Douluo Continent: The Eternal Order of the Azure Sky.

Kong Deming suddenly laughed, a laugh that was old yet bold, filled with joy, emotion, endless sighs for the passing of time, and heartfelt pride and delight.

“Good, good, good—” he said three times, his eyes even reddening slightly. “With your words, what else do I have to worry about? Perhaps thousands of years from now, there will be descendants with similar talents, but this mindset, this character, is hard to find throughout the ages. In all my years, I have never seen another person with your spirit.”

He turned around and strode towards the door, his back view carrying a hint of arrogance.

"I'll be leaving soon, so let's reunite with them first. I'm going to stabilize the high-energy compression array; that thing is our secret weapon on the battlefield, and we need to make sure it's foolproof."

The room fell silent again.

Kong Tianxu turned around and met two pairs of eyes that were looking at him at the same time. One pair was as fiery as the sun, and the other was as cold as the moon. The two gazes overlapped and enveloped him.

A captivating atmosphere is silently brewing in the air.

Kong Tianxu smiled slightly and reached out his hand. His left hand grasped Xu Tianzhen's warm palm, while his right hand wrapped around Zhang Lexuan's slender waist. The two women trembled slightly at the same time, but neither of them pulled away.

Zhang Lexuan's ears were visibly flushed red. Xu Tianzhen, on the other hand, was poised and graceful. She reached out and tucked a strand of hair that was hanging down her cheek behind her ear. Then she slowly walked towards Kong Tianxu, stood on tiptoe, and gently bit his ear.

The heavy curtains of the palace slowly fell.

Outside the palace, the enormous round sun hung in the western sky, its brilliance complementing the soon-to-be-bright moon, creating a wondrous scene in the heavens.

Tonight, the sun and moon shine together.

……

A few days later, at the border, in the Mingdou Mountains.

"Your Majesty the Dragon Emperor, this is Mingdu's order."

"Come in." Long Xiaoyao's voice came from inside the command tent, carrying a hint of weakness that was barely perceptible.

Zhang Peng, who was one-armed and still somewhat unsteady on his feet, walked in from outside the command tent, bowed respectfully, and presented the imperial edict.

"read."

"Yes, sir." Zhang Peng unfolded the bright yellow silk, his fingers unconsciously curling slightly.

"Recite." Long Xiaoyao closed his eyes.

“Yes…” Zhang Peng’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: For four thousand years, our dynasty has been deeply benevolent and generous, peacefully coexisting with the three kingdoms, unwilling to turn the continent into scorched earth. However, in the last hundred years, the three kingdoms, relying on our benevolence, have become increasingly arrogant, and Shrek Academy is even more inhumane. Yet the court still refuses to provoke conflict, fearing harm to our people. The court has done everything in its power to appease distant peoples! Yet they are ungrateful. First, there were evil spirits that attacked and killed millions of innocent people, and then there were thugs who attacked our border cities! They bully our country, seize our land, ravage our people, and extort our wealth. They are getting worse every day, and there is nothing they will stop at! I have only been on the throne for a short time, but I know that the people of our country are filled with resentment and anger, and there is no one like them in history.”

"I weep as I address my ancestors, and solemnly declare to my teachers and followers: How can we yield? We must wage a full-scale war against the Tartars, and settle this once and for all! May all that shines under the heavens become the land of the sun and moon; may all the suffering people of this false nation be protected by the Holy Spirit! Today, I swear with the Pope:"

"Declare war on the false kingdom of Tianhun Xue!"

"Declare war on the false kingdom of the Xu clan in Xingluo!"

"Declare war on the false kingdom of Doulingxue!"

"Declare war on Shrek Academy!"

"Destroy the false nation, vanquish the evil land, restore glory, this is the Holy War of the Sun and Moon!"

"So be it."

Long Xiaoyao simply stared at the tattered piece of cloth that belonged to Yan Shaozhe in his hand, remaining as silent as a stubborn rock.

“Phoenix of Light… Xi Shui, why didn’t you tell me? Holy Emperor, Holy Emperor, you can even control Yu Nan Jue…”

He didn't say anything more, but Zhang Peng felt an invisible pressure rising steadily in the command tent. Like a long-dormant dragon awakening, Zhang Peng involuntarily took a step back, knelt on one knee, and buried his head deeply.

"Pass on my command—"

Like the roar of an old dragon!

"Under the command of the sun and moon, all troops, launch an attack!"

……

Sunrise outside the city.

"Dong'er, let's go. So much time has passed, Yuhao and the others can't get out. If we stay any longer, we'll be discovered, and then we won't be able to leave even if we want to. We'll also implicate Dean Yan, who came all the way to rescue us."

Beibei whispered to Wang Dong'er, who was on the verge of tears.

They have been lying in wait outside Sunrise for three days.

