Douluo: The Throne of Ice

Chapter 249 War

Some time after the chaos of the Abyss ended.

The Douluo Continent once again fell into a state of peace and tranquility.

But there was a strange undertone to this calm.

The Sun Moon Empire suffered heavy losses in this short-lived Abyss Chaos. Due to the presence of the Bee Emperor, the various soul tools that the Sun Moon Empire had originally deployed were destroyed by the Abyss Bomb Bees before they could be used.

In order to resist the invasion of abyssal creatures, the Sun Moon Empire detonated more than ten level-nine fixed-position soul-guided cannon shells in Mingdu City, losing five level-nine soul masters and more than one elite soul master regiment, which can be said to have caused great damage.

However, because all civilians were evacuated in advance, the losses in other areas, apart from the military, were kept within an acceptable range.

Their original capital, Mingdu City, needs to be rebuilt. In the short term, Mingdu will no longer be the number one city on the continent; it will just be a lifeless ruin after being hit by abyssal creatures and level-nine fixed-position soul-guided cannons.

Shrek City, which was also under the control of Shrek Academy, suffered severe damage.

The abyssal creatures that broke through the blockade and rushed towards Shrek City were all elites among the abyssal creatures, and their target was the Golden Tree, which was rich in the life force of light.

The remaining strong members of Shrek Academy fought back fiercely, and in the end, it was only by using the power of the Golden Tree that Mu En was able to barely hold them back outside the original Sea God Pavilion.

After this battle, Shrek Academy lost at least five Title Douluo and two Super Douluo, and countless other Soul Masters were lost. The academy's facilities were also basically destroyed. The original Sea God Lake was no longer clear, and countless debris and corpses floated on it. However, it is worth mentioning that in such a riot, the casualties among Shrek Academy students were negligible, with only a few people seriously injured.

The Star Dou Great Forest also suffered heavy losses, with many powerful soul beasts perishing in the fight against the scattered abyssal creatures, including even a 100,000-year-old soul beast that guarded Bi Ji.

That was an Ironback Turtle King that had been around for over 100,000 years and was known for its extremely strong defense. However, it was destroyed by a strange Abyss Emperor that burrowed into its body and directly destroyed its spiritual sea. In the end, it died in front of Bi Ji.

Brigitte was heartbroken. Many of the 100,000-year-old soul beasts who followed her had broken through to the 100,000-year mark with her help. Therefore, they were willing to protect Brigitte. To Brigitte, they were not only her guards, but also her children and friends.

Aside from the Sun Moon Empire, Shrek Academy, and Star Dou Great Forest, which suffered the greatest losses, the Heavenly Soul Empire, Star Luo Empire, and Dou Ling Empire also suffered losses. However, those losses were insignificant compared to the losses suffered by the three aforementioned powers.

During this brief period of calm, a wisp of Shu Yan's consciousness returned to the Douluo Continent.

He explained his plans and arrangements in as much detail as possible, while also leaving many contingency plans for Xu Jiujiu and others to prepare for the future war of unification.

……

As it turns out, Shu Yan's prediction was correct.

Less than a month after the Abyss Chaos, the Sun Moon Empire used level nine fixed-position soul-guided cannons, which were primarily explosive, to blast open the Mingdou Mountains. They also used numerous soul-guided cannons to bombard the Star Luo Empire's Western Legion's base from a distance, causing countless people to die in their sleep.

In the far north, the Sun Moon Empire broke through the defenses of the Heavenly Soul Empire's Western Legion with almost no effort, and then poured into the Heavenly Soul Empire in large numbers.

The Sun Moon Empire's undeclared war immediately caused a great uproar across the continent. On the third day of the Sun Moon Empire's attack on Tianhun, the Tianhun royal family declared the Body Sect as the guardian sect of the nation, and at the same time announced the marriage between Tianhun Princess Vina and Body Sect's successor, Long Aotian.

Meanwhile, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, which had already secretly and almost completely relocated, breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, under Ning Xiangxue's arrangement, some disciples of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School rushed to the front line to provide support, and several of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School's Grand Douluo also took the initiative to go to the front line, including even Ning Tian's great-grandfather.

A level 97 Super Douluo, whose martial soul is the legendary Seven Kill Sword.

The inheritance of this top-tier weapon spirit should have ended ten thousand years ago, but the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School rediscovered this spirit's inheritance over the past ten thousand years and integrated it into the sect. Ning Tian's great-grandfather inherited this top-tier weapon spirit known for its offensive power and cultivated it all the way to the current level ninety-seven.

Unlike the Heavenly Soul Empire's repeated defeats on the battlefield, the situation on the Star Luo side was much better.

Thanks to Xingluo's strong support for the development of soul tools in recent years, the soul tools equipped by the army, although still not comparable to those of Sun and Moon, are at least much better than before. After paying a considerable price, they successfully stopped Sun and Moon Empire from advancing hundreds of miles in a region crisscrossed by waterways.

