Xingyao City and the Return
With Ma Hongjun joining them, the group continued their journey towards Star Luo City.
Although Dai Tianyu initially had some reservations about the extra "little fat boy," Ma Hongjun was cheerful and deliberately tried to please him, calling him "Boss Dai" repeatedly.
With Fu Shiyan's tacit approval, the two boys of similar age gradually became familiar with each other after spending a few days together. Although Dai Tianyu still occasionally put on airs, the atmosphere had become much more harmonious.
Several days later, the majestic outline of Xingyao City finally appeared on the horizon.
As the main city of the Xingyao Kingdom and an important border hub of the Star Luo Empire, Xingyao City boasts high and thick city walls and a magnificent presence. Its architectural style differs significantly from that of the Heaven Dou Empire, exuding a more rugged and austere atmosphere.
The city gate was bustling with carriages and pedestrians, including many powerful Soul Master, showcasing the martial spirit of the area.
Wu Yuan had been waiting at the city gate for a long time as agreed.
He was dressed in a practical outfit that allowed for easy movement, and his sharp eyes scanned the passing crowd.
When he saw Fu Shiyan and her group come into view, he immediately strode forward to greet them.
His gaze first fell respectfully on Fu Shiyan, then quickly swept over Fu Ze and Dai Tianyu, and finally lingered for a moment with a hint of doubt on the unfamiliar face Ma Hongjun, but he did not ask any further questions.
Wu Yuan bowed deeply to Fu Shiyan, lowered his voice, and respectfully reported:
"Mr. Fu, the head of the Zhu Family has arrived, and he just arrived recently. He is waiting in a quiet place arranged in the city."
Fu Shiyan nodded slightly, her expression calm and composed.
His gaze swept over Fu Ze and Dai Tianyu beside him, as well as Ma Hongjun, the newly joined soldier who was observing the majestic city gate and the tall guards with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness, and he said to Wu Yuan in a calm voice:
"Um."
"Lead the way ahead."
Led by Wu Yuan, the group then traversed the bustling and exotic streets of Xingyao City and arrived at a secluded hotel with exquisite and elegant decor.
In a private room with excellent soundproofing and antique furnishings, Fu Shiyan finally met the person who never formally appeared in the original work but was of great importance to the situation of the Star Luo Empire — Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun's father, the current head of the Zhu Family, Zhu Moyuan.
Zhu Moyuan looked to be in his forties, with a face somewhat resembling Zhu Zhuqing's, but with more defined features and a well-trimmed short beard.
He was dressed in a dark purple outfit, with a low-key brocade robe with dark patterns over it. He did not wear many ornaments that showed his status, but sitting there, he had a calm and composed demeanor as someone who had long held a high position and was in charge of a great clan.
His Soul Power aura was contained yet subtle, but the pressure it exuded indicated that his cultivation was by no means inferior to that of Soul Douluo.
Upon seeing Fu Shiyan and her entourage enter, Zhu Moyuan did not stand up. Instead, his gaze swept across the group with lightning speed, pausing briefly on Fu Shiyan's youthful face, a fleeting hint of surprise flashing across his face before he regained his composure and gestured for her to sit down.
Wu Yuan respectfully retreated to the door to wait, while Fu Ze stood silently to the side behind Fu Shiyan, like the most reliable shadow.
Sensing the unusually serious atmosphere in the room, Dai Tianyu restrained his playful nature and sat quietly to the left of Fu Shiyan.
Ma Hongjun was so nervous that he dared not breathe and sat down close to Dai Tianyu.
For the next three hours, the door to the private room remained tightly closed.
During the meal, only two small servings of tea and snacks were brought by the waiter, who then quietly withdrew.
No one knows what kind of in-depth and confidential conversations Fu Shiyan and Zhu Moyuan had during this long period of time, what specific agreements they reached, or what information they exchanged that could influence the future landscape.
The room was occasionally filled with the sound of steady conversation, followed by brief silences, and then Zhu Moyuan's surprised questions or Fu Shiyan yet confident statements.
As the last rays of the setting sun bathed the window frames in golden light, the door to the private room finally opened again.
Fu Shiyan walked out first with a normal expression, followed by Fu Ze and two teenagers.
Zhu Moyuan stood inside the door, his face revealing little emotion. He simply nodded slightly to Fu Shiyan and said in a deep voice:
"Mr. Fu, I will keep in mind what we discussed today. Subsequent matters will be handled according to the agreement."
Fu Shiyan responded with an equally indifferent nod:
"Master Zhu Family, await good news."
A week later, Fu Shiyan and her group returned safely to the quiet courtyard in Heaven Dou City.
It seems that nothing has changed, but some unseen ripples have already spread.
The Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City, the heavily guarded royal ancestral hall and secret archives.
In the secret register recording the bloodlines of all members of the Dai imperial family, under the lineage of "Tianxing King Dai Yuanfeng of the Heavenly Stars," the space that had been blank for seven years, symbolizing the lack of an heir, was quietly filled with a brand new name written in special ink—
Dai Tianyu.
The entry of this name was done quietly, yet it was like a stone thrown into a deep pool; the meaning it contained was enough to stir up Jingtao in the hearts of those who knew about it.
After settling back in the courtyard, Fu Shiyan did not rest.
He took out the "Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower" celestial ingredient that he had prepared beforehand, and combined it with several mild auxiliary medicines that had the effect of clearing and purifying. He spent a day and a night in the quiet room refining three "Nirvana True Fire Pill" that were the size of longan, reddish-gold in color, and with the faint phantom of a phoenix hovering in them.
When the elixir was produced, a unique fragrance filled the room and lingered for a long time.
He gave one of the pills to Ma Hongjun to take and personally protected him.
The pill entered his stomach and transformed into a blazing yet incredibly pure and gentle torrent, washing over every inch of Ma Hongjun's meridians and cleansing the impurities and disorder within the purplish-red Evil Fire.
Of course, pain was inevitable. Ma Hongjun was soaked in sweat and his face was tense, but he gritted his teeth and persevered, trusting Teacher Fu was protecting him.
The process lasted all night.
The next morning, when Ma Hongjun opened his eyes, the changes in his body were visible to the naked eye.
Her previously overly round figure has noticeably slimmed down. Although she still has adorable baby fat on her face, she looks energetic and has clear, bright eyes.
Most notably, his Martial Soul, when released again, had become even more golden and bright, losing its unsettling and eerie aura and gaining a hint of nobility and majesty. The Evil Fire Phoenix had finally transformed into a true Fire Phoenix.
However, he has not yet obtained his First Soul Ring, Soul Power Level cannot be displayed.
At the same time, Fu Shiyan did not forget Oscar and Xiao Wu.
Based on Oscar's Martial Soul characteristics, he selected several medicinal herbs that could strengthen the body's foundation, gently enhance Soul Power and spiritual perception, and refined a batch of "Su-Soul Origin Pill".
After Oscar consumed it, his Soul Power broke through the bottleneck in a short period of time, directly reaching level 20!
Keep in mind that Oscar was only eight years old at the time.
Such an achievement, if it were to become known, would be enough to shock the outside world.
A few days later, based on the characteristics and current state of their Martial Soul, Fu Shiyan personally selected the most suitable Soul Beast for them.