"Who goes there?"
"Spirit Emperor."
"..."
Dai Tianling gritted his teeth, at a loss for words, unable even to curse the enemy.
Against the Abyssal Plane for six thousand years, at the cost of tens of thousands of human lives, they'd gradually learned about their foe: the 108th layers of the Abyss, each inhabited by a specific race.
And the Spirit Emperor—the second layer's sovereign.
With half a foot in the godhood realm, he'd be a match for even Yun Ming.
He was the Abyssal Plane's chief commander, second only to the Holy Monarch.
Imagine—what a terror for him to attack with an army behind him!
"Actually, you needn't panic so much," En Ci shook his head. "Since he's after that one, all you need to consider is whether to assist."
"Assist?" Dai Tianling was taken aback.
"Equal stakes. Since they're coming for him, if the Abyssal Plane is willing to show all its cards and throw its most valued mole within the Tang Sect, it must be about something critical."
"I can't see through the current situation at all."
"What you need to consider is whether to stay out of this—or…"
"Send reinforcements!"
"..."
The air turned deadly silent.
This betrayal by the Heartless Douluo involved too much, given his close ties to Shrek Academy. They couldn't believe that Shrek didn't know.
And as the continent's leading forces, they held up half the world.
What if even Shrek had betrayed them?
Would he need to rally Star Luo to fight to the death, or...
"Teacher, Star Luo Empire has never countenanced treachery."
"We'll fight to the end—drive out foreign foes."
Dai Tianling stood, a killing aura rising.
"Good." En Ci smiled.
"In that case, I'll join in—he probably can't hold out alone…"
"Thank you, Teacher."
"Hahaha—an old man like me, back on the front lines at last, makes life worthwhile."
En Ci smiled too, and in the next moment, the resounding roar of a dragon soared through all of Star Luo City; a giant, holy draconic specter rose into the sky, flying off.
Countless Star Luo citizens stared in wonder.
"Maximum alert!
Maximum alert!
…"
Alarm bells resounded across the coastline.
This was the northern shore of Star Luo. As the sirens blared, the peaceful atmosphere turned to chaos; countless civilians flocked to trains and flying craft, soul engineering airships taking off in waves.
"Damn it, what the hell is going on?!!"
On an airship fortress, soul cannons were poised; above, white, yellow, purple, even black mechas floated, mighty under the sun's metallic glare.
A rough, broad-faced man with a colonel's insignia bared his teeth.
"Heard the Abyssal Front had an incident—some abyssals got loose and they're coming here," the deputy muttered, scanning the horizon.
"Why not head for Shrek City—what're they doing out here in the middle of nowhere… Let the Tang Sect clean up their own mess!"
"..."
The deputy's face was grave, not letting his guard drop for a moment.
Suddenly—
"They're here!!!"
He roared.
"All hands to battle stations!"
In reality, the sensors had already picked up the threat seconds before he spoke.
"Just how many did they let in?!!" The colonel's gaze froze. In the scope, an unending tide—black as night—emerged beyond the endless sea.
It was hard to breathe. The sky soon darkened, blanketed by hundreds of millions of flying abyssal monsters.
A suffocating pressure built like a rising tide.
"Fuck the Tang Sect bastards!!"
"Why am I being detained?!"
Star Luo's Tang Sect head, Hu Jie, was furious. "All I did was go into closed-door training—what right do you people have to confine me?!"
"Wait, Black One?!!"
He saw Black One, shackled and helpless, also confined in the same cell.
"Didn't you check the group messages?" Black One asked helplessly. "Zhang Huanyun practically spat in Tang Sect's face, Shrek got a rant too. Now both our reputations are worse than rats."
"..."
Hu Jie opened his comm and connected to the net. After a moment, a notification chime sounded—ping after ping.
In the group chat…
Zhang Huanyun: Heartless Douluo Cao Dezhi is detained. All his subordinates temporarily isolated. Tang Sect HQ, please step out and explain. @Zang Xin
Zhang Huanyun: Say something!!!
Zang Xin: I have nothing to say.
Zhang Huanyun: You motherf%￥#
En Ci: @everyone, enough, see if we can block them.
Chen Xinjie: War God Hall will take the brunt, but can only stop some.
Qiangu Dongfeng: Difficult, but I'll try.
Chen Nian: The Federation will send troops, but this disaster caused by Heartless Douluo… no matter how hard we fight, with the Spirit Emperor, most will still make it through. This time, Old En, we'll trouble you.
En Ci: Send reinforcements promptly, Star Luo will hold the first wave. @Chen Nian.
Chen Nian: Received.
Zhang Huanyun: @Yun Ming, where are you?
Yun Ming: Shrek likely can't make it...
Zhang Huanyun: You motherf%￥#
Di Tian: Cao Dezhi's a beast.
Everyone: ...
Zhang Huanyun: Who the hell added this guy? Idiot?!!
Chen Xinjie: [Crying with laughter]—added by mistake.
Next second:
System: Admin Zhang Huanyun has removed Di Tian from the chat.
Hu Jie swallowed, awkwardly scratching his head. "What the hell's going on?"
Zhang Huanyun was cursing out Tang Sect—Shrek too—already blinded by rage.
But neither of the two great sects did anything.
That was the scariest part of all.
"No word from the top?" Hu Jie frowned.
Could Tang Sect really have betrayed humanity?
"But I'm the Star Luo head, surely I'd have known if that were the case?"