For three days, they tried every possible way to enter Sunrise City and find Huo Yuhao, Wang Qiu'er, and the others trapped inside. However, Sunrise City's defenses were much tighter than they had imagined, leaving them with no way to break through. They even tried digging tunnels, but the rock beneath the city was too hard and reinforced by some kind of soul-guiding array, making it impossible to dig.

Yan Shaozhe stood quietly ten meters away from them, silently gazing in the direction of Risheng City. His eyes held an overwhelming sadness, like a thin mist shrouding his face, revealing his advanced age.

"But Yuhao..."

Wang Dong'er murmured absentmindedly, her long, light blue hair fluttering wildly in the wind, her eyes brimming with tears that seemed ready to spill over at any moment.

Xiao Xiao bit her lip and slapped her on the back of the neck.

Wang Dong'er's body stiffened slightly, then her eyes rolled back, and she slumped to the ground. Xiao Xiao reached out and caught her in time, pulling her into his arms and letting her lean on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Xiao Xiao said softly, her voice choked with emotion, "Dong'er, I'm sorry, I know how this feels, I'm sorry."

Beibei glanced at Xiao Xiao, nodded, and then turned to Yan Shaozhe.

"Dean Yan, let's go."

Yan Shaozhe remained silent for a moment, gave Risheng City a deep look, and then turned away.

“Let’s go,” he said. “Back to the academy first. I have a feeling that peace won’t last much longer.”

……

A few days later, in Sunset Forest, at the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire.

At the top of the basin, a crack was once again lifted from the massive ice surface, as thick as the sky. The long-awaited warm sunlight poured down along that crack, illuminating the entire Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye.

The fairy herbs stretched out their bodies in the brilliant light, greedily absorbing every ray of sunlight.

In the center of that brilliant light shooting straight down from the crack, a silver figure fell like a thunderbolt.

Chapter 372 The Beginning of Yin and Yang, Boiled for a Hundred Days, Forging My Supreme Ring and Unparalleled Bone (Part 1)

Behind him, thick layers of ice fell like shattered mirrors.

The icy blue and crimson mist within the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire were torn apart by the airflow carried by that figure, receding to the sides like two submissive waves.

The next second, Kong Tianxu landed steadily at the center point where the ice spring and magma met, enveloped by the ultimate power of ice and fire simultaneously. The powerful soul force he had accumulated to its limit at level eighty-nine spontaneously burst forth under the stimulation of the environment. A faint purple-gold aura surrounded his body, rapidly growing stronger under the nourishment of the rich spiritual energy of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, becoming as thick as mercury and as solid as steel.

The boiling, surging two-colored spring water was instantly suppressed and became smooth and undisturbed.

Once he had a firm footing, the two round, chubby heads immediately came over, one on each side.

They were two giant bears, their fur a rare dark reddish-gold and a dark gold, respectively. Their paws bore exceptionally long claws, easily exceeding two meters in length, showcasing the terrifying attack capabilities unique to the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear lineage. Their two pairs of normally ferocious and indifferent green beady eyes were filled with a joyful, adoring look, their dark, moist noses puffing out hot air as they sniffed around, like little dogs seeing their master.

The larger one even stuck out its tongue, but under Cain's stern gaze, it let out a very aggrieved "gurgle," and then reluctantly retracted its tongue with a mouthful of drool.

Finally, it even wiped its mouth with a bear paw, the clumsy movement creating a highly incongruous and comical effect on its fierce appearance.

Without a doubt, these are Xiong Da and Xiong Er, who were released into the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well by Kong Tianxu a year ago.

Initially, in order to test the absorption effect of soul beasts on the high concentration of heaven and earth elemental energy in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well environment, these two gluttons were officially invited to this paradise for soul beasts. On the one hand, it was to promote their growth, and on the other hand, it was to observe which kind of energy-gathering soul guidance array was most effective for soul beasts, so as to facilitate the subsequent spawning of the Emperor Auspicious Beast.

However, Kong Tianxu was genuinely surprised when he saw their current size.

When I left a year ago, these two guys were less than three meters tall. In just over a year, Xiong Da and Xiong Er have grown to over eight meters tall, the size of adult Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears.

Especially Xiong Er, whose arms are particularly thick and whose shoulders are as broad and strong as a city wall. When the muscles roll under the fur, the dark golden luster flows from the shoulder blades to the spine like water. The sharp claws can make a slight "hissing" sound just by following their bodies through the air.

Is the energy-gathering array really that effective?

Kong Tianxu glanced at his surroundings and immediately understood everything.

The valley where the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire is located is extremely large, and various high-grade herbs—ginseng, notoginseng, astragalus, polygonatum, etc.—are everywhere, all of which are highly nourishing medicines.

