Chapter 182: Shrek, Arrival
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled over the carved beams and painted rafters of Qingfeng Court, gilding the imperial villa in a thick layer of golden radiance. Inside the pavilion at the center of the courtyard, a sumptuous royal banquet had already been laid out.
The Emperor of Heavenly Soul appeared in exceptionally high spirits today. Shedding his heavy, formal dragon robes, he wore a set of light, bright yellow casual attire. He raised a white jade wine cup, his gaze burning with admiration as he looked at the young man sitting opposite him.
"Liu Yuan, I must toast you with this cup today," the Emperor declared, his voice carrying a rare, unbridled enthusiasm. "Fan Yu has only been on the job for a few days, but the reconstruction plan for the spirit tool core formation he demonstrated has already made those old bones in the Empire's Hall of Worship admire him to the point of prostration. Recruiting him holds more significance for the Heavenly Soul Empire than if I had gained two more Titled Douluo. And all of this is because of the materials you brought back."
Princess Weina, sitting gracefully to the side, revealed a gentle smile. She elegantly poured a fresh cup of tea for Liu Yuan, the fragrant steam curling into the evening air. "It is exactly as Father says. He hasn't stopped smiling while handling state affairs these past few days. Those soul engineers who used to look down on everyone are now acting as if they are possessed, studying day and night under Count Fan Yu."
Du Busi sat nearby, gripping a specially prepared braised beast leg in his massive hand, tearing into the meat with gusto. He chewed loudly, glancing sideways at the Emperor with a booming chuckle. "Your Majesty, your luck is truly good. This disciple of mine not only has a hard fist, but the twists and turns in his brain are something even I sometimes cannot fathom."
Liu Yuan's expression remained perfectly calm. He did not show the slightest hint of complacency at the Emperor's lavish praise. He simply raised his teacup, taking a slow sip as his gaze drifted toward the empty guest seat—the position originally reserved for Fan Yu.
"Is Count Fan Yu still in the laboratory?" Liu Yuan asked, his tone measured.
"He has been locked in there for three whole days and nights," the Emperor replied, shaking his head with a mixture of awe and exasperation. "I have sent people to persuade him to rest several times, but he always shoos them away, claiming that truth does not wait for people. He even eats his meals hastily beside the test bench. I must say, Liu Yuan, that bait you gave him possesses far too much lethality."
A sudden thought struck the Emperor, and his tone grew even more animated. "In addition, I have another piece of excellent news. using the power of those few pages of manuscripts you provided, the Empire's intelligence network has successfully made contact with several level-eight soul engineers from the Douling Empire and the Star Luo Empire. Although they haven't given a definite answer yet, the hesitation in their words is already very obvious. If this matter proceeds smoothly, it won't be long before the Heavenly Soul Empire possesses the largest group of high-level soul engineers on the entire continent. By then, our national strength will undergo a true qualitative change!"
Listening to the monarch's ambitious declarations, Liu Yuan tapped his fingers lightly against the smooth surface of the stone table. The rhythmic tapping echoed softly in the pavilion. He remained silent for a long moment before slowly opening his mouth, his voice slicing through the celebratory atmosphere.
"Your Majesty, while it is gratifying to have such talents return, our defensive preparations must never be taken lightly. Especially concerning Fan Yu. He was half the pillar of Shrek Academy's Spirit Tool Department, a man highly valued by Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er. I know Shrek. They have always considered themselves the absolute leaders of the continent. This kind of defection is an absolute disgrace in their eyes."
Meeting the Emperor's gaze directly, Liu Yuan's expression darkened into something far more serious. "I am worried that Shrek will not let this rest. Your Majesty must dispatch the most elite Shadow Guards to keep a close watch on Fan Yu's residence and laboratory. We must prevent Shrek's people from making private contact, or even... forcibly snatching him away."
Hearing this, Du Busi raised a thick eyebrow. He lowered the half-eaten beast leg, a look of genuine puzzlement crossing his rugged features. "Liu Yuan, aren't you overthinking this? This is the Heavenly Soul Imperial City. Even if that bunch from Shrek is overbearing, would they truly dare to break into the forbidden grounds of the Imperial Palace and snatch someone in broad daylight? Do they not care about their old faces anymore?"
