dhibooks Chapter 378 Setting sail? Heading to Seagod Island?
Chapter 378 Setting sail? Heading to Seagod Island?
Wuhun City, Hall of Offerings.
Unlike the grand and majestic Papal Palace, the Sanctuary is more ancient and solemn. Ancient angel totems are carved on the tall pillars, and soft golden light shines down from the dome, illuminating the solemn and worried faces of every worshipper inside.
The sudden death of Pope Bibi Dong had a catastrophic impact on the Spirit Empire.
It is not just the absence of the highest authority, but also the collapse of the spiritual pillar and strategic deterrence.
If it weren't for the timely intervention of Qian Daoliu, the pillar of the nation, who used his absolute prestige and strength to forcefully suppress the various restless forces within the empire and swiftly supported Qian Renxue, who possessed the divine test of the angels and had a legitimate identity, to ascend to the position of Pope, the Martial Soul Empire would probably have already disintegrated, rather than simply losing a large amount of territory.
Even so, the authority of the new Pope Qian Renxue is still in its early stages of establishment. The empire's territory is shrinking, people's hearts are unsettled, and powerful external enemies are eyeing it covetously. The situation remains precarious.
At this moment, the atmosphere inside the Papal Palace still appeared very oppressive.
Qian Renxue sat upright on the papal throne that originally belonged to Bibi Dong.
She had changed into a slightly oversized papal robe and wore a crown. Her beautiful face had lost some of its former naivety and gained a sense of calm and majesty, but a trace of complex emotions still lingered deep in her eyes. Bibi Dong's death left her feeling somewhat empty.
Below, several worshippers, led by Golden Crocodile Douluo, and a few elders stood solemnly, reporting something.
"Your Majesty, the latest urgent report from the front lines! It did not come from the borders of Tiandou or Xingluo, but from several towns in the northwestern hinterland of the Empire, near the Gray Ridge Mountains..." An elder took a deep breath, seemingly reluctant to speak, but finally said it.
"The three towns, including Grayrock City and Black Iron Fortress, as well as all the villages and outposts along the way... were completely... completely slaughtered in just two days! Judging from the descriptions of the lucky eyewitnesses at a distance and the residual scents at the scene... the perpetrator is very likely the same one who appeared on the Iron Wall Pass battlefield and fought against the previous empress... the King of Slaughter!"
"A massacre? A king of slaughter?!" These words caused an uproar in the hall!
Even the worshippers, who were used to seeing all kinds of storms, couldn't help but change color in shock.
"Slaughtering innocent civilians?! Such an act is simply outrageous!" Upon hearing this, Lion Douluo's beard and hair bristled as he roared in fury.
"The King of Slaughter... Why would he target the towns of my Spirit Empire? Is it because of the previous Empress?" Azure Phoenix Douluo frowned as he analyzed.
Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue's jade-like hand, resting on the armrest of the throne, tightened slightly, her knuckles turning somewhat white. Although she abhorred many of Bibi Dong's actions, hearing of her death still caused her a slight pang of pain. Her former enemy was now retaliating against the people of the empire with such cruel methods, and a chilling anger and a sense of responsibility befitting the Pope welled up within her.
"Enough!" Golden Crocodile Douluo spoke in a deep, booming voice, silencing the murmurs. He then turned to Qian Renxue, bowed respectfully, and said with unwavering resolve:
"Your Majesty! From its inception, the Spirit Hall has taken it upon itself to maintain order on the continent and eradicate evil! This King of Slaughter, whose actions are comparable to those of ancient demons, is an enemy that the Spirit Hall must eliminate, regardless of his motives!"
"He is now wreaking havoc within the borders of my empire, and every moment more of my people are dying tragically. This is the most blatant provocation and trampling against my Spirit Hall and the faith of the Angel God!"
"This old minister requests permission! I am willing to personally lead an elite force to the scene of the incident immediately, to slay this scoundrel, to set the record straight, and to comfort the souls of the departed!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice was powerful and resolute, full of confidence and determination.