On the very first night after the Sun Moon Empire's army had set up camp, Qian Gu Chaosheng, who had just completed his seclusion and broken through to the Limit Douluo level in Star Luo City, headed west with the Panlong Staff in hand.

Due to insufficient preparation, the Sun Moon Legion was unable to mount an effective resistance against Qian Gu Chaosheng's sudden attack. By midnight, two level-nine Soul Masters had died under Qian Gu Chaosheng's staff, and the casualties among other Soul Masters and soldiers were incalculable.

Qian Gu Chaosheng appears peaceful on the surface, but in reality, the bloodthirstiness hidden in his heart is no less than that of an evil soul master. He will not show any mercy to foreign invaders. In his eyes, as long as they are invaders, regardless of gender or age, they should be eradicated. So-called pity is completely harmful to oneself and others in war.

After a massacre, as he was leaving, Qian Gu Chaosheng took out a tightly sealed porcelain bottle from his pocket and threw it into the Sun and Moon Legion.

The porcelain bottle shattered on the ground, and a thick, dark green smoke slowly rose into the air. The bones that came into contact with the dark green poisonous smoke were instantly corroded into white bones. As more and more bones were contaminated with the poisonous smoke, the scale of the smoke grew larger and larger, spreading rapidly into the distance.

Qian Gu Chaosheng watched from high above as countless Sun Moon Empire soldiers panicked with fear. He then put away his Panlong Staff and flew towards the Star Luo Legion's encampment.

This dark green poisonous mist is none other than Dugu Yan's Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison. As Dugu Yan's cultivation approaches the Soul Saint realm, the poison she possesses becomes increasingly terrifying. She once used a serious criminal imprisoned by the Star Luo Empire to test just how terrifying her poison was.

The Soul Saint-level expert, whose martial soul and soul power seal had been broken, only lasted for less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before turning into a pile of rotten flesh under the effects of her poison. What surprised Dugu Yan even more was that while her poison killed the opponent, it also absorbed the opponent's life energy and soul power to grow stronger and stronger. In the end, she could even absorb those energies and let them back hit her.

High above the Star Luo Legion, Dugu Yan looked at the dazzling emerald green in the distance, her eyes filled with undisguised fervent joy.

Xu Jiujiu, who had changed into a bright yellow outfit, turned her head and smiled at Dugu Yan, saying:

"It seems that Ah Yan's cultivation level is about to surpass mine..."

"Yeah…"

Dugu Yan murmured something softly, then suddenly came to her senses and said somewhat embarrassedly:

"Your Highness, don't you think my method of cultivation is a bit..."

Dugu Yan didn't say what came next. She was Xu Jiujiu's confidante and, in some ways, her best friend. But perhaps because she was used to the superior-subordinate relationship, she always used polite language when talking to Xu Jiujiu.

Xu Jiujiu simply smiled at this, and then said:

"Are you implying that your cultivation method has some characteristics of an evil spirit master?"

"Don't worry about these things. There is no need to be merciful to foreign enemies. Treat friends as friends and enemies as enemies. On the battlefield, only victory and defeat matter. The victor has the right to define and interpret the war, and history books will only record right and wrong from the perspective of the victor."

"I can assure you that in the eyes of the world in the future, you, Ah-Yan, will only be a hero who defended against foreign enemies and made significant contributions to the country."

Dugu Yan didn't care much about these things; to her, reputation was nothing but fleeting smoke.

She remembered what Shu Yan had said: her goal was to become a god, and once she became a god, who would dare to say a bad word about her?

They would only kneel on the ground and sing praises of her achievements and fame. Thinking of this, the fanaticism deep in Dugu Yan's eyes became more and more obvious. After a long time, she just smiled lightly and didn't feel anything.

Having spent so much time together, they knew each other all too well. People have desires, and in Xu Jiujiu's eyes, those without desires were the most dangerous kind of people.

After admiring the distant "spectacle" for a while, he turned around and flew back to the military camp. Dugu Yan's Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison was simply impossible for the Sun and Moon Legion to suppress or find a suitable solution in a short period of time.

The poisonous fog was like Dugu Yan's virtual arm, secretly controlled by her, and even the strong winds blowing in her face could not change its fixed direction and target.

……

As evening fell, under the personal escort of Qian Gu Chaosheng, the group stood atop the Bone Dragon King that Shu Yan had obtained from the Sun and Moon Empire and flew towards the green ocean.

The continuous stream of poisonous mist was absorbed by Dugu Yan, and her soul power rose steadily. Before long, she successfully broke through to the Soul Saint realm, while the remaining poisonous mist still stretched as far as the eye could see.

By the time the poisonous fog had been completely absorbed, it was already late at night.

