Mount Up, Leave the City

Inside the Imperial Study in the palace.

The emperor sat at his desk, which was piled high with memorials awaiting his decision.

"Cough, cough, cough~~"

He looked at the memorial in his hand, his left fist held beneath his nose as he coughed nonstop.

"These bastards failed to notice so many problems cropping up in Mingdu. It seems I'll have to whip them into shape, or they'll all forget what I'm capable of." His words carried a ruthless, chilling menace.

"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince requests an audience." A palace guard came in and reported softly.

"Mm. Let him in."

The emperor set down the memorial and looked at Xu Lanqing as he entered, his face once more settling into a kindly smile.

"Lan Qing, what brings you here? Is something the matter?"

"Father, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Oh? What is it? Let's hear it."

The emperor blinked, watching him with interest. His son had been clever from a young age and had never disappointed him. He was the sort of child other people wished they had.

Xu Lanqing took a deep breath, his gaze resolute, and spoke slowly.

"I want to go out and obtain my First Soul Ring. I want to become stronger."

It was true. After everything that had happened over the past two days, he had never wanted to become stronger so badly. He was sick of feeling that his life wasn't in his own hands. Only by growing powerful could he stop being constrained at every turn.

"If you go out now, aren't you afraid someone will try to assassinate you again?" The emperor narrowed his eyes, as though something had occurred to him.

Xu Lanqing smiled. "I can't stay in the palace forever, can I? Sooner or later, I'll have to go out."

"Besides, this trip isn't just about obtaining a Soul Ring. I might even be able to draw the snake out of its hole. I can use myself as bait and set a trap. It's an open scheme; all that remains is to see how much weight I carry in the eyes of those pulling the strings."

By the time he finished speaking, Xu Lanqing's handsome little face had turned cold.

"Hahaha, good! My son should have that kind of spirit!"

Deep furrows lined the emperor's face, bunching together when he laughed until they were impossible to make out.

He looked at Xu Lanqing, his eyes filled with pride and emotion. It was as if he could see his younger self in him.

A flash of light appeared in his hand, and a silver bead materialized. He held it out to Xu Lanqing.

"This Soul Tool has no name. It's no use to me, so you can keep it. It has only one function, and can only be used once: spatial teleportation. It can send you hundreds of miles away in an instant. It may be the only Space Soul Tool on the continent. Elder Kong studied it for a long time, but no one knows how it was made, and no one can replicate it."

Xu Lanqing drew in a sharp breath. This was a Space Soul Tool! He had never heard of anyone being able to make one. Only Limit Douluo could ever touch the power of space.

"This... Thank you, Father."

The emperor smiled calmly, then turned to the palace guard and ordered, "Go and invite the master of Mingde Hall."

Before long, Jing Hongchen, the master of Mingde Hall, arrived.

"This subject pays his respects to Your Majesty and the Fourth Prince."

Jing Hongchen, the master of Mingde Hall, was short but extremely stout. Gold embroidery adorned his luxurious black robe, and his round, smiling face made him look like a fox with a friendly grin. He clasped his hands before him in salute.

The emperor first explained the situation, then asked him, "I want you and Zheng Zhan to protect Lan Qing personally, while Ye Yulin follows at a distance with his people. What do you think?"

Jing Hongchen's smile never wavered. "This subject will obey Your Majesty's wise decree."

"Excellent. Lan Qing, come and greet Master Jing."

Xu Lanqing looked at him curiously. This was his first time meeting Jing Hongchen. "Greetings, Master Jing."

Then his eyes shifted, and a smile curled his lips. "I've heard people say that Master Jing is immensely powerful and exceptionally talented in Soul Tools, and that even my teacher thinks highly of you. Under your leadership, Mingde Hall has gone from strength to strength. Now that I've met you, I can see the rumors were true."

"Your Highness is too kind."

Jing Hongchen's smile grew even wider. No one disliked hearing praise, and he was no exception.

Xu Lanqing sighed, then continued, "But this trip will probably be fraught with danger. Even with the Level 9 Soul Tool Starry Night Guardian my teacher gave me, I still don't feel secure. Of course, I'm not doubting your abilities. It's just that the enemy could strike from anywhere."

Jing Hongchen's smile froze, and the corner of his mouth twitched. How could he not understand what Xu Lanqing was getting at? With the emperor right there, how could he refuse? So young, and already such a crafty little schemer. He wondered where the boy had learned it.

Jing Hongchen raised a hand and brushed it across his chest. A thin-looking piece of metal appeared in his palm.

The metal disc was round and as thin as paper, its surface suffused with a gentle golden glow. No Soul Power seeped from it, yet just sitting there, it had a peculiar solidity, like a mountain.

Jing Hongchen said, "This Soul Tool is called Red Dust Protection. It's an automatic Defensive Soul Tool. Place it against your chest, and it will fit itself to the Soul Master's body, absorbing the Soul Master's Soul Power and becoming one with him. If the Soul Master is attacked, it will sense the danger in advance and defend him. You can turn it on or off with a thought. Like Starry Night Guardian, it has no cultivation requirements. Its defense is equivalent to the strongest strike the user could unleash by gathering all his Soul Power without using a Soul Skill, while it consumes only a fifth of the Soul Power that strike would require. It's suitable for Soul Masters of any level. In the hands of a Titled Douluo, it can provide defense on the level of a Super Douluo."

"It also has a special activation method. If you activate its Core Array manually, it creates an Invincible Barrier that lasts fifteen seconds. Its defense reaches three times the user's own cultivation level. However, once you use this special activation, it has to be recharged. You don't need to recharge it deliberately; as the user cultivates naturally, it gradually replenishes the required Soul Power. This takes about three days. Of course, you can also recharge it manually by meditating for a full day and night, continuously pouring all your Soul Power into it."

"Given Your Highness's circumstances, you can't use powerful Soul Tools, so this one is just right."

When he finished, he handed it to Xu Lanqing, looking a little reluctant.

"Thank you, Master Jing. You truly are a pillar of the nation!" Xu Lanqing praised him cheerfully.

The emperor shook his head with a smile. "All right. Go back and get ready. You'll leave in a couple of days."

Mingdu was the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, as well as its largest and most prosperous city.

Unlike the ancient cities Xu Lanqing had imagined, Soul Guidance Technology in Mingdu was extremely advanced. High-rises and brilliant lights were everywhere. It was almost like the city he had lived in in his previous life.

Xu Lanqing sat in a luxurious carriage pulled by two century-old Heavenly Horned Horses. Jing Hongchen and Zheng Zhan sat across from him. The carriage was spacious, with a faint, fragrant incense lingering in the air and a layer of soft, comfortable fur spread across the floor. The Sun Moon Imperial Family crest was displayed prominently on the outside, as if to make sure everyone knew who was inside.

He lifted the curtain and gazed curiously at the bustling streets outside. The main road was broad and level, wide enough for more than ten carriages to travel side by side. The streets were clean, with no unpleasant smells.

Shops lined both sides of the street. People came and went, carriages streamed along the road, and lively chatter filled the air.

The carriage rolled slowly toward the city gates. Nothing unexpected happened along the way...