Last time I came, it was a vast expanse of grass, covering every corner of the mountains and fields. But now it's a mess, with dug-out pits and torn grass everywhere. Even Xiong Er has half a piece of Solomon's Seal left on his mouth.

They say thieves don't leave any traces, but these two guys don't care at all!

Kong Tianxu's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears have an astonishing appetite. Kong Tianxu had already experienced this back in the Hall of Offerings. They possess digestive abilities far exceeding those of normal creatures; the combined daily food intake of the two of them is almost equivalent to the total food intake of everyone in the Hall of Offerings.

After arriving here, they practically ate non-stop. The various medicinal herbs here, even if not considered celestial herbs, were all extremely rare and precious, each formed by the condensation of immense spiritual energy. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears were already extremely adept at absorbing spiritual energy, so Xiong Da and Xiong Er would eat like mad every day, then sleep, digest their food, and then eat again.

If humans had consumed so many medicinal herbs, they would have been bursting from the sheer volume of nutrients long ago. However, thanks to their robust physiques and terrifying absorption capabilities, they managed to absorb all the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into their bodies, which led to the scene Kong Tianxu witnessed when he first arrived.

What's strange is that while Xiong Da's physique was already extremely robust, and his dark reddish-gold fur made him even more imposing, Xiong Er was even more robust, towering a head taller than Xiong Da, clearly displaying his ten-thousand-year cultivation level.

Kong Tianxu dared to assert that even among war behemoths like the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, Xiong Er would undoubtedly be an anomaly.

It's important to understand that the strength of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear cannot be measured by the cultivation years of ordinary soul beasts. A ten-thousand-year-old Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear can even contend with an ordinary one-hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast.

Of course, Xiong Da is also extraordinary. Its fur was stained with the "already" mark from the Crimson Demon Essence Gold and Kong Tianxu's hot blood when Kong Tianxu forged the Sky-Supporting Divine Spear. That deep, dark red color has been preserved ever since, and its eyes are shining with a very human-like wisdom.

Kong Tianxu reached out and vigorously rubbed the two fat bears' heads. Their fur was much softer and thicker than it looked, like two huge plush heaters.

"The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear truly possesses a powerful bloodline. In just over a year, under the protection of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and the external soul-guiding barrier, it has achieved a cultivation level of ten thousand years. Even with such a Feng Shui treasure land with ten times the spiritual energy of the outside world, it still seems too exaggerated."

Ma Xiaotao looked up and surveyed the fairyland-like valley, unable to resist taking a deep breath:

"This place is truly like a fairyland."

Kong Tianxu's gaze swept across the valley, finally landing on a spot on one side of the blazing Yangquan spring.

There grew a crimson fairy herb, its overall form quite simple, consisting of only a main stem and a few red leaves. The very tips of the leaves resembled a rooster's comb, an extremely vibrant red, like a solidified flame.

But upon closer inspection, one can discover its unique features: its leaf veins are actually a reddish-gold color, appearing faintly against the backdrop of red leaves, as if an extremely fine molten gold is slowly flowing inside the leaf.

“The Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, a 100,000-year-old immortal herb, grows in a pure yang land,” Kong Tianxu turned to Ma Xiaotao and pointed, “Xiaotao, that is the eighth soul ring I prepared for you.”

Kong Tianxu had his own reasons for choosing it over the fiery apricot blossom.

The Fiery Apricot Blossom is not an ultimate fire on its own. It can only reach its maximum effect when combined with the energy of the Blazing Glue and the ultimate fire, the Blazing Yang Spring. That energy is too powerful, equivalent to the level of a 200,000-year-old soul beast.

Given that Ma Xiaotao's Fire Phoenix Martial Soul doesn't have particularly strong physical strength, she might not be able to withstand it.

Ma Xiaotao didn't say anything to express her gratitude. Given their relationship, no further words were needed.

She sat cross-legged at a white landmark on one side of the blazing Yangquan Spring. Without any resistance, the Phoenix Flame naturally drew the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower to her. She closed her eyes, cupped it in her hands, and crimson-gold light began to spread from her palms, climbing up her arms and gradually enveloping her entire body.

Kong Tianxu withdrew his gaze and flicked his wrist.

An octagonal ice flower quietly took shape at his fingertips. It was an extremely delicate ice crystal flower, with eight petals as thin as cicada wings, each petal covered with precisely symmetrical frost patterns, and a point of extremely cold, dark blue at the center.

He turned around, and Xue Di, understanding, tilted her head slightly, letting his fingers brush past her temples, tucking the ice flower behind her ear.

Ice flowers clung to her temples, their eight petals perfectly embracing a strand of silvery-white hair. The chill emanating from the Ice Soul Flower resonated strangely with her own icy essence, causing the frost patterns on the petals to flow on their own, as if someone had painted a flowing aurora on them.