In Douluo Continent, he tricked Xiao Wu into giving him a soul ring.

The Empress slightly opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something for a moment, but then immediately swallowed it down with her breath. Then, she stared intently at Lan Ji and spoke in a trembling voice, words that were different from her usual style.

"Why...why are you leaving without a word again...? I never liked that kid named Li Xingyun. The only reason I saved him was because Xue'er asked for it...She was willing to sacrifice herself for that kid...From the moment you barged into my bathroom that year, my heart could never hold another person..."

Her eyes welled up with tears as she lowered her head, her words fading in that brief moment.

With his usual arrogance and haughtiness, Lan Ji raised his cheeks and revealed a smile that barely reached the corners of his mouth.

"I already have a wife, and more than one."

The Empress paused, stunned for a moment, then gently bit her red lips with her pearly teeth. "I don't care. At worst, I'll allow you to take them as concubines."

"That's probably difficult to do," Lan Ji shook his head. "I can't beat them."

"Then I can be your concubine, right?" The Empress took a deep breath, as if she had made a momentous decision.

"It still doesn't work." Lan Ji shook her head again.

"Then what do you want? Do you think I'm too old for you, and that what you said about marrying me when you left was a lie?" The Empress raised her beautiful face, her reddened eyes filled with tears, and glared at Lan Ji.

"Because I only marry wives and never take concubines." Lan Ji smiled slightly and took the Empress's hand.

"Isn't this a common scam tactic? The demonstration was terrible. Is this how you tricked your wives into marrying you?"

They faced each other with expressions of both laughter and tears. The Empress took a step closer and pounded on Lan Ji's chest. Her eyes, still wet with tears, glared at him.

"What about your several very capable wives?" the Empress asked.

This time, Lan Ji didn't give him the usual perfunctory answer. He reached out his right hand and wiped away the tears from the Empress's eyes. "They don't belong to this world. When the time is right, I will tell them and then take you over."

"What does this mean? Why are you saying things I can't understand again, like before?" As she spoke, the Empress lowered her head and tapped Lan Ji's chest again.

Although it didn't hurt at all, Lan Ji still let out a scream in response.

"Ouch! That hurts!"

"Serves you right..." The Empress snorted and nodded. Then, she gently placed her forehead on Lan Ji's shoulder.

"Then, I'll wait for you."

At this moment, their hearts will never be apart again.

An hour later, Lan Ji left the room. He recounted the events of Douluo Continent to the Empress in detail, then fed her the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng to help her improve her power. Only after her breathing stabilized did he leave.

"Lord Lan Ji, this is what Young Master Li asked me to give you. He said he will return to Qi Kingdom within seven days." As soon as Lan Ji stepped out of the room, Miao Chengtian, one of the nine Holy Maidens of the Illusionary Sound Pavilion, greeted him and handed him a wooden tray. Since Lan Ji revealed his identity, the entire Qi King's mansion now knows that their King has a mysterious and unpredictable friend with extraordinary martial arts skills, capable of instantly killing Zhu Youwen, the Ghost King of the Xuanming Sect.

Lan Ji took the wooden box, opened it, and looked inside. There were three books, labeled "Tian Gang Jue," "Qi Xing Jue," and "Hua Yang Acupuncture Technique." He glanced through them and found that "Tian Gang Jue" and "Qi Xing Jue" were complementary to each other, just like "Wu Lei Tian Xin Jue" and "Zhi Sheng Qian Kun Gong."

"The Heavenly Gang Technique and the Seven Star Technique are compatible with Xue'er's Angel Martial Soul, but unfortunately they are both Taoist techniques that require Foundation Establishment. I'll give them to the children later and see who can inherit the Angel Martial Soul." This thought flashed through his mind quickly, and Lan Ji casually put them into his soul tool. He then said to Miao Chengtian, "You must be Miao Chengtian."

"This servant is indeed you." Miao Chengtian bowed gracefully. She knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the person before her would become the new son-in-law of the Qi Kingdom in the future.

