Returning to the sect, naturally no one stopped them. The group quickly returned to the sect's main hall, only to find that Sect Master Ning Bowen had been sitting there waiting all along.
However, besides pinching a letter in his hand, there was another person sitting beside him.
"Dean Yan?"
As Chen Junting and the others stepped through the doors of the main hall, they saw Yan Shaozhe sitting upright with a stern and ashen face. They knew immediately that some bad news had definitely come from Shrek's side.
"You're back, and the seniors too."
Hearing the noise, Yan Shaozhe turned his head to look over. He forced a smile at the corners of his mouth, but no matter how you looked at it, it seemed strained.
Adding to this, Ning Bowen's attention also shifted away from the letter. This time, his complexion was just about the same as Yan Shaozhe's.
Realizing that the situation was clearly wrong,
"What happened?"
Everyone gathered around one by one, but Ye Xuanji strode forward, arriving in front of Ning Bowen as fast as a flash step. However, before he could reach out his hand, Ning Bowen handed the letter to Ye Xuanji, causing the latter's face to darken.
"Star Luo was already hit by those beasts!?"
"What!?" × N
Everyone was instantly shocked!
Chen Junting's pupils also contracted violently.
His mind racing, he quickly realized that this so-called "hit" was probably even worse than the situation in Tian Dou City.
Although the national strength of the Star Luo Empire and the defenses of Star Luo City were above those of the Tian Hun Empire and Tian Dou City, their high-end combat power and the situation of surrounding forces were far inferior to the Tian Hun Empire.
Just think about it—what would be the result of a capital without a Limit Douluo guarding it facing an attack by two Limit Douluos and numerous evil soul master Titled Douluos? This went without saying.
And the result was exactly as Chen Junting had guessed.
Ning Bowen nodded slightly. "Star Luo City was destroyed even before Tian Dou City. If it weren't for Princess Xu Jiujiu, who was protected to the death by their Star Luo Empire's worshippers, I'm afraid not a single one would be left."
At this time, Yan Shaozhe took over the conversation. "These evil soul masters are ruthless and have been plotting for a long time. They launched a surprise attack while the Star Luo royal family's defenses were lax, flattening the entire Star Luo City, plus the White Tiger Duke's mansion in the suburbs, with thunderous force."
Ning Bowen clenched his fists. "These people are insane!"
Hearing this, Yan Shaozhe sighed slightly: "The Star Luo royal family suffered heavy casualties, but Princess Xu Jiujiu escaped by a fluke. Currently, she and the surviving worshippers of the Star Luo Empire are resting and recuperating at the academy."
Everyone looked at each other, lamenting the impermanence of fate.
Then, Yan Shaozhe asked, "By the way, you said the Tian Hun Empire's royal family also suffered an attack, how is the situation?"
Hearing this, Ning Bowen turned his gaze to Ye Xuanji, who was closest, while Yan Shaozhe looked at Chen Junting, Ning Tian, and the others.
"Not much better."
With a long sigh in his heart, Ye Xuanji shook his head.
Immediately after, Chen Junting recounted the Tian Hun Empire's ordeal.
"Their encounter was similar to the Star Luo Empire's. Even with Senior Du Busi guarding them, the enemy had two Limit Douluos after all. By the time our people arrived, 'Zhongli Wu' and the others had already used a Class 9 Fixed Mounted Soul Guided Cannonball to launch an attack. The imperial palace was destroyed, and most of the royal relatives and civil and military officials perished. However, the imperial city and the citizens inside fared better than those in Star Luo City."
"How many royal relatives are still left?"
"Is anyone from the orthodox royal line still alive?"
Almost in unison, Ning Bowen and Yan Shaozhe pressed further, their faces growing darker by the second.
"It's that girl Wei Na."
Ye Xuanji folded the letter and chimed in.
Then he resolutely proposed, "Sect Master, and Dean Yan. This cannot go on any longer; we must eradicate this group of evil soul masters. We have to eliminate the leading Limit Douluos first!"
The sudden shift to formal address made Ning Bowen and Yan Shaozhe nod in understanding. After all, madmen and villains were one thing, but when the two were combined with immense strength... there was no reason they should have to be on guard every single night!
Coincidentally, this was exactly why Yan Shaozhe had come.
"Exactly. To discuss countermeasures, I propose that we all gather at the Sea God Pavilion of Shrek Academy. It just so happens that we previously reached a certain level of cooperation with Sea God Island. Including them, we can pool our wisdom and seek a solution together."
"Sea God Island!?"
