Douluo 2: This Dragon God has too much martial virtue

Chapter 596 No Entry (Part 2)

On the wasteland outside Erlun City, Xu Sanshi, carrying the jade box and accompanied by several exhausted yet spirit-struck spirit master guards, advanced toward the ruined gates of the towering city. The closer they got, the more Xu Sanshi could sense the palpitating yet hopeful aura of life emanating from the towering tower, a surge of anticipation and tension in his heart.

However, just as they were less than a kilometer from the city gate, a shrill and mournful dragon roar, seemingly filled with endless pain and despair, suddenly erupted from high above their heads! That sound wasn't a true dragon roar, but more like a terrifying mental shock that pierced the depths of everyone's soul.

Xu Sanshi and several of his personal guards groaned at the same time, their faces turned pale instantly, and the weakest Soul Emperor even spat out a mouthful of blood, his spirit almost collapsing.

Then, directly in front of them, a massive, twisted, dark-red blade shadow materialized out of thin air. The moment it appeared, everyone was struck by a terrifying vision—a massive, scaly, and ferocious dragon let out a wail of unwillingness before being easily cleaved in two by the unmatched dark-red blade's brilliance.

The solid blade shadow stretched for hundreds of meters, seemingly connected to the heavens and earth. The moment it fully materialized, the earth near the city gate groaned under the weight of its weight. A massive, bottomless crack, tens of meters wide, was torn open by the invisible, sharp energy. Beneath the crack lay not earth or rock, but a twisted, shattered void shimmering with a dim light, as if space itself had been shattered by the blade's "intention"!
Before the massive crack in the ground, a tall, imposing figure had stood there for some unknown time. He looked to be about thirty years old, his face as stern as a knife's chisel. A faint golden glow seemed to flow beneath his bronze skin. His brilliant golden hair flowed down his sturdy features. His muscles were perfectly defined, brimming with explosive power and beauty, as if he were a perfect killing weapon.

The most striking thing was the long sword he held in his hand. Over four meters long, it shone a deep blood-red, as if stained and solidified by the blood of countless dragons. The broad blade was covered in bizarre and ferocious patterns. Upon closer inspection, the patterns resembled miniatures of variously shaped, ruthlessly severed dragons, emanating a soul-shattering resentment and sharp edge.

On the blade, eight black and one gold, nine soul rings beyond common sense are surrounding and flashing, and each soul ring exudes a suffocating sense of oppression.

He just stood there like that, yet seemed to have become the core of the world, with all the sharpness converging on him and his sword.

Xu Sanshi and his guards were already terrified by the sudden horror. Their legs went limp, and even breathing became extremely difficult. They had no doubt that if the opponent had wanted to, the knife would have landed on them, and they would have been as miserable as the giant dragon in the illusion, or even worse.

Long Yan held the Dragon Slaying Blade, the tip pointed diagonally at the ground. His hawk-like eyes swept coldly over Xu Sanshi and his companions, as if he were observing a few ants that had strayed into a forbidden area. His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority, like a law, and it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Back off. No passage ahead."

Seeing Long Yan's eight black and one gold soul ring configuration, Xu Sanshi and his personal guards felt as if they had fallen into an icy cave, and their scalps went numb.

Titled Douluo! This is definitely a Titled Douluo-level expert!
But... why? Why has his first spirit ring been black for ten thousand years? Could it be a twin spirit?

And when their eyes fell on the last golden soul ring that exuded an aura that seemed to be above all things, all their doubts turned into boundless fear and unbelievable shock.

Even if it's twin martial souls, it's impossible... No, it's still possible!
Xu Sanshi's heart was beating wildly, nearly bursting through his chest. He had studied at Shrek Academy and heard his teacher explain the secrets of golden spirit rings. He clearly remembered that in class, his teacher had described Seagod Tang San's Blue Silver Emperor spirit with a tone of immense reverence. After becoming a god, his tenth spirit ring was a god-like blue-gold color!

And in front of me... this terrifying man, his ninth soul ring is golden!
Although the color is slightly different from the blue-gold soul ring of the Sea God in the records, the feeling of sacredness and majesty that transcends the mundane and is above the rules is definitely unmistakable!

The ninth soul ring is a god-level soul ring?!
This...how is this possible? !
The twin spirit theory couldn't explain this either! This meant that the other party was most likely not a traditional Titled Douluo at all. His very existence broke the cognition of the spirit master system! Could it be that he had obtained the inheritance of God?

