Douluo: Glory of the Unrivaled Angel

Word Count: 2,996 Words

******

According to Skydream's plan, its million years of spirit power would propel Huo Yuhao's Twin Martial Spirits to have a total of ten spirit rings upgraded to the 100,000-year level. Ling Bai could similarly use that golden ring to increase the age of the Calamitous Ice Devil's spirit ring.

"I'll stand guard for you."

The Snow Empress was not a pedantic person. Since the two shared life and death, she naturally gave her full support to anything beneficial to him.

Although she had lost her physical body and spirit bone, she still possessed seven hundred thousand years of spirit power and could temporarily fight in the form of an energy body. Moreover, Ling Bai had used Life Gold to help her break through the 700,000-year limit during their fusion. Therefore, she was not much weaker than her full strength of six hundred ninety thousand years before she reformed as a human. Guarding Ling Bai was a piece of cake.

"I'll leave it to you."

Ling Bai summoned Skydream's golden ring and guided it to transform into spirit power, which flowed like a gentle stream into the Calamitous Ice Devil's spirit ring. His Calamitous Ice Devil had a cultivation of about eight thousand years. The 1,000-year spirit ring underwent a change at the moment when Skydream's origin power surged in. The purple color instantly deepened, turning into the black that represented a 10,000-year spirit ring.

Heavenly Snow Women were very few in number, and Ice Jade Scorpions had extremely poor reproduction rates. Therefore, Ice Devil Titans were the strongest race in the Extreme North overall. The Calamitous Ice Devil was a mutated Ice Devil Titan. Once the spirit ring's age broke through ten thousand years, the ferocity of a top-level spirit beast suddenly burst forth, causing nearby spirit beasts to flee in terror.

Two spirit rings, one gray and one black, rose imposingly beneath his feet. Ling Bai's eyes turned a vivid blood-red color. The Death Abyss Spider Emperor erupted with a terrifying aura, as if treading on mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Yet his hands never stopped infusing the Calamitous Ice Devil's spirit ring. The Snow Empress, the only witness present, seemed to see a layer of deep red blood light spreading outward from his body.

Within the blood light, a gigantic humanoid phantom over a hundred meters tall frantically pounded its chest like war drums. Its massive body was as awe-inspiring as an ancient demon god. Wails sounded in succession from the deep caves at the edge of the Extreme North.

These little fellows of ten or a hundred years had never before felt the pressure of a 100,000-year spirit beast. They were instantly frightened into trembling and chattering, their teeth clattering. Those with weaker mental fortitude even fainted with their eyes rolled back.

The giant phantom lowered its head to gaze at Ling Bai and the Snow Empress. Although the Snow Empress had asked Ling Bai to end the Calamitous Ice Devil's life early, it didn't harbor any hatred toward them. It was already seriously injured and on the verge of death. Moreover, the Snow Empress was the ruler of the Extreme North. Even if she ordered the Calamitous Ice Devil to die, it would obediently comply. This was the purest and most steadfast belief that the spirit beasts of the Extreme North had in the Snow Empress.

The Calamitous Ice Devil understood what it should do next. It let out a sky-shaking roar after taking one last look in the direction of its home in the Extreme North, then charged into Ling Bai's body.

Life Gold and his Undying Body had forged a physique as strong as steel. With the Calamitous Ice Devil's cooperation, Ling Bai did not encounter the slightest obstacle in absorbing the 100,000-year spirit ring. Gray, black, red—the three spirit rings of the Death Abyss Spider Emperor were absurdly powerful.

"I don't want to see any more of the Extreme North's subjects sacrifice themselves."

The cold wind stirred the Snow Empress's long white hair. This was the first thing she said to Ling Bai. The Calamitous Ice Devil's final gaze of longing made her feel immensely ashamed.

"Then let's become Gods." Ling Bai stood up. "Once we become Gods, we'll have the power to protect the Extreme North. We can even leave the Douluo Continent, find a barren continent or an abandoned planet, and build an eternal paradise exclusively for the spirit beasts of the Extreme North."

"Certainly."

