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Su Yu's starship descended into the outskirts of Sun-Moon.
The soul engineers in charge of the Federation's space development project—those stationed at Sun-Moon Hall—stared at the ship with eyes gleaming with excitement.
Even just from appearances, this vessel was clearly a massive upgrade from the one Su Yu had used when he first left.
However, among the soul engineers present, only a select few had the qualifications and insight to even begin analyzing the technology of this advanced starship.
Su Yu stepped out through the hatch, glanced at the crowd of wide-eyed soul engineers, and smiled.
"I brought back quite a few ships this time. You're free to study them."
As he spoke, he summoned the rest of the captured fleet, placing each vessel neatly on the nearby open field.
"These are technical documents I obtained from various civilizations out in the universe—plenty of data on ship design and technology. They should help with your research."
"Oh, and one more thing—do all the research on-site. Don't move the ships elsewhere."
The soul engineers were left stunned and overjoyed by the sheer scale of Su Yu's haul.
"Thank you, Your Grace Lanling!"
Lord Lanling had done so much for the development of Douluo Star.
Several soul engineers couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
After handing over the data to Sun-Moon Hall, Su Yu prepared to travel north—to the Extreme North—to assess the current state of affairs.
"The second Abyssal passage should be almost complete now…"
Using his Power of Fate, Su Yu could faintly sense the link forming between this world and the Abyss.
The first passage, located in the Extreme North, had always been the most direct connection. But now, another path was slowly revealing itself—vague, but undeniable.
"Somewhere in the deep sea…"
For now, he decided not to interfere.
Let the Abyss cling to its false hope.
If the defenses were too tight, it might scare them off—and then Su Yu wouldn't even get a chance to act.
Deep beneath the ocean.
Space trembled.
A faint vortex began to emerge.
Unlike the violent spatial eruptions that accompanied the formation of the first Abyssal passage, this one caused only minor distortions. The passage was smaller, more controlled—clearly the work of the Abyssal Sovereign.
Through the changes he had made to the Douluo Plane via the first passage, the Sovereign had found a way to better align with this world's spatial laws.
"Such thick... faith energy."
Even through the portal, the Sovereign's wisp of spiritual power could already sense the omnipresent divine influence surrounding Douluo Star.
As a sovereign of a plane, he was extremely sensitive to such things.
"The authority over these seas is firmly locked down… but it doesn't feel like it belongs to the will of Douluo itself."
No—this sea wasn't governed by the Douluo Plane.
It was the domain of the Sea God.
That realization filled the Abyssal Sovereign with joy.
That meant this vast ocean was effectively a lawless zone.
Soon enough, the Sea God would be too distracted to deal with the Abyssal threat to the continent.
And when that happened, the Abyssal Sovereign could launch a full-scale transformation of the Douluo Plane—right through this very passage.
Because the deep sea had long since drifted beyond the control of the plane's core will.
"So long as the soul masters on land remain unaware, this will be the key for my true descent."
Su Yu had not yet realized that the second Abyssal passage had already been completed.
Even so, he felt no worry.
As long as the Divine Realm remained intact, the Abyssal Sovereign wouldn't dare descend in full.
Extreme North.
"Teacher, how are things now?"
"The soul master world has made tremendous progress since you left," Kong Deming replied knowingly.
Su Yu wasn't asking about the Abyss. He was more concerned with how the soul master world had grown during his absence.
"Most soul masters across the continent have already begun shifting to your Soul Spirit Cultivation System. The programs you designed have all been implemented."
"Even the standard of living for commoners has become a priority—and it's made a huge difference. Their status across the continent has changed dramatically."
Though he lived in the far north, Kong Deming kept in close contact thanks to the soul communication network. He was well aware of the sweeping changes across the Federation.
Commoners were no longer viewed as lesser beings.
It had been almost two years since the Federation's founding. A full economic system based on the labor value of commoners was starting to take shape.
New systems were being put in place to allow social mobility—jobs that didn't require soul power but could be mastered through study were now being opened to the public.
"The percentage of awakened Martial Souls this year far exceeds last year's."
The effect of the Soul Nourishment Method was undeniable.
Not only had the program been widely promoted, but even the soul masters responsible for nationwide awakenings were required to meet minimum proficiency in the technique.
And yet, the true effects had yet to even be seen.
The infants born this year would only awaken their Martial Souls six years later.
For now, the results came from children who had practiced under the guidance of parents familiar with the Soul Nourishment Method.
