Chapter 614.1: You Dare!
She did not expect to see both of them here at this moment. After all, they had already disappeared for a good three years. However, she was still very worried that they would reappear!
If the powerful soul masters from the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy were to die in battle before her, Huo Yuhao and Tang Wutong would never forgive her.
Ju Zi was torn between the options before her. She was usually very decisive when it came to making such decisions. However, she had suddenly become very hesitant.
“Marshal, please give us your orders.” A commander who was by her side begged her.
Ju Zi sighed before whispering some instructions to the commander by her side.
Right now, both sides were now engaged in a battle. Because the battle had only just begun, the soul masters and soul engineers on both sides were in their best possible state. They could still go all-out on each other. It was only when they had expended a good amount of their energy that the casualties would start to pile up.
At the end of the day, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion was still the most powerful group on the battlefield. Several people would fall from the sky with every attack they launched. However, under the command of Kong Deming, they would always retreat after launching an attack to extend the distance between their foes and themselves. Kong Deming’s body was constantly radiating a powerful silver light as he kept Elder Xuan away from the soul engineer legion.
At this moment, the soul masters from Shrek Academy were able to showcase their individual brilliance. The Elders from the Sea God’s Pavilion, as well as the powerful soul masters from Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect, rushed towards the Sun Moon Empire’s soul engineers. The entire battlefield was illuminated by the different-colored lights which were being radiated and released by their soul skills.
Suddenly, a mysterious light surged from the back of the Sun Moon Empire. This beam of light was very unexpected as it appeared without any warning. It swept across the battlefield in an indiscriminating way as every soul master and soul engineer on the battlefield was illuminated by it.
In addition, the main target of the beam of light was the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion.
The people going up against the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion were the most powerful soul masters from the Star Luo Empire. Hence, they were instantly enveloped by the beam of light.
An intense sense of weakness instantly spread throughout their bodies. Even though their soul power was not affected by it, the circulation of their blood within their bodies became very slow and weak. The movement of these soul masters seemed to have become very sluggish.
Their intense attacks became a lot weaker under these circumstances.
At this instant, Ma Xiaotao was unleashing her Phoenix Meteor Shower. After being hit by the beam, her body started to sway left and right as the sense of enfeeblement weakened her battle intent. Because of this, her Phoenix Meteor Shower was terminated.
Meanwhile, the Sun Moon Empire’s soul engineers’ bodies released a thin membrane which protected their bodies from the beam, and they managed to emerge unscathed from it.
Enfeeblement rays? Enfeeblement rays at this scale? This must be a Class 9 soul tool. In fact, it’s definitely more powerful than the average Class 9 soul tool.
Everyone had trump cards, and the Sun Moon Empire was no exception. There was no reason for them to be less well-equipped than the Star Luo Empire. However, they did not possess things like interference shells, which could directly influence the outcome of the battle.
This enfeeblement ray was, in fact, a Class 9 soul tool. The only reason why it was able to cover such a huge range was because it was a single-use soul tool.
It was very similar to a stationary soul cannon shell, but it possessed certain key differences. It was a lot more controllable even though it was not as powerful as a stationary soul cannon shell. In addition, it unleashed more than just one enfeeblement soul ray.
Streaks of enfeeblement rays swept across the sky as more than half of the four thousand Star Luo soul masters were hit by them. Under such circumstances, their fighting power plunged tremendously.
This was not the end of it. Following which, a different-colored ray shone on the Sun Moon Empire’s soul engineers.
At that instant, the soul engineers became a lot more powerful. Not only was their soul power enhanced, but their entire aura was also changed by the light. It was a ray which helped to buff up one’s troops. The soul engineers’ soul power was enhanced by ten percent, and their spiritual concentration was also improved. On top of that, the ray also had a bloodthirst effect. This was also a single-use Class 9 soul tool.
These two Class 9 soul rays were able to change the situation on the battlefield by weakening their opponents and enhancing their soul engineers. After they were released, it was clear that the Sun Moon Empire was gaining the upper hand.
The exact same situation was being replicated on the ground. It was obvious now that the Sun Moon Empire had come prepared. They started to trade attacks and blows with the soul engineer legions within Shrek City now that they had finished installing their soul tools. Even though they were still at a slight disadvantage, their situation had improved tremendously. On top of that, they were installing several other soul tool deployment areas. If the battle were to continue to drag on, the Sun Moon Empire would definitely seize the upper hand.
It was now clear that the Star Luo Empire had lost the aerial battle. In the meantime, the tables were now slowly being turned by the Sun Moon Empire as they started to seize the upper hand on the ground as well. The White Tiger Duke saw all of this from the city walls of the Star Luo City. He closed his eyes as a grimace formed on his face.
