Guard Takes Shape, Hidden Moves Resume

Yue Guan's report ended in the study. The list of the Holy Son's Guard's first batch of core members, along with their preliminary training progress, had already been placed before Yang Yu.

"Seventy percent of the people on the list have arrived. The remaining thirty percent have been held up by people from the Elder Hall and the Papal Palace for various reasons," Yue Guan added. "Golden Crocodile Douluo has inserted five people. Their strength is decent, but their backgrounds aren't clean."

Yang Yu glanced over the list and tapped several of the blocked names with his fingers. "These people performed well in the Nuoding City Patrol Team before. Find a way. Within three days, I want to see them at the guard camp."

"Yes." Yue Guan made a note of it.

"As for the people the Elder Hall shoved in, find an excuse and send them on a border patrol mission. The term... one year." Yang Yu's tone was calm. "If they unfortunately encounter radicals from the Star Luo Empire and suffer an accident, that won't be our fault."

Understanding flashed through Yue Guan's eyes. "This subordinate understands."

"The guard training ground will be at the Old Martial Arts Training Ground west of the city. It's remote." Yang Yu continued issuing orders. "Follow the plan I gave you for the training. During the first phase, focus on coordinated attacks and concealment. I need them to become a blade—a blade that can stay hidden in its sheath and draw blood in an instant."

"Rest assured, Your Highness. I'll personally oversee it."

Yang Yu waved a hand, and Yue Guan quietly withdrew.

At the Old Martial Arts Training Ground west of the city, the dust-covered gates were pushed open once more. The first thirty guard members to arrive stood silently in the empty grounds, dressed in matching black combat uniforms. They were all young, with Soul Power Levels ranging from Soul Ancestor to Soul King. Yue Guan had selected them from Spirit Hall branch halls across various regions and from the earlier Nuoding City incident. Their backgrounds were relatively clean, they had potential, and they possessed a certain degree of loyalty toward Yang Yu or Yue Guan himself.

Most of them wore curious expressions and barely concealed excitement. Being chosen for the Holy Son's personal guard meant prospects and resources, but they also understood that tremendous risks inevitably came with it.

Yue Guan stood before them. His usual seductive smile was gone, replaced by cold severity. "From today onward, you have only one identity: the blade in His Highness the Holy Son's hand. Wherever His Highness wants you to strike, you strike. I won't waste words. Training will tell you what to do."

Without further nonsense, he directly began the brutal training regimen Yang Yu had designed, one that combined modern special operations concepts with the characteristics of soul masters. Coordinated combat formations, concealment and tracking, extreme physical conditioning, pressure resistance training... every item far exceeded the intensity of ordinary soul master teams.

After several days, these young soul masters, who had originally still carried a trace of pride, had all been worked to the bone. Yet their gazes gradually sharpened, and an indescribable tacit understanding began to develop between them.

At the Papal Palace, Bibi Dong listened to her subordinate's report on the movements of the Holy Son's Guard, her slender fingers lightly tapping the armrest.

"The Old Martial Arts Training Ground... coordinated attacks and concealment..." Her red lips parted slightly, and her tone revealed neither joy nor anger. "He knows how to pick a place. His training methods are quite strange as well. Yue Guan is personally overseeing them?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Aside from Elder Yue Guan, His Highness the Holy Son occasionally goes there himself."

A profound gleam flashed through Bibi Dong's eyes. Her disciple was becoming increasingly difficult to read. There was nothing wrong with forming a guard unit, but the training methods and location carried an unusual implication.

"How is that girl he brought back, Xiao Wu?" she changed the subject.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, she is still recuperating in a side hall of the Holy Son's Palace. Security is strict, and our people cannot approach. His Highness the Holy Son has announced to the public that her injuries have yet to heal."

"Her injuries have yet to heal..." Bibi Dong gave a soft laugh, carrying a hint of chill. "It seems my disciple is unwilling to spit out the meat already in his mouth. Keep watching."

"Yes."

Within Ning Rongrong's alchemy room at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

A small explosion blew the lid off the medicine cauldron, and thick smoke billowed out. Ning Rongrong coughed violently, her face streaked with black and white, while another patch of burns appeared on her arm.

She looked at the failed medicinal residue, but there was not the slightest discouragement in her eyes. Instead, they shone with startling brightness. She picked up a worn ancient book beside her and carefully compared it with the records inside.

"The amount of Dragon Blood was half a mace too much... the Soul Power output was unstable during fusion..." she muttered, recording her findings at high speed. After countless failures, she felt that she had finally touched the threshold on the path of combining toxicology and Soul Tools.

Footsteps sounded outside again. Ning Rongrong swiftly cleaned up the mess, and calm returned to her face.

"Miss Rongrong," the disciple outside said, his voice carrying a trace of something unusual, "the Sect Master requests your presence in the main hall. A... guest has arrived."

Ning Rongrong frowned. What guest would come at a time like this? She tidied herself up and left the alchemy room.

When she arrived at the main hall, she found her father, Ning Fengzhi, and Sword Douluo Chen Xin both present. Seated in the guest's seat was someone she had never expected to see—the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden, Hu Liena.

Hu Liena wore a pale pink dress today, making her seem less formal than she had in Spirit Hall and adding a touch of softness to her appearance. When she saw Ning Rongrong, an affectionate smile appeared on her face. "Little Sister Rongrong, it's been so long."

Ning Fengzhi wore his usual gentle smile, though a barely noticeable gravity lay deep in his eyes. "Rongrong, Nana has come on behalf of Spirit Hall to discuss certain matters of cooperation with our sect, and she also came to see you."