In the three months before awakening, soul masters would provide intensive training, giving children a final push in soul foundation building.
"This year's soul power awakening ratio hit 3%!"
Even Kong Deming had never dared imagine such numbers.
In the past—even discounting remote villages—children from relatively well-off families rarely saw such a high success rate.
But now, with universal soul awakening, the entire continent had shattered its previous limitations.
When the first reports came in, many regional leaders couldn't believe it.
Some even demanded the data be recalculated, thinking the numbers had been falsified.
After repeated confirmation, they were forced to accept the truth:
Awakening soul power was no longer some distant dream.
The golden age of soul masters wasn't a hopeful slogan—it had already begun.
As for the Abyssal Invasion?
That… was only the beginning.
The real breakthrough wasn't just in universal martial soul awakening—it was the dramatic rise in the percentage of children awakening with actual soul power that marked the true turning point.
"But the most direct changes… are happening here," Kong Deming said, shifting the topic to the Extreme North.
The military stationed in the Extreme North had been steadily expanding. Waves of soul masters had been sent to the frontlines, joining the battlefields that now spanned massive territory.
The scale had become enormous.
With the constant threat of Abyssal creatures, these soul masters were being tempered under pressure—countless breakthroughs had occurred as a result.
The Extreme North was already an excellent environment for cultivation.
As long as the cold could be managed—so one didn't literally freeze to death—the extreme climate actually accelerated training.
And now, with the added pressure of battle and the presence of Abyssal beasts, the cultivation speed had skyrocketed.
The Origin Technique, cultivation chambers—every high-end training resource had been deployed here.
"Most Soul Kings have broken through at least two levels of soul power. Those who've been cultivating from the start—since before you left—have gained three levels or more," Kong Deming reported.
It was an astonishing rate of progress for cultivators at the Soul King stage.
Of course, this momentum would eventually slow. Much of it came from using the Origin Technique to refine Abyssal energy—an effect that was strongest in the early stages.
"Even Soul Emperors have all broken through by one level, with many going up two. Among Soul Sages, a large portion have broken through one level as well."
And Soul Douluos?
This tier required more than just soul power accumulation—it demanded luck, insight, or a stroke of fate.
That's what made their breakthroughs all the more stunning.
Most Soul Douluos had been stuck at their bottlenecks for years, even decades—having long since maxed out their current stage. They lacked only a tiny push.
Now, with the Origin Technique and the cultivation chambers, that push had finally come.
Every single Soul Douluo had advanced by at least one level, and some even broke through two.
Three new Titled Douluos had emerged.
Among them was someone Su Yu had once crossed paths with: Beiming Yuan, whose martial soul was the Sky-Piercing Spear.
Even existing Titled Douluos had improved—each one advancing at least one level.
As for special cases like Zhang Lexuan—her progress was extraordinary.
In just half a year, she had broken through two levels!
Of course, part of that was due to her overwhelming combat power.
After all, access to the cultivation chambers was awarded based on merit in battle, and Zhang Lexuan's battle achievements were leagues beyond most at her level.
Once Su Yu had finished learning about the latest developments across the Douluo Continent, he shared a simplified account of his own journey with Kong Deming.
"The Elf Tribe?" Kong Deming's eyes widened in surprise.
His gaze toward Su Yu became subtly… odd.
"You went off-world once… and helped an entire life-bearing planet ascend to God-Class status?"
If Su Yu hadn't hammered into them how rare powerful planets were across the universe, Kong Deming might've laughed it off.
Planets capable of supporting intelligent life were already few and far between.
Ones that could endure the transformation into God-Class Planets?
Rarer still—so rare that an entire star system might not naturally produce even one.
It was important to note: God-Class planets were not the same as God-Class individuals.
Many star systems might birth multiple Super God-level beings, but not a single God-Class planet.
Of course, under the influence of a Super God-level being, the odds of nurturing such a planet rose dramatically.
And now Su Yu… had casually helped one make the leap.
Kong Deming was speechless.
But considering Su Yu's capabilities—it wasn't that shocking.
After all, from a certain perspective, Su Yu already was on par with a Super God-level existence.
Once Su Yu gave more details—explaining how the Elf Planet had long been accumulating the necessary foundations—Kong Deming finally understood.
Su Yu had merely provided the final catalyst.
"An entire race as allies… That's a massive boon for the soul master world."
