"Your Grace, the Sun and Moon Empire has replied..." The old servant, Du Lei Si, said with a worried expression.
"Read it!" Dai Hao's eyes were tightly closed as he sat cross-legged in the tent, his emotions unreadable.
"The letter only has one line: 'Tell him to roll away...'"
Once Du Lei Si finished reading the few words tremblingly, the pressure in the room intensified. As a Title Douluo, White Tiger Duke's powerful aura surged from his body, causing the air in the main tent to swirl and roar.
"Xu Cheng dares to insult me!" White Tiger Duke slowly opened his eyes, filled with bloodshot veins.
The explosion had destroyed the ancestral graves of the White Tiger family!
It was the resting place of generations of White Tiger ancestors, where their souls had resided. Now, the enemy had desecrated it, disturbing the ancestors' peace. And yet, the Sun and Moon Empire dared to insult him like this. Did they think the Star Luo Empire was a soft target?
"What does His Majesty say?" He suppressed the anger in his heart and continued asking.
"His Majesty wants to form an alliance with the other two countries and Shrek Academy. The Tianhun Empire has agreed and sent envoys immediately, but Dou Ling has not yet responded, and Shrek Academy has rejected the offer," Du Lei Si said bitterly.
"The Tianhun Empire has the Body Sect. If war breaks out, they won't just sit idly by," White Tiger Duke muttered.
"Marshal, think carefully. His Majesty previously said that if you initiate a war, your title will be revoked, your military power taken away, and the Sun and Moon Empire will be informed. Without logistical support, we'll be left to fight alone. Although the soldiers respect you, their families are still in the Star Luo Empire. Do you think they will disobey orders?" Du Lei Si advised.
Currently, the Star Luo Emperor's stance was ambiguous. Even though the Sun and Moon Empire had insulted them like this, without the backing of their key allies and no consensus, they were unlikely to take action.
Instead, they would likely keep their heads down.
"We can't wait any longer!" Dai Hao gritted his teeth and hissed.
"His Majesty says they haven't found those people yet. Those people passed through most of the Star Luo Empire's territory, even near the imperial capital, causing chaos. Not even several Title Douluo could track them down. The Hall Master of the Worship Hall is a Super Douluo, with incredible strength... Is it that His Majesty can't find them, or that he doesn't want to, letting them go?"
"But the root cause lies with us..." Du Lei Si sighed lightly. "These people crossed our defenses before entering the Star Luo Empire. In the end, if we had stopped them back then..."
"Dammit!" Dai Hao slammed his iron fist onto the table.
The makeshift wooden table immediately shattered, and the papers scattered like dust into the air.
"In the end, it's because our Soul Tool technology is too underdeveloped, and our communication methods are too outdated. We're still relying on Soul Masters and Soul Beasts as messengers. Once these messengers are intercepted by the enemy, the whole system collapses. Not even the imperial capital can give accurate feedback and coordinate the situation," Du Lei Si lamented.
"Meanwhile, the enemy can easily bypass our 'tight' border with their covert systems, like swimming dragons, wreaking havoc inside the empire. Even... I'm worried that if war really breaks out, the enemy might still act like they are now."
As someone who had fought with the general in various campaigns for many years, Du Lei Si had a sharp sense for war.
His perspective was broader than that of an ordinary soldier.
But Dai Hao was still immersed in the shadow of his ancestral grave being destroyed and didn't notice Du Lei Si's concerns.
"Sigh..."
Du Lei Si sighed, realizing that this situation not only created a rift between the general and His Majesty but also affected the general's focus, making him eager to take action. It was indeed a time of trouble.
Meanwhile…
"Big Brother, why hasn't he responded yet!" the Titan Giant Ape said anxiously.
Wutong, after all, was Xiao Wu's daughter. If her soul fragments really shattered, how would they explain it to Xiao Wu?
"You ask me, who should I ask!" The Azure Bull Python glared at him.
At the top of the Haotian Clan's peak.
In the spacious hall, the two of them stared anxiously at the core array that would contact Tang San.
Surrounding them was a cloud of mist. The Haotian Clan was hidden within a mountain, a vast and majestic sight, but despite the stunning landscape, the two didn't care at all.
