"When my divine sense detects everything, I will never let you off!" The faint blue figure, holding a trident, resisted with all his might. The faint blue soul power surged like the ocean in the blood-colored space enveloped by Xu Cheng, but it appeared fragile in the array set up by Electrolux.
"As a god, to do such despicable things, you really have no shame..." Electrolux sneered, even he was somewhat disgusted by Tang San's actions.
"Manipulating a little girl's soul to seize the millennium opportunity of the Douluo Continent... truly..."
"You don't understand! That is my..." The deep blue figure's voice stopped abruptly and fell silent.
"Hum!" Electrolux did not waste time talking. He lightly pressed his palm downward, and a dense black mist materialized within the array, tightly wrapping around Tang San.
The wailing gradually weakened until it completely disappeared.
Xu Cheng slowly closed his eyes, a stream of blood tears dripping down his face as the marks in his eyes slowly faded.
"Alright, now you can use the Soul Tool," Xu Cheng smiled as he looked at the young girl beside him.
"Really?" Wang Dong was excited.
She had been studying Soul Tool for some time, but she had never dared to touch a real Soul Tool, so all the knowledge she had was useless, and she could only watch as Xiao Xiao and the others made progress.
"Here." Xu Cheng handed her a defensive Soul Tool, his face full of a gentle smile. "Try it?"
"Yes, yes!" Wang Dong'er eagerly took it.
Carefully inputting her soul power, her large sea-blue eyes went wide, and her throat tightened. But after a moment, all the past discomfort and nausea disappeared. A protective shield slowly appeared around her.
"So this is a Soul Tool?" Wang Dong's tears fell like rain as she stared with wide eyes. "I can finally use a Soul Tool..."
Then she threw herself into Xu Cheng's arms, crying loudly.
The unsealing of this spell was not just her longing for the Soul Tool but also her freedom.
She remembered not long ago, her big father and second father had such serious expressions on their faces, telling her not to be reckless, not to make trouble, even forbidding her to go to the Sun Moon Empire. Only when she threatened to die did they reluctantly agree, and they repeatedly told her to return on time...
The closest people in the past had suddenly turned into demons.
This helpless feeling was something very few could truly understand.
...
"Elder Brother! Wang Dong's seal..."
On top of Haotian Sect.
Mist floated around.
Two tall figures sat on the ground, leisurely drinking wine.
Suddenly, one of them stood up abruptly, his face full of urgency.
"Calm down, don't panic!" The elder brother, Da Ming, looked somewhat grim, giving his younger brother a reminder before beginning to sense.
As a high-ranking divine official, he inherited part of Tang San's spiritual link.
Once Wang Dong's seal broke, he immediately sensed it.
"Damn it! It's completely shattered!" Da Ming took a few deep breaths, realizing the seriousness of the situation. If someone from the upper realm detected this, both of them would likely be implicated...
"How could this happen! That seal was something even we couldn't break. Is there a god in the Sun Moon Empire?!" His younger brother, Er Ming, asked in a panic.
"Perhaps not a god, the gods of the Divine Realm aren't allowed to stay on the human plane for long. But the Douluo plane has developed for hundreds of thousands of years, and the land is vast. Perhaps there are some relics left by gods, such as the Sea God's Heart... Tang San, the God King's seal, can be broken by anyone with a divine rank. It doesn't require godly powers," Da Ming speculated.
"What should we do now?"
"First, report to the God King. We'll go to the Sun Moon Empire. Since Wang Dong came back, I've sensed something was off, but I didn't expect this..." Da Ming's expression darkened.
"But if Wang Dong really fused with the soul fragments, is she still the same Wang Dong?" Er Ming hesitated for a moment.
"You and I both know the truth, but we can't change it. This is... his plan," Da Ming glared at Er Ming.
"...Sigh." After a long pause, Er Ming sighed. "Elder Brother, to be honest, I miss the carefree days we had in the Star Dou Forest. We didn't rely on anyone, we were the rulers of the forest. How majestic and free we were. But now, what we have is far from what he promised..."
"Shut up!" Da Ming glared at him.
