DD Black White [190-192] (Patreon)

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.

Chapter 191: Qian Renxue

News that Skywater Academy lost a Soul Sage in the new contamination zone spread like wildfire throughout Heaven Dou City—a bombshell.

This was intentional on Feng Ying's part.

He hoped to attract more powerful soul masters to the contamination zone—only then might there be a chance to rescue Shui Ming'er, if she was still alive.

Though he knew this hope was slim, at the very least, they could avenge her.

On the top floor of a large, three-story restaurant, a handsome blond youth stood by the window, calmly watching the busy street below.

He exuded natural elegance and nobility in every movement.

Beside him stood a thin, middle-aged man in golden armor, asking in a deep voice, "Young master, should I go clear out that contamination zone? Such a special contamination zone might produce rare treasures."

This blond youth was Xue Qinghe, crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire—Qian Renxue in disguise.

She shook her head slightly. "No need, Uncle She. You're not suited for this. Others will handle it—we'll just watch."

She wasn't interested in any treasures that might show up after clearing the contamination zone.

As both crown prince and heir to Spirit Hall, she'd seen all kinds of treasures; such things held little appeal.

"Hmm?" Suddenly, Xue Qinghe's gaze caught sight of a passing figure on the street, and a trace of surprise flashed in her eyes.

"Young master, what is it?" The slightly chubby, Porcupine Douluo, Ci Xue, asked.

Xue Qinghe's face showed interest. "I saw an intriguing person. Uncle Ci Xue, please invite him over—and be polite."

She was clearly more interested in the person than the contamination zone.

"Understood!"

Porcupine Douluo instantly locked onto the person with his Titled Douluo-level spiritual power and vanished in a blur.

…

Lu Jingming sensed a powerful gaze locking onto him and instinctively turned to the restaurant he'd just passed.

He was used to being stared at because of his looks and aura, but this was different—he was being targeted by spiritual pressure.

"A Titled Douluo!" Lu Jingming immediately recognized the strength of this spiritual power.

There were only a handful of Titled Douluos in Heaven Dou City—Poison Douluo, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, maybe Clear Sky Douluo. Who was interested in a mere Soul Emperor like him?

"Young man, my young master would like to see you. Please come with me."

Seeing the Porcupine Douluo block his way, Lu Jingming realized—he'd forgotten about the two hidden Titled Douluos in Heaven Dou City, and this was one of them.

"What if I say no?" Lu Jingming tilted his head, a faintly amused and provocative look in his eyes.

Porcupine Douluo regarded him with surprise. He'd deliberately released some soul power to intimidate, but it seemed to have no effect.

Looking carefully, Porcupine Douluo understood why his young master was so interested in this ordinary white-haired youth.

It wasn't only Lu Jingming's extraordinary looks—his noble, confident bearing and inner pride were on par with Xue Qinghe.

That was rare, considering his young master's background as both Spirit Hall heir and imperial crown prince.

"If that's the case, you'll have to forgive my rudeness," Porcupine Douluo said. If not for Xue Qinghe's explicit instructions, he would've just seized Lu Jingming.

Since Lu Jingming refused, he'd have to use force.

"Interesting—let's go." Just as Porcupine Douluo was about to act, Lu Jingming suddenly smiled and agreed, nearly making the Douluo stumble.

"Good kid, follow me!" Porcupine Douluo twitched but wasn't angry. After all, this was someone his young master was interested in.

Lu Jingming followed, eyes narrowed in curiosity.

Meeting the future Angel God, Qian Renxue, wasn't a bad idea—it might be entertaining.

They crossed the bustling street, entered the three-story restaurant, and went to the luxurious top-floor suite.

As soon as he entered, Lu Jingming saw Xue Qinghe—elegant, noble, yet gentle.

Looking at Xue Qinghe, Lu Jingming marveled inwardly: hard to believe under this male disguise was a stunning beauty.

Qian Renxue was a prodigy—able to hide for years as Xue Qinghe, with wisdom and patience. But at crucial moments, she always seemed to make mistakes.

Spirit Hall's downfall was largely due to Qian Renxue's love-stricken nature and occasional lapses in judgment.

With nearly twenty Titled Douluos and seventy percent of the continent's ten thousand soul masters, Spirit Hall was overwhelmingly powerful.

