"Is it you, searching for me?"
In the sky.
Like rolling thunder, the massive true dragon's vertical pupils looked down upon the Abyssal Sage Sovereign, as if sizing up a slightly bigger ant. The dragon's body drifted amidst clouds and mist.
The awe-inspiring presence of a "Dragon Progenitor" radiated from it, sweeping across the world, even to countless other star realms.
"Gulp~"
The Abyssal Sage Sovereign's throat rolled, eyes filled with terror as he forced himself to stay calm, but both hands were shaking uncontrollably.
He squeezed out a faint smile, "Dragon God, I think there must be some—"
Pfft~
But in the next instant, the "Soul Emperor"'s head suddenly exploded, golden blood spattering everywhere.
The air around was eerily silent.
Countless Star Luo Empire experts watched in fear, not daring to breathe. Even their leader, En Ci, stared straight ahead, behaving with utmost propriety.
"Old En? What should we do?" a senior Star Luo official stammered.
"How would I know? Play dead! With that person's favor, the Dragon God probably won't trouble us." En Ci's lips barely moved.
"…"
The Seven-Colored Dragon God shot a cold glance at the Abyssal Sage Sovereign's body. The latter, headless, had its life force instantly extinguished and toppled into the sea, vanishing without a trace.
"I am the Dragon God, and you think you're worthy of explaining yourself to me?!"
Its majestic voice spread throughout the sky.
Countless forces watching in this direction trembled in fear.
As time passed, Sun-Moon Empire Federation, the Spirit Pagoda, and other powers gradually arrived. Though the top experts didn't appear, they knew everything that had happened.
After all, with En Ci reporting on-site like a journalist, everyone was well informed.
Dong Zi'an (Commander of Western Legion): What do we do now? If the Dragon God settles accounts, we'll be lucky if a few heads suffice.
Zhang Huanyun: Anyway, it's Tang Sect and Shrek that deserve the real headache. Even Qiangu Dongfang, who was supposed to die for sure, found a way out (disbanding the Spirit Ascension Platform as ordered). But Tang Sect is determined to dig its own grave, hands up emoji.
Zhang Huanyun: @Zang Xin, stop hiding, get out here!
En Ci: Relax, with Mister Su present, there won't be any problems. The Dragon God will only be absolutely hostile toward foreign invaders like the Abyss that steal the continent's core.
Su Wen: As long as the Spirit Pagoda dismantles the Spirit Ascension Platform, and everyone cooperates, the Dragon God won't trouble you.
Everyone: …
The chat was lively. They almost forgot this person is teamed up with the Dragon God.
Qiangu Dongfang: Reporting demolition progress. The Spirit Ascension Platform has been completely dismantled, all soul beasts from that small world have been returned to the Star Dou Great Forest today, please inspect. [Image][Image]
Su Wen: Mm.
Zhang Huanyun invited Di Tian to the chat group.
Zhang Huanyun: Sorry, you weren't verified before, so I thought you were a fake. I really admire Beast God Di Tian, it's not easy leading the soul beast tribe all this way @Di Tian.
Leng Yaozhu: 6666
…
The chat group was buzzing.
But at this moment—
Shrek City.
Tang Sect Headquarters.
It felt as if a dark cloud hung over the building.
"How could he… screw up at such a critical moment?!! That shouldn't be possible!" Zang Xin's face looked dreadful as he slammed the table. The communicator beeped away, but he had no mood to check it.
Zhang Huanyun must be mocking Tang Sect again.
But ultimately, this mess was indeed Tang Sect's own fault.
As for what Cao Dezhi had done, they knew long ago. After all, Shrek Academy had contacted them before, and what the Golden Tree said couldn't be fake. Tang Sect had two core tasks:
1. Ensure Tang Wulin's growth and enable confrontation.
2. Open the way for the Abyss and refrain from aiding the defenders.
Even though that was utterly dishonorable—using a borrowed knife to kill, a knife stained with human blood, wielded by the worst of the Abyss monsters—they couldn't help but feel a secret joy.
Because if it could eliminate the greatest threat, Su Wen, then Tang Sect and Shrek would be safe— Su Wen had, in front of everyone at Star Luo Empire, crushed Elder Wu to death and expressed utter disdain for Tang Sect, which left them angry and resentful.
So the borrowed knife, though they appeared embarrassed and reluctant, was actually very satisfying revenge.
But who would have thought things would go so far?
