Douluo Unrivaled: The Beginning Materializes the Black Abyss and White Flowers

Chapter 384 The Truth About Parallel Worlds

The Sun and Moon Empire is like a coiled venomous snake, calmly licking its wounds, accumulating deadly venom, and waiting for the best opportunity to attack.

Everyone on the mainland with a discerning eye knows that this seemingly calm period of preparation is nothing more than the final suffocating moment before the storm arrives.

What the Sun and Moon Empire needs is simply a point in time when its internal situation is completely stable and its war preparations are fully complete.

According to the most conservative estimates from various think tanks, this timeframe will not exceed two years.

Two years is not a long time in the context of human life.

But for the original Douluo Three Kingdoms, these seven hundred-plus days and nights will be the final countdown that will determine the future of the continent and even their own fate.

The shadow of war has already descended to a point where it is almost within reach, waiting only for the wounded behemoth that is the Sun and Moon Empire to complete its final preparations before unleashing a colossal wave that will engulf everything.

This is the despair brought about by the disparity in strength. Knowing that the Sun Moon Empire was preparing for war, the three great empires dared not launch the first attack and interrupt the Sun Moon Empire's process of accumulating strength.

Because they also need more time to train the army, produce soul tools, and set up defenses.

The three empires already exhausted themselves just defending, let alone launching an offensive against the Sun Moon Empire. Fighting on foreign soil, they were no match for the Sun Moon Empire.

The soul tools used by the Sun Moon Empire's defenses are far more advanced than those of the original Douluo Three Kingdoms, so they are not afraid of any proactive attacks from the original Douluo Three Kingdoms.

On the contrary, the Sun Moon Empire would prefer the original Douluo Three Kingdoms to take the initiative so that they can wait for the enemy to tire themselves out. After all, offense often consumes more resources than defense.

With the Sun Moon Empire's superior soul guidance technology compared to the original Douluo Three Kingdoms, it would be very difficult for the armies of the original Douluo Three Kingdoms to cross the Sun Moon Empire's defenses.

In the parallel world of Douluo Continent, in the Tianshui City of the Martial Soul Empire, Lu Jingming led Gu Yuena and the others to the city gate, which had a slightly ancient style but also subtly revealed a tense atmosphere.

Looking up, the flags hanging high on the city tower had been changed. The royal emblem that originally belonged to the Heaven Dou Empire had been replaced by a flag with a golden angel surrounding a scepter—this was the new symbol of the Spirit Empire.

"Tianshui City..."

Lu Jingming murmured the name of the city, his gaze sweeping over the guards at the city gate, who were much more imposing than usual, and the complex expressions on the faces of the pedestrians, a mixture of awe, unease, and curiosity.

He realized that the seeds he had sown were beginning to bear fruit in this era that was completely different from the original historical trajectory.

Due to the variables he brought, Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue obtained a 100,000-year-old soul bone and a 100,000-year-old holy mark respectively because of the PUBG tournament.

More importantly, the existence of the World Tree, rooted in the planet's ley lines and quietly attracting and materializing negative energy to catalyze the world's evolution, has significantly accelerated and enhanced the Spirit Hall's strength and operational pace.

Based on what they had seen and heard along the way, about a month ago, Bibi Dong, who had already inherited the position of Rakshasa God, could no longer suppress her ambition to sweep across the continent and brazenly launched the long-planned Soul Hunting Operation.

Several Title Douluo from the Spirit Hall were ordered to launch a surprise attack on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the three upper sects, with the intention of completely wiping out this sect known for its powerful offensive capabilities.

However, just when the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was about to be destroyed and its leader, Thunder Douluo Yu Yuanzhen, was about to die in battle, several unknown Title Douluos with extraordinary strength suddenly intervened in the battlefield, disrupting the Spirit Hall's perfect plan and successfully rescuing the seriously injured Yu Yuanzhen and some of his core disciples.

At the same time, the attack on the incredibly wealthy Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School also encountered an unexpected setback.

Because of his cooperation with Qunyu Pavilion, Ning Fengzhi obtained a large number of excellent soul tools, including a top-level detection soul tool that exposed the whereabouts of the Spirit Hall's raiding team.

Furthermore, with Sword Douluo Chen Xin's strength breaking through to level 97, the power of his Seven Kill Sword far exceeded the Spirit Hall's expectations. Combined with Bone Douluo Gu Rong's defense and the ultimate support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the attacking Spirit Hall experts suffered heavy losses and returned defeated.

The setbacks of two consecutive key operations, while failing to severely damage the foundation of the Spirit Hall, completely exposed its ambitions.

Seeing this, Bibi Dong simply stopped hiding and directly revealed her god-level strength, declaring with absolute force that the Spirit Hall had been reorganized into the Spirit Empire, and appointing herself as the founding empress, looking down upon the world.

