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

Chapter 402 The Actions of the Spirit Empire

Lu Jingming recalled the almost obsessive and manic expression that Hanabi had just displayed, and his eyelids twitched involuntarily.

What's going on in this troublemaker's head?
However, being the person he was, he naturally saw through Hanabi's little thoughts, which were almost written on her face, and her almost overflowing, extreme desire for him and the fun he represented.

Whatever.

A masked fool who is kept under surveillance and can be knocked down at any time is far better than a time bomb lurking in the shadows, ready to explode and cause even greater trouble at any moment.

Keeping them around can serve as a form of restraint, and perhaps... it can also make the best use of them.

Once his thoughts settled, Lu Jingming wore a calm yet all-encompassing smile and said slowly:

"From this day forward, you will stay by my side. As for the pleasures you seek..."

He paused briefly, his gaze darkening slightly.

"As long as my bottom line isn't crossed, I can tolerate it to some extent."

Upon hearing this, Hanabi's smile instantly blossomed like a flame rose in full bloom, beautiful, fiery, and possessing a dangerous allure that could consume everything.

"Oh?"

She cupped her still slightly flushed cheeks in her hands, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous and expectant light.

"What if...someone accidentally crosses your line? Will it be a strange punishment like what happened just now?"

She deliberately emphasized the word "strange," her tone ambiguous and difficult to decipher.

Lu Jingming leaned slightly closer to her ear and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear, carrying a hint of coldness:

"No, it's something even more 'outrageous' than that... I don't think you'd want to experience it yourself."

His words were meaningful and carried a warning.

Hanabi's smile froze almost imperceptibly for a moment.

Even worse than before... instead of just killing her?

Almost instantly, certain explicit and embarrassing images uncontrollably flooded her mind.

Although she sought pleasure and even harbored a strong urge to explore the unknown, her remaining rationality sent a chill down her spine, restraining her from continuing to flirt with danger.

The punishment she had just received was still within her acceptable range; in fact, it could be said to have opened a door to a new world for her, bringing unexpected thrills and pleasure.

But further ahead... lies an abyss from which there is no turning back once you step in.

Right now, she doesn't want to just sink into despair completely.

"Are you really determined to keep her?"

A cold voice sounded.

Gu Yuena quietly stepped forward and walked to Lu Jingming's side, getting very close to him.

Her purple eyes swept lightly over the fireworks, carrying a hint of scrutiny and worry that was barely perceptible.

As he spoke, a delicate and subtle fragrance lingered around Lu Jingming's nose.

“Even though I don’t know her well, I can tell that she’s a real troublemaker.”

Gu Yuena's tone was calm, but her gaze was sharp.

She had clearly seen Hanabi's sickly and deranged expression just now.

She found it hard to understand how anyone could find enjoyment in such circumstances… She had witnessed the diversity of humanity firsthand today.

Her concerns were not unfounded.

Keeping such a creature, which feeds on chaos and pleasure and whose behavior is unpredictable, around is like placing a bomb that could explode at any moment.

Hearing the worry in Gu Yuena's voice, Lu Jingming smiled calmly and raised his hand to reassure her.

I understand your concerns.

Lu Jingming explained to Gu Yuena:

"The Masked Fools are indeed known for their pursuit of pleasure and their ability to stir up chaos, but the 'pleasure' they seek is always based on the existence of life—without life, how can there be feelings? How can there be fun? That is why they always maintain a certain degree of respect for life in their bones."

He paused briefly, glancing at the fireworks.

"Take Hanabi for example. She is indeed playful and seems to act as she pleases, but have you ever seen her truly trample on the bottom line of life? The reason she did this without hesitation was because Mingdu had become a ghost town at that time. The civilians had either been evacuated in advance or had already perished. The vast majority of those wandering in the city were the henchmen of the antimatter legion."

"As for those who were caught in the time-space turbulence, they did not die. Fireworks only caused them trouble, which is commonplace for the Masked Fool."

Finally, Lu Jingming said softly to Gu Yuena, "Besides, I still have you all by my side. Huahuo is not good at fighting. With your strength, you are more than capable of subduing her."

Hearing Lu Jingming's well-organized analysis, Gu Yuena nodded slightly, and her furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

The confidence in Lu Jingming's words, and his trust in her abilities, caused a faint smile to unconsciously cross her eyes, like a frozen river thawing and spring water beginning to flow.

"In that case."

Her usually cool voice was now tinged with a rare hint of joy.

