Douluo Continent: The Purple Dragon's Roar, the End of the Dark Abyss

"What?"

Two men in black robes stood bowing in the center of the hall.

Before them, a red-haired man seated on a throne of bones uttered a low question.

This man was none other than Zhongli Wu, the leader of the Holy Spirit Cult. His armor was forged from countless bones and rare black iron, and it gleamed with a ghostly green luster in the dim candlelight. The bronze mask shaped like a palm on his head was turning slightly, as if scrutinizing the kneeling worshipper.

The black-robed man (A)'s voice trembled slightly: "Master, we've discovered... the Holy Son's whereabouts in the Heavenly Soul Empire."

Zhongli Wu suddenly stood up, the white bone armor clanging together with a crisp sound.

He took a step forward, his voice, hoarse with excitement, beneath the mask: "Is what you're saying true?"

"My brother and I never lie," the second man in the black robe hurriedly added, noticing that the red light emanating from under the cult leader's mask was growing stronger.

Zhongli Wu clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles making a soft cracking sound: "If the place you're talking about... truly has a Holy Son..." He paused for a moment, then his voice suddenly rose, "There will be a great reward!"

The two men in black robes exchanged a glance, both seeing a greedy gleam in each other's eyes.

They knew that bringing back the Holy Son would be enough to elevate their status within the church many times over.

"But to deceive me..." Zhongli Wu suddenly turned around, the handprints on his mask appearing particularly sinister in the candlelight, "You two should understand."

"We know! We know!" The two brothers hurriedly kowtowed, and the black-robed armor even accidentally knocked over the candlestick next to them.

Zhongli Wu waved his hand, and the bone armor made a crisp clanging sound: "Go down, you've been traveling for days, go and get some rest."

"Yes, Master!" The two brothers, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly withdrew.

As the last footsteps faded away, the vast palace fell silent once more.

"It's time..." Zhongli Wu murmured to himself, a hint of barely perceptible anticipation in his voice, "Who should we send to bring back our Holy Son?"

Zhongli Wu suddenly turned around, his white bone armor dragging on the stone slabs with a grating sound, and headed straight for a secret chamber in the deepest part of the palace.

"mom."

As Zhongli Wu's deep voice fell, ripples suddenly appeared in the space in front of him, spreading out in layers like the surface of a lake tossed with pebbles.

A purplish-red figure stepped out from the void, each step carrying a chilling sense of oppression.

"What do you want?"

The visitor was none other than Ye Xishui, the Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Sect.

Her features were exquisitely sculpted like ice, her skin was so white it was almost transparent, and her eyes shone with a cold, star-like light.

Her long, purplish-red hair, parted in the middle, cascaded over her shoulders. Her dark-style gown was embroidered with intricate runes that shimmered with an eerie light as she moved.

Zhongli Wu bowed respectfully, the bone armor clanging together with a crisp sound: "Mother, we have found the Holy Son's trail."

Ye Xishui's gaze was like a poisoned dagger, piercing straight at Zhongli Wu: "Finding the Holy Son is a good thing, why don't you go and pick him up yourself? Why come looking for me instead?"

Zhongli Wu's back was soaked with cold sweat, and his voice beneath the mask trembled almost imperceptibly: "The sect is currently very busy with affairs, and I really can't spare the time... I would like to ask Mother..."

"Alright." Ye Xishui suddenly interrupted, saying to the void, "Xiaoyao, come out."

The space rippled once more, and an elderly man with silver hair slowly emerged.

His face was rosy like a baby's, his long eyebrows drooped down to his cheeks, his hands were behind his back, and he exuded a reassuring aura.

Zhongli Wu hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting: "Greetings, Your Excellency."

Long Xiaoyao waved his hand, his gaze sharp: "Where is it?"

Zhongli Wu transformed Ye Linyi's location information into a ball of light and placed it into Long Xiaoyao's palm.

A star-like trajectory emerged within the sphere of light, and a coordinate shrouded in purple mist was faintly visible.

"Interesting." A glint of light flashed in Long Xiaoyao's eyes. "The ultimate dark martial soul... If I could take it as a disciple, it would be a worthwhile investment of my cultivation."

Ye Xishui had already turned to leave, her long, purplish-red hair tracing an eerie arc behind her: "Don't bother me if you have nothing to do."

"Yes, Mother." Zhongli Wu's voice carried a hint of relief.

.........

"Sister Lexuan, you're leaving."

Zhang Lexuan stood at the entrance of Douhun Village, her long black hair swaying gently in the morning breeze.

She nodded: "I've had enough rest, it's time for me to go back to Shrek."

She suddenly turned around, her gaze landing on Ye Linyi: "By the way, Xiaoyi, do you want to come back to Shrek Academy with me?"

Ye Linyi quickly waved his hand: "No, Sister Lexuan. I'll register at Shrek Academy later."

"Okay, I'll wait for you at the registration desk," Zhang Lexuan said. "But don't keep me waiting too long, okay?"

Ye Linyi nodded solemnly: "Okay, bye-bye, Sister Lexuan, be careful."

Zhang Lexuan's figure gradually disappeared from Ye Linyi's sight.

"Good times are indeed fleeting..." Ye Linyi murmured to himself, then turned and headed towards the Water Curtain Cave.

When he arrived near the Water Curtain Cave, he suddenly stopped and frowned slightly.

These past few days, he's felt like he's being watched from the shadows, and that feeling of being spied on makes him very uncomfortable.

"That's strange..." Ye Linyi looked around but found nothing unusual.

Not far away, Long Xiaoyao was hidden in a spatial rift, his silver hair fluttering gently in the breeze.

Seeing Ye Linyi's puzzled expression, he smiled slightly: "An interesting little fellow, he can actually sense my presence."

