Douluo: The Peerless Sun and Moon Mechanical God

"A dimensional artifact recognizes its master, a favorite of the underworld..."

The three-headed hellhound, showing no mercy, swept its gaze across the lifelike subordinates within the gray crystal. Its three heads stared fixedly at Lin Qing, speaking in human language:

"You're too late. The underworld already has a ruler."

"For billions of years, the underworld has only respected the cycle of reincarnation, and there has never been a sovereign. Cerberus, you have betrayed us."

Lin Qing replied coldly, his gaze toward Cerberus somewhere between that of a silver-tongued traitor and a rootless stray dog.

"The underworld controls the cycle of life and death, but it has never given birth to gods. The divine realm, on the other hand, has an invincible god-king. What chance does the underworld have? Surrender is the only way to preserve the underworld's remaining strength."

Cerberus, the three-headed dog, was unconcerned: "The King of Gods sent me a message through the invaders: the rules of the divine realm are strict, and the gods cannot interfere with the operation of the underworld."

The invaders will eventually be resurrected or reincarnated, and the underworld needs the Cerberus clan to maintain order. This immense honor is one I cannot refuse.

"Therefore, the guardian beast of the Gate of Reincarnation in the past has been reduced to a pet dog that the gods can throw a bone on the ground and it will tuck its tail between its legs and run around in circles."

"Cerberus has always been a watchdog." Cerberus's breathing became heavy. "Whether he guards the gate for the underworld or the realm of gods, it makes no difference to me!"

I only know one thing: if a dog can't even guard the gate, then the God-King will kick it aside without mercy, skin it, and eat its flesh.

"Favored by the underworld, I had no choice, and neither did you!"

Cerberus was determined to guard the realm of gods and crave scraps from the fingertips of the god-king, even at the cost of attacking the savior chosen by the underworld.

The three heads opened wide at the same time, biting down fiercely at Lin Qing from three directions. Their white fangs were jagged and interlocked, their tips flashing with a cold, eerie light that had devoured countless creatures of the underworld.

The fangs condensed death energy, forming three extremely terrifying pitch-black maws, more than ten times larger than the real Cerberus's mouth. Twisted faces crawled out of its throat, and the ghosts howled and wailed, using sound waves to interfere with Lin Qing's mental sea!

Cerberus's innate skill: Hellish Tear Fangs!

A fierce and malevolent aura swept over them. Sensing the vast difference in their cultivation levels, Lin Qing decisively took three steps back and calmly shielded Ilex in front of him!

"Old man, I'm not a child, please cut it!"

"That brat is really cunning..."

Electrolux was deeply shocked. The world is going to the dogs, and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be. Young people these days have no respect for the elderly!

Despite his complaints, Electrolux inwardly praised Lin Qing for being pragmatic.

Too many young people rely on their talent to challenge the impossible, while Lin Qing is like a street pole on an old city street corner, fully aware of his own position and knowing when to find a backer!

Holding a staff in his palm, its shaft wrapped in golden patterns and topped with a skull-shaped gray gem, Electrox chanted an obscure incantation, pointing the necromancer's staff forward. Then, the void suddenly tore open, and a vast, ancient pressure descended across space.

A pale, enormous head emerged, its pupils burning with two bright golden flames of soul energy—it was the complete skull of a bone dragon.

Unlike the darkness and evil of ordinary undead creatures, the bone dragons summoned by the Necromancer's Holy Law are blazing and pure, releasing a vast and boundless energy of light, like the divine afterglow falling from the heavens!

"roar--"

The bone dragon roared fiercely, its oppressive aura spreading in all directions like a rolling tide. The six eyes of the three-headed hellhound all narrowed. With the mindset of meeting a worthy opponent, the force of the hellhound's tearing fangs increased by three times. The exaggeratedly huge mouth, filled with death aura, closed recklessly, determined to tear Lin Qing and the suddenly appearing bone dragon to shreds together!

The soul fire suddenly burst into flames, sparks flying from the bone dragon's eye sockets, and the surrounding air temperature rose sharply. The bone dragon shook its head, and a golden dragon flame swept out like a holy sword of light that could sweep away thousands of troops!

"boom--"

The golden dragon flame pierced through the hellish tearing fangs directly in front of it. The moment it struck the dragon flame, the dead souls screamed hysterically and melted away. The bone dragon blasted a hole like a skylight in the center of the giant mouth, and then the whole thing collapsed and disintegrated, turning into smoke and dust that scattered in all directions.

The dragon's momentum did not diminish, crushing the hellish fangs one after another. It destroyed everything in its path, and solidly bombarded the mountain-like body of the three-headed hellhound, causing it to scream in pain and fly backward before crashing heavily to the ground with a deafening roar!

"More and stronger enemies are approaching; we should retreat."

