He personally visited the major sects and the two great empires, teaching this cultivation method free of charge so that every Soul Master could master the power to resist the Void, thereby elevating the combat power of the entire continent from its very roots.
Meanwhile, Zhao Feng expanded the Void-Suppressing Army, dividing it into four great garrison legions: East, South, West, and North. They were stationed along the continent's four borders and the Void Desert respectively, with each legion led by a top-tier Titled Douluo. They trained rigorously, preparing for battle day and night. He also established a Soul Master Academy specifically to recruit the younger generation of Soul Masters, cultivating their protective convictions from a young age and teaching them the Void-Repelling Art and combat skills. The academy's motto consisted of only eight words: "Inherit the Will of Heroes, Protect All Living Beings."
Within the academy stood Qian Renxue's statue and the Monument to the Fallen Heroes. Every student enrolled had to first pay their respects to the heroic spirits, keeping the sacrifices of that cataclysm firmly in mind and understanding the true responsibility of a Soul Master. Zhao Feng personally served as the Dean of the Academy, teaching the classes himself and imparting his combat experience and cultivation methods for the power of conviction to the young students without reservation. He often told them: "Power is not meant for proving your dominance or seeking petty victories; it is meant to protect. In the future, no matter how powerful the enemy you face, you must remember that behind you are the living beings of the entire continent and countless innocent civilians. You cannot retreat, nor is there anywhere to retreat to."
Over the course of a thousand years, Lin Mo and Zhao Feng never rested.
Lin Mo shattered the shackles of the Limit Douluo realm, his strength reaching an unprecedented level, comparable to the Angel God Qian Renxue of the past. His Abyssal Dragon Emperor Martial Soul completely evolved into the "Holy Angel Abyssal Dragon Emperor." His soul wings were interwoven with blue and gold, and his soul rings radiated brilliant golden light; with a mere wave of his hand, he could command the forces of heaven and earth, purifying all Void evil. Every century, he would travel to the Void Desert to reinforce the Twin Dragon Void-Suppressing Barrier and the golden array, comforting Qian Renxue's will and passing down the conviction to protect.
Zhao Feng also broke through to the Limit Douluo realm. His power of conviction materialized into a physical form, and his Battleaxe Martial Soul evolved into the "Divine Conviction Battleaxe." When the axe was swung, golden light bathed the land and all evil recoiled. The Void-Suppressing Army under his command weathered several minor Void creature incursions, achieving total victory every time and accumulating rich combat experience against the Void. They became the continent's most indestructible defensive line. He never married in his life, devoting all his energy to guarding the defense lines and cultivating the next generation, earning the profound respect of Soul Masters across the entire continent.
Over the millennium, the Douluo Continent saw an abundance of talent, with powerful experts of the younger generation emerging in endless waves. Countless outstanding Soul Masters graduated from the academy, joined the Void-Suppressing Army, and garrisoned the defense lines in all directions. Remembering the will of the heroic spirits and the teachings of their mentors, every single one of them possessed unwavering resolve and formidable combat power. The major sects stood united, and the two great empires coexisted in harmony. The entire continent was of one mind, wholly dedicated to preparing for war. The sectarian disputes and imperial wars of the past vanished entirely; everyone understood that they shared a common enemy and a common home to protect.
The names on the monument at the Shrine of Heroic Spirits grew more and more numerous. They included not only the Soul Masters who fell in the decisive battle back then, but also the soldiers of the Void-Suppressing Army who sacrificed their lives over the past thousand years while guarding the defense lines and purging Void creatures. Their names were remembered by generation after generation, and their will was inherited by those who followed. Incense burned year-round before Qian Renxue's statue, as civilians spontaneously came to pay their respects, thanking her for guarding the continent with her life, and thanking her will for continuously blessing this land.
Inside the Holy Dragon Void-Suppressing Hall, Lin Mo gazed at the moonlight outside the window. The Heart of the Angel in his embrace remained warm and gentle. A thousand years had passed, but his appearance had not aged; the Dragon Emperor Origin and the power of the Angel had granted him a vastly prolonged lifespan, yet his heart had long settled into an imperturbable calm. Zhao Feng stood beside him, his hair somewhat gray, yet his posture remained as straight as a spear, his eyes burning like torches.
