Chapter 22: Invincible Under Heaven, God Among Men

The imperial families of the Star Luo and Dou Ling Empires both subsequently dispatched high-ranking individuals with decision-making authority to visit Qin Sheng.

Being the only visible Limit Douluo in the current era carried such overwhelming deterrence.

"Spread my name." Qin Sheng made this demand of both the Star Luo and Dou Ling Empires; in return, he promised to cultivate three Titled Douluos for them.

The imperial families of both nations agreed to this arrangement and also accepted the invitation to witness the destruction of the Holy Spirit Cult one month later.

"Once they return, they will surely realize, Sheng, that you are doing this to gather faith for your godhood ascension," Zhang Lexuan said. "At that time, various factions might develop other ulterior motives."

"It doesn't matter."

Qin Sheng shook his head. "Ascending to godhood has never been something that can be accomplished in secret. There is no harm in them knowing."

"The first Angel God cleared away evil and saved the people of the continent from misery; the first Sea God conquered the oceans and gathered the faith of sea soul beasts to ascend to godhood—these were all magnificent and righteous acts."

"I am no longer that mere Grand Soul Master who could only watch his grandfather be killed. I no longer need to resort to petty tricks."

Qin Sheng paused, his gaze turning cold.

"If they are unwilling to help me, then they shouldn't have agreed in the first place. But since they have promised, if they dare to be half-hearted or act in defiance of their words, they shouldn't blame me for being ruthless."

Zhang Lexuan nodded. "Chiling Academy will always stand by your side."

***

Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion.

Since Qin Sheng's strength had erupted, this was the countless time the Sea God Pavilion meeting had been convened.

"Spread his name, proclaim his deeds... this Chiling Qin Sheng wants to condense the power of faith!"

Yan Shaozhe, the Dean of the Shrek Martial Soul Department and a Level 95 Titled Douluo, frowned.

"He wants to ascend to godhood on his own, just like the first Angel God and the Sea God."

"If he becomes a god, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"What should we do?"

Many elders spoke up, deeply concerned about the matter.

Shrek's success today was largely due to their cultivation of seven gods—an achievement unique to the entire Douluo Continent.

If Qin Sheng became a god, there would be another Academy of Gods on the continent, and it would be the very academy that had just defeated them.

The impact would be too great.

Clearly, they had already tacitly accepted that Qin Sheng was qualified to become a god.

"Elder Mu, what should we do?" asked the Level 97 Elder Song.

At the head of the table, Mu En lay in his chair, his entire figure submerged in darkness.

"What can we do? Qin Sheng's strength makes him qualified to do this. Who can stop him?"

The elders were speechless. The one-armed Xuan Zi said in a low voice

"His strength... is terrifying. Previously, he didn't even use soul skills; he merely used basic mental power to easily suppress me. I felt the threat of death."

"I am not his equal, far from it," Mu En also said. "His mental power has already entered the realm of the gods, not to mention there is a Limit Douluo hiding in the shadows."

"This fellow suddenly popped up out of nowhere. He's not an Evil Soul Master, yet his strength is so terrifying. Could he be a transformed soul beast?"

"I think you've grown senile. His martial soul is the Spirit Controlling Banner; it is a tool martial soul."

There were no weapon-type soul beasts on the Douluo Continent.

Just as Qin Sheng had said, even if other factions understood his true intentions, it would be futile.

Who could stop a fourteen-year-old Limit Douluo?

Qin Sheng was already invincible under heaven!

Unless enemies descended from the heavens or gods descended to the world, but the problem was that Shrek had no way to contact the Divine Realm.

Although Tang San came from Shrek, he had not left divine miracles within the academy; instead, he had placed the path of communication between humans and gods within the Clear Sky Sect.

But the Clear Sky Sect... had already gone into seclusion and no longer interacted with the outside world.

***

One month later, the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament concluded. Chiling Academy won the championship without dispute, its name spreading across the continent.

When Qin Sheng returned to the academy with the members of Chiling, he felt mysterious powers surging from various parts of the continent, converging upon the academy.

"Faith..." Qin Sheng realized.

Faith was not something generated merely by kneeling, kowtowing, and praying incessantly.

Intense emotions like adoration could also nurture the power of faith, though it was shallower.

The name of Qin Sheng and Chiling Academy had spread widely during this month, and the first signs were appearing.

"The Soul Master Tournament is the most popular and widely watched continental event. Every championship brings a massive amount of positive feedback. Interesting."

He did not deal with these shallow forms of faith for the time being, as people from the three nations and Shrek had already arrived.

