Chapter 376: Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud
Sea God Island, Sea God Temple.
Unlike the holy radiance of the Angel Secret Realm, the Sea God Temple was filled with a deep azure and tranquility. The tall pillars of the hall seemed carved from solid blocks of deep-sea blue crystal, their surfaces flowing with soft watery halos. Above the dome, countless fine blue specks of light slowly rotated.
It was as if the entire starry sky was miniaturized within, or like the shimmering light seen when looking up from the seabed.
In the center of the hall, the tall statue of the Sea God held a golden trident, looking down at the believers below with a gaze of compassion and majesty.
At this moment, the tranquility within the hall was broken by solemnity and shock.
Sea Horse Douluo Oya knelt on one knee before the statue of the Sea God, still carrying a hint of the lingering sea breeze and imperceptible fatigue on his body, reporting what he had seen and heard on Purple Pearl Island not long ago.
"...High Priestess, everyone, that is how it happened. Although I repelled those three and saved Purple Pearl, they escaped quickly and used bizarre methods, so I was unable to capture them. Purple Pearl Island and the surrounding villages suffered heavy casualties."
Oya's face was now full of deep sorrow.
As his voice fell, the hall instantly became deathly silent.
Hearing this, High Priestess, who stood before the Sea God statue, showed a violent fluctuation of emotion on her beautiful and tranquil face for the first time. In her eyes, which were like the deepest sea, shock, anger, and a hidden trace of worry flashed and intertwined.
Even with her composure developed over long years, her mind couldn't help but be greatly shaken upon hearing terms like sucking human blood, turning into mummies, and the Rakshasa God.
The other Sacred Pillar Guardians standing on both sides also changed color instantly.
"Sucking human blood? Devouring Soul Power? How is such behavior different from the Evil Soul Masters recorded in ancient times?!" Sea Dragon Douluo's beard and hair bristled, his voice thundering with anger, and the faint sound of dragon roars echoed around him. He was clearly furious; he had a fiery temperament and hated evil with a passion.
Sea Illusion Douluo frowned, illusory light swirling in his eyes, and said in a deep voice: "Rakshasa God... that is an ancient Divinity with a status similar to Lord Sea God and the Angel God, but their Divinity leans towards evil and devouring. If a successor of the Rakshasa God has truly appeared on the continent and begun such unscrupulous slaughter... I fear the continent has already fallen into great turmoil, or even a catastrophe!"
"Three young Soul Masters actually have such strength and audacity to commit crimes in the waters protected by our Sea God Island. The background behind them is certainly not simple." Sea Star Douluo's voice carried its usual slow pace, but the coldness within was very clear.
Sea Maiden Douluo's beautiful singing voice now carried a sense of slaughter as she said, "What did the innocent islanders do to deserve this? To suffer such a cruel fate! Such demons defile the purity of the ocean and must be eradicated!"
The two Douluos, Sea Spear and Sea Ghost, did not speak.
But their Soul Power flickered around them, clearly showing they were also truly enraged.
Sea God Island had protected the peace of the seas for a long time. Such blatant provocation and cruel atrocities were a trampling of the authority of the entire Sea God Island and a desecration of the faith in the Sea God!
After a moment of silence, High Priestess slowly raised her hand, and the discussion in the hall immediately ceased.
Her gaze swept across the face of every Sacred Pillar Guardian, finally fixing on the distance, as if looking through the hall toward the sea that was being tainted by evil.
Slowly exhaling a breath of turbid air, the tranquility on High Priestess's beautiful face completely faded, replaced by an inviolable majesty and deep anger.
As the High Priestess of the Sea God and the guardian of the ocean.
She had the responsibility to maintain the peace of these waters and protect the people who believed in the Sea God.
"Quiet. What Oya saw was no coincidence. That eerie figure holding a sickle might be a trace of a remnant Soul left on the Douluo Continent by the Rakshasa God. Those three young men, such Evil Soul Masters who take pleasure in slaughtering the innocent and devouring living beings, regardless of which Divinity's Legacy is involved behind them, their actions themselves are intolerable to heaven and earth, and intolerable to the ocean!"
Speaking to this point, High Priestess paused, her gaze becoming extremely sharp.
"Pass my decree! Starting today, Sea God Island will enter a level-one state of alert, strengthening patrols and warnings for all islands and surrounding waters."
"Sea Dragon, Sea Illusion, Sea Star, Sea Maiden, Sea Spear, Sea Ghost, Oya. Aside from those necessary to stay behind to maintain the operation of the Sacred Pillars and the security of the island, all of you will be deployed!"
"Mission: Centered on Purple Pearl Island, conduct a thorough investigation of all surrounding waters, islands, and even the coastlines near the continent! Use all means to search for the traces of those three Evil Soul Masters and find out their origins, purposes, and possible accomplices!"
