Chapter 124: Soul Land 1 (Finale)

Chapter 124: Soul Land 1 (Finale)

Word count = 4151 on 12/8/2023 (New longest chappy ever im pooped)

The spirit Hall competition gets underway as Shrek is quickly faced off against the main Star Luo team which causes Dai MuBai and Zhu Zhuqing to unite in their hatred for the place and the people in the team. Seeing their united spirit, the grandmaster teaches them a formation which would allow them to channel their spirit power to a single target which was decided upon being Tang San since he is the 2nd physically strongest in the team and also the 2nd highest spirit power. So he would only need 3-4 of the team to supply him with the energy needed to summon the Clear Sky Hammer Avatar.

Dai Weisi is shocked at his little brother's progress and then leers at the many beauties of the team, even hoping to entice Zhu Zhuqing to follow him along with his betrothed Zhu Zhuyun. Zhuyun instead acts flirty with Tang San but Xiao Wu waves her off with a bit of spirit power. The two quickly learn that they are relatively even with the exception of Tang San and Dugu Yan.

The match starts and ends fairly quickly with Xiao Wu pummeling Zhu Zhuyun, only stopping when Zhuqing holds her back. Xiao Wu did this as retaliation for her flirting with her boyfriend/future husband. As for Zhuqing, she stopped Xiao Wu because she wanted to leave the family killing legacy behind, so having Zhuyun dying now would have made Shrek irreparable with Star Luo. There would have been a chance that they would've sent someone to capture her to marry Dai Weisi to replace her sister in the betroval.

The shrek devils team up to use the martial spirit manifestation to finish off the Star Luo team on a high note as Dai Mubai had been keeping his brother busy this whole time.

The Finals have truly arrived now as the home team of Spirit Hall has arrived and has already faced off against one of the academies that reached this far. They now face off against Shrek to win it all.

Shrek already has a grudge against Spirit Hall for their sneak attack on them during the journey here. Granted Tang San and Xiao Wu have more vested interest in seeing them hurt. Dugu Yan instead has an interest in them after hearing of her grandfather's tales of combat alongside the 'fallen' Blood god of Empyrean. She recognizes that she can't destroy the place on behalf of her grandfather and uncle Xue Tie.

The two teams finally fight and just like canon, Hu Liena tries to bewitch Tang San but easily fails due to the purple demon eyes. He goes to quickly incapacitate her but is blocked by Hu Lienas brother with his half moon blades, barely cutting through the Blue Silver Spirit Emperor. He has to use a ton of energy to sever each strand of blue silver grass that comes at them. They are forced to utilize their own martial spirit fusion, the charm demoness, to send the shrek team into a powerful illusion. Tang San and the others are able to get out with only a bit of struggle, Ma Hongjun was the only one who was beaten up in this time by the Spirit hall team. His irritation combined with the previous fire herb he was given by Tang San some time ago. Causes him to momentarily enter the phoenix state where he becomes skinny and handsome, he quickly unleashes his anger in the form of phoenix flames throughout the arena. This breaks the other members out of the powerful illusion. Ma Hongjun showcases his excellence as he finishes off half the spirit hall team before he runs out of energy and reverts his transformation, passing out [1].

With only 3 members left of the Spirit Team, and 2 are tired from using the spirit fusion technique, they are quickly defeated before Shrek is announced as the winner and receive the spirit bones from the new teenage pope. They order the arrest and capture of Xiao Wu as well as all of Shrek for the crime of harboring a spirit beast. The new pope tries to have this come to the smoothest conclusion by convincing Xiao Wu to become his woman and giving birth to his kids before she sacrifices herself for him or their child. Tang San has heard stories of the old pope from his parents and how Spirit Hall regularly hides their real intentions while showing nice faces. Which is all the more reason that he is enraged by what he hears and moves quickly to punch the young pope who didn't expect this.[2].

Tang San pulls Xiao Wu away while the Shrek academy reunities to escape Spirit City but not before multiple explosions occur throughout the city. A pillar of black flames rise up from the center of the city, just outside of the main Spirit Hall buildings. An audible voice rings out, echoing through the city.

"Alright, my precious [fuck nuggets], it's time to [violently] reappropriate this city from Spirit Hall. Move out." (The bracket parts are audible but as if a split personality chimes in screaming randomly). (side note 2: the first fuck nuggets was the pain the host was undergoing)

The figure who spoke is a disheveled middle aged man who wears a black flame mark on his forehead. His body trembling like a crack addict in need of a high. This is a death row prisoner captured by the Blood Hall to serve as an host or avatar for the God of Death, Xue Tie. To be able to convert a weaker spirit master such as the current disheveled man to be able to wield the death flames. They must give up their own lives (willingly or not) which is why Xue Tie allows him to occasionally speak out like this. It's more akin to a spirit who simply asks the main body to say something but they add on a few extra flavorful words to spice things up before they die.

