Douluo Continent: The Underworld Emperor Halosa Lets Three Fly

Chapter 170 Before the Storm, After the Calm (Bonus Chapter for Afterglow of Rain)

As time goes by, beneath the surface of the Douluo Continent, undercurrents grow ever more turbulent.

All forces are accelerating along their own tracks, sparks of collision occasionally flashing, and a huge storm seems to be brewing, with a sense of oppressive tension permeating the air.

However, in Shrek City, at the very heart of this storm where it seemed most likely to erupt, there was an unusual "stability".

Yun Ming, the Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion, is a towering Douluo who, with his immense strength and unparalleled prestige, suppresses all attempts to stir up trouble in or around Shrek City, whether they come from evil soul masters, certain families with ulterior motives, or even probing forces within the Federation. All such attempts are swiftly extinguished by him with thunderous means.

But anyone with eyes could sense that the Cloud Pavilion Master's mind wasn't entirely on these "trivial matters."

His actions remained decisive, but lacked the foresight and proactive planning of the past; they were more like a passive, status-maintaining defensive strategy.

He was clearly preoccupied with something else that was far more important.

Amusement park on the shore of Poseidon Lake.

This place should have been one of the most sacred and tranquil forbidden zones of Shrek Academy.

However, a cluster of buildings now stands out somewhat incongruous with its surroundings—brightly colored slides,

With its adorable carousel, soft sandpit, and low, fun climbing frames, it has become a fully equipped children's playground.

At this moment, Yun Ming took off the magnificent robes that symbolized the majesty of the Sea God Pavilion Master and changed into a set of cotton and linen clothes that an ordinary family's father would often wear, which were easy to move in and durable.

His tall figure leaned against a low white wooden fence, and his eyes, which once held the power of the heavens and looked down upon the world, were now filled with a tender light that seemed to adore him, as he intently followed the small figure inside the park.

It was a boy who looked to be about a year old, but he was exquisitely beautiful, strong and healthy. His running, jumping and climbing movements were far more agile than those of children his age. He made cheerful giggling noises and played tirelessly among various facilities, full of energy.

"Wu Lin, slow down, be careful not to fall." Yun Ming's voice was gentle and smiling, completely lacking his usual sternness.

As the sun rose higher and the sunlight became increasingly intense, Yun Ming clapped his hands and softly called out, "Wu Lin, it's time to eat!"

Little Tang Wulin, who was jumping up and down the slide, lit up with his big, dark eyes the moment he heard the word "eat." He immediately abandoned his play, wiggled his little body, and slid down the slide in a flash. Then, like a little cannonball, he took some still-shaky but incredibly fast steps, giggling as he rushed straight to Yun Ming. He opened his short, chubby arms, buried his head in Yun Ming's chest, and rubbed his little head against his chest, calling out in a childish voice, "Food—Daddy—Food—"

Yun Ming smiled and bent down, easily picking up the little guy and holding him in his arms. Feeling the solid impact, he secretly sighed again: As expected of the son of the sea god, his innate physical qualities are truly extraordinary.

He held Xiao Wulin in his arms and turned to walk towards a specially built, rustic treehouse not far from the lake.

This treehouse was not built from the golden ancient tree itself, but from a huge branch. It was carefully cultivated by teachers of the Life School and exudes a rich and gentle life aura, which is extremely beneficial to the growth of children.

The treehouse was spacious and bright, with a huge log dining table in the center. At that moment, the table was already laden with a dazzling array of food.

It wasn't a particularly luxurious or elaborate banquet, but every dish was made with extremely high-quality ingredients: fish porridge made from silver cod raised in the ice marrow of the far northern sea; a clear soup stewed with lotus root from the Lake of Life and century-old pearl chicken; milk cake made with the milk of various mild and nourishing soul beasts; and carefully sliced ​​various spiritual fruits containing pure life energy—

As soon as Xiao Wulin saw the dining table, he immediately wriggled excitedly in Yun Ming's arms, eager to get down. Yun Ming placed him on a specially made high chair, and he immediately grabbed a small spoon and began to enjoy his "feast" in a very professional manner (mostly with his hands), eating with his mouth and face covered in food, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Yun Ming sat to the side, watching quietly with a satisfied and gentle smile on his face.

It was as if he really was his father.

Tang Wulin remains the Son of God, possessing unparalleled potential and a noble status.

But he doesn't seem to be the Tang Wulin from the memory trajectory anymore. At least, he no longer has to experience separation from his adoptive parents, no longer has to shoulder the burden of life on his tender shoulders at a young age in that small forging shop full of metal scraps, swinging his hammer day and night to save money to buy a soul spirit.

He grew up without that unconditional, selfless love, and from then on, he lived a life of luxury with unlimited resources.

His greatest title in the future will perhaps only be "Son of the Sea God," a title that will bring him great respect and a peaceful and prosperous life.

However, at the same time, those titles in the original work that require going through hardships to obtain, truly tempering the soul, and containing blood, tears, and glory—such as Captain, Dragon Emperor Douluo, and even Golden Dragon Moon Whisper—may also be out of his reach.

Watching the little guy wolf down his food so adorably, Yun Ming felt a sense of peace and tranquility. This period had been the most peaceful and fulfilling time he had experienced in recent years.

