When they heard Niu Tian's words, everyone finally let out a sigh of relief. No matter how terrifying the Sun Moon Empire might be, there was no longer any need to worry — after all, they had divine support on their side!
Three Ultimate Douluo— that was the power of gods. To them, the addition of three Limit Douluo was enough to completely turn the tide of war.
However, Yan Shaozhe frowned slightly, his expression tinged with concern. Now that each of the three great empires possessed a Ultimate Douluo, yet Shrek Academy had none at this moment, who should take command in this coming War of the Bright?
Would it be the Clear Sky Sect?
He glanced at Niu Tian, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent. To be honest, he did not wish for the Academy to be led by another's hand. But under the current circumstances, it seemed that only the man before him was truly suited to command.
Without a Ultimate Douluo to support them, the Academy was already struggling to stay afloat.
Niu Tian appeared to notice Shrek Academy's side of the situation. Unlike the joyful representatives from the three human empires, the elders of Shrek each wore their own troubled expressions.
He looked toward them and said,
"Among those from Shrek Academy… who is the master of the Sea God Pavilion?"
"…That would be me."
Upon hearing his question, Xuan Zi slightly furrowed his brows and stepped forward to answer.
Niu Tian nodded to him and said,
"The Clear Sky Sect and I will fully support you in breaking through to the Ultimate Douluo realm."
At those words, Xuan Zi's face lit up with joy. He immediately clasped his hands respectfully and said,
"Many thanks, senior! May I ask your Title, if I may?"
"Title?"
Niu Tian frowned slightly, thinking for a moment before replying,
"Just call me the Sky Azure Douluo."
He had no intention of revealing his true identity as a soul beast.
Elder Song then asked,
"Your Majesty Sky Azure, what of student Wang Dong'er? Has she returned to the Clear Sky Sect?"
At this, Niu Tian's gaze fell upon her, and after a moment of silence he said,
"As for Dong'er… it's best if you act as though you know nothing. Her situation is not something any of us have the right to interfere in."
Elder Song's pupils contracted, his expression filled with shock.
Yan Shaozhe and the others exchanged looks — they seemed to have realized something truly astonishing.
Outside the Evil Demon Forest, three figures were walking toward its depths.
Snow Empress trailed behind, while Jiang Qingtong glanced at the lively Xie Lingling hopping along in front and asked,
"Are you really sure that the Evil Emperor will agree to cooperate with us?"
"Of course! The Evil Emperor is the best! As long as you can give a reasonable reason, he'll definitely work with you!" Xie Lingling nodded vigorously as she replied.
Looking at the innocent ten-thousand-year-old girl before her — one who had barely ever interacted with the outside world — Jiang Qingtong fell silent. If only the fierce beasts could cooperate with humans that easily.
After walking for a while, Jiang Qingtong asked again,
"Snow Empress, between you and the Evil Emperor, who is stronger?"
Snow Empress shook her head and replied softly,
"We're about equal. His cultivation is slightly higher than mine. But now that I've completed my reincarnation and regained my strength, since we've never actually fought, it's hard to say who would truly prevail."
Xie Lingling puffed up her chest and declared,
"Of course our Evil Emperor is stronger! Even Di Tian couldn't withstand our Evil Emperor's Light of Time and Space!"
As a member of the Evil Eye Tyrant clan, Xie Lingling held an almost fanatical faith in the Evil Emperor. To her kind, the Evil Emperor was invincible.
Deep within the Evil Demon Forest, Jiang Qingtong finally beheld this being ranked second among all soul beasts.
Each of the Evil Emperor's tentacles was a hundred meters long, his body vast and towering — standing before Jiang Qingtong like an impenetrable wall, radiating overwhelming majesty. Behind him, numerous Evil Eye Tyrants lurked, several of which had also reached the hundred-thousand-year level.
"Evil Emperor! This is the Snow Empress, and this is the leader of the humans!"
Xie Lingling cheerfully introduced Jiang Qingtong and Snow Empress. The Evil Emperor's many eyes focused on them, and he asked curiously,
"What's going on these days? Di Tian's off trying to unite all soul beasts, and you're not staying up in the Extreme North either?"
"We intend to go to war with the gods, Evil Emperor." Snow Empress concisely explained the current situation.
The Evil Emperor's tentacles swayed slightly as he moved closer to her.
"Are you trying to die?" he asked.
Jiang Qingtong countered,
"No — we are trying to live."
"I see what you're here for," the Evil Emperor replied coolly, "but the Evil Demon Forest will not involve itself in any conflicts. You may leave."
He waved a tentacle dismissively, directly issuing a guest-expelling command.
Xie Lingling immediately protested,
"Evil Emperor, Evil Emperor! They're good people! Can't we cooperate with them?"
A tentacle descended onto Xie Lingling's head, rubbing it a few times.
"Humans are complicated creatures," the Evil Emperor sighed. "And gods don't die so easily. To act rashly would only lead to a more miserable end. I am the ruler of the Evil Eye Tyrant clan — I must take responsibility for all of them, and for the entire Evil Demon Forest."
The Evil Emperor had never been fond of humans. If not for Jiang Qingtong being accompanied by Snow Empress and Xie Lingling, he would likely have driven her out the moment she arrived. Unlike other soul beasts, those of the Extreme North rarely joined any faction.
Snow Empress, however, had far more persuasive power — even greater than Di Tian's.
She looked at him and said calmly,
"I too must take responsibility — for the entire Extreme North. Joining us and raising our blades against the heavens… that is the greatest act of responsibility we can show to our descendants and our race."
The Evil Emperor regarded her in silence, then finally replied,
"No. I don't believe you. If this were said by that one from Star Dou Forest, perhaps I'd consider it. But you… are not qualified."
In his eyes, even if all of Douluo Continent united its strength, it could never hope to match the gods above. Talk of rebellion sounded noble — but if every soul beast perished in the process, it would become nothing more than a tragic story told over tea.
"We will become qualified."
Jiang Qingtong met his gaze. She knew he looked down upon the Sun Moon Empire and their current strength, so she declared,
"In a few days, we'll launch a military campaign right here in the Evil Demon Forest — to annihilate the Holy Spirit Cult. When that time comes, Evil Emperor, you'll see for yourself whether or not we are worthy of your cooperation."
"Then I shall wait and see," the Evil Emperor said simply.
With just those four words, he sent Jiang Qingtong and Snow Empress out of the forest.
Xie Lingling pouted, puffing up her cheeks in frustration.
"Evil Emperor! Why won't you cooperate with them? I've seen human power myself — their creations already possess destructive force comparable to a Ultimate Douluo!"
"Even a Ultimate Douluo is still far from a god," the Evil Emperor sighed. "You're still too young, Lingling. You need to think more deeply."
Xie Lingling tilted her head, utterly confused.
After leaving the Evil Demon Forest, Jiang Qingtong and Snow Empress did not return to Mingdu. Instead, they went straight to the stationed forces of the Evil Monarch Soul Tool Regiment and the Terrorclaw Soul Tool Regiment.
These two beast-king–level regiments had already completed their preliminary fortifications, encircling the entire Evil Demon Forest with a ring of soul tool defenses. Moreover, a steady flow of various soul-guided weapons was still being transported to the front lines.
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