The next morning, the latest news came from the frontline of the Heaven Soul Empire. The Sun Moon Empire had completely ceased its invasion of the Heaven Soul Empire and had constructed soul guidance defensive positions at the front line. It seemed they intended to consolidate their war gains and had no plans to launch further offensives in the short term.
This gave the Heaven Soul Empire a chance to catch its breath. Although nearly one-third of its territory in the northwest region had been lost, its foundation remained intact. It was now using the three major cities, Dragon City, Heaven Dou City, and Spirit Dou City, as defensive lines, confronting the Sun Moon Empire.
Relatively speaking, ever since several soul mentor legions under Juzi's command withdrew, the pressure on Dragon City, with its harsh environment, had become comparatively the lightest.
After all, north of Dragon City lay the Extreme North, known as the Life Forbidden Zone. Moreover, the terrain around Dragon City was easy to defend and hard to attack. It watched over Heaven Dou City to the south, and to the east, it had the support of the Dou Spirit Empire's army.
The Dou Spirit Empire had not transferred part of its forces here purely to aid the Heaven Soul Empire; more importantly, it was to protect its own interests. If Dragon City fell into the hands of the Sun Moon Empire, it would mean the Dou Spirit Empire would directly face the Sun Moon Empire's armies, with the flames of war potentially spreading into the Dou Spirit Empire's territory at any moment.
To the north of the Dou Spirit Empire lay the continent's vastest grassland, the Spirit North Grand Prairie. This area was almost without any natural defenses. If the Sun Moon Empire advanced straight through here, it would pose a direct threat to the heartland of the Dou Spirit Empire.
As a princess of the Heaven Soul Empire's imperial family with an exceptionally high status, Wei Na wielded considerable authority herself. She learned of this news almost immediately. While feeling greatly relieved in her heart, it also allowed her to temporarily devote herself wholeheartedly to her personal feelings.
Early that morning, she and Mu Xue went to the Heavenly Dragon Gate to find Yu Tian Long.
And as Wei Na had hoped, she indeed learned from Yu Tian Long about news concerning Yu Tianhuang. Immediately afterward, she confirmed through special channels the hotel where Yu Tianhuang was staying.
It is worth mentioning that Yu Tian Long, having seen through the thoughts in the mind of Her Highness the Princess Wei Na, tactfully made no mention of Wang Qiu'er at the time. He simply informed Wei Na and Mu Xue with an unchanged expression that Yu Tianhuang had come to the Heavenly Dragon Gate to see him last night.
But in his heart, he secretly thought: counting Wei Na, this was already the fourth one.
Early morning is the turning point when yin and yang change over the coldest time of the day. Especially in a northern city like Dragon City, so close to the Extreme North.
The biting cold seemed to be contained within each falling snowflake, making it unbearable. Every household at this time kept its doors tightly shut, enjoying the warmth inside. On the wide and orderly streets, only occasional patrols of soldiers passed by, leaving the scene cold and desolate.
Wei Na and Mu Xue were slowly walking along the street toward the Falling Snow Hotel in the center of Dragon City.
When the soldiers saw Wei Na and Mu Xue, they all respectfully bowed in salute, then continued their patrol and vigilance only after the two women had passed.
Today, Mu Xue was still wearing her white soft armor, looking every bit the valiant and heroic female general. Wei Na, on the other hand, wore a white long dress paired with short boots, floating gracefully like an immortal, exactly like a noble and pure snow lotus, just as her martial soul was.
Both Wei Na and Mu Xue possessed ice-attribute martial souls, and since Dragon City was not actually in the Extreme North, such low temperatures posed no real threat to them.
They soon passed the front desk of the Falling Snow Hotel.
Several staff members at the hotel's front desk, seeing the stunningly beautiful Wei Na and Mu Xue with their distinctly different auras, immediately widened their eyes.
Although Wei Na and Mu Xue had not come to check in, the staff dared not block the two women, who clearly had extraordinary backgrounds. They simply watched as Wei Na and Mu Xue took the soul guidance elevator in the lobby up to the top floor of the hotel.
Behind the front desk, a delicate young girl in the hotel's bright yellow long skirt, her uniform, whispered excitedly to a slightly older, more intellectual-looking woman beside her: "Sister Li, I remember only those two people checked into the top floor last night, right?"
"Xiao Xi, this isn't something we should be inquiring about. Remember, there won't be a next time."
Seeing the gossip fire burning in the girl's eyes, the woman sternly reprimanded her.
The girl stuck out her tongue playfully. She knew the woman was kindly reminding her. Although ordinary people like them had decent looks and could obtain relatively good jobs and pay, there was still an insurmountable gap between them and soul masters or nobles. Those people were not for them to gossip about.
