Eight months had passed since Li Zhexian's fall.
During this time,
although the three great empires had ceased open hostilities,
the continent remained rife with undercurrents.
The first major upheaval arose just one month after Li Zhexian's departure.
Before countless witnesses, the national treasure embedded within the Qinglian Sword—
the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud,
which had been enshrined upon Li Zhexian's golden divine statue—
vanished without a trace.
Emperor Xue Ye was furious.
A three-day investigation yielded nothing.
To this day, the incident remains an unsolved mystery.
Half a year later,
the reclusive Clear Sky Clan once again announced the reopening of its mountain gates.
Moreover, through unknown means, they learned that the former Slaughter King, slain by Li Zhexian years ago,
was in fact Tang Chen, the sect's long-missing founding ancestor.
Using this as justification,
Sect Master Tang Xiao led his people to hold Heaven Dou accountable,
demanding that the empire destroy Li Zhexian's golden divine statue.
A great battle was inevitable.
Chen Xin, Dugu Bo, Feng Bailong, and other Titled Douluo rose to meet them,
driving several Clear Sky elders into repeated retreat.
At the critical moment, Tang Hao returned.
With a shattered body, he detonated his rings and fought Chen Xin and Dugu Bo to a stalemate.
Though the battle came to an end,
the Clear Sky Clan—by standing alone against three great sects—
once more proclaimed its title as "The Number One Sect Under Heaven."
Meanwhile,
a new generation of prodigies began to rise beneath this sky that had lost its radiant moon.
Oscar, Yu Tianheng, Feng Xiaotian, Huo Wushuang, and others rapidly gained fame.
The long-vanished Dai Mubai reappeared,
challenging Yu Tianheng—who was training outdoors—to a duel atop the mountain ranges.
It was worth noting that,
more than a year earlier,
in order to repay Li Zhexian for his past aid,
the Star Luo Emperor Dai Zhen had intended to hand over the estranged prince Dai Mubai for punishment.
Dai Mubai was forced to flee far away.
Who would have thought that this time, he would return from the depths of the sea?
This battle drew the attention of countless onlookers.
Both combatants had already stepped into the Spirit Saint realm,
their combat power surpassing that of ordinary Spirit Douluo.
The clash was so fierce that mountains collapsed under their blows.
Even Yu Tianheng—whose aptitude had been transformed by Li Zhexian's Wine Martial Soul—
could only fight Dai Mubai to a draw.
When the First Marquis of the Star Luo Empire attempted to capture the wanted prince,
a mysterious Titled Douluo at Dai Mubai's side intervened, forcing him back.
As he departed,
Dai Mubai laughed loudly and declared:
"Li Zhexian does not deserve the title of the continent's number one prodigy!"
...
Heaven Dou Imperial Palace
Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, Feng Bailong, Chen Xin, Gu Rong, and Dugu Bo were all gathered together—
a rare occurrence.
Feng Bailong gently set his teacup down.
Though his eyes were covered with black silk,
a chilling sharpness still radiated from him.
"We already knew the Clear Sky Clan bullies the weak and fears the strong. They secluded themselves due to the power of the Spirit Hall, and now that Zhexian has departed, they have made a comeback."
"The number one sect under heaven?"
He shook his head with a cold laugh.
"A sect that has lost its integrity—
even with the Twin Douluo of Clear Sky and Roaring Sky—
is nothing more than withered bones in a grave."
Ning Fengzhi lightly tapped the tabletop, worry etched between his brows.
"What concerns me is the disturbance coming from overseas."
"The Spirit Master guarding Dai Mubai carried an aura vast and damp—
undoubtedly a Sea Spirit Master, long accustomed to the deep ocean."
Douluo Continent was vast.
But the sea was even more boundless.
As one of the three great sects with profound foundations,
the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had some understanding of the depths of the ocean.
Ning Fengzhi swept his gaze across the room.
"Sea Spirit Masters have always strictly guarded their waters.
Yet now, they appear on the continent…"
"Decades ago, the one known as 'Invincible of the Ocean',
who stood alongside Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu,
disappeared into the endless sea."
"The forces beneath those waters must never be underestimated."
At the mention of "Invincible of the Ocean,"
the atmosphere in the hall grew heavy.