"Maybe there's trouble in the Divine Realm," the Azure Bull Python pondered. "The dispute between Tang San and the God of Destruction has always existed. Perhaps some evidence was found, forcing him to temporarily sever contact with the Douluo Continent and refuse to respond, fearing discovery by the enemy..."
"But with our strength, we couldn't even defeat Ditian, let alone the true gods behind him," the Titan Giant Ape said with a sad face.
"We can only wait..." The Azure Bull Python said helplessly. "Let's hope Tang San can resolve the issues in the Divine Realm and contact us soon."
In the Divine Realm
Tang San looked at the vast sea of clouds, a smile forming on his lips.
"By now, I'm sure the situation in the lower realm has started to stir up. After all, with my talent and strength, plus my superior intellect and unmatched charm, I may have attracted new women," he mused inwardly.
"But sadly, I am but a legend, and my heart only holds Xiao Wu."
It wasn't that he was narcissistic.
It's just that everything had gone so smoothly for him.
He had obtained opportunities effortlessly, becoming a god was not the end, but just a step towards becoming a God King, one of the most powerful beings in the Divine Realm. Along the way, Qian Renxue, Meng Yiran, and even Ning Rongrong, his friends' wives, had all fallen for him.
So deep down, he subconsciously believed everything should go as he imagined.
"I severed contact with Da Ming and Er Ming just for a short period. Nothing major should happen, right..." Tang San mumbled to himself.
He looked toward the horizon.
That was the center of the Divine Realm.
His face slowly darkened: "Destruction, if you want to expand the Divine Realm and establish new gods, my clone can also seize a god position. I worked hard to reach God King, so my clone can too! When the time comes, two God Kings—let's see how you can stop me!"
Meanwhile, Tang San trudged on a long road.
With a vine-made basket on his back containing several small wild beasts, sweat dripping down his forehead, he muttered to himself, "I've finally gathered the requirements for Old Xuan... four hundred-year-old Xuan Shui Tortoise, four hundred-year-old Red Worm, and..."
He sighed at the end.
Catching these wild beasts, as Old Xuan had said, was supposed to be a kind of cultivation, but Tang San knew very well that it was simply because Old Xuan was lazy and didn't want to do it himself, so he made him do it.
But Tang San had no complaints. After all, respecting one's teacher wasn't just a saying, it was something he took to heart.
His previous teacher, Yu Xiaogang, had become famous because of him, completing his life's journey... What? He never broke through level thirty? Didn't make it to the Divine Realm?
"Kid, you've crossed the line!" Tang San gasped as he entered the cave.
There, Xuanzi was sitting leisurely with his legs crossed, sipping wine from a gourd and chewing on a rabbit leg. When he saw Tang San enter, he frowned slightly.
"Slow, huh? If I depended on you, I'd starve to death in this cave," Xuanzi complained.
"But the Red Worm is so hard to find. I searched for it..." Tang San began.
"Still dare to retort!" Xuanzi leaped up angrily. "You can't even handle such a small task, and you want to be my disciple? Do you know how many geniuses from Shrek Academy begged to be my disciple, but I refused them..."
Tang San's lips twitched. This speech sounded so familiar.
It was like when he used to make big promises to his subordinates in the Divine Realm...
But he still listened respectfully. Seeing the hungry look on Xuanzi's face, he was reminded of his father's strictness when he called him home to cook.
Although time had passed, the strictness his father showed back then was something Tang San now missed dearly.
"Please be careful, Master. It's hot," Tang San said gently.
Xuanzi: ???
He gave Tang San a confused look, but his attitude softened a little.
"Alright, since you've reached the rank of Great Soul Master, focus on your cultivation. I'll cut down on your hunting... ahem, I mean, training. As my disciple, you must amaze everyone! And those two girls, they hesitated to be my disciples. I'll make sure they regret it!" Xuanzi raised an eyebrow.
He didn't have much good feeling for Wang Dong.
If it wasn't for her being the youngest master of the Haotian Clan, when she rejected him during the battle against the Evil Soul Masters, he would've escalated things much sooner.
"She's a disgrace! A member of Shrek Academy, but so close to the Sun and Moon Empire! Tang San thought darkly, recalling the moment when Wang Dong stepped on him.
He thought of his daughter, Tang Wutong, feeling a deep pain.