Ning Bowen's heart skipped a beat, and even the other members of the sect were startled. Only those like Chen Junting and Ning Tian, who were "half-in-the-know," remained relatively calm, having roughly guessed the gist of it.
It seemed the Sea God Family had indeed visited Shrek back then and reached an agreement to wipe out the Demon Empress of the Holy Spirit Cult.
"The Sea God Island Dean Yan mentioned isn't the one at the academy, right..." This tentative question made Ye Xuanji and the others cast inquiring glances. After receiving an affirmative nod from Yan Shaozhe, Ning Bowen's eyes instantly lit up, and even the gloom brought by the destruction of the Star Luo and Tian Hun royal families was swept away considerably.
Sea God Island!
That was the place of the Sea God's inheritance. Ten thousand years ago, it was precisely because the two great ancestors of their Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had visited Sea God Island once that they had the opportunity to become gods.
If they could let Xiao Tian and Xiao Chen make a trip there... perhaps their Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would have more than just the two deities from ten thousand years ago.
So, after a little thought, he nodded in agreement.
"What Dean Yan said earlier is very true. However, for this trip, I and the Grand Elders are entangled in affairs and cannot personally go. I plan to let Ning Tian and Chen Junting go as representatives of the sect."
Yan Shaozhe expressed his understanding. In this kind of situation, the Sect Master and high-end combat power of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect indeed couldn't leave easily.
"That works."
After confirming that the relevant meeting would be held at the Sea God Pavilion in five days, Yan Shaozhe got up to leave. He still had to go to Tian Dou City and Ling Dou City to discuss this matter with them.
There was still one point that worried them: whether Ling Dou City would suffer the same fate as Tian Dou City and Star Luo City.
But no matter what, their Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect couldn't send people to support them.
After all, sending a few wouldn't be enough, and sending too many would risk the Holy Spirit Cult not being there and targeting the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect instead.
Their Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect couldn't put their own sect on the line between life and death for the sake of Ling Dou City and the Dou Ling royal family.
As Yan Shaozhe left, Ning Bowen finally said to Chen Junting and Ning Tian, "Little Chen, Little Tian, when the time comes, you can decide who to bring along to Shrek Academy. Also, if the Star Luo Empire and the Tian Hun Empire need help, our Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can be generous. We won't get involved in politics, but acts of offering help in times of need will make the two great empires remember the benefits of our Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and it can also bless our descendants."
"Yes." × 2
Ning Bowen nodded slightly, but then thought of something and couldn't help but sigh, "I wonder how things are over in Ling Dou City?"
However, at this moment, "Perhaps they will be fine."
Hearing this, Ning Bowen's gaze suddenly focused, and the others also uniformly looked at Chen Junting, who had spoken.
"Little Chen, what did you mean by that just now?"
Ning Bowen's words were filled with an inexplicable tone. To the others' ears, this tone clearly meant: *Are you suspecting the Dou Ling royal family of colluding with the remnants of the Holy Spirit Cult?* But if they were colluding, what was his basis?
Who would have thought Chen Junting would shake his head and say:
"Uncle Ning, you misunderstood."
The denial in these words actually made Ning Bowen and the other Grand Elders even more confused. Only Ning Tian, who was of one mind with him, guessed her Brother Junting's general idea.
So, she provided the explanation before Chen Junting could.
"Dad, Brother Junting means that the Dou Ling royal family *not* getting into trouble aligns better with the evil soul masters' purpose in carrying out the two attacks."
After speaking, she playfully winked at Chen Junting.
"Brother Junting, am I right?"
"Exactly."
This time, Chen Junting did not deny it.
"Oh?"
These words plunged Ning Bowen into deep thought.
"Actually, Uncle Ning, think about it. The current situation of 'Zhongli Wu' and his group is the worst it's been in the past thirty years. At least in the past, they had Xu Tianran as their backing. But now?"
"They escaped at the last minute and committed such atrocities in the Sun Moon Empire. Without Xu Tianran's backing, the Sun Moon Empire can no longer tolerate them. And our three great empires of the original Douluo Continent have also suffered greatly from evil soul masters; under normal circumstances, we wouldn't risk universal condemnation to take in evil soul master forces for our own use."
"Calculating like this, their side has strengthened their high-end combat power, but their overall strength has weakened, and they have no imperial power backing them... But what about our side? Both our high-end combat power and overall strength have improved by more than just a level, surpassing the levels of those thirty years."
"Given this, shouldn't they have disappeared without a trace?"
"But in reality? They still..."
"I know what you mean."
