Ye Tian noticed Huyan Li staring at the map with a pitiful, crestfallen expression and found it somewhat amusing.
Casually, he tossed a jade bottle to Huyan Li.
"It's not my style to take things for free. Consider this pill a gift," he said nonchalantly.
The jade bottle contained defective pills from his earlier alchemy experiments.
Though flawed, their soul power-boosting effects were dozens of times stronger than those of pills sold on the market.
Huyan Li hurriedly caught the flying jade bottle and cautiously sniffed it.
A lotus-like medicinal fragrance wafted out, refreshing and invigorating, causing his eyes to widen in astonishment before his face lit up with ecstasy.
"Thank you for the pill, Lord Ye Tian!"
Huyan Li knew that while the map was valuable, but it could never fetch such a precious bottle of pills on the open market.
For him, on the verge of advancing to Spirit Sint, this bottle of pills was nothing short of a godsend.
Gratitude welled up in his heart, strengthening his resolve to pledge loyalty to Ye Tian.
"No need for thanks. You earned it," Ye Tian replied indifferently, waving his hand.
He had never liked owing others anything.
Giving Huyan Li the pills was merely an equivalent exchange in his eyes.
As for how Huyan Li interpreted it—that was beyond his concern, and he had no interest in controlling it.
---
Night fell.
The courtyard of the Elephant Armor Sect was serene and quiet.
With nothing better to do, Ye Tian strolled through the garden, still wide awake.
His expression calm, he gazed at the moon hanging among the branches, lost in thought.
"Good evening, Brother!"
Hearing a childish voice, Ye Tian suddenly felt something cling to his leg.
Looking down, he couldn't help but smile.
He reached out and ruffled the silvery, smooth hair of Gu Yuena, who was looking up at him with wide eyes.
"Why aren't you asleep with Aunt Xiao Bai yet?" he asked, looking down at her.
Perhaps it was the mutual attraction between soul beasts, but Gu Yuena always seemed drawn to Xiao Bai.
For the past few nights, Gu Yuena had been sleeping with her.
"Auntie?"
"She calls you 'Brother,' but me 'Auntie'?"
Hearing this, Ye Tian mechanically turned his head toward the voice.
Under the moonlight, Xiao Bai stood with her long hair cascading down, her jade-like teeth clenched, her willow-leaf eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her eyes filled with a trace of resentment.
"What a coincidence, you're not asleep either," Ye Tian said with a warm smile, picking up Gu Yuena and using her as a shield.
"Don't change the subject," Xiao Bai retorted, crossing her arms and glaring at him fiercely.
"Am I really that old?"
"Calling you 'Auntie' wouldn't even be excessive," Ye Tian remarked, taking a step back.
"Humph!"
Xiao Bai instantly deflated, turning her head away, her chest heaving dramatically.
"Don't be angry, Auntie Xiao Bai. Brother didn't mean it," Gu Yuena said in a sweet, childish voice, her misty eyes blinking innocently.
"I want to go back to the sea," Xiao Bai muttered, covering her head in despair.
"Children say the darndest things," Ye Tian said cheerfully, trying to console her.
There was no denying that a child's words could be the most disarming.
He patted Gu Yuena's head. "Call her 'Sister' from now on. No more 'Auntie.'"
Hearing this, Gu Yuena's large, watery eyes filled with confusion.
But when it came to Ye Tian, she chose to trust him unconditionally.
A happy smile soon spread across her face as she stretched out her tiny arms. "Sister Xiao Bai, hug!"
"That's more like it," Xiao Bai said, her expression softening slightly as she took Gu Yuena from Ye Tian.
Still, she shot Ye Tian a resentful glare.
"With you around, little Nana is bound to be corrupted."
Ye Tian chuckled.
"If you'd met the real Silver Dragon King, you wouldn't say that."
As they spoke, a commotion broke out not far away.
"I'm sorry, but you can't enter."
"Let me in! I need to see Lord Ye Tian!"
"Whatever it is, you can tell him tomorrow. Without his orders, no one is allowed inside," the guard replied coldly but firmly.
"If something happens, can you take responsibility?" the female voice argued back, a warning tone in her words.
"Who is it?" Xiao Bai, still holding Gu Yuena, looked puzzled.
Ye Tian smiled faintly. "Let's go see for ourselves."
With leisurely steps, he walked toward the source of the noise.
The guards at the courtyard entrance heard his footsteps and immediately turned to salute.
