Douluo Continent: Speaker above, Dragon God kneels to receive orders

Chapter 28 A Nighttime Conspiracy: Coveting Divine Power

In Mingdu, it was pitch black; the clouds hung low, and not a single star could be seen. Something terrible was about to happen to this city.

Deep underground, in a sealed chamber heavily guarded by numerous restrictions, the air was stagnant, cold, and foul. This was not the Spirit Pagoda, but the stronghold of the Holy Spirit Cult's Mingdu branch.

In the center of the secret chamber stood a throne, made of bones and obsidian. A person sat upon it.

He wore a dark gold robe, and a hood covered his face, revealing only two shimmering green eyes. He made no sound, but the air around him seemed to swirl, as if even light feared him.

The leader of the Holy Spirit Cult, the Ghost Emperor.

He tapped lightly on the armrest of the throne. With each tap, the air vibrated, as if an invisible hammer was striking one's heart.

"The eternal east wind, you're late."

The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to come from underground, carrying a chilling aura that echoed through the sealed room.

The space in front of him rippled, and the Ancient East Wind slowly emerged. The Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda, a level 99 Limit Douluo, showed no arrogance at this moment, wearing a perfectly measured smile and bowing slightly.

"Master, please forgive me." Qian Gu Dongfeng lowered his voice, "Something happened at the Federal Parliament. That kid Mo Runshu caused quite a stir, and I had to put on a show to smooth things over, which is why it's too late."

"Hmph, putting on an act?" The Ghost Emperor sneered, a green light flashing beneath his hood. "You mean that orange-gold spirit ring? Qian Gu Dong Feng, you've got some nerve, daring to plot against a ferocious beast's spirit. To play along with your act, I specially disguised my eighth and ninth spirit rings as orange-gold, sacrificing a considerable amount of my own power."

"For the greater cause, this sacrifice is worthwhile." Qian Gu Dongfeng straightened up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "Moreover, it was precisely because of this 'evidence' that Mo Runshu kept his eyes on the Spirit Pagoda, thus missing the real killing move."

"The real killing move?" The Ghost Emperor raised an eyebrow, leaning forward, a terrifying pressure enveloping the entire secret chamber. "You mean those three level-twelve fixed-position soul-guided cannon shells?"

"That's right." Qian Gu Dongfeng took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly. "The Federation has been secretly researching for decades, spending countless resources, and has finally created three level twelve god-killing fixed-position soul-guided cannon shells."

He walked to the large map in the center of the secret chamber, his finger trembling as he pointed to the location of the Temple of War.

"These three shells are currently stored in the deepest part of the Temple of War, under the personal supervision of the Temple Master, Chen Xinjie."

"Chen Xinjie?" The Ghost Emperor stopped what he was doing, frowned, and said, "That Vast Ocean Douluo? Although he's level ninety-nine, he's old after all. I heard his body is failing. What's there to be afraid of?"

"Master, we must not be careless!" Qian Gu Dongfeng shook his head. "Chen Xinjie is no ordinary Limit Douluo. He is the patriarch of the Sea God Clan and possesses the Sea God Helmet, a divine artifact personally crafted by the Sea God Tang San. His strength is already at the quasi-god level, comparable to, or even surpassing, the Sky-Supporting Douluo Yun Ming of yesteryear. In the Federation, he is the true top-tier combat force."

Upon hearing "quasi-god," the Ghost Emperor's eyes turned serious. Quasi-god level powerhouses are infinitely close to gods, possessing divine consciousness and the ability to manipulate the primordial energy of heaven and earth—far beyond the reach of ordinary Limit Douluo.

"A quasi-god..." the Ghost Emperor muttered to himself, "No wonder the Federation dared to entrust such a dangerous thing to him. But this is also our opportunity. Killing a quasi-god level expert and then seizing the god-slaying weapon would be a devastating blow to the Federation."

"Exactly!" Qian Gu Dongfeng's eyes revealed deep fear and greed. "The top-secret assessment of the Federal Supreme Research Institute says that the power of these three shells is beyond what ordinary people can imagine."

"Two of them are called 'Heaven and Earth Destroy' and 'Heaven and Earth Devour.' Although they are marked as level twelve, the energy they unleash can tear space apart. Once detonated, the entire area within a hundred miles will become a dead zone, and even a level three god would die."

The Ghost Emperor's pupils contracted. A third-level deity—that was something from legend—could actually be killed by a mortal's weapon?

"But that's not the scariest thing." Qian Gu Dong Feng lowered his voice to a minimum, as if afraid of disturbing something, "The one in the middle is called 'Eternal Heaven'... It's powerful enough to kill a second-level deity."

