Douluo Continent: Little Huo Niang Taken Away by Di Tian

Xuan Ziwen and his fellow disciples walked out of the Mingde Hall Master's office, the heavy door behind them slowly closing with a creaking sound.

However, the group's steps were lighter than when they arrived, even stirring up a gust of wind.

"How much did the Spirit Pagoda give?" Walking along the corridor, a senior brother finally couldn't contain his curiosity and asked in a low voice.

Xuan Ziwen paused slightly, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Do you really think that Elder Jing would personally vouch for us, even going so far as to use Mingde Hall's highest level of security measures, just for the sake of sending us on a 'trip'?"

Meanwhile, in a secret room on the ground floor of Mingde Hall.

Kong Deming picked up his teacup, gently blew away the tea leaves floating on the surface of the water, and a deep light shone in his eyes.

Kong Deming put down his teacup and turned to walk towards the heavy bronze door in the secret room.

The door was carved with intricate runes, emitting a cold, bluish light.

"Activate." Kong Deming placed his palm on the array node on the door.

"Buzz—"

The bronze door slid open silently, and a desolate aura from ancient times rushed out, instantly inspiring an urge to prostrate oneself in worship.

Behind the door was not a laboratory, but a spacious, almost luxurious, secret room.

The walls of the secret room were inlaid with black crystals that absorbed light, making the room dimly lit, except for a huge glass display case in the center that emitted a soft white light.

Kong Deming walked slowly to the display case and made a gesture in the air.

"Click".

The individual compartment inside the display case opened with a click, revealing three jet-black scales floating silently in mid-air.

The scales had a golden sheen that seemed to move around, as if they were alive.

Even from several meters away, that domineering, imposing, and suffocating aura still permeated the air, making the indoor air thick and heavy.

"This is..." Kong Deming murmured to himself, a hint of reminiscence and awe in his eyes.

He reached out and gently touched the reinforced glass of the display case with his fingertips, as if touching some indescribable taboo.

"Scales of the Beast God." His voice echoed in the empty, secret chamber. "Not only are they rare, but they also contain an extremely vast level of life."

A moment later, Kong Deming withdrew his hand, turned around, and left the secret room.

Kong Mingde led Xuan Ziwen and the others into the secret room.

When the three floating black scales finally came into view, even a genius like Xuan Ziwen, who was used to seeing big scenes, couldn't help but catch his breath.

"This...this is the scale of the Beast God?!" A senior brother's voice trembled.

Xuan Ziwen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart, and stepped forward: "Teacher, may I take a closer look?"

"Okay, but remember to maintain a sense of awe." Kong Deming nodded and took a half step back so that Xuan Ziwen could feel it more directly.

Xuan Ziwen leaned closer to the display case, his nose almost touching the cold glass.

He could clearly feel that the energy fluctuations contained within the scales were so violent, yet strangely maintained a perfect balance.

That was no ordinary thing; it was a power that transcended the ninth level.

"Teacher," Xuan Ziwen's eyes burned with fanatical flames, "if you have ever faced the Beast God, then please tell me, what are the chances of victory for a level nine soul tool created by humans against him? Or rather... how can we defeat him?"

Kong Deming looked at the student in front of him, who was full of fighting spirit, and remained silent for a moment.

His tone was solemn, as if he were recounting an ancient myth:

"Impossible."

As soon as those four words were uttered, the temperature inside the sealed room seemed to drop a few degrees.

Kong Deming's gaze became incredibly profound. "The five level-nine Soul Masters who participated in this battle unanimously agree that the Beast God's power has surpassed the realm of Limit Douluo. If Limit Douluo is level 99, then the Beast God is... an existence infinitely close to a god."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Ziwen did not feel despair, but instead felt a surge of pride.

"I see," Xuan Ziwen clenched his fist. "If level nine isn't enough, then level ten; if level ten isn't enough, then level eleven... One day, humanity will develop a soul tool powerful enough to kill a god!"

"That's right." Kong Deming nodded approvingly. "The Sun Moon Empire now possesses a level nine soul-guided cannon, whose power is comparable to a single strike from a Title Douluo. This is hope."

……

Of Xuan Ziwen's four students, Ju Zi graduated early and left, leaving completely.

Xuan Ziwen already knew that her identity was special; it wasn't just her talent, but also her ambition. Ke Ke's choice was also expected; she left with Ju Zi.

As for Zi Mu and Wang Shaojie, he recommended them to other mentors and treated them to a simple farewell dinner.

After a few rounds of drinks, he didn't say anything encouraging, he just patted them on the shoulder.

Some roads can only be walked alone; some people are destined to part ways at this moment.

Several days later, the group boarded a specially made flying soul tool from Mingde Hall, soaring through the sky and heading towards the distant Spirit Transmission Tower.

As they set off, Xuan Ziwen saw Huo Yutong. Behind her stood two companions with strikingly different auras: Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan.

"Senior Brother Xuan, I'll go to the Spirit Transfer Tower with you," Huo Yutong said. "These are Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan; they're joining the Spirit Transfer Tower as well."

Huo Yutong went along to deliver the two engraving knives given to her by the Evil Emperor to the Spirit Pagoda, and also to see her friends.

On their journey, they will also encounter an old friend.

……

Several streaks of light silently swept across the sky amidst the drifting clouds.

To maintain secrecy, the group activated the "Phantom Tracking" concealment soul guide device, the latest product developed by Mingdetang, to completely hide their figures and aura.

Even so, Huo Yutong in the team still dared not slack off. Light shone in her eyes, and her bright eyes constantly scanned the wind and grass within a radius of several miles.

Suddenly, she paused, quickly approached Xuan Ziwen, who was at the head of the group, and whispered, "Senior Brother Xuan, there's a hillside about 500 meters ahead where two forces are fighting. One of them is Ju Zi and Ke Ke, but they've suffered heavy losses and probably won't last much longer."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Ziwen's gaze sharpened. He immediately waved for the team to stop and take cover, and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, a battle is breaking out 500 meters ahead. Some people are trapped and have suffered more than half their casualties. I must go to their rescue!"

Before the words were even finished, the response arrived. This team was already elite, and the accompanying level eight Soul Masters were all Soul Douluo-level powerhouses, so there was no reason for them to back down.

"Withdraw cover, full speed ahead!"

In an instant, several dazzling streaks of light ripped across the sky, the concealment soul tools instantly becoming ineffective, replaced by flying soul tools propelling them forward with ferocity. Several figures swooped down the hillside like meteors.

At this very moment, on the hillside.

Smoke filled the air, and severed limbs were everywhere.

Covered in dust, Orange stood atop a pile of rubble, brandishing his command sword and shouting hoarsely at the remaining hundred soldiers: "Hold on! Hold on! Reinforcements are on their way!"

"Ju Zi! Look at the sky!" Ke Ke suddenly pointed to the sky, her voice trembling with shock.

Orange suddenly looked up and saw that several rapidly enlarging black shadows had appeared in the previously empty sky, crushing towards them with an unstoppable momentum.

As they got closer, both Ju Zi and Ke Ke were surprised when they saw who was in the lead.