"No, the vice-sect master didn't reply." Black One added, "Read, but didn't answer."
Hu Jie slumped in the chair, despairing.
If this didn't end well, countless Tang Sect disciples would become the focus of all hatred.
They'd be humanity's greatest traitors.
"Nothing we can do." Black One shook his head.
The group had dozens of people, all at least 97th rank, Tri-word Battle Armor Super Douluos, but only a handful spoke. The others dared not speak up, afraid of Zhang Huanyun's fury.
"Tsk tsk tsk, it's happening so fast..."
Midair.
Su Wen stood up, looking out over a world almost completely dyed black. The abyssal horde came like a tide.
Wherever they went, life was swept away.
The abyssals fed on all living things, devouring to evolve.
Su Wen pulled out his communicator and smiled while typing:
Su Wen: En Ci, thank you. I will remember Star Luo's kindness.
Zhang Huanyun: Who the hell is this?! No random messages in the group, you know the rules?
En Ci: @Su Wen, no problem.
En Ci: @Zhang Huanyun, he's the beast tamer from a few days ago. Shrek Academy should remember him. This abyssal riot, I reckon, is because of him—he went to Dragon Valley.
Zhang Huanyun: Deleting my last post.
Qiangu Dongfeng: Esteemed one, you're too kind.
Chen Nian: If you have time, you're invited to the Douluo Federation HQ.
As all the lurking members popped up, Su Wen smiled and put away his communicator.
With the net, this world got much more interesting.
But for now, he needed to handle his real business.
Eyes narrowing, Su Wen looked at the black abyssal creatures.
And, as if sensing the threat, the abyssals halted, staring back.
"So—the toughest enemy the master warned about—is you?" A melodious voice sounded as a path split through the abyssal sea, a golden-robed, handsome young man strolling forward.
"Not letting me through?"
He tilted his head with an amused grin.
"You're just a vessel. You don't have the right to speak to me." Su Wen chuckled softly.
"..."
The Spirit Emperor's face darkened.
Already with one foot in godhood—no one wished more than him for the Abyssal Plane to devour humanity. If it evolved, he'd become the next god after the Holy Monarch.
Being the number two, second only to one—that was something.
But a "vessel"...
"Hmph, let's see how long you can keep talking." The Spirit Emperor's golden sleeve flicked.
The abyssal army instantly charged, covering the sky in neat formation—the Spirit Emperor directing at their head.
A true all-rounder.
As the horrifying masses charged, Su Wen remained motionless, hands behind his back, gazing upward as if he'd be swallowed the next instant.
But...
"Mirror."
Su Wen called softly.
"I'm here."
A clear sound like shattering glass answered.
Under the Spirit Emperor's shocked gaze—
The abyssal horde charging Su Wen was suddenly blocked by an endless surge of white creatures pouring from Su Wen's back. They too filled half the sky.
Light versus dark.
"No—that's... replication!!" The Spirit Emperor's pupils contracted.
"Heaven-tier—Multitude Manifestation!"
Su Wen smiled.
Mirror had lost to Yun Ming, but that didn't make it weak.
In fact, once its second and first spirits reached near-million-year cultivation, its terrifying might emerged.
Yes, this was its third ability.
In the mirrored domain, all entities (including energy forms) within range are forcibly replicated. The copies are under the user's control; if the original dies, its mirror dissipates.
Drains energy fast, but the Azure Luan had just injected the living metal from her Pokéball, powering it up...
What's a perpetual-motion machine? This is.
Within the Mirror Domain, everything can be copied.
In mass battles, it's basically invincible.
All those white forms were mirrored abyssals—with equal appearance and power, even identical skills.
For every abyssal killed, its mirror would dissolve.
The Spirit Emperor inhaled sharply.
Impossible to break—just as his master had taught. Even his own second-layer Spirit Dragons—creatures on par with Super Douluos—were mirrored.
Replication could, perhaps, be mediocre tech—
Yet with numbers, quality is transformed.
Utterly monstrous.
"But your opponent…" The Spirit Emperor sneered at Su Wen.
But before he could finish—
Three golden-robed duplicates of himself appeared.
The Spirit Emperor stared: ???
Mirror smiled.
Sorry—my "Thousand Faces Curtain" skill can replicate three peers; lost to Yun Ming because only 60% of his power was copied, plus depleted energy.
But now…
You and I are evenly matched (second form).
So—I can copy three of you, at 90% power!
I'm your superior!
Boom! Boom!
The ocean trembled.
A gigantic shape rose from the sea, with countless figures in black robes behind.
Vast purple soul power rolled.
The leading figure laughed wildly, "Humans! All of you, die!!"
But the air was oddly quiet.
In the distance, the abyssal army was in fierce combat—being ripped apart by mirrored forces.
The second strongest of the Abyss, the Spirit Emperor, was getting beaten up by three mirrored versions.
The Demon Empress's throat bobbed, eye twitching madly.
What kind of foes were these?!!
"My lady, look!" a Holy Spirit Cultist whispered in horror.
Far off, hordes of black-robed figures sped toward them—every bit as menacing.
Among them, three of "her" led the charge!!
The Demon Empress: "..."
Maybe… I can still run?
Just then, a massive purple bamboo shot up from the depths—blocking all escape.
Above, Su Wen gazed down with interest, not a hint of panic.
"Didn't expect to lure the fish so easily."
"Gutsy, biting the bait."
Su Wen grinned.
"Now you're here—stay here."
...