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The clash had concluded, but the imperial patrol of the Douluo Empire returned empty-handed. An entire village had been destroyed, dozens were dead, and the only thing they knew was that the culprits were evil soul masters.
The Douluo royal family suppressed the incident involving the evil soul masters, preventing rumors from spreading. Since there had been no survivors, no further disturbances arose.
Qiangu Zhangting, accompanied by several of his core subordinates and the branch master of the Spirit Pagoda, headed to the imperial palace for negotiations. The next step was for both sides to reach an agreement—to see who would be willing to concede some of their interests to satisfy the other's demands.
Yan Jie had not appeared since the last attack, as if he had gone into hiding, silently observing Bai Xu from the shadows.
"Can the threads of karma locate him?" Bai Xu asked.
"My lord, limited by your current strength—you are only a Soul Emperor—I cannot accurately track the position of an evil soul master. Once you reach the Title Douluo level, it will be entirely possible," the World Spirit replied.
"So, I can only wait for him to show himself again. This feeling of passivity is somewhat unpleasant..." Bai Xu exhaled deeply, silently resolving that the next time this man revealed himself, he would ensure his permanent end—even if it required some sacrifice.
However, the one who was truly anxious at the moment was not Bai Xu, but Yan Jie.
After much deliberation, Yan Jie finally decided that he could not allow Bai Xu to continue growing stronger. If given more time—perhaps just two years—he might no longer even qualify to stand before him. Now, at least, he could still confront him directly. Such a person must never be given the chance to thrive.
"Perhaps... I can find some more helpers."
A plan formed in his mind. He activated his soul communicator and spoke in a low voice, "My lord, I have made a new discovery in the Douluo Empire. I require your personal confirmation."
"Scorpion, what matter is so urgent that it cannot be discussed over the communicator?"
"My lord, I have encountered a great enemy of our Holy Church—the one responsible for destroying our branch halls in the Star Luo Empire and the Douluo Empire." Yan Jie embellished his words.
"Oh? And you cannot handle him yourself?" The other party sounded slightly intrigued.
"I confronted him personally. Despite being a Soul Emperor, he can instantly kill a Soul Sage—capable of fighting across tiers with terrifying strength. Moreover, during our exchange, I sensed that he may have intentions of joining our Holy Church."
"Interesting... After destroying several of our branch halls, he still wishes to join? Just kill him."
"My lord, this man has ties to the Spirit Pagoda and expressed a desire to negotiate with a high-ranking member of our church. The reason I did not kill him was out of consideration for our cooperation with the Spirit Pagoda... Given my rank, I had no choice but to contact you directly."
"Heh, what a coincidence. I happen to be in the Douluo Empire these past few days. Tell me your location..."
The communication ended. Yan Jie sneered, "Old fool, I knew you were in Douluo, which is why I contacted you."
Then, he turned his gaze toward the direction of the Spirit Pagoda, grinning darkly. "I hope you can withstand a Titled Douluo of the 95th rank. If not, and I can't swap bodies, I'll just have to turn you into a puppet."
Yan Jie did not believe Bai Xu stood a chance against a 95th-rank Titled Douluo. Beyond that level lay the realm of Super Douluo—the true foundation of every nation and major faction.
He had already prepared his script: at the critical moment, he would betray his superior and emerge as the ultimate victor.
He shook his scorpion tail—a single sting from that venomous barb was enough to claim a life.
---
Shrek City, a secluded hall.
Gu Yuena had been waiting here for some time. This was not one of Di Tian's routine reports but rather a meeting with Na'er. Soon, Shrek Academy would come under attack, and Na'er would no longer be safe there. Moreover, Gu Yue's origin energy was unstable, and Na'er was similarly affected.
"Gu Yue?" Na'er stepped forward, puzzled.
But unlike her usual warmth and concern, Gu Yue sat with her legs crossed in the seat of authority, her voice solemn. "Na'er, have you been enjoying yourself these past days?"
Na'er's heart tightened. "Gu Yuena!?"
"Yes. Gu Yue is asleep. To allow you to exist a little longer, she expended considerable effort. Otherwise, we should have merged during the Sea God's Fate Matchmaking event."
"Where is Bai Xu?"
"Heh, he's away—in the Douluo Empire. What? You don't want to merge?" Gu Yuena asked.
"No, I knew this day would come. And with the attack on Shrek approaching, staying on Sea God's Island isn't safe. I don't have the strength to withstand soul-guided artillery shells." Na'er was not worried; instead, she answered sincerely.
In other words, she had come to terms with it.
Gu Yuena frowned, displeased. She stood and said, "Why do you and Gu Yue both seem so much more at ease? You don't even care about being merged, drifting along yet carrying a hint of resignation. You don't want to merge, yet you came here. You possess fifty percent of the origin energy—you have equal standing with me and Gu Yue. If you were determined, perhaps you could have been the final Gu Yuena."
Na'er smiled faintly. "Life is full of inevitabilities. It can't always go the way we want. Besides, I was born from you—how could I compete with you? But can you grant me some time to say goodbye? To see Master and Mistress one last time?"
Gu Yuena's eyes dimmed, her lashes lowering. After a moment of silence, she sighed. "Yes... Only with clarity can one understand the impermanence of life. Compared to how we once were—hovering around Tang Wulin—who can say if this change is for better or worse?"
"You're wavering? This was always our burden to bear. How can it be judged as good or bad?" Na'er asked, puzzled.
!!!
Gu Yuena froze, seemingly shocked by her own words. Suddenly, she slapped herself hard, her cheek reddening. "The influence of this mental imprint is truly insidious... No wonder I became such a fool ten thousand years later."
"Is it because Bai Xu's absence has made you uncertain?" Na'er asked.
"...I can't tell. There's dissatisfaction in my heart toward him, and the future is unclear. Perhaps that's why I've begun to waver."
After a pause, Gu Yuena continued, "In truth, we don't have to follow the original plan. Distributing so many mental seeds will weaken me, and recovery will take far too long. Rather than that, it might be better to simply reveal myself to the world as the Silver Dragon King. Even if I don't return to full strength, by the time the Abyss arrives, I should at least be at the level of a second-grade god. With the Dragon God Core, there may still be a chance."
"But with that mental imprint in your mind, the final outcome would likely be no different from the Abyss Sovereign's," Na'er said.
"Damn you, Tang San!" Gu Yuena roared.
Unless her spiritual power recovered to the level of a God King, erasing this trace of mental imprint would be nearly impossible.
"Go. Say your farewells. The future Silver Dragon King must be perfect!"
As she watched Na'er's departing figure, a complicated emotion rose in Gu Yuena's heart. Bai Xu's image surfaced in her mind. Thinking about it now... the relationship between Gu Yuena and Bai Xu seemed far less pure than that between Gu Yue, Na'er, and Bai Xu. The emotions and interactions between her and Bai Xu paled in comparison.
Sometimes, she felt it would be better to leave everything to Gu Yue. Perhaps that version of herself from ten thousand years later should never have been born.