Douluo Continent: The Underworld Emperor Halosa Lets Three Fly

Chapter 160 Ya Li Returns to Douluo Continent

The moment Ya Li heard the words "return to the Douluo plane," her body felt as if it had been struck by an invisible electric current! The longing that had been buried deep in her heart and almost buried by despair grew wildly like a withered tree in spring! She didn't even have time to think about the trap behind Harosa's words, and almost on instinct, she nodded vigorously!

"Mmm!" A trembling yet incredibly clear response escaped her lips!

Her nodding was so dramatic that her golden hair, like a flowing waterfall, pierced through Harosana's intangible phantom, formed from divine thoughts.

Next, her smooth, fair forehead; then the tip of her pert nose; and finally, her slightly parted lips, trembling with excitement.

The warm, moist lips moved in one fluid motion, as if about to leap into Harosa's arms.

If Harosa hadn't been merely a phantom of divine thought at this moment, Yali's violent nodding motion would have been tantamount to pressing her lips hard against the other's neck!

Yali's movements froze abruptly just as her lips were about to "touch" the phantom's neck! She finally realized what was happening! A strong sense of embarrassment instantly swept through her body like a flame!

The blush didn't rise slowly; instead, it burst forth like splashed cinnabar, first from the base of her slender, fair neck! Instantly, it dyed her entire neck red, like a ripe peach.

Immediately afterwards, the blush spread upwards at a visible speed, and the small, delicate ears instantly became as translucent as red agate in the pale light.

Finally, the scorching red glow completely overwhelmed her exquisite face, even tinging her eyes with a vibrant blush. She could even feel the burning sensation on her cheeks and behind her ears, as if she were being roasted by charcoal!

She recoiled as if electrocuted, trying to create the "distance" between herself and the illusory figure that was so close. Her curled eyelashes drooped in panic, and she dared not look into Harosa's eyes again. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, as if trying to break free. That moment was even more shameful than being actually touched!

Harosa's illusory divine consciousness watched Yali's dramatic transformation from ecstasy to embarrassment, especially her face which flushed crimson and became as beautiful as a peach blossom. A ridiculous thought crossed his mind: "Why are you blushing like a teapot?"

What on earth was this woman thinking? However, he remained outwardly calm, his voice steady, carrying an almost condescending allure:

"I never take what I say. I can let you return to the plane of Luo."

These words were like sweet rain, instantly extinguishing most of Ya Li's embarrassment, leaving only immense temptation and deeper vigilance! Return to the Douluo Continent! Return to Shrek Academy! Return to Yun Ming's side! This thought was like a curse, screaming wildly in her heart! She longed for freedom, longed to leave this cold cage, longed to breathe the air of the Douluo Continent! This longing almost overwhelmed her reason.

However, who is Harosa? He is the Emperor of Evil Soul Masters, the mastermind who kidnapped her! Would he be so kind? Yali instinctively felt that there must be a huge conspiracy hidden behind this, a trap that could lead to her eternal damnation.

Her inner desires and the warning bells of reason were locked in a fierce tug-of-war. Should she agree? Or refuse? The immense conflict left her speechless for a moment. She could only stare intently at Harosa's illusory figure with her eyes, still glistening with tears, but filled with struggle and scrutiny.

"You...you're really that kind?" Ya Li's voice was slightly hoarse and filled with suspicion. She tried to regain the composure of the deputy head of the Sea God Pavilion. "You wouldn't have kidnapped me to this so-called God Realm in the first place!" She deliberately emphasized the word "kidnapped," both as an accusation and as a reminder of the other party's true nature.

The gentle smile on Harosa's illusory divine sense deepened, like a hunter watching its prey hovering at the edge of a trap. Yali didn't immediately refuse outright, nor did she lash out with profanity, indicating that her defenses had crumbled. Faced with immense temptation, no one can truly remain absolutely clear-headed, especially someone imprisoned for so long.

"Times have changed," Harosa said with an air of matter-of-fact composure. "Now, aren't I just about to send you back?"

