With Qian Daoliu's arrival, more individuals quickly returned to Spirit City throughout the day to provide reinforcements, including several high-ranking soul masters who had been away on missions.
Spirit City was the symbol of all soul masters, the heart of the Spirit Empire, and the only true unified government on the Douluo Continent for tens of thousands of years. It was a place where the will of the people converged.
Inside the city, every individual swiftly prepared for battle. Weapons were distributed, and the 300,000-strong army took their positions on the massive city walls, stationed in a disciplined manner.
Spirit City was a natural fortress. The walls stood at a towering 80 meters, and the thickness exceeded 30 meters—a structure clearly built with the threat of soul beasts in mind. The soul beast race had one fundamental weakness: they lacked the ability to construct siege weaponry like a human army. If they wished to breach Spirit City, they would have to throw their lives at the walls or climb over the corpses of their own kind.
Of course, the soul beasts had a number of flying creatures, but their numbers were far fewer than expected. Unlike Title Douluo, who could fly freely, or human aerial soul masters who could provide airborne support, the soul beast race lacked such a coordinated advantage in the sky.
Heavenly Academy
Several flying soul masters pushed their flight speeds to the limit, disregarding soul power consumption. In less than a day, they arrived at Heavenly Academy to request aid.
Leading them was a Soul Douluo with the Martial Soul: Golden Eagle. In terms of speed, he was not much slower than White Crane of the Speed Clan.
Upon arriving at Heavenly Academy, the Golden Eagle Douluo urgently sought assistance. However, the academy members were taken aback.
The mighty Spirit Empire, the force that unified the entire Douluo Continent, possessing countless Title Douluo—why would they need help?
The Golden Eagle Douluo quickly explained the dire situation in Spirit City. Countless soul beasts were attacking, and Di Tian, the most terrifying Ferocious Beast, was leading the charge.
After hearing this, the room fell into silence.
Neither Yang Wudi nor the others spoke a word.
In theory, most people in the room had grievances against the Spirit Empire.
Not only Breaking Clan and Defense Clan, but even the former Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo—harbored deep hatred for the Spirit Empire. If not for their current situation, why would they have been forced to hide in the remote Almo Mountains of the Northern Extreme Lands?
Now, the Spirit Empire was actually seeking aid from Heavenly Academy? It was almost laughable.
To Ning Fengzhi and the others, they were more inclined to aid the soul beast army in exterminating Spirit Empire's experts rather than helping their enemies survive. The fact that they weren't actively sabotaging them was already an act of restraint.
Seeing that no one was moved by his plea, Golden Eagle Douluo anxiously begged,
"Dean Yang, may I ask where Yang Podi is? I need to meet him in person."
The group exchanged glances.
If there was one person who might have an interest in this situation, it would indeed be Yang Podi.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Yang Wudi finally spoke.
"Apologies. Podi left some time ago, and even I do not know his whereabouts."
Of course, after listening to Golden Eagle Douluo's report, the group quickly realized something:
Yang Podi had already anticipated this crisis long ago.
Before leaving Heavenly Academy, Yang Podi had made extensive preparations.
Most notably, he had brought back Yang Tianyue and Yang Ping'an from the Slaughter City, ensuring that Yang Tianyue remained at the academy to hold the line.
Moreover, with the Sea God's Trident in her possession, even if Di Tian himself attacked, he would not have an easy time.
Ning Fengzhi and the others couldn't help but admire Yang Podi's foresight. It was likely that he had long anticipated the possibility of a soul beast assault and had taken precautions well in advance.
Not only had he reinforced Heavenly Academy, but he had also personally overseen the manufacturing of a large stockpile of soul-guided explosives—a powerful deterrent against a large-scale assault.
However, all of these defensive measures were meant to safeguard Heavenly Academy, not to waste resources aiding Spirit City.
Seeing that no one in the academy was willing to act, Yang Wudi sighed deeply.
If they did nothing, and the soul beast race emerged victorious, they would undoubtedly turn their forces toward Heavenly Academy next.
Conversely, if the Spirit Empire triumphed, they would no longer tolerate Heavenly Academy's neutral stance.