Ignoring the injured Cerberus, Electrox spoke.

"...Old Master Yi, does 'guaranteeing the job' mean only guaranteeing the job itself?"

"Nonsense," Electrolux said irritably. "I am but a fragment of my divine consciousness. I traveled through time and space to Douluo Continent and was on the verge of collapse. I absorbed a few mouthfuls of reincarnation energy from the Underworld Emperor Sword to stabilize myself. I am not comparable to my peak period and cannot sustain a prolonged battle. Saving your life today is already the limit."

Reincarnation involves many processes. Now that the underworld is under attack by a great enemy and the order of reincarnation has been broken by external forces, the efficiency of washing memories and returning to the soul has been greatly reduced. There is no need to worry about your sister being reincarnated.

We'll return to Douluo Continent and recuperate for a while, allowing me to absorb more reincarnation power to strengthen my divine consciousness. During this time, you should befriend some trustworthy Douluo powerhouses. Then, use the Underworld Emperor Sword to open a spatial gate, allowing the living to enter the Underworld. Together, we will help you resist the invaders!

Of course, if I could find rare and precious herbs that nourish the soul, that would be ideal; my spiritual recovery speed would increase dramatically.

That sounds so familiar...

Old Yi?

Old Medicine Master!

Lin Qing was amazed that the old man from another dimension was actually working together. The next second, the Underworld Emperor Sword cleaved open a spatial gate, and the figures of the old man and the young man slowly disappeared.

Surrounded by powerful enemies in the underworld, resurrecting Lin Lan and reclaiming the underworld are not things that can be accomplished overnight. This trip has clarified Lin Lan's whereabouts, but completing the rescue still requires careful planning.

Improving his own cultivation, helping Electrolux return to his peak, gathering allies to enter the Underworld, and avenging his grievances—these are Lin Qing's four major life goals for the future.

"Damn it, who is that old ghost...?"

The portal slammed shut, and Cerberus, baring its teeth, crawled out of the pit. The area where Long Yan had struck was charred and mangled, with embers hissing and burning at the wound, preventing it from healing itself.

The Hades Sword is effective against all creatures of the underworld, and Elex's necromancy is also effective against it. Cerberus was caught off guard and almost faced a life-threatening situation.

"Dog, you've gotten a really bad beating."

A mischievous, aged voice suddenly rang out, and three figures appeared above Cerberus.

The old man on the right has thinning hair on his forehead and is tall but emaciated like a skeleton. He grins and mocks Cerberus's current disheveled appearance.

The three-headed hellhound snorted twice, realizing it couldn't afford to offend the other party. The dog turned its head away resentfully. Seeing this, the middle-aged man with a gentle and approachable demeanor among the three quickly smoothed things over:

"He was injured while guarding the underworld. Cerberus is a truly brave and fierce beast. Uncle Bones, please don't joke about it."

"Certain-headed dog, I wonder what kind of demon harmed you."

"The dimensional artifact has recognized its master." Upon hearing this, Cerberus's expression brightened. "He has an old man with him, who is naturally able to restrain us Netherworld creatures. He should also be able to suppress you souls."

"..."

The three fell silent. The one-armed old man said quietly, "Feng Zhi, the dimensional artifact is the central hub of the underworld. This matter is extraordinary."

"His Majesty the Jade Emperor and His Majesty the Sea God are unable to spare any attention. Should we consult the Horn of Wisdom?"

"The Corner of Wisdom?" Cerberus tilted its three heads.

Ning Fengzhi gently explained: "There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters. This is a famous saying that is widely circulated in the Corner of Wisdom."

Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, the wise wing of the Golden Iron Triangle, was the Blue Lightning King of the Heaven Dou Empire in his lifetime. He was renowned for his outstanding military achievements and made great contributions in the epic war between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Empire. His most respected achievement among the Douluo world was...

Yu Xiaogang has produced a genius.

"Could it be...?" Cerberus stammered.

"Yes, Yu Xiaogang taught the Asura God King of the Divine Realm!"

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck across the clear sky, severely shocking Cerberus's brain. His view of the God-King's teacher, whom he had never met before, suddenly became one of utmost reverence!

"Master, I am Ning Fengzhi."

Through a special contact method, Ning Fengzhi got in touch with the master, and a hoarse voice came from the other end.

"What brings you here, Brother Ning?"

Ning Fengzhi briefly explained the situation of the Gate of Reincarnation. The master fell into deep thought and pondered, "The power of the God Realm is distributed among the five God Kings. It is not a one-man show by the Asura God King. We should not act rashly to contact the third party. We must not let the Destruction God King seize the opportunity to cause trouble."

The Jade Emperor and the Sea God guard the soon-to-be-formed divine positions, and the two loyal creatures of the underworld are also sealed here.