"Then it's up to you."

With the fireworks issue resolved, the next step is to help Qian Renxue gain dominance in the Spirit Empire. Lu Jingming can trust Qian Renxue because he understands her.

But he didn't trust Bibi Dong. That woman was crazy and couldn't be viewed as an ordinary person. Moreover, she was obsessed with love and still couldn't forget Yu Xiaogang even now.

Did she send people to attack the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan just for the 'Soul Hunting Plan'? No, it also concealed her selfish motive of feeling indignant on behalf of Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang suffered endless cold treatment within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and wandered outside for many years. She wanted to trample the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan under her feet to vent her twisted desire to protect it.

Therefore, this world cannot be handed over to that crazy woman, Bibi Dong, and he will not cooperate with her. Out of respect for Qian Renxue, he can spare Bibi Dong's life, since she is also a first-level god and can be considered a fighting force.

But Bibi Dong must relinquish her power, and her only ally can be Qian Renxue, because Qian Renxue is more controllable.

Currently, Bibi Dong is in charge of the Elder Hall in the Martial Soul Empire, and the seven newly selected sects are all loyal followers of Bibi Dong.

However, in terms of strength, Qian Renxue's side still has the upper hand. Bibi Dong is limited by Qian Renxue, and the seven elders under her command, apart from the great elder Qian Daoliu who has already been sacrificed, are all peak Douluo with cultivation levels exceeding level ninety-six. In terms of combat power, they completely suppress the Elders' Hall.

However, not all Title Douluos in the Elder Hall obey Bibi Dong. For example, Serpent Spear Douluo and Porcupine Douluo are both subordinates of Qian Renxue. It's just that Bibi Dong currently holds the title of Empress of the Spirit Empire, so she must relinquish the throne and pass it on to Qian Renxue.

Lu Jingming already had a plan for this. According to Qian Renxue's intelligence, Bibi Dong planned to send troops to the Star Luo Empire to destroy it in one fell swoop and completely unify the continent.

Having just annexed the Heaven Dou Empire, Bibi Dong didn't think about recuperating but instead continued to wage war, clearly not taking the foundation of the Spirit Empire seriously.

However, her approach will only push the Star Luo Empire and Tang San and his group into a desperate situation, since time is exactly what they need most right now.

In the vast square in front of the Papal Palace in Wuhun City, a massive army and formations of Soul Masters stood solemnly, stretching to the horizon.

Sunlight shone on the cold armor and various Soul Master robes, reflecting a chilling and dazzling light, and a soaring aura of malevolence almost tore through the clouds.

On the high platform, a stunningly beautiful and majestic figure stood proudly—it was none other than Bibi Dong, the Empress of the Martial Soul Empire.

She did not intentionally release her pressure, but the invisible aura belonging to the Rakshasa God had already enveloped the entire square like the might of the heavens.

The air seemed to freeze, and everyone who was there felt a tremor and awe from the depths of their soul, and couldn't help but want to prostrate themselves in worship.

His divine might is like a prison, vast and boundless!
Slightly behind and to the side of her, Saint Hulena stood quietly.

She was dressed in magnificent saintly attire, with an exquisite face. Under Bibi Dong's careful cultivation over the years, she had already begun to possess the grace and decisiveness of a ruler.

Bibi Dong's intention in bringing Hu Liena along on such an important occasion was self-evident—Hu Liena was her chosen and unshakeable successor.

Bibi Dong's deep and icy gaze slowly swept over the massive army below. Her lips parted slightly, and her clear, cold, and authoritative voice clearly reached the ears of everyone present:

"Warriors of the Empire!"

With just one opening line, he ignited the atmosphere of the entire venue.

"The Heavenly Dou has already submitted to the feet of my Martial Soul Empire. However, the conflicts on the continent have not yet been resolved. The Star Luo is putting up a stubborn resistance, and rebels and bandits are gathering, attempting to obstruct the empire's unification. Such stubborn people can only be crushed with the force of thunder."

Her voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable determination:
"Today, I hereby command you to march westward, your armies aimed directly at Xingluo, and with your fury, burn away all those who dare to obstruct the empire's advance."

As she spoke, the atmosphere in the square became frenzied.

Bibi Dong waved her arm and began to muster her troops:
"In this battle, we have mobilized 100,000 Templar Knights, 200,000 Holy Emperor Legion troops, and 300,000 reorganized allied troops from various kingdoms and duchies, totaling 600,000 troops, which will form the cornerstone of our empire."

