Douluo: Martial Soul White Tiger, I am the White Emperor of Heaven

If they don't do this, the will of the Void Source will devour their souls and regain its power, plunging the entire Douluo Continent and the entire plane into an abyss of no return.

But if they do that, they will disappear forever, unable to see the smiling faces of future generations, unable to protect this land, and unable to pass on the will of the martyrs.

“I agree.” Zhao Feng was the first to speak, his voice deep and firm. “A thousand years ago, I chose to protect; a thousand years later, I still choose to protect. For this land, for these future generations, I have no regrets.”

"I agree as well." Lin Mo's voice came through, calm and firm. "It is my honor to fight alongside Lady Qian Renxue and Zhao Feng. If there is an afterlife, let's continue to fight side by side."

Qian Renxue smiled, a warm and relieved smile: "Alright. Then, let's work together to finish the final battle."

The souls of the three began to burn, and golden flames erupted from the phantom, igniting the black tentacles. The black tentacles struggled violently in the golden flames, emitting a hissing, corrosive sound, but the flames burned ever brighter, eventually engulfing the tentacles completely.

The will of the Source of Nothingness roared in fury: "No! You've gone mad! Your souls will self-destruct, and you will vanish forever! You won't even have a chance to be reincarnated!"

“We know,” Qian Renxue said calmly, “but we also know that some things are more important than life, more precious than reincarnation.”

“That is protection,” Zhao Feng continued.

“That is belief,” Lin Mo continued.

The three voices rang out simultaneously, firm and powerful: "That is the immortality of heroes, the unceasing protection!"

"boom--!"

A deafening roar, powerful enough to shatter a plane, erupted as the souls of the three simultaneously exploded. Golden flames transformed into a colossal golden pillar of light, soaring into the sky. The pillar pierced through the very space of their souls, penetrated the depths of the earth, pierced the surface, and shot straight into the heavens. The entire Douluo Continent could see that golden pillar of light, and the entire continent could feel its terrifying energy fluctuations.

The will of the Source of Nothingness struggled frantically in the golden flames, letting out a mournful howl, but the flames burned ever brighter, completely purifying every vestige of its consciousness. The black light rapidly dissipated within the golden flames, and the Seed of Nothingness utterly collapsed, transforming into countless black specks of light, which were then purified by the golden flames.

The golden beam of light lasted for a full quarter of an hour before slowly dissipating.

The moment the golden pillar of light dissipated, the entire Douluo Continent fell into a deathly silence.

On the ground, the crowd in the square remained with their heads tilted back, their eyes temporarily blinded by the golden beam of light, tears streaming uncontrollably down their faces. No one spoke, no one moved, and everyone felt something vanish in that instant—not the Seed of Nothingness, but something more precious, something warmer.

Su Chen knelt on the ground, his hands supporting him, his whole body trembling violently. Qian Renxue's last words echoed in his mind, a voice gentle yet firm, carrying a power that transcended life and death—the sound of a burning soul, the sound of a life sacrifice.

"No..." Su Chen's lips trembled, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible, "It shouldn't be like this... Commander Zhao Feng... Lord Lin Mo... Lady Qian Renxue..."

His tears fell drop by drop to the ground, kicking up fine dust. He was the strategist of the Heavenly Dou Empire, having endured countless life-or-death trials and witnessed too many comrades sacrifice themselves. He thought he had long since become numb to death. But at this moment, he realized he was wrong. When those heroes he had admired and followed for a century truly vanished, his heart still ached as if it were being torn apart. Ares stood behind Su Chen, this barbarian warrior who never shed tears, now with red eyes and clenched fists that cracked. He didn't understand soul fusion, he didn't understand the source of nothingness; he only knew that three people he considered family had left forever.

“Su Chen…” Ares’s voice was low and hoarse, “Will they… come back?”

Su Chen didn't answer. He couldn't answer. Because he knew better than anyone what a soul self-destruction meant. It was an end where even the very essence of the soul was utterly shattered; there was no reincarnation, no rebirth, not even a remnant soul would remain. Qian Renxue, Zhao Feng, and Lin Mo would completely vanish from this world, as if they had never existed.

The silence in the square lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Then, someone spoke first, and an old voice trembled as it began to sing a song:

"The spirit of heroes will never fade; the heart of guardianship will be passed down from generation to generation..."

That was an ode to the martyrs, a song created by the people of the mainland to commemorate the heroes after that great battle a thousand years ago. The old man's voice was hoarse and trembling, like a gust of wind that could be blown away at any moment, but the emotions contained in the song were as deep as the sea.

More and more people joined in, and the voices transformed from soft murmurs into a loud chorus, spreading from the center of the square to its edges, from the city to the countryside, and from the ground to the sky.

"The spirit of heroes will never fade; the heart of guardianship will be passed down from generation to generation. Their blood stained the mountains and rivers, their souls returned to their homeland, their heroic names are immortal, shining through the ages..."

The voices of tens of thousands of people converged, transforming into an invisible force that pierced the clouds and penetrated space, drifting towards the place where the golden lights had dissipated. No one knew if the song would reach the ears of those fallen heroes, but everyone believed it would.

Because the belief has never faded.

The original space of the soul has completely collapsed.

The endless white light vanished, the fragments of memory vanished, and the sealed Seed of Nothingness vanished as well. In its place lay a void of darkness, nothingness, nothingness. But in the deepest part of this nothingness, three souls on the verge of dissipation were bidding their final farewell.

Qian Renxue's illusory soul was so transparent that it was almost invisible. Her angel wings were long since shattered, her divine crown had long since fallen off, and her face was so blurred that only an outline remained. But her voice was still clear, still gentle, and still carried the nobility and dignity of an angel god.

"Zhao Feng, Lin Mo." Qian Renxue's voice echoed in the darkness, sounding like she was speaking, yet also like she was murmuring, "Thank you."

Zhao Feng's phantom was also transparent. His battle axe, which he never parted with, had disappeared, and his armor, which never faded, was broken. But his back was still straight, and his eyes were still firm, just like when he led the heroic army to charge into the enemy lines a thousand years ago.

"Lady Qianrenxue, there's no need for thanks." Zhao Feng's voice was deep and calm. "It is my greatest honor to follow you in your battles for a thousand years."

Lin Mo's phantom image was also dissipating. His martial soul, Holy Angel Spirit Abyss Dragon Emperor, had returned to its original soul source. His body was no longer surrounded by lightning, but his smile remained warm, just like when he saved that little girl on the streets of Tiandou City a hundred years ago.

"Lady Qianrenxue, Zhao Feng," Lin Mo's voice carried a hint of amusement, "If there is an afterlife, we will fight side by side again." (End of Chapter)