In the Cabin of the Ringless Bloom. The low hum of spirit engines resonated faintly through the wooden hull of the Ringless Bloom. Inside the captain's cabin, the air hung still—quiet, heavy, expectant.
"Your brother is dead…"
Yin Xuelan's voice broke the silence like a dagger through silk.
Qian Yusheng paused, his hand frozen mid-page over a half-scribed soul technique. He didn't look at her right away. But when he did, the calm he usually wore like armor cracked at the edges.
His golden eyes flickered—remorse, rage, memory.
Even if their paths had diverged… even if Qian Xunji had become something monstrous…
He had still been his brother.
Yin Xuelan continued, voice low but steady.
"The official report from Wuhun Hall says Tang Hao struck the killing blow."
Silence swallowed her words.
Qian Yusheng closed his eyes, then turned toward the circular window, the sea glinting beyond.
"Tell Rong Jie we're setting sail. We're going to Douluo Continent."
Xuelan opened her mouth, as if to speak—something human, soft, comforting—but stopped. She simply nodded and turned to carry the order.
On the desk, she left behind a sealed soul-forged file.
Yusheng picked it up absently, his gaze scanning the contents.
"Hah…"
"Guess the name Shadow Lily really isn't just for show." he muttered.
Inside the report, Yin Xuelan had detailed a sharp, conflicting analysis. Her evidence tore holes in Wuhun Hall's version of events.
First, Tang Hao had just become a Titled Douluo. Even with the soul sacrifice of the Blue Silver Emperor, he should not have been capable of killing a peak Super Titled Douluo like Qian Xunji—especially while being hunted by three others at the same time.
Second, Qian Xunji's Seraphim Spirit was unnaturally resilient—its vitality rivaling that of the Blue Silver Domain. Death by direct confrontation seemed… unlikely.
She suspected something darker. Something internal.
A betrayal? A cover-up?
⚓ On the Deck of the Ringless Bloom
The deck shifted with purpose as Rong Jie, sleeves rolled and grease-smudged, shouted across the upper level:
"We're setting sail in one hour! Move your asses!"
He spun toward the helm, calling down toward a hooded figure bent over soul-scrolls and spirit charts.
"Xun Feihong! Give me the fastest route to Douluo Continent!"
"On it." Xun replied, unfurling a glowing map in midair.
Rong Jie pulled out a compact soul communicator and growled into it:
"Captain's orders. Thirty minutes. If you're not on board by then, you'll be dealing with Shadow Lily yourself—and I'm not patching up what she leaves behind."
"Roger that…" came a chorus of voices through the soul tool.
🌊 Scene: Moments Before Departure
As the ship cut through the mist and slowly left its sanctuary bay, Qian Yusheng stepped onto the upper deck. The crew turned to face him in silence.
The wind tugged at his white coat. His hair, streaked faintly with silver, caught the dying light.
"My brother is dead."
"I won't lie—it's a wound I still feel with every breath."
No one moved. Not even Yin Xuelan.
"Some of you knew him. Some feared him. Some hated what he stood for. And I won't defend what he became."
"But he was blood. He was my brother. And whatever happened in that final moment… he didn't deserve to die like a pawn."
He looked each of them in the eyes—twelve souls who had chosen not the easy road, but the righteous one.
"We could stop here. Go back to an island and live quietly ."
"But we won't."
"Because the world still bleeds. Spirit beasts are still hunted. Children are still taught to kill before they understand kindness."
He stepped forward.
"We're returning."
"So set your hearts, sharpen your minds… and prepare your souls."