Chapter 305: Schemes
Wherever it passed, trees turned to dust, rocks shattered into rubble.
Countless low-ranking soul beasts screamed within the storm before being reduced to ash.
Only those that had survived tens of thousands of years could barely hold up their soul power shields, trembling at the storm's edge.
Suspended at the center of the tempest, the Evil Emperor's black robe fluttered violently. Beneath his hood, a crazed smile twisted across his face. Drops of black liquid fell from his lips, corroding the ground into deep pits the moment they landed.
"Eighty thousand years! I've finally reached it!"
He snapped open his eyes, his scarlet pupils gleaming with a hunger for blood. Behind him, his spiritual power coalesced into invisible tendrils, writhing like countless gigantic black serpents.
Just like the Snow Emperor, his breakthrough came from forcefully devouring that "Origin of Spirit" power acquired from the Star Auction Pavilion—that fragment infused with a deity's consciousness.
With overwhelming mental strength, he tore apart the bottleneck that had held him back from the eighty-thousand-year mark and endured his heavenly tribulation with ease.
After tens of thousands of years of accumulation, his foundation had already become incredibly profound—all he lacked was a single opportunity for breakthrough.
The divine Origin of Spirit provided that chance perfectly, allowing him to ascend naturally.
Even the heavenly tribulation of eighty thousand years had posed little more than an inconvenience to him.
"Snow Emperor, I wonder if your newfound strength can match mine."
A grin split his lips as he savored the immense power surging within him, nearly tearing his body apart. His spiritual tendrils spread invisibly throughout the forest, probing every corner.
During his breakthrough, he had sensed the destructive thunder tribulation from the Extreme North.
Across all of Douluo Continent, only the Snow Emperor could summon such apocalyptic power.
Now that both she and he had reached eighty thousand years of cultivation, a faint desire to challenge her arose within him.
Yet the eventual outcome remained uncertain.
After all, the Snow Emperor possessed the power of ultimate ice—no soul beast on the continent could rival her in ice attributes.
Moreover, she now wielded the divine Frost God Sword. Despite his overwhelming mental power that few could resist, he still remained cautious of that artifact's might.
Unless forced, he preferred not to confront her directly.
"The future of Douluo Continent should be ruled by me—the Evil Emperor!"
That was the only thought blazing in his mind.
He would destroy the Human Altar, forcing every human soul master to kneel beneath his spiritual pressure.
He would make those arrogant humans understand who the true master of this world was.
He would let them taste the agony of having their minds enslaved, turned into mere puppets under his control.
The movements of the soul beast race soon swept through all major factions.
The strongest among the human powers were shocked.
…
Deep within the Star Dou Forest, by the Lake of Life, Gu Yuena stood silently, her violet eyes calm and unreadable.
Emperor Tian stood beside her, his obsidian-like body covered in fine scales that glimmered faintly with a metallic sheen.
"My Lord, both the Snow Emperor and the Evil Emperor have broken through to eighty thousand years. Our top forces have surpassed the humans. Should we take this chance to strike again and seize the Human Altar?"
His deep voice carried a restrained surge of battle intent.
Gu Yuena slowly shook her head, trailing her finger through the water. Ripples spread outward, forming images of the Extreme North and the Demonic Forest upon the surface.
"The time isn't right. Shrek Academy now holds the Human Altar, and the power of faith protecting it is far too dense."
"That altar contains the faith of tens of millions of human soul masters. I still don't fully understand how that power operates."
"From what I know, the altar was only recently acquired by Shrek Academy, the Clear Sky Sect, and other factions. It's impossible for them to have gathered so much faith so quickly. Most likely, the altar already held that faith energy within it from before."
"I'm not certain how long that power will last, but acting rashly now would only bring losses."
Her gaze lingered on the reflected images of the Snow Emperor and Evil Emperor.
After some thought, she had grasped the altar's peculiar nature.
The energy within it was unsettlingly strange, its faith force too thick and pure to be disrupted easily.
Even with her full power, she could not hope to shake or destroy it.
She had chosen to withdraw earlier because she sensed the gods of the Divine Realm watching her. There was no need to provoke needless conflict.
If the God Kings chose to act personally, she might repel them—but she could never protect Emperor Tian and the others beside her.
To preserve the soul beasts' strength, she had decisively retreated.
Only by returning deep into the Star Dou Forest could she truly safeguard their race.
"The Snow Emperor's mind is difficult to read. Though she is a soul beast, her heart is cold and detached—she holds no ambition to rule. But the Evil Emperor is different—arrogant and fierce. His breakthrough may cause more harm than good."
Gu Yuena could clearly see the contrast between the two.
Emperor Tian nodded, understanding. "The Snow Emperor isn't a concern. I believe she knows the delicate balance between humans and soul beasts."
"But the Evil Emperor is another matter entirely. His mental power is monstrous—even I may not gain the upper hand against him."
Gu Yuena said nothing more, her thoughts impossible to discern.
Emperor Tian lowered his gaze, falling silent as well.
…
In the depths of the Sun and Moon Empire's imperial palace, Emperor Xu Tianran had just concluded his seclusion training.
Unaware of the recent upheavals across Douluo Continent, he now listened to Jing Hongchen's report.
Upon hearing of the Snow Emperor's and Evil Emperor's breakthroughs, there was no fear on his face—only delight.
His hands gripped the armrests of his throne, leaving five deep dents in the polished surface.
"Good! Excellent! The stronger the soul beasts grow, the greater humanity's fear becomes. At that moment, we'll fan the flames—spread the word that Shrek Academy is unable to protect the masses. Then, even if they hold the Human Altar, it will mean nothing."
Scheming light gleamed in his eyes.
Though the Sun and Moon Empire's technology fused with soul power was formidable, in the hearts of most soul masters, its prestige could never rival Shrek Academy's.
After all, Shrek had reigned as the Continent's foremost academy for tens of thousands of years—its image burned into the people's souls.
Now that Shrek had obtained the Human Altar, spreading the news would surely draw even more faith toward them.
But with the soul beasts growing stronger, this crisis presented the perfect chance to shift that balance.
(END CHAPTER)
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