"Why, big brother? The Destroyer has blocked him outside. Unless we take the initiative to contact him, he can't sense us on the lower realm... didn't he say that last time?" Er Ming shrugged.
"Do you really trust what he says?" Da Ming sighed deeply.
Had he known Tang San's nature, he would never have made that sacrifice when he was on his deathbed.
But now that they were on the pirate ship, escaping was impossible... He would endure it, for Xiao Wu's sake.
"Stop talking, just do as instructed!" Da Ming snapped, slapping his brother's head.
...
In the office.
Xu Cheng had just sent away the happy Wang Dong'er and hadn't had time to rest from replenishing the soul power consumed by blocking Tang San's lingering soul when Zhang Le Xuan appeared before him.
"Why are you keeping that little girl around?" The beautiful woman asked suspiciously, sitting on the desk, her long legs gently resting on Xu Cheng's thighs. She leaned forward slightly, looking as enticing as a beautiful fox.
"Are you jealous?" Xu Cheng was not shy, teasing as he gently rubbed her leg.
"I'm not jealous. Wang Dong'er is just..." Zhang Le Xuan, feeling the warmth of Xu Cheng's touch, blushed slightly and pouted in mock anger.
"Alright." Xu Cheng laughed, "I have my boundaries. That girl couldn't use a Soul Tool because there was a curse placed on her. I just helped her break it."
"A curse?" Zhang Le Xuan widened her eyes, astonished. "No wonder she was always staring at us while we were making the core array. I thought she..."
"Yes." Xu Cheng shrugged. "And the age gap between us and her is probably not much different from the one between you and me..."
"What do you mean?!" Zhang Le Xuan was angry. "Are you calling me an old cow eating young grass?"
"Mm-hmm."
"You..."
Zhang Le Xuan, light as a feather, leapt and sat on Xu Cheng's lap.
Frowning, she looked at him in mock anger. "This young grass, I've definitely eaten it!"
"Continue?" Xu Cheng was a bit confused.
"Continue!" Zhang Le Xuan's eyes were as soft as water, lowering her head gently.
Her lips had a faint fragrance that made Xu Cheng fall into a tender reverie.
"Hiss..."
Suddenly, he widened his eyes, pushed Zhang Le Xuan away, wiped his lips, and looked at the bloodstains on the back of his hand, shocked. "Why do you bite people?!"
"This is my mark. I want you to never forget me!" Zhang Le Xuan gently wiped her red lips, the seductive crimson gleam making her even more alluring.
Xu Cheng picked up a mirror, and saw a silver crescent-shaped mark on his tongue. His lips twitched.
Looking at the sweet and beautiful woman in his arms, the battle began!!!
Soon, the spring colors continued from last night's situation, becoming even more intense...
...
Ning Tian bid farewell to Xiao Xiao and Mo Xuan, and went alone to a tea house outside the academy.
After announcing her room number, she was led by the attendant into a small private room. Although the room was somewhat poorly sealed, once she entered, it felt like stepping into another world.
Inside the room, one person was sitting, and another was standing by their side as a guard.
She respectfully bowed to both of them. "Uncle, Grandpa Zhu."
"Little Tian is here!"
Ning Hao slowly opened his eyes and smiled.
The middle-aged man standing beside him, with a cold expression, softened his face and nodded slightly.
"How are things going in the Sun Moon Empire? Is everything going smoothly?" Ning Hao asked warmly.
"Xu Cheng treats the Shrek Academy students very well, almost tells us everything. Now, he personally teaches us. As for the other students, things are going smoothly. The Sun Moon Empire students don't discriminate against me; on the contrary, they are very eager to help..." Ning Tian pondered for a moment before answering.
"Xu Cheng?!!" Ning Hao's face, which had been calm, now revealed a hint of surprise. He exchanged a glance with the elder beside him, Grandpa Zhu.
Since the last full continent soul master competition, Xu Cheng had become famous across the entire Douluo Continent.
Almost every major hidden sect had his information on their desks.
