DD Black White [285-286] (Patreon)

Chapter 285: Shangguan Wei'er Seeks Refuge

"Looks like I've been found out after all."

Tang Wutong showed a hint of helplessness, then explained, "I've recovered my childhood memories. My name isn't Wang Dong'er anymore. I'm Tang Wutong—that's my real name."

"Tang Wutong? Surname Tang."

Hearing this, Bei Bei and the others couldn't help exchanging glances.

Wang Dong'er was from the Clear Sky Sect, which was originally the Tang family's sect, so bearing the surname Tang was only natural—having been surnamed Wang before was what seemed odd.

But… is she really the same Wang Dong'er as before?

 Recovering childhood memories, reverting to her original name, and yet changing so drastically—can that be normal?

 Wang Dong'er's character had been tenacious, proud, independent, and meticulous. The Tang Wutong before them, however, radiated more of a naive liveliness, an innocent curiosity toward everything around her. The gap between the two was simply too large.

Suppressing their doubts, Xiao Xiao and the others reluctantly accepted Tang Wutong's explanation and changed how they addressed her—no longer "Dong'er," but "Wutong."

At the same time, they learned Tang Wutong was also a Master; her Servant, Vita, happened to be sisters with Sparkle, and the two got along famously.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiao and the others wore odd expressions; their gazes toward Tang Wutong also carried a touch of sympathy.

To be able to play so well with someone as flighty and fun-seeking as Sparkle—and even be called sisters—was this graceful, elegant Miss Vita truly normal?

Moreover, Tang Wutong's obvious dependence on Vita stirred even more suspicion in Xiao Xiao and the others.

After all, the former Wang Dong'er had been extremely independent and stubborn—it was impossible for her to rely on others like this.

Next, on the way to registering in Mingdu with the Shrek Academy and Clear Sky Sect groups, Tang Wutong's behavior along the road chilled Xiao Xiao and the others even more.

She showed strong curiosity about everything in Mingdu, her eyes brimming with a desire to explore; yet when she looked at anyone, there was a faint sense of distance in her gaze, as if others existed in a different world from hers, separated by an unbridgeable chasm.

That innate aloofness, buried in her very bones, sent a nameless chill through them.

This was definitely not the Wang Dong'er they remembered.

Wang Dong'er had been proud too, but that came from confidence in her own strength and respect for the strong—never this sort of lofty disdain that treated everyone else as dust.

Watching Tang Wutong's demeanor and bearing—so utterly unlike before—Xiao Xiao silently lowered her head, her eyes full of loss and confusion.

Bei Bei clenched his fists tightly, knuckles turning pale, while Jiang Nannan lowered her gaze, long lashes hiding the complex emotions in her eyes.

…

Mingdu's sunlight was still bright, its streets still bustling, but a faint gloom seemed to settle over the hearts of the Shrek crowd.

Lu Jingming did not immediately lead the group to the Sun–Moon Empire's Mingdu Grand Hotel that was receiving the academies competing in the tournament.

After all, not everyone traveling with them were competitors or leading instructors. By the rules, the rest had no right to lodge in the hotel prepared specifically for the event.

Only those chosen by Lu Jingming himself—contestants like Wang Qiu'er—and the team instructor, Jingliu, could cross the threshold of the Mingdu Grand Hotel.

As for the others, if they weren't on the roster, they had to find their own inns or hotels.

That said, Lu Jingming did have some foothold within Mingdu.

"Yingying, it's been a while. You've worked hard these days."

Before a secluded three-story townhouse in the city, Lu Jingming looked warmly at the white-haired girl waiting there and spoke.

The white-haired girl was Ji Yingying, the Yama of the Wuchang Division. For years, she had led the Wuchang Division to operate covertly in Mingdu, rendering great service to Haiyuan City.

Standing by Ji Yingying's side was a girl with long pink hair and tan skin—Na Na.

She was currently studying Lu Jingming with curious eyes. Though she had long heard many legends about this city lord and had been repeatedly instructed to serve loyally, this was her first time seeing him in person.