On another front, Qian Renxue, disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, also took simultaneous action, secretly poisoning Emperor Xue Ye of the Tiandou Empire.

According to the original plan, she would smoothly ascend to the throne and annex the entire Tiandou Empire without bloodshed.

However, at this crucial moment, her true identity was inexplicably revealed.

Prince Xue Xing of the Heaven Dou Empire acted decisively, leading his son Xue Beng and a group of loyal subjects. With the desperate protection of Thunder Douluo Yu Yuanzhen, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, and several mysterious Title Douluos, they broke through the encirclement and fled south, eventually reuniting with the Star Luo Empire.

Qian Renxue, who had become an angel god, could have easily captured everyone, but perhaps out of consideration for her past relationship with her teacher Ning Fengzhi, or perhaps because there were people among those who came to rescue her that she was wary of, she ultimately showed mercy and let the remnants of the Heavenly Dou army leave.

Following this battle, the central government of the Heaven Dou Empire collapsed, and its territory was quickly taken over by the Spirit Empire in a short period of time.

Cities like Tianshui City, which originally belonged to Tiandou, also changed their flags and submitted to the new master.

Cities that originally belonged to Tiandou also changed their flags and submitted to the new master.

It is worth mentioning that because Tianshui Academy, Chihuo Academy, and Shenfeng Academy joined Qunyu Pavilion, Qian Renxue personally stepped in to protect them, saving them from Bibi Dong's clutches. This allowed the three elemental academies to maintain their original independent operation under the rule of the Martial Soul Empire, without being affected by the war.

However, this move clearly challenged Bibi Dong's authority, further straining the already fragile relationship between mother and daughter. The divine powers of the Rakshasa God and the Angel God even nearly clashed at a high-level meeting of the Spirit Empire, indicating that this empire, with two gods in charge, was far from being a monolithic entity.

Walking on the streets of Tianshui City, Lu Jingming could clearly feel a restless energy of transition between the old and the new.

The banners of the Martial Soul Empire fluttered in the wind, and the patrolling soldiers wore new standard armor. A sense of suppressed excitement and unease filled the air.

Because of his previous intervention, the situation on the mainland has become like a wild horse, galloping in a completely unknown direction.

The Star Luo Empire and the remnants of the Heaven Dou Empire joined forces to put up a last-ditch resistance. The Martial Soul Empire had two gods in power, but there were hidden dangers within.

The origins and purposes of those unfamiliar powerful figures who disrupted the Martial Soul Empire's plans have added another layer of mystery to this chaotic situation.

In the central area of ​​Tianshui City, there is an elegant cluster of buildings with pavilions and towers scattered about, which is out of place with the slightly tense military atmosphere in the city.

This is the headquarters of Qunyu Pavilion in this world.

An invisible force field seemed to surround the attic, isolating it from the outside world and creating a tranquil haven.

When Lu Jingming arrived with Gu Yuena, Liu Ying, and the others, Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, and Feng Xiaotian, who had already received the news, gathered at the entrance of the main hall to welcome them.

"Master Lu."

Shui Bing'er stepped forward first, bowing slightly. She still maintained her aloof and composed demeanor, but her eyes held a newfound calmness and gratitude after experiencing many changes.

Huo Wu, Feng Xiaotian, and the others also bowed respectfully.

They knew that if they hadn't joined the Jade Pavilion long ago and received the protection arranged by Lu Jingming, they and their families and academies would never have been able to remain so detached from the ravages of war amidst the turmoil stirred up by the Martial Soul Empire.

Even Bibi Dong, the powerful Empress of the Martial Soul Empire, temporarily withdrew her probing tentacles in the face of Qian Renxue's clear stance and the mystery displayed by the Qunyu Pavilion, and tacitly approved the independence of the Qunyu Pavilion.

"No need for formalities, let's go inside and talk." Lu Jingming nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over these familiar yet increasingly mature faces, and he understood.

The group moved to the inner hall and took their seats.

Shui Bing'er, as the temporary person in charge here, began to give Lu Jingming a detailed report on the earth-shattering changes that had taken place on the mainland during this period.

From Bibi Dong's audacious launch of the Soul Hunting Operation after becoming a god, to the intervention of a mysterious powerhouse when the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan was attacked, to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's thwarting of the sneak attack with its exquisite soul tools, and finally the upheaval in the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace, where Emperor Xue Ye was poisoned, Qian Renxue's identity was exposed, and the remnants of the Heavenly Dou Clan fled south to Xingluo under the protection of several powerful figures, etc.

Lu Jingming listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the armrest of his seat.