Lan Ji nodded slightly and casually pressed her acupoints. A wisp of blue light covered her entire body. Under the healing effect of the 'Wildfire Cannot Burn Out, Spring Breeze Blows Back' skill on the right leg bone of the 100,000-year-old Blue Silver Emperor, her innate malfunction was instantly cured.

"Pfft..." Miao Chengtian spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling inexplicably much better. He exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Lan Ji, what happened to me...?"

"I have cured your congenital incurable meridians," Lan Ji said calmly.

"Thank you, Lord Lan Ji... Thank you, Lord Lan Ji..." Miao Chengtian was moved to tears.

"Alright, you can leave now." Lan Ji waved his hand impatiently, and after Miao Chengtian left, he continued to protect the Empress.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

After the Empress refined the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, Lan Ji retrieved the lower volume of the Nine Nether Profound Heaven Divine Art from the artificial hill in the Bianliang Imperial Palace. He then went to Chai Ze in the Jin Kingdom and, using the powerful penetrating ability of the Azure Lotus Sword, broke through the underground cave containing the Dragon Spring Treasure. Without anyone knowing, he found the last twenty-four forms of the Seven Star Technique manual and, incidentally, emptied the Dragon Spring Treasure and handed it over to the Empress.

Chapter 334 Haotian Sect's Wrath

The world of Bad Guys.

...Zhongnan Mountain, Hidden Soldiers Valley.

"General, Zhu Youzhen is dead. Shi Yao has come to report." Shi Yao bowed to the Bad Commander.

"You must be tired from your journey." The Bad Commander stood with his hands behind his back, his back to Shi Yao, exuding an aura of dominance.

"That Li Cunji..." Shi Yao was interrupted by the Bad Commander before she could finish speaking, "I already know about your message sent by carrier pigeon. Li Cunji has indeed come back from the dead. As soon as he returned, he crippled Li Siyuan, and then killed Ghost King Zhu Youwen in Fengxiang. That's quite a feat. I'm afraid his current skill level has surpassed Li Keyong's and is no less than mine."

"Then what is your plan, General?" Shi Yao was suddenly startled.

"Everything as usual," said the Bad Commander. "What Li Cunji cares about most is that little girl in Qi disguised as a man. That's his weakness. As long as he doesn't interfere with my plans, what's wrong with letting him live a little longer?"

...Fengxiang, Huanyinfang.

Because Ji Ruxue was revived by the Witch King Chi Li using the Twelve Gu Mothers, just like in the original story, Li Xingyun did not return to Qi Kingdom and chose to live in seclusion with Ji Ruxue.

After learning about the situation from Lu Linxuan and others, Lan Ji met with Zhang Zifan, who had been found, and told him about his background. He then passed on the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique, which he had tricked from Zhang Xuanling in his previous life, to Zhang Zifan.

Watching Zhang Zifan and the others leave, the Empress turned around and grasped Lan Ji's hand, "Is it really necessary to leave?"

Lan Ji touched her cheek. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm not coming back. Do you remember what I said?"

"Yes. When my brother returns, tell him the secret of the Dragon Spring Treasure. Then you will kill the Bad Commander, unify the Qi Kingdom, and end the war." The Empress nodded emphatically.

"Wait for me to return. Then, I will show you all the wonders of the world." Lan Ji kissed the Empress's beautiful red lips.

He unified the world with the Qi Kingdom, not only for the sake of the Empress, but also to gather faith.

With the Nine Nether Profound Heaven Divine Art, which increases the age of his soul rings, his soul power will increase at a much faster rate than before. He will be promoted to Title Douluo within three to five years and will be given a difficult task. Once he becomes a Title Douluo, he can add a soul ring to his second martial soul, and the level 99 Peerless Douluo realm will not be too far away.

When that time comes, whether it's seeking a divine successor or becoming a god through faith in the Bad Guys world, the power of faith will be indispensable.