That "warm" smile, in Yali's eyes, was full of hypocrisy and calculation. Her suspicion and vigilance instantly surged to their peak! She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, her golden eyes meeting Harossa's gaze with the Sea God Pavilion's Vice Pavilion Master's last stand and bottom line:

"State your conditions! But if it involves harming Douluo Continent or destroying Shrek Academy, I will absolutely not agree!" Her voice was resolute and unwavering. This was her bottom line, her commitment as a member of Shrek Academy.

The soul imprint of the guardians of Douluo Continent must never be trampled upon!

Yali's reaction was exactly what Haros had expected. He watched Yali, who was clearly smitten but trying to maintain her composure.

Instead of being annoyed by his serious demeanor of setting his bottom line, it seemed rather endearing? Or perhaps, ridiculously foolish?

"Hahaha!" Harosa's illusory divine sense let out a low, mocking laugh, echoing in the cold, metallic space. "Don't worry, Pavilion Master Yali, what you're worried about has absolutely nothing to do with what I need you to do!"

His laughter ceased, and his gaze suddenly turned disdainful and domineering, carrying an indifference that placed him above all others.

"Furthermore, if I truly wished to destroy Luo Continent and Shrek Academy, do you think anyone could stop me?"

The absolute confidence and destructive power contained in that calm tone were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in Ya Li's heart. Anger and a profound sense of powerlessness intertwined, suffocating her. Yes, this man was no longer the evil spirit master who needed to be chased and beaten by the old sect leader—he was a true god!

Yali bit her lower lip until she tasted a hint of blood. A powerful sense of humiliation and a yearning for freedom clashed fiercely within her. Ultimately, the yearning, like vines, coiled around her and overwhelmed the humiliation.

She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings. When she opened them again, all that remained in her eyes was a weariness and resignation, a sense of defeat.

"What price do you want me to pay?" His voice trembled slightly.

Harosa's illusory divine sense nodded in satisfaction, no longer beating around the bush, his voice becoming deep and direct:

"As the Vice Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion, you hold a prestigious position. You must know something about what happened to those so-called 'ancestors' of Shrek Academy after they became gods." He paused deliberately, observing Yali's reaction.

"That Sea God Tang San, his mother's true form was nothing more than a transformed Blue Silver Emperor, a mere blade of grass." Harosa's tone was full of contempt. "After Tang San gained a foothold in the God Realm, he repeatedly broke the ironclad rule that 'gods must not excessively interfere in the lower realms!' First, he used his divine authority to forcibly push his useless father, Tang Hao, who only knew how to drink and escape, to the position of the Lord of the Douluo Plane! Then, he secretly indulged, and even assisted, his grass-like mother, Ah Yin, in gradually infiltrating and stealing the most core life essence of the Douluo Plane! He attempted to take over and completely turn the Douluo Plane into his Tang family's backyard!"

"This is impossible!" Yali screamed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on! Her voice was sharp and piercing, filled with disbelief, shock, and an instinctive defensiveness!

Ancestor Tang San? Lord Tang Hao, the Lord of the Plane? Lord A Yin, the Blue Silver Emperor? Stealing the origin of the plane? This is blasphemy! It is the most vicious slander against the Shrek Academy faith!

"So noisy!"

A cold glint flashed in the eyes of Harosa's illusory divine sense! The "arms" made of divine sense that were wrapped around Yali's waist tightened suddenly! An overwhelming force surged forth, as if to snap her waist!

The immense pressure suffocated Yali instantly, all her screams and rebuttals were forcibly swallowed back into her throat, leaving only painful whimpers! She was pressed firmly against the cold metal wall by this force, unable to move, her eyes filled with pain and horror.

"Shut up! Let me finish!" Harosa's voice was like a cold wind in a secluded valley, carrying an undeniable majesty that pressed directly into the depths of Yali's soul!

Yali was stunned by this absolute power and killing intent, her body stiffened, and she even forgot to struggle.