When Shui Bing'er mentioned the mysterious Title Douluos who had appeared at crucial moments and disrupted the Spirit Empire's plans, she frowned slightly:

“Young Master Lu, the identities of those people are very strange. Their martial souls are all very powerful, and their strength is extremely formidable. In particular, one of them has a soul power of up to level 98. His martial soul seems to be an extremely rare top-level beast martial soul, which resembles a divine bull but is full of ferocious energy. It can devour energy and is very terrifying. We have tried to find out their origins from various sources, but we have not been able to find out their origins.”

Shui Bing'er's description may be full of mysteries to the people of this world, but to Lu Jingming, Gu Yuena and others, it was like seeing the sun after the clouds had parted.

"Shaped like a divine ox, it devours energy... Level 98..."

A knowing glint flashed in Gu Yuena's amethyst-like eyes. She looked at Lu Jingming and said softly, "It's Xuanzi. His Taotie Divine Ox Martial Soul has such obvious characteristics."

Lu Jingming's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

“That’s right. It seems that those who were caught in the time tunnel even earlier than us have already taken the lead and are active in this world.”

This discovery explains why the Spirit Hall's seemingly foolproof plans have suffered repeated setbacks.

Xuanzi, along with Ma Xiaotao and others who were likely to accompany him, possessed strength and experience that would undoubtedly have made them a formidable force in the Douluo Continent ten thousand years ago.

Their intervention forcefully reversed what could have been a one-sided situation.

After all, Xuanzi and the others knew this world very well. They came from Shrek Academy, a school with a history that had lasted for ten thousand years. Of course, they had information about the history from ten thousand years ago.

In this way, the reason why Qian Renxue's identity was still exposed even without Tang San was found: the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was rescued.

"There are subtle differences in the flow of time between the two worlds."

Lu Jingming quickly came to a conclusion.

“We were only a little late, but they arrived about a month earlier than us. That month was enough for them to understand the situation and choose to stand on the opposite side of the Spirit Empire.”

Gu Yuena and the others looked enlightened, while Shui Bing'er and the others looked puzzled.

Seeing the confusion on Shui Bing'er's and the others' faces, Lu Jingming felt it was time to reveal part of the truth.

The appearance of the time-space portal and the early arrival of Xuanzi and others signify that the intertwining of the two worlds has begun. There is no need to continue concealing it, as it may lead to misjudgment.

He spoke slowly, his voice calm: "Bing'er, Brother Feng, Huo Wu, those titled Douluo whose identities you just mentioned, we might know their origins."

Shui Bing'er and the others immediately looked up, their eyes filled with curiosity and inquiry.

Lu Jingming did not answer directly, but instead posed a more fundamental question: "In your opinion, where exactly does our Qunyu Pavilion come from?"

Feng Xiaotian hesitated for a moment before cautiously replying:
“Brother Lu’s methods are extraordinary. Whether it is his strength, his holy marks, or his soul tools, they all far exceed our imagination. We have always guessed that Brother Lu may come from some secluded secret realm, or he may have obtained a complete ancient lost inheritance.”

Lu Jingming gently shook his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the roof and looking towards the boundless starry sky.

"Your guess is correct, but not entirely. We are not simply from some hidden place."

He paused for a moment, then revealed the earth-shattering truth.

"We come from another world, a world that is ten thousand years after yours on the timeline... Douluo Continent."

"what?!"

"Ten thousand years later?!"

"Another world?!"

In an instant, the entire hall seemed to have been hit by a fixed-position soul-guided cannonball, and exclamations rose and fell.

Shui Bing'er's icy blue eyes widened instantly, her usual cool composure vanishing in stark contrast to astonishment and disbelief.

Huo Wu stood up abruptly, her pretty face filled with disbelief.

Feng Xiaotian's smile froze completely, and his brain seemed to stop working at that moment.

Ten thousand years later? Another world? This was completely beyond their comprehension, even more shocking than hearing that Bibi Dong had become a god.

Legends of gods still exist in ancient books and beliefs, but a journey across time and worlds is simply a myth within a myth.

"Young Master Lu...you mean...you're not from this world?"

Shui Bing'er's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly; she had to exert great effort to keep her words coherent.

"Yes."

Lu Jingming nodded affirmatively.

"Our spacetime is a parallel river to yours. For some reason, we were able to cross spacetime and come here. As for those mysterious Title Douluos you encountered before..."

At this point, he looked at Shui Bing'er.

"If I'm not mistaken, they are people from the same world as us. The level 98 expert with the Gluttonous Spirit is named Xuanzi. In our world, he is a top expert at Shrek Academy, the number one academy on the continent."

Gu Yuena added casually from the side:

"In other words, the one who stirred up the storm on the continent and saved the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the remnants of the Heavenly Fighting Army was a visitor from a parallel world."

The amount of information was so overwhelming that Shui Bing'er and the others felt their heads buzzing.

They need time to process this revolutionary truth.

(End of this chapter)