"Ah… I didn't expect so many terrifying beasts to be lurking inside the Star Dou Great Forest." Dai Tianfeng said, still shaken.
"If Sect Master Huo and his people hadn't held them back, we might have all perished in there." Ning Fengzhi added.
Ge Long frowned. "But… can the Body Sect, trapped so deep in the Star Dou Forest's core, even escape?"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "Unlikely. Under the assault of the three great apex beasts, even Sect Master Huo would likely fall. If we had chosen the Sunset Forest instead of the Star Dou Great Forest from the beginning, we wouldn't have ended up like this."
The gathering fell silent.
Someone suddenly muttered: "But think—Body Sect sent almost all of their top experts. If they all perish inside… wouldn't that mean the Body Sect is finished?"
Instantly, every faction present pricked up like cats catching a scent of blood. Greedy thoughts surged that they normally wouldn't dare to voice.
If all the Body Sect elites were wiped out, wouldn't the sect be defenseless right now?
If they could enter the sect's territory and seize the secrets of Body Martial Spirit cultivation—
Unlike inherited clan spirits, the Body Martial Spirit could appear from mutations, even during the spirit awakening of a mere commoner.
In the past, people knew of such spirits but had no way to "reawaken" them, so they were unimpressive.
But ever since the Body Sect emerged, everything changed.
If they could get the cultivation method, maybe they couldn't apply it to their own clans directly—but they could search among the peasants for talents with Body Spirits, train them into loyal dead soldiers, and thereby strengthen their sect's power.
And who knew—what if one day their own family produced a Body Spirit mutation?
Thus, moments ago these factions were still grateful to the Body Sect for saving them, but now greed welled up uncontrollably.
At that moment, a figure streaked out from the depths of the forest.
Lu Yuan appeared before them.
He looked battered, covered in wounds, but the oppressive aura of his level 98 power made every faction tremble.
His presence instantly crushed all thoughts of coveting the Body Sect.
A joke, surely. Aside from the Body Sect, the strongest in the alliance was only Chen Xin at level 96—and he'd lost an arm.
Lu Yuan's level 98 strength was simply an overwhelming lead.
"Your Majesty, Flashing Sword Douluo, you're alive?" Ning Fengzhi exclaimed in shock.
Lu Yuan's tone was cold: "What, did Sect Master Ning hope we'd all perish inside?"
Ning Fengzhi quickly explained: "No, no, not like that, Lord Lu. It's just, with the situation back there, we thought you…"
Lu Yuan's voice carried sorrow: "My spirit emphasizes speed. I had the best chance of escaping. My master, my fellow sect brothers… they sacrificed themselves to ensure the Body Sect's legacy would not be broken. They… are all gone."
He then lifted his head, glaring at the leaders of the Divine Order Alliance: "While we fought and bled at the frontlines, you abandoned us."
"Lord Flashing Sword," Dai Tianfeng argued, "given the situation, if we hadn't withdrawn, we'd all have died there."
"Don't make excuses. Abandoning your allies is abandoning your allies. The Body Sect will remember this. From today forward, I declare the Body Sect's withdrawal from the Divine Order Alliance."
Ning Fengzhi panicked. The alliance was already half-crippled. If another level 98 Super Douluo left, what chance did they have left? He hurriedly tried to dissuade him:
"Sect Master Lu, your decision is too rash. Though the alliance is weakened, don't forget—behind us stands Tang San, the god-to-be. No matter how dire our current circumstances, once Tang San ascends, we'll have the power of a god to turn the tide."
"Heh." Lu Yuan sneered. "You're right—but with the state your alliance is in, can you even survive until Tang San becomes a god?"
With that, he turned and flew off. His voice spread across every ear in the Divine Order Alliance:
"Farewell. From now on, the Body Sect is the Body Sect, and the Alliance is the Alliance. We are no longer allies. We, too, must abandon those who abandoned us."
As they watched him go, Ning Fengzhi sighed:
"Lu Yuan is foolish. As long as we endure, once Tang San ascends and returns, we'll be the ones to dictate the continent's order. By leaving now, he has cut off the Body Sect's future path."
The other factions murmured in agreement.
Their reluctance to abandon the fading Alliance came from two reasons:
First, the peasant rebellion was merciless. Each time they overran a clan or sect, they dragged out family genealogies and slaughtered every name listed. There was no room for compromise—only survival or annihilation.
Second, the Alliance still had one massive support: Tang San. No matter how bleak the situation, if Tang San became a god, the order would be restored, and they would be the ones seated at the banquet carving up the continent.
Yu Yuanzhen, still grieving the loss of his son, asked Ning Fengzhi:
"Sect Master Ning, with the Body Sect gone, and both the Heaven Dou and Star Luo empires suffering defeat after defeat… what should we do?"
Even Ning Fengzhi, clever as he was, had no easy answer. He said:
"For now, preserving our remaining strength is paramount. The remnants of Heaven Dou and Star Luo must contract their defenses, fortify layer by layer, and resist the invasion of the Spark forces…"
Before he could finish, the sound of galloping hooves came from afar. A messenger dismounted before Yu Xiaogang and the others, reporting urgently:
"Report! Grave news—the Spirit Hall has launched an attack. Both Jialing Pass and Shuiyun Pass have fallen!"
"What?!" The leaders of the factions felt their hearts sink into despair.
For so long, they had been fighting Spark, losing ground repeatedly, while Spirit Hall remained quiet. But everyone knew that since Yu Xiaogang's "Great Purge," the war with Spirit Hall had begun.
Yet Spirit Hall had stayed silent—like a tiger on the mountain, watching with cold eyes.
