Inside the imperial palace of Heaven Dou City.
Princess Xue Ke, who had diligently handled state affairs in place of a certain Qian Renxue—who had gone through countless hardships to seize the throne only to fake her death and walk away—was gently tapping the table with her fingers, her gaze fixed on the letter lying on the desk.
"Senior She Long, Senior Ci Xue, what do you think about the sea soul beast tide in Vast Sea City?"
The letter from Ning Fengzhi a while ago had said the beast tide had retreated. She faintly felt it couldn't be that simple.
She Long and Ci Xue stood quietly behind Xue Ke. Their purpose appeared to be monitoring her work, but in reality they had hardly ever interfered with her governance.
However, both frowned at the letter sent from Vast Sea City.
"Your Highness, we do not need to concern ourselves with the affairs of Vast Sea City."
Ci Xue stared at the familiar handwriting on the paper—it was from Ning Fengzhi.
"Is the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School really that strong? That was over a hundred thousand soul beasts, including many ten-thousand-year and hundred-thousand-year ones."
"There was even one far exceeding a hundred thousand years, comparable to a limit Douluo."
Her own teacher, Bi Ji, was also at the limit Douluo level, so she had some idea of what that strength meant.
Not long ago, Ning Fengzhi's letter had said Sword Douluo was only evenly matched with the Sea Princess, and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School had even lost a Title Douluo.
Yet just a few days later, the beast tide inexplicably withdrew. It wasn't bad that it retreated, but no matter how she thought about it, it felt strange—like the calm before a storm.
"Try not to offend the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School. That is also Spirit Hall's stance." She Long was somewhat helpless. They had watched the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School grow stronger step by step.
Back then, the school's twin pillars were only level 95 and 96.
In just ten years, Sword Douluo Chen Xin had reached level 99, Gu Rong had reached 98, and with Ning Fengzhi at 95, the three of them sitting together—plus Martial Soul Resonance and Ring Explosion—repelling the beast tide suddenly didn't seem impossible.
Seeing that the two had not noticed anything amiss, Xue Ke picked up another letter on the desk. This one was not a report from Ning Fengzhi but intelligence sent by a spy in Vast Sea City.
"You two, look at the timing written here." Xue Ke rested her chin on her interlaced hands.
"Ning Fengzhi and the two heaven-supporting pillars never left Vast Sea City, yet a terrifying disaster seemed to occur offshore—one that could be clearly seen even from Vast Sea City."
"Right after that incident, the beast tide retreated. It's hard for me not to connect the two."
She Long and Ci Xue took the letter Xue Ke handed over and compared the information in both letters, falling silent.
"If Ning Fengzhi never left, then the one who did this might be someone else, but that doesn't mean the perpetrator has nothing to do with Ning Fengzhi."
Both She Long and Ci Xue thought of the pagoda spirit girl who had appeared at the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School's renaming ceremony.
Rumors said that the girl, who was the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda incarnate, could overpower the Grand Worship.
Though it sounded like baseless gossip, no one from the Worship Hall had ever come out to deny it—and this was the Grand Worship they were talking about!
If it were just some random cat or dog from Spirit Hall being slandered like this, would they really have such a good temper?
Wouldn't that completely damage Spirit Hall's reputation?
Crack—
The empty space in front of them suddenly shattered like an eggshell being peeled.
Xue Ke hadn't reacted yet.
As Title Douluo, She Long and Ci Xue's expressions changed drastically.
Every cell in their bodies screamed in alarm on pure instinct.
A slightly angry malice emanated from the cracked black oval space:
"You're the pagoda spirit. Your whole family are pagoda spirits."
The crack in space was pitch black, as if one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face.
Yet the sudden voice was the real focus.
A residual shadow shot out from the space, and the faces of the two Title Douluo changed dramatically.
"Martial soul possession!"
"Martial soul possession."
The aura of level 92 Title Douluo erupted instantly.
Before She Long and Ci Xue could even attack, each of them suddenly received a heavy slap across the face.
The burning pain and incomparable force sent the two Title Douluo flying backward without any defense.
Bang—
Bang—
The two spun 360 degrees in place, then face-planted into the ground, dragging long skid marks before crashing into the far wall.
"Damn it!"
Which bastard dared to slap our faces? She Long and Ci Xue roared as they stood up.
One hand covering their cheeks, they wore expressions of draconic forbearance.
Yet their hands were not slow—they immediately attacked the shadow.
"Interesting. This is the second time you two have attacked me together, right?"
"How long ago was the last time?"
The blurry shadow spoke incomprehensible words.
She Long and Ci Xue's minds were filled with rage. Title Douluo had pride. To be humiliated with a face slap—if they could endure that, they wouldn't be Title Douluo.
The mosaic-covered girl shadow waved her hand lightly.
A storm surged.
Pfft—
Ci Xue spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying.
"Ci Xue!" Seeing Ci Xue clutching his chest and vomiting blood, She Long's expression changed drastically.
"Don't worry, you're next." The shadow appeared in front of She Long.
"Damn it!"
She Long gnashed his teeth.
The opponent could easily injure Ci Xue heavily—he had no chance of winning, but the arrow was already on the string and had to be fired.
"Eighth soul skill—"
"Isn't it Penetrating Rainbow?"
"Too weak."
The shadow extended her right hand, one finger pressing against the tip of the spear he swung.
The martial soul that had gathered soul power for the skill suddenly lost control and went dead silent, unable to move an inch.
"I-Impossible!"
Shock covered She Long's face. Someone could forcibly interrupt his soul skill.
The mosaic on the girl slowly faded. She Long finally saw her face up close.
"You are!!!"
"Toki…" She Long even started stuttering.
"Toki your head! Looks like you really forgot."
Tokisaki Kurumi's finger pressed against the tip of She Long's spear martial soul, the corner of her mouth curling into an arc.
"A few years ago, I took your ninth soul skill head-on!"
"Don't tell me you forgot?"
"T-Took… my ninth soul skill!?" She Long was stunned. A certain scene seemed to flash in his mind, and his expression immediately became wonderfully colorful.
"Y-You're the Dark Devilgod Tiger. Impossible, how is this possible!"
"Hehe, what a wonderful facial expression!" Her index and middle fingers flicked lightly. She Long's martial soul vibrated violently. The intense backlash made a sweet taste rise in his mouth.
Unable to resist the rebound, he shot out like a cannonball.
Pfft—
He vomited several mouthfuls of blood and crashed hard into the wall.
Blue light surged.
An attack came from behind Tokisaki Kurumi. She seemed to notice the enemy but did not defend.
The next second,
the oppressive aura dispersed, hazy light scattering it.
"Don't move! If you accidentally die, don't blame me."
The young man who had been about to strike froze in midair. Two yellow, two purple, five black soul rings appeared around him.
A completely silver-white longsword rested against his neck.