"If their whereabouts are found... there is no need to ask for instructions, capture them with all your might! If you encounter resistance or find them in the act of committing a crime, you may kill them on the spot! You must drag out these demons who defile the ocean and slaughter living beings, and bring them back to Sea God Island to face the Sea God's judgment!"
"We follow the High Priestess's decree!"
Hearing these words, the seven Sacred Pillar Guardians bowed simultaneously, their voices loud and firm.
In the next second, seven streaks of light of different colors, carrying the majestic aura and cold killing intent of Titled Douluos, soared from the Sea God Temple and shot off in different directions.
Inside the Sea God Temple, High Priestess stood alone before the Sea God statue, watching the distant lights of the guardians. In her deep-sea-like eyes, the worry had not completely dissipated.
"Rakshasa God? The continent... is in for a troubled time."
...A few days later, the news of Bibi Dong's fall and the near-total annihilation of the Spirit Empire's main expeditionary force outside Iron Wall Pass swept across the entire Douluo Continent like the most violent hurricane.
Having lost its supreme commander and core elite, the Spirit Empire, which had been at its peak with rapidly expanding territory, instantly fell into unprecedented turmoil and weakness. Morale at the front collapsed, a power vacuum appeared in the rear, and forces in various provinces and kingdoms that had been suppressed by force began to stir. Conflicts and factional infighting accumulated during the rapid expansion suddenly erupted.
In contrast, the Heaven Dou Empire, which had survived a desperate situation, and the Star Luo Empire, which had been training its troops for a long time, seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The horn of counterattack was sounded on the third day after Bibi Dong's death.
On the Heaven Dou Empire side, Marshal Ge Long led the Heaven Dou Army with surging morale, sweeping westward from Iron Wall Pass with unstoppable force.
Wherever they went, the Spirit Empire's garrison troops either fled at the sight of them or were crushed after minimal resistance. City after city that had once been trampled by the Spirit Empire's iron hooves raised the flag of the Heaven Dou Empire again. The liberated people were moved to tears, welcoming the royal army with food and drink.
The Star Luo Empire was not to be outdone. Its commander-in-chief led the Star Luo elite legions to launch a fierce counterattack from the southern front. The Star Luo army was already known for its bravery and combat prowess; after being forced to defend for so long, their counterattack was exceptionally fierce, and they also reclaimed a large amount of lost territory.
In just half a month, the map of the continent underwent a startling reversal.
The Spirit Empire was like a giant bubble that had been popped; the territory it had seized during its expansion shrank rapidly. Heaven Dou and Star Luo not only reclaimed most of their lost territory but even took the opportunity to seize some of the Spirit Empire's original border cities, pushing the front line back.
The Spirit Empire could only barely gather its remaining forces to hold a few core provinces and the area around Spirit City, living in constant fear, no longer possessing any of its former momentum to sweep the world.
Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City.
Today's Heaven Dou City was immersed in an unprecedented sea of celebration.
The city gates were wide open, colorful flags fluttered, and flowers covered the main streets. Countless people spontaneously flooded the streets, eagerly waiting, their cheers shaking the heavens and earth.
Because today, the heroes who saved the Empire from the brink of destruction were returning in triumph!
Outside the city gates, the victorious army was in perfect order, their armor polished bright despite having been through the fires of war. Banners fluttered, and Marshal Ge Long, in full military regalia, rode a majestic warhorse at the front of the procession, accepting the cheers of the people.
Behind him were the people of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, who had performed great feats.
But the focus of everyone's gaze involuntarily fell on a special position in the procession, where there was no grand guard of honor, only a few people.
At the head was the Master of the Spirit Hall, Tang Chuan, wearing blue tight-fitting clothes.
Beside him were Dugu Bo, Yang Wudi, and others. These people did not blend into the military ranks, yet they seemed to be the Soul of the entire triumphant procession. The people might not fully know the specific details, but they all knew that it was this mysterious Master of the Spirit Hall and the powerhouses under his command who had turned the tide at the critical moment and killed the invincible Empress of the Spirit Empire, Bibi Dong!
Their cheers were filled with gratitude, awe, and curiosity.
The grand triumphal ceremony was held in the square in front of the palace.
Although Emperor Xue Ye had passed away, the new Emperor Xue Beng was now dressed in solemn imperial robes, personally leading the civil and military officials out of the palace to welcome them, giving the heroes ample face.
After the lengthy reward and commendation ceremonies.
On the high platform, Xue Beng looked with bright eyes at Tang Chuan, who stood calmly below.