A Level 97 Enshrined Priest had come from each of the original three nations of Douluo, while Mu En had come personally from Shrek.

"You are... the Dragon God Douluo?" The priest from one of the three nations was somewhat surprised.

Mu En had long been in seclusion, and very few people knew he was still alive. His appearance was an immense surprise to the three priests.

The Snow Empress also made an appearance this time, her aura freezing the world. Even Mu En, a Limit Douluo, looked solemn.

"The Level 99 Ice God Douluo, my friend," Qin Sheng introduced.

He had taught the Snow Empress a method to alter her aura so that others would not discover her identity as a soul beast.

With two Limit Douluos from Chiling Academy present, the priests of the three nations were both shocked and terrified.

Such strength was too frightening.

In this era, a Limit Douluo was a nuclear deterrent.

"Let's go. I will take you to the stronghold of the Holy Spirit Cult."

In a narrow sense, Evil Soul Masters were soul masters who possessed evil martial souls and used inhumane methods to cultivate.

For example, a Brain-Eating Beast martial soul that cultivated by devouring human brains was undoubtedly an Evil Soul Master.

The Holy Spirit Cult was a sect composed of such evil soul masters; one could only imagine the amount of slaughter they had committed.

Under Qin Sheng's lead, the group flew toward the Sun Moon Empire. Along the way, he said

"The headquarters of the Holy Spirit Cult is within the territory of the Sun Moon Empire. They have connections with the Sun Moon imperial family."

"No wonder," Mu En murmured.

The priest from one of the three nations was indignant. "The Sun Moon Empire is indeed full of wild ambitions, colluding with Evil Soul Masters. Do they intend to throw the entire continent into chaos?"

The Douluo Continent originally consisted of only the Heaven, Dou Ling, and Star Luo nations. Thousands of years ago, due to the movement of continental plates, the Sun Moon Continent from the other side of the ocean drifted across the sea and collided with the Douluo Continent.

Since then, the original three nations and the Sun Moon Empire had been in constant conflict.

"What if the Sun Moon Empire intervenes in this matter?"

Qin Sheng said calmly, "I will handle it. I will make them understand what can be done and what cannot."

"The strength of the Evil Soul Masters is very high. There are two Limit Douluos, one Level 98 and one Level 97 Super Douluo. As for the Titled Douluos below them, there are many."

This news left the three priests stunned and momentarily speechless.

"Where did they get Limit Douluos? And two of them?!"

"The Death Douluo, Ye Xishui, and the Dragon Emperor Douluo, Long Xiaoyao," Qin Sheng named them.

The priests instinctively looked toward Mu En.

Two hundred years ago, the Black and White Twin Sacred Dragons who were famous across the continent referred to Mu En and Long Xiaoyao.

As for Ye Xishui...

Well, it was a classic love triangle.

Mu En said nothing, his eyes dark and somber.

***

The Demonic Forest was the largest soul beast gathering place within the Sun Moon Empire, ruled by the Evil Eye clan of the mental-type soul beasts.

The king of the Evil Eye clan, the Evil Eye Tyrant Sovereign, possessed a cultivation level close to 800,000 years, ranking second among the Ten Great Fierce Beasts.

The Snow Empress ranked third.

"Go talk to the Evil Emperor and make him behave," Qin Sheng told the Snow Empress.

The Snow Empress nodded. With her cultivation also in the 700,000-year range, she was not afraid of the Evil Emperor.

"The Holy Spirit Cult headquarters was actually hidden here?"

"This place is indeed secluded. No one would ever think that Evil Soul Masters were hiding here."

Qin Sheng's mental power surged out, searching the mountain ranges near Mingdu.

This terrifying mental power left the other four in a daze.

Soon, a complex of underground buildings appeared in Qin Sheng's perception.

"Found them."

As soon as Qin Sheng finished speaking, he vanished from his spot.

*BOOM!*

A violent explosion erupted as Qin Sheng directly overturned the earth above the Holy Spirit Cult headquarters.

"Who is it?!"

Angry roars erupted from below as figures clad in black robes with evil auras rose into the air.

The two leading them possessed the most majestic auras, not inferior to Mu En; they were Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui.

"Mu En? How did you find this place?" Ye Xishui screamed. "You actually brought others to deal with me? What, do you intend to kill Xiaoyao and me?"

Long Xiaoyao merely sighed.

Mu En looked at the two. One was his best brother, and the other was the woman he had once loved most. His expression was one of grief.

"Qin Sheng, they..."