"Lord Ye Tian."
The girl arguing with the guards brightened upon hearing his voice and eagerly waved.
"Lord Ye Tian! I've finally found you!"
The lead guard stepped forward and bowed again.
"My lord, this girl insisted on seeing you. We were afraid of disturbing your rest, so we didn't let her in."
Ye Tian looked at the girl under the moonlight and immediately recognized her—Xiao Ying.
Back in the Star Dou Forest, she and Xuan Miaoyin had been the ones sent to report to Bibi Dong.
By chance, Xiao Ying had also inherited the divine artifact, the Golden Clear Sky Hammer, in the forest.
"Let her in," Ye Tian said, waving dismissively at the guards.
"As you command."
Realizing the girl was a friend of Ye Tian's, the lead guard didn't regret his decision to stop her.
Better safe than sorry.
If she had been an assassin, letting her in would have cost them their lives, even if they had nine to spare.
But stopping her would, at worst, earn them a reprimand.
The guard understood the stakes.
Now that the truth was clear, he bowed apologetically to Xiao Ying.
"Forgive my ignorance, miss. I didn't realize you were Lord Ye Tian's friend."
"It's alright. I was the one who acted rashly," Xiao Ying replied, her eyes filled with remorse.
She should have asked the guards to announce her first rather than barging in.
"Come," Ye Tian beckoned.
Xiao Ying's sudden arrival from Spirit City, coupled with her urgency to see him, suggested she had important news.
Not wanting to delay, Ye Tian led her to his quarters.
Once inside, he gently closed the door and turned to her.
"There are no outsiders now. Whatever important information you have, you can speak freely."
Xiao Ying wiped the sweat from her forehead, her eyes flashing with surprise.
As expected, nothing escaped Lord Ye Tian's notice.
Her lips dry, she didn't even pause for water before reporting:
"Before I came, the Elephant Armor Sect's master, Hu Yanzhen, had an audience with the Qianjun Douluo."
"I don't know what they discussed in the Elder Hall, but afterward, the Qianjun Douluo and Jiang Long Douluo decided to accompany Hu Yanzhen back to the Elephant Armor Sect."
"As soon as Her Holiness the Pope received this news, she sent me to inform you immediately."
Having said her piece in one breath, Xiao Ying finally moistened her parched lips and took deep, panting breaths.
Upon hearing this, Ye Tian's eyes grew noticeably more serious.
"Two Super Douluo arriving together—that complicates things."
He had to admit, the actions of the Qianjun Douluo and Jiang Long Douluo had exceeded his expectations.
If it were just one Super Douluo, Ye Tian was fully confident he could subdue the Qianjun Douluo.
After all, for this ambush, he had prepared five Titled Douluo to strike together.
But now, with two arriving at once, the situation had instantly reversed.
Ye Tian's chances of success had plummeted to just thirty percent.
Seeing Ye Tian's grim expression, Xiao Bai, standing beside him, remained composed, her tone calm and steady:
"So what if there are two Super Douluo? We have five Titled Douluo on our side."
"Ye Tian, you should at least have some faith in your allies, shouldn't you?"
"Are you saying our five Titled Douluo can't even handle two of theirs?"
Ye Tian smiled wryly. "Xiao Bai, don't you understand the gap between a Super Douluo and an ordinary Titled Douluo?"
"As I recall, your Great White Shark Clan's mortal enemy, the Evil Spirit Orca King, was a Super Douluo-level powerhouse."
"The Evil Spirit Orca Clan only had that one Super Douluo."
"But that alone was enough to suppress your Great White Shark Clan for thousands of years."
"Don't tell me a few days on land have made you overconfident?"
Having her past exposed by Ye Tian, Xiao Bai's expression flickered uncertainly.
"Then what do we do now? We can't just give up halfway, can we?"
Her words plunged Ye Tian into contemplation.
This was their only chance.
If they missed it, once Qian Daoliu returned from Sea God Island, the opportunity would be lost forever.
So he had to succeed—failure was not an option.
Ye Tian touched his storage space, silently steeling his resolve.
If all else failed, he would have to deploy one of his secret weapons.
Though the death of the Qianjun Douluo would undoubtedly cause an uproar in the Spirit Hall, it was the best course of action under the circumstances.
With a sigh, Ye Tian looked wearily at Xiao Ying:
"Given how quickly you traveled to warn us, the Qianjun Douluo and Jiang Long Douluo must already be very close to Elephant Armor City."
