort.

Although Makoto and the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata were compassionate, they weren't inflexible.

After weighing the pros and cons, they ultimately agreed to Lu Jingming's plan and decided to help him.

As for why the contamination zone encountered by Skywater Academy was so unusual—with all the monsters being humanoid and modeled after the Golden Guards, Lu Jingming, and others—that was due to the planet's instinctive choices.

The prototypes for these monsters came not only from the planet's own memories but also from Lu Jingming's memories.

Thus, the monsters in these contamination zones included not only famous historical soul masters and soul beasts, but also all sorts of strange and unique creatures.

The planet's will also had its own instinctive desires—it wished to evolve as soon as possible, so it chose to gather massive amounts of negative energy together to try to create a super-large contamination zone.

In this way, it could clear out a huge amount of negative energy at once, converting it into positive energy to accelerate the planet's evolution.

And because of its instinctive affinity for Lu Jingming, the planet used his Haiyuan City as the template when forming this contamination zone.

The black-armored soldiers Shui Bing'er and her group encountered were actually the Golden Guards of Haiyuan City.

Whether Douluo Continent's people could clear this contamination zone would depend on the abilities of the soul masters.

The planet's will wouldn't consider such complex factors; it only followed its instinct to evolve.

"If you don't hurry, even stronger monsters will show up!" Lu Jingming couldn't help but mourn for the soul master world for three seconds.

With Haiyuan City as the template, this contamination zone might even spawn evil versions of Dan Heng, Changli, Jingliu, and Herta.

At that point, what could the Spirit Hall and the two great empires do to fight back?

Of course, Lu Jingming wasn't worried that things would become truly unmanageable.

He had his own plans. Even if the Spirit Hall and the two empires failed to handle the situation and let the contamination zone grow unchecked, he would have his own countermeasures.

Besides, he'd come mostly for fun and wouldn't intervene unless things went completely out of control.

Originally, he just wanted to watch the soul master tournament and see, firsthand, people and events he'd only read about in novels in his previous life.

However, after arriving in this world via the Cosmic Juggernaut Inverted Horizons, he inexplicably felt a pull that led him to this contamination zone, where he happened to witness Shui Bing'er and her group entering.

He even saw Blackened March 7th kill a Soul Sage in one shot with an arrow.

Bear in mind, Blackened March 7th was only at the Soul Emperor level.

Though the original March 7th now had the strength to defeat a Soul Sage too, her attacks were nowhere near as decisive as her blackened counterpart.

Lu Jingming, finding this interesting, recorded Blackened March 7th's powerful strike, already planning to mess the real March 7th with it later—just imagining her shocked face made him grin.

…

In Heaven Dou City, the city guards spotted Shui Bing'er and her group hurrying over and immediately became alert, raising their spears and preparing for trouble.

While they didn't think anyone would actually attack Heaven Dou City, it was their duty to be cautious—any mistake could be disastrous.

As Shui Bing'er's group approached the gate, they slowed down and showed their passes.

Once the guards confirmed their identities, they relaxed their vigilance and let them enter the city.

Even though they knew Shui Ming'er was most likely doomed, the group still held onto a sliver of hope—maybe Shui Ming'er was still alive, waiting for rescue.

"Are those the contestants from Skywater Academy? They're really beautiful, especially the leader—she looks like a goddess descended to earth. If I could marry her, that'd be amazing!"

One guard gazed longingly at Shui Bing'er's group.

"Stop dreaming—they're all soul masters!" another guard snapped.

They were just ordinary soldiers, not even close to the level of a soul master—how could they possibly attract the attention of Skywater Academy's female soul masters?

"True, but what happened to them? They look like they've just been crying. Who would dare bully Skywater Academy's students?" the first guard asked in confusion.

Skywater Academy was all-female, with plenty of admirers and strong backing. Who could possibly have the guts?

"Hey, isn't that Shui Bing'er and her group? Why are they in such a rush?"

Huo Wu, a red-haired girl out shopping, noticed them and looked puzzled.

"It really is them. What happened?"

Feng Xiaotian, who had tagged along with Huo Wu, also noticed and was curious.

"Let's follow and see—something must have happened!" Huo Wushuang said seriously.

He noticed that the usually calm Shui Bing'er had red eyes and an anxious look, and the academy's teacher was nowhere in sight—a bad feeling crept up.

"Come on, back to the hotel—they're heading that way."

Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian sensed something was wrong, lost interest in shopping, and hurried after them.

…

"What did you say? Your aunt—!"

As soon as they returned to the hotel, Huo Wu heard the team leader, Huo Lin, exclaim in shock.

"What happened?" The arrival of Shui Bing'er's group drew a crowd, and Huo Lin's outburst made everyone curious.

What could unnerve a Soul Sage-level powerhouse so badly, even to the point of tears?

"What do you mean? Ming'er—how could this be? I don't believe it!"

Not just Huo Lin—even Feng Ying, the teacher from God Wind Academy, appeared with a look of disbelief.

Soon, Huo Wu, Feng Xiaotian, and the others learned what had happened.

Once they heard that Skywater Academy's teacher Shui Ming'er had likely perished, they understood Huo Lin and Feng Ying's reactions.

After all, many knew that Huo Lin and Feng Ying were both suitors of Shui Ming'er, and had fought over her many times.

"I have to save Ming'er—she's still waiting for us, she'll be fine!"

Huo Lin had lost all composure, thinking only of saving Shui Ming'er.

"You idiot, calm down! If Ming'er couldn't make it out, you'd just be throwing your life away!" Feng Ying, though also anxious, remained rational and didn't act rashly.

He knew he and Huo Lin were about equal in strength to Shui Ming'er.

According to Shui Bing'er, Shui Ming'er was probably defeated instantly, without any chance to resist.

Given the enemy's terrifying power, even if he and Huo Lin went together, they'd just be walking to their deaths.

The priority was to seek stronger help.

In Heaven Dou City, the only help Feng Ying could think of was the royal family or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Besides, with a contamination zone appearing near the city, the Heaven Dou Empire would never ignore it.

As for returning to the academy for reinforcements, it was too far—the Soul Douluo would arrive too late, and by then, it would all be over.

Even if Shui Ming'er was still alive, being trapped so long in the contamination zone, she'd likely be corrupted into a monster.

Feng Ying, knowing Huo Lin was emotionally unstable, tried to calm him down.

Then, Feng Ying left with Shui Bing'er to seek help, while Shui Yue'er and the others stayed behind.

Huo Wu and her group hurried over to find out what happened.

When they heard that Skywater Academy had encountered a newly formed contamination zone and even Shui Ming'er was lost, Huo Wu and the others gasped in shock.

What kind of terrifying contamination zone could instantly kill a strong Soul Sage, leaving no chance to escape?

Shui Ming'er was no ordinary person—she was one of Skywater Academy's top experts, and could survive even against Soul Douluo.

Yet she died without even activating her Martial Soul True Body—unbelievable.