After the possessed man finished speaking, Tang hao, the Sun Moon Brothers and a few other titled and spirit douluos rush out to attack Spirit hall. The possessed man himself moves to the Spirit arena for the competition that just finished.

The man lands upon the central arena with raven black burning wings on his back.

"SUP bitches [AND GENTLEMEN]. Pardon the intrusion but i am planning to fulfill a once in a lifeteam dream of branding 2 popes with my bitch slapping hand. [YEEEEYAAA]." He begins to slowly walk towards the young pope who is greatly unnerved by the situation when Qian Xunji appears with a frown on his face. His angel wings spread out wide and bestowed light upon the now wartorn city.

"God of Death, must you continue this mortal squabble? My son is already dead and you would now torment my grandson. Spirit hall is also the property of the god of angels and my grandson is considered the current candidate to succeed the god."

"Yea yea, save me the [BULLSHIT] spiel in regards to having the angel god fight me or anything, Bibi Dong would be enough to kick his ass if she was still a mortal but she can only settle for his real body if he starts shit." Xue Tie dismisses the threat of the angel god.

'How about this, give up spirit hall. Settle down in some remote village and raise your family there. You won't have the resources needed to quickly ascend but it will be a peaceful life for your clan to continue praying to your god." Xue Tie proposes an idea as he doesnt really have a grudge with them anymore after killing Qian Xunji.

"Why should I give up the hundreds of years of effort I have put in to create Spirit Hall just to give it all up from your words?" Qian Daoliu questions with venom in his voice.

"[BITCH YOU WON'T], ahem, sorry about that. Re-evaluate your choices, die fighting with your clan being exterminated until a new one rises up some 10 thousand years where they call a pigeon, an angel or something. Or peacefully give up Spirit Hall, save your grandson and settle down somewhere. Maybe you will be allowed to reintegrate into society after a hundred years or so."

Qian Daoliu grinds his teeth in anger but the look of fear on his grandsons face is all the tell he needs to make his choice.

"Third choice, I die and take you with me. My grandson goes free" Qian Daoliu summons his golden blade and moves to strike Xue Tie's avatar.

"[DUMBASS], indeed, you do realize this is just an avatar of my power and your grandson is not capable enough to survive on his own. Your the only deterrent against the forces that aren't under my control for his longevity" He responds with a black flame sword in hand that casually meets the golden blade.

"I know enough that this will inflict a heavy cost on you as the part of your spirit you sent over to this body will be lost. Preventing you from interfering for hundreds of years" The light shines even deeper as Xue Tie is pushed back. The two begin to exchange strikes, but Xue Tie's avatar just has the same bored expression.

"The black flames are the medium for my consciousness, not the body itself. And you can't destroy the flames because they symbolize death itself, they symbolize…me" Xue Tie shatters the golden blade and immediately cuts off the old man's arm in true skywalker fashion. Qian Daoliu kneels whilst covering his detached arm stump, his spirit falls out of Limit Douluo range and settles at the mid hyper Douluo range with level 96 being the new state he finds himself in due to actually losing an arm bone he had in that specific arm. The bone shimmered into existence as it detaches from the lost arm itself.

"Now, begone from here, and don't come back in this lifetime Qian Daoliu." he Shoos the fallen douluo away who can only take his grandson away in shame but not before Xue Tie rips out his 3rd spirit ring which was red. The young pope coughs up some blood and he drops a few levels but strangely enough, his 4th ring becomes his third ring automatically so he doesnt fall too far below level 40.

Tang Hao and a few others who had been wronged by Spirit hall are upset by Xue Tie's actions but take no action to call him out on it except Tang San who yells out. "WHY did you let them go? They will come back to seek trouble with us again when we least expect it"

"[IT'S TRUE], no no no no no. well. Maybe, but it's not gonna be Qian Daoliu, maybe that new pope who is your age or one of his own descendants. Is killing off all your enemies when they already have little chance to get revenge on you, the values taught by the Tang Sect?" Xue Tie says as he personally ponders if his actions will cause him to fight against Tang San just like the fanfics he read in his 'past life'.

The mention of the Tang Sect triggers Tang San as he panicky unleashes the Zhuge crossbow at him and while the needles penetrate his avatar's skin. From the new holes in his body, black flames are emitted and work to spread, thus cracking his body. The avatar begins to move in Xiao Wu's direction

"Congrats on poisoning a dead man. It seems the Tang Sect can only be so so if their only good deed is taking in orphans like you."

