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"Clack—"

Clear footsteps echoed across the metal floor.

"Is no one here?"

Xu Lanqing looked around the bright, empty underground base, slightly surprised.

"There really is no one. What's wrong?"

Snow Empress followed close behind him, her slender figure glowing like jade beneath the Soul Guidance Lamps.

"Usually, there'd be people in a base like this. Besides, I haven't even come out yet. Never mind, let's wait a bit. Maybe they went out to take care of something." Xu Lanqing shook his head and explained.

Without someone to guide him, he couldn't get out. Of course, he could always smash his way through, but that was another matter.

He wandered around. The sealed metal base was still the same as before, with nothing out of place. The enormous silver-white Humanoid Soul Guidance Device still stood quietly in the center.

Xu Lanqing circled it a few times, then stopped at the laboratory table in front of it.

"What's that?" Snow Empress asked, puzzled as she looked at the enormous silver-white hunk of metal.

She sent her spiritual power inside. The densely packed mechanisms made her eyes swim.

"A Humanoid Soul Guidance Device," Xu Lanqing replied.

Ignoring the complex, precise control panel on the laboratory table, he picked up several sheets of paper covered in writing and studied them carefully.

Although he wasn't particularly skilled at researching Soul Tools, he still knew the basics. At the very least, he could understand the general ideas written there.

"A Humanoid Soul Guidance Device? What's it for?" Snow Empress was even more puzzled.

"Soul Engineers make Soul Tools, which are powered by Soul Power and serve all kinds of purposes. You could say they're endlessly varied. You'll learn more about them later.

"As for the Humanoid Soul Guidance Device, I think it's meant to boost a Soul Master's Soul Power and defense. I don't know the specifics, either."

Xu Lanqing shrugged, turned to the next page after finishing the previous one, and continued reading.

As he read, his gaze sharpened. The farther he got, the more surprised—and even shaken—he became.

He murmured to himself, "High-Energy Compression Array Soul Guidance Device..."

Snow Empress glanced at the strange scrawls on the paper. Once she realized she couldn't understand them and they were making her feel drowsy, she started wandering around.

She took an interest in some of the Soul Tools scattered about and began fiddling with them. Everything here was new to her.

Suddenly,

she looked up at the metal control door by the exit, then turned to Xu Lanqing and said,

"Someone's coming."

Xu Lanqing rubbed his neck and raised his head, smiling gently.

"Don't worry. It's definitely someone on our side. Outsiders can't get into this place. Just leave it to me when they arrive, all right? Don't worry.

"By the way, if it's my teacher, I plan to tell him the truth. What do you think?"

"Mm."

Snow Empress nodded without objecting.

"Bzzzt—"

The silver-white metal door slowly slid open, revealing someone outside.

He wore a white lab coat and had a familiar, kindly, elderly face. It was Kong Deming.

The first thing that caught his eye was Snow Empress, who seemed to stand apart from the world. A flash of alarm crossed Kong Deming's eyes. Her strength was like a bottomless abyss, and he felt immense pressure from her.

Could she be a Limit Douluo?

But when had such a powerful expert appeared on the continent? And why was she in the Imperial Research Institute? How had she gotten in?

Countless suspicions raced through his mind. For a moment, he stood outside the door, unsure and wary, without entering.

"Teacher."

Xu Lanqing's call brought Kong Deming back to his senses.

He looked at Xu Lanqing, then at Snow Empress, his gaze shifting between them.

"Lan Qing, I sensed a Soul Tool I left at the institute reacting, so I hurried over."

Kong Deming seemed to have figured something out. He strode inside and came straight to Xu Lanqing, asking with concern,

"Based on what's happened before, everyone who's gone in has stayed at least a month. Why did you come out so early? Did you solve the problem with your Martial Soul?"

"Maybe I was just lucky, Master. After I slept, I found that the problem with my Martial Soul had been solved. On top of that, I gained a Soul Ring and a Soul Bone." Xu Lanqing answered honestly.