"Xiao Ming!"

At the sight of Lu Jingming, the icy gaze that had been like ten-thousand-year-old glacial frost in Ji Yingying's eyes softened in an instant. The change was so stark it was like a lifeless doll suddenly gaining warmth and turning into a living girl.

Seeing this, Na Na looked stunned.

Having followed Ji Yingying for a long time, she knew better than anyone how ruthless the cold-blooded Wuchang Douluo could be.

For Ji Yingying, not to mention wearing such a gentle expression, even speaking normally with others was already rare.

Under Na Na's wide-eyed stare, Lu Jingming stepped forward, gently took Ji Yingying's small hand, and the two walked side by side into the townhouse.

Na Na stood there dumbfounded, her mind replaying the slight flush on Ji Yingying's earlobes just now. Her worldview felt like it was shattering—how was this the fearsome Wuchang Douluo? She was clearly a lovestruck maiden!

"Everyone, please follow me."

Na Na's daze lasted only an instant. She quickly remembered her duty, bowed, and led Gu Yue and the others into the house.

This townhouse was provided by the Common Alliance and was one of the Wuchang Division's bases in Mingdu—always well-hidden.

Of course, after this, its secrecy would likely be blown.

After all, with Lu Jingming and his group striding in openly, the Sun–Moon Empire's spies watching from the shadows weren't fools; they would certainly notice something.

But Lu Jingming had no intention of hiding.

He knew that after this Holy Grail War ended, the Wuchang Division had no need to continue operating in Mingdu—this place was now rife with danger.

He could almost be certain that once the soul master tournament concluded, Xu Tiannan would launch war without hesitation.

Whether or not Xu Tiannan's current plan succeeded—netting all the forces attending the tournament and the Masters and Servants participating in the Holy Grail War—so long as he had the strength after, he would never pass up the chance to wage a unification war.

In that case, what had once been a relatively safe Wuchang Division would, if it remained in Mingdu, undoubtedly become a prime target for Xu Tiannan's crackdown.

As for their ally, the Common Alliance, they could only fend for themselves now. Whether they could read the current situation would depend on that woman Shangguan Wei'er's judgment.

Speak of the devil.

Barely had Lu Jingming settled into the base when Shangguan Wei'er, the leader of the Common Alliance, arrived to pay a visit.

"City Lord Lu, I suppose this is our first official meeting? A hero in the bloom of youth indeed—City Lord Lu truly seems like a celestial descended to earth, with extraordinary bearing."

Shangguan Wei'er wore flowing red, her black hair cascading like a waterfall, her features dazzlingly beautiful. She looked like a maiden in the flower of her youth—bewitching and alluring.

Even Lu Jingming, who was used to seeing beautiful women, had to admit that this leader Shangguan did indeed possess striking charms.

Shangguan Wei'er felt the same. Although she had seen photos of Lu Jingming, seeing him in person still drew a sigh of admiration.

In both looks and temperament, Lu Jingming stood head and shoulders above any man she had seen.

Even the regent Xu Tiannan, who had seized great power despite his disability, seemed inferior to Lu Jingming by a margin.

"Leader Shangguan, there's no need for flattery. I assume you didn't come just to praise me."

Lu Jingming's expression was calm.

Being praised by a great beauty was pleasant enough, but Shangguan Wei'er was old enough to be his mother; besides, he'd heard so much praise over the years that the novelty had long worn off.

"Very well. City Lord Lu is indeed straightforward, so I'll get to the point. I want to bring the Common Alliance under your banner and leave Mingdu—leave the Sun–Moon Empire."

Shangguan Wei'er's expression tightened; fear flickered in her eyes as she spoke in a low voice.

At that, even Lu Jingming couldn't help being stunned, staring at her in disbelief.

After all, the Common Alliance was no small force. It was one of Mingdu's three major underground organizations, backed by the Sun–Moon Empire's nobility, thriving within the empire's borders.

Even after the Evening Water Alliance, supported by the Holy Spirit Cult, rose to challenge them and seized much territory and business, the Common Alliance remained a formidable behemoth.

