The Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu, Mingde Hall.
The atmosphere in the grand hall was solemn.
An old man in an ornate robe sat in the seat of honor, his hair meticulously groomed. He held a cup of steaming tea, his expression imposing.
He was the master of Mingde Hall, the highest authority in the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tool research, a Level 9 Soul Engineer—Jing Hongchen.
"What did you say? Repeat that."
Jing Hongchen took a sip of tea without even lifting his eyelids. His voice was so calm that it betrayed no emotion.
But the captain of the guard standing below him, who had just galloped back from the outskirts, felt a terrifying pressure, like a storm about to break.
He swallowed again, forcing himself to calm down, then repeated everything that had happened, word for word.
"...Hall Master, that's what happened. The young master and young miss encountered three unknown youths by that small river on the outskirts. They said the river had a miraculous power that could turn one person into three... Then... then a mysterious person really did appear in the river and turned one of my comrades into three identical people, though each had a completely different aura."
The captain's mouth had gone dry from talking, but Jing Hongchen, seated above him, didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow.
After a long while, Jing Hongchen slowly set down his teacup with a soft click.
At last, he raised his eyelids. His eyes bore some resemblance to Xiao Hongchen's, but were deeper and sharper as they settled on the captain.
The captain continued, describing the scene in greater detail: the three questions and answers, and the distinct temperaments of the soldiers when they appeared. The first had been full of bloodshed and slaughter, while the second had been gentler.
Jing Hongchen watched him silently, a scrutinizing glint in his eyes. The captain's tone didn't sound like he was lying.
But... the story was simply too absurd.
A River God?
One person turning into three?
It sounded more like a prank his grandchildren had staged with their subordinates to mess with him.
The corners of Jing Hongchen's mouth lifted in a faint smile.
A Deity? What a joke.
It had been a full ten thousand years since any trace of a god had appeared on Douluo Continent. The last tales of gods concerned the first leader of the Shrek Seven Devils, Sea God Tang San, who had single-handedly brought down the Spirit Hall Empire and founded the Tang Sect, along with his companions.
But those were legends from ten thousand years ago.
In this era, the beings closest to the word "god" were probably Mu En, the dying old relic from Shrek Academy, and Beast God Di Tian, who ranked first on the Beast Ranking and dwelled deep in the Star Dou Great Forest.
A River God who had appeared from nowhere? If he were a real Deity, he would have ascended to the Divine Realm long ago. Why would he stay in some backwater place like this?
Heh, perhaps Xiao and Meng'er had come up with some new kind of Soul Tool and wanted to surprise him.
Though Jing Hongchen still harbored one chance in ten thousand that the story might be true, he was far more inclined to think it was an elaborate prank staged by the younger generation.
Still, since they had put so much effort into their performance, it wouldn't do for him, their grandfather, not to see it for himself.
"Get up."
Jing Hongchen rose and brushed off his robe.
"Lead the way. I want to see what they're up to."
"Yes, Hall Master!"
The captain of the guard looked as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders and hurried to lead the way.
Jing Hongchen's figure blurred, and he followed like a ghost. He moved so quickly that he was hardly slower than a Soul Emperor flying at full speed.
Soon, they reached the small river on the outskirts of Mingdu.
From a distance, Jing Hongchen saw a group of people gathered by the river: his grandchildren and their squad of guards.
"Grandfather!"
Meng Hongchen spotted Jing Hongchen first and immediately hurried over like a cheerful little bird, affectionately taking his arm.
"You're finally here! You should've seen it—an immortal really did appear just now! In a flash, he came right out of the river, holding a fishing rod. He looked amazing! Then he went swish, swish, swish, and turned Big Brother Wang into three people! Three identical people!"
As she spoke, the girl gestured animatedly, her face alight with excitement and exaggeration.
Jing Hongchen smiled helplessly and fondly patted her head.
That girl really was a convincing actress.
"Grandfather."
Xiao Hongchen came over too, but his expression was much more serious.
Instead of describing the scene as vividly as his younger sister had, he simply turned aside and pointed toward an open patch of ground nearby.
"See for yourself."
Jing Hongchen followed the direction of his finger.
At a single glance, the faint smile on his face froze completely.
Three soldiers stood in the open space, wearing identical armor and looking exactly alike!
What was more, three youths stood on the other side. They, too, looked remarkably similar, though each had a different temperament.
One was gentle and refined, one sunny and cheerful, and one cool and handsome.
This...
Jing Hongchen's pupils contracted sharply!
With the spiritual power of a Level 9 Soul Engineer, he could tell at a glance that all six people—the three soldiers and the three youths—were living beings with real flesh and souls!
They were certainly no illusion or trick of the eye!
How could there really be identical people in this world?! Of course, the three Huo brothers were distinct enough from one another; they could be triplets. But Jing Hongchen knew his grandchildren's guards all too well. There was no way they had triplets among them.
"What... is going on?"
For the first time, Jing Hongchen's voice carried a tremor, faint as it was.
Xiao Hongchen's expression was grave as he briefly explained the three Huo brothers' origins, how they had jumped into the Divine River in the Star Dou Great Forest, and how they had appeared here.
Then he pointed to the three soldiers and described the River God's appearance, the "three questions and answers," and the results of the final test of their abilities, exactly as they had happened.
As Jing Hongchen listened to his grandson, the story was much the same as what the captain had just told him.
Could something so incredible really exist in this world?!
A Divine River connecting the Star Dou Great Forest and the Sun Moon Empire? A River God who could split one person into three?
This had completely overturned the worldview he had built over nearly a century!
Just as Jing Hongchen reeled from the shock and prepared to conduct the most thorough investigation of the strange river, a chilling aura, filled with utter evil and chaos, erupted without warning from the nearby woods!
That aura was domineering, violent, and lawless, brimming with contempt for every rule in the world and a desire to destroy!
"Ke ke ke ke..."
Accompanied by a grating, sinister laugh, a figure slowly emerged from the woods. He was gaunt, yet his frail body contained a terrifying force. His mere appearance was enough to shake everyone present to their core!
"Xuan Zi?!"
Jing Hongchen was astonished. Wasn't that Xuan Zi from Shrek Academy? How had he become like this?
"I am Taotie, the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder. If you are willing to join the Holy Spirit Cult, I will spare your lives. If you refuse, you die!"
A terrifying aura of slaughter instantly engulfed the entire area!
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