Faced with Long Yan's terrifying power and undisguised intention to expel him, Xu Sanshi's heart raced, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back. Escape? Perhaps he could survive temporarily, but that would mean the end of his mother's last hope. Under immense pressure, a crazy idea sprouted in his mind: how about taking a gamble?
He suddenly stopped retreating, forcibly suppressing the sweet and trembling taste in his throat. He shouted with all his might towards the figure that stood in front of him like an insurmountable chasm, "Wait a minute, senior! I am Xu Sanshi, a prince of the Douling Empire and the young master of the Xuanming Sect! I do not intend to offend you, senior!" He spoke very quickly, fearing that if he was a second slower, he would be torn to pieces by the terrifying sword intent. "We came here because we sensed a strong breath of life in the city. We believe that a powerful healing spirit master is here. We have no ill intentions, we just want to ask for your help. My mother is Princess Xuelingxun of the Douling Empire. If you are willing to lend a hand, the Douling Empire royal family and the Xuanming Sect will repay your kindness with all we have!"

Long Yan, holding the Dragon Slaying Blade, listened to his cries indifferently. A tiny wave of emotion seemed to flicker in his calm golden eyes. He finally spoke, his voice still as cold as steel, but it was no longer a simple expulsion: "Douling Empire Royal Family? I was born into the Douling Empire."

Xu Sanshi was overjoyed when he heard this! It's possible! The other party was actually a senior from the Douling Empire!
However, Long Yan's next words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing his newly ignited hope: "But the Douling Empire is a thing of the past. The emperor personally announced his abdication and allegiance to the Tianhun Empire. As a former subject, I do not intend to disobey."

His tone was extremely flat, as if he was stating a fact that had nothing to do with him, and there was no trace of sorrow for the destruction of his homeland in his golden eyes.

After all, empires may change, but aristocratic clans remain. Dynasties and the shifting of imperial power are as commonplace in the history of this continent as the seasons. Today it's Douling, tomorrow it might be Tiandou, and the day after tomorrow a new dynasty might rise. But no matter how dynasties shift, clans with deep roots and unique heritage often remain above the fray, their traditions persevering. The fall of an empire might be a catastrophe for the royal family, but for these clans, it might simply require a readjustment of their relationship with the new ruler, without damaging their fundamentals.

In some cases, the collapse of the old empire might even bring new opportunities and expansion space to some sects. Not to mention that the Dragon Slayer Sect, under his leadership, had already annexed the Dragon Pavilion. Aside from a slight change in the sect's name, which wasn't particularly friendly to the Pavilion Master's race, the future was bright.

Xu Sanshi was anxious and quickly explained, "Senior, please listen to me! His Majesty was controlled by the Tianhun Empire through despicable means. That was absolutely not his intention. The Douling Empire is not dead yet! My mother is still alive, the royal bloodline is not extinct, and we still have nearly 100,000 loyal and brave soldiers! Senior, since you are from the Douling Empire, how can you sit idly by and watch the foundation of the empire be stolen by thieves? How can you watch the royal orthodoxy wander in the wilderness and do nothing to save them?"

He tried to impress the other party with righteousness and blood ties.

After hearing this, Long Yan showed a trace of undisguised impatience on his face, as if he was looking at a nagging fool.

"So what?" he interrupted Xu Sanshi, his tone cold. "What does this have to do with me?" "..." Xu Sanshi choked instantly, his excitement and anticipation frozen on his face.

Long Yan's golden eyes were clear, "No matter what, the fact is that the Douling Empire is a thing of the past. Whether you are loyal or treacherous, exiled or want to restore your country, whether you live or die, it is none of my business."

Just as Xu Sanshi was crushed by this utter indifference and fell into boundless despair again, preparing to retreat in disarray with his personal guards, Long Yan suddenly seemed to remember something. He tilted his head and looked him up and down with his sharp golden eyes. With a hint of doubt, as if he could not remember anything, he asked, "Wait! What was your name?"

What a surprising turn of events! Xu Sanshi's heart, which had nearly sunk to the bottom of the valley, suddenly leaped, instantly filled with huge surprise! Could it be... could it be that this senior had heard of me? Or had some past with the Xuanming Sect? Or even with my mother?
He almost couldn't wait to answer loudly in an even more respectful and anxious tone than before, fearing that the other party might not hear clearly: "To reply to the senior, I am Xu Sanshi, my mother is Princess Xuelingxun, and my father is the leader of the Xuanming Sect!"