Before Chen Junting could continue, Ning Bowen understood. "They act as if they have nothing to fear. But more than that, it's because these two attacks align with their interests. And their current interest, or rather goal, is probably one and only one: to enhance their overall strength!"
Only when their strength increases can they achieve other goals.
And what is the most suitable thing for evil soul masters to enhance their strength?
One word—"Lives"!
Whether human lives or beast lives. Things like souls, blood, and so on are all included in these "lives."
And what creates this the most is chaos.
And what creates the most chaos is war.
"They will incite more wars because there aren't enough lives lost yet, right?"
Ning Bowen's words sounded like a question, but also like a statement.
This time, not just Chen Junting and Ning Tian, but almost everyone present nodded without hesitation—Exactly!
"Now the Sun Moon Empire has been crippled, so the possibility of inciting a war there is very small. And the Star Luo Empire and Tian Hun Empire have both been targeted; if they suffer a disaster, and if I were sitting in that position..."
He would also want to take a fierce bite out of these two pieces of fat! For no other reason than the development of his own forces.
"These guys are trying to provoke human nature."
This sounded like a sigh of lament from Ning Bowen.
"Then Uncle Ning, do you think this possibility is high?"
Looking at Chen Junting, Ning Bowen nodded slowly.
"High!"
...
Dou Ling Empire, Ling Dou City.
Deep within the Dou Ling Imperial Palace, in the Imperial Study, tall bookshelves were piled high with ancient texts and scrolls, while the desk was arranged with the Four Treasures of the Study and various memorials, waiting for the Dou Ling Emperor Xue Feng to review them.
Just then, Bright Phoenix Douluo Shui Xiye knocked on the door.
"Your Majesty, this old subject requests an audience."
"Granted."
Pushing open the door to the Imperial Study, she slowly stepped inside.
After the door was closed, Xue Feng raised his head. Seeing Shui Xiye, a gentle smile appeared on his face as he put down the memorial in his hand. "Has the Elder come today to report an important matter?"
But the next second, Shui Xiye's expression turned grave.
She took a few steps forward, came before the imperial desk, and said, "Your Majesty, I have just learned that Star Luo City and the White Tiger Duke's mansion of the Star Luo Empire have suffered a devastating catastrophe, and the Tian Hun Imperial Palace of the Tian Hun Empire was not spared either. The royal relatives and civil and military officials of both empires are almost completely dead or wounded. Now, these two great empires will likely fall into unprecedented chaos."
Hearing this, an extremely shocked expression instantly appeared on Xue Feng's face. His eyes widened, and a drop of ink from the tip of his brush slipped unconsciously, falling onto a memorial and splashing into a small blob.
He stood up abruptly and said in horror:
"Who exactly is so audacious as to commit such a monumental act? And who has such capability to destroy the Tian Hun royal family while under the protection of the Limit Douluo Du Busi?"
But before the words had even left his mouth, he already had a rough speculation in his heart.
Evil soul masters!
Currently, on the entire continent, only they would risk universal condemnation to commit such heinous acts at a time like this, and only they possessed such powerful and bizarre strength.
After all, it was impossible for the Sun Moon Empire to do this, and they lacked the capability now. And as for the forces of the original three Douluo empires, it went without saying. Even if they could do it, would they attack their "own people"?
Shui Xiye seemed to have anticipated Xue Feng's thoughts. "According to the news sent back, extremely dense evil soul master auras were found at both locations. The residual soul power fluctuations and battle traces at the scenes all indicate that this was the work of a group of evil soul masters."
Xue Feng's face became very ugly. He paced back and forth in the study, his brows tightly locked, feeling both angry and worried.
A moment later, he stopped, his gaze fixed firmly on Shui Xiye, and asked solemnly: "Elder Shui, in your opinion, will these evil soul masters point their spears at our Dou Ling royal family?"
Shui Xiye clasped her fists and said in a firm tone:
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. As long as I am here, I will definitely do my utmost to protect Ling Dou City and the safety of Your Majesty. Moreover, with the Tian Hun and Star Luo royal families suffering such heavy blows in succession, now that they've been discovered, I presume they won't dare to make a move on us easily."
Xue Feng nodded, his worries slightly alleviated. However, his cautious nature made him still not dare to let his guard down. "Even so, we must still be cautious. I have decided to immediately arrange for personnel to secretly construct multiple hidden residences. No matter what, we cannot just stay in this one place."
Shui Xiye nodded slightly, accepting the order: "Your Majesty is thinking far ahead. I will personally supervise the matter to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
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