There was no point hiding it when he couldn't keep it secret anyway. He might as well come clean.

It was fixed after a nap?

And he'd gained a Soul Ring and a Soul Bone? Were there Soul Beasts in that place?

What kind of luck was that?

So many people had entered the Ancestral Land—why was it different when you went in?

Kong Deming's mouth twitched. He stared at Xu Lanqing with an odd expression, opening his mouth but unable to think of what to say.

"Can you show me your Martial Soul?"

"Sure." Xu Lanqing nodded.

He activated Golden Dragon King Martial Soul Possession, and the purple-gold Soul Ring appeared once more. An aura of primordial destruction swirled around him.

"What is that?"

Kong Deming's pupils contracted. "A Million-Year Soul Ring?!"

It was a color unlike any other Soul Ring, and based on the ancient texts he had once read, he reached that conclusion.

"Yes."

"Lan Qing, this is your good fortune. Heaven has favored you. But a tree that stands above the forest is struck by the wind. Until you're powerful enough, don't reveal it. Do you understand?

"Open attacks are easy to guard against, but hidden arrows are not. Even with the strength of the imperial family, it would be hard to protect you."

Kong Deming's expression changed. He placed his broad hand on Xu Lanqing's shoulder and spoke gravely.

"I understand, Master."

Seeing Kong Deming's sincere concern, Xu Lanqing nodded.

"Good. I trust you know what you're doing."

Kong Deming stroked his beard and smiled kindly, then ruffled Xu Lanqing's hair with his other hand.

Only then did he turn to Snow Empress, a questioning look in his eyes.

"And you are?"

Xu Lanqing took the chance to duck away, smoothing his black hair with one hand. He introduced them to each other.

"This is my teacher, the empire's chief Soul Engineer, Kong Deming."

"And this is my friend. Her name is..."

"Xu Xue."

Snow Empress took over, dipping her head slightly in greeting to Kong Deming.

Xu Lanqing stared at Snow Empress in surprise, then hurriedly explained, "Ah... yes, yes. Her name is Xu Xue."

Snow Empress looked away and said nothing more.

"Your friend?"

Kong Deming narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the two of them in turn.

Xu Lanqing took a deep breath and spoke candidly to Kong Deming. "Teacher, there's something I hid from you before..."

That's right—he chose to tell Kong Deming everything. If he told one lie, he'd have to make up countless more to cover it up. Better to settle it once and for all and get it over with.

After everything that had happened, he could tell that Kong Deming genuinely cared about him. And even if something went wrong, he had Snow Empress and the others with him now.

He needed Kong Deming's help, and the best way to get it was to be honest. Only then would Kong Deming believe him.

Otherwise, the matter of Snow Empress alone would sow distrust.

Who would feel comfortable letting such a powerful expert stay in the imperial palace? Even with Xu Lanqing's word, he was only a prince without any real authority. Did anyone have to believe whatever he said? They'd have to be fools.

In truth, it was a gamble, but he was already close to winning.

"I'm sorry, Master."

After he finished, Xu Lanqing's face flushed. He lowered his head in shame.

"Heh."

Seeing Xu Lanqing looking like a child who'd done something wrong, Kong Deming smiled warmly and said with fondness,

"Lan Qing, you've done very well. Everyone has secrets they keep in their hearts, hidden from others. That can't be helped. If you don't want to talk about something, you don't have to. No one can force you."

As he spoke, he glanced at Snow Empress without drawing attention to it.

"You should know that in this world, the only person you can trust completely is yourself. So don't blame yourself. Your teacher won't hold it against you, either."

Snow Empress raised an eyebrow.

"Teacher, then..." Xu Lanqing looked up at Snow Empress.

"Don't worry. As long as I'm still here, no one in the empire will dare attack them openly!"

Kong Deming spoke calmly, his voice full of authority.

"Thank you, Master!"