"The only reason we took so many detours was to shake off that Qingluan," said Elder Long Ling calmly.
Ning Rongrong gave a thoughtful nod. Indeed, Qingluan Douluo's aura was immensely powerful—a level of suppression she hadn't even felt from Grandpa Sword or Grandpa Bone.
Despite his scholarly appearance, Qingluan Douluo's strength was not to be underestimated.
"Elder Long Ling, are you saying... even you wouldn't be able to defeat Qingluan Douluo?"
The black-robed elder chuckled sinisterly, a red mist forming in his palm.
"Saintess, it's not that this old one can't defeat Qingluan."
"I bear the duty of protecting you, and that's why I can't go all-out."
"But if it came down to a fight to the death… I'd at least be able to seriously injure him—enough to keep him from fighting at full strength for three years!"
This boast, from a Level 92 Titled Douluo, claiming he could heavily injure a level 96 Titled Douluo, revealed the terrifying confidence he had in his abilities.
After continuing for some time, a small town appeared on the horizon.
Bustling with people and vibrant with life, the town was nestled near the Star Dou Forest. Surprisingly, it lacked any trace of violence or bloodshed.
Ning Rongrong's pupils dilated slightly.
She had expected an evil sect like this one to look dark, oppressive—perhaps even filled with cruel rituals or corpses.
But this town's sunlight shone just as warmly as anywhere else.
"Elder Long Ling…"
"This is the headquarters of the Double Saint Divine Sect?"
"It looks no different from an ordinary town…"
The elder nodded and added proudly:
"Not only is it no different—it's on the official records of Spirit Hall!"
"We even call it Shuangsheng Town—Double Saint Town."
"On the surface, it has a Spirit King overseeing it, along with more than a dozen Spirit Elders."
"Even if a small beast tide breaks out nearby, the town is perfectly safe."
"We pay three separate taxes every year—one to the Heaven Dou Empire, one to Spirit Hall, and one to the Gulei Kingdom."
"And when any of those three powers fall on hard times, we tighten our belts and contribute more. Sure, the amount isn't large…"
"But that gesture of loyalty has earned us protection in return!"
"It's our most powerful shield."
"After all, when a town provides profits and causes no trouble, why would anyone feel the need to investigate?"
"And even if one party gets suspicious, the other two will tip us off in advance, so we can 'clean house' before anyone arrives."
"That's the ultimate secret to the Double Saint Divine Sect's survival for thousands of years."
Elder Long Ling looked very pleased with himself.
The Double Saint Sect had mastered this game—even Spirit Hall's Angel Douluo rarely managed to locate their true base.
They entered the town and walked into what appeared to be an ordinary residence.
There, they revealed a hidden passage and began descending underground.
Ning Rongrong had no idea how deep they went—only that the pace was steady and they descended for nearly half an hour before reaching a massive gate.
After that, it was a maze of tunnels, twists, and turns.
Two hours later, they finally arrived in a vast, empty underground space.
Ning Rongrong let out a long breath.
"This must be thousands of meters underground..."
The thought that the notorious Double Saint Divine Sect had built such a hidden underground palace left her in awe.
Elder Long Ling seemed to read her thoughts and chuckled:
"This sanctuary was built even before Spirit Hall itself."
"Spirit Hall's history goes back about a thousand years—at least in its current form."
"But even before it officially became Spirit Hall, back when it was still just the Holy Temple, the Double Saints foresaw the defeat of shortcut-type Spirit Masters…"
"So they began constructing this very sanctuary."
"We even sacrificed many powerful Titled Douluo to complete it."
He began explaining the origins, scale, and true purpose of the Double Saint Divine Sect—pulling Ning Rongrong in deeper and deeper, leaving her almost entranced.
Meanwhile, at Spirit Hall City…
Qingluan Douluo returned riding atop his massive green-feathered luan bird, landing lightly at the front gate of the city.
There, a burly figure clad in golden armor had been waiting.
"Third Brother… you didn't find them again, huh?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo's armor gleamed under the sun, so bright that others couldn't even look directly at him—though Qingluan's sharp vision remained unaffected.
"Yeah, Second Brother," Qingluan said with a sigh.
"They're slippery—these rats are good at hiding."
"I followed their trail into the Star Dou Forest, even close to its core. But they vanished again."
"You know as well as I do—there are a few terrifying beings in that forest."
"Even the Grand Priest wouldn't dare venture too deep. I had to pull back."
He raised his hands in helpless resignation.
This wasn't the first time he had been sent to hunt down these elusive cultists.
But this time, he had chased them deeper than ever before.
Golden Crocodile Douluo smiled.
"Indeed. The last time I hunted them, they vanished the same way—into the Star Dou Forest."
"These rats are clever. Smarter than any we've dealt with before."
"But the Grand Priest is getting close. Give it a bit more time, and we'll have their main base pinpointed."
Qingluan nodded. He too had noticed odd patterns in their movements.
He was confident: with just a little more time, he could find their nest.
"By the way, Second Brother—why were you waiting for me at the city gates?"
"Oh, right. The Grand Priest has new instructions for you."
"I was going to track you down on your return route, but you got here first."
Golden Crocodile Douluo grinned and casually slung an arm over Qingluan's shoulder as the two of them walked into Spirit Hall City.
In the Hall of Worship...
Angel Douluo Qian Daoliu stood solemnly before a floating orb of glowing light, watching it closely as it shifted in color and pattern.
"Qingluan is back?"
Qingluan stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said:
"Grand Priest, this trip was a failure. I lost the trail again…"
"But if you give me more time, I swear I'll find their rat hole."
Qian Daoliu waved it off dismissively, clearly unbothered.
"These rats have been hiding for generations. Wiping them out completely was never going to be quick or easy."
"I didn't summon you back to reprimand you."
"It's because—the Angel God has issued a new directive."