Douluo Continent: The Angel of the Dead, starting by slaying Bibi Dong!

Chapter Seventeen: The Establishment of the Martial Soul Empire!

Although the Spirit Hall was established much earlier than the two great empires.

However, their main focus has always been on maintaining peace on the continent and managing Soul Masters, and they have never developed in the direction of an empire.

By the time the two great empires were established and numerous kingdoms and principalities emerged, it was too late for the Spirit Hall to gain a foothold in the imperial power.

The two great empires have taken deep root in the hearts of everyone on the continent.

Even though the Spirit Hall holds a very high authority in everyone's hearts, it is only in the realm of Spirit Masters.

In the realm of empires, everyone only has two empires in mind—the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire.

The two great empires divided up the continent's population, while the Spirit Hall only occupied the hundreds of thousands of people in Spirit City.

It was too late to establish an empire afterward; otherwise, in the original story, Bibi Dong wouldn't have sent Qian Renxue to infiltrate Tiandou if she wanted to establish an empire.

They wanted to carry out a plan to steal the country by substituting the crown prince with a cat.

Even in defeat, the Spirit Hall still managed to make the two great empires unable to raise their heads.

This clearly demonstrates that the Spirit Hall's method of establishing the Spirit Empire is feasible.

It's just that in the end, the high-end combat forces didn't win, and the territory and population they occupied were limited.

However, during this period, the Spirit Hall was invincible on the continent, and after it gained its own power, its influence in the world of spirit masters was also extraordinary.

After glancing at Golden Crocodile Douluo, Qian Xunling slowly stood up from her position as the Grand Elder.

"Issue my order: the Spirit Hall shall establish the Spirit Empire!"

Swish swish swish~!

The six elders, led by Golden Crocodile Douluo, slowly stood up.

"We will not fail in our mission!"

After Qian Xunling issued the order to establish the Spirit Empire, the Spirit Hall quickly spread the news outwards, centered on Spirit City.

With the Spirit Hall's influence, the news spread across the entire continent in an instant.

Star Luo Empire

"Have you heard? The Spirit Hall has established an empire, I think it's called the Spirit Empire."

"Tsk tsk tsk, the Spirit Hall is undoubtedly excellent in terms of spirit masters, but the Empire... the Empire has a full million soldiers."

"Moreover, the two great empires are currently in a period of close cooperation, so I think the Spirit Hall's empire probably won't have much of a chance."

Heavenly Dou Empire.

Have you heard the news about the Spirit Hall establishing a nation?

"I heard that many people are migrating towards Wuhun City with their families."

Even though the Spirit Hall has not officially announced it, the number of people who have joined the Spirit Empire's army on the surface has already reached nearly 300,000.

These are the families of most of the Soul Masters within the Spirit Hall.

After all, not everyone can become a Soul Master. Most people don't have Soul Power, and their extended family and relatives might join the Spirit Hall, while they themselves don't have the talent to become Soul Masters.

Not wanting to be exploited by the two great empires for the rest of their lives, whether farming or doing business, they chose to join the Martial Soul Empire's army.

Some came because of the power of the Spirit Hall.

Initially, the two great empires did not pay much attention to the news of the Spirit Hall's founding.

After all, they control tens of millions of people and have a vast territory; it's practically impossible for the Spirit Hall to surpass them in this respect.

Until, in some parts of the empire, large numbers of able-bodied men, along with their families, mysteriously disappeared.

The population of Wuhun City surged to 500,000. Spy agents who had infiltrated the city reported that the Wuhun Hall had assembled a force of over 300,000. The two great empires could no longer remain passive.

Strictly prohibiting people from leaving their registered residence and sealing off all border exits are measures to prevent a large outflow of young and middle-aged men.

It's alright if we don't take precautions.

After the new policies of the two empires were announced, everyone knew that the Martial Soul Empire was going to establish a nation.

A large number of able-bodied men went to the Spirit Hall to join the army.

With the two great empires driving out the Spirit Hall, there were no longer many Spirit Hall Soul Masters awakening their Martial Souls for free within the empires, which amplified the panic.

Previously, the Spirit Hall offered free spirit awakening tests based on spirit power.

However, since all the people from the Spirit Hall were driven out by the people of the two great empires, no one in the empire has awakened their spirit or tested their spirit power this year.

The two great empires also wanted to emulate the Spirit Hall, but they were horrified to discover that they didn't have that many spirit masters within their own empires.

Even if one Soul Master is forced to awaken Martial Souls in multiple villages, the Soul Masters are all employed by the Empire and require financial support.

