Two days later, Li Chang’an walked out of Shui Bing’er’s room — in a fresh set of clothes.

There was no helping it — his previous outfit had been completely soaked.

’Truly, her name suits her,’ he thought with an inward chuckle.

Before leaving, he had explained everything to Shui Bing’er — in three days, he would return to take her somewhere that could greatly accelerate her cultivation.

After leaving her residence, Li Chang’an made his way to the Hong Chamber of Commerce.

The moment he saw Bai Xue, he froze for a brief second. It had been nearly a year, and the changes in her were startling. If the Bai Xue he remembered had been a ripened peach, the woman before him was a fully blossomed, nectar-rich one — graceful, radiant, and dangerously tempting.

When he teasingly patted her shapely hip, she responded with a soft gasp and a glare.

"You scoundrel! You’ve been gone almost a year and never came to see me," she said, pouting as her small fists tapped against his chest — though a smile played on her lips.

It had been almost a year since they had last been together. Bai Xue had spent months "practicing" her stamina in preparation. Today, she fully intended to show Li Chang’an just how much she had improved.

And so, Li Chang’an stayed at the Hong Chamber for three days — long enough for Bai Xue to quite literally pass out from exhaustion several times.

Before leaving, he smiled and said, "Settle the chamber’s affairs. I’ll be taking you somewhere soon — you’ll stay there for three months. It’ll do wonders for your cultivation."

After parting ways, he headed straight to Shrek Academy.

Since the dissolution of the Crimson Rose Academy, Liu Erlong had returned to serve as Shrek’s deputy headmistress.

Li Chang’an first spent some time chatting with Zhao Wuji and Flender over tea, then wrote a few inspirational words for the academy and gave a brief speech to a group of wide-eyed students before seeking out Liu Erlong.

They met — and one thing led to another.

To be loved by a beautiful woman is hard enough to resist...

To be loved by a fiery one like Liu Erlong? Impossible.

Five days passed before either of them saw daylight again.

Thankfully, both were strong enough to go without food for days — and thankfully, Li Chang’an’s storage ring was well stocked.

"Erlong," he said afterward, brushing her hair aside with a gentle hand, "pack your things. I’ll be taking you somewhere. Chaos is coming — and you need to grow stronger, fast."

She nodded wordlessly, cheeks flushed, eyes full of reluctant affection.

———

Moments later, Li Chang’an appeared at the Heaven Dou Palace, in the Eastern Prince’s Hall.

"Scoundrel!" Qian Renxue cried out, half-angry, half-tearful.

Half an hour later, that same "scoundrel" had her long legs draped over his shoulders as he ran a hand through her golden hair.

"Xue’er," he whispered, smiling, "put on your Angel God raiment for me. I want to see you in it."

Blushing fiercely, still dressed in her prince’s robes, Qian Renxue shyly nodded.

———

Five days later, Li Chang’an stretched his back and appeared deep within the Star Dou Forest.

He silently thanked his Titled Douluo endurance — and his soul bones.

"Yue’er..." he murmured, looking at the silver-haired girl before him — Gu Yuena. His voice softened as he began the most heartfelt confession of his life.

That night, he was the dragon knight.

That night, he was king of the wild.

That night, the stars bore witness to a battle both fierce and tender.

When morning came, he said solemnly, "In less than three months, chaos will engulf this world. Yue’er, I need you to lead the spirit beasts — prepare them for what’s coming."

———

Next, Li Chang’an appeared outside the Li Family Estate, where Ye Xuan was training a group of 108 young warriors.

They were loyal, disciplined, and unyielding — the fruits of Li Chang’an’s tutelage. Thanks to his cultivation fruits, over thirty of them had already reached the Spirit King level, and the rest were solid Spirit Ancestors.

He handed Ye Xuan another batch of cultivation fruits. "Have them eat these soon. Pack up and prepare — I’m taking everyone to a place where we’ll train for the coming storm."

Then, with a fond smile, he drew Ye Xuan gently into his arms as they stepped inside together...

———

A month after leaving Sea God Island, Li Chang’an returned — this time bringing an enormous entourage.

One hundred and eight young warriors.

Liu Erlong.

Bai Xue.

Ye Xuan.

Qian Renxue.

Huo Wu.

Shui Bing’er.

And many others.

The sheer number of people almost made Bo Saixi faint. But to her astonishment, the Sea God himself allowed Li Chang’an unrestricted access to the Sea God’s Light — permitting him to "borrow" its divine power for training.

Ten days later, Ye Lingling confessed her feelings to him. That night, white sheets bloomed red with a single crimson petal.

———

A month later, while consolidating his newfound Titled Douluo strength, Li Chang’an suddenly heard a voice calling him.

He followed it — and found an elderly man waiting.

The Sea God himself.

"What brings the mighty Sea God here?" Li Chang’an asked calmly. "You needn’t worry — I’ve no quarrel with you... yet."

The old god’s face was weary. "Douluo Continent... will depend on you." He bowed deeply — a gesture that shocked even Li Chang’an.

"What do you mean? Shouldn’t the Divine Realm be dealing with the Abyssal Plane?" Li Chang’an asked, frowning.

"We can’t," the Sea God sighed. "Or rather — we’ve lost the means to. The Abyssal Plane used a forbidden method to expose the coordinates of our divine Realm to the multiverse. Now we are under siege by ten other divine realms. We no longer have the power to protect Douluo."

Li Chang’an froze.

The Abyssal Plane had revealed their position in the cosmic void?

A multiversal war of gods?

The implications hit him like thunder.

"What do you need from me?" he finally asked.

"Grow stronger," the Sea God said. "The Abyss is only the first trial. Once your generation ascends to godhood, you will face the pressure of ten divine realms. We can hold them off for at most five years."

"Within those five years, you must become a god — and lead others to ascend with you."

———

A month later, at the border between the two empires, the sky split apart.

Dozens of Abyssal Gates tore open, and endless swarms of monsters flooded into Douluo Continent.

They came like locusts — infinite, overwhelming. And each abyssal layer served as its own world, allowing the creatures to endlessly revive unless their realm was destroyed.

The human world was caught completely unprepared. But thanks to Li Chang’an’s foresight, an emergency plan was already in motion.

Ordinary citizens were evacuated into vast underground shelters dug months prior.

Spirit Masters under level 30 defended towns and villages.

Those between levels 30 and 60 formed mobile rescue units.

Spirit Saints and higher rushed to the front lines — sacrificing everything to hold the gates.

Both empires mobilized five million soldiers, now armed with third-level soul tools.

The Spirit Hall Defense Corps, numbering two hundred thousand and equipped with fourth- and fifth-level soul tools, moved out under the banner of Pope Bibi Dong.

Every Spirit Hall Archbishop led their own battle group.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and Clear Sky Clan all joined the fray.

This was a war for survival — the fate of the entire continent.

Tens of thousands died each day, but no one retreated.

Behind them lay their homeland, their families, their light.

They would not yield an inch.

Each warrior who fell became an eternal monument.

A month into the war, the Abyssal Lords themselves appeared.

The continent’s strongest — all Title Douluos above level 95 — charged under Qian Daoliu’s command to meet them.

Every day, either an Abyssal Lord or a Titled Douluo perished.

Only the residual divine power left behind by the Angel God kept the balance from collapsing entirely.

Then, a booming voice shook the battlefield.

"Pathetic. You cannot even conquer a single mortal realm?"

A vast, towering figure stepped through an Abyssal Gate, wielding a massive trident radiating divine might.

It was the True Abyssal Lord himself — now possessing the power of a pseudo-god, and armed with an Ultra Divine Weapon.

The true battle for the fate of Douluo had begun.