In the end, doing nothing was not an option.
Furthermore, this conflict would decide the fate of the human race. As humans, they could not stand idly by and let soul beasts wipe out humanity.
After a long pause, Yang Wudi's gaze shifted toward the seemingly idle Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo had originally intended to just watch the excitement, but he hadn't expected Yang Wudi to look at him. As old brothers who had spent years together, he immediately understood Yang Wudi's meaning.
After pondering for a moment, Dugu Bo finally spoke: "I've been feeling a little restless lately. I might as well make a trip to Spirit City. As for how much help I can provide, I can't guarantee anything."
Golden Eagle Douluo was overjoyed. Among all the people in Heavenly Academy, the one he truly wanted to invite was Dugu Bo. After all, Dugu Bo was renowned as invincible in group battles, making him highly effective against lower-level spirit beasts.
At that moment, Ye Lingling suddenly spoke up: "Grandpa Dugu, I'll go with you. Lately, I feel like I've hit a bottleneck. Maybe by participating in some battles, I can accumulate experience and strive for a breakthrough."
Ye Lingling was a healing-type Spirit Master. Since Spirit City was in crisis, that also meant Qian Renxue was in danger. The two were rivals in love, yet there was a sense of mutual appreciation between them. Qian Renxue's cold and stubborn personality was the complete opposite of hers.
Moreover, as the inheritor of the Goddess of Life, she needed to gain more combat experience and witness grand battles. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to inherit the position of God-King in the future.
Yang Tianyue, who had been tempering her killing intent recently, was eager for battle and quickly said, "Grandfather, Granduncle, why don't I also go to Spirit City? I should be able to provide some help."
Yang Wudi and Niu Gao simultaneously scolded, "Nonsense! What's a child like you going there for? Have you forgotten your brother's orders? You must focus on controlling your killing intent. How can you go to such a battlefield of slaughter?"
Yang Tianyue could only pout. Though she felt unhappy, she couldn't defy her elder brother's arrangements.
In fact, Yang Tianyue was currently the strongest among all the students of Skyward Academy, serving as its stabilizing force. How could she disregard her own family to help others?
At this moment, Yang Zhentian suddenly said, "Father, I'll go with Senior Dugu. With me there, Lingling will be safer."
Yang Wudi nodded slightly in thought. Since Ye Lingling was going, having his son there would ensure the safety of both his future granddaughters-in-law.
Moreover, if Yang Zhentian went, it would also express their stance. Future interactions with the Spirit Empire would become easier.
At that moment, Ning Fengzhi, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke, "Uncle Jian, please make a trip to Spirit City as well."
Everyone was surprised. Others joining the battle was understandable, but Ning Fengzhi's request for Sword Douluo to go was unexpected. After all, Sword Douluo had once lost an arm to the Spirit Empire, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had been destroyed by them. Their enmity ran deep.
Even Sword Douluo himself hesitated. "Fengzhi, is this really appropriate? My relationship with the Spirit Empire isn't good. If I go, we might start fighting among ourselves first."
Recently, Sword Douluo had been living well at Heavenly Academy. His severed arm had been healed, and his spirit power had risen close to Rank 98. With the academy's abundant resources, breaking through was within reach. Why had Ning Fengzhi suddenly made such a request?
But Ning Fengzhi shook his head and said, "Uncle Jian, there are priorities in life. As members of humanity, we must have a broader perspective. Though we hold grudges against the Spirit Empire, we must make choices in the face of the greater good."
Everyone's expressions darkened upon hearing this. They couldn't help but think: Ning Fengzhi, do you really have the nerve to talk about the greater good? Are you planning to use this opportunity to stab the Spirit Empire in the back?
Even Golden Eagle Douluo found it unbelievable. He had come to request reinforcements, but he wouldn't have dared to seek help from the former Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Yang Wudi, after some thought, understood Ning Fengzhi's intentions. "Alright, then let's trouble Sword Douluo to make this trip."
Having served as the academy's dean for a long time, Yang Wudi had come to understand some of Ning Fengzhi's thoughts and agreed to the arrangement.