The original arrangement, per the founder's (Plane Spirit's) plan, was to let in a Soul Emperor-level being to be possessed by the Abyssal Lord—at most, a high-level priest.
Even if this knife killed someone and turned hostile, as the plane spirit, it could still wipe it out with a wave.
But now… the knife didn't kill anyone, instead got smashed by the enemy.
All the consequences fell back on Tang Sect.
"Yun Ming!" After long thought, Zang Xin tried to shift blame to Yun Ming, who had brought them the news, looking furious.
"Don't look at me." Yun Ming looked desolate, "I said it many times, don't mess with that guy, nobody ever listened. That one's trump cards can match even ordinary gods, let alone having the Dragon God's help now."
"What about the Plane Spirit?!" Zang Xin was still furious.
"It's… out of contact." Yun Ming shook his head gloomily.
"Damn it!"
"What a mess!"
"And you expect us Tang Sect to help that brat grow up? Dream on!" Zang Xin vented, though fear was greater than anger.
…
The nine-colored true dragon circled around Su Wen. Against its massive body, Su Wen was like an ant. In the sea of clouds, the colorful vertical pupil scrutinized him for a while before saying softly, "You've worked hard."
Su Wen smiled. "Haha, it's nothing…"
"That was just an avatar, not even close to hurting me."
"And now?"
Su Wen pondered: "What do you plan to do?"
"I could totally suppress the Abyssal Lord now, but I'd need to consume a huge amount of my Dragon God origin… And let's not forget Tang Hao is lurking looking for a chance to profit. If it were just an ordinary lower god, fine, but now he's a plane spirit, tightly connected with this continent. To root out this parasite would take a lot of effort."
"Let alone… the Crimson Mother is still watching from afar."
"She hasn't left?" Su Wen frowned.
In the original story, this figure wouldn't show up at this stage; as soon as Tang San or Tang Hao appeared, she'd take the Crimson Plane and run.
He thought she was cowardly—now it seems she's sly, still watching, waiting to see if the Dragon God gets weak, or attacks her.
"If the Crimson Mother's still around, then let's not stir up too much." Su Wen sighed.
"I can't wipe them out, but giving a warning is easy enough…" Gu Yuena blinked her eyes. Just now majestic, the Dragon God, in this moment appeared a bit playful.
"Then go ahead, have fun."
Su Wen smiled.
"Okay!"
…
"ROAR!!!"
An earth-shattering dragon roar sounded again.
The world, silent for a few minutes, became lively again.
The next moment, the Dragon God appeared at the boundless mountain range—the gateway to the Abyssal Plane.
"Everyone, open the highest-level Abyssal passage. Let them through!"
Zhang Huanyun's strong voice echoed.
He stood tall, giving a military salute for good measure.
When the Dragon God arrived, he knew this was his chance—he only lacked the words, "Our VIP table in the Abyss awaits!"
"Buzz..."
Mechanical roars sounded.
The passages to the Abyssal Plane opened one by one.
"Hehe, take your pick—these all lead to the higher levels, at least below the tenth. Right, our Blood God Legion and Tang Sect—" Zhang Huanyun said with great respect, but added, "By the way, about us and Tang Sect…"
"…"
Gu Yuena just glanced at him lightly and ignored him.
Not even paying attention to the Abyssal passages.
Instead, another dragon roar sounded, its enormous body blocking half the sky. Her sharp claws gently tore at the air as if ripping space open.
Meanwhile, countless Abyssal creatures stared in terror at the colorful slit pupil across from them.
Even though dense with Abyssal monsters—enough to make a human's hair stand on end—at this moment, things were reversed.
This time, it was the monsters who were scared—
"BOOM!!!"
A surge of colorful divine power poured from the Dragon God's open maw, flooding toward the Abyssal creatures. Wails and howls rang out. They tried to flee, but had nowhere to go—this was their home. The deeper levels couldn't hold them.
So, in their screams, they withered away.
Gu Yuena plunged into the Abyssal Plane, sealing the crack behind her, revealing a faint smile.
"Abyssal Lord, are you hiding?"
Her voice echoed across all 108 levels of the Abyss.
At the deepest layer, the Abyssal Lord's face turned ashen.
Don't come over here!!!
…
"Hiss…"
Zhang Huanyun sucked in a cold breath.
Watching the space crack slowly close, he thought, Actually, this makes sense. For gods at this level, would they walk the normal path? Of course, they rip open space and charge straight in.