In his view, although Bibi Dong was strong, she had not yet fully integrated with the power of the Rakshasa God. Although the rumors about the King of Slaughter were ferocious, he himself was a level 98 peak Douluo with many powerful soul skills and combat experience. He might not be unable to fight him, and at least he could drive him away or severely injure him.
Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall turned their gaze to Qian Renxue on the throne.
Golden Crocodile Douluo's suggestion is reasonable and is the most direct response at present.
Qian Renxue pondered for a moment, her eyes gleaming with golden light. She knew the strength of the Golden Crocodile Douluo and understood that this matter had to be dealt with as soon as possible, otherwise the already fragile morale of the empire would completely collapse.
"What Elder Jin'e says is quite right. Demons are rampant and slaughtering the people. The Spirit Hall has an inescapable duty to stop them. So, as Elder Jin'e requests, you may proceed..." Qian Renxue said calmly.
"I'd better handle this matter myself."
Just then, a calm, aged, yet supremely majestic voice suddenly came from the depths of the hall, interrupting Qian Renxue's words.
A flash of golden light.
A figure appeared silently in the center of the hall.
It is a grand offering, with a thousand streams flowing.
He was still dressed in a simple golden robe, his face ancient, but his calm eyes now held a profound insight that seemed to see through everything, as well as an undeniable solemnity.
"Grandpa?" Qian Renxue was slightly taken aback when she saw the person who came.
Golden Crocodile Douluo and the other elders quickly bowed and greeted him, saying, "Great Elder!"
Qian Daoliu nodded slightly to everyone, his gaze falling on Golden Crocodile Douluo, and slowly said, "Golden Crocodile, I know of your loyalty and courage. But this matter is probably not something you can easily resolve."
"Although the news about the Battle of Iron Wall Pass is chaotic, I have roughly reconstructed the situation through special channels. The King of Slaughter wielded a weapon that seemed to be a divine artifact, and the strength of his killing domain was enough to forcibly suppress the soul skills of all those who were not in the killing god domain, including Bibi Dong."
"Bibi Dong used all her Rakshasa power, even employing her 100,000-year soul ring and soul bone skills, but she still couldn't gain the upper hand. In the end, she could only escape by relying on her spatial abilities."
At this point, Qian Daoliu's gaze swept over the shocked faces of everyone in the hall, and he continued.
"You should all be aware of Bibi Dong's strength. Although she did not fully inherit the divine position, with the blessing of the Rakshasa God's power, her combat strength is by no means weaker than the peak of level ninety-eight, and she has even touched the threshold of level ninety-nine. To be able to fight her to such an extent, that King of Slaughter is definitely not simple..."
"Golden Crocodile, you are indeed powerful, but what are your chances of winning against someone who may wield a divine weapon and whose combat strength is comparable to or even surpasses that of an ordinary peerless Douluo? If something unexpected happens, not only will you be in danger, but the Spirit Hall will also lose another pillar of strength, and the empire's situation may completely collapse."
Upon hearing this, Golden Crocodile Douluo opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but when he thought of Bibi Dong's strength and Qian Daoliu's description of the King of Slaughter, a chill couldn't help but rise from the bottom of his heart.
He was confident, but not blindly so. If what the High Priest said is true…
"Grandpa, are you going in person?" Qian Renxue asked worriedly.
Qian Daoliu was the Spirit Hall's last pillar of strength and its greatest support.
"Hmm." Qian Daoliu nodded, his gaze fixed on the outside of the hall, as if he could already see the imperial territory shrouded in blood. He said solemnly, "This matter is extremely complicated. The appearance of the King of Slaughter is already suspicious, and his purpose may not be simple. More importantly, the divine artifact in his possession is of great importance. I must personally verify it and resolve the issue as much as possible."
Finally, he turned his gaze to Qian Renxue, his eyes filled with entrustment.
"Xiaoxue, you have just ascended to the throne and your foundation is not yet stable. Jin'e and the others need to stay and assist you to stabilize the internal situation and deal with the pressure from Tiandou and Xingluo. As for the King of Slaughter, I will take over this position."
Qian Daoliu spoke calmly, yet his words conveyed absolute confidence and a sense of responsibility.
A level 99 peerless Douluo, invincible in the sky, personally takes action!