Surprise attacks no longer had any effect if your opponent had an absolute edge over you. He let out a long sigh as he thought to himself how fate had tricked him once again. If we had figured out the stationary interference shells earlier, the outcome would have been a lot different. Even if we were only able to produce them after Dou Ling Empire had been wiped out, it would still not be too late. Back then, the Star Luo Empire was still at its most powerful state.
Right now, the Star Luo Empire was no longer the same as before. They no longer had enough power to defend themselves against the powerful Sun Moon Empire. Without reinforcements and support from Shrek Academy, they would never have been able to hold onto their remaining land.
It’s too late. It’s probably over. We’re done.
At this instant, someone placed his hand on the White Tiger Duke’s shoulder. The White Tiger Duke opened his eyes and turned around to face Xu Jiawei, the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire.
For some strange reason, Xu Jiawei was actually smiling right now.
“Your Majesty, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t manage to protect our last chance of defending the Star Luo Empire.” Tears started to well up in the White Tiger Duke’s eyes.
Xu Jiawei shook his head and sighed. “I knew this day would come eventually. I am already grateful to you for giving me hope—even if it was for only a day. From the look of things, there is no way the Sun Moon Empire would let either of us go. Let’s get our troops to retreat. Regardless of the outcome, we should not let the blood of the talents from Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect flow because of this battle. After all, they are the future hope of our continent. Do you still remember what I said yesterday?”
The White Tiger Duke nodded silently. He knew that Xu Jiawei was right. The most important thing they should be doing now was to preserve whatever fighting power they had. From the beginning of the war until now, the Sun Moon Empire had never attacked Shrek City. In addition, they had never launched an all-out attack on anyone from Shrek Academy. As long as the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy were still around, the three original empires of the Douluo Continent would still have hope.
The White Tiger Duke gritted his teeth and shouted, “Retreat!”
The signal to retreat was immediately released above Star Luo City. As the signal lit up the sky above the city, the hearts of the soldiers and soul masters who were fighting at the front line sank.
Everyone knew what retreating meant. It seemed like this war was really about to end. This meant that the continent was finally going to be united by a single empire.
Elder Xuan sighed as he transformed back into his human form. He glared at Kong Deming, who was not too far away from him, as he spoke. “We did not manage to decide who is the stronger one between us. If not for the Academy, I would really want to know what other powers a Class 10 soul engineer possesses.”
“We’ll have plenty of time for that in the future,” Kong Deming replied plainly, “you can tell your people to stop fighting now.”
Elder Xuan nodded.
Very soon, the fights and battles that were going on on the battlefield stopped. The Sun Moon Empire also stopped attacking the soul engineers from Shrek Academy, the Tang Sect, and the other empires.
Now that the war had progressed to this stage, it was no longer possible for the Star Luo Empire to turn the tables. It was all over. The only thing everyone could do was wait for the consequences to hit them.
Elder Xuan naturally stopped fighting because he also wanted to preserve the power of the Academy! There was no longer any meaning in continuing the battle. At the end of the day, Shrek Academy was still a very powerful entity. There was no reason for the Sun Moon Empire to challenge the academy.
Even if they were to conquer the entire continent, it was not possible for them to overlook the power of the academy. At the end of the day, even if Huo Yuhao and Tang Wutong were missing, they had to account for the powerful soul masters which had once graduated from Shrek. In fact, there were many powerful soul masters who had once studied at the prestigious Shrek Academy in the land that had been conquered by the Sun Moon Empire. After all, Shrek Academy was a place which was revered by all soul masters. It would be political suicide for the Sun Moon Empire to attack the Academy and slay their members.
On top of that, there was no longer a need for the Sun Moon Empire to do so. In fact, they already had the entire continent under their control. No matter how powerful Shrek City was, they would never be able to influence the outcome. It would be wise for them to keep Shrek City around so as to appease the powerful soul masters who had graduated from the Academy.
After all, they would only trigger a violent response from what was left of the three empires by destroying their last remaining hope.
Hence, Kong Deming also instructed the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion to cease fire after Elder Xuan commanded his people to stand down. They allowed the soul masters from Shrek Academy, the Tang Sect, and the Star Luo Empire to retreat safely.
Ju Zi flew to the front line under the protection of her personal guards and stopped next to Kong Deming. There was a mixture of anticipation and relief in her facial expression. She had been waiting for this moment for far too long. She not only wanted to conquer the entire continent, but she also wanted to exact the revenge she had been looking forward to for a long time!
Ju Zi took in a deep breath before turning around to look at the Star Luo Empire. “Pass my orders. I want Star Luo City to hand us the White Tiger Duke. Get the Star Luo Empire to surrender to us.”
Kong Deming looked at Ju Zi as he revealed a faint smile before nodding.