The Snow Empress's face was as cold as ice, her eyes full of determination. To fight for a bright future for the Extreme North, she was willing to give everything she had.

Ling Bai briefly sensed the two spirit skills provided by the 100,000-year Calamitous Ice Devil. The more he sensed, the stranger his expression became. It seemed the Calamitous Ice Devil had undergone a secondary mutation. While the spirit ring retained the power of calamity and misfortune, it also gained the spiritual attribute of Skydream Iceworm. These two spirit skills were truly unexpected.

'However, the skill effects are quite good.'

Ling Bai revealed a satisfied smile. This trip to the Extreme North had been extremely fruitful. He had easily completed the surveillance assignment, won over the Snow Empress, become wealthy overnight, and obtained a 100,000-year spirit ring. It must be said that he had profited immensely from both Shrek assignments.

"You've existed for seven hundred thousand years. Have you ever been to the human world?" Ling Bai asked the Snow Empress.

The Snow Empress shook her head without speaking. Her mood was still somewhat heavy.

"There's still half a month left of the break. I'll take you on a tour around the Heavenly Soul Empire."

…

Shrek City.

It was the start of a new school year, and Shrek City was bustling with activity. People entering and leaving the city formed an endless stream, a sea of heads stretching as far as the eye could see. The shouts of vendors echoed at the city gates.

"How do you find the human world? Isn't it more fun than your Extreme North?"

"The ice cream in Dragon City was delicious. The rest was just so-so. The Extreme North is still more comfortable."

"Your bias is showing..."

Ling Bai and the Snow Empress communicated through spiritual power. From the Extreme North to Shrek City, he had deliberately slowed down and taken her on a half-month tour along the way.

Since she planned to transform into human form and cultivate anew, it was natural for her to have some fantasies about the human world. The Extreme North was covered in snow all year round, with hardly any discernible changes. The two of them ate, played, and appreciated the magnificent mountains and rivers along the way, visibly lifting her spirits.

The red uniform of Shrek Academy served as the best pass. Ling Bai strode through the East Gate. He saw many innocent-looking youths holding their parents' hands, heading to register at the Outer Courtyard. Strangely enough, although he was only one year older than them, he always inexplicably felt that the eyes of these junior students were clear yet naive, possessing a kind of pure beauty untouched by worldly affairs.

Shrek Academy was located not far from the East Gate. Before long, Ling Bai noticed the magnificent main gate of the Outer Academy, along with two statuesque figures standing by the entrance like lamp posts.

They were two women with completely opposite temperaments. One exuded brightness and flamboyance like a raging wildfire, while the other emanated a cool and composed demeanor akin to eternal frost. However, both shared flawlessly exquisite features, and their imposing auras of ice and fire were equally formidable.

Evil Fire Phoenix, Ma Xiaotao.

Ice Element, Ling Luochen.

Many Outer Academy students wanted to approach these two stunning beauties and strike up a conversation, but for some reason, they found themselves unable to take that first step forward. They stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought for a long moment before finally sighing and walking away.

Ling Bai observed the pair in silence for a couple of seconds before tentatively asking, "Are you two... the poster girls of Shrek?"

"During the freshman enrollment season, Teacher wanted to select two Inner Courtyard students with striking appearances and extraordinary auras to showcase Shrek Academy's grand image. As you can see, she and I were selected."

Ma Xiaotao delivered this explanation with a deadpan expression.

"I see..."

Ling Bai struggled to keep a straight face. Picking them as image ambassadors… this duo of ice and fire with their poker faces would be lucky if they didn't scare away some freshmen!

Ma Xiaotao deliberately avoided looking in Ling Luochen's direction. She folded her arms beneath her chest, accentuating her exaggerated fullness in an even more alluring manner, and asked, "I heard your assignment was red-grade. Did your first surveillance assignment go smoothly?"

"Everything went smoothly; I barely had to lift a finger."

The 10,000-year Calamitous Ice Devil had stepped on a landmine and blown up like fireworks. If not for wanting to profit from the situation, the surveillance assignment would have been as simple as eating or drinking.