"What?!"

The Ghost Emperor suddenly stood up, his black robes fluttering without wind, and death energy erupted, causing the walls to vibrate and hum.

"Kill a second-level god? Are you sure?" The Ghost Emperor's voice was filled with disbelief. "That's a demigod, or even a true god. How could a mere soul tool possibly do that?"

"Absolutely true!" Qian Gu Dongfeng nodded firmly. "That is the culmination of ten thousand years of soul-guided technology of the Sun Moon Empire, a true forbidden zone of the gods. Master, think about it, if we had these three cannonballs in our hands, not to mention Shrek Academy, even the gods wouldn't dare to mess with us."

Upon hearing this, the Ghost Emperor's eyes gleamed with an intense green light, his greed becoming undisguised. He had spent his entire life pursuing the ultimate power, seeking to break through the limits of mortals. This "Eternal Heaven" was his shortcut.

"What do you intend to do?" The Ghost Emperor sat down again, his tone urgent. "That's the Temple of War, its defenses are no less than Shrek Academy's. Moreover, Chen Xinjie is a quasi-god, protected by divine artifacts. Stealing something from under his nose will be difficult."

"Forced entry is out of the question," Qian Gu Dongfeng said with a smirk. "But if we let him take the shells out himself, that's a different story."

"Oh?" The Ghost Emperor leaned forward. "Speak."

"Mo Runshu is now eager to consolidate power, and wants to use yesterday's assassination attempt to completely suppress Shrek Academy, Tang Sect, and Spirit Pagoda." Qian Gu Dongfeng drew a circle on the map with his finger. "I will go to Chen Xinjie under the pretext of 'clarifying misunderstandings.' I will tell him that the Spirit Pagoda has accurate intelligence that Shrek Academy is being secretly rebuilt, and that Tang Sect already has the technology to counter level 12 soul-guided cannons."

"I would advise Chen Xinjie that, for the sake of federal security, these three shells must be moved to a safer location, or a preemptive strike should be launched against Shrek."

"Once the shells are moved, or Chen Xinjie leaves the Temple of War to deploy his operations, that will be our opportunity." A cold glint flashed in Qian Gu Dongfeng's eyes. "Master, your 'Nine Ghosts Soul-Chasing Nails' excels at stealthy assassinations, while my 'Dragon-Panning Staff' excels at penetrating defenses. As long as we join forces to intercept them on the way, these three shells will be ours."

After hearing this, the Ghost Emperor let out a low laugh that sent chills down everyone's spine.

"Eternal East Wind, you truly are an ambitious man." The Ghost Emperor stood up, his dark gold robe fluttering even without wind. "You want to use the Federation's cannonballs to achieve your ambition of unifying the continent, and I also want to take this opportunity to weaken the Federation and Shrek Academy. I'll take this deal."

"However..." The Ghost Emperor changed his tone, his figure vanished instantly, and the next second he appeared in front of Qian Gu Dongfeng, the two of them less than a foot apart.

An aura of death swept over them. Qian Gu Dongfeng's expression changed slightly, but he did not back down, staring directly into the Ghost Emperor's eerie green eyes.

"But what?" Qian Gu Dong Feng asked in a deep voice.

"However, I need your guarantee that after you get the shells, 'Eternal Heaven' will belong to my Holy Spirit Cult." The Ghost Emperor's voice was icy cold and brooked no negotiation. "The other two, 'Heaven and Earth Destroy' and 'Devouring Heaven and Earth,' are yours."

Qian Gu Dongfeng's heart sank. The Eternal Heaven could kill a level two god, making it far more valuable than the other two. But he knew he had no choice at this moment.

"Fine!" Qian Gu Dong Feng gritted his teeth. "The Eternal Heaven belongs to the leader, and the other two are mine."

"Not only that." The Ghost Emperor extended his withered finger and pointed it at Qian Gu Dongfeng's chest. "I want you to kill Chen Xinjie with your own hands. I want to see your complete betrayal of the Federation as a sign of sincerity in our cooperation. Only blood can water the flower of trust. And I also want to see whether your Panlong Staff is harder, or his Sea God Helmet."

Qian Gu Dongfeng's pupils contracted slightly. Killing a quasi-god level expert and seizing a god-slaying weapon was like dealing with a tiger for its skin. But for those three cannonballs that could change the course of the battle, he had to take the risk.

"Good!" Qian Gu Dongfeng uttered another word, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "I will personally deliver Chen Xinjie's head to the leader."

