Mounting Up, Leaving the City

Inside the Imperial Study of the Imperial Palace.

The Emperor sat before his desk, which was piled high with memorials awaiting his decision.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

He stared at the documents in his hand, his left fist pressed against his nose as he coughed incessantly.

"These bastards. So many problems have emerged in Mingdu, yet they haven't noticed a thing. It seems if I don't conduct a purge, they'll all forget my methods." His words were laced with a chilling, murderous resolve.

"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince requests an audience." The guard at the door entered and reported in a low voice.

"Hmm, let him in."

The Emperor set down the memorial and looked at the entering Xu Lanqing, his face softening back into a benevolent smile.

"Lanqing, why have you come? Is something the matter?"

"Father, I have something I wish to discuss with you."

"Oh? What is it? Let me hear it."

The Emperor blinked, watching him with interest. This son of his had been clever since childhood and had never disappointed him; he was the quintessential "child of someone else's family."

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

"I want to obtain my first Soul Ring. I want to become stronger."

Yes, after the events of the past two days, he had never craved strength more than he did now. He was sick of the feeling that his life was not in his own hands. Only by being powerful could he avoid being controlled at every turn.

"If you go out now, aren't you afraid of being assassinated again?" The Emperor narrowed his eyes, as if thinking of something.

Xu Lanqing smiled. "I can't stay in the Imperial Palace forever. Eventually, I will have to go out."

"Besides, this trip is not just for obtaining a Soul Ring. Perhaps I can lure the snakes out of their holes. By using myself as bait to set a trap, it becomes an open scheme. It all depends on how much weight I carry in the hearts of those behind the scenes."

Having said this, the handsome young face of Xu Lanqing was filled with coldness.

"Hahaha, good! My son should have such sharp spirit!"

Deep wrinkles etched themselves onto the Emperor's face, bunching together when he laughed until they were indistinguishable.

He looked at Xu Lanqing with gratification and emotion, as if he saw his own shadow from years ago in him.

A flash of light appeared on his hand, and a silver bead materialized in the Emperor's palm. He handed it to Xu Lanqing.

"This Soul Tool has no name, and it's of no use to me. You take it. It has only one function, and it can only be used once: spatial teleportation. It can instantly transport you hundreds of miles away. It is likely the only spatial-type Soul Tool on the continent. Elder Kong has studied it for a long time, but no one knows how it was made; even copying it is impossible."

Xu Lanqing gasped. This was a spatial Soul Tool! No one had ever heard of anyone capable of crafting such a thing. The power of space had always been something only a Limit Douluo could touch.

"This... thank you, Father."

The Emperor smiled faintly and turned to instruct the guard: "Go and invite the Mingde Hall master here."

Without delay, the Mingde Hall master, Jing Hongchen, hurried over.

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

The Mingde Hall master, Jing Hongchen, was not tall but was quite obese. He wore a magnificent black robe embroidered with gold patterns, and his round face was wreathed in smiles, like a grinning fox. He bowed with his hands folded in front of him.

The Emperor first explained the situation to him, then asked, "I want you and Zheng Zhan to personally protect Lanqing, with Ye Yulin following in the shadows. What do you think?"

Jing Hongchen's smile did not waver. "Your subject will strictly obey Your Majesty's wisdom."

"Excellent. Lanqing, come and meet Hall Master Jing."

Xu Lanqing looked at him with curiosity; this was his first time seeing Jing Hongchen. "Greetings, Hall Master Jing."

Then, his eyes darted, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I have heard others say that the Mingde Hall master is immensely powerful and possesses an extremely high talent for Soul Tools. Even my teacher holds you in high regard, and under your leadership, Mingde Hall is flourishing. Seeing you today, the rumors are well-deserved."

"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 and changed the subject. "It's just that this trip is likely to be fraught with danger. Even with the level-9 Soul Tool Starry Night Guardian given to me by my teacher, I still feel uneasy. Of course, I do not doubt your ability, but the enemy is simply impossible to guard against."

Jing Hongchen's smile froze, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. How could he not understand the meaning behind Xu Lanqing's words? With the Emperor watching, could he refuse? He was so young yet so cunning; he didn't know where he had learned it.

Jing Hongchen raised his hand and wiped his chest, and a very thin piece of metal appeared in his palm.

This metal piece was circular, thin as paper, and emitted a soft golden halo. No soul power fluctuations leaked from it, yet just by being there, it possessed a dense, mountain-like texture.

Jing Hongchen said, "This Soul Tool is called Red Dust Protection, a trigger-based defensive Soul Tool. Placing it on your chest will cause it to automatically adhere to the Soul Master's body, absorbing their soul power to become one with them. Once the Soul Master is attacked, it will sense it in advance and provide defense. It can be turned on and off by thought. Like the Starry Night Guardian, using it does not restrict one's cultivation. Its defensive effect is equivalent to the user's strongest strike without activating soul skills, while the soul power consumed is only one-fifth of that strike. It is suitable for Soul Masters of any level. If it were in the hands of a Title Douluo, it could provide the defensive power of a Super Douluo."

"At the same time, it has a special activation method. By actively triggering the Core Array, it can generate an invincible shield lasting fifteen seconds. The defensive power reaches three times the user's own cultivation. However, this special activation can only be used once before it needs to be recharged. It does not require deliberate charging; it will gradually fill with the necessary soul power during the user's natural cultivation, a process that takes about three days. Of course, it can also be actively charged, which requires meditating for a full day and night, continuously pouring all one's soul power into it."

"Considering Your Highness's situation, where you cannot use powerful Soul Tools, this one is just right."

Having said this, he handed it to Xu Lanqing, feeling a bit of heartache.

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

The Emperor smiled and shook his head. "Alright, go back and prepare. We will set off in two days."

Mingdu, as the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, was also the largest and most prosperous city in the empire.

Unlike the ancient cities Xu Lanqing had imagined, the soul technology of Mingdu was extremely advanced. High-rise buildings were everywhere, and the city was ablaze with lights, almost resembling the city he had lived in during his previous life.

Xu Lanqing sat in a luxurious carriage pulled by two century-old Heavenly Horned Horses. Jing Hongchen and Zheng Zhan sat on the other side of him. The interior of the carriage was spacious, the air filled with a faint, lingering incense, and the floor was covered with a layer of soft, comfortable fur. On the outside of the carriage was the conspicuous royal emblem of the Sun Moon Empire, as if they were afraid others wouldn't know who was inside.

He lifted the carriage curtain, looking curiously at the bustling streets outside. This main thoroughfare was extremely wide and level, capable of accommodating over a dozen carriages driving side-by-side. The road surface was very clean, with no strange odors.

Both sides of the street were lined with shops, people coming and going, the road filled with a constant stream of traffic, everywhere brimming with lively noise and clamor.

The carriage moved slowly toward the outskirts of the city, and no accidents occurred along the way...