The civilians' eyes were filled with reverence and gratitude. Many elderly and children bowed deeply to the marching column. The sounds of weeping and words of thanks intertwined, and the originally somber procession finally felt a trace of warmth.
A young child tugged at the hem of a Soul Master's robe, looking up with an innocent face and asked, "Uncle, are you heroes? You defeated the bad guys and protected us, right?"
A gentle smile appeared on the face of the Soul Master who had been asked. He crouched down, patted the child's head, and said softly, "We aren't heroes. The true heroes are the ones who could never return. We merely held on to this peace in their stead."
Lin Mo and Zhao Feng watched this scene unfold, and the sorrow in their hearts was gradually replaced by a resolute strength. They understood that all the sacrifices were worth it, and all their perseverance held meaning. It was precisely their desperate struggle that had secured the peace of these people and the vitality of the continent. This peace was something they had to fight with all their might to protect to the very end.
Half a month later, the column finally arrived at the central region of the Douluo Continent. The construction of the Shrine of Heroic Spirits was already taking shape. A massive monument stood before the shrine, and craftsmen were carefully carving the names of the fallen Soul Masters, stroke by stroke. Every name represented a vibrant life and a fearless stand.
Lin Mo and Zhao Feng personally attended the foundation-laying ceremony of the Shrine of Heroic Spirits. The emperors of the two great empires, the sect masters of the major sects, and countless civilians gathered here, creating a solemn and majestic scene. Lin Mo stood before the monument and slowly addressed the crowd, his voice steady and powerful, echoing across the entire square:
"Today, we gather here to commemorate the heroic spirits who sacrificed themselves to protect the continent and seal the Origin of the Void. They came from different sects and different empires; there were Titled Douluos over a century old, Soul Saints and Soul Douluos in the prime of their lives, and young Soul Masters merely in their teens. They could have lived out their days in peace, yet in times of peril, they stepped forward, using their mortal bodies to hold back the cataclysm of the Void, and trading their lives for the peace we now enjoy."
"They are the true heroes, the backbone of the continent. Their names will be carved upon this monument, immortalized for all generations. Their convictions will merge with this land, becoming the driving force for our march forward. Hereby, I swear: I, Lin Mo, shall suppress the Void seal for the rest of my life, inheriting this conviction to protect. I will absolutely never allow the power of the Void to wreak havoc upon the world again, and I will never allow the sacrifices of our heroes to be in vain!"
"I, Zhao Feng, also swear: I shall forge my body and mind throughout my life, hold fast to my convictions, and protect the living beings of the continent! I will follow Lin Mo, garrison the defense lines, and carry on the will of the fallen heroes until my dying breath!" Zhao Feng immediately followed, his voice ringing with determination. He planted his battleaxe into the ground, his eyes unprecedentedly resolute.
All the Soul Masters present dropped to one knee and shouted in unison: "We swear to inherit the will of the heroic spirits, protect the peace of the continent, and fight until our dying breath!"
The roaring shouts pierced the clouds and echoed for a long time. The civilians shed tears and bowed deeply to the monument. The entire square was enveloped in a solemn yet unyielding atmosphere. At this moment, the conviction to protect took root firmly in everyone's heart, becoming the new spiritual legacy of the Douluo Continent.
...
Following the completion of the Shrine of Heroic Spirits, the Douluo Continent gradually regained its former vitality. The haze of war slowly dissipated, and the major sects began to rebuild their strengths. The two great empires poured their efforts into restoring the people's livelihoods, and civilians lived and worked in peace, presenting a scene of tranquility. However, Lin Mo and Zhao Feng never let up for even a moment.
As agreed, Lin Mo took residence at the Holy Dragon Void-Suppressing Hall. Every month, he would return from the Void Desert to the continent to inspect the major defense lines and guide the cultivation of young Soul Masters. At the same time, he consolidated the strength of the major sects to form a "Void-Suppressing Army," specifically tasked with guarding the Void seal and fending off evil entities. Zhao Feng was appointed as its commander, selecting Soul Masters with unwavering resolve and formidable strength to join. They drilled day and night, ready to respond to any potential crisis at a moment's notice.
Leading the Void-Suppressing Army, Zhao Feng enforced rigorous training to hone their combat prowess. Simultaneously, he delved deep into the weaknesses of Void creatures and the characteristics of the power of the Void. Combining the restraining effects of divine power and the power of conviction, he compiled a specialized Void-Repelling cultivation method. He imparted this technique to the Void-Suppressing Army and the Soul Masters of the major sects, ensuring that everyone could master the means to resist the power of the Void and prevent trouble before it arose.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, five years had passed.
Over these five years, Lin Mo's strength had broken through to the realm of Limit Douluo, making him the universally acknowledged strongest expert on the continent. The fused power of the Abyssal Dragon Emperor and the Angel had long reached absolute perfection; with a mere wave of his hand, he could purify countless evil entities. The seal of the golden array, under his watchful guard, remained as steady as Mount Tai, without experiencing the slightest fluctuation. Zhao Feng had also broken through to become a top-tier Titled Douluo, and his power of conviction had grown even purer and richer. Under his leadership, the Void-Suppressing Army had become the most elite fighting force on the continent—strictly disciplined and fiercely powerful—guarding every defense line of the continent.
The younger generation of Soul Masters also grew rapidly. Those who survived the decisive battle experienced a meteoric rise in strength after being tempered by the fires of war, becoming the backbone of the Void-Suppressing Army. They kept the will of the fallen heroes firmly in mind, cultivated diligently, and dedicated themselves to protecting the continent, showing not the slightest restlessness or laziness typical of peacetime.
Yet, behind this seemingly tranquil facade, undercurrents were quietly surging.
On this particular day, Lin Mo was meditating within the Holy Dragon Void-Suppressing Hall when the Heart of the Angel in his embrace suddenly began to beat violently. Its golden halo flashed frantically as a faint yet extremely bizarre aura of the Void silently seeped out through the cracks of the sealing array, instantly detected by the Heart of the Angel. Lin Mo's eyes snapped open, a flash of gravity in their depths. His aura erupted in an instant, dragon might and divine power intertwining to instantly envelop the entire hall.
"Something's wrong. How could the aura of the Void be leaking from the seal?" Lin Mo's figure flickered, and he appeared before the golden array in an instant. Gathering power at his fingertips, he touched the array's surface and carefully probed it.
The array was still stable; the triple seal was completely undamaged, and the aura of the Origin of the Void remained faint, firmly imprisoned at its core. Logically speaking, it was absolutely impossible for any Void aura to leak out. Yet, the Heart of the Angel's warning just now was no false alarm. That bizarre aura, though faint, carried a chilling coldness entirely different from the Origin of the Void. It felt more like... it came from the depths of the Void Space, rather than the sealed Origin of the Void itself.
Lin Mo's brows furrowed tightly. Operating his entire mental focus, he traced that faint aura until, deep underground at the edge of the array, he finally detected an anomaly. The spatial barrier there had an extremely fine crack. It wasn't left over from the decisive battle, but had only appeared recently. That bizarre Void aura was seeping out from this spatial rift, not leaking from within the seal.
"A spatial rift? Another passageway to the Void Space?" Lin Mo's heart sank as he instantly grasped the severity of the situation.
------------------------------------------------------
30+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)