But with her innocent nature still intact, she found it hard to stop her mind from wandering. In just a short moment, she had already imagined countless classic scenes in her head.
Things like stepping on three boats and getting caught, and so on.
The more she thought about it, the brighter her eyes shone.
"Hehe…"
On the other side, just as Wei Na and Mu Xue reached the door and were about to knock, they suddenly heard some faint sounds.
Soul masters' perception far surpassed that of ordinary people. Realizing something, their faces instantly turned bright red.
Wei Na's outstretched jade hand froze in midair.
After standing there for a long while, Mu Xue gave Wei Na a subtle look. In her view, the only person who could be with Yu Tianhuang was Ning Tian.
If this private meeting involved only Wei Na and Yu Tianhuang, everything would be fine. But if Ning Tian was present, things would become complicated. Was Wei Na supposed to fight for Yu Tianhuang in front of Ning Tian?
Not to mention whether Yu Tianhuang would agree, even Wei Na herself would find it hard to cross that hurdle. Coming to this decision had already taken tremendous courage on Wei Na's part.
At the same time, inside the room, Xu Zihuang suddenly seemed to sense something and looked toward the door.
Without thinking much, Wang Qiu'er silently stood up, placed both hands on the crystal floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, and looked back with dazed eyes. Her long, wavy powder-blue hair naturally cascaded down. Combined with her current expression, this unique charm was enough to make any man's heart race.
But the only one who could appreciate it was Xu Zihuang.
All of this Wang Qiu'er had learned from Xu Zihuang's memories, specifically from Ye Guyi and Ning Tian, and had put into practice last night. For her, who had grown up in the soul beast world, assuming this position was not particularly embarrassing.
Many soul beasts adopted similar postures when reproducing.
Xu Zihuang steadied his emotions and slowly adjusted his appearance without doing anything to cover it up.
"Someone's here."
"Who is it?"
Wang Qiu'er pursed her lips with a hint of resentment but did not act spoiled. She put her clothes back on properly, her face returning to its usual cold indifference as she sat beside Xu Zihuang. It was hard to imagine that the current her and the earlier her were the same person.
"Wei Na and Mu Xue," Xu Zihuang replied frankly.
Just as the two were talking, a gentle knocking sound came from outside the door.
Xu Zihuang got up and opened the door. The exquisite faces of Wei Na and Mu Xue appeared in his line of sight.
However, Wei Na and Mu Xue subconsciously looked past Xu Zihuang toward the living room behind him. Seeing Wang Qiu'er sitting on the sofa and also looking their way, they instantly became flustered.
"???"
No matter how they thought about it, they never imagined that the person in the room was not Ning Tian, but Wang Qiu'er, who during the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, had little interaction with Yu Tianhuang and even had a rather strained relationship.
Xu Zihuang smiled gently: "Wei Na, Mu Xue, is there something you need from me?"
Only then did Wei Na and Mu Xue come back to their senses. Mu Xue's expression was somewhat subtle, while Wei Na gave a warm smile, seemingly completely unaware of what had just happened in the room.
"Tianhuang, may we come in?"
"Please," Xu Zihuang stepped aside to let them pass.
Wei Na gracefully nodded slightly, then walked past Xu Zihuang and sat on the sofa opposite Wang Qiu'er.
Because of the special environment in which she had grown up, her attitude toward such matters differed from that of ordinary people. With Wang Qiu'er as precedent, she actually felt even more confident.
Wang Qiu'er was indeed outstanding in every aspect, but Wei Na was confident she was not much inferior. There was no reason for Yu Tianhuang to reject her while accepting Wang Qiu'er.
A faint, gentle smile always graced Wei Na's pretty face as she took the initiative to greet Wang Qiu'er.
"Hello, Qiu'er. I didn't expect we would meet here."
Wang Qiu'er glanced faintly at Wei Na. Knowing full well what was happening, she remained expressionless and silent. Only when Xu Zihuang and Mu Xue came over did she take Xu Zihuang's hand, as if silently defending her position through her actions.
The four sat facing each other: Wang Qiu'er opposite Wei Na, Xu Zihuang opposite Mu Xue. The atmosphere instantly became rather delicate.
Toward Wang Qiu'er's cold attitude, Wei Na showed not the slightest trace of embarrassment or anger. Then, with a moved expression, she stood up and bowed to Xu Zihuang.
"Tianhuang, regarding yesterday's counterattack against the Holy Spirit Cult, I have heard everything from Grandfather Gan and Teacher. On behalf of my father, the emperor, and the millions of subjects of the Heaven Soul Empire, I thank you for your assistance. I truly don't know how to express this gratitude. My father originally wanted to bestow rewards upon you, but knowing you likely care little for wealth, titles, or such worldly things, in the end, he simply asked me to convey that if you are willing, he hopes to meet you formally in Heaven Dou City. Additionally, my father made a promise: if you have any needs, as long as the Heaven Soul Empire possesses it, it will certainly be granted to you."