The avatar of the death god stands before Xiao Wu with the spirit ring that has gradually condensed into an orb. "Cuddly rabbit, ill be taking your mothers soul with me for now. If you ascend within 10 years then ill give it to you but if not then ill immediately reincarnate her. Work hard bunny girl" He pats her head before the orb merges into the flames of his body as he kneels down as the cracks rapidly spread until his body fully breaks down into flames and ash.

Soon enough the battle of Spirit hall is finished. A few people with grudges against it's leaders chase after Qian Daoliu but they are never heard from again as they are likely killed by him.

Tang San, Xiao Wu and the rest of shrek leave the city with the rewarded spirit bones as well as Qian Daolius arm bone he dropped as Xue Tie had no interest in it. Xiao Wu seems to be both downtrodden as well as invigorated as she holds onto hope that she can meet her mother once more.

As the Blood hall people heard the conversation, they provide Xiao Wu with a few pieces of referential material regarding various god inheritance locations that are known. The first is the Rakshasa Tower, the second being the Asura trials in Slaughter city and the third being the Sea Gods Island. All members of the 'eight' devils hear this information and are intrigued.

But for now, everything settles down as the world marvels at the fact that Spirit hall was taken down so easily and that the once believed to be fallen emperor, Xue Tie was actually alive and the know known as God of Death, pared with the ascended goddess Bibi Dong, Empyreans moral is at an all time high and this was led to a technological boom as the enthusiasm was controlled by the newly selected Queen of Empyrean.

Tang San himself is a bit downtrodden overall as he lies conflicted between his affiliation to his old lifes Tang Sect and his current life. One thing he knows is that he loves Xiao Wu and wants to support her which he continues to do but with no challenge or pressure, his talent falls a bit short.

Tang san is still taken by his father to acknowledge his fathers home clan, Then They spend some time in isolation just like canon. In this time, Tang san actually spends very little time with the rest of the devils who are introduced to Bai ChengXiang as the newest member of the monsters. They assume it to be a boy, then they proceed to do their own thing with Xiao Wu being personally assisted by all of Empyrean and the Blood hall whilst under the care of Hong Zu (the dragon lady from the Star Dou Forest). With such support, she is directed to acquire the Asura gods inheritance just like the original story as Tang San had to give up one of his legacies once Xiao Wu was restored to whole in the original story.

Asura, knowing that the story of what's happening (local events, not original canon) thanks to Xue Tie is not against Xiao Wu being his inheritor as she is talented enough and is in fact, not racist against spirit beasts. That was part of the distorted history laid out by Chaos and Shade.

Unfortunately for Asura, the very far in pregnancy, the Reaper goddess, who was saddened by Xiao Wu's story, kicks Asura in the balls and takes over the inheritance procedure as with all the support and prayer, Bibi Dong is at the quasi God King stage while Xue Tie is still being idle as a 2nd stage god class.

Thus, Xiao Wu is named the god child of Bibi Dong as well as the Rakshasa Goddess inheritor. Her advancement proceeds swimmingly while the other shrek devils except Tang San reunite and they head over to the Sea gods island, During their travels they reunite with Tang San and arrive at the island after a few days of travel. Tang has reached level 65 by this point while the others are roughly around level 70 with the exception of Bai Chenxiang who is still new to the group and hasn't caught up and Dugu yan who has been personally secretly informed through the Blood hall aka Xue Tie about an old gods inheritance called the Poison Queen godhead. As such, he has been secretly provided for and is close to level 77 now. The gap that was originally close between Tang San and Dugu Yan has grown apart again.

During the sea gods trials, the original 6 devils (Xiao Wu not there) make great headway through their various trials, the various disciples originally have high hopes for Tang San and the others but Tang San has been barely been able to make ends meet with the lack of proper motivation that technically all cultivators like him suffer from as unless such protagonists aren't under pressure then they won't progress at all in cultivation. He has gotten so far with his desire for Xiao Wu but being away from her for so long, having a nice happy family with no hardships has made his mentality deteriorate.

Months pass there but in the end, Tang San fails at the third trial under the Tidal Wave refining. He could have easily passed if he chose to give up his dislike for Xue Tie due to letting Qian Daoliu go and calling out his affiliation to the Tang Sect. He is still confused over how he knew about that at all but can only chalk it up to Xue Tie being a god.

At the same time he failed, two golden glow swept through the lands before it's replaced by a blood like malevolence on one side while the other has varying pitches of black and then both changed back to gold. The Sea god douluo, Bo Saixi informs the group that two new god has risen in the form of Dugu yan who has reached level 100 through her own efforts in the hope of getting the Poison Goddess godhead and the other being a 'humanoid beast girl in pink' who has inherited the Rakshasa goddess position from Bibi Dong. ZhuZhuqing is a bit heartbroken that her idol's position was taken away but there might still be hope for her somewhere in divinity.