Not to mention his qualifications, just by defeating the main body of the Poison Undying sect with his so-called "mech," forcing the other to vomit blood and show injury, one could tell his monstrous talent.
Having someone like this teach Ning Tian and the others was much more sincere than sending out random eight-ringed soul instructors.
It was even possible to predict that, for the next several decades, even centuries, the focus of the entire continent would be on this person. After all, he was still the prince of the Sun Moon Empire and, according to intelligence, the most likely person to inherit the throne.
"How tragic... Such a genius, born in our era. I don't know whether to feel happy or sad," Ning Hao sighed deeply.
As the leader of a force, although supported by the elders, he had a far-reaching vision. He understood that Xu Cheng might stir up great waves in the future.
Now, it was a good time to submit, but later... it might be a prisoner.
"Little Tian, what do you think?" He looked at Ning Tian, full of anticipation.
"From what I've seen and heard these days, I've found that the students of the Sun Moon Empire are not as arrogant as the ones from Shrek, and they prefer studying Soul Tool. They are more peaceful and friendly. Now that Soul Tool are becoming mainstream, the momentum is unstoppable. If the Sun Moon Empire really goes to war, the Three Kingdoms of the continent would not be able to defeat them, even with Shrek's help." Ning Tian pondered.
"Because Shrek is too arrogant. Perhaps their thousand years of glory can sustain their pride, but they don't even understand the basic situation of their enemies. They think they will win easily, but this pride is laughable..."
In these days of interaction, Zhang Le Xuan, the future inheritor of the Sea God Pavilion, had no idea about many basic situations of the Sun Moon Empire.
How could they win like this?
"Xu Cheng said something that I really took to heart: 'Weakness and ignorance are not obstacles to survival, but arrogance is.' Shrek is always immersed in its past glory and honor, thinking that they can easily defeat the Sun Moon Empire now, but they don't know that the times have changed..."
"Understood." The middle-aged man nodded slightly.
"Now is indeed the best time to surrender. Since other families are still observing, I will be the first to take the plunge," he said, a thoughtful look on his face.
He turned to the white-bearded elder and said, "Uncle Zhu, please return and send a message, saying to dispatch the eligible disciples of the current generation of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to enroll in the Sun and Moon Empire immediately!"
"Do you need me to notify Senior Xu Cheng?" Ning Tian asked.
"No need…" The middle-aged man pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Among the disciples who are still under the age of eleven or twelve and have not yet enrolled, the ones with the best talent are Ning Yuan and Ning Chen. Both are over level 20, direct descendants, with the proper Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect martial souls. I'll also send a few sect foster children over. The Sun and Moon Empire will see our sincerity."
"As for Shrek Academy…" Elder Zhu spoke up unusually.
"Do it, just do it. Worrying too much will only make things worse," the middle-aged man said decisively. "As for so-called cultivation, now, with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and other major hidden sects having experienced thousands of years of inheritance, which one doesn't have its own system of training? Sending the children to Shrek Academy is only to provide them with a broader platform and to interact with disciples from other hidden families. What has Shrek Academy taught them? Running?"
"That Zhou Yi, aside from making our children run, what else can he do? As for the other teachers in the various classes, none of them are worth mentioning in my eyes. They can only teach basic soul power knowledge. Without relying on the sect's own cultivation system, can they compete with the Sun and Moon Empire?"
Ning Hao was full of complaints.
Of course, the main issue was that if his sect's disciples joined Shrek Academy's inner courtyard, they would have to carry out dangerous missions to eliminate evil soul masters, leading to severe losses.
After all, those were the bloodlines of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Even though Shrek was reaping the benefits, sending some young blood to carry out dangerous tasks while the elders in the Sea God Pavilion had all died out was unacceptable.
Elder Zhu nodded but seemed hesitant. "It's said that Shrek Academy has taken action. Many families are waiting to see if they will eradicate the cancer that is Zhou Yi. Shouldn't we wait a bit longer?"