Sword Douluo was currently at the peak of Rank 97. Lately, he had enjoyed sparring at Heavenly Academy, likely intending to use battle to push himself to Rank 98. His Seven Kill Sword was a weapon of slaughter, making the battlefield the most suitable place for him to break through. Back then, he had reached Rank 97 while fighting four Spirit Hall Titled Douluo. Perhaps this time, the war against the spirit beasts would allow him to reach Rank 98.
Additionally, Ning Fengzhi would never be content with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect lingering at Heavenly Academy forever. If he wanted to send his clan members to rebuild the sect in the future, the Spirit Empire would be an obstacle. Offering assistance now was like sending charcoal in the snow—it might prevent the Spirit Empire from completely rejecting them later.
Furthermore, the Spirit Empire had Bibi Dong and Qian Daoliu, as well as an army of millions. Even in this dire situation, they would eventually turn the tide. They might even use this battle against the spirit beasts to establish their authority.
Thus, after this discussion, Yang Zhentian, Dugu Bo, Sword Douluo, and Ye Lingling accompanied Golden Eagle Douluo to Spirit City as reinforcements, making their stance clear.
In this situation, unless one was a Titled Douluo or a flying Spirit Master, no one else could arrive in time due to their slow speed.
If Yang Wudi knew that this disaster befalling the Spirit Empire was orchestrated by Yang Podi, he might have been so enraged that he coughed up blood.
Spirit City
In just an hour, the six walls of Spirit City had been surrounded by countless spirit beasts. Many of them were low-level, but their numbers were terrifying. Outside the city, a dense, endless horde of spirit beasts covered the land like a dark tide, creating a heart-palpitating scene.
In the sky, numerous flying spirit beasts hovered menacingly. Only flying Spirit Masters and Titled Douluo could deal with them, as ordinary Spirit Masters couldn't fly, and the 80-meter-high walls couldn't stop aerial attacks.
Even with Qian Daoliu's immense strength, his expression was grave. He had known the invading spirit beasts would be numerous, but their sheer numbers still exceeded everyone's expectations.
As for the ordinary soldiers and Spirit Masters, fear flickered in their eyes. Though they were willing to die for the Spirit Empire, no one wanted to be devoured alive. That fate was worse than death.
Unexpectedly, after surrounding Spirit City, the spirit beast army did not launch an immediate attack. Instead, they strategically deployed their forces, encircling the city from all six directions. The different spirit beast species coordinated their positions, making them seem less like a wild beast tide and more like a disciplined army.
At that moment, a deafening dragon roar resounded in the sky, followed by a booming voice that spread throughout Spirit City:
"Humans! You have harmed our Star Dou Forest's Auspicious Beast. Hand over the culprit at once! Otherwise, we will break through Spirit City and leave none alive!"
"We, the spirit beast race, have come for revenge. Do not resist needlessly. Surrender the criminal, and we shall withdraw immediately."
As the dragon's roar faded, countless spirit beasts howled in unison—dragons, tigers, and even various strange creatures, their cries converging into an earth-shaking cacophony.
Even Qian Daoliu's eyes grew solemn. The sheer volume of beasts was overwhelming.
He exchanged glances with the other Titled Douluo, all of whom were equally stunned.
Normally, spirit beasts were savage and chaotic. Beast tides were not uncommon, but they had never seen such a disciplined force, let alone one that used psychological warfare.
Observing the soldiers' wavering spirits, Qian Daoliu soared into the sky, revealing six golden wings. A massive Six-Winged Angel projection appeared behind him.
Many Spirit Empire warriors knelt in reverence. To them, the Angel was a symbol of purity and justice.
Qian Daoliu's voice rang out powerfully:
"People of the Spirit Empire! I, Qian Daoliu, Supreme Pontiff of the Spirit Empire, declare that the spirit beasts are cunning and cruel! We must not fall for their scheme. To protect our city and our empire, we must not waver!"
A deafening war cry erupted:
"Battle! Battle! Battle!"
The morale of the troops, previously shaken, instantly solidified.
At the same time, the massive Angel Statue in Spirit City radiated divine light, filling the people's hearts with clarity and determination.