And yet, the controller of this behemoth—a smooth, high-society Titled Douluo—was proposing to submit to him, a city lord from another empire. It was almost absurd—downright surreal.

Lu Jingming shook his head, wondering if he'd misheard. "Leader Shangguan, you're sure this isn't a joke?"

"City Lord Lu, I, Wei'er, would never jest about this. You don't know—the man Xu Tiannan has gone mad. I don't want to stay in Mingdu for another moment."

Shangguan Wei'er donned a pitiful, teary-eyed look—delicate and heart-rending.

That instantly chilled Gu Yue's eyes.

Not only Gu Yue—Ji Yingying, guarding Lu Jingming's side, also fixed Shangguan Wei'er with a cold stare.

Sensing the icy gazes converging on her, Shangguan Wei'er stiffened slightly, put away the pitiful act, and returned to normal—as if the previous display had been an illusion.

No wonder she could swim the noble circles of Mingdu for years—her acting was immaculate.

Naturally, Lu Jingming wasn't going to take her words at face value.

He did have the idea of bringing the Common Alliance under his control—after all, they were talented people, and talent was what Haiyuan City lacked most.

But his original plan had been to wait for Ye Guyi to mature, then use her strength to intervene when the Common Alliance hit a rough patch—mixing favor and threat to bring them in step by step—not to have them abruptly offer themselves up like this.

"Leader Shangguan, speak plainly. Only by being honest can we build trust."

Lu Jingming's fingers lightly tapped the tabletop. His tone was mild, but it pressed on Shangguan Wei'er.

She had wanted to banter as usual, but with those cold gazes pinning her, she stiffened and obediently explained, "City Lord Lu, as you know, the Common Alliance controls most of Mingdu's entertainment and dining. In our line of work, we're very sensitive to this city's darker undercurrents."

Her tone seemed calm, but Lu Jingming still caught a trace of deep-seated fear in her seemingly placid face.

As she spoke on, Lu Jingming's brows knitted tighter and tighter.

It seemed Xu Tiannan hadn't only moved against forces outside Mingdu and the Jingyang Mountains—he hadn't spared those within Mingdu either.

Among the Common Alliance's rank and file, many had recently gone missing.

Though they were nobodies—street thugs and the like—Shangguan Wei'er was keen enough to sense something was wrong.

Through her connections, she vaguely discovered that the upper crust of the Sun–Moon Empire—including several great nobles she frequented—had undergone eerie personality shifts, becoming unrecognizable.

The entire upper echelon of the empire, save for a few, seemed to have fallen, without anyone noticing, under the control of an invisible hand.

Shangguan Wei'er excelled at reading people. She noticed that nobles who usually cherished their lives had suddenly become especially bold of late, carrying a near self-destructive inclination—and, more than that, a desire to destroy everything.

This bizarre change had even spread to those at the helm of the empire's vital apparatus—some ninth-rank soul engineers included.

And while the regent Xu Tiannan seemed normal on the surface, every time she faced him, Shangguan Wei'er could feel a bone-deep terror.

She knew the Sun–Moon Empire had changed—and so had Mingdu.

If she didn't act now, there might be no chance later.

So, using the tournament as a cover, Shangguan Wei'er decisively chose to cling to a powerful thigh.

Within the empire, she had no one left she could trust. She could only turn to Haiyuan City, their former underground ally.

Lu Jingming listened quietly, fingers still tapping the table, mind racing.

"You want to throw in with me? Not impossible."

He spoke slowly. "But I need to know—what can you offer me? And why do you think I'd risk offending the Sun–Moon Empire to take in your Common Alliance?"

Joy flashed in Shangguan Wei'er's eyes. She hurried to say, "City Lord Lu, the Common Alliance has operated in Mingdu for many years. Our intelligence network and connections across industries are not something ordinary factions can match. If we join Haiyuan City, all of that can be yours. We also control a great many industries and assets in Mingdu—these can be our pledge of fealty. As for Xu Tiannan, his attention is on the tournament and the Holy Grail War right now. If we move quickly and leave before he reacts, he may not strike immediately. Besides, with your strength, would you really fear Xu Tiannan?"