"The Soul Master Legion will accompany the army on its expedition, including the Angel Legion, the Holy Dragon Legion, the Flame Eagle Legion, and so on. A total of eight Soul Master Legions, with 10,000 Soul Masters, will help the army cut through thorns and brambles and crush the enemy formation."

Her gaze shifted to the other side, to the formations whose auras were clearly much stronger:

"The seven newly established sects—Holy Dragon Sect, Wind Sword Sect, Black Tiger Sect, Fire Leopard Sect, Rock Antelope Sect, Sparrow Bee Sect, and Elephant Armor Sect—are the backbone of the empire. In this battle, you should demonstrate the power of your sects and let the continent see what the empire's edge truly is."

The powerful figures from the seven major sects, led by Hu Yanzhen, responded in unison, their voices echoing across the surrounding area.

Finally, her gaze fell on the figures at the very front of the platform below, emanating terrifying soul power fluctuations.

"Elders of the Elder Hall, heed my command."

Led by Ghost Douluo Gui Mei and Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, nearly ten elders at the title Douluo level bowed simultaneously, their surging soul power causing the surrounding air to distort.

"You shall all follow me on this imperial expedition, our destination—the Star Luo Imperial Capital. I want to see with my own eyes how long the stubborn Dai family can withstand my divine might."

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

A deafening roar of cheers erupted, shaking the entire Wuhun City.

An army of 600,000, 10,000 Soul Masters, seven major sects, nearly ten Title Douluos, and a god personally commanding them.

This force is enough to destroy any known resistance on the continent.

The golden angel emblem and the purplish-black Rakshasa pattern on the flag complement each other, symbolizing unparalleled power and will.

The army sets off.

Like an unstoppable torrent of steel, carrying the momentum to destroy everything, it rolled towards the Star Luo Empire.

Inside the majestic council hall of the Star Luo Empire's imperial palace, the air was so heavy it seemed almost tangible.

When news arrived that Bibi Dong had assembled the Spirit Hall's Soul Master Legion, hundreds of thousands of soldiers, along with the new Seven Great Sects and numerous Title Douluos from the Elder Hall, and was pressing down on the Star Luo border like rolling dark clouds, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.

Emperor Dai Yutian of Xingluo sat high in the main seat, his brows furrowed with an unyielding melancholy and resolute determination.

Below him gathered all the forces on the continent capable of contending with the Spirit Empire—Prince Xue Xing of the remnants of the Heaven Dou Empire, Crown Prince Xue Beng, and Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo who protected them.

Ning Fengzhi, the sect leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and Chen Xin and Gu Rong, the twin sword and bone douluos.

Yu Yuanzhen, the Thunder Douluo and sect leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Flander, Liu Erlong, and Yu Xiaogang from Shrek Academy, along with Tang San, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing, who have grown into outstanding young talents.

Furthermore, Tang Xiao, the Howling Sky Douluo of the Clear Sky Sect, was present in person.

The Shrek Academy members from a parallel world—Xuanzi and three Super Douluo, along with Ma Xiaotao, Han Ruoruo, Ning Tian, ​​Wu Feng, Xu Sanshi, and other outstanding young talents—are also among them. Their presence adds an anomaly to this place, but also brings a subtle hope.

"The Martial Soul Empire... is so impatient."

Dai Yutian's deep voice broke the suffocating silence.

He looked around at everyone, his gaze lingering especially on Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, and Tang Xiao.

"We originally thought that it would take Bibi Dong at least several years to digest the Tian Dou territory, but we didn't expect that she wouldn't even give us a moment to catch our breath."

A subdued murmur arose within the hall.

Bibi Dong's swift and decisive actions completely disrupted their original plans.

Ning Fengzhi frowned, while Sword Douluo Chen Xin stood beside him with his arms crossed, his eyes sharp as swords, yet also tinged with a hint of gloom.

Their original plan was to find Poseidon Island and allow qualified young people to try to inherit the divine position and obtain power equal to that of the Angel God and the Rakshasa God.

However, with the Martial Soul Empire's army pressing in, time, which they lacked most, became their most precious commodity.

"The divine test takes time, and passing the test requires even more opportunity. Now that the enemy is at our gates, we... have no time left."

Ning Fengzhi's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.

This fact weighed heavily on everyone's mind—facing the Martial Soul Empire, which had two gods at its helm, they saw almost no chance of victory.

(End of this chapter)