He didn't know how things were going on that end.
But he trusted the people in the Star Dou Forest to identify him, so they wouldn't act rashly.
The Silver Dragon King was there, and with his current abilities, he couldn't stir things up.
If not for that, he would have contacted Da Ming and Er Ming to launch a counterattack...
Xuanzi saw Tang San's expression and softened.
He patted Tang San's shoulder and took a sip of wine. "Don't worry, if you put in the effort, I'll make sure you succeed the Shrek Academy. The Haotian Clan treats you like a slave. After graduation, you should just join the inner academy. Don't go back, you don't want to see Wang Dong and get upset."
"Yes..." Tang San said respectfully.
The Haotian Clan had always been his own people.
Once he fully controlled Shrek Academy, along with the Haotian Clan, he would be able to restore Tang Sect to greatness!
Suddenly, he thought of his senior sister, Tang Wen.
Tang San narrowed his eyes. Once he became stronger, he would kill Tang Ya and capture her soul...
There was only room for one true heir to the Tang Sect in this world.
"Alright, I'll take a nap. You go train," Xuanzi waved him off.
Tang San bowed respectfully.
He then left the cave, hidden behind a waterfall, which made it hard for anyone to detect.
He leaped into the pool beneath the waterfall and began cultivating Tang Sect's ultimate techniques...
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed from afar.
It sounded like a huge object had crashed to the ground, followed by a roar. Tang San listened carefully. It was at least a ten-thousand-year soul beast.
His cultivation paused for a moment. He stroked his chin thoughtfully. Should he go see what's going on?
After a brief moment of thought, he decided to add some excitement to his otherwise dull training life.
He glanced back at the cave, feeling a sense of security, then without hesitation, activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps and dashed toward the waterfall entrance.
At the same time...
"Princess, hurry!" Mo Yunfei's palm held swirling mist, turning into a vortex as he dodged a black, ghostly figure.
Mu Xue's beautiful face showed panic as she grabbed her younger sister and hurried forward.
The surrounding attendants followed closely, forming an orderly line.
Despite facing a 20,000-year-old Ghost Blood Cat, they could barely protect themselves.
She originally planned to go to the Star Dou Forest for soul beasts, but recently she had heard rumors of unusual occurrences in the Sunset Forest. She decided to pass through, only to find that the soul beasts had increased dramatically in number and strength.
A 20,000-year-old Ghost Blood Cat was now chasing them. Their situation was dire.
"Uncle, can we escape?" Mu Xue asked anxiously.
"It's difficult..." Mo Yunfei frowned. "This Ghost Blood Cat has rich vitality and is 20,000 years old. It's extremely fast. Our group is too large, and we can't split up. Unless it decides to stop chasing..."
The Ghost Blood Cat relied on devouring flesh for sustenance, and to it, they must look like a feast.
Mu Xue's eyes flashed with bitterness. Had she known, she would've brought more people. The danger here was not much less than the core areas of Star Dou Forest.
But the next moment.
A figure flashed beside them.
"Who's there!" Mo Yunfei and the others immediately protected Mu Xue, their eyes wary. They saw a young man wearing a mask, his face youthful and unmistakably wearing a Shrek Academy uniform...
"Hehe, I'm a direct disciple of Shrek Academy's Xuanzi, my master is nearby. Do you need help?" Tang San smiled warmly, bowing slightly.
But inside, he laughed darkly: "Finally, I've caught you..."
Clearly, he recognized the group.
Mu Xue was the one who had embarrassed him in the Tianhun Empire's prison.
The little girl beside
dressed in an orange outfit—she was the mastermind behind his suffering that day. If not for her mentioning that extra detail, he wouldn't have ended up in such a miserable state.
Now that they had fallen into his hands...
Once he lured them into his teacher's cave, then—
To prevent them from recognizing him, he had deliberately put on a mask.
"Your Highness..." Mo Yunfei turned to Mu Xue, waiting for her decision.
"May I ask for your name?" Mu Xue frowned slightly. This person seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite recall from where.
"My name is San Tang... Ah, no, Tang Que!" Tang San declared righteously. "And may I ask for yours?"
"Xue Mo Sect, Xue Mu..."
(End of Chapter)