After all, the background of the Bad Guys world is a parallel world of Blue Star, which is much larger than Douluo Star, and the power of faith it can provide is far beyond what Douluo Continent can match.

"Qinglian, has the soul imprint on the Vast Ocean Universe Cover been completely removed?" Lan Ji closed his eyes, his consciousness entering the Qinglian space, and asked the pajama version of Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong, dressed in pajamas, nodded slightly. "It's ready. Now you only need to drip a drop of your blood on it to become its true new master."

The Cycle of Reincarnation

"Alright, send me back." After saying that, Lan Ji's consciousness left the Azure Lotus Space, he opened his eyes, and under the Empress's astonished gaze, he smiled and made a waving gesture before turning into a beam of blue light and disappearing into the world.

............

Upon returning to Douluo Continent, Lan Ji immediately ordered the Vast Ocean Universe Cover to recognize him as its master.

He didn't rush to leave the room, but instead began studying the Nine Nether Profound Heaven Divine Art.

The Nine Nether Profound Heaven Divine Art, as the supreme divine art of the Xuanming Sect, is extremely Yin and evil. It is even comparable to the Supreme Heaven and Earth Art and the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique, and its power is so great that it is invincible.

The Nine Netherworlds contain the Mysterious Heaven, with the Upper Mystery and the Lower Nine Netherworlds; they are of one mind without agreement, revealing the truth of life and death; they capture half of the Yin and half of the soul, without form or supremacy; black and white will never transform, the Qi Sea hangs in the Spirit Hall.

Once mastered, the entire body exudes the aura of the deepest hell, as if haunted by a ghost, its malevolent energy overwhelming. Its attacks are accompanied by wailing and howling, with yin energy filling the sky. A single palm strike is like the descent of darkness, devouring everything, its power incomparable and unstoppable. If an ordinary person were to be struck, they would be reduced to ashes in an instant.

In some ways, it is even stronger than a single Supreme Heaven and Earth Technique or Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique. Only the Seven Star Technique is its nemesis.

It is divided into two volumes: the first volume is "Nine Netherworlds" and the second volume is "Mysterious Heaven".

To cultivate this divine skill, one must practice both the upper and lower volumes simultaneously. If one only practices one volume, one will not reach the highest level and will suffer from qi deviation, becoming neither human nor ghost. In the original novel of Bad Guys, Zhu Yougui suffered qi deviation and became a dwarf because he skipped the upper volume and forcibly practiced the lower volume.

Lan Ji naturally wouldn't fuse these kinds of quick-to-master, unorthodox techniques with his two martial souls like he did with the Supreme Heaven and Earth Technique and the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique. Moreover, they weren't compatible with his two martial souls. They were much more compatible with Bibi Dong's Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor, and the little cat's Netherworld Spirit Cat.

Therefore, he chose the Soul-Devouring Eight Spider Spears as his vessel.

Both share the same characteristic: devouring.

Having made up his mind, Lan Ji took out the Vast Ocean Universe Cover and released its first skill, Vast Ocean Protective Cover, to cover his entire body before beginning his cultivation.

..............

Three hundred miles east of Tiandou City lies the Haotian Sect.

Ten days had passed since the Tian Dou Palace Incident.

Since the death of Emperor Xueye, the entire Tiandou City has been under martial law, allowing only entry but not exit. The streets are filled with arrests of Tang Clan remnants until they are all captured before the restrictions on leaving the city are lifted.

Meanwhile, during this time, Yuexuan Tang Yuehua also learned through the Tian Dou Daily that 'Tang San and Dugu Bo plotted to murder Emperor Xue Ye, Tang Hao was defeated by Lan Ji, and Haotian Douluo perished'.

During this period, Tang Yuehua was extremely anxious and cried every day. On the day the martial law was lifted in Tiandou City, she immediately sent someone to deliver a message back to Haotian Sect.

Tang Xiao, who was preparing to convene the annual sect meeting, received the letter and froze on the spot, as if struck by lightning, tears streaming down his reddened old eyes.

