After Wang Chen shattered the border checkpoint with a single spear thrust, he mentally commented, "The Heavenly Soul Empire's border defenses are mediocre. The soul master legion can't coordinate their strength, and the soul tool arrays crumble at a touch weak enough to put one's mind at ease."
Wang Chen didn't even bother to glance back twice and continued flying forward.
Ten kilometers away, the Sun Moon Empire's soul engineer corps stationed along the border between the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Sun Moon Empire stared in stunned silence as the Heavenly Soul Empire's checkpoint was torn open with a massive breach.
"That's too strong, he just charged straight through!"
"Terrifying. An attack like that could probably only be achieved by a Beast King-level soul engineer corps."
"Who was that black figure? One of our Sun Moon Empire's powerhouses? How did he come from the Heavenly Soul Empire's side?"
"How should I know? Probably a powerhouse returning from a secret mission."
"…"
As the border soul engineer corps members buzzed with discussion,
The ninth-rank soul engineer in charge of guarding the border, Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan, had his jaw drop at the terrifying spear strike that broke through the checkpoint.
Zheng Zhan wore a cyan robe, his tall and burly figure adorned with a lavish badge on his chest signifying his status as a ninth-rank soul engineer.
Watching the black figure clad in full-body soul tool armor with a ninth-rank flight soul tool deployed behind him, Zheng Zhan said doubtfully, "Who is this? Such ferocious methods, he doesn't seem much inferior to Elder Kong."
As an offering in the Imperial Offering Hall, Zheng Zhan prided himself on knowing every ninth-rank soul engineer, but none matched the strength of this one in his memory.
While Zheng Zhan was puzzled, another ninth-rank soul engineer responsible for the border defense asked, "Brother Zheng, that mysterious powerhouse is approaching our position. What should we do? Stop him to verify his identity or let him pass?"
After a moment's thought, Zheng Zhan replied, "Ask for his identity. Necessary procedures must be followed."
After breaking through the checkpoint, Wang Chen flew straight toward the Sun Moon Empire's border line. From afar, he could see the soul engineer corps, the countless soul tool cannons in the soul tool arrays, and various anti-air soul tools and defensive soul tools.
Even high in the sky, there were advanced soul tools for detection and precise guidance for soul cannons.
Seeing Wang Chen drawing closer, Zheng Zhan flew forward and transmitted his voice: "Colleague, please hold for a moment. By His Majesty's decree, the border is under lockdown. Please state your identity."
Wang Chen recognized Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan at a glance. After Kong Deming took him as a disciple, Zheng Zhan, as a member of the Imperial Offering Hall, naturally sent a gift.
The two had met and exchanged greetings. However, clad in ninth-rank full-body soul tool armor and with his strength having skyrocketed, Zheng Zhan likely hadn't recognized him.
At Zheng Zhan's words, Wang Chen slowed slightly. With a wave of his hand, he retrieved the Imperial Offering Hall Master token given to him by Kong Deming from his storage soul tool.
This Master token allowed free entry and exit from the Imperial Offering Hall.
In times of trouble, it could also be used to seek assistance from the hall's offerings.
Zheng Zhan's pupils contracted sharply upon seeing the token engraved with a silver moon in Wang Chen's hand. It was Elder Kong's token!!
"You are…" Zheng Zhan stared at Wang Chen in disbelief.
Wang Chen smiled and said, "Offering Zheng, it's been a while."
Hearing the familiar voice, Zheng Zhan immediately shouted to his subordinates, "Let him through! Open the way!"
Then, cupping his hands with a smile, Zheng Zhan said respectfully to Wang Chen, "I am stationed here to guard the border by His Majesty's command. Duty compels me; please don't take offense.
When you return to the empire and see Elder Kong, please convey my regards to him."
Zheng Zhan had already guessed Wang Chen's identity and treated him with considerable respect.
After all, this was the person with the greatest backing in the current Sun Moon Empire, Elder Kong's direct disciple and the emperor's son-in-law.
Given time, once Elder Kong passed away, Wang Chen would likely succeed him as the master of the Imperial Offering Hall. At that point, Wang Chen would be the superior of all the offerings like him.
Was there anything wrong with showing respect to his future superior? Absolutely not.
Moreover, the terrifying strike that shattered the Heavenly Soul Empire's border checkpoint showed that Wang Chen's strength far surpassed his own. Considering Wang Chen's age, it was utterly astonishing and inconceivable.