Tang San is disheartened about hearing that his true love has left him behind at the same time he actually failed his trial. He begs for one more chance but the gold trial cannot be allowed to be failed and as such, his only chance at a higher goal is to take over Bo Saixi's position or seek out some other divine trial because he is no longer worthy of the Sea Gods light.

Tang San asks if he would still be allowed to leave the island whenever he wanted if he successfully took over the position and was informed that he could not.

He begrudgingly declines the honor of the position and leaves by himself while the others continue to take over the original sea god pillar positions. The reason he declined is that he still feels reminiscent of the Tang Sect and wishes to re-establish it in this world.

He begins to preach the teachings of his original sect, using various techniques and tools to attract people to join.

As the years go by, Tang San is only able to reach the hyper douluo stage while the rest of his companions all ascend to godhood, including Bai Chenxiang who has already fallen for Ma Hongjun during their time at Sea Gods island…they also found out she was a girl which was especially good for Hongjun's mentality.

Xiao Wu was initially happy to become a goddess and inherited Bibi Dong's position which allowed her to simply rest and not have any duties as a god. Xiao Wu got to be reunited with her mother who with the support of Bibi Dong's teaching became an apostle goddess for Xiao Wu. Similar to what happened with Tang San's mother in the original series where she became the tree of life. But as the years pass by, Xiao Wu finds that she desires the comfort of her lover Tang San. She uses her faith energy to learn that He has stopped cultivating after reaching limit douluo due to a lack of immortal energy. What truly broke her heart was that he had actually settled down with another woman from the agility clan under the Clear Sky Clan. He already has 2 children at a young age at this time.

She has been completely heartbroken and can only rely on her mother and adoptive godmother for comfort while Xue Tie ponders the consequences of his actions but then goes to sleep as he has learned to not give a shit.

The most interesting thing to him is that there would no longer be a Tang Wutong, Tang Wulin and thus the events of Soul land 2, 3, 4 and whatever else came after are completely different. It is very likely that his own children would have to take on the original roles while he sits here in solitude with his wife.

The other changes he has found is that the mortal evil spirit masters seem to have caught onto his badguy good guy plan as he used himself as the lord of all evil but only to cause neglible destruction and death as he was personally annoyed with how many evil spirit masters there were in SL 3. You would think they nip the problem in the bud back in SL2 but since Huo Yuhao's spirit pagoda had turned into a sponsor for evil spirit masters in SL3 then it's more understandable for him to let them off with minor offenses as to his knowledge, they only targeted him because of Shrek [3].

Shaking his head of distractions, he gets back to work on his sewing. He has retaken the profession in hopes of hand making various baby clothes which certainly has earned him plenty of brownie points with Bibi Dong.

Dai MuBai became the god of war, Oscar became the new food god and learned of the fate of the previous one and swore in his heart to avoid Xue Tie. Ning RongRong became the Goddess of Nine Colors. Zhu Zhuqing became the goddess of speed. Ma Hongjun became the new god of fire. And finally Bai Chenxiang has become the goddess of wind due to her birdlike martial spirit. On the other hand, she and ma hongjun had also officially gotten married and after a few years, she had gotten married. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing also got married as their bond had grown over the years.

As for Dugu Yan, she has elevated her parents and grandfather to apostles and divine servants under her as she did not want to be separated from them. She also offered the opportunity to Flender and Zhao Wuji but they declined as they still needed to continue on in the spirit of Shrek. She recognizes their efforts and asks Xue Tie to preserve their souls once they pass on.

Yu Xiaogang on the other hand became a cultivation maniac but when he found he could only ever reach Spirit Emperor even with the limits being released he dispaired. Liu Erlong tried to comfort him but he rejected her. As such in her anger, she took Flender as her husband, realizing the idiocy of her younger self. So stuck up on Xiaogang when a perfectly willing and loving man desired her from the start. Xiaogang coughed up blood when he found out she was pregnant with Flender's child as that caused him to turn against his friend whilst completely ignoring his own faults. He leaves Shrek, his only footnote in history was being the primary instructor for the original Shrek Seven Devils which is a legacy that was passed down for years to come as Shrek expanded further and further over the years. Even incorporating Sea Gods Island as part of their territory.

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[1] I never really understood the transformation bit of ma hongjun but it is canon, and supposedly permanent around the time of the Sea Gods Trial so it's eh, ill make my own plans for it. He went from fat to handsome like the original author got bored of all the fat jokes he had to look up to make his character.

[2] imagine the scene of luffy punching the celestial dragon from one piece. It's that type of strong punch.

[3] this is more of a personal theory as I still have not read through sl2 yet. I've been plenty distracted: thinking for how to continue my stories as well as set up the plot for my next book. Watching danmachi, playing re4 remake (beat but replaying new game + on professional, and my own competitive reading.