The divine battle eight months months ago had made them profoundly appreciate the power of a Limit Douluo—a power second only to the gods.
"Heh…"
Dugu Bo's green-and-red pupils narrowed to slits.
His once graying hair had fully transformed into interwoven hues of green and crimson—
clear evidence of further advancement in cultivation.
"When Zhexian was still here, the Clear Sky Clan shut its gates tight,
and so-called geniuses were no more than fish crossing a river."
"Now that eight months have passed,
all these demons and monsters can no longer sit still."
At these words,
Chen Xin, Feng Bailong, and the others all turned their gazes toward the palace exterior.
There stood the golden divine statue,
its gentle luster flowing beneath the setting sun.
The young man wore a faint smile,
the carefree ease between his brows still vividly alive.
The reason these petty figures dared act without restraint—
was nothing more than their certainty
that the peerlessly brilliant youth would never return.
Body and soul destroyed.
Heaven itself had manifested omens.
All evidence pointed to a complete and utter fall.
Yet precisely because it was Li Zhexian,
they were still willing to believe in that "one-year promise."
Just as the hall sank into silence,
a guard hurried in.
"Your Majesty, honored lords—people from the Clear Sky Clan have come again!"
"So it's the Clear Sky Clan!"
Emperor Xue Ye slammed the table and rose to his feet, his dragon sleeves billowing.
"When the Spirit Empire's armies pressed our borders,
I personally went to seek their aid—only to be shut out!"
"Now that the powerful enemy has been defeated by Lord Sword Wine and all of you,
they dare strut about in arrogance!"
Chen Xin, Dugu Bo, and the others strode out of the hall.
"Heh. Let's go meet this so-called 'Number One Sect Under Heaven' again."
...
Star Dou Great Forest
With Li Zhexian no longer restraining it,
the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger returned to its native domain.
But it was intercepted by Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape,
who had been waiting for it.
The three great Spirit Beasts collided violently.
Ancient trees toppled.
Mountain rock shattered.
In the end, with Da Ming and Er Ming joining forces,
the Evil Tiger was overwhelmed and subdued.
"BOOM—!"
Er Ming pried open the tiger's blood-soaked jaws,
ripped up a towering ancient tree,
and viciously rammed it down the creature's throat.
"Speak!"
"What happened months ago?!"
"Where is Brother Zhexian now?!"
"ROAR—!"
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger let out a shrill howl.
Its scorpion tail lashed, trying to strike back—
only to be tightly bound by Azure Bull Python's massive coils.
"R-roar… urgh…!"
"Li… Li Zhexian has fallen!"
The two lords of the forest froze.
Er Ming threw back his head and roared in fury,
hammering his chest like war drums,
then flung aside the giant tree and pummeled the tiger's head with both fists.
"You're lying!"
"What kind of person is Brother Zhexian!"
"How could he fall?!"
"ROAR—!"
"Li Zhexian fought two Limit Douluo in succession…
then defeated a god…"
"Blood flowers drenched tens of thousands of miles…
even Star Dou could see it clearly…"
As the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger roared these words,
a trace of awe involuntarily flickered in its blood-red eyes.
That world-shaking battle had been truly terrifying.
Even though it harbored resentment toward Li Zhexian,
it had to admit—
that white-robed youth was the most extraordinarily gifted being it had ever seen.
"ROAR—!"
It suddenly lifted its head and howled fiercely.
"Azure! Titan!"
"You are forest overlords—why mourn a human so sorrowfully?"
"The fall of a human powerhouse—isn't it a heaven-sent blessing for our Spirit Beast race?!"
Brilliant azure divine light surged from Da Ming's mouth.
A mountain-like weight gathered upon Er Ming's fists.
"Shut up!"
Just as the two waves of annihilating energy were about to crash down—
the ground suddenly shook violently.
Towering ancient trees fell in swathes.
A bottomless, abyss-like fissure tore open the earth without warning.
The terrifying aura surging from it made even Da Ming and Er Ming tremble.
"ROAR—!" The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger shrieked in terror, beating its wings. Yet, it was dragged by an unseen force into the deep chasm.
After the crack slowly closed, Da Ming and Er Ming looked at each other with shock and suspicion. They tentatively stepped onto the ground that had returned to silence.
..
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