"I didn't expect not only Ming Feng Douluo Yan Shaozhe to lead the team personally, but also Elder Xuan secretly following..."
Su Yu roughly analyzed the situation on-site and summoned the subordinates of the Soul Guide Team to relay it back to Mingdu.
"Hmph, crossing the border illegally, full search for Elder Xuan's whereabouts!"
Su Yu's narrow phoenix eyes revealed a trace of sharpness.
A Level 98 Super Douluo crossing the border illegally and being discovered means they have every reason to act.
The Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team was fully deployed, utilizing all kinds of investigative Soul-guiding Devices.
"Intercept all roads leading to Mingdu nearby."
...
"Elder Xuan, it seems we can only take a detour now." Yan Shaozhe smiled bitterly, feeling helpless about the actions of the Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team.
From a distance, they could feel a deadly threat.
This Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team must at least have a Level 8 fixed Soul-guided Cannon.
Moreover, they seemed to lack none of the various Ninth-level Soul-guiding Devices.
This was the first time Yan Shaozhe felt so visibly oppressed by the Sun and Moon Empire's army equipped with advanced Soul-guiding Devices.
Clearly, all the Soul Masters in the legion couldn't defeat them, and even the two of them could massacre freely.
But because of the Soul-guiding Devices, they had to be cautious.
Possibly just rushing out and trying to decapitate might immediately face the bombardment of Soul-guided Cannons.
Breaking in?
Impossible.
The area was filled with investigative Soul-guiding Devices, checking for fluctuations in Soul Power, Spiritual Power, and even monitoring the fluctuations of surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi flawlessly.
This made Yan Shaozhe even more deeply aware of the importance of Soul-guiding Devices.
"Qian Duoduo has broken through to being a Ninth-level Soul Guide, and Fan Yu will be Shrek's second Ninth-level Soul Guide, there mustn't be any issues."
With this point included, the two of them couldn't choose not to go to Mingdu.
Yet the blockade of the Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team forced them to take a larger detour, attempting to sneak into Mingdu.
"Evil Demon Forest?"
Yan Shaozhe and Elder Xuan discussed the route, and Elder Xuan finally drew the theoretically safest route.
Yan Shaozhe looked at the route on the map, lost in thought.
"We are just borrowing the outskirts of the Evil Demon Forest, passing directly through the forest to move from the south of the Sun and Moon Empire to the north. The Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team has only blocked the main route directly from the Mingdu Mountain Range to Mingdu; it's impossible for them to block all roads outside of Mingdu." Elder Xuan analyzed.
Yan Shaozhe was very resistant to this route in his heart, but what Elder Xuan said made a lot of sense.
...
The largest highway north of the Mingdu Mountain Range.
"Is this how the Sun and Moon Empire treats foreign contestants?"
The Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team intercepted one team after another, thoroughly examining all their personnel.
"Hmph, my Sun and Moon Empire certainly welcomes foreign participating teams, but if they harbor impure motives, don't blame us for being unkind.
What does it mean for a Super Douluo to follow secretly? Register properly, if a Super Douluo enters my Sun and Moon Empire illegally and is discovered, we will not show the slightest mercy."
The elders secretly following each team were forced to reveal themselves.
From the words of the Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team, it was not difficult to see that this was a warning.
Anyone entering the Sun and Moon Empire must register; otherwise, if they die in the Sun and Moon Empire, there will be no responsibility.
Moreover, even those members who are registered will be implicated, and when a war breaks out, if they're deemed to have ulterior motives, it will be disastrous.
Most sects lacked the confidence to resist.
"Hmph, blame that Shrek Elder Xuan for sneaking into my Sun and Moon Empire."
Su Yu didn't mind antagonizing Shrek a bit.
This competition was already dangerous, and each participating team dispatched masters secretly for protection.
But because of Shrek, most of the hidden experts from the teams were pulled to the forefront, significantly increasing danger, fueling resentment towards Shrek.
...
