A flash of black light, and Long Xiaoyao vanished instantly with Jiang Jue.
Mu En watched the two leave, a trace of worry flashing through his cloudy eyes. Then he looked again at Xuan Zi, who was being held up by soul power, and sighed inwardly.
"A storm is coming…"
"I just don't know whether those Evil Soul Masters from the Extreme North are acting on their own or part of an organized force."
"Cough… cough…"
Mu En suddenly coughed violently. He circulated his soul power to suppress his chaotic breath, but on his chest was a deep scar, freshly scabbed — clearly a new wound from not long ago.
Then, carrying Xuan Zi, Mu En withdrew from the scene.
He had temporarily suppressed Xuan Zi's injuries, but his internal condition was far from optimistic. The severed arm also needed to be reattached as soon as possible, so he had to hurry to find someone to heal him.
After everyone left, four streaks of light appeared from afar, cautiously approaching the battlefield where Long Xiaoyao and Xuan Zi had fought.
"Hiss!"
"Such terrifying devastation! Just how powerful must one be to cause such a scene?"
The four figures revealed themselves. Judging from their auras, all of them were Titled Douluo-level experts.
One burly man stared at the sight before him in shock.
On what was once flat ground lay a massive pit, more than thirty meters deep, with the imprint of a human figure embedded at the bottom. From there, cracks radiated outward in all directions, extending endlessly into the distance.
Dark attribute energy still lingered over the crater, while the soul power in the surrounding air was in utter chaos, faint gales howling through the turbulence.
"Senior Starshatter, what do you think?"
The burly man turned to a spirited old man among them and asked.
The elder wore a magnificent purple robe. His eyes flickered as he condensed a swirl of deep violet soul power into a tiny vortex in his palm.
The little purple vortex floated into the air, paused, then suddenly stirred the atmosphere. Violent turbulence erupted, and intense purple radiance seemed to devour even the air itself.
"Hm?!"
"There was actually a fluctuation of spatial power here just now?!"
As the vortex spun, the purple-robed elder's face revealed astonishment.
"But beyond that, I can't sense anything further."
"Even you can't determine who struck here?"
The others frowned deeply. For such strong experts to be fighting just outside Star Luo City was no trivial matter.
These four were none other than the Guardian Douluo of Star Luo City. And this purple-robed elder was one of the Star Luo Empire's rare Super Douluo — the Starshatter Douluo.
His martial soul was the Light of Shattered Stars, and he possessed an exceedingly rare grasp over spatial power. That was why he had detected the spatial fluctuations moments earlier.
They had sensed the clash between Long Xiaoyao and Xuan Zi from afar, but out of fear of being drawn in, they wisely chose to observe from a distance, only daring to approach after it was over.
Even then, from far away, they could only vaguely sense the terrifying pressure — they couldn't even glimpse the combatants.
"Then just what cultivation level did those two fighters have?"
The burly man scratched his head, puzzled.
"Unclear. But at the very least, far stronger than me," Starshatter Douluo said solemnly. "Giant Hammer, go report this to His Majesty. The rest of us will continue investigating here."
He couldn't determine whether the battle was a chance encounter or carried hidden motives. So he decided to let Xu Jiawei worry about it.
"Leave it to me!"
The burly man answered promptly and soared away. He was none other than the Giant Hammer Douluo.
"The three of us will examine this place carefully, see if we can figure out who struck."
Starshatter Douluo addressed the remaining two, then descended to the ground first. Purple starlight condensed around him once more as he scrutinized the battlefield.
The other two followed. But one of them had a gleam flash in his eyes.
"To think that Young Master's faction has such power… Looks like I, Old Cheng, have chosen a bright path after all…"
This was none other than Cheng Gang, who had just recently joined the so-called "Jiang Jue Family of Brotherhood."
"Hey, hey, Brother Tiansha, I'll search over there while you check the other side. We'll cover more ground this way."
Cheng Gang said quickly to the man beside him, and before receiving a reply, strode off in another direction.
As he walked, he muttered inwardly:
"Brother Tiansha is a decent man, but he's too overbearing with those around him. I've just begun to climb up again — best not to get too close, best not to get too close…"
Inside Jiang Jue's room.
A streak of black light appeared, growing larger until it formed the shape of a doorway.
Step, step, step!
Long Xiaoyao walked out from within, carrying Jiang Jue.
"Many thanks to you this time, Senior Long."
Jiang Jue bowed slightly to Long Xiaoyao.
"It's nothing. I was entrusted by your master."
Long Xiaoyao raised a hand, helping Jiang Jue up, his voice calm.
"As for those three hundred-thousand-year soul bones…"
Before Jiang Jue could finish, Long Xiaoyao spoke:
"Decide for yourself."
He smiled faintly. Having cultivated so long, his soul bones were already complete aside from an external piece. He had no need for these soul bones, even if they were hundred-thousand-year level.
Besides, his pursuit of power was no longer burning as it once was. All he wished for now was to remain by Ye Xishui's side, guarding her until life's end.
Jiang Jue bowed again in gratitude.
He had expected Long Xiaoyao wouldn't want them, but there was a world of difference between asking and not asking.
In this world, one survived not only through strength, but also by handling relationships properly.
And this time, since Long Xiaoyao had acted on his behalf, Jiang Jue had to show his thanks.
Long Xiaoyao gazed at him, a trace of reminiscence flashing in his eyes.
Back then, he too had been spirited and high-spirited, standing above his peers. To say he had dominated an era was no exaggeration. Jiang Jue reminded him much of himself.
"Don't worry about anything else. Just focus on the tournament. With me here, nothing else matters."
Long Xiaoyao said softly. Black soul power began to rise around him as he prepared to leave.
"Respectfully seeing Senior Long off."
But suddenly, Long Xiaoyao seemed to recall something. He paused and said to Jiang Jue:
"Boy, remember this — in this lifetime, never fail the girl who stands by you."
His tone was tinged with melancholy, as if speaking both to Jiang Jue and to the memory of his younger self.
Then, without lingering further, he vanished from the room.
Jiang Jue was momentarily stunned, then the corners of his lips curved upward.
"All my planning, all my hardships — wasn't it all for the sake of protecting myself and those beside me?"
"The road ahead will surely be difficult. But if I were to shrink back now, why did I step onto this path in the first place?"
His eyes flickered as he murmured inwardly.
"But… what did Mu En mean earlier? Could it be that he once clashed with my master?"
Thinking of Mu En's secret transmission to Long Xiaoyao just now, Jiang Jue furrowed his brows.
(End of this chapter)