From Su Yu's description, Kong Deming could tell—the Elf Tribe was stronger than the current Federation.
It would likely take the complete devouring of the Abyss and a full plane transformation for the soul master world to even reach the Elf Tribe's former level.
To match the Elf Tribe's current level?
That would take generations—unless the Federation aggressively expanded outward, plunged into interstellar war, and forged a tide of top-tier cultivators through blood and battle.
Top-tier power could bridge the racial gap.
"With the Elves on our side… as long as it's not the Abyssal Sovereign himself, we can handle anything," Kong Deming said solemnly.
Then he turned toward Su Yu, a flicker of concern in his eyes.
"Xiao Yu… Are you sure you can take on the Abyssal Sovereign?"
The situation had become crystal clear.
Everything now hinged on one point:
Could Su Yu defeat the Abyssal Sovereign?
More importantly, could he do so decisively?
If he couldn't win cleanly—and the Sovereign resorted to desperation—the damage to the Douluo Plane could be catastrophic.
Su Yu, however, remained calm.
"Don't worry, teacher. I'm still far from reaching the Sovereign's level—maybe even a full tier below him."
"But once I break through… my strength will definitely surpass his."
The God Seat Su Yu was aiming to condense wasn't just any divine level—it had to be at least First-Class, and quite possibly at the Quasi-Divine King tier… perhaps even with the potential to become a Divine King itself.
"What worries me," Kong Deming said solemnly, "is that once you break through, you might not be able to absorb and refine the immense energy of the Abyss. If your God Seat and divine power can't convert efficiently… your breakthrough won't be perfect."
Su Yu smiled faintly.
"Relax, Teacher. From level 99 to God-level might not seem like a qualitative leap in combat strength—but for me, it absolutely is."
Kong Deming stared at him, momentarily speechless.
Do you even realize what you're saying…?
From Level 99 to Godhood wasn't a qualitative leap?
Did he know what he was comparing?
Even the current Limit Douluos—those who had cultivated their soul power to the absolute peak—could barely graze the threshold of quasi-godhood, and that was with the aid of battle armor, external artifacts, and countless other boons.
Quasi-gods could momentarily erupt with divine-level strength, yes.
But in a true battle against a genuine god, they were still outmatched.
And yet, here was Su Yu, claiming there was no real transformation between the two?
Kong Deming opened his mouth, ready to argue… then hesitated.
Because now that he thought about it—Su Yu might not be wrong.
All current level 99 soul masters on the continent had reached quasi-god status.
The gap between that and true Godhood didn't seem unbridgeable anymore.
Kong Deming began to question his own judgment.
So this is what it means when they say—perspective changes everything.
At least from the perspective of the soul master world, the difference between Level 99 and becoming a god no longer felt like a bottomless chasm.
And that was all thanks to battle armor.
Without it, even the most monstrous of Limit Douluos would find it near impossible to reach quasi-god stage on their own.
But with Super Battle Armor, the path became much clearer:
—Raise one's strength to the limit.
—Withstand the pressure at the ceiling of potential.
—Perfect the fusion between martial soul and self.
—Then, inch by inch, climb toward quasi-godhood.
"Teacher, you and the others… need to keep pushing forward too."
There was still room for Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen to grow.
Their combat strength might've hit its ceiling, but their cultivation hadn't.
With Super Battle Armor, they were already fighting at near-god levels. Any further gains in battle power would be marginal.
But their soul power—their foundation—could still improve.
And only by accumulating to the absolute limit would they gain the greatest benefits when the next opportunity came.
Of course, Su Yu knew how difficult this was.
Even with battle armor, advancing toward god-level cultivation was brutally hard.
If anyone had a real chance, it was Kong Deming—he'd broken through long ago and was the first to acquire Super Battle Armor.
Jing Hongchen had only recently reached that stage. His chances were slim.
And Du Bushi, despite now owning Super Armor, hadn't had it long enough to benefit fully.
Just as Su Yu was mulling all this over—he suddenly received a jolt of spiritual feedback.
"The Golden Dragon King… has broken his seal?"
His expression changed subtly.
"How… it actually happened?"
Su Yu had always half-joked that as long as none of the five Divine Kings of the Douluo God Realm broke free—especially not the Golden Dragon King—then there was nothing to fear.
So long as multiple god realms didn't join forces against them, the Douluo Realm could hold its own.
But now…
The Golden Dragon King had broken free.
(End of Chapter)