hotmtlnovel Chapter 377 Vast Ocean Universe Cover
Chapter 377 Vast Ocean Universe Cover
Poseidon Island, Poseidon Temple.
Unlike the holy radiance of the Angel's Secret Realm, the Temple of Poseidon is filled with a deep blue and tranquility. The towering pillars seem to be carved from a single piece of deep-sea blue crystal, with a soft, watery halo flowing across their surface. Above the dome, countless tiny blue specks of light slowly rotate.
It's like miniaturizing the entire starry sky, or like looking up at the shimmering waves from the seabed.
In the center of the hall, the towering statue of the sea god held a golden trident, his gaze both compassionate and majestic as he looked down upon the believers below.
At this moment, the tranquility of the hall was broken by solemnity and shock.
Seahorse Douluo Eurasia knelt on one knee before the statue of the sea god, still carrying the lingering sea breeze and a barely perceptible weariness, as he recounted what he had seen and heard on Purple Pearl Island not long ago.
"...High Priest, gentlemen, this is what happened. Although I repelled the three men and rescued Purple Pearl, they fled swiftly and used strange methods, so I was unable to capture them. Purple Pearl Island and the surrounding villages suffered heavy casualties."
Eurasia's face was filled with grief at that moment.
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.
Upon hearing this, Poseidon, who was standing before the statue of Poseidon, showed a violent emotional fluctuation for the first time on her beautiful and serene face. In her eyes, which were like the deepest sea, shock, anger, and a trace of deep-seated worry flashed by.
Even with her composure honed over countless years, hearing words like "drinking human blood," "turning into a dried-up corpse," and "Rakshasa god" still sent a jolt through her.
The other guardians of the sacred pillars standing on either side also changed color instantly.
"Sucking human blood? Devouring soul power? How are such acts any different from those of the evil soul masters recorded in ancient times?!" The Sea Dragon Douluo's beard and hair stood on end, his angry voice like thunder, and a faint dragon roar echoed around him. He was clearly furious. He was of a fierce temperament and hated evil as much as possible.
Haihuan Douluo frowned, his eyes gleaming, and said in a deep voice, "The Rakshasa God... that is an ancient deity of similar rank to the Sea God and the Angel God, but its divinity leans towards evil and devouring. If a successor of the Rakshasa God truly appears on the continent and begins to kill so recklessly... I'm afraid the continent has already fallen into great turmoil, or even calamity!"
"Three young Soul Masters, with such strength and audacity, committing crimes in the waters protected by my Seagod Island, must have something extraordinary behind them." Sea Star Douluo's voice was slow as usual, but the coldness in it was very clear.
The beautiful song of the Sea Maiden Douluo now carried a chilling tone, as she declared, "What have the innocent islanders done to deserve such a cruel fate? These evil spirits have defiled the purity of the ocean and must be eradicated!"
Although neither of the two Douluo, Hai Mao and Hai Gui, spoke.
However, the faint glimmer of soul power emanating from his body clearly indicated that he was genuinely enraged.
Poseidon Island has long protected the peaceful waters. This blatant provocation and cruel act is a trampling on the authority of the entire Poseidon Island and a desecration of the Poseidon faith!
After a moment of silence, Poseidon slowly raised his hand, and the murmurs in the hall immediately ceased.
Her gaze swept across the faces of each of the Holy Pillar Guardians, finally settling on the distance, as if piercing through the great hall and looking towards the sea that was being corrupted by evil.
As she slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, the tranquility on Poseidon's beautiful face vanished completely, replaced by an awe-inspiring and unapproachable majesty, as well as a deep-seated anger.
He was the high priest of the sea god and the guardian of the ocean.
She has a responsibility to maintain peace in this sea area and protect the people who believe in the sea god.
"Silence. What Eurasia witnessed was no accident. That eerie figure wielding a scythe might be a remnant soul left behind by the Rakshasa God on this Douluo Continent. Those three young people, these evil soul masters who take pleasure in killing the innocent and devouring living beings, regardless of which god's legacy they are connected to, their actions are intolerable to heaven and earth, and to the seas!"
At this point, Poseidon paused, her gaze becoming incredibly sharp.
"Issue my decree! Effective immediately, Poseidon Island is placed on Level 1 alert, with enhanced patrols and early warning systems in all islands and surrounding waters."
"Sea Dragon, Sea Illusion, Sea Star, Sea Maiden, Sea Spear, Sea Demon, Eurasia. All of you seven, except those who must remain to maintain the operation of the Sacred Pillar and ensure the safety of the island, shall be deployed!"
"Mission: Centered on Purple Pearl Island, conduct a thorough search of all surrounding sea areas, islands, and even the coastline near the mainland! Use all means to search for the three evil soul masters, and ascertain their origins, purposes, and possible accomplices!"