Yet, because they played it too safe, they let their enemies grow—and ultimately lost.

Lu Jingming knew that Spirit Hall, with its power and prestige among commoners, was truly the uncrowned king of the Douluo Continent.

Yet such a mighty force ultimately fell.

If anyone else had led Spirit Hall, victory would have been almost certain. But, unfortunately, two love-struck women ended up in charge.

"This young man, forgive me for the sudden invitation. I just saw you in passing, and your extraordinary presence made me want to make your acquaintance."

Xue Qinghe smiled, stood, and gestured politely.

Lu Jingming knew this was just a facade; the real Qian Renxue was cold and aloof.

"So it's the Crown Prince. May I ask why you wanted to see me?" Lu Jingming sat down without ceremony, picked up a cup of tea, and took a sip.

He'd seen Xue Qinghe brew it himself—why not enjoy it? He wasn't afraid of poison.

Seeing this, a glint flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes. "Don't misunderstand. Since you know my identity, you must know I enjoy meeting talented people. At a glance, I could see you are exceptional—I'd like to make friends. May I ask where you're from?"

Xue Qinghe wasn't surprised Lu Jingming knew his identity—he was famous in Heaven Dou City and throughout the continent.

"So, you're recruiting me? But I'm from the Star Luo Empire!" Lu Jingming teased, bored and looking for fun.

He wasn't lying; in the parallel world, he would indeed be from the Star Luo Empire.

Xue Qinghe froze, not expecting such a direct answer, nor that Lu Jingming would declare himself from a rival nation.

Knowing Lu Jingming wasn't lying only made him more interesting.

Everyone knew Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires were rivals, often at war if not for Spirit Hall's mediation.

Yet, Lu Jingming was more composed than the prince himself—Xue Qinghe didn't believe that was mere arrogance.

He was sure Lu Jingming wasn't stupid—no idiot could have that aura. His curiosity only deepened.

"I've told you my identity, but may I ask your name? You look young—no elders with you?"

Xue Qinghe began to probe.

With Porcupine Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo at hand, she was sure there were no other strong backers nearby.

Chapter 192: Princess Xue Ke

"My surname is Lu, given name Jingming. As for elders, I'm confident enough in my own strength."

Lu Jingming smiled, making a casual gesture as if holding the universe at his fingertips.

Xue Qinghe was briefly taken aback, then chuckled.

Given Lu Jingming's age, probably not yet an adult, how strong could he really be?

But the aura couldn't be faked, and his clothes and storage soul guide were all of the highest quality—on par with royal standards.

Yet, the surname Lu... Xue Qinghe searched his memory but couldn't recall any major family named Lu in the Star Luo Empire.

He guessed Lu Jingming must be from some hidden Sect or sect—a common occurrence on the vast continent.

After a brief but deep conversation, Xue Qinghe confirmed Lu Jingming was traveling alone, with no guards.

From his speech and knowledge—even of secrets known only to top forces—Xue Qinghe was convinced Lu Jingming had a powerful, ancient background.

For example, when Xue Qinghe mentioned an obscure topic only top powers would know, Lu Jingming responded fluently.

That alone proved Lu Jingming's extraordinary upbringing—almost certainly from a hidden Sect in the Star Luo Empire.

Of course, with Spirit Hall behind him, Xue Qinghe didn't think anyone could surpass his own backing.

But that didn't stop him from wanting to win Lu Jingming over—having another potential ally was always good.

Especially after Porcupine Douluo reported that Lu Jingming shrugged off his soul power pressure.

Even if it wasn't full strength, a Titled Douluo's pressure was not something an ordinary youth could ignore.

For Lu Jingming to do so at such a young age showed his confidence had solid backing.

As they chatted over tea, the door was gently knocked.

"Come in!" Xue Qinghe frowned, then quickly regained his gentle demeanor.

A girl with short golden hair entered—the epitome of youthful beauty.

She blurted, "Big brother Crown Prince, I heard there's a contamination zone outside the city, and lots of people are going. I want to go too!"

But when she spotted Lu Jingming, she paused, then blushed, quickly saying, "Sorry, I didn't know you had a guest."

"It's fine, little sister. This is Lu Jingming, my friend—not an outsider," Xue Qinghe said, skillfully closing the distance.