As a long-time ally of Haiyuan City, she knew their strength well enough—hence her thought to take refuge with them and escape Mingdu, which to her had become a powder keg.

Lu Jingming neither agreed nor denied.

He knew that taking in the Common Alliance would indeed benefit Haiyuan City, and he didn't plan to refuse.

"Don't be hasty. Make your preparations. After the tournament, I'll contact you."

His tone was mild.

Though anxious, Shangguan Wei'er knew she could not press too hard. She nodded. "Very well. I'll await your word."

With that, she rose, took her leave, and departed the base.

Chapter 286: The Budding of a Godhood

Watching Shangguan Wei'er's figure recede until she vanished from sight, Lu Jingming fell into deep thought.

Accepting the Common Alliance would undoubtedly strengthen Haiyuan City overall.

At the same time, it would certainly draw more fire from the Sun–Moon Empire. But to Lu Jingming, that wasn't much to worry about.

"Can we really trust her?"

Gu Yue frowned slightly, full of doubt.

She found it hard to believe that the leader of a major force would so willingly abandon her hard-won power based on some baseless suspicions and intuition, and turn to a foreign power instead.

There had to be deeper reasons.

"She's definitely hiding something. But that she wants to submit to us is real. And her fear of Xu Tiannan isn't an act."

Lu Jingming's lips curved in a meaningful smile.

Working with the Lord Ravager was tantamount to digging your own grave. Those who walked the Path of Destruction were all madmen, filled with thoughts of annihilation—be it self-destruction or destroying others, it was commonplace to them.

In their eyes, civilization was a cancer that had to be excised.

Thus, Xu Tiannan was merely a tool to be used.

Shangguan Wei'er's behavior now confirmed that.

Those great nobles had likely been influenced by the ideology of destruction long ago—so much so they'd become completely different people.

A mere Xu Tiannan—no matter how brilliant and how much a born schemer—was like a firefly before the bright moon if set against the Lord Ravager. Even just a memory fragment of that being left him without any advantage.

Across endless years, the Lord Ravager had wiped out civilizations beyond counting and witnessed innumerable heroes.

Ambitious human warlords like Xu Tiannan, with such obvious weaknesses—the Lord Ravager had seen far too many.

Without exception, they all ended up as soldiers in the antimatter legion, paving the way for the cause of annihilation. Xu Tiannan would be no different.

Perhaps, right now, Xu Tiannan still believed he held the initiative, that everything was under his control.

But in truth, reality might be the opposite of what he imagined.

Shangguan Wei'er was fundamentally different from Jing Hongchen and the other elites of the Sun–Moon Empire.

She had clawed her way up from the bottom, mingled in noble circles for long years, and, since the Common Alliance dealt largely with the underclass, she was more sensitive to shifts in society's dark side.

Changes Jing Hongchen might not yet have noticed, Shangguan Wei'er had already keenly detected.

This was why she was so desperate to flee—even if it meant abandoning decades of hard-won gains in Mingdu.

What's more, the Common Alliance's decades of accumulation—money and resources—were all firmly in Shangguan Wei'er's hands.

Before leaving, she could even give the nobles a vicious parting blow.

So Lu Jingming could understand her choice.

Staying in Mingdu truly was like waiting for death.

After all, Shangguan Wei'er was a Titled Douluo. If she were thrown into the antimatter crucible, she would produce an excellent virtual trooper.

"Celenova—now that's a troublesome headache."

Lu Jingming narrowed his eyes. Despite his words, a faint, hard-to-detect excitement flashed in them. His fingertips tapped the armrest in a steady rhythm.

"Is that Celenova really so terrifying? We have an absolute advantage in power—do we need to worry that much?"

Gu Yue was confused. She really didn't understand why Lu Jingming held Celenova in such regard.

From what she knew, the forces Lu Jingming had arranged, both overt and covert, were terrifying—enough to sweep the entire Douluo Continent.