Alarm bells rang in Ning Rongrong's heart. Hu Liena had come to see her? They had no relationship to speak of. She put on an appropriately surprised expression, along with a hint of shy delight. "Sister Nana, why are you here?"

Hu Liena rose and warmly took Ning Rongrong's hand. "I heard that you were frightened in Nuoding City some time ago. I've been worried about you ever since. I happened to have the chance this time, so I came to see you. Are you all right now, little sister?"

Her fingers were warm and soft, but Ning Rongrong felt as if she had been wrapped by a venomous snake. Without showing it, she withdrew her hand and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Sister Nana. I'm much better now."

Hu Liena seemed not to notice her distance. She remained all smiles as she exchanged pleasantries with Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, discussing future cooperation between the two major powers and expressing her "concern" for Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong sat to one side with her head lowered, appearing obedient, while her thoughts raced. Hu Liena's visit was definitely not as simple as paying her a visit and discussing cooperation. Was it Bibi Dong's instruction? Or her own idea? What was the purpose? To win over the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Or... was it aimed at her?

She could feel an intermittent gaze falling upon her, filled with scrutiny and investigation.

In the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Yang Yu personally brought Xiao Wu to obtain her fourth soul ring, with a team of elite guards following them in secret. Rather than choosing the Mixed Zone, he had come to the relatively less dangerous outer region.

Xiao Wu followed behind Yang Yu, her emotions complicated. Leaving that prison-like side hall had made her feel relieved, but Yang Yu beside her was like an invisible mountain, pressing down until she could barely breathe.

"Your fourth soul ring target will be an agility-type soul beast between fifteen hundred and two thousand years old. Preferably a rabbit or ape type." Yang Yu's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Xiao Wu nodded without speaking. She silently released her Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul and sensed the surroundings.

Before long, she locked onto a Lightning Rabbit active within a valley. It was around eighteen hundred years old and incredibly fast.

"That one," Xiao Wu said.

Yang Yu glanced at the Lightning Rabbit chewing on a carrot and nodded.

The guards spread out, vaguely forming an encirclement to prevent interference from other soul beasts.

Xiao Wu took a deep breath, entered Martial Soul Possession, and charged toward the Lightning Rabbit. Her Soul Power had already reached level forty-two, so dealing with a thousand-year soul beast was not difficult. The battle held no suspense. With her superior Soul Power and soft combat techniques, she quickly subdued the Lightning Rabbit before delivering the final blow and killing it.

A purple soul ring slowly emerged.

Xiao Wu sat cross-legged and began absorbing the soul ring. The process went smoothly. In less than two hours, she successfully absorbed it, raising her Soul Power to level forty-three and obtaining her Fourth Spirit Ability—Instant Movement. She could teleport over short distances, greatly increasing her ability to survive.

She opened her eyes and felt the increased power within her, but there was no joy on her face. She had gained all of this under someone else's control.

Seeing that she had finished absorbing it, Yang Yu spoke blandly. "A decent spirit ability. Good for running away."

Xiao Wu's body stiffened, but she said nothing.

"Let's go back." Yang Yu turned around.

At the Old Martial Arts Training Ground.

Yang Yu formally inspected the initially formed guard unit for the first time. The thirty members stood in formation. Though they had trained for only a short time, their heavy, condensed presence and faint killing intent already set them apart from ordinary soul master teams.

Yue Guan stood at Yang Yu's side and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, the basic framework has been established. The coordinated attack formations are beginning to take shape, and they have also grasped the concealment techniques quite well."

Yang Yu swept his gaze across the group and nodded. "Demonstrate."

At Yue Guan's command, all thirty moved instantly. Figures crossed, Soul Power circulated, and they formed a simple yet murderous triangular assault formation. Then the formation changed. Everyone suddenly concealed their aura, like droplets of water merging into the sea. They rapidly scattered and hid in every corner of the grounds. If one had not known beforehand, they would have been almost impossible to detect.

Zhu Zhuqing was also watching from the side. She had just consolidated her cultivation at level thirty-five. As she watched the guards' performance, a trace of approval flashed through her cold eyes. This style of combat shared something in common with the extreme speed and one-strike kill she pursued.

After the demonstration, everyone returned to formation and awaited Yang Yu's orders.

Yang Yu walked to the front of the formation. His voice was calm, yet it carried unquestionable force. "You are the first batch. Remember how you look today. In the future, your names will make the entire continent tremble."

There was no impassioned speech, only a flat statement, yet every young soul master present felt hot blood surge through their hearts.

"Continue training." Yang Yu left behind those four words before departing the Training Ground with Zhu Zhuqing and Yue Guan.

Watching Yang Yu's retreating back, the guard members' gazes grew even firmer. They knew that the master they followed was different from the rest.

At the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Hu Liena's "visit" lasted nearly half a day before ending. After seeing Hu Liena off, Ning Rongrong returned to her room and shut the door. The weakness on her face vanished instantly, replaced by icy coldness.

She walked to her desk, spread out a fresh blueprint, picked up a pen, and began rapidly sketching. The drawing no longer showed the complicated structure of a Soul Tool, but a simple, small mechanism that could be hidden within a hairpin or ring. At the core of the mechanism, she had left a space for the neuroparalytic toxin she was researching.

Hu Liena's arrival was like a fuse, completely igniting the sense of crisis in her heart.

She had to become stronger faster—faster enough to gain the power to protect herself and even... strike back.

The pen scratched across the paper, its rustling sound especially clear in the silent room.

Spirit City, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Star Luo border... every force was acting according to its own rhythm. And the net Yang Yu had cast was quietly tightening.