Wang Chen smiled and said, "Offering Zheng is diligent in his duties—admirable. I have urgent matters today, so I won't chat further. When Offering Zheng returns to Mingdu another day, we'll catch up."
With a flash, Wang Chen transformed into a streak of light, vanishing into the horizon as he continued toward Mingdu.
Zheng Zhan watched Wang Chen depart and sighed, "Comparing oneself to others is maddening. All these years I've lived, and it's like I've wasted them on a dog."
At that moment, another ninth-rank soul engineer flew up and asked, "Brother Zheng, who was that?"
Zheng Zhan sighed, "Elder Kong's disciple, Wang Chen."
"What? Wang Chen? Has Elder Kong recently taken a direct disciple? Impossible Wang Chen is only fifteen or sixteen years old. How could he possess such terrifying strength?"
Zheng Zhan rolled his eyes and said irritably, "How should I know?"
…
While Wang Chen crossed the border into the Sun Moon Empire and flew toward Mingdu, Ye Xishui had returned to the Sun Moon Empire even earlier.
Because Wang Chen was returning from the Far North, his distance was greater than Ye Xishui's from Shrek Academy back to Mingdu.
Moreover, as a rank 99 Limit Douluo who also cultivated as a soul engineer, equipped with a ninth rank flight soul tool, Ye Xishui's speed far exceeded Wang Chen's.
Between the two factors, by the time Wang Chen had just crossed the Sun Moon Empire's border, Ye Xishui had already arrived at the outskirts of Mingdu, preparing to ambush him.
Beside Ye Xishui, Long Xiaoyao watched her blood-red eyes and murderous aura as she set up soul tools, his face full of confusion.
Ye Xishui had mysteriously disappeared for two days, and upon returning, she was in this state. He had no idea who had provoked her.
In all these years, this was the first time he had seen Ye Xishui like this.
Long Xiaoyao asked with concern, "Xishui, what's wrong? What on earth happened?"
Ye Xishui gave Long Xiaoyao a deep look. She had never told him about their child. Though she loved Long Xiaoyao and had schemed to keep him by her side,
She was unwilling to truly be with him, not wanting to drag him down or burden him with a lifetime of infamy. Ye Xishui wanted the world to see everything Long Xiaoyao did as coerced by her.
That way, in the eyes of the world, Long Xiaoyao would remain the Dragon Emperor Douluo, not an evil soul master's accomplice aiding tyranny (as in the original story).
Ye Xishui thought sorrowfully, "Xiaoyao, our descendant has been killed. But I can't tell you. Let me bear this grief and pain alone."
To Long Xiaoyao, she said, "Xiaoyao, I must kill someone. No matter what, I will kill him. You have to help me."
Long Xiaoyao sighed and asked, "Who?"
"Wang Chen!" Ye Xishui's voice was hoarse as blood-red light emerged from her body, dyeing everything around her in crimson.
Long Xiaoyao frowned and said, "Wang Chen is in Mingdu. If we storm Mingdu to kill him directly, we'll completely fall out with the Sun Moon Empire."
Hearing Long Xiaoyao say Wang Chen was in Mingdu infuriated Ye Xishui.
Gritting her teeth, she said, "We've been played by Wang Chen. He hid his strength, and the Dark Spirit Douluo we sent couldn't monitor him at all.
He left Mingdu long ago, left the Sun Moon Empire, and went to the Three Douluo Nations, causing massive chaos.
First, he killed Shrek Academy's dean, Yan Shaozhe, and severely injured Xianzi. Then Mu En led a team to hunt him down, not only failing to kill him but getting his life force depleted in the process, leading to his death."
Hearing Ye Xishui's words, Long Xiaoyao's eyes widened, his mouth agape in disbelief.
He didn't know Yan Shaozhe was his and Ye Xishui's descendant, so Yan Shaozhe's death didn't affect him much.
But Mu En's death filled him with sorrow and anger. In Long Xiaoyao's heart, the person he felt most sorry for was Ye Xishui, and the second was Mu En.
For a moment, Long Xiaoyao thought he had misheard. After all, this was Mu En, his equal, the most powerful person in the world today.
In a tone of disbelief, Long Xiaoyao said to Ye Xishui, "Xishui, you're saying Mu En is dead?"