They had stationed heavy troops at Jialing Pass and Shuiyun Pass, but the high-ranking leaders all understood: once Spirit Hall struck, those two passes would inevitably fall. No fortress could hold them back. And the fall of these two passes meant Spirit Hall had finally made its move.
Now, with no strength left to even resist Spark, yet another powerful enemy had joined the war.
The once-sacred Seagod Island was now shrouded in gloomy black clouds.
It had long since been transformed into the Slave Paradise. Tang Xiao sat cross-legged in the great hall, dressed in feathered garb, his face painted with striped markings, his body darkened like ink as he inhaled and exhaled the surrounding black miasma.
On both sides of the grand hall stood neat rows of Slave.
Suddenly, Tang Xiao opened his eyes, a sinister glint flashing within them.
"I sense a soul I've long yearned to torment wandering this world. Tang Hao… is that you? Did you think you could just die and pass into reincarnation? Dream on!"
As he spoke, Tang Xiao seized the Rakshasa Scythe. With a single hook into the void, he dragged a soul back.
"Become my Slave!"
Unleashing his Rakshasa Domain, Tang Xiao's vile aura tainted the soul. Soon, a new body began to form around the black spirit.
This body was covered in thick hair, its skin darkened, its limbs short but sturdy, the figure robust and burly. Despite the drastic changes, Tang Hao's facial outline could still be recognized.
Tang Hao's memory lingered at the moment he perished under Tang San's sword. When his eyes opened again, his first thought was—
"I've been revived! That must mean Little San became a god… and he brought me back!"
Tang Hao had willingly allowed Tang San to strike him down, knowing that to a god, death was no true end.
With a son as filial as Tang San, he was certain he would one day be resurrected. And here it was—proof before his eyes.
"Little San's a god now… that means Ah Yin can be revived soon too! My Ah Yin will return to me, hahahahahaha!" Tang Hao laughed wildly, leaping with joy.
He believed he had endured the worst and that from here on, destiny awaited him—to become a master of fate, ruling over Douluo's people.
But then—
Clap clap clap clap!
Applause echoed, interrupting his ecstatic thoughts.
Tang Hao turned and saw a dark, short-limbed tribal chieftain-like figure, entirely pitch-black, applauding him.
At first glance, Tang Hao thought it was his son Tang San—since Tang San had become blackened after inheriting a god's mantle.
But on closer inspection, he realized it wasn't.
"That was quite the performance, Rat. Why stop? Dance for me! Keep moving!" the dark chieftain barked sharply.
Tang Hao froze. He was Tang San's father, the mighty Clear Sky Douluo, and now the father of a god. Who dared order him? With a superior's cold authority, he demanded:
"Who are you, to dare command me?"
"Who am I?" The black chieftain grinned wickedly.
"My foolish little brother… have you forgotten me after all these years?"
Tang Hao stiffened. He studied the figure carefully. Though altered, the face overlapped with someone from his past—
"You… you're Tang Xiao!" Tang Hao exclaimed, aghast.
"My foolish brother, you finally remember. All these years, the deeds you've done—I've recorded them one by one." Tang Xiao's voice dripped with malice.
A pang of guilt stirred within Tang Hao. "Tang Xiao… how did you become like this? And why am I here?"
Looking around, he began to realize something about this resurrection was wrong.
"How did I become like this? Ever since you stole Ah Yin from me, I've lived in torment. I hated myself, hated my weakness that couldn't protect my love. In my despair, I sold my soul to the evil god. I inherited the Rakshasa's mantle. Now, I stand one step away from becoming the Rakshasa God.
"And you, Tang Hao… originally, I planned to ascend and then slowly take my revenge on you and your son.
"But I never expected you to die first. So I revived you myself."
Tang Hao's darkened face changed. "The Rakshasa God…?" Seeing the divine mark on Tang Xiao's forehead, unease gripped him. "But shouldn't that mantle belong to Bibi—"
"Rat! Do you still not understand your situation? You are now my Slave. I am your master. Kneel before me!"
Thud!
At the command, Tang Hao collapsed to his knees. His mind went blank, unable to process the humiliation.
Tang Xiao waved, and two Slave brought forth a mirror, placing it before Tang Hao.
"Look well at yourself now."
Tang Hao could not avoid it. He gazed into the mirror.
Once, he was proud of his bronze-toned skin, his powerful muscles, his rugged masculine aura. These had won him Ah Yin's heart.
Now—what stared back was a grotesque mockery: hairy, dark-skinned, short-limbed, exuding not masculine charm but a savage beast-like ferocity. He looked closer to a silverback gorilla than a man.
"This is you now—my Slave, hahahahahaha!" Tang Xiao laughed with cruel delight.
"What have you done to me!" Tang Hao roared.
Tang Xiao lashed him with a great whip, striking across his face.
Tang Hao longed to fight back—but found he could not. His body would not obey him. Fear set in.
Smack! Another vicious blow.
"What have I done? Must I repeat it? You are my Slave now. And Slave cannot resist their master."
After tormenting him for a while, Tang Xiao stomped brutally on Tang Hao's spine, shattering it with overwhelming force.
"Aaaarghhhhhh!" Tang Hao's wail twisted into a pained baboon's cry.
Tang Xiao sneered, towering above him.
"For over ten years, I lived like a broken dog because of you. Now, you too are a broken dog. And this… is only the beginning."
Then, he gestured to the Slave nearby.
"My Slave, introduce yourselves to our newest lowly brother."
Several Slave stepped forward, surrounding Tang Hao.
Tang Hao, gritting his teeth, glared at them—until his expression froze.
"You… you are…"
He recognized them: Tang Lie, Tang Tian, Tang Kai, Tang Zhe… and even Tang Tian again.
Tang Xiao laughed coldly.
"Ah, so you still recognize them. My Slaves have missed you dearly, Tang Hao."