"Princess Jiu Jiu, this..."
"It's alright, don't mind it." Xu Jiujiu's expression remained unchanged towards the Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team's search.
It was merely an excuse found by the Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team.
Even without this search, would they not act when the illegal crossing was exposed later? The same.
The moment of deciding to dispatch experts secretly following, they essentially prepared for crossing illegally, accepting all included risks.
It's just that some small sects couldn't withstand the pressure of such direct threats.
Moreover, for those who hadn't reached Titled Douluo, hiding or not hiding didn't make much difference.
Conversely, the accompany of the Medical Immortal Douluo and Star Shattering Douluo with their Xingluo Royal Team carried more value and mustn't be exposed.
Otherwise, once exposed, after entering Mingdu, the Sun and Moon Empire, which originally didn't plan to act, might just act.
Similarly, similar movements occurred with the Celestial Soul Empire and Essence Sect teams.
The Celestial Soul Royal team and the Essence Sect team were not together; they were separated by a certain distance but could watch each other's backs, allowing both sides to quickly converge in case of unexpected occurrences.
Both teams had Titled Douluo accompanying them.
...
Mingdu.
Royal Family.
Xu Tianran looked at the intelligence from the Fire Phoenix Soul Guide Team with great satisfaction.
Most hidden masters of the participating teams were rooted out, which benefited the Sun and Moon Empire's upcoming plans immensely.
As for not even one Titled Douluo?
Impossible.
Hmph, Mingdu competition, my Sun and Moon Empire harbors no goodwill, but neither do your Three Kingdoms.
Xu Tianran's eyes slightly squinted, exuding a murderous aura.
In a royal struggle, when an enemy nearly killed him, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down, Xu Tianran retaliated most brutally. Not a single opposing prince or minister ended up well.
Within the empire, forces against the upcoming unification war were all cleared by him, and the war regulations were amended too, broadening civilians' military career prospects substantially; meritorious warfare leading to nobility is no longer a dream.
Anyone opposing this regulation was eliminated one by one by Xu Tianran.
This demonstrates his decisive ruthlessness.
"The Douluo Three Kingdoms will not sit idly this time; inform Mingde Hall to strengthen their defenses."
"Also, all movements of Soul Guides in the empire must be investigated clearly."
This competition is a clarion call for full-scale war by the Sun and Moon Empire, and concurrently, isn't it a long-awaited opportunity for the Douluo Three Kingdoms?
Whether Ninth-level Soul-guiding Technology can be obtained, through the pressure of upcoming warfare, developing Ninth-level Soul Guides swiftly, and closing the subsequent gap, depends on actions during the competition.
"Hmph, do they really think I don't know their intentions?"
Orange listened silently to Xu Tianran's analysis without interrupting.
...
Mingde Hall.
Mirror Hongchen received the news and also issued a precautionary alert internally within Mingde Hall.
If the Douluo Three Kingdoms go mad enough, then capturing Mingde Hall's technology is very probable.
Shrek and Essence Sect.
Both these forces are utterly reckless.
And they both happen to stand against the Sun and Moon Empire; if one proposed the plan, the other would absolutely follow suit.
Like a probability problem, there's a fifty-fifty chance for both to have such thoughts, whereas for Mingde Hall, the probability of not encountering an attack only stands if both Shrek and Essence Sect behave, which is merely a one in four chance.
This probability is very small.
It requires vigilance.
"Xu Tianran is indeed playing with fire this time..." With defensive fortifications under construction and a large-scale covert mobilization of Soul Guides, Mirror Hongchen was aware.
Sealing-type Soul-guiding Array...
"Hall Master."
Su Yu arrived at Mirror Hongchen's office, interrupting Mirror Hongchen's deep thoughts.
"Xiaoyu? Is there something you need?"
"Nothing much, I just suddenly felt there's a weird atmosphere around this competition, and I have this constant feeling that something unexpected is going to happen," Su Yu said with a tone full of worry.