Ye Xishui nodded and said, "Mu En is dead, killed by that despicable little beast Wang Chen. What? Are you happy to hear Mu En is dead?"
Ye Xishui said this deliberately. Having spent so much time with Long Xiaoyao, she knew exactly what kind of person he was.
She said this because in the past, when she sent Long Xiaoyao to kill someone, he would only go through the motions, not exerting full effort, and even deliberately letting the target escape.
Only by truly igniting Long Xiaoyao's anger and killing intent could she ensure he would give his all.
From Mu En's account, she knew how strong Wang Chen was. She alone could never kill him. If Long Xiaoyao didn't go all out, they might not even be able to keep him.
In the past, if Long Xiaoyao let others go, Ye Xishui didn't care much. But Wang Chen could not be spared under any circumstances!
This was the murderer of her and Long Xiaoyao's descendant. No matter what, Long Xiaoyao had to give his full effort to avenge Yan Shaozhe.
Long Xiaoyao, stung by Ye Xishui's words, clenched his fists in fury and said, "Xishui, is that the kind of vile person you think I am?
I wronged you. That incident was the greatest mistake of my life.
But Mu En was my brother, too. If he were killed, I would definitely avenge him!"
Seeing that a few words had stirred Long Xiaoyao's anger and killing intent, Ye Xishui thought to herself, "Xiaoyao, after all these years, you haven't changed."
Deliberately sneering, Ye Xishui said, "Good. I hope when you kill Wang Chen, you'll use your full strength to avenge Mu En and show no mercy."
Long Xiaoyao's eyes burned with rage and killing intent. "Xishui, you don't need to tell me. Even if I have to risk my life, I will kill Wang Chen!"
With her goal achieved, Ye Xishui approached Long Xiaoyao and shared all the intelligence about Wang Chen she had learned from Mu En.
Then she began discussing with Long Xiaoyao what tactics to use and how to set up the ambush to ensure a one-strike kill on Wang Chen.
…...
Time flew by. Wang Chen raced forward and soon reached the outskirts of Mingdu from the border.
Gazing into the distance, Wang Chen saw the vast and majestic Mingdu, his heart filled with emotion.
This grand city held the path of Wang Chen's growth over the past decade and more.
When he was weak, Wang Chen had to train desperately because his family was caught up in the struggle for the throne. With Mingdu teeming with powerhouses and a complex situation, he had to proceed with caution, lying low and hiding.
Even when he achieved fame and strength comparable to a Titled Douluo, he couldn't act freely—his marriage wasn't even his own choice. Because of his overwhelming talent, he was targeted by the Holy Spirit Cult and didn't dare leave Mingdu openly, fearing he'd be hunted down and killed.
But now, having fused a million-year soul ring and gained a second martial soul, Wang Chen had undergone a complete transformation.
At full power, he could fight a Limit Douluo. With the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's shed skin enabling ultra-long-distance teleportation, if he wanted to flee, no one on the Douluo Continent could stop him.
For a moment, Wang Chen felt his heart open wide. The frustration from having to lie low due to his former weakness dissipated like smoke.
Now, he truly stood at the pinnacle of the Sun Moon Empire. From this day forward, even the emperor would have to discuss matters with him. If Wang Chen didn't agree, no one could force him.
As Wang Chen was lost in emotion, the black book deep in his soul suddenly trembled.
A sense of crisis surged into Wang Chen's mind.
His pupils contracted sharply. Almost instinctively, he mobilized all his soul power, instantly lighting up all his soul rings. Then three soul rings detonated!
Boom!!!
In an instant, darkness enveloped several kilometers around. Under this darkness, everything fell silent, frozen in the boundless void.
Along with the darkness domain came a blood-red beam of light descending from the sky, completely engulfing Wang Chen's position. The space within a thousand meters instantly collapsed, revealing pitch-black spatial rifts.
This was the killing strike of two Limit Douluo!
Within the darkness domain, Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui stood side by side. Beside Ye Xishui stood a tower-shaped soul tool radiating dark red bloodlight, containing countless ferocious wronged souls.
This tower was no ordinary tool—named the Death God Tower, it was hailed as a soul tool approaching rank 10. The Death God's Light it emitted was so powerful that even a Limit Douluo would suffer greatly if struck.
Just as Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui thought they had succeeded, the blood-red beam was suddenly torn apart, and Wang Chen's figure emerged.
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