Ning Hao chuckled lightly, "If it were a hundred years ago when Elder Mu was in charge, I would still have some confidence in Shrek. After all, that person was indeed a character. But now, Elder Mu is gravely ill and his days are numbered. The next heir to the Sea God Pavilion is most likely going to be Xuan Zi or Yan Shaozhe. Which of their actions have shown any competence?"
"Moreover, if our sect wants to take the plunge, we must have the courage to make a choice. Once Shrek completely decays, I'm afraid that we won't be the only ones seeking to join the Sun and Moon Empire."
"Hmm." Elder Zhu nodded and disappeared from the room in a flash.
Ming Dou Mountain Range.
In mid-air.
Several mechs landed in the woods, scanning their surroundings.
The leading mech's head opened up, revealing a beautiful, sharp-eyed face, her gaze sweeping around. "Little Ai, report the location."
"I'm here." A mechanical voice responded.
Immediately, a light screen appeared in front of her, clearly showing the small red dot indicating their position.
"We've deepened into enemy territory, Captain. Should we retreat?" A woman, similarly encased in a crimson-colored mech, revealed her face and asked with a grave expression.
Chi Zi didn't respond immediately. She continued, "Report the positions of the others."
"Three thousand meters to the east, they have all crossed the border without alerting the enemy's patrol." The mechanical voice sounded.
Chi Zi narrowed her eyes, staring at the continuous military tents ahead.
They had already crossed the defense line of the Ming Dou Mountain Range and had come to a position that seemed to be in the rear. According to the reconnaissance, this was likely a logistical supply area. If they wiped it out, it would probably deal a significant blow to the White Tiger Duke on the front lines.
The soul-guided devices were indeed impressive, she thought. Unless one was very close, even a regular Title Douluo would have a hard time detecting them, let alone the patrolling soldiers.
"Sisters, do you want to earn military merit?" She opened the joint communication channel for the Fire Phoenix Mech Squadron and spoke softly.
At first, there was silence, but soon the channel exploded with voices.
"Charge, charge, charge!"
"Captain, lead us to charge again!"
"Yes! Captain!"
"…"
The women around her exchanged looks, excitement flashing in their eyes.
"But Captain, will this provoke a war?" one of the Fire Phoenix squad leaders hesitated.
"War? They aren't worthy," Chi Zi said coldly.
Who fears war the most now?
The Star Luo Empire.
Even if she led the army and wreaked havoc behind the scenes in the Star Luo Empire, as long as she didn't target the imperial capital, they would likely have to swallow it down and remain quiet.
What? You glare at me again? Want to try it?
The soldiers were confident, not fully understanding the situation, but the emperors knew all too well how terrifying the enemy could be…
And this was the perfect opportunity to establish military merit, gain prestige in the Fire Phoenix Squadron, and strengthen their unity.
Of course, the premise was successfully taking the enemy down and then retreating in an orderly fashion amidst the chaos of the battle.
But if they got caught… that would be awkward.
"Quiet down," Chi Zi said softly.
Instantly, the ruckus in the communication channel ceased, and the soldiers fell silent, waiting for the "commander's" orders.
"Remember, our goal is not to capture territory, not to seize goods, and certainly not to take hostages. Our mission is to sabotage. Our advantage lies in being nimble, swift, and not needing a heavy logistical supply line from the rear. We can conceal our actions. We'll confuse the enemy, and with lightning speed, we'll pass through most of the Star Luo Empire's territory…"
Chi Zi clearly remembered the Blitzkrieg tactics that Xu Cheng had explained to her.
Especially now that the Star Luo Empire's transportation was extremely underdeveloped, with many provinces still relying on primitive horse-drawn carts, which gave them a significant advantage.
Soul power and special soul skills could transmit messages, but could you guarantee that all eighteen provinces of the Star Luo Empire could communicate in a timely manner?
Especially after she destroyed a few communication stations, the entire Star Luo Empire might be plunged into confusion, completely blind to the situation.
It wouldn't even be impossible to visit the Heaven Soul Empire or the Douling Empire.
"Sisters, listen up. If this mission succeeds, we will definitely leave a strong mark in history. When we return, I'll ask the General to give you all a reward."
"Move out!"
End of this chapter.