She could only listen passively, desperately telling herself: it's just a phantom, there's no real contact, no real contact—it's okay, in order to alleviate the immense pressure and shame.

Harosa's illusory divine sense stared coldly at her face, which was flushed red with suffocation and rage, and continued:

"Of course, Tang San's scheme, that grass-mother's plan, did not fully succeed before my intervention. If I hadn't taken action, she could indeed have completely merged with the life core of the Douluo plane more than twenty years later and become the new ruler. However, none of that matters anymore."

His tone shifted abruptly, like a cold blade, pointing straight to the heart of the matter:

"Most importantly, Ah Yin, who attempted to steal this plane, has now been reduced to her original form by me, transformed into a dying blue-silver seed! The Douluo plane urgently needs a new, stable life core to maintain its origin and slow its decline!"

Harosa's illusory divine sense drew closer, his eyes, formed from the power of reincarnation, seemed to pierce through Yali's soul:

"Ya Li, you possess the Prayer Angel Martial Soul, naturally drawn to life energy, and have the potential to become a 'vessel' and 'bridge' for the core of life! What I want you to do is return to the Douluo Plane, replace that damaged Blue Silver Grass, and become a new being capable of communicating with and stabilizing the life essence of the Douluo Plane!"

boom!

Harossa's words were like a mental bomb exploding in Yali's mind! Even though she desperately told herself that it was a lie from a demon, the irrefutable details and the terrifying power Harossa displayed made it impossible for her to completely deny it!

She instinctively wanted to retort sharply, "I refuse!" Her voice carried the resolute tone of the Sea God Pavilion's Vice Pavilion Master, "This is tantamount to endangering the Douluo Continent! Regardless of whether what you say is true or false, how can the life core of a plane be replaced so easily? The original core is the most perfect vessel for the plane's will! Forcibly replacing it is like forcibly transplanting a heart into a dying person—the risk is enormous, and it will inevitably cause unimaginable damage to the Douluo Continent! I will never aid and abet such evil!"

Yali's reaction was intense and resolute, an instinctive judgment based on her understanding of the plane.

Harosa's illusory divine sense watched her fierce rebuttal silently, the mocking curve at the corner of his mouth deepening.

He did not immediately refute Yali's judgment, but slowly raised the other "hand" that was not restraining Yali, palm facing upwards, his voice deep and filled with a strange, convincing authority:

"I swear on my own divine status and my position as a god of reincarnation that everything I just said regarding Tang San, Tang Hao, and Ah Yin stealing the origin of the Douluo Continent is absolutely true, without a single falsehood! If I have broken this oath, may my godhood crumble and my reincarnation be forever lost!"

hum!

An invisible binding force, originating from the laws of the universe, descended instantly with his oath! The energy within the entire metallic space froze for a moment! This was the most solemn and unquestionable oath of a god! Its binding force directly acted upon the fundamental laws of the universe!

Yali's words came to an abrupt halt!

The "that too—" that was already on the tip of his tongue got stuck in his throat!

She was frozen in place, as if under a spell! Her golden eyes were wide open, filled with extreme shock, bewilderment, and the cracks of her collapsing faith!

Harosa—swearing by his divinity and divine position?! He—he's gone mad?! No—he wouldn't need to make such a solemn oath about something like this to deceive me unless, unless he's telling the truth?!

This thought, like the most terrifying curse, instantly shattered all of Yali's psychological defenses! As the deputy head of the Sea God Pavilion, she had been exposed to far too many core secrets!

The Douluo Continent's inexplicable decline over the past ten thousand years, the continuous loss of life essence, and the unexplained weakening of the Shrek Golden Tree...

The partial depletion of the Tang Sect's Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eyes—mysteries that had troubled the Sea God Pavilion's higher-ups for many years—were now connected like scattered beads by Harosa's earth-shattering "truth"!

No wonder the plane is declining! No wonder Shrek Academy's foundation is unstable! No wonder resources are becoming increasingly scarce! It turns out it wasn't a natural disaster, but—a man-made one?! It was the sage family they had always revered and regarded as their faith—who stole the very foundation of the plane?!

