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Moonlight flowed like quiet water through the hotel corridor on the west side of Spirit City. After Tang Chen said goodbye to Dugu Bo, he went back to his room. When he pushed the door open, he was surprised to see someone standing by the window. It was Xiao Ruier. Her golden hair had a soft glow under the moonlight.
Tang Chen was a bit startled to see her. He closed the door and asked her why she was not resting yet since it was so late. Xiao Ruier turned around slowly. Her beautiful face looked a little sad. She shook her head and whispered that she could not sleep. She said her heart felt restless, so she went for a walk and ended up at his room without thinking.
Tang Chen went to the table and poured two cups of warm water. He gave one to her and asked if she was worried about the final matches. The two of them stood by the window and looked at the quiet city.
They talked for a little while about the competition and their cultivation. However, Tang Chen could tell that Ruier was not really thinking about those things. Her eyes looked unfocused as if she was feeling very emotional.
After a moment of silence, she started talking about a very serious topic. She told him that even though she really disliked Xiao Wu, she was shocked by what happened. She saw Xiao Wu burn everything she had for the person she loved. Xiao Wu had given up her soul without thinking twice.
Ruier looked at the night sky as she remembered that day. Then she turned her head and looked at Tang Chen with her unique eyes that looked like they held stars. She spoke softly and said she was thinking about what she would do. She said if the person she liked was in danger, she would do the same thing as Xiao Wu to save him.
When Xiao Ruier said this, she sounded very calm but also very sure. She thought Tang Chen did not know she was really the Emperor Auspicious Beast. To her, these words were just a guess about human feelings. The room became very quiet after she finished speaking. Tang Chen looked at the look in her eyes. It was the same look Xiao Wu had before she sacrificed herself. He felt a soft spot in his heart.
He knew how much those words really meant. If an Emperor Auspicious Beast sacrificed herself, it would be a much bigger deal than a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast. It involved the luck of the whole Star Dou Great Forest. If that happened, Di Tian would start a beast tide and the human world would suffer. He could never let her die for him.
Tang Chen did not tell her that he knew her secret identity. He also did not use silly words to answer her. He just turned around to face her. He looked at her with a very focused and gentle gaze. His voice was deep and clear like a promise.
He called her name and told her that he would never let such a thing happen. He told her that if she was ever in danger, he would be like Xiao Wu. He promised that he would give his life at any cost to save her. This was not just a sweet thing to say; he meant it as a fact. He had the power and the will to do it.
Xiao Ruier was stunned by his words. She saw how serious he was. Her golden eyes widened and her heart started to race. She did not expect him to give such a direct and solemn answer. Suddenly, a warm feeling washed away her sadness about Xiao Wu. She felt very safe and her heart started to throb. Under the moonlight, the two of them just looked at each other. They did not need to say any more words.
At the same time, inside the Hall of Worship, the air was very heavy and serious. Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo were kneeling on the shiny floor. They were the two Priests, and they kept their heads down to show respect and to ask for forgiveness.
They were in front of the golden Seraphim statue. High Priest Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back. He had just heard their report. Usually, he was very calm, but now he looked like he could not believe what he heard.
He asked them what they said in a loud voice that echoed through the hall. He asked if it was true that a spirit beast stronger than a hundred-thousand-year beast stopped them. He could not believe that this beast fought both of them together and made their mission fail. He looked at the two kneeling men with sharp eyes.
He wanted to be sure they were telling the truth. Hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts were very rare, but a beast that was even stronger and got involved in human fights was something he had never heard of before.
Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo looked at each other. They both remembered how shocked they were. They nodded their heads. Thousand Jun Douluo said the story was true. He said the beast was a three-headed demonic mastiff.
He guessed its power was at least rank ninety-seven or maybe even higher. He said that if the beast had not interfered, they would have captured Tang Chen and brought him back.
Demon Subduing Douluo spoke up after a moment. He sounded like he did not want to give up. He asked the High Priest what they should do next. He suggested waiting until the competition was over to attack Tianxing Academy and take Tang Chen.
Qian Daoliu raised his hand to stop him. He told them to forget it for now and let him think about it. He walked slowly with a worried look on his face. Then he waved his hand for them to stop.
He stopped walking and looked up at the big Seraphim statue. He looked confused and was thinking deeply. He whispered to himself that Tang Chen's identity was not simple. He told the two Priests that Tang Chen was definitely Tang Hao's son and a human.
But he wondered why such a strong spirit beast would protect him. He wondered why the beast would risk being an enemy of Spirit Hall. He wanted to know what the secret was.
This situation did not make sense to him. Even though he was one of the strongest people on the continent, he felt this was a big problem. He knew that if they attacked someone protected by such strange forces, bad things could happen. While the hall was quiet and Qian Daoliu was thinking, a voice called out from the door.
Someone called for their grandfather. The heavy doors of the Hall of Worship opened slowly. A tall girl walked in. It was Qian Renxue. She was no longer wearing her clothes as the Crown Prince. She wore a simple and clean golden dress. Her hair fell down her back like a waterfall. She looked very beautiful and brave.
When Qian Daoliu saw her, his worried face changed instantly. He looked very happy and showed how much he loved her. He ignored the two Priests who were still kneeling. He moved so fast it looked like he teleported to her. He called her name and asked why she came back so suddenly. He asked if everything in the Heaven Dou Empire was finished.
Tang Chen walked back to the table after the talk. He felt the weight of the future on his shoulders. He knew that Spirit City was not safe. Even with his power, there were many enemies. He looked at Xiao Ruier again. She seemed much happier now.
Her smile was like a small light in the dark room. He told her she should try to get some sleep now. He said they had a big day ahead of them. Xiao Ruier nodded and walked to the door. She paused and looked back one last time before leaving.
Tang Chen sat down and thought about his father, Tang Hao. He knew his father was out there somewhere. He also thought about Yu Xiaogang. He knew that the world was changing fast.
The spirit master competition was just the beginning of a much bigger storm. He needed to be ready for whatever came next. He felt his spirit power moving inside him. It felt strong and steady.
Back in the Hall of Worship, Qian Renxue looked at her grandfather. She told him that she missed him and needed to talk about the plan. She said that things in the empire were moving along, but she was worried about Tang Chen too.
She had heard rumors of his strength. Qian Daoliu patted her shoulder and told her not to worry too much. He said that with Spirit Hall's power, they would find a way to deal with any threat. But inside, he was still thinking about the three-headed mastiff.
The night went on and the moon stayed high in the sky. In Spirit City, many people were dreaming of winning the competition. But for Tang Chen and the people around him, the stakes were much higher than a trophy. It was a matter of life and death.
The silent war between the great powers was about to become very loud. Every choice they made now would change the world forever. Tang Chen closed his eyes and finally tried to get some rest, knowing that tomorrow would bring new challenges.