Liu Yuan sneered, a cold, mocking sound. "Master, a cornered dog will jump over a wall when anxious, let alone Shrek, an academy that has just lost its future. In their eyes, Fan Yu is not just a person. He represents Shrek's face and their future strategic power. It would not be surprising in the least if they took extreme actions to preserve that face."
At the words 'extreme actions,' the Emperor's originally excited expression cooled, hardening into the stern visage of a ruler. He nodded slowly, his voice dropping an octave. "Liu Yuan is right. That bunch of old seniors at Shrek think far too highly of themselves. They truly cannot be measured by common sense. I will immediately triple the Imperial Guards to seal off the area where Fan Yu works. All personnel entering and exiting will be subjected to the strictest verification."
Du Busi snorted coldly. An overpowering, tyrannical aura instantly erupted from his massive frame, permeating the entire hall and causing the air to grow heavy. "In that case, Liu Yuan and I will continue to stay in the Imperial City for a while. I would like to see if those guys from Shrek have the guts to play their forced buying and selling games in front of me. If they really dare to come and forcibly snatch people, then they are the ones who broke the rules first. When that time comes, they cannot blame me for being ruthless and letting their old bones stay in the Heavenly Soul Imperial City forever!"
Time passed quickly within the tense yet orderly atmosphere of the Imperial City. Soon, seven full days had slipped by.
Throughout these seven days, Fan Yu displayed a near-manic devotion to his work. He not only forgot to eat and sleep while obsessively studying the level-nine core formation concepts Liu Yuan had provided, but he also demonstrated the deep dedication of a mature educator. Knowing perfectly well that the Heavenly Soul Empire's current foundation in spirit tools was pitifully weak, he used the brief gaps in his own research to draft a massive volume of advanced theoretical notes tailored for level-one through level-seven soul engineers.
These careful notes covered the simplified carving of core formations, the precise smelting ratios of newly discovered conductive materials, and the optimal energy distribution methods for spirit tools in actual combat. In his view, this exhausting effort was not merely a way to repay the Emperor's generous appreciation. It was a sacred duty he had to fulfill as a citizen of the Heavenly Soul Empire, finally returning to serve his motherland. Every single page of those notes was poured with his burning enthusiasm for this land.
Today, the setting sun once again melted into a sea of gold across the horizon.
Inside the laboratory, Fan Yu had just completed a highly complex conductive wave experiment. Exhausted but satisfied, he stripped off his heavy, gray-white soul engineer robe, which was completely soaked with sweat, and changed into a clean set of casual clothes. Although his complexion appeared somewhat haggard from the sleepless nights, his eyes burned far brighter than they ever had during his time at Shrek Academy.
He pushed open the heavy iron door of the laboratory, the metal groaning in protest. Nodding slightly to the heavily armored soldiers standing guard outside, he stepped out, preparing to walk through the secluded side courtyard of the Imperial Palace to return to the Count's residence the Emperor had specially bestowed upon him.
The exotic plants lining the roadside emitted a faint, soothing fragrance. The cool evening breeze brushed against his face, offering his tightly wound mind a rare, fleeting moment of relaxation.
"A level-nine core... so the true secret lies in the frequency resonance of mental force. Was my entire research direction wrong before..." Fan Yu murmured to himself, his mind still entirely consumed by his findings as his boots crunched softly against the stone path.
However, just as he stepped into the most secluded, shadowed section of the side courtyard, the rhythmic, ambient chirping of the evening insects abruptly ceased. The sudden silence was deafening.
As a level-eight soul engineer, Fan Yu's mental force far exceeded that of ordinary spirit masters. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He stopped dead in his tracks, his thick, calloused hands instantly dropping to press against the storage spirit tool resting at his waist. His sharp gaze scanned the surrounding void, his muscles tensing in absolute vigilance.
"Who goes there?" Fan Yu shouted, his voice low and commanding.
Before the echo of his voice could even fade, the previously calm evening sky shattered. Without a single warning, several terrifying fluctuations of power erupted from the void, strong enough to violently distort the very air itself.
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