"If you discover their whereabouts... do not ask for permission, capture them with all your might! If they resist, or if you find them committing a crime, kill them on the spot! You must bring these demons who defile the ocean and slaughter living beings back to Seagod Island to face the judgment of the Seagod!"
"We obey the High Priest's decree!"
Upon hearing this, the seven guardians of the sacred pillars bowed simultaneously, their voices loud and resolute.
The next second, seven streams of light of different colors, carrying the majestic aura and chilling killing intent of titled Douluo, soared into the sky from the Sea God Temple and shot off in different directions.
Inside the Temple of Poseidon, Poseidon stood alone before the statue of Poseidon, watching the departing figures of his guardians. In his deep, ocean-like eyes, worry had not completely dissipated.
"The Rakshasa God? The continent... is going through a turbulent time."
…………
A few days later, the news of Bibi Dong's death and the near annihilation of the main force of the Spirit Empire's 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 forces, the once-powerful and rapidly expanding Martial Soul Empire suddenly fell into unprecedented turmoil and weakness. Morale collapsed at the front lines, a power vacuum emerged at the rear, and the forces in the various provinces and kingdoms that had been strongly suppressed began to stir. The internal contradictions and factional infighting accumulated due to the rapid expansion suddenly erupted.
In contrast, the Heavenly Dou Empire, which had narrowly escaped defeat, and the Star Luo Empire, which had been preparing for war, seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The call to counterattack was sounded three days after Bibi Dong's death.
On the side of the Heavenly Dou Empire, Marshal Golong led the Heavenly Dou army, whose morale was soaring, westward from Iron Wall Pass with unstoppable momentum.
Wherever they went, the Martial Soul Empire's remaining troops either fled at the mere sight of them or were defeated after offering only slight resistance. Cities that had once been trampled by the Martial Soul Empire's iron hooves once again raised the banners of the Heavenly Dou Empire. The liberated people wept tears of joy and welcomed the royal army with food and drink.
The Star Luo Empire was equally unwilling to be outdone. Its commander led the Star Luo elite legion in a fierce counterattack from the southern front. The Star Luo army was known for its bravery and skill in battle. After being forced to defend for a long time, their counterattack was exceptionally fierce, and they also recovered a large amount of lost territory.
In just half a month, the map of mainland China has undergone an astonishing reversal.
The Spirit Empire was like a giant bubble that had been burst. The territory it had seized during its expansion shrank rapidly. Tian Dou and Xing Luo not only recovered most of the lost territory, but also took advantage of the situation to seize some of the Spirit Empire's original border cities, pushing the battle line back.
The Martial Soul Empire could only barely muster its remaining strength to hold onto a few core provinces and the area surrounding Martial Soul City, living in constant fear and showing no trace of its former dominance over the world.
Heavenly Dou Empire, Heavenly Dou City.
Today, Tiandou City is engulfed in an unprecedented sea of celebration.
The city gates were wide open, colorful flags were waving, and flowers covered the main streets. Countless people spontaneously poured into the streets, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the city, and cheers shook the heavens and the earth.
For the heroes who saved the empire from peril have returned home in triumph!
Outside the city gates, the triumphant army stood in perfect formation, their armor gleaming despite the ravages of war, their banners fluttering in the wind. Marshal Golong, clad in full military attire, rode at the head of the procession on his magnificent warhorse, receiving cheers from the masses.
Following them were the members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School who had made great contributions.
But everyone's attention was involuntarily drawn to a special spot in the group, where there was no large entourage, only a handful of people.
Leading the group was Tang Chuan, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall, dressed in a blue outfit.
He was accompanied by Dugu Bo, Yang Wudi, and others. These people were not part of the army, yet they seemed to be the soul of the entire triumphant procession. The public might not know all the specific details, but they all knew that it was this mysterious Lord of the Soul Palace and his powerful subordinates who turned the tide at the crucial moment, killing the arrogant Empress Bibi Dong of the Martial Soul Empire!
Their cheers were filled with gratitude, awe, and curiosity.
A grand triumphal procession was held in the square in front of the palace.
Although Emperor Xueye had passed away, the new emperor Xuebeng was dressed in a grand imperial robe and personally led civil and military officials out of the palace to welcome him, giving the meritorious official full face.
After a lengthy ceremony of bestowing titles and commendations.
The avalanche landed on the high platform, its gaze fixed intently on Tang Chuan, who stood calmly below.
"Hall Master of the Soul Palace, Tang Chuan, you stepped forward in the face of the empire's crisis, offered ingenious strategies, vanquished powerful enemies, turned the tide, and saved the empire from collapse! Such unparalleled achievements cannot be rewarded with ordinary titles, rewards, or gold and silver." Xue Beng's voice resounded throughout the entire venue through the amplified soul guide device, clear and powerful.