"The Holy Spirit Cult must be destroyed, and the Evil Soul Masters must die," Qin Sheng's attitude was resolute.

The relationship between these three was incredibly messy—I love her, you love her, she loves him, and she was also violated by a third party...

It was melodramatic to the extreme, but such chaotic affairs had nothing to do with Qin Sheng.

Regardless of who Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao were two hundred years ago, they were now the Supreme Sect Masters and Supreme Enshrined Priests of the Holy Spirit Cult.

"A mere brat! I don't know how you attained the level of Limit Douluo, yet you dare come here to preach justice!"

Ye Xishui shrieked, "How could you understand our pain? Are Evil Soul Masters simply meant to die?!"

"I don't care to talk to you. You are not worthy of hearing it," Qin Sheng said indifferently.

"Today, all of you will stay here!" Ye Xishui barked. "Xiaoyao, move!"

The sky turned black as the Dark Sacred Dragon's true body manifested. Long Xiaoyao used his actions to demonstrate his stance.

"Tricks."

The Spirit Controlling Banner fluttered, and nine soul rings—eight red and one gold—emerged, glowing brilliantly.

*Buff! Buff! Buff!*

The Ultimate Mental Domain expanded. The entire world seemed to be turned into a scroll; mental power howled like a collapsing galaxy, erasing everything within the painting.

A moment later, a breeze blew through the Demonic Forest. The Dark Sacred Dragon withered, and the life force in the Death Douluo's eyes vanished instantly.

One by one, the Evil Soul Masters of the Holy Spirit Cult fell to the ground, all dead.

Mu En's back seemed even more hunched. The priests of the three nations stared with wide eyes, silenced by terror.

Two Limit Douluos and numerous Evil Douluos... were wiped out in an instant without any chance to resist?

This... this...

***

Deep within the Demonic Forest.

The Snow Empress stood in confrontation with the Evil Emperor. Sensing the change in the situation outside, she smiled faintly.

"Do you still want to go out now?"

The Evil Emperor remained silent, then turned and vanished quickly.

"I was just out for a stroll."

*My God, how can there be such a terrifying human? He is practically a god among men!*

Qin Sheng withdrew his mental domain. He looked outside the Demonic Forest, where an old man had appeared.

"The Sun Moon Empire's collusion with the Holy Spirit Cult requires action to make up for your transgressions, Silver Moon Douluo."

The newcomer was the strongest native of the Sun Moon Empire, Kong Mingde, titled Silver Moon.

His cultivation was not high, currently only at Level 94, but with soul tools, he was capable of contending with a Limit Douluo.

Once he reached Level 95 and his mastery of soul tools advanced further, his strength would become even more terrifying, capable of unleashing attacks approaching those of a god.

However, facing Qin Sheng's gaze, Kong Mingde could only nod, lacking even a shred of courage to resist.

"I understand. The Sun Moon Empire will exert its full strength to hunt down all Evil Soul Masters within its borders, to give you and the people of the continent an explanation."

"Furthermore, we will spread your name."

Qin Sheng nodded. Very good.

A wise man knows when to yield; Kong Mingde knew how to behave.

With the strength Qin Sheng had displayed, he was capable of single-handedly destroying the pinnacle power of the Sun Moon Empire.

"Is... is it over?" The Heaven Nation priest felt as if he were in a dream.

"Otherwise?" Qin Sheng smiled. "They were just a few Evil Soul Masters. It's not as if it requires three hundred rounds of combat to resolve."

The priests of the three nations did not dare to speak.

To Huo Yuhao, the Holy Spirit Cult was a final boss, but to Qin Sheng...

He could destroy them with a flip of his hand.

Qin Sheng then said to the three priests, "The Evil Soul Masters within your three nations must also be purged, but there are two points: do not use a blanket approach; and in the future, do not hastily label others as Evil Soul Masters."

"For those who awaken evil martial souls, they must be properly arranged. Through later education, let them become normal people. No one is born an Evil Soul Master."

"If you do not wish to deal with the trouble, you can send children who awaken evil martial souls to Chiling Academy."

During the era of *Douluo Dalu II*, the judgment of Evil Soul Masters had become somewhat extreme.

If the Ghost Douluo or Bone Douluo from *Douluo Dalu I* were placed in this era, they would all have been branded as irredeemable Evil Soul Masters.

"Rest assured, we will certainly carry out your instructions with utmost seriousness."

The priests of the three nations lowered their posture to the absolute limit.

Having finished his instructions, Qin Sheng stood in the sky, gazing out at the vast world.

My era has arrived.