Qian Renxue knew that this was the safest and most intimidating arrangement. After a moment of silence, she slowly stood up and bowed solemnly to Qian Daoliu.
"Then... I'll have to trouble you, Grandpa. Please be careful."
Qian Daoliu nodded slightly and said no more. The next second, his golden figure slowly became illusory under the golden light, and finally disappeared as if it had merged into the light.
...............
Meanwhile, in Tiandou City, at Tianxing Academy, in the council hall.
The atmosphere here was completely different from the solemn and heavy atmosphere of the Spirit Hall. It had a sharper sense of discussion and decision-making. The room was simply furnished, and the core members of the Spirit Hall sat around a long table.
Tang Chuan occupied the main position, with Bi Lin Douluo Dugu Bo on his left, Yang Wudi, the patriarch of the Po clan, on his right, and Niu Gao, the patriarch of the Yu clan, behind him.
And several other newly joined, formidable members of the Soul Hall.
Everyone had just finished listening to a briefing on the latest situation on the mainland.
For example, the success of the counterattacks of Tian Dou and Xing Luo, the temporary stability of the Martial Soul Empire after Qian Renxue took over, and... some vague but unsettling sporadic news coming from the coast.
"According to reports from our informants in coastal towns, and information we bought at high prices from some pirates who managed to escape, about half a month ago, three young Soul Masters did indeed appear in Purple Pearl Island and the surrounding waters. They were elusive and their methods... were extremely cruel, matching the characteristics of Tang San and his companions that we had been monitoring. The last direction they were seen was heading towards the deep sea by boat, it seems... they have already set sail," a Soul Hall member in charge of intelligence respectfully reported.
"Going to sea?"
Tang Chuan, who had been sitting quietly listening, finally raised his head slightly upon hearing this. His jawline seemed to tighten for a moment. Although his expression did not change much, those who knew him well could feel that his aura had undergone an extremely subtle change at this moment.
Then, amidst the slightly surprised gazes of the crowd, Tang Chuan slowly stood up.
"Since Tang San has already set sail... then I also need to go out to sea."
"Go to sea?" Dugu Bo was taken aback, his emerald green eyes filled with doubt, and said:
"Boy, where are you going? The deep sea is vast; tracking a few people who deliberately conceal their tracks is like finding a needle in a haystack. Besides, the situation on the continent has just stabilized. Although the Martial Soul Empire has suffered heavy losses, it's still a formidable force, and with Qian Daoliu in charge, the Soul Hall needs you right now..."
Yang Wudi, Niu Gao, and the others also looked at Tang Chuan. Although they did not speak, their eyes expressed similar questions. The latter always planned carefully before acting. Why did he suddenly decide to go overseas?
In their view, it seemed rather abrupt.
Tang Chuan did not answer Dugu Bo's question directly, but instead shifted his gaze slightly, as if penetrating the walls of the council hall and looking towards the distant western horizon.
"I want to go to Poseidon Island."
"Poseidon Island?" Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow. He seemed to have vaguely seen this name in some extremely ancient books or legends. In his impression, it was a mysterious and powerful force overseas, isolated from the world, but he knew nothing about the specifics.
Yang Wudi and Niu Gao were even more bewildered, as they knew even less about things overseas.
Tang Chuan turned to Yang Wudi and Niu Gao and explained simply:
"Poseidon Island is a huge island overseas, inhabited by Soul Masters who worship the Sea God. They are powerful, especially skilled in naval warfare, and possess a unique Sea Soul Master heritage. Their High Priest, Poseidon, is a level 99 Peerless Douluo with unfathomable strength. This island is isolated overseas and rarely interacts with the mainland, but its influence should not be underestimated."
A level 99 peerless Douluo?! Yang Wudi and Niu Gao gasped in astonishment.
Is this yet another being comparable to the Thousand Paths School, or perhaps even more troublesome due to environmental factors?
"Kid, why are you suddenly going there? Is it because..."
Dugu Bo seemed to have thought of something, and his gaze fell on Tang Chuan.
Tang Chuan did not answer Dugu Bo's question directly, but a pure and deep blue light suddenly shone in his eyes. At the same time, a delicate blue triangle pattern emitting a faint light quietly appeared between his eyebrows, like a third eye slowly opening.