"Glad to hear it went well, but..."

Ma Xiaotao carefully scrutinized Ling Bai's face. Just as he began to feel uneasy under her intense gaze, she suddenly smiled and said, "Is it just my imagination, or have your features become softer?"

"Stop teasing me! I'll go to Star Dou Forest to find a Titan Giant Ape for my sixth spirit ring!"

"Alright, alright, going to absorb some masculine energy, huh."

Their laughter filled Ling Luochen's ears, and she couldn't help but turn to look. Ling Bai had been at the academy for a year now. Handsome, exceptionally talented, and cheerful by nature, he was very popular among the Inner Courtyard students and maintained at least amicable relations with everyone.

The Shrek Seven Monsters had been training together for half a year. Ling Luochen considered herself fairly familiar with Ling Bai. They sparred in the Spirit Dueling Arena every week (she always got beaten up), but she never managed to joke around with him as Ma Xiaotao did.

"Eh?"

Ling Luochen suddenly let out a soft exclamation. She had merely tilted her head to glance at Ling Bai, but her Ice Element Martial Spirit began to tremble, waves of fear emanating from it as if it had encountered a natural enemy or a superior being in the wild!

She was instantly dumbfounded. Although the purification effect of the Angelic Domain could restrain elemental-type Martial Spirits, it shouldn't cause such terror in the Ice Element. If the Ice Element could take human form, Ling Luochen imagined it would probably slide to Ling Bai's feet, clinging to his leg while crying.

In fact, this was due to the clear hierarchy among Martial Spirits of the same attribute. The Snow Empress was the ruler of ice and snow. Even an inadvertent release of a trace of aura from her 700,000-year spirit bone would cause ordinary ice elements to submit, prostrate themselves, and cry out, 'Long live the Empress!'

Ling Luochen's mind was in turmoil, while over there, Ling Bai and Ma Xiaotao were discussing going to Sea God Island to find Elder Li and submit the surveillance assignment.

"I can submit it for you if you take over my post for a while." Ma Xiaotao had been acting as a mascot for three days and was reaching her limit.

"If you're going to suffer social death, don't drag me down with you!"

Ling Bai shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum.

"I'll take you to experience the joys of a Spirit Master tonight!"

"For real?"

Ling Bai asked, half-believing, half-doubting.

"Guaranteed!"

"Then hurry back."

Driven by curiosity, Ling Bai handed over the head of the Calamitous Ice Devil to Ma Xiaotao, risking being nicknamed 'Gatekeeper Bro' to help her maintain her post.

Half an hour later, Ma Xiaotao returned stealthily but couldn't help bursting into laughter when she saw Ling Bai from afar. It wasn't the delicate giggle of a girl but rather a loud, ringing guffaw.

Ling Bai seemed somewhat bewildered at this moment. He held seven or eight bags of various heart-shaped gifts in his right hand, and from time to time, freshmen would come up to shake his hand. His left hand was being grasped and shaken by different people, and everyone looked at him with extremely pious eyes. The boys looked up to him like little brothers, and the girls gazed at him like adoring fans. Ma Xiaotao even saw a bold, pretty girl take out lipstick and start writing her address on his palm, clearly having already booked a room and waiting with bated breath...

But halfway through writing, the lipstick was snapped in half by Ling Luochen beside him. Her icy tone could freeze someone to death as she said, "Harassment of Inner Courtyard seniors is prohibited."

The girl was so frightened that she trembled. Ling Bai smiled and patted her shoulder, comforting her, "Don't think about romance right now. Focus on cultivating and getting into the Inner Courtyard. When you do, your senior will treat you to a meal."

"Yes, Senior!"

The girl skipped away happily. Ma Xiaotao walked over, clutching her stomach from laughing so hard. Ling Bai said with a pained expression, "Do you know how I survived this half-hour? Every second felt like a year!

Are Inner Courtyard students really this popular? The girls from the Outer Courtyard are too enthusiastic. Just now, a few girls were scratching my palm while shaking hands; they almost broke the skin!"