Finally, he paused, and under the watchful eyes of countless people, solemnly took something from the jade plate held by the attendant beside him.
It was a three-dimensional triangular object, about a foot square, that was crystal clear and had a deep blue color. It was not a gemstone, but it was more magnificent than the purest sapphire.
On this blue triangular body, there are ripples like water.
These patterns didn't seem to be carved on; rather, they seemed to come alive, with rings of blue light shimmering and casting a faint, precious glow throughout the palace.
Under the sunlight, its interior seems to contain a miniature ocean, shimmering with light.
Vast Ocean Universe Cover!
This national treasure, passed down through generations of the Heavenly Dou Empire's royal family, is said to be related to the mysterious Sea God and possesses incredible power. Successive emperors have regarded it as one of the symbols of the nation's destiny, and it is never shown to others lightly, let alone bestowed upon them, unless absolutely necessary or when one has achieved unparalleled merit.
The square fell silent; everyone watched this scene with bated breath.
Avalanche raised the Vast Ocean Universe Cover with both hands and proclaimed in a loud voice:
"This is the supreme treasure inherited by the royal family of my Heavenly Dou Empire, the Vast Ocean Universe Cover. Today, I bestow this treasure upon you to reward your merit in protecting the heavens! I hope that the Palace Master will make good use of this treasure and continue to safeguard the land of Heavenly Dou!"
After saying that, he personally walked down several steps from the high platform and, amidst countless shocked gazes, handed the Vast Ocean Universe Cover to Tang Chuan.
This reward, this gesture.
This undoubtedly elevated Tang Chuan and his Soul Palace to an unprecedented level.
Tang Chuan raised his head slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping over the triangular shape that shimmered with the light of the vast ocean. He then reached out and steadily took the Vast Ocean Universe Cover.
To put it bluntly, this thing wasn't a gift from the avalanche; he asked this guy for it. As a transmigrator, he naturally knew that this thing was related to the Sea God's legacy.
"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty."
Tang Chuan's voice remained calm, showing little emotion.
However, this scene was enough to make many members of the royal family secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
In their view, Tang Chuan's acceptance of the reward at least indicates that the Soul Palace and the Heaven Dou Empire will remain in a cooperative or even allied relationship in the short term, and will not usurp the throne.
Immediately afterwards, Xue Beng also took advantage of the situation and begged to become Tang Chuan's apprentice.
They were called the Imperial Tutor, granted a fief of 100,000 households, allowed to enter the palace with a sword and shoes, and were allowed to praise and worship without naming him!
When they left, Xue Beng personally escorted Tang Chuan and Ning Fengzhi out. Ning Fengzhi returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, while Xue Beng accompanied Tang Chuan all the way to the palace gate.
Upon returning to his residence, Tang Chuan immediately took out the Vast Ocean Universe Cover.
As soon as the azure triangular object appeared, it completely transformed the room into an ocean blue. He didn't rush to channel his soul power into it, but instead carefully observed this special object with its flowing light and shadow, and cautiously released his spiritual power to probe into it.
Suddenly, he felt an indescribable force jolting his mental energy back, causing him to fall backward while holding the Vast Ocean Universe Cover, his mind going blank.
In his last moments of lucidity, he only felt something hit his head.
The city of Tiandou was filled with the clamor of celebration for their triumphant return.
This presents a stark contrast to certain corners of the Martial Soul Empire, akin to the cruel interplay of hell and heaven.
There is a small border town several hundred miles away from Wuhun City, called Gray Rock City.
It was once a transportation hub connecting several mines, and was quite bustling with people. But now, this small town is completely dead, and mountains of corpses and seas of blood are not even a fraction of what it is now.
At the city gate, the guards' corpses were twisted into pretzel shapes by an invisible force, mixed with the broken fragments of the city gate, a bloody mess.
Countless corpses lay scattered across the streets, men, women, and children. Their deaths were varied and bizarre, but they all shared one thing in common—they were emaciated.
Whether it's soldiers in leather armor, civilians in plain clothes, or the occasional Soul Master in robes, their bodies seem to have been drained of all moisture and life, leaving only a layer of skin covering their bones, with sunken eye sockets, wide-open mouths, frozen in the boundless fear before death.
Most of the surrounding buildings collapsed, not because they were destroyed by war, but as if they had been pushed down and torn apart by some violent, hateful force.
Among the broken walls and ruins, dried corpses also hung everywhere.
Throughout the city, not a sound of any living creature could be heard; even the most common flies and scavenging birds were nowhere to be seen, as if they too had been frightened away by the pure aura of death and evil.
The source of all this terror lies in the figure draped in a massive scarlet cloak, standing silently atop the statue's pedestal in the central square of this small town. (End of Chapter)