"You've had a long journey. Go rest for now."
Then, he turned to Xiao Bai.
"To prevent any mishaps, go wake everyone up."
"We'll hold a late-night meeting to adjust our strategy for this unexpected development."
Xiao Bai nodded solemnly.
"They've probably just gone to bed. I'll be right back."
She shoved little Gu Yuena into Ye Tian's arms and vanished in an instant.
"Lord Ye, I'm not tired. I can still contribute to the upcoming battle," Xiao Ying insisted, despite her obvious exhaustion.
Ever since inheriting the Golden Clear Sky Hammer, her cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds.
All of this was thanks to Ye Tian's mercy in allowing her to inherit the divine artifact.
In Xiao Ying's heart, she had already pledged her life to him.
If she could be of use to him, she would die without regret.
Yet Ye Tian shook his head firmly.
"Your help isn't needed here."
"I understand your desire to repay me."
"But dying here would be a waste."
"Remember, you're far more valuable alive than dead."
Hearing this, warmth flooded Xiao Ying's heart.
Her eyes secretly lifted to gaze at Ye Tian's resolute and handsome face.
As a low-ranking soul master from humble origins, no one had ever cared for her like this before.
"I understand, Lord Ye. I'll train even harder from now on, striving to become a truly capable soul master," Xiao Ying murmured, her voice thick with emotion.
Ye Tian nodded lightly.
"Good, but remember—balance is key in training. Don't push yourself too hard."
His words only deepened the warmth in Xiao Ying's heart.
Her voice even trembled slightly. "Thank you for your guidance, my lord."
Ye Tian, however, looked faintly surprised.
Was Xiao Ying always this easily moved?
---
Before long, Zhou Long, the Sea Witch, and the others arrived one after another.
Apart from the Sea Witch, who still looked a bit drowsy, Zhou Long and Ghost Douluo appeared fully alert.
On the way, Xiao Bai had already informed them about the impending arrival of the Qianjun and Jiang Long Douluos.
Ghost Douluo stepped forward, his expression grave.
"The Qianjun Douluo and Jiang Long Douluo are twins with highly compatible martial souls."
"The Pope once said that if the two joined forces, even he would have to retreat."
"It's a shame Yue Guan isn't here with me this time. Otherwise, our Twin Absolute Static Field could have held them off for a few rounds."
Hearing this, the Sea Witch perked up.
"So you're saying we're essentially facing a Limit Douluo?"
"That is a bit troublesome."
The moment she spoke, Hu Yanli, who had been hiding at the side of the room, shuddered violently.
In his eyes, a Limit Douluo was akin to a deity.
No one stood a chance against one.
"Maybe… maybe we should just call it off. Nothing's happened yet. If we cover our tracks, the two elders might not even notice," Hu Yanli stammered, his voice trembling.
Seeing his cowardice, Ye Tian couldn't help but laugh coldly.
"Do you think the Qianjun and Jiang Long Douluos are fools? They won't realize we've gathered here specifically to ambush them?"
"If this leaks, your Elephant Armor Sect will be the first to fall."
Ye Tian's icy words silenced Hu Yanli instantly.
With a tearful expression, he mumbled, "I'll follow your orders, Lord Ye."
Ignoring him, Ye Tian took a deep breath and scanned the group.
"No matter the pressure we face, this battle must succeed."
"Don't worry, young master. If those two old men try to flee, my Sky Tungsten Sword won't allow it!" Zhou Long declared, thumping his chest with unwavering confidence.
The Sea Witch also voiced her stance.
"Two twin Super Douluo may be strong, but we're no pushovers either."
"I've been wanting to test my limits anyway."
"Might as well use Qianjun and Jiang Long as my whetstone."
Hearing their determination, Ye Tian allowed a faint smile to cross his lips.
Their fighting spirit alone was already a comfort.
But victory wasn't achieved through willpower alone—it required real strength.
Ye Tian rummaged through his storage space for a moment before withdrawing a sealed box radiating a terrifying oppressive aura.
The sheer killing intent it emitted forced even Titled Douluo like the Sea Witch and Ghost Douluo to instinctively step back.
Yet despite their retreat, their eyes remained fixed on the ominous, tightly sealed box.
"What… what's inside that?" the Sea Witch couldn't help but ask, curiosity overcoming her caution.
(End of Chapter)