"Sect Master, what happened?" The Second Elder, who had brought the elders to the sect meeting, saw Tang Xiao's loss of composure and, while gesturing for everyone to sit down, couldn't help but ask.

With the Haotian Sect sealed off from the mountains, news was blocked, and all information was relayed through Tang Yuehua. Therefore, they were unaware of the major earthquake that had occurred in Tiandou City and the news of Tang Ritian's death in battle.

"Brother Hao is dead." Tang Xiao gritted his teeth and spat out the four words, slamming his palm on the stone table in front of him.

With a soft click, the nearly three-ton stone table used for the meeting collapsed silently, turning into dust.

Silence fell over the entire Haotian Sect's meeting hall. No one, including the five elders, dared to utter a sound, fearing to anger the sect leader who was currently enraged.

Because they knew that although Tang Xiao was always gentle, his temper would become more volatile than anyone else's once his sensitive spot was touched.

After a long silence, the Second Elder spoke first, breaking the atmosphere, "Was it done by the Spirit Hall?"

Tang Xiao shook his head, handed the letter to the Second Elder, and then turned his gaze to the Seventh Elder, Tang Lie, who only had one ear left. His eyes were bloodshot.

Chapter 335 Tang Xiao Wants to Kill Lan Si

"Why are you looking at me like that? Although I hate that brat Tang Hao, I would never do something like killing my fellow disciples," the Seventh Elder said with some dissatisfaction.

Tang Hao killed his eldest son; 'Tang San' blew off one of his ears, kidnapped Tang Song, and stole the rare copies of the Haotian Nine Absolutes and the Chaotic Cloak Manual. Although he wished the father and son were dead, he was unwilling to take the blame.

"It was your bastard great-grandson who did it. He... he killed Brother Hao," Tang Xiao said through gritted teeth.

"A bastard great-grandson? What exactly is going on?" The Seventh Elder was somewhat stunned. Even five years ago, his great-grandson, whom he had almost forgotten, had only managed to defeat the Spirit Hall team, which had three Soul Kings. How could someone with such strength possibly defeat Tang Hao, who had inherited the name of Haotian Douluo?

"Seventh Elder, take a good look at this." The Second Elder sighed with heartache and handed the letter to the Seventh Elder.

"This...how is this possible? Could Yuehua have made a mistake? How could that bastard possibly kill Tang Hao? Even when the seven Title Douluos of the Spirit Hall joined forces, they could only take one of his arms." A bead of cold sweat dripped from the Seventh Elder's forehead. He couldn't believe that the descendant of his grandson, whom he had abandoned, had become so powerful that he could kill Tang Hao. Didn't that mean that the other party's current strength had surpassed that of the seven Title Douluos of the Spirit Hall?

"How is it impossible... It's all written in black and white in Yuehua's letter. Do you think she would lie? If you don't believe me, take a look at this." With a roar, Tang Xiao threw out a stack of newspapers, and the five elders all crowded around to look at them.

The cover illustration depicts Lan Ji with seven spirit rings flashing—yellow, purple, black, black, and red—controlling his Azure Lotus True Body, wielding a giant Haotian Bamboo Shoot, and furiously smashing Tang Ritian. This image was captured from the mirror crystal, hence its exceptional clarity.

What angered the five elders even more was the cover headline: "Haotian Douluo Defeated, Number One Weapon Soul Changes Hands."

"Damn it, what nonsense is the Heaven Dou Empire reporting? How could that bastard's hammer possibly compare to our Clear Sky Sect's inherited martial soul, the Clear Sky Hammer?" The Seventh Elder was furious. He wasn't concerned about Tang Hao's death, but rather that the Clear Sky Hammer had been defiled.

The Second Elder observed more carefully than the Seventh Elder. Unlike the Seventh Elder, he did not lose his temper due to anger. He skimmed through the newspaper and gleaned several key pieces of information.