Chapter 575: Chapter 575: The Tian Xing Knights – Part 5
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Though the Star Luo Empire was vast and powerful, the top-tier healing soul masters of the Douluo Continent were all gathered at Shrek Academy.
For any empire on the Douluo Continent, the thought of possessing a Title Douluo-level healing auxiliary soul master was enough to make their eyes gleam with greed.
However, faced with Shrek's overwhelming strength, they had no choice but to suppress their covetous desires. Seizing this opportunity, Xu Tianxing subtly suggested, before Xuan Zi's departure, that other Title Douluos from Shrek come to lend their support. He assured Xuan Zi that the Star Luo Empire would be eternally grateful.
Xuan Zi remained silent, saying only that he would think it over once he returned. After all, Shrek Academy was no longer the once-dominant number one institution of the Douluo Continent.
If Shrek became too deeply involved in this war, even they would suffer immense losses. Xuan Zi had to tread carefully.
As a former emperor, Xu Tianxing refrained from pressing further. Instead, he repeatedly emphasized the moral obligation, urging Xuan Zi to consider the well-being of the people of the Douluo Continent.
Shrek had always prided itself on justice, but in the end, Xuan Zi said nothing more and simply returned, his face ashen with frustration.
In the past, Shrek had undoubtedly been just, for only the victors held the authority to define justice.
But now, stripped of the power to enforce its definition of justice, yet unable to abandon its past glory, Shrek found itself in an awkward predicament.
Faced with this continent-wide war, Shrek had no choice but to send its forces into the fray.
After all, every high-ranking powerhouse on the Douluo Continent had been dragged into this conflict. If Shrek, which had long proclaimed itself the beacon of justice, chose to remain idle, it would invite criticism and scorn.
However, Xuan Zi's severe injuries provided a convenient excuse for Shrek to avoid deeper involvement, allowing the academy to forcibly preserve its status as a top-tier institution.
A month after Xuan Zi's injury, the two Limit Douluos of the Holy Spirit Sect—Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao—remained inactive, as if they had vanished entirely. This greatly displeased Xu Tianran.
If the Sun Moon Empire still had both of its Level 10 soul mentors, Xu Tianran might have had the courage to confront them directly. Unfortunately, eliminating Xuan Zi had cost them one of their Level 10 soul mentors.
Though Kong Deming possessed the ability to forge another Level 10 soul-guided device, he was still recovering from the backlash he had suffered. As a result, the entire Sun Moon Empire fell into an eerie calm.
Yet, the main battlefield could not be ignored. After all, both sides had already torn off the mask of civility. Moreover, Xiao Ding was idling on the battlefield, unlike the once-dominant Dragon God Douluo Mu En. Xuan Zi, half-dead and without the strength to stop the war, could do little more than retreat.
Thus, the Sun Moon Empire decided to seize this opportunity to annex as much land from the Douluo Continent as possible.
This situation left the Star Luo Emperor utterly distressed. A self-proclaimed wise ruler, how could he accept such a blow? On several occasions, he sent Xu Jiujjiu to Tian Xing Academy to request reinforcements.
However, the replies were always the same: Tian Xing Academy was a neutral force, and Ye Wen could not intervene. Moreover, the only remaining Limit Douluo of the Tian Xing Sect had already been deployed to the battlefield, leaving them powerless to assist.
Though the Star Luo Emperor had once resented Shrek Academy's meddling, he now realized that without someone like the Dragon God Douluo Mu En sticking their nose in affairs, the Sun Moon Empire would surely devour his side whole.
Meanwhile, during the war, the Tian Hun Empire successfully completed its annexation of the Dou Ling Empire, returning the Douluo Continent to an era dominated by two great empires.
Seeing this, the Star Luo Emperor again sent a letter of appeal to the Tian Hun Empire. He bluntly stated that as two major empires of the Douluo Continent, if the Star Luo Empire fell, the Tian Hun Empire would not fare much better. He reminded them of the ancient wisdom: when the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold.
After much deliberation, the Tian Hun Emperor agreed to dispatch troops in support.
However, the majority of these troops consisted of former nobles of the Dou Ling Empire and discontented officials and nobles of the Tian Hun Empire.
After all, war was an extension of politics, and such an opportunity to eliminate dissent was not something the Tian Hun Emperor would pass up.
Those sent to fight, faced with the demands of righteousness and their own circumstances, had no choice but to grit their teeth and proceed.
But as the saying goes, "Greed knows no bounds." Later, the Star Luo Emperor made an outrageous demand, asking Du Busi to join the main battlefield of the Star Luo Empire.
The plan was to combine the strength of two Limit Douluos to slay Jing Hongchen!
Unsurprisingly, the Tian Hun Emperor rejected this request outright. He pointed out that the Sun Moon Empire possessed the capability for cross-sea operations, and any slip-up could allow them to exploit the situation.
Upon receiving the reply, the Star Luo Emperor did not press further. Clicking his tongue, he inwardly remarked that the Tian Hun Emperor was no fool. Clearly, after the war ended, this was someone to watch out for.
The Star Luo Emperor's relative ease stemmed from his observation of the main battlefield.
Compared to the ferocity of the initial stages of the war, the Sun Moon Empire's attacks had noticeably weakened.
With his discerning eye, the Star Luo Emperor could see that the Sun Moon Empire's reserves of soul-guided devices must have been nearly depleted due to the prolonged intensity of the war. Nowadays, the Sun Moon Empire's soul mentors no longer used soul-guided cannon shells but relied instead on soul-guided rays.
Even so, the Sun Moon Empire remained a formidable force, steadily encroaching upon the Star Luo Empire's territory.
Gradually, however, the Sun Moon Empire ceased its offensive. They had discovered that with each new piece of occupied land, they lacked sufficient manpower to hold it. Often, territories captured just a day or two earlier were swiftly retaken by the Star Luo forces.
Thus, the war continued in a back-and-forth stalemate, with the upper echelons of both sides constantly scheming against one another. Three years passed, with no signs of an end in sight.
As seasons changed, the depths of Tian Xing Academy had become densely covered with Blue Silver Trees, brimming with the vitality of life.
At this moment, a slender figure with blue hair entered this tranquil scene, followed closely by five other women.
These six were none other than Ye Wen's disciples.
More than a decade had passed, and these young women had shed the naivety of youth, exuding the charm of mature women.
Huo Yu'er gently knocked on the wooden door. From within came the voice of the man revered across the entire continent.
"Enter."
With permission granted, the six filed in one by one.
Looking at the figures before him, Ye Wen sighed softly. Witnessing the growth of life always stirred reflections on the passage of time.
But there was no feast that lasted forever. Ye Wen softly asked,
"Are you ready?"
The six women said nothing, but solemnly nodded.
Ye Wen did not object. His children were about to set sail, and a mature parent should not become a shackle holding them back.
"Go. Bring a new order to this continent."
The six bowed respectfully, bid farewell to Ye Wen, and outside the house, donned their respective ornate armor before soaring into the sky.
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