"What?!"
Xu Tianran's pupils contracted violently.
He never imagined Long Xiaoyao, a Limit Douluo, would be evenly matched by just two Level 98 Title Douluos.
At this level, such parity meant Long Xiaoyao was already at a disadvantage—let alone facing over twenty elites from the Three Great Empires, vastly outnumbering Sun Moon's defenders.
This couldn't continue.
Fortunately, Xu Tianran kept his composure. "Hall Master Jing! Summon the Grade 9 soul engineers guarding Mingde Hall and the armory—reinforce us immediately!"
"Your Majesty, no!" Jing Hongchen's face paled. "Those sites are the empire's lifeline—one misstep could—"
"The palace is paramount now!" Xu Tianran cut in sharply. "Without me, what meaning does any of it hold? The empire needs its sovereign—I am the one who must be protected."
His faith in Long Xiaoyao and the Holy Spirit Cult had evaporated. Meanwhile, the Three Great Empires' Super Douluos raged:
Elder Song's shadow flickered like phantoms, Zhi Yong's vines lashed with lethal precision, Heavenly Sun Douluo's fire dyed the sky crimson…
Sun Moon Empire's Grade 9 soul engineers were being pushed back relentlessly. Without reinforcements… Jing Hongchen alone couldn't hold.
"As you command!"
A brilliant flare lit half the sky.
Jing Hongchen dared not disobey—but his mind raced. The Body Sect's raid on Mingde Hall years ago haunted him. What if they strike again? He couldn't refuse outright, so he offered an alternative:
"If we succeed, recall the Grade 9 soul engineers."
"Your Majesty, we could summon Elder Kong."
Kong Deming, Level 94 Title Douluo, honorific "Silver Moon," head of the Imperial Retainers' Hall. With a quarter of imperial blood, he served only the throne—the empire's foremost soul engineer, rumored to be closest to Grade 10.
With him, victory was assured.
"This…" Xu Tianran hesitated for the first time.
Kong had secluded himself to break through to Grade 10, forbidding all disturbances. Worse, Xu Tianran's crimes tonight would surely be exposed to him.
But—BOOM!
The sky tore open. Elder Song and Zhi Yong, having dispatched their foes, now double-teamed Long Xiaoyao with vicious precision. Two Level 98s and two Level 97s overwhelmed him instantly. His unhealed wounds flared anew.
Xu Tianran made his choice. "Summon Elder Kong—now!"
—
In a shadowed alley beside Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, Chen Junting meditated—until—
RUMBLE!
Thunder roared overhead; flickering lights lit the sky.
"Their battle's begun," Chen Junting's eyes snapped open. "Time for us to move. I hope they don't disappoint me." He lowered his voice on the last line.
Huo Yuhao's six rings activated, cloaking all four in spiritual stealth. "Move out!"
They slipped through side streets, bypassing guards, reaching a courtyard Huo Yuhao had pinpointed.
"This is it," Huo Yuhao signaled silently. No Spiritual Detection Sharing—too risky if anti-spiritual soul tools lurked inside.
"Brother Junting, this intel came from Chen An of Xi Shui Alliance," Huo Yuhao explained. "After capturing him, I learned he'd arranged a meeting here today with a manager. The key should be on him."
Indeed—a middle-aged man surnamed Li paced nervously, clutching a black metal box, eyes fixed on its crystal screen.
How Huo Yuhao extracted the info?
Never underestimate the Skydream Iceworm.
Even a million-year-old pig gains wisdom—let alone the one and only Sky~dream~Ice~worm!
(Skydream Iceworm: Why do I feel mocked?)
Suddenly, a crimson flare shot skyward.
Inside the courtyard, figures meditating snapped awake.
"That's… the palace distress signal?!"
"Weren't we just staging a show?"
"Something went wrong—badly."
Distant thunder grew louder—dark-green, black, and yellow lights clashed in the sky. Yet the imperial aura held firm.
Li heard the chaos, fear flashing in his eyes. Such ferocity in the palace? Unheard of!
Just then—
Eight figures soared from the adjacent courtyard toward the palace, a booming voice echoing: "Li Chong! Guard the gate—we'll check the palace!"
One second after they left—THUD!
Li Chong crumpled, clubbed unconscious.
Before he hit the ground, the assailant's hand retracted into a spatial gate. Chen Junting's group emerged.
Without a word, Chen Junting grabbed Li Chong, palm pressing his skull. Gray light flashed—memories of the armory flooded Chen Junting's mind. He tossed the body aside, having gotten the information he wanted.
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