The Myriad Spirits Array envelops the Underworld, using the meager spirituality of all living beings to accelerate the growth of divine status. Brother Ning, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, the importance of the Myriad Spirits Array far surpasses that of the Gate of Reincarnation. The three of you should disregard this matter and quickly proceed to the Myriad Spirits Array to prevent any underworld favorites from launching a sneak attack.

"What if that guy comes to the Gate of Reincarnation again? Besides, we don't know his purpose for coming here," Sword Douluo asked rhetorically.

"No need to worry." Yu Xiaogang displayed confidence that he was in control of everything. "The Gate of Reincarnation manages the reincarnation of Douluo souls. It has nothing to do with the godhood we need, so it is of little importance. We don't need to spare too much power to guard it."

You can leave with peace of mind. Leave the Gate of Reincarnation to our Golden Iron Triangle. Cerberus's cultivation is comparable to a 100,000-year-old soul beast in Douluo Continent, and he has the Cerberus clan under his command. If they work together properly, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

There are no useless creatures in the underworld, only useless leaders.

I will teach you the supreme secret technique of uniting the hellhound pack into one force. That was the key to Xiao San and his seven friends' incredible comeback to win the Soul Master Competition. We will crush the futile struggles of the will of the underworld.

"The plan is flawless; whoever gains the master's favor... gains the world!"

The three people and the dog nodded vigorously in praise. "The master has arrived! Another enemy is doomed!"

Although the older generation was unable to be taken to the divine realm by their descendants to enjoy blessings due to the rules of the divine realm, the first three members of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School firmly believed that if Yu Xiaogang could be valued by the gods, his divine position would definitely be that of the God of Wisdom!

The three set sail with peace of mind from the Myriad Spirits Array. On the way, Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but sigh, "The God King promised that once the matters of the Underworld are settled, we can return to the mortal realm and make an exception to visit Rongrong in the God Realm."

"I wonder if Rongrong Xiao Ao has given birth to a son or daughter, to continue the bloodline of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?" Sword Douluo chimed in.

Bone Douluo scoffed: "Why are you worrying about this? Rongrong is incredibly intelligent, how could she not know that the key to a martial soul lies in its inheritance!"

"I bet you, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School has produced countless geniuses over the past ten thousand years. Under the leadership of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, it has flourished and will undoubtedly become the number one support-type sect on the continent, shaking the position of the Clear Sky Sect as the number one sect in the world!"

"We'll wait and see!" Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo laughed heartily.

"I eagerly await the day I am resurrected and witness the glory of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School!"

……

Tianming City, on the border of the Tianhun Empire.

The scorching sun beat down like fire, and the thick city walls of Tianming City turned a scorched yellow under the intense sunlight. As soon as you stepped onto the muddy ground, a wave of heat surged from the soles of your feet into your trouser legs, making pedestrians want to curse the damned heat.

As a border city, Tianming City has never been associated with peace and tranquility; it is a melting pot of all sorts of people.

Caravans traveling between the two countries to trade valuable goods depart from this city and often need to hire guards for escort, which is why a large number of Soul Masters gather in the city.

"The Ordinary Merchant Guild urgently needs twenty three-ring Soul Masters. Departing today, from Tianming City to Mingdu. Compensation: one hundred gold soul coins. Priority will be given to those with high soul power, battle soul masters, and those with thousand-year soul rings!"

Amidst the surging crowd, a wooden table covered with velvet held a crystal ball used for testing soul power.

Behind the table stood a group of beautiful women, their fans constantly waving up and down, blowing their bold and unrestrained flowing skirts. Their fair and tender skin on their chests was like a seductive little hand, enticing passing Soul Masters to come and take a look.

"Is the Ordinary Merchant Guild hiring?"

The Soul Masters immediately sprang into action, as the Ordinary Merchant Guild was a veteran merchant caravan.

They are always a group of beautiful women who go out to make a living. It is said that their headquarters are located in Mingdu and they are engaged in the highly profitable business of smuggling rare metals.

The girls were delicate and alluring, captivating even the most powerful and wealthy, who readily became their protectors.

Tianming City was not without its share of powerful figures who attempted to seize ordinary merchant caravans, taking both the people and their goods for themselves. However, without exception, their heads were ended up hanging from crooked trees outside the city.

Over the years, the reputation of Tianming City's Soul Masters has gradually reached a consensus that the Ordinary Merchant Caravan is definitely one of the forces that should not be provoked.

The Ordinary Merchant Guild is not ordinary in strength, so it rarely recruits guards. However, recently a group of unidentified villains came to the border between the two countries, causing the tragic annihilation of three merchant caravans.

The killer's cruelty was appalling; he seemed to be a creature even more ruthless than the evil spirit master, leaving no survivors. He ate the men raw, and the fate of the women was even more gruesome.