"After this, will the Abyssal Lord have psychological trauma?"
Slap! Zhang Huanyun smacked himself. "What am I thinking? There might never be an Abyssal Lord again."
He turned back to the group chat, continuing to pressure Tang Sect.
Zhang Huanyun: The Dragon God has stormed the Abyssal Plane; the Abyssal Lord probably can't save itself. But our hero Cao Dezhi hasn't said a word yet—oh, right, he's already imprisoned, and his communicator's been confiscated. @Zang Xin [Photo][Photo]
Zang Xin: Can I report? Shrek Academy and the Golden Tree tricked me and Old Cao into all this. It's all Shrek's fault. @Su Wen
Zhuo Shi: Nonsense! It's you Tang Sect's problem. Could Shrek's Golden Tree fly by itself? Got evidence?
…
Zhang Huanyun's sent photos, faint and blurry, showed just the Dragon God's shadow and terrified Abyssal creatures behind it.
This thoroughly confirmed the Dragon God's status and power.
To be able to storm into the Abyssal Plane and beat up the Abyssal Lord, even if not as strong as in the era of creation, it was certainly top-tier god level.
And that meant—if no one acts soon, things would get much worse...
Even disbanding Tang Sect would be a light punishment.
Su Wen smiled slightly when he saw this.
Dog eat dog?
Bite harder, best if they totally fall out.
In the original, neither faction was righteous—the Sun-Moon Empire ruled the continent, yet these two sabotaged from within, like a separatist power, remnants of the old era.
He didn't do mass slaughter, just didn't want to get too involved.
Anyway, they'd all fall in the end...
Though he nearly destroyed the Ghost Emperor's soul, he'd left him alive; meaning, Shrek's destruction plan could continue.
Time to give Qiangu Dongfang a hint soon.
Su Wen looked to the sky.
Or, wait until the Abyssal Plane gets tamed, the Eight Armies return, and the Sun-Moon Federation, War God Hall, and Spirit Pagoda are no longer held back by the Abyss. Then, when their forces all focus inward...
The good days of Shrek Academy and Tang Sect running wild on the inside will be over.
The Federation is a not-quite-a-country only because of external and internal chaos.
All the energy sucked away by fighting the Abyss, leaving no time or resources to deal with the two major cancers—Shrek Academy and Tang Sect—who are fattening off the Federation.
Tang Sect could openly smuggle arms within the Federation for huge profits—mocking the law itself.
Su Wen felt no loyalty to the Federation, even indifference.
But, unified stability is good for everyone; with no war and rising peace, even commoners can now awaken their martial souls.
But not Tang San. A centipede never dies, even after a thousand years.
Ten thousand years ago, he forcibly took Huo Yuhao, ruining the unification. Now the God Realm's been whisked away, but he still left a curse on the world.
If Shrek a millennium ago was half-buried, now it stinks too much to be buried at all—no hope, beyond cure.
Sigh.
Su Wen paused.
Those already allied with Shrek may deserve their fate, but for those not yet joined, or only just starting, maybe there's still hope to pull them out of the mire?
Like Yuanen Yehui?
Su Wen was curious about the demon world mentioned in the rumors—but the original revealed little.
That twin-martial-soul girl was one of the few worth saving.
As for Tang Wulin...
Sigh, in a few days he'll probably have become another Shrek product.
…
Meanwhile.
Elsewhere.
A torrent of seven-colored power swept by, annihilating everything in its path.
Gu Yuena looked down coldly.
All kings and emperors of the 108 levels had been wiped out by a single dragon breath.
Yet the Abyssal Plane was strange—the creatures were like energy bodies, revivable even after death.
Still, after this, the plane was crippled—its strength diminished by seventy or eighty percent.
The Abyssal Emperor was badly wounded by a dragon claw, now cowering deep in the plane.
"Trying to run?"
Gu Yuena saw signs the Abyss Plane was trying to flee.
She snorted coldly, her dragon claw reached through the void, forcibly imprisoning it.
"Abyssal Lord, you've invaded my realm for thousands of years, causing untold deaths, and now you want to run? Too late!"
Gu Yuena exerted divine power, sealing the Abyssal Plane in place.
If it tried to run, it would have to cut off its master; then the Abyssal Lord would lose all chance to become a God-King.
Don't run, and you can only watch as humanity invades, devours everything, and your world becomes mere fertilizer.