"Master of the Spirit Hall, Tang Chuan, you stepped forward during the Empire's time of peril, offered brilliant strategies, eliminated powerful enemies, turned the tide when it was failing, and supported the collapsing structure! Such unparalleled merit cannot be rewarded with ordinary titles or gold and silver." Xue Beng's voice spread throughout the venue via an amplifying spirit tool, clear and full of power.
At the end, he paused and, under the gaze of countless eyes, solemnly took an object from a jade tray held by a nearby attendant.
It was a three-dimensional triangular body, crystal clear and presenting a deep azure blue, about a foot square. It was not a gemstone, yet it was more magnificent than the purest sapphire.
On this blue triangular body, ripples like water patterns flowed.
These patterns did not seem to be carved on but rather seemed alive; circles of blue light flickered, making the palace interior misted with a faint treasure light.
Under the sunlight, its interior seemed to contain a miniaturized ocean, shimmering with light.
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud!
A national treasure passed down through generations of the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family, rumored to be related to the mysterious Sea God and possessing incredible power. Past emperors all regarded it as one of the symbols of the national destiny and would never show it to others unless absolutely necessary or for world-shaking merit, let alone bestow it.
There was silence in the square as everyone held their breath watching this scene.
Xue Beng held up the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud with both hands and said loudly:
"This is the Legacy treasure of my Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud. Today, I bestow this treasure upon you to reward your merit in protecting the throne! I hope the Hall Master will use this treasure well and continue to protect the mountains and rivers of our Heaven Dou!"
After saying that, he actually walked down several steps of the high platform and, amidst countless shocked gazes, handed the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud to Tang Chuan.
This reward, this gesture.
It undoubtedly pushed the status of Tang Chuan and his Spirit Hall to an unprecedented height.
Raising his head slightly, Tang Chuan's gaze calmly swept over the triangular body shimmering with the light of the vast sea, and then he reached out and steadily took the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
To put it bluntly, this thing wasn't bestowed upon him by Xue Beng, but rather something he had asked the fellow for. As a transmigrator, he naturally knew that this thing was related to the Sea God's Legacy.
"Thank you for the generous gift, Your Majesty."
Tang Chuan's voice was still calm, showing no significant emotion.
However, this scene was enough to make many members of the imperial family secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
In their view, Tang Chuan's acceptance of the reward at least indicated that the Spirit Hall would remain in a cooperative or even allied relationship with the Heaven Dou Empire in the short term and would not usurp the throne.
Immediately after, Xue Beng also took the opportunity to beg to take Tang Chuan as his teacher.
Calling him the Imperial Tutor, granting him a fief of a hundred thousand households, allowing him to wear his sword and shoes into the palace, and to be excused from formal introductions!
When they left, Xue Beng personally saw Tang Chuan and Ning Fengzhi out. Ning Fengzhi returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, while Xue Beng accompanied Tang Chuan all the way to the palace gates.
After returning to his residence, Tang Chuan immediately took out the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
As soon as the azure triangular body appeared, it completely rendered the entire room into a sea-blue color. He was in no hurry to output Soul Power into it but carefully looked at this special object with flowing light and shadows, cautiously releasing his Spiritual Power to probe into it.
Suddenly, he felt an indescribable massive force violently bounce his Spiritual Power back. Holding the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, his whole body instantly fell backward, his mind going blank.
In the last moment of consciousness, he only felt something smash into his head.
The noise of Heaven Dou City celebrating the triumph.
Formed a cruel contrast, like heaven and Hell, with certain corners within the Spirit Empire.
A small border city named Gray Rock City, still hundreds of miles away from Spirit City.
It was originally a transportation hub connecting several mineral veins and used to be quite bustling, but now, this small city was completely dead. A mountain of corpses and a sea of blood was not enough to describe even a fraction of it.
At the city gate, the corpses of the guards were twisted into pretzels by an invisible massive force, mixed with the fragments of the broken city gate, a bloody mess.
On the streets, countless corpses lay scattered, men, women, old and young. Their deaths were bizarre, but they had one thing in common—they were shriveled.
Whether it was soldiers in leather armor, commoners in plain clothes, or the occasional Soul Master in robes, the bodies beneath were as if all moisture and life had been sucked out, leaving only a layer of skin over bones, eyes sunken, mouths wide open, frozen in the boundless fear before death.
Most of the surrounding buildings had collapsed, not destroyed by war, but as if pushed down and torn apart by some violent, hate-filled force.
Among the ruins, mummies were also hung everywhere.
In the entire city, no sound of any living thing could be heard; even the most common flies and carrion birds were nowhere to be seen, as if even they were scared away by this pure aura of death and evil.
And the source of all this terror was a figure cloaked in a huge crimson cape, standing quietly on the pedestal of a statue in the central square of this small city.
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