The women of the Ordinary Merchant Guild, wary of the uninvited guests, urgently recruited temporary guards to escort them and their goods safely to Mingdu.

"I'll do it! I'll do it!"

A burly man with a face full of scars pushed forward and grabbed the crystal ball with his large hand.

The female manager smiled alluringly and pushed the crystal ball forward. The burly man infused his soul power into the crystal ball, causing it to glow with seventy percent light.

"Level 35, qualified." The woman said to the girl in the blue dress next to her. "You'll be kept on the payroll."

"Hehe, Miss Shangguan, have you forgotten? I, Hu San, was selected when the Pingfan Chamber of Commerce recruited guards last time!"

The burly man grinned and stood aside with his hands on his hips.

Next, Soul Masters began to sign up one after another, at levels thirty-one, thirty-six, thirty-eight...

Shangguan Ying'er always greeted him with a smile, occasionally handing him a bowl of cool tea and speaking softly, which made the burly Soul Master's bones melt, and he patted his chest to promise to do his best.

After recruiting fourteen or fifteen Soul Masters, the Ordinary Merchant Guild's recruitment activity decreased. After all, a level 30 Soul Master had already transformed from a Blue Silver Grass Realm Soul Master to a Soft Bone Rabbit Realm Soul Master, making them welcome in any force on the Douluo Continent.

Being in an advanced Soul Master Academy, surrounded by countless genius Soul Masters, is actually quite common in the Soul Master world of the continent. There are many Soul Masters who cannot break through to level 30 by the age of fifty.

One hundred gold soul coins is enough to support a family of three for a year. It is also a huge sum of money in the eyes of these border soul masters who live on the edge of life. Unfortunately, the three-ring cultivation level has stopped a large number of men who were tempted.

"Buzz—"

A jade-white palm gently covered the crystal ball. Shangguan Ying'er looked up along the palm, her beautiful eyes widening slightly in surprise.

A face of extreme youth came into view. The youthful innocence had not yet faded, but the sharpness of the face was already captivating. The person was like a sword hidden in its sheath, its sharpness concealed, yet exuding a chilling aura. The silver-gray eyes seemed to see through all illusions.

In an instant, the crystal ball flashed a dazzling blue light, passing through levels thirty, thirty-five, forty... and steadily stopped at around level forty-two.

A terrifying gasp erupted from the crowd, almost sucking the air out of the Ordinary Chamber of Commerce!

The young man was actually a level 42 Soul Master, and his talent was at the level of the chief disciple in the Heavenly Soul Empire's major sects!

"Please sit down, young master!" Shangguan Ying'er smiled brightly and pulled out a chair herself. Her skirt flared out like a blooming red lotus. "It's so hot. Standing is tiring."

This is a specialty melon from Tianming City; it's soft, sweet, and fragrant.

Shangguan Ying'er brought over a plate of chilled melon with a smile. Her gentle demeanor made her seem less like someone recruiting guards and more like a young lady from a wealthy family entertaining a distinguished guest.

The border Soul Masters who had come to watch the spectacle nearly popped their eyes out; the difference in treatment was obvious at a glance.

"Miss," Lin Qing said softly, "I intend to immigrate to Mingdu and settle down. I do not want gold soul coins as payment for this trip. Could you please ask the Ordinary Merchant Guild to help me obtain a residence certificate?"

Undocumented immigrants still seek green cards.

The word "ordinary" reminded Lin Qing of one of the three major underground forces in Mingdu, an all-female merchant caravan that perfectly fit the description.

No wonder such a young and talented Soul Master came to the border out of place. Shangguan Ying'er suddenly realized and said with a smile, "It's a small matter. Welcome to the Sun Moon Empire, young master."

Because the Sun Moon Empire has few powerful martial soul bloodlines, with only a handful of martial souls such as the Sun Moon Dragon symbolizing the royal family and the Red Dust Family, the Sun Moon Empire has always encouraged Douluo Soul Masters to immigrate, especially genius Soul Masters who have awakened advanced martial souls.

As long as this shipment arrives in Mingdu smoothly, the Ordinary Merchant Guild is willing to help all Douluo guards who intend to stay in Sun and Moon Palace obtain permanent residence permits for the Empire.

Thank you.

"It's alright." Shangguan Ying'er waved her hand and lowered her voice, "If you have nowhere else to go, you can join my Ordinary Merchant Guild..."

Shangguan Ying'er naturally had to step in and recruit the promising young solo illegal immigrant. Even if Lin Qing refused, the residence permit would still be a good thing, a win-win situation.

"The Ordinary Chamber of Commerce can actually issue permanent residence permits? Then I'll sign up to be a bodyguard too."

A slender figure in shimmering gold walked unhurriedly through the crowd.