"The thousand-year deadline is almost here," Zhao Feng spoke slowly, his voice carrying a trace of vicissitude, yet remaining as resolute as ever.
Lin Mo nodded, his gaze shifting toward the Twin Dragon Void-Suppressing Barrier deep within the Void Desert. His tone was calm but brimming with power: "What is meant to come will come. Over this millennium, we have prepared sufficiently. The younger generation is filled with powerful experts, the Void-Suppressing Army boasts countless elites, and the Soul Masters of the entire continent are united in a common cause. Even if the Void Sovereign comes in person, we have the strength to fight him."
"This battle is not about winning or losing; it is about protection. Protecting our home, protecting Lord Qian Renxue's will, and protecting the peace bought with the lives of all the fallen heroes."
Zhao Feng threw his head back and laughed heartily, gripping the Divine Conviction Battleaxe tightly in his hand, his laughter bold and heroic: "Well said! Not about winning or losing, but about protection! A millennium of preparation, all for today! Even if our souls shatter and scatter, we will keep the Void Sovereign outside the continent!"
Even as the two spoke, deep within the Void Desert, the Twin Dragon Void-Suppressing Barrier suddenly began to tremble violently. Golden and blue lights flashed frantically. From the underground spatial passage came deafening roars, and an apocalyptic, bone-chilling aura instantly breached the barrier's defenses, permeating the entire Void Desert.
The Void Sovereign had arrived!
Lin Mo and Zhao Feng exchanged a glance, their eyes turning incomparably sharp simultaneously. Their figures flashed as they instantly soared into the air, flying toward the barrier. Soul wings interwoven with light blue and gold, alongside the golden light of conviction, shone exceptionally bright in the night sky like two eternal stars, illuminating the entire Void Desert.
At the same time, the Void-Suppressing Armies stationed in all four directions of the continent received the warning signal simultaneously. The four great legions immediately stood ready and rushed to reinforce the Void Desert. The students of the Soul Master Academy grabbed their weapons, their eyes filled with resolve. The Soul Master legions of the major sects and the two great empires mobilized at once, marching toward the battlefield.
A thousand years of waiting, a thousand years of preparation, had finally culminated in the ultimate decisive battle.
Flying mid-air, the Heart of the Angel in Lin Mo's embrace radiated brilliant light. The phantom of Qian Renxue materialized once more, still wearing that gentle yet determined smile. She looked at Lin Mo and nodded lightly, as if cheering him on. A warmth surged through Lin Mo's heart. He threw his head back and let out a long roar; the sound of a dragon's cry shook the heavens and the earth as the phantom of the Holy Angel Abyssal Dragon Emperor condensed into form, blotting out the sky. Blue and golden light bathed the land.
"Zhao Feng, fellow Soul Masters!" Lin Mo's voice resonated across the entire Void Desert, echoing throughout the entire Douluo Continent. "A thousand years ago, we used our mortal bodies to hold back the Void cataclysm; a thousand years later, as the Void Sovereign invades, we still will not retreat!"
"For Lord Qian Renxue! For the heroic spirits! For all living beings! For our home!"
"Fight to the end! Never retreat!"
Zhao Feng's roaring battle cry followed closely behind. He held the Divine Conviction Battleaxe high as a golden pillar of conviction shot into the sky. Countless soldiers of the Void-Suppressing Army and countless Soul Masters shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens—far louder and far more resolute than a thousand years ago.
The sky was filled with interwoven golden light and blue dragon light. Countless streams of soul power converged into a raging torrent, colliding fiercely with the power of the Void that had broken through the barrier. This formed a pillar of light that pierced the heavens and the earth, illuminating the entire desert as bright as day.
Suspended in mid-air, Lin Mo fully unleashed his Holy Angel Abyssal Dragon Emperor Martial Soul. A pair of blue-gold dragon wings spanning dozens of yards blotted out the sky, and fine golden light flowed along the tips of his wings—the hallmark of the perfect fusion between the power of the Angel and the Dragon Emperor Origin.
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