Dugu Yan's soul power aura increased more than once in just one day. Although it was impossible to detect exactly how much her soul power would increase because she had not yet obtained the seventh soul ring, it was roughly estimated that after she absorbed the seventh soul ring, her soul power level might even directly jump to the Soul Douluo realm.

……

The situation on Xingluo's side is very favorable, but on Tianhun's side, it is a completely different story.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

Even with the strong support of the Body Sect, the Heavenly Soul Army still suffered repeated defeats. The western part of Heavenly Soul was almost entirely plains with no natural defenses. The Sun Moon Empire advanced triumphantly, and in just one month, under the relentless bombardment of countless soul-guided shells and soul-guided rays, most of Heavenly Soul's territory had fallen. Even Dragon City, which Shu Yan and others had visited in the past, was easily captured by the Sun Moon Army, just like in the original story.

However, seemingly realizing that something was wrong, both of the two Dragon Gates in Dragon City had transferred their core disciples out in advance. After confirming that Dragon City could not be defended, the two Dragon Gates discussed and finally chose to go their separate ways.

The Heavenly Dragons Sect went to Shrek City. The Dragon God Douluo of Shrek Academy came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and shared the same origin with them. Shrek Academy was also willing to accept the Heavenly Dragons' allegiance, and the two sides naturally reached a consensus quickly.

As for the Earth Dragon Gate, it made a decision that went against the wishes of its ancestors.

They split into several groups and headed south, eventually entering the territory of Xingluo Empire, where they chose to join the Xingluo Empire, just like the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Xu Jiujiu never expected to see Nan Shuishui and her daughter again in Xingluo City. Recalling the scene when they met last time, Xu Jiujiu was in a daze for a moment.

In just a few short years, everything has changed dramatically.

Seeing old friends again now, I can't help but feel a bit emotional.

Nan Shuishui sat below, staring in astonishment at Xu Jiujiu's gentle smile. After a long while, she finally spoke softly:

"I never imagined... that the guest from back then would be a princess of a nation..."

He smiled for a long time, as if reminiscing about that time, and then said:

"Yes, I never expected that one day Master Nan would appear here as a guest. However, I am very happy to welcome you."

Nan Shuishui's smile was slightly bitter. If it weren't for a last resort, who would abandon their ancestral homeland to come to a foreign land? But there was no other way. As the leader of the Earth Dragon Gate, she not only bore the responsibility for her own and her daughter's survival, but also for the many members of the Earth Dragon Gate. And Xingluo was their best choice.

Xu Jiujiu, who was seated at the head of the table, took a sip of tea and then continued:

"The new headquarters of the Earth Dragon Gate is located in the west of Xingluo City. The South Gate Master will have to take care of the specific planning and construction himself. By the way, where is Qiuqiu?"

Upon hearing what Xu Jiujiu said, Nan Shuishui first stood up to thank him, and then said:

"Qiuqiu...she went to Xingluo City to relax. Is there something Your Highness needs to see me?"

After a long silence, his expression softened, and he said:

"It's nothing. If Master Nan doesn't mind, Qiuqiu can come and cultivate by my side. We've met twice before. I have many strong and talented people around me, so this would be a good thing for Qiuqiu."

"this……"

Nan Shuishui hesitated for a moment, but seeing Xu Jiujiu's gentle and genuine expression, she finally gritted her teeth and nodded.

"Then I'll do as Your Highness says. I'll explain this to Qiuqiu when she returns tonight."

Xu Jiujiu nodded, then chatted casually with Nan Shuishui for a few more minutes until after dinner, when he finally asked Dugu Yan to see her off.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Xu Jiujiu's expression slowly returned to calm.

To be honest, the Earth Dragon Sect isn't really a large sect, and its leader is only a Soul Douluo. However, among the forces that have recently joined Star Luo, apart from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, the Earth Dragon Sect is one of the best.

Nan Qiuqiu has decent talent, and her Rouge Dragon Martial Soul is an extremely special and powerful top-tier beast Martial Soul. She doesn't mind having several maids like Dugu Yan by her side, and the Earth Dragon Gate will gradually gravitate towards her because of this relationship.

Shu Yan had discussed with her the future development of the continent after unification and the continuation of the empire. She benefited greatly from this and gradually developed the idea of ​​cultivating her own team.

Although she had Shu Yan's backing and was certain to become a god in the future, Xu Jiujiu still did not intend to give up such a good opportunity.

Shu Yan is right. She has a terrifying desire to control and climb the ladder of power and status. Perhaps she doesn't need to do so, but she still likes to take precautions. After all, it's just a matter of a word for her now.

When Dugu Yan returned, she saw Xu Jiujiu staring blankly at the teacup on the table. After thinking for a moment, she quietly came up behind Xu Jiujiu and reached out to massage Xu Jiujiu's stiff shoulders.

After a long while, she turned her head slightly, smiled, and didn't say anything more...

……

(End of this chapter)