Douluo: I am the True Master

The Star Luo and Sun Moon Frontline –

On this day, the military of the Star Luo Empire once again remembered the terror of being dominated by soul-guided missiles. 

After decades of recovery, the Sun Moon Empire had amassed an unimaginable stockpile of soul-guided missiles. Regardless of their grade, their sheer number had already surpassed billions. 

In the brief moment between the launch and descent of tens of thousands of low-tier soul-guided missiles, the Star Luo Empire's frontlines were completely shrouded in the shadow of destruction. 

Although the Star Luo Empire had long established a large-scale island-wide defensive barrier, under the overwhelming firepower, the expensive-to-build Soul Island Barrier couldn't withstand even three waves before shattering into pieces. 

The Star Luo Empire's battlefield turned into a living hell—everywhere reeked of the stench of earth and scattered with severed limbs and ruins. 

Dai Hao, the White Tiger Duke, watched all of this unfold with a grim expression. Even as a 94th-rank Title Douluo, he was powerless to turn the tide. 

"Send out the order—retreat and consolidate our defenses. Also, urgently request reinforcements from the capital! Our position here must not fall!" 

Though Dai Hao often indulged in petty compromises during peacetime, everything was predicated on the survival of the Star Luo Empire. If the empire truly fell, no matter how brilliant or powerful Dai Hao might be, it would all be for naught. 

Fortunately, the first wave of missile bombardment from the Sun Moon Empire had used only low-tier soul-guided missiles, leaving over ninety percent of the Star Luo Empire's high-ranking officers unscathed. 

Soon, the second wave of battle erupted with desperate urgency. 

The Sun Moon Empire repeated its tactics, unleashing another barrage of missiles to saturate the battlefield. However, Dai Hao seemed to have realized something and quickly ordered the retreating officers to regroup into small squads for defense. 

One by one, individual high-tier soul-guided devices were activated. Though they appeared sparse on the vast battlefield, each possessed the defensive power equivalent to a Soul Sage or even a Soul Douluo. 

But even so, many squads were still obliterated outright after the second wave of bombardment. 

Dai Hao clenched his teeth, muttering furiously: 

"Damn it! I knew something was off—why did the defensive barrier, capable of withstanding ninth-tier soul-guided weapons, shatter so quickly? So these bastards from the Sun Moon Empire mixed in high-tier soul-guided missiles! And now they think they can pull the same trick again? Do they really think my title of 'White Tiger War God' is just for show?!" 

At this moment, a battered messenger ran up to Dai Hao and reported: 

"General, the southern third defensive line has been breached by the Sun Moon Empire. They've already advanced into our territory. Please give your orders." 

Dai Hao's face darkened. Though the Star Luo Empire's royal family had undergone a change of leadership, the overall aristocratic system remained intact. This meant that despite being the second-strongest military power on the Douluo Continent, the Star Luo Empire was unable to mount a strong counterattack against the Sun Moon Empire's surprise assault. 

"Tell them to hold their ground! I'm already overwhelmed here. If they dare retreat, they'll face the Emperor's punishment!"

Dai Hao's mood was exceptionally irritable. How many years had it been since he'd felt so humiliated? He couldn't even remember. Since taking up this position, Dai Hao had always faced the Sun Moon Empire in a passive defensive state, rarely initiating conflicts himself. As a result, he had forgotten the true terror of the Sun Moon Empire, focusing instead on secretly strengthening the White Tiger Duke's household. 

At the same time, Dai Hao harbored his own ulterior motives. The Star Luo Empire no longer belonged to the Dai family. Though he was the Grand General of the Star Luo Empire, as long as he could protect his own territory, what did the other battlefronts matter to him? It was now the era of the Xu family. 

"If the Xu family suffers heavy losses, my Dai family might just have a chance to reclaim our former glory," Dai Hao schemed maliciously. 

True warfare had no room for honor or ethics—it was all about victory. Thus, "warfare is deceitful by nature." 

Once the Sun Moon Empire launched their attack, they gave Dai Hao no breathing room, pinning him down and hammering him mercilessly. Fortunately, the Xu family of Star Luo wasn't foolish—they quickly organized reinforcements. 

Though the Sun Moon Empire had also studied Ye Wen's soul-guided armor technology, people naturally favored their own. Moreover, both the princesses of the Star Luo Empire and the Tian Hun Empire were disciples of Ye Wen, and many commoner students had come to study under him as well. 

Though these newly minted soul-forging blacksmiths were still too few compared to the vast number of soul masters, Soul Sages were elite combatants. Even a ten or twenty percent increase in their numbers was enough to significantly bolster the strength of each nation. 

The Star Luo frontlines fell into a stalemate. 

Meanwhile, Ye Wen lay quietly in the small grove of Tian Xing Academy, enjoying the gentle evening breeze. Suddenly, the long-range communication soul-guided device he had crafted began to ring. 

"Master, the Sun Moon Empire plans to launch a flanking attack on Dou Ling Empire via the sea route. Please have Senior Sister Wei Na prepare accordingly." 

Ye Wen nodded lightly. "Be careful, and follow the plan as instructed. Don't let it weigh too heavily on your mind." 

"Yes, Master." 

Beep beep

Though primitive versions of communication soul-guided devices existed in this era, a device capable of spanning nearly the entire continent like Ye Wen's had yet to be invented. Combined with Ju Zi's caution and Ye Wen's prepared contingencies, Ye Wen wasn't worried about her safety. 

Subsequently, Ye Wen relayed the message to Wei Na, activating the Tian Hun front's battlefield. 

The pieces on Ye Wen's chessboard were more than enough to sweep across the entire Douluo Continent—but that strength didn't belong solely to this world. 

Huo Yuer and the others needed to build their reputations, establish doctrines, and gain momentum to create a new world while simultaneously clearing away stubborn remnants of the old order. 

Compared to Tian Hun and Star Luo, Dou Ling Empire was the farthest from the Sun Moon Empire. 

Like Tian Hun and Star Luo, Dou Ling Empire still maintained its millennia-old aristocratic system. However, prolonged peace had left it even more corrupt and weak than the other empires. 

The next day, Ye Wen received news of Dou Ling Empire's fall. 

Though he had expected Dou Ling to be weak, Ye Wen couldn't help but twitch his lips. Such a vast territory, and it fell in a single day? Just how rotten must it have been? 

Still, it didn't matter. Dou Ling was a place Ye Wen had already written off. Otherwise, he wouldn't have refrained from taking in any personal disciples there. Its fate was unsurprising. 

After seizing Dou Ling Empire's territory, the Sun Moon Empire didn't immediately engage Tian Hun or Star Luo, as their supply lines were stretched too thin. 

Starting another war would expose their vulnerability. Though soul mentors excelled on the battlefield, that was only true when supported by a massive stockpile of soul-guided missiles. 

Star Luo, preoccupied elsewhere, merely maintained a defensive posture. However, the Tian Hun Empire, with more leisure, directly engaged in battle. 

Thanks to Ye Wen's guidance, and with the Sun Moon Empire attacking from the sea this time, the Tian Hun Empire dared not concentrate all its forces on the border between Tian Hun and Dou Ling.

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