Lady Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin is the mother of Tang San, the Sea God! Why would she do this?! How could she do such a thing?!

The immense shock shattered Yali's worldview completely! She stood there, stunned, her body trembling slightly, her eyes empty and unfocused, as if her soul had been ripped away. Her beautiful face was drained of color, leaving only an unbearable pallor and the bewildered confusion of a collapsed understanding.

Harosa's illusory divine sense silently observed her distraught state, offering no prompting. He knew this "bomb" was ticking.

How powerful is it?

After a long while, Yali murmured to herself in a dazed and unfocused voice, as if she were in a dream: "Since it's already like this—then it can be considered cutting losses in time—"

These words sounded more like a desperate attempt to find a pitiful solace amidst the chaos, a way of rationalizing the cruel truth. She absolutely refused to believe that Harosa killed Ah Yin to save the Douluo plane; this demon must have had ulterior motives!

Harosa sneered inwardly, naturally understanding Yali's thoughts. What he needed was Yali's willing cooperation, not a puppet who was forced and controlled.

Any resistance or attempt to control it could lead to unpredictable rejection when merging with the origin of the plane in the future, affecting the purity of the "Primordial Breath".

"Cut your losses in time?" Harosa's voice was laced with cold sarcasm, striking Ya Li's chaotic mind like a hammer blow. "Do you think the Douluo Plane can self-repair with that thief Tang Hao sitting in the position of Plane Master? That useless man who destroyed his rings, every time he erupted to save that grass-like mother of Xiao Sanzi, he frantically extracted the plane's essence! He himself is already deeply bound to the Douluo Plane; their fates are intertwined! If the Douluo Plane declines, he might be able to linger on, but if the Douluo Plane wants to recover, he will be the biggest obstacle and a cancer!"

Harosa's voice was like a demonic whisper, each word like a cold steel needle piercing Yali's already crumbling psychological defenses:

"Without strong external intervention, without a new, stable, and compatible life core to communicate with and repair the decay and eventual depletion of the Origin Douluo Plane that they have frantically overdrawn, it is an inevitable end! Your so-called timely loss mitigation" is nothing more than watching it march towards its death!

Yali's body trembled violently! Harosa's words ruthlessly shattered her last shred of hope! Although she hadn't witnessed Lord Tang Hao's ring explosion firsthand, it was common sense that every time a plane's master used power beyond its limits, it would inevitably burden the plane itself!

Despair, like a cold tide, overwhelmed her once more. She was trapped in this icy cage, while outside, the world she loved was being pushed step by step into the abyss by the revered family of sages—and she seemed powerless to do anything about it.

No! There's a way!

Harosa's words were like a glimmer of light in the darkness, though it came from the abyss! Becoming a new life core to communicate with and repair the plane's origin—it seemed like the only way to save the Douluo Plane? Even if this method was proposed by the demon before her, even if it inevitably concealed a grand scheme, at least—at least there was a chance! At least it was better than watching the Douluo Plane die here! At least—she could go back! Back to that land! To try and protect it with everything she had! Even if she ultimately became a pawn, even if she paid the price with her life, it was better than being a worthless prisoner here!

The humiliation of being imprisoned, the longing for freedom, the deep love for the Douluo plane, and the emptiness of faith that urgently needed to be filled after being shattered by the cruel truth—all these complex and intense emotions erupted in Ya Li's heart like boiling lava at this moment!

She suddenly raised her head! In an instant, her empty, unfocused golden eyes erupted with an unprecedented, blazing, and resolute light, like molten gold! All her confusion, fear, and hesitation were burned away by this resolute flame!

Her gaze, no longer evasive or hesitant, carried a martyr-like tragic grandeur and a desperate madness, crashing fiercely and directly into Harosa's deep eyes of samsara!

Her cherry lips parted slightly, her voice not loud, yet carrying the metallic sound of metal that cut off all escape routes, echoing clearly in the cold, metallic space:

"I do!"