Chapter 345: The Angel God Trial Begins
Sunset Forest.
Under the influence of a celestial phenomenon, all the soul beasts in the forest trembled with fear and knelt on the ground, not daring to move a muscle.
Though soul masters were not as fearful as soul beasts, they still gazed up at the dazzling golden pillar of light with deep reverence—an awe that came from the very depths of their souls, with not a trace of pretense.
After a long while, Xiao Yu slowly opened his eyes. The violent energy that had been erupting around him began to dissipate, his aura grew restrained, and all the power within his body was instantly elevated to its peak.
With the Death Scythe in hand, a golden soul ring formed above the nine red soul rings already circling him.
This was a soul ring Xiao Yu had condensed using his own divine power—his life-bound soul ring, the purest form of a god-level soul ring.
Because the energy Xiao Yu had accumulated during his breakthrough had reached nearly the level of a God King, the energy contained within this god-level soul ring was overwhelmingly terrifying. Even a trace of its overflow caused the surrounding space to distort.
Several minutes later, Xiao Yu finally retracted his martial soul. With a single step, his figure vanished from where he stood and reappeared in his room.
Inside the room, two stunning figures waited anxiously—it was his other two wives, Huo Wu and Ye Lingling.
"Xiao Yu, you did it!"
Seeing Xiao Yu appear, Huo Wu couldn't hide her excitement. She let out a thrilled shout and threw herself straight into Xiao Yu's arms.
Compared to Huo Wu, Ye Lingling appeared a bit calmer, but the rise and fall of her ample chest betrayed her inner emotions. Her eyes shimmered with a bright, eager light.
Xiao Yu smiled faintly and pulled Ye Lingling into his embrace as well. The two women nestled against him, quietly enjoying this rare moment of peace.
After a while, it was Ye Lingling who broke the silence first. "Brother Xiao Yu, now that you've broken through the final bottleneck, what do you plan to do next?"
Xiao Yu responded with a serene smile but didn't answer immediately. Instead, he waved his hand, using his immense divine power to completely seal off the room.
"Damn bastard!"
In the Divine Realm, the Asura God, who had been secretly observing, cursed in anger—completely unaware of how hypocritical it was for a so-called law enforcer to secretly aid his chosen successor with such underhanded tricks.
Xiao Yu finally spoke, "During the six months I was in seclusion, how has the situation in the Heaven Dou Empire been?"
Ye Lingling, ever the capable wife, replied, "Everything in the Heaven Dou Empire has progressed according to your plans. Though the duchies and kingdoms that once belonged to the Spirit Empire tried to resist, we quickly suppressed them. There were a few troublemakers in the royal court as well, but Senior Dugu Bo and the others dealt with them swiftly."
"Seems like everything's in place—we're just waiting for the final order."
Xiao Yu nodded and said, "You can notify Ge Long to prepare for war with the Star Luo Empire."
Three days after Xiao Yu broke through level 100, the Heaven Dou Empire officially issued a declaration of war. The decree denounced the Star Luo Empire and Clear Sky Sect for colluding to assassinate the former Heaven Dou Emperor, Xue Qinghe.
Prince Regent Xiao Yu personally took command, with former Grand Marshal Ge Long serving as his deputy. Together, they led the Nine Star Hall's soul master corps and the empire's million-strong army to wage war against the Star Luo Empire.
Xue Qinghe had a stellar reputation among the people, and under this banner, the entire Heaven Dou Empire united in rage. Those with wealth contributed wealth; those with strength offered strength.
Moreover, the soul tools developed by the Nine Star Hall had already been deployed extensively within the military, drastically widening the power gap between the two empires. The clash between hot weapons and cold steel made it clear which side held the advantage.
Thus, the Heaven Dou Empire's army advanced like an unstoppable force. Xiao Yu didn't even need to act personally—the Star Luo Empire's border troops, numbering in the millions, were completely routed.
The Star Luo imperial court was in complete chaos. The Star Luo Emperor was at a loss, and Tang Yuehua—who had always prided herself on her intelligence—found herself helpless in the face of such an overwhelming disparity in power. All she could do was silently pray for the swift return of Tang San, Dai Mubai, and their grandfather, who had reportedly been undergoing a divine trial for several years.
With the Star Luo Empire awaiting its doom, the Heaven Dou Empire's army swept forward unimpeded. The cities along their path stood no chance and were easily taken. Star Luo territory fell at a pace visible to the naked eye.
During the campaign, Xiao Yu strictly enforced military discipline, ordering that any soldier who disturbed the civilians be executed on the spot.
After each city was taken, he sent trusted men into the grassroots to console the populace and provided compensation to civilians whose homes were damaged by the war—minimizing the impact of the conflict as much as possible.
The Star Luo and Heaven Dou Empires had long been mortal enemies, and the citizens of both nations were not particularly friendly toward one another. In fact, many in Star Luo had braced for pillaging once their cities fell. However, under Xiao Yu's benevolent and unifying rule, people were moved to heartfelt gratitude. Some even became guides for the Heaven Dou army, further accelerating their advance.
In just three to five months, over eighty percent of the Star Luo Empire's vast territory had fallen. Even the capital, Star Luo City, was abandoned by the emperor.
It was a necessary choice. With a level-100 powerhouse like Xiao Yu looming over them, the Star Luo Emperor didn't dare remain confined to a single city. No one truly knew the terrifying extent of a god-level being's strength.
With the Heaven Dou Empire's aggressive advance, Star Luo forces kept retreating, gradually drawing closer to the coast. It appeared the royal family and the Clear Sky Sect were preparing to flee to Sea God Island should the situation become hopeless.
Just as despair swept across the entire Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire's commander, Xiao Yu, suddenly left the army one day—quietly heading in the direction of Spirit City.
Spirit City, Angel Temple.
Qian Renxue stood silently at the center of the sacred hall, facing the enormous statue of the Six-Winged Angel. Her tall and elegant figure seemed cloaked in a golden glow. Much like the statue itself, Qian Renxue had become the heart of the temple.
Perhaps it was Xiao Yu's breakthrough to godhood that spurred her on. Qian Renxue had been fiercely undertaking her final trial. Her strength had already reached Rank 99—even Qian Daoliu was no longer a match for his granddaughter.
"So, this day has finally come."
Qian Daoliu slowly stepped out from behind the angel statue. Gazing at his granddaughter, his eyes were filled with pride and affection.
"Xue'er, you've truly excelled. Grandpa has always been proud of you."
As he spoke, Qian Daoliu gently reached out and stroked Qian Renxue's head, his face full of kindness. Yet beneath that kindness, a faint sorrow was hidden. If possible, he dearly wished to witness the moment his granddaughter ascended to godhood.
(End of chapter)
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