"Hahaha! Please stop; I can't take it anymore!"

The more Ling Bai complained, the harder it was for Ma Xiaotao to contain her laughter. The corners of Ling Luochen's rosy lips also subtly curled upward. Initially, the two girls hadn't appeared so unapproachable, which led to numerous Outer Courtyard students crowding around them, chattering and asking all sorts of questions. Some spoiled, shameless boys even seemed eager to take advantage. Eventually, they had to fully release their imposing aura and put on icy expressions to intimidate everyone.

Ling Bai, Ma Xiaotao, and Ling Luochen saw through the little thoughts of these boys and girls at a glance. Do you really want to befriend your seniors? No!

You're just lusting after your seniors' bodies!

On the Douluo Continent, people often matured quite early. Marrying and having children in one's teens was common. Under the nourishment of spirit power, Spirit Masters matured even faster than ordinary people. It was perfectly normal for twelve- or thirteen-year-olds to reach physical maturity and have fantasies about outstanding members of the opposite sex.

This didn't stop the three from inwardly grumbling: Lusting after our bodies, how shameless!

"Alright, tell me, what's this 'joy of a Spirit Master' you're talking about?"

Ling Bai swore that if Ma Xiaotao had been fooling him earlier, he'd definitely make her write a book called 'How a Punching Bag Is Forged.'

Ma Xiaotao wiped the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes and said, "There's an Inner Courtyard Treasure Appreciation Gathering tonight. Everything a Spirit Master could want can be found there. Let's go take a look together."

"Treasure Appreciation Gathering? I think the Outer Courtyard has one too," Ling Bai mused.

"Do you even understand the value of the Inner Courtyard?!" Ma Xiaotao feigned anger. "The Outer Courtyard's Treasure Appreciation Gathering is only open to core disciples, and most of the items are things the Inner Courtyard has already selected and discarded. The Inner Courtyard's gathering is truly all-encompassing, with everything you could desire!"

"Alright, you pass. Let's go."

Ling Bai put away the pile of gifts in his hands and, together with Ma Xiaotao, headed toward the venue of the gathering, the Treasure Gathering Pavilion located in the northern part of Shrek City.

"Would you like to come along?"

Ling Bai politely asked Ling Luochen, who silently stood to his left side, making her intention very clear.

Ma Xiaotao's brows furrowed slightly. She and Ling Luochen had past conflicts due to the Evil Fire Phoenix, but they saw each other frequently, and Yan Shaozhe also hoped that the two members of the Shrek Seven Monsters could get along. He had even assigned them as mascots to help mend their relationship. With Ling Bai present, she couldn't act out and drive Ling Luochen away, so she had to grudgingly accept it.

Shrek Academy was located within Shrek City but was not directly connected to it. There was no back gate leading into the city. Therefore, the three had to leave the academy and circle around to enter the city through the North Gate to reach the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

As one of the most bustling cities on the Douluo Continent, Shrek City was exceptionally lively and noisy in the evening.

"Candied hawthorns!"

"Coal for sale!"

"Candied hawthorns!!!"

"Coal for sa—Hey! Why are you hitting me, you candied hawthorn seller!"

As night fell and stars dotted the sky, illuminating every corner of the city, various vendor stalls were set up. The cries of hawkers rose and fell, attracting many Shrek students to come and shop.

Entertainment venues were equally prosperous. Seductively dressed enchanting women fully showcased their charms, enticing teenage boys with wavering wills.

The Treasure Gathering Pavilion was a large establishment dealing in various items related to Spirit Masters and Spirit Guidance Devices. From a distance, the pavilion was a massive four-story building over twenty meters tall, with a gilded exterior that resembled a giant treasure bowl.

The three of them wore the red Inner Courtyard uniforms of Shrek Academy, making their identities easily recognizable. They received countless stares along the way. Before they even reached the entrance of the Treasure Appreciation Pavilion, a young lady had already come out to greet them. With a faint smile, she respectfully said:

"Welcome, esteemed Spirit Masters, to the Treasure Appreciation Gathering!"