Though they'd just met, he made it sound like they were old friends.

"Mr. Lu, I was rude just now!" Xue Ke recalled her behavior and blushed deeper.

She had been trained in royal etiquette and now greeted Lu Jingming with elegant manners.

"No problem, Your Highness. Your straightforwardness is refreshing," Lu Jingming replied.

He knew Princess Xue Ke was beloved in Heaven Dou Empire—even Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, treated her as a real sister.

He was curious how Xue Ke would react if she ever learned Xue Qinghe's true identity.

Of course, he wouldn't stir up trouble just for fun.

"Since you're my brother's friend, there's no need for formality—just call me Xue Ke," she said sweetly.

Xue Qinghe was surprised—Xue Ke was spoiled by the emperor and could be willful. Few people got special treatment from her.

But seeing Lu Jingming's looks, he understood—even he'd been stunned at first sight.

Xue Ke wasn't just a superficial admirer of beauty, but with Lu Jingming's status and looks, it made sense.

"What have you heard, little sister?" Xue Qinghe asked.

"I heard Skywater Academy lost a Soul Sage in the contamination zone, and the Royal Academy's three deans are involved. Even Ning Sect Master is interested. That's why I wanted to see for myself—I've never seen a contamination zone."

Xue Ke clung to Xue Qinghe's arm, acting cute, making him helpless.

"Since even my teacher is going, let's go have a look. Lu Jingming, would you like to join us?"

"Of course—how could I miss such excitement?" Lu Jingming replied.

He knew things would only get more interesting at the contamination zone.

"Alright, let's go find teacher. Contamination zones can be very dangerous; we must be careful," Xue Qinghe said with a smile.

He knew Porcupine Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo couldn't act openly, or else risk exposing themselves.

It was safer to stick with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect group, protected by Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.

Soon, Xue Qinghe led Lu Jingming and Xue Ke to Ning Fengzhi, who was about to set out with the Sword and Bone Douluos.

Porcupine Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo didn't follow—they couldn't hide from Sword and Bone Douluo.

Xue Qinghe explained his intention to join, and Ning Fengzhi readily agreed. "Very well, let's go together."

Ning Fengzhi was satisfied with Xue Qinghe as a student.

He'd taken him in as a long-term investment—if Xue Qinghe became emperor, the sect would reap immense rewards.

Originally, he hadn't wanted to get too involved with the empire, but the Clear Sky Sect's actions had forced him to bind the sect more closely to the empire to resist Spirit Hall.

When the previous Spirit Hall Pope was killed by Clear Sky Douluo, Spirit Hall retaliated.

The three great Sects—the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, and Clear Sky Sect—formed an alliance.

But at the last minute, Clear Sky Sect backed out, closing its doors and abandoning its allies.

This left the other two to face Spirit Hall alone.

Thus, Ning Fengzhi had no choice but to take on Xue Qinghe as a disciple, deepening ties with the empire.

Lu Jingming looked at Ning Fengzhi, the elegant, white-robed man, with a hint of irony.

Ning Fengzhi's luck was truly poor—first betrayed by Clear Sky, then mistaking Xue Qinghe's identity.

The sect pinned all its hopes on Xue Qinghe, never knowing he was actually Qian Renxue.

Ning Fengzhi's judgment was questionable—trusting Clear Sky, taking in Xue Qinghe, later siding with Tang San—each decision seemed flawed.

In the end, the sect paid a heavy price: Sword and Bone Douluo died, and the sect was decimated.

Even a thousand years later, the sect was little more than a footnote—its only legacy was Ning Rongrong becoming a god, but the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's line was lost.

And gods couldn't intervene in the mortal realm, so Ning Rongrong's ascension brought no real benefit.

After their investment in Xue Qinghe, the eventual emperor Xue Beng had no reason to favor the sect.

In short, every choice the sect made was a net loss—Ning Fengzhi's judgment was truly questionable.

Despite their early advantage, losing Sword and Bone Douluo left them weak in a strength-based world.

As for hoping Tang San would repay them—he didn't even care about his own Tang Sect legacy, let alone the sect's fate.

In fact, the secret inheritance was left in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's immortal herbs—and Lu Jingming now had those records, though he wasn't interested.