"Buzz—"
The next second, a strange buzzing sound rang out, and a beam of azure light shot out from between Tang Chuan's eyebrows, quickly condensing into shape in the air in front of him.
It is the supreme treasure bestowed upon us by the Heavenly Dou royal family, the Vast Ocean Universe Cover!
Tang Chuan's gaze first swept over the surprised faces of the crowd, finally settling on the magnificent, azure triangular structure. As a transmigrator, he naturally knew the relationship between the Vast Ocean Universe Cover and the Sea God, and said:
"This item is closely related to Seagod Island, and may even be one of the keys to gaining the Seagod's approval. Tang San and his group's decision to set sail is likely aimed at Seagod Island as well. In order to confirm Tang San and his group's movements and Seagod Island's attitude, I need to make a trip there myself."
As he spoke, a thought subtly crossed his mind.
Suddenly, the blue light in Tang Chuan's eyes intensified, and the triangular mark between his brows shone brightly. The suspended Vast Ocean Universe Shield seemed to be summoned and rose into the air. In the blink of an eye, it rose to a height of about five meters above the ground, and its original size of about one foot square began to expand rapidly!
As the blue light flowed, its volume expanded more than a hundredfold! In an instant, it transformed into a huge blue triangle, crystal clear, with the illusory image of a vast ocean flowing inside.
Immediately afterwards, the enlarged Vast Ocean Universe Cover flashed with blue light and descended from the sky, enveloping all the core members around the long table, including Tang Chuan himself!
Instantly, everything around them was enveloped in a soft blue halo, but they could still clearly see the unlit parts of the hall and hear the sounds from outside.
Everyone felt as if they were in a transparent room made of blue crystal.
"This is its first and greatest use. Once this shield is formed, it's like an absolutely safe room that can protect us inside. At the same time, after it envelops us, we are invisible, without even a physical form. It can not only conceal our physical form, but also completely hide our aura and soul power fluctuations."
At this point, Tang Chuan paused, allowing everyone to experience this wondrous feeling.
"With it, we can find an excellent shelter or ambush point in any dangerous place by simply releasing it."
After saying that, Tang Chuan gently gestured with his left hand.
The blue light suddenly receded, and the huge triangular shield instantly shrank back to its original size, then flew back and disappeared into the triangular pattern between Tang Chuan's eyebrows.
The surroundings returned to normal, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.
But the look of surprise on everyone's faces had not faded.
The next second, Tang Chuan waved his left hand again, and the Vast Ocean Universe Cover transformed into a blue light and flew out. This time, the target was none other than Dugu Bo, who was sitting to his left!
As a titled Douluo, Dugu Bo was extremely sensitive to danger. The moment the blue light appeared, he felt an inexplicable binding force lock onto him. He subconsciously unleashed his soul power and tried to retreat, but the blue light was too fast!
He only felt a flash of blue light before his eyes, and the Vast Ocean Universe Shield was already upon him, suddenly enlarging, but this time the enlargement was very small, just enough to form a blue triangular light shield that closely fit the outline of his body, completely enveloping his entire body!
What horrified Dugu Bo even more was the instant he was enveloped by this light shield.
His surging soul power instantly froze, his body as if bound by countless invisible, tough threads, unable to move at all, not even blinking! Only his mind was still functioning, able to clearly see the astonished expressions of the people outside.
"This is another wonderful use of it: the Universe-Stabilizing Shield, which can immobilize anyone with lower spiritual power than me. However, it cannot harm the opponent, but we can take the opportunity to leave. Even if we are thousands of miles away, the Universe-Stabilizing Shield can return to my side."
As Tang Chuan spoke, he made another thought, and a blue light flashed. The small Vast Ocean Universe Cover that had been enveloping Dugu Bo instantly retracted and transformed back into a stream of light that entered Tang Chuan's brow.
Dugu Bo's body relaxed, and he regained his freedom. His face still showed lingering shock. He moved his somewhat stiff wrists and said with a wry smile, "Good heavens, this thing... it's truly impossible to defend against. Even I didn't have time to react before I was subdued for a moment." (End of Chapter)