Chapter 797
Ren Xue
The people's eyes were filled with respect and gratitude. Many elderly people and children bowed deeply to the procession. Cries and thanks mingled together, and the originally somber procession finally gained a touch of warmth.
A young child tugged at the Soul Master's sleeve, looking up at him with an innocent face and asking, "Uncle, are you heroes? You defeated the bad guys and protected us, right?"
The Soul Master, whose face had been heavy, smiled gently when asked the question. He knelt down, patted the child's head, and said in a soft voice, "We are not heroes. The real heroes are those who can never come back. We just protected this peace for them."
Lin Mo and Zhao Feng witnessed this scene, and their grief was gradually replaced by a resolute strength. They understood that all the sacrifices were worthwhile, all the perseverance was meaningful, and it was because of their struggle that these people enjoyed peace and the continent had a chance to thrive. This peace, they had to protect with all their might to the very end.
Half a month later, the team finally arrived at the central area of Douluo Continent. The construction of the Martyrs' Shrine was already taking shape. A huge monument stood in front of the shrine, and craftsmen were engraving the names of the sacrificed Soul Masters stroke by stroke. Each name represented a vivid life and a fearless perseverance.
Lin Mo and Zhao Feng personally attended the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Martyrs' Shrine. The emperors of the two great empires, the leaders of various sects, and countless ordinary people gathered there, creating a solemn and respectful atmosphere. Lin Mo stood before the monument and slowly addressed the crowd, his voice steady and powerful, resonating throughout the entire square:
"Today, we gather here to pay tribute to the heroes who sacrificed themselves to protect the continent and seal the source of nothingness. They came from different sects and different empires, including titled Douluo who were over a hundred years old, Soul Saints and Soul Douluo in their prime, and young Soul Masters who were only teenagers. They could have lived peaceful lives, but in times of crisis, they stepped forward and used their flesh and blood to block the catastrophe of nothingness, exchanging their lives for the peace we enjoy today."
"They are true heroes, the backbone of the continent. Their names will be engraved on this monument, forever immortal. Their beliefs will be integrated into this land, becoming the strength that propels us forward. Here, I swear, I, Lin Mo, will dedicate my life to guarding the Void Seal, inheriting and protecting this belief, never allowing the power of the Void to wreak havoc on the world again, and never allowing the sacrifices of these heroes to be in vain!"
"I, Zhao Feng, also swear that in this life I will temper myself, uphold my beliefs, protect the people of the continent, follow Lin Mo, guard the defense line, and inherit the will of the martyrs until my death!" Zhao Feng then spoke, his voice resounding, his battle axe planted firmly on the ground, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.
All the Soul Masters present knelt on one knee and shouted in unison: "We swear to inherit the will of the heroes and protect the peace of the continent until our dying breath!"
The shouts echoed through the sky, lingering for a long time. People wept, bowing deeply before the monument. The entire square was enveloped in a tragic yet resolute atmosphere. At this moment, the belief in protection took root in everyone's heart, becoming a new spiritual legacy for the Douluo Continent.
…………
After the completion of the Martyrs' Shrine, the Douluo Continent gradually regained its former vitality. The shadow of war slowly dissipated, and the major sects began to reorganize their internal forces. The two great empires devoted themselves to restoring people's livelihoods, and the people lived in peace and contentment, presenting a harmonious scene. However, Lin Mo and Zhao Feng never relaxed their efforts in the slightest. As agreed, Lin Mo stayed at the Holy Dragon Zhenxu Palace, returning to the continent from the Void Desert once a month to inspect the major defense lines, guide young Soul Masters in their cultivation, and at the same time integrate the strength of the major sects to form a special "Zhenxu Army" to guard the Void Seal and resist evil spirits. Zhao Feng served as the commander, selecting Soul Masters with firm will and strong strength to join the army, training them day and night to deal with any possible crises.
Zhao Feng led the Zhenxu Army in rigorous training to hone their combat capabilities. At the same time, he conducted in-depth research on the weaknesses of void creatures and the characteristics of void power. Combining the restraining effects of divine power and the power of belief, he compiled a special technique for resisting void, which he taught to the soul masters of the Zhenxu Army and various sects, so that everyone could master the method of resisting void power and prevent problems before they occur.
Time flies, and five years have passed in the blink of an eye.
In five years, Lin Mo's strength had broken through to the Limit Douluo realm, making him the undisputed strongest person on the continent. The power fused with the Spirit Abyss Dragon Emperor and the power of the Angels was already at a state of perfection; he could purify countless evil spirits with a mere wave of his hand. Under his protection, the seal of the golden array remained as stable as Mount Tai, without the slightest fluctuation. Zhao Feng also broke through to the top-tier Title Douluo realm, his power of conviction becoming increasingly refined. Under his leadership, the Zhenxu Army had become the most elite fighting force on the continent, disciplined and powerful, guarding every line of defense.
The younger generation of Soul Masters also grew up rapidly. Those young Soul Masters who survived the decisive battle, after being tempered by the flames of war, made great strides in strength and became the backbone of the Zhenxu Army. They kept in mind the will of the martyrs, cultivated diligently, and wholeheartedly protected the continent, without the restlessness and slackness of peacetime.
Behind the seemingly peaceful facade, undercurrents are quietly surging.
On this day, Lin Mo was meditating in the Holy Dragon Zhenxu Palace when the Angel Heart in his arms suddenly began to pound violently, its golden halo flashing wildly. A faint yet extremely eerie aura of nothingness seeped out through the gaps in the sealing formation and was instantly sensed by the Angel Heart. Lin Mo abruptly opened his eyes, a trace of solemnity flashing in them. His aura instantly erupted, dragon might and divine power intertwining, instantly enveloping the entire Zhenxu Palace.
"Something's not right. How could there be a leak of void energy from the seal?" Lin Mo flashed and instantly appeared in front of the golden array. He gathered power at his fingertips, touched the surface of the array, and carefully examined it.
The formation remained stable, the triple seals unbroken, and the aura of the Void Origin remained faint, firmly imprisoned at its core. Logically, there should have been no way for the Void Origin to leak out. However, the warning from the Angel's Heart was not false. That strange aura, though faint, carried a chilling quality completely different from the Void Origin, more like... coming from the depths of the Void Space, rather than the sealed Void Origin itself.
Lin Mo frowned, focusing all his attention on probing the faint aura. Finally, deep underground at the edge of the formation, he detected something unusual. The spatial barrier there had extremely fine cracks, not left from the final battle, but recently appeared. The strange, ethereal aura was seeping from these spatial cracks, not leaking from within the seal.
"A spatial rift? Another passage through the void?" Lin Mo's heart sank, instantly realizing the gravity of the situation. (End of Chapter)