Douluo Continent: Little Huo Niang Taken Away by Di Tian

The amber-colored liquor swayed gently in the glass, reflecting the cold moon overhead.

"It's been so many years since we last drank together..." Long Xiaoyao looked at the wine glass in his hand, his voice very soft, as if afraid of disturbing something, "Since last time..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Moon understood.

Since the last time, the three of them had been drinking together.

That night, Ye Xishui got drunk, and Long Xiaoyao got drunk too. Then... that thing happened.

That incident changed the lives of three people.

"...It's all in the past," Moon said softly, downing the wine in his glass in one gulp.

Long Xiaoyao also tilted his head back, the wine burning his esophagus as it went down his throat, but it couldn't warm his already cold heart.

"Arn." He put down his glass, turned his head, and looked earnestly at Moon. "In our next life—we'll be brothers again!"

"Xiaoyao," Moon's eyes reddened, his voice trembling, "let's be brothers again in our next life!"

Both wine glasses were smashed on the ruins at the same time.

Suddenly, Long Xiaoyao opened his arms and, with his last bit of strength, gave Mu En a tight hug.

Moon was stunned for a moment, then hugged him back tightly. Then, Moon's expression changed.

A vast and warm power was surging wildly into Long Xiaoyao's body.

That was soul power, life force, it was Long Xiaoyao burning everything he had.

"Xiaoyao! What are you doing?!" Mu En tried desperately to break free, but Long Xiaoyao was holding him too tightly.

"I've been with the Holy Spirit Cult for so many years... and I've learned a few things." Long Xiaoyao's voice, filled with relief, rang in Mu En's ears. "This is one of the Holy Spirit Cult's evil arts—sacrifice. It's transferring all of one's soul power and life force to the other person."

"This is... the only thing I can do for you, Arne."

"Free and easy—!!"

Moon's roar echoed across the ruins, but he couldn't break free or stop it.

Long Xiaoyao's life force surged into his body like a tide, repairing his body riddled with holes due to old age, and nourishing his broken spine that could never be restored.

That was a gift that Long Xiaoyao earned with his life.

Long Xiaoyao's breathing grew weaker and weaker, and his arms holding Mu En gradually lost their strength.

He leaned on Moon's shoulder, a slight smile on his lips. There was no pain, no regret in that smile, only a sense of relief that he had finally let go of all his burdens.

"Ah... Xishui is gone... I'm leaving too..."

"You live well for me."

Moon held the gradually cooling body tightly in his arms, tears streaming down his face.

The night wind swept across the ruins, carrying the scent of wine mixed with the stench of blood, lingering in the air for a long time.

On these ruins, an era has officially come to an end.

Di Tian strode towards Xu Mu's palace.

Di Tian stepped through the broken palace gate and walked straight to the dragon bed.

Xu Mu remained leaning on the dragon bed, his face as pale as paper, his breathing so weak it was almost imperceptible, but his eyes were unusually clear at this moment.

"Xu Mu," Di Tian's voice was deep, "our cooperation has been finalized. You should—fulfill your promise."

Xu Mu slowly raised his withered hands, interlaced his fingers in front of his chest, and spoke in a hoarse but clear voice:

"Of course. From now on—Sun and Moon Mountains, the Returning Soul Beast."

The moment those words were spoken, the air in the entire palace seemed to freeze.

Kong Deming's cane paused slightly. Xu Tianyuan's pupils contracted sharply. Even Xue Chen's shadow seemed to tremble.

Xu Tianran, sitting in his wheelchair, felt his heart leap into his throat.

No.

It shouldn't be like this!

Sun and Moon Mountains! This old man—this old man who's on his deathbed—actually didn't even consult him before handing over the Sun and Moon Mountains to the soul beasts?!

Xu Tianran opened his mouth, feeling as if something was burning in his throat.

He wanted to roar, to question, to rush up and tear that damned agreement to shreds.

But at that moment, Di Tian's gaze swept over them indifferently.

Just a glimpse.

Xu Tianran felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and even his breathing stopped.

The oppressive aura emanating from the strongest person on the continent made his entire body stiffen, unable to move even a single finger.

He couldn't utter a single word.

"Swear an oath," Electrox said. "I have already drafted the oath."

Huo Yutong took out an ancient parchment scroll from the undead demiplane and unfolded it with both hands.

The scroll was entirely dark gold, covered with densely packed ancient characters. Each line was a binding spell inscribed by Elex using necromancy.

Xu Mu took the scroll and, stroke by stroke, wrote his name at the end of it—Xu Mu.

Then, he raised his withered hand, bit the tip of his index finger, and a drop of dark red blood fell onto his signature.

Di Tian took the pen and signed his name as well.

The Sun and Moon Mountains now belong to the Soul Beasts.

Xu Mu slowly put down his pen and leaned back on his pillow, as if he had exhausted his last bit of strength.

The corners of his mouth, however, turned up slightly in an almost imperceptible arc.

Naive, Dad has prepared everything for you.

This empire...it's time to exist in a different way.

Xu Tianran sat in a wheelchair, his hands gripping the armrests tightly, his fingernails digging deep into the wood grain.

His lips trembled, his eyes filled with fear, anger, and resentment, but in the end, he couldn't say anything.

Mu En bent down and, with his hands trembling slightly, lifted Long Xiaoyao's cold arm.

Xuanzi silently stepped forward and supported the other side.

Poison Undying didn't speak, but simply followed silently behind.

Mu En gently laid Long Xiaoyao's body flat on a floor in the palace that was not yet covered by rubble.

It's still relatively intact there, like a last sanctuary.

Long Xiaoyao showed no pain on his face; in fact, there was even a hint of relief on his lips.

Moon looked at his old friend's remains, his eyes still wet with tears, yet he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

He straightened Long Xiaoyao's disheveled clothes and whispered, "Xiaoyao, go in peace."

Xu Mu leaned against the dragon bed, surveying the entire palace.

His gaze lingered on Di Tian for a moment before landing on Huo Yutong, whose hand was tightly gripping Di Tian's sleeve, her posture intimate and dependent.

Xu Mu's lips twitched slightly, as if he understood something, or perhaps he was just feeling a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both emotion and reflection).

Next came the phantom of Electrolux, and then there were Mu En, Xuan Zi, Du Busi, Yu Wuji, Wang Xian'er... all these older generation powerhouses gathered in this dilapidated palace.

When his gaze fell on Kong Deming, he reflexively pulled out a state-of-the-art image-recording soul tool with a streamlined design and a precision soul tool array from his storage soul tool.

"Click—"

The soul tool was activated, and a pale blue light screen instantly unfolded, precisely framing Xu Mu and Xu Tianzhen standing by the bed.

Kong Deming's actions speak for themselves; this historic moment must be fully recorded.

This is not only a testimonial, but also irrefutable evidence that no one can deny in the future.

Xu Mu's gaze continued to move.

Xu Tianyuan nodded slightly, his posture as straight as a pine tree.

The moment Ju Zi saw Xu Mu's gaze, her body stiffened slightly.

Then, without hesitation, she released her grip on Xu Tianran's wheelchair handle.

Xu Tianran felt the hand leave.

He met Xu Mu's gaze.

Xu Mu looked at his most "outstanding" son, and the corner of his mouth twitched very slowly.

Xu Tianran wanted to roar and question, but his throat felt like it was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and he couldn't make a sound.