Aside from the initial period after taking over Tang Wulin's administration, when he cleared out some of the most troublesome evil spirit master strongholds to deter troublemakers, he practically abandoned all other affairs. He even put aside his daily cultivation, and most of the complex internal affairs of the Sea God Pavilion were handed over to other elders.

However, behind this warm and peaceful atmosphere, an indescribable sense of loneliness crept into his heart. His gaze became somewhat distant, and he murmured softly to himself, his voice so low that only he could hear it: "Yali—if ​​only you were here too—you would definitely like Xiao Wulin very much—"

The disappearance of his wife, his first wife, remained an unhealed wound in his heart, and it only amplified the pain during this tender moment.

In a certain sea area, at the Eye of the Ruins, lies the holy land of evil spirit masters.

The place was dimly lit, filled with the thick stench of blood and chilling fluctuations of soul energy. Deep within the enormous cavern, seemingly leading straight to the earth's core, eerie, teeth-grinding sounds echoed intermittently.

The Holy Spirit Cult's Holy Maiden, Ye Lan, wore a dark purple robe, her face shrouded in the shadow of her hood, revealing only her taut jawline and tightly pursed lips.

She stood on a high platform, her gaze coldly fixed on the massive, intricate, and malevolent crimson magic array being busily set up below. (Just a rehearsal)

Opposite her, on a large chair made of pale animal bones, the Demon Emperor was leaning back lazily.

She was still wearing that daring, revealing dark red leather armor, which perfectly showcased her fiery and alluring figure. Her long, snow-white...

Her flawless, jade-like legs were casually crossed, her delicate toes hooking onto a beautifully designed high heel, swaying gently and almost taking up an unmissable portion of the night's view.

Ye Lan's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and finally he couldn't help but speak coldly: "Demon Emperor, can't you sit up straight? As a collaborator, at least maintain basic decorum."

Upon hearing this, the Demon Queen not only didn't restrain herself, but instead let out a lazy and eerie chuckle. She raised a hand and gently brushed the dark purple demonic markings on her cheek, making them appear even more sinister. Her voice carried a hint of amusement: "Tsk tsk tsk, aren't I just learning from the noble Holy Maiden? What, you only start to panic when things get urgent? Weren't you sitting there calmly, as if everything was under control?"

Looking at her exaggerated and unrestrained manner, mimicking his usual languid posture, Ye Lan's face beneath the hood grew colder, revealing a hint of helplessness and annoyance: "You don't learn anything good, only these useless things. I ask you, how are the preparations for the Blood Sacrifice Array going? Bombing Shrek City is crucial to the Holy Church's cause, aren't you worried at all?"

The Demon Queen's smile grew even more alluring as she slowly stood up. Her incredibly long, jade-like legs shone dazzlingly white in the dim light.

The high heels clicked crisply and rhythmically on the cold, rough stone floor, echoing through the empty cave and carrying a sense of oppressive unease.

She walked step by step to Ye Lan, almost pressing her body against him, her high breasts nearly touching his robes. Her breath, carrying a rich, exotic fragrance, clung to his hood. Her voice, like a whispered lover's, was icy and chilling: "Why should I be in such a hurry? We only have so many people, and gathering materials takes time. Slow and steady wins the race. Of course—"

Her tone suddenly shifted, and she stretched out her slender fingers, almost touching Ye Lan's chin: "If Your Highness were willing to include your elite followers as well—the speed would naturally be much faster."

"If I could have an undead knight, that would be even faster."

Ye Lan abruptly turned her head to avoid her fingers, and without hesitation, reached out and shoved her away, her voice filled with undisguised disgust: "Hmph! Get away from me! Use my people? To fill your bottomless blood sacrifice array? Are you sending them to their deaths?"

The Demon Emperor wasn't annoyed by being pushed away. Instead, she leaned back in the bone chair, her eyes sweeping ambiguously over the hand that had just pushed Ye Lan. She licked her bright purple lips and said in a flirtatious tone, "Anyway—you don't care about their lives, do you? Our Holy Spirit Cult has no shortage of cannon fodder. What's the difference between your people and mine?"

3

The headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda is the core territory of the ancient family.

In a quiet and heavily guarded corridor, only the soft echoes of two footsteps could be heard. Qian Gu Dongfeng and his son Qian Gu Dieting were walking slowly side by side. The surrounding area was equipped with the highest-level soundproofing devices, ensuring that their conversation would never be heard by a third party.

Qian Gu Die Ting was still dressed in a simple gray robe, his face ancient, but his eyes were more profound than ever before. He gazed at the towering buildings with their Spirit Transmission Towers outside the corridor window and the faint outline of Shrek City in the distance, and slowly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible vicissitude and solemnity: "East Wind, the Douluo Continent of today is vastly different from the past."

Qian Gu Dongfeng followed half a step behind his father, his expression hardening upon hearing this. He bowed slightly respectfully and asked, "Father, what do you mean?"

Qian Gu Die Ting said, "After all, my strength has only just entered the half-step god realm. I can only sense that the continent is changing, but I don't know the specifics. It's probably not a good thing. Dong Feng, our Qian Gu family needs to improve our strength more."

Qian Gu Dongfeng naturally knew that his father was referring to the Soul Forging Project, and said, "I will urge the Holy Spirit Cult to do so."