Openly, there was Jingliu—by Gu Yue's estimation, already at god-tier combat power.

In the shadows was Dan Heng, a dragon like her, but not the kind of dragon she knew—his strength was on par with Jingliu.

Add to that many other carefully laid arrangements, and Gu Yue couldn't see why Lu Jingming needed to go to such lengths.

With power like this, who could stand against them?

Moreover, with Lu Jingming's help, her true body had recovered most of its strength and could now leave the Star Dou Forest.

She could merge with her true body at any time and act as the Silver Dragon King herself.

With such strength, it was like a dragon landing on a chessboard—Gu Yue could not imagine how they could lose.

"You're not wrong. In terms of outcome, it's unlikely we'll lose. But trouble is inevitable. Think of Celenova as a super-enhanced Robin—one extremely specialized for combat."

Lu Jingming tried to use Robin as an analogy to help Gu Yue grasp how fearsome Celenova was.

Gu Yue fell silent at that.

Robin's terrifying support abilities were something even she had to admit were powerful.

Even the Emerald Swan Bi Ji—ranked fourth among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts—couldn't compare in support.

Robin also possessed the power of Harmonization: understanding, supporting, coordinating—these were just surface manifestations.

Deeper still, Harmonization encompassed assimilation, fusion, and collectivization.

And Celenova was a super-enhanced version of Robin.

The strange changes Shangguan Wei'er had noticed among the Sun–Moon Empire's nobles were precisely the result of Celenova's ideology assimilating them.

They had begun to understand destruction, support destruction, coordinate with destruction; given time, they would throw themselves into destruction and become part of it—only a matter of time.

Perhaps Celenova had only just begun to act, so those people were currently only at the stages of understanding and supporting destruction.

But as time passed, the next steps would inevitably be coordination and total commitment.

Robin wouldn't forcibly assimilate others. She would, by sincerity of idea and songs that resonated with people, win recognition.

Celenova, however, was not so courteous. She would impose her doctrine by any means necessary.

Thus, the changes among the Sun–Moon Empire's upper circles did not surprise Lu Jingming.

"Things are getting more interesting. To stand against an existence like the Lord Ravager—that's a rare experience."

Lu Jingming clenched his left hand. In a flash, lightning flared, and a ring of thunder-god light flickered like a phantom behind him. For an instant, the radiance seemed to tear space itself, carrying an indescribable, majestic power.

Gu Yue's pupils shrank sharply, disbelief filling her eyes.

Lu Jingming hadn't even reached Titled Douluo, and yet he was already condensing a nascent godhood?

 That shattered a long-standing rule on the Douluo Continent.

By convention, without reaching level 99 soul power, one had no qualification to bear a godhood—not even a nascent one.

Lu Jingming could clearly feel a faint thread of power slowly emanating from his Stigmata. Its nature was entirely different from soul power.

Though minuscule in quantity—just a wisp—its essence was incomparably mighty, far surpassing soul power.

Take soul skills, for example—using this thread of thunder-god power versus soul power produced worlds-apart effects.

Lu Jingming's soul power was rising at a breakneck pace, marching toward Titled Douluo. At this rate, he might break through before twenty, setting an unprecedented legend.

Yet compared to his advances elsewhere, even his rapid soul power growth seemed almost insignificant.

Both his thunder and life godhoods had formed nascent cores and could even manifest god-rings.

At the same time, these nascent godhoods could assist him in the Stigmata Space, drawing in external energy to condense divine power.

Though the divine power was feeble for now, divine power was still divine power—its potential and might were nothing soul power could match.

Moreover, his Black Abyss White Flower martial soul was undergoing metamorphosis, beginning to evolve toward a companion artifact.

After a few more evolutions, it would completely leave the martial soul system and become a true artifact.

The Douluo soul master system was not without merits—at least after becoming a god, tool-type martial souls had a chance to transform into companion artifacts.

Unlike other deities who either had to forge artifacts themselves or inherit another's.