In the past, there was the Spirit Hall, which had many spirit masters. As long as they were given some money, they could awaken their spirits and test their spirit power for free.

When they tried to imitate it, they found that not only did it cost several times, or even dozens of times, more money than before, but they also faced a severe shortage of manpower.

Moreover, it might forget many villages, causing widespread resentment among the people.

After all, becoming a Soul Master is the only way for ordinary people to rise above their circumstances. Now that the Spirit Hall is gone, the two great empires have taken over, and their efforts are far superior to those of the Spirit Hall.

On the other hand, the Soul Masters of the Empire also began to complain that while the money hadn't increased, the workload had increased, and the days when they could simply register their names and receive money were gone.

The two empires could only focus their attention on the students of their own national academies.

It would have been better if they hadn't released him. But now the Soul Master world is in complete turmoil. He's already young and at a crucial stage of his cultivation. Now he has to run all over the empire to help people awaken their Martial Souls, and it's all for free.

Several students from advanced academies immediately defected and joined the Spirit Hall.

After all, the Spirit Hall has a strong foundation of spirit masters and money, which allows the Spirit Hall to enable its spirit masters and its academy to develop more rapidly.

There was no other way for the empire to cancel the free awakening of martial spirits and switch to a paid awakening system.

This stabilized the Soul Master community within the empire.

Soul Masters can earn income from awakening their Martial Souls, which can accelerate their cultivation and alleviate their complaints.

But this action, instead of being taken, caused an uproar across the entire mainland.

Commoners, even ordinary people, were already barely making ends meet under the empire's taxes.

Now that awakening a martial soul costs money, where can they awaken a martial soul?

Most importantly, the reputation left by the Spirit Hall is simply too strong.

For thousands of years, awakening martial spirits has been free, and places for work-study students have been given to villages without money.

Free awakening of martial soul, free soul power testing, free enrollment... a one-stop service, and you even get money after becoming a soul master.

They didn't know that the money came from the two great empires to the Spirit Hall, and that the Spirit Hall was distributing it to them. All they knew was that they would have to pay their own way to work from now on.

"The Spirit Hall!"

"The Spirit Hall!!"

"The Spirit Hall!!!"

"We want the Spirit Hall!!!!"

···

In just three months, mainland China was in chaos.

The empires made a series of blunders, allowing the Spirit Hall's prestige to reach its peak once again.

Emperor Xingluo and Xueye were also suffering. They also wished they could be like the Spirit Hall, awakening their spirits, testing their spirit power, and enrolling in school for free.

The cost is too high, almost the same as maintaining an army. In fact, as Soul Masters become stronger, they need even more Gold Soul Coins, even more than maintaining an army.

If this continues, the empire will become hollow.

They have tried their best to stabilize the situation in the empire, but even so, they still cannot stop a large number of able-bodied men and soul masters from leaving.

Three months later, one morning.

Qian Renxue has emerged from seclusion.

The moment I emerged from the pass, I found Chihiro.

"Second Uncle, Second Uncle, I've reached level 35!"

Looking at the golden angel mark on Qian Renxue's head, Qian Xunling patted Qian Renxue's head with satisfaction.

"Great, you're the only one left."

···

May 25th.

Qian Xunling ordered the lifting of all border blockades; if the two great empires remained obstinate, they would be killed.

Invited from all over the world, all people on the mainland attended the ceremony.

June 1st.

Wuhun City

As a beam of angelic light shone upon the entire Wuhun City, Qian Renxue's voice, amplified by Qian Xunling's special necromancy, rapidly spread from Wuhun City, the center of the continent, to every corner of the land.

"The two great empires are ruthless, exploiting the common people of the continent, charging fees for awakening martial souls, cutting off the common people's chance to rise up, and hindering the development of soul masters on the continent...!"

"The three upper sects oppress Soul Masters, and the imperial families and noble families oppress the common people. Since no one in the world stands up for you, then today the Spirit Hall will stand up for you!!"

"Effectually, I, Pope Qian Renxue of the Spirit Hall, hereby declare the Spirit Hall to have officially established the Spirit Empire!!!"

Qian Xunling slowly released her hands from behind Qian Renxue's back, a smile slowly curving her lips.

"The two great empires must perish, a new nation must rise!"

"A life lived in the present, a legacy for generations to come!!"

"When everyone else makes you kneel, my Spirit Empire will make you stand up!!!"

"From this day forward, I, Qian Xunling, the Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall, shall assume the position of the first Emperor of the Spirit Empire, leading expeditions to the east and north, and calling upon all those with ambition across the land... to unify the continent and bring prosperity to all people!!!"