The next second, Ye Linyi had just stepped out with his left foot when he suddenly felt a vast and unfathomable soul force pressing down on him, rendering him unable to move.

Immediately afterwards, the space in front of them began to distort, like torn silk, and a man in black robes slowly emerged from the spatial rift.

Ye Linyi's pupils contracted sharply as he quickly analyzed the situation: there were only three Limit Douluo in total in Douluo Continent II, and the person in front of him was male—it was either Mu En or Long Xiaoyao.

Given Mu En's situation, it's impossible for him to come looking for him. Therefore, the man before him must be one of the three Limit Douluos, "Dragon Emperor Douluo" Long Xiaoyao.

"Kid, your name is Ye Linyi, right?" Long Xiaoyao's voice was deep and magnetic, as if it could penetrate the soul.

Ye Linyi took a deep breath, maintaining a respectful demeanor: "That's right, it's me, Your Excellency."

As soon as he answered, the oppressive aura pressing down on him vanished without a trace.

Ye Linyi bowed respectfully, a hint of wariness in his eyes: "May I ask what business Your Majesty has with this junior?"

Long Xiaoyao slowly approached, each step seemingly treading on Ye Linyi's heartbeat.

He extended his hand, gesturing for Ye Linyi to relax: "Summon your martial spirit."

Ye Linyi hesitated for a moment, but still obediently summoned the Dark Abyss God-Slaying Halberd.

As soon as the halberd appeared, the surrounding air seemed to be swallowed by darkness, and the dark purple light flowing on the halberd's body writhed like a living thing.

Long Xiaoyao's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had seen the most precious treasure in the world: "It really is the ultimate darkness!"

He took off his hat, revealing a baby-like rosy face with long eyebrows drooping down his cheeks: "My name is Long Xiaoyao."

Ye Linyi thought to himself, "It really is him." But what exactly does Long Xiaoyao want with me? He took a deep breath and said, "This junior doesn't know, Senior Long, what business do you have with me?"

Long Xiaoyao's silver hair fluttered gently in the breeze. After observing for several days, he confirmed that this young man was not only exceptionally talented, but also extremely resilient.

"I have two things to say to you." His voice was deep and magnetic, as if it could penetrate the soul.

"First, my martial soul is the 'Dark Holy Dragon,' and I wish to take you as my disciple so that you may inherit my mantle," Long Xiaoyao said.

"Dark Sacred Dragon Martial Soul?" A flicker of excitement flashed in Ye Linyi's feigned eyes, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Could you be Long Xiaoyao, one of the Black and White Twin Fiends, the Dragon Emperor Douluo?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Long Xiaoyao's eyes, which quickly turned into relief: "After all these years, there are still people who remember my name." He nodded slightly, "That's right, it's me."

"Both of us possess the dark attribute, and my mastery of the dark realm has reached its pinnacle." A glint of wisdom flashed in Long Xiaoyao's eyes. "With my guidance, your cultivation path will be twice as effective."

Without the slightest hesitation, Ye Linyi knelt on one knee, his voice firm and full of respect: "Master, please accept my bow!"

A relieved smile appeared on Long Xiaoyao's aged face as he reached out to help Ye Linyi up: "Good, good, you are my only disciple!"

"Master, you can just call me Xiao Yi." Ye Linyi's face was filled with a sincere smile.

Long Xiaoyao smiled and nodded: "Okay, Xiao Yi." He waved his right hand, and a right arm bone emitting a dark light appeared out of thin air and flew into Ye Linyi's hand.

"I didn't bring any valuables with me when I was away from home, so please accept this 6-year-old Wind Demon Wolf right arm bone as a gift."

Ye Linyi caught the soul bone steadily, his eyes shining with gratitude: "Thank you, Master."

Long Xiaoyao waved his hand, his gaze suddenly becoming profound: "Oh, right, the second one is..."

He fell into deep thought, his brow furrowed, as if weighing something.

Ye Linyi carefully put away the soul bone and asked cautiously, "Master, what is the second one?"

A flicker of struggle crossed Long Xiaoyao's eyes, but he finally made up his mind: "Secondly, are you willing to come with me to the 'Holy Spirit Cult' and become a Holy Son?"

Ye Linyi had a premonition, but he still pretended to be puzzled: "Master, what is the Holy Spirit Cult? I've never heard of it before?"

Seeing Ye Linyi's bewildered expression, Long Xiaoyao sighed and said, "Little Yi, let me tell you the truth, the Holy Spirit Cult is not a good thing. It's the place where evil soul masters gather the most."

Ye Linyi instantly switched to Oscar-worthy acting, his face filled with shock: "Master, are you perhaps an evil spirit master?"

A flicker of pain crossed Long Xiaoyao's eyes: "Sigh, I don't even know if I qualify as an evil soul master."

He gazed into the distance, his voice low: "Actually, I don't want to stay in a place like the Holy Spirit Church either."

Ye Linyi feigned confusion at just the right moment: "Then Master, why don't you leave the Holy Spirit Sect?"

Long Xiaoyao's expression became complicated, as if he was being stung by a memory: "Because I owe someone..." He hesitated before continuing.

Ye Linyi scratched his head, inwardly complaining: "He only says half of what he means, it's so frustrating!" Actually, he vaguely guessed that it was related to Ye Xishui, but this feeling of wanting to say something but holding back was really uncomfortable.

"Xiao Yi, I'm taking you to the Holy Spirit Cult. Becoming a Holy Son is just to complete the mission." Long Xiaoyao's gaze became firm. "After you become a Holy Son, you will cultivate with me. You don't need to contact those evil soul masters. You will simply wear the title of Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult."

He finally looked at Ye Linyi, his voice gentle yet authoritative: "So, Xiaoyi, are you refusing to go, or agreeing? I respect your choice."