A companion artifact grew in tandem with its master and had far greater growth potential than other artifacts.

In its master's hands, a companion artifact could even break limits and unleash unimaginable power.

As time passed, Lu Jingming's pace only quickened.

His conditions were simply unparalleled.

He had seized Huo Yuhao's role as child of destiny; the luck of Douluo Star, coveted by Sea God Tang San, lay before him to draw upon at will.

Among soul beasts, Snow Empress and Gu Yue were closely tied to him; the fortunes of the Extreme North and the Star Dou Forest were his to tap at any time—even if he hadn't done so yet.

Beyond luck, he had no shortage of cultivation resources.

Herta had extended her reach into the God Realm and even the universe at large, supplying him continuously.

He also had the Key of Infinity to acquire rare resources from parallel worlds.

On the path of cultivation, he had a host of top-tier mentors to guide him.

Whether Jingliu, Herta, Raiden Makoto, or the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata—all could offer precious guidance and aid.

His conditions were, in a word, perfect.

He had been quietly building his foundation; now, with the groundwork poised to erupt, it was time to reap the harvest—and that moment was near.

…

"What exactly are you thinking?"

Near the front gate, Shangguan Wei'er was suddenly blocked.

She looked up to see an elegant, beautiful blonde girl lounging lazily against a tree, with a pink-haired Servant standing beside her.

Shangguan Wei'er started slightly, then smiled sincerely. "It seems sending you to St. Freya Academy was the wisest decision I ever made."

"That's true. I'm also grateful I could join the academy!"

Ye Guyi nodded lightly.

Without St. Freya Academy, she would never have seen such a marvelous world. She might have kept hiding—or been discovered by the Holy Spirit Cult's evil soul masters and died miserably.

For that, she was truly grateful to Shangguan Wei'er.

Not only had the other woman taken her in, she had planned a better future for her—an utmost kindness.

Because of that, she cared deeply about Shangguan Wei'er.

After all, she knew how the Common Alliance was the fruit of decades of Shangguan Wei'er's toil—hardly something one could abandon lightly.

"I can't help it. If I don't leave now, I might not be able to at all!"

Shangguan Wei'er gave a helpless, bitter smile. Then she slowly removed a cosmetic contact lens from her left eye. At once, a red pupil, radiating destructive light, was exposed to Ye Guyi and Lemuen.

"You—how?"

Ye Guyi instinctively took a step back. Under the gaze of that red pupil, brimming with the desire for annihilation, she shuddered, disbelief written across her face.

Lemuen's smile vanished instantly; her expression grew dark.

That pure aura of destruction made one's heart quake—as if all things under heaven would be mercilessly obliterated before it.

It was an indiscriminate will to destroy—determined to annihilate all things, the universe itself, and even its own self.

"Do you remember my martial soul?" Shangguan Wei'er put the contact back in, a bitter smile on her face.

"The Seven-Emotions Celestial Zither!"

Ye Guyi answered gravely.

"That's right—the Seven-Emotions Celestial Zither. Though it isn't a pure spiritual-type martial soul, I do command spiritual-type soul skills, so my spiritual power is stronger than that of the average Titled Douluo."

A trace of relief crossed Shangguan Wei'er's face. Had her martial soul and soul skills not had these traits, she might have already fully embraced the ideology of destruction like those great nobles.

"I'm just an ordinary Titled Douluo—and the leader of the Common Alliance. Do you think I'd be the one they'd overlook?"

Her voice dripped with bitterness.

She didn't have a powerful backer like Jing Hongchen, nor vast forces of her own, so that terrifying existence hadn't ignored her.

She was merely a Titled Douluo who had built a vast network in Mingdu through social grace—but that network wasn't enough to protect her.

After all, even the nobles behind her could scarcely protect themselves.

So in truth, she had already been targeted by that terrifying being, who had quietly made a move—and she had no power to resist, only to be forced to take the hit.

"I used spiritual soul skills to forcibly partition my soul and mind. Even so, that will of destruction still gnaws at me without pause, trying to replace me and annihilate me completely!"