He looked at Long Yan with anticipation, waiting for the other party to show an expression of sudden realization, nostalgia, or even a hint of friendliness.

However, what he waited for was a sneer full of ridicule and disgust on Long Yan's lips.

"Oh! So it's you, you bastard."

“???” The surprise on Xu Sanshi’s face froze in an instant, turning into complete confusion and helplessness.

Long Yan's eyes became increasingly sharp and unfriendly, as if he was looking at something dirty. "You little bastard, you still want to forcefully marry our Pavilion Master's maid? You even asked your mother to come along to propose marriage, and after being kicked out, you still refuse to give up and even dare to write a letter to disgust others?"

Xu Sanshi froze in place as if struck by lightning, his face instantly turning from pale to red, then to ashen blue. He had never imagined that this mysterious and terrifyingly powerful being was actually related to Dragon Pavilion.

Pavilion Master? Xu Sanshi's mind raced. According to the major powers on Douluo Continent, the current leader of the Dragon Pavilion was indeed Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao. He knew Jiang Nannan had joined the Dragon Pavilion. At the previous Soul Master Competition held in Xingluo City, when Jiang Nannan represented Di Ao Academy, it was indeed Long Xiaoyao who led the team!
The thought of Jiang Nannan potentially committing herself to the Dragon Emperor Douluo, a figure over two hundred years old and possessing unparalleled power and status, filled Xu Sanshi with a complex mix of jealousy, anger, and an indescribable sense of defeat and inferiority. His position as the Young Master of the Xuanming Sect was truly insignificant in front of the Dragon Pavilion Master; no wonder he had been so assertive.

But when he pursued Jiang Nannan, he was certainly fascinated by her beauty and had a bit of youthful sincerity. But now he felt that his persistence seemed so ridiculous and cheap in the face of the other party's choice.

The huge information shock and the humiliation brought about by the status gap made Xu Sanshitou dizzy. He felt that all his pride and reliance were easily trampled under the feet of the other party.

Long Yan looked at the mixture of shock, shame, anger, and fear on Xu Sanshi's face and knew that the boy must have made up some things on his own, such as the relationship between Jiang Nannan and Long Xiaoyao, and it was likely that he had gone astray. But he was too lazy to speak up for Long Xiaoyao. After all, Xu Sanshi's thoughts were irrelevant.

The dark red dragon-slaying sword in his hand was raised again, and the severed dragon-shaped patterns on the sword seemed to come alive, emitting a silent but soul-stirring roar. The bone-chilling murderous intent was like a real tide, pressing down on Xu Sanshi, making it almost impossible for him to breathe and his bones creaking.

Under this extreme fear and humiliation, Xu Sanshi's face turned pale, his lips trembled, and he subconsciously stammered, as if to defend himself, or as if to seek a vague understanding in despair: "She...she doesn't understand at all...I...I also had difficulties...I was..."

He wanted to talk about the pressure from his family, his identity and responsibilities as the young sect leader, and the benefits of the marriage to the sect... In short, he wanted to explain that his actions at the time were not entirely out of selfish desires, but were also due to his own inability to control them.

However, before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Long Yan's extremely disdainful sneer, "Useless men like to tell women that they have difficulties."

Xu Sanshi was choked by these words and his vision went dark. All his excuses were stuck in his throat and he couldn't utter a word. The huge sense of shame burned his cheeks and heart like a flame.

Long Yan completely lost his last bit of patience, and the tip of the Dragon Slaying Sword burst out with a heart-pounding dark red edge.

"Get out of here, useless thing!"

This time it was no longer a warning, but an ultimatum. The terrifying murderous intent almost tore apart Xu Sanshi's soul.

Xu Sanshi could no longer bear it. All his pride and unwillingness were crushed to pieces, and he let out a whimper that was almost like collapse.

Long Yan put away his knife and stood, silently watching the backs of those fleeing in a panic, as if he was just casually chasing away a group of particularly noisy flies.

"waste."

Sorry everyone, I have a low-grade fever today _(:з」∠)_ so it's still a two-in-one post, I can't think of a title, meow.