"Wei Na, no need to be so courteous," Xu Zihuang smiled faintly and also stood to support her up.
"Didn't I say long ago? I myself am a person of the Heaven Soul Empire. It is only proper to contribute my strength to protect my own country. His Majesty's promise shows his regard and respect for me, but at present I have no such needs."
"Tianhuang, my father's promise remains valid forever. If you ever think of something later, you can contact me at any time."
Charming dimples appeared on Wei Na's lovely face as she sat back down on the sofa.
Meanwhile, Wang Qiu'er, who had been watching coldly from the side, suddenly spoke.
"Then does this princess of the Heaven Soul Empire also fall within the scope of that promise?"
The expressions on Wei Na and Mu Xue's faces instantly stiffened. They were both stunned by Wang Qiu'er's direct, in-your-face question.
Would a normal person say something like that?
But soon after, Wei Na's expression returned to normal. She looked straight at Xu Zihuang.
"A man as outstanding as Tianhuang, any girl would surely be moved by him. I am no exception. But that comes from my own will. If Tianhuang is willing to accept me, I certainly will not hesitate."
Now it was Wang Qiu'er's turn to be rendered speechless.
As someone from the imperial family, Wei Na naturally would not go overboard or press too aggressively. After saying this, she smiled and bid farewell to Xu Zihuang.
"Tianhuang, Sister Xue, and I will not disturb you any longer today. If you need anything, you can contact me at any time."
The last sentence carried a hint of ambiguity, yet she kept it perfectly measured.
Mu Xue, who had remained silent from beginning to end while following behind Wei Na, had an extraordinarily colorful expression in her beautiful eyes. The usually gentle Wei Na had behaved completely out of character today, vastly different from the Wei Na she knew.
Xu Zihuang made no reply. He simply escorted Wei Na and Mu Xue out of the room. Wei Na's personality was completely different from Xu Jiu Jiu's, and he did not dislike her. But neither would he take the initiative to do anything. As he had said, he had always lacked proactivity in matters of romance.
Male instinctual possessiveness did exist, but Wei Na was not yet able to make him obsessive or give rise to the feeling that she was indispensable.
As soon as Xu Zihuang closed the door, a fragrant breeze rushed into his arms.
Wang Qiu'er wrapped her arms around Xu Zihuang's waist and back, pressing her face close. Their similar heights brought their eyes level as they met.
"What's wrong?"
Xu Zihuang helplessly placed his hands on Wang Qiu'er's slender, soft yet resilient waist. In her powder-blue eyes swirled heat and jealousy; her red lips were slightly parted.
"Continue."
Yet she deliberately kept a cold face, creating an extremely contrasting and novel feeling.
For the entire morning, Xu Zihuang and Wang Qiu'er did not leave the hotel. Only in the afternoon did they set off on the journey back to Shrek Academy.
When Xu Zihuang and Wang Qiu'er had gone missing before, Shrek Academy had not made any public announcement. Wang Qiu'er had been absent for more than half a year, and the teachers and students of the inner court simply assumed she had left school temporarily for personal reasons.
This was extremely common among Shrek Academy's inner court disciples. Many went out for training and often stayed away for more than half a year. For example, Ma Xiaotao still had not returned to Shrek Academy even now.
Thus, Wang Qiu'er's return caused hardly any ripples. Shrek Academy remained as peaceful and tranquil as ever. The situation on the continent was similarly calm. The Sun Moon Empire side seemed to have fallen completely silent.
Elder Xuan had begun closed-door cultivation not long ago. Xu Zihuang went to find Elder Song and briefly recounted how he had helped the Body Sect severely damage the Holy Spirit Cult. Also in closed-door cultivation after gaining insights were Ye Guyi, who had returned to Shrek Academy ahead of Ning Tian.
In the following period, Xu Zihuang stayed at Shrek Academy, cultivating on one hand, while spending time with Ning Tian on the other. He also took the opportunity to improve his soul guidance abilities. With the innate talent of his Golden Eyes martial soul and his tangible, substantial spiritual power, crafting soul guidance devices came twice as easily; he did not need to spend nearly as much time as ordinary soul mentors.
At his current level of cultivation, progress no longer came from mere diligent practice over a period of time. It relied more on a natural, water-reaching-the-channel breakthrough. Spending this bit of time was therefore no issue.
Moreover, as long as he later succeeded with help in hunting the 600,000-year Sea Princess, absorbing her soul ring and soul bone, his soul power rank would naturally experience another leap-like increase.
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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