"Hahahaha! Good! Good! Good!" The Ghost Emperor said "good" three times in a row, and the oppressive aura around him slowly dissipated. "Since you and I have reached this consensus, let's begin. I will arrange for the four Dark Heavenly Kings of the sect to cooperate with you, to ensure that everything goes smoothly."

"Rest assured, Master." Qian Gu Dongfeng bowed. "As for Mo Runshu..."

"Mo Runshu?" A hint of disdain flashed in the Ghost Emperor's eyes. "That kid has some tricks up his sleeve, but they're all useless against absolute power. Besides, isn't he already causing us trouble? Let him cause us even more trouble then."

The Ghost Emperor raised his hand, and a cloud of black mist condensed at his fingertips, within which a hideous ghost face could be vaguely seen.

"I will have my disciples create chaos throughout Mingdu, muddying the waters. Then everyone's attention will be drawn to that; who will care about the War God Temple's movements?"

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!" Qian Gu Dong Feng exclaimed. "The leader's feint attack was a stroke of genius."

"Alright, let's go." The Ghost Emperor waved his hand, turned around and walked back to his throne. "Remember, the meeting will take place outside the Temple of War in three days, on the night of the full moon. If you miss the appointed time, don't blame me for turning my back on you."

"Yes." Qian Gu Dongfeng dared not delay. With a flicker, he transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the secret chamber.

After the ancient east wind passed, the secret chamber returned to its deathly silence.

The Ghost Emperor sat upright on his throne, slowly removing his hood to reveal a pale, bloodless face. A strange black mark adorned the center of his forehead—the insignia of the Holy Spirit Cult leader.

"Eternal Heaven... slaying a second-level god..." the Ghost Emperor muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism. "If I could obtain such power, I would have a fighting chance even against the Lord of that plane. Thousand-Year East Wind, oh Thousand-Year East Wind, you think you're using me, but you don't know that you are the stepping stone for my ascension to the throne. Once I obtain the Eternal Heaven, the first person I'll kill will be you."

He clenched his fist tightly, and the black mist in his hand exploded, turning into countless black blades that pierced the surrounding walls.

"Pass on my orders!" the Ghost Emperor roared at the air. "Summon the Four Dark Kings and prepare for action. This time, I will plunge the entire Ming Capital into blood and fear."

"Yes, ma'am."

In the darkness, four cold voices rang out simultaneously, and then fell silent.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Federal Parliament building.

Federal Speaker Mo Runshu stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the dark night sky outside, his brow furrowed. Behind him stood a man in a crisp military uniform, his epaulets gleaming with stars.

This person is the Major General Director of the Investigation and Statistics Bureau of the Federal Central Military Commission, responsible for the highest level of intelligence and counter-espionage work.

"Speaker, according to the information relayed by the 'sleeper agent' planted inside the Spirit Pagoda, Qian Gu Dongfeng did indeed secretly enter and leave a Holy Spirit Cult stronghold last night." The Major General Director handed over a top-secret document, his voice low. "Although we didn't hear the specific content of the conversation, judging from Qian Gu Dongfeng's expression when he left, he seems to have reached an important deal."

Mo Runshu took the document, but didn't open it, casually placing it on the table. His gaze remained fixed on the view outside the window.

"A transaction? It's nothing more than an exchange of power and interests." Mo Runshu sneered. "Qian Gu Dongfeng wants to use the Holy Spirit Cult to eliminate dissidents, and the Ghost Emperor wants to use Qian Gu Dongfeng to get what they want. They think they are playing this game, but they don't know that I set up the chessboard."

"Speaker, what about Senior Chen Xinjie..." The major general director asked with some concern, "Should we remind Senior Chen to strengthen his defenses?"

"No." Mo Runshu turned around, his heterochromatic eyes flashing with determination. "Not only can we not remind him, we also have to cooperate with Qian Gu Dongfeng to play this role well. Only when he thinks that Senior Chen is alone will he show his fangs."

"But……"

"Don't worry." Mo Runshu walked up to the major general and patted him on the shoulder. "I've already made the arrangements. Senior Chen is overseeing things at the Temple of War. After all, he's a quasi-god level expert. As long as we can hold them off for a while, your 'Allied Forces' special operations team can be activated. This time, I'm going to make sure they don't leave alive."

He raised his head and looked in the direction of the Temple of War, a cold killing intent flashing in his eyes.

"Eternal East Wind, Ghost Emperor, you thought I was on the first level, but you don't know that I'm on the fifth level. This game has only just begun."