Huo Yuhao nodded, only half understanding.
Nearby, Gu Yuena quietly watched Xu Yanli's profile. A thoughtful look—and an emotion she couldn't quite name—flickered in her eyes.
This human was more interesting than she'd imagined.
No, not just interesting.
He was dangerous.
The kind of danger that made her want to draw closer.
Night deepened over Heaven Dou City, but the courtyard of the Xiaoyao Pavilion remained brightly lit.
Xu Yanli sat at the stone table, looking over the documents before him as his fingers tapped against the tabletop.
There was no denying that the Sun Moon Empire's intelligence department was competent in certain areas. Of course, some of the information had also come from the Xuanming Sect.
Xu Yanli slowly leafed through the documents.
The Body Sect. Du Busi, sect master of the first-ranked sect in the Heaven Dou Empire...
He already knew all that. It wasn't important.
What Xu Yanli truly cared about was in the following pages.
A large part of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family was wary of the Body Sect, even actively keeping it in check. It could even be said that the Xuanming Sect's rapid development had been supported in part by the Heaven Dou Empire, which hoped the sect would eventually be able to stand against the Body Sect.
Although they had sent a princess to the Body Sect, their greater hope was that she would be betrothed to Long Aotian.
Xu Yanli slowly closed the documents and smiled. "Just as I thought. Crows are black all over the world. No matter how good a partnership seems, suspicion always wins out in the end."
Huo Yuhao looked confused. "Teacher, the Body Sect is so opposed to Soul Tools, and that's what our Xiaoyao Pavilion sells. How are we supposed to work with them?"
"Being opposed to Soul Tools doesn't mean they're opposed to everything else." Xu Yanli stood and walked to the window. He gently cupped a sliver of moonlight in his hand and smiled. "What they want is for their sect to endure. They want a successor..."
His gaze shifted to Huo Yuhao, and he smiled softly. "And we have exactly what they want most."
"What is it?" Huo Yuhao asked, bewildered.
Xu Yanli smiled but said nothing. He merely looked at Huo Yuhao calmly.
After a long moment, Xu Yanli finally spoke again. "What level are you now?"
"Level sixteen," Huo Yuhao replied.
Xu Yanli nodded. "Tell that little bug of yours that I want the thing he plans to give you as your Second Martial Soul. I'll make better arrangements for you."
Xu Yanli knew that his own Martial Soul didn't have much need for such things. But there were still Meng Hongchen and the others, weren't there?
Besides, rather than have it sacrificed, he would rather have it take human form and stay by his side. That would also strengthen the Xiaoyao Pavilion's top combatants.
As for Long Xiaoyao, Xu Yanli had his suspicions, but he knew the man wouldn't stay with him forever. After all, the Holy Spirit Cult—and his old flame—were still out there.
Early the next morning, Xu Feng, Sect Master of the Xuanming Sect, came to pay a visit.
He looked much better than he had the day before, though his eyes still held a trace of apprehension—especially when they fell on the masked figure in the corner.
"Pavilion Master Xu," Xu Feng said respectfully, "I've done as you asked. Today, I'll take you to the Body Sect."
Xu Yanli smiled faintly. "Thank you for your trouble, Sect Master Xu."
Xu Yanli took Huo Yuhao out of the Xiaoyao Pavilion. They crossed the bustling streets of Heaven Dou City and reached a stretch of mountains north of the city.
The Body Sect was situated among those mountains.
At the mountain gate, two Body Sect disciples blocked their way.
"Who goes there?"
Xu Feng stepped forward. "Xu Feng, Sect Master of the Xuanming Sect. I request an audience with Poison Sect Master."
The two disciples exchanged a glance. One of them said, "Wait here. I'll go report this."
A short while later, a burly middle-aged man came out through the mountain gate.
His aura seemed powerful. He was likely a Titled Douluo.
"Sect Master Xu?" The middle-aged man's eyes swept over Xu Feng, then settled on Xu Yanli. "And who is this?"
"Elder of the Body Sect, Fist Douluo Zhang Fan," Xu Feng whispered to Xu Yanli in introduction, then stepped forward.
"Elder Zhang, this is Xu Yanli, Pavilion Master of the Xiaoyao Pavilion. He has business with Poison Sect Master."
Zhang Fan looked Xu Yanli over, his brows knitting slightly.
"The Xiaoyao Pavilion? The one that sells Soul Tools?"
Xu Yanli cupped his hands in greeting, neither servile nor arrogant. "Elder Zhang, that's right."
Zhang Fan scoffed. "Poison Sect Master doesn't receive outsiders, especially merchants who sell Soul Tools. Please leave."
Xu Yanli didn't move.
He raised his head and met Zhang Fan's gaze.
"Elder Zhang, what if I told you I could heal Poison Sect Master's hidden injuries?"
Xu Yanli knew that even the Healing Angel in this world couldn't match the healing power of his Martial Soul. The Prayer Angel could bring people back to life, after all.
That was one of his bargaining chips.
If he could achieve his goal, he could use anything—including himself.
In a way, he and his older brother in this life were rather alike.
Genes really could influence a person, even their temperament.
Zhang Fan's expression changed at once.
Shock, wariness, and doubt all mingled in his eyes.
"What did you say?"
Xu Yanli smiled faintly. "Elder Zhang should know better than anyone what Poison Sect Master's condition has been like over the years. Every full moon, he suffers unbearable pain, and his cultivation has stagnated. Am I wrong?"
Zhang Fan's expression darkened.
He said nothing, but the Soul Power around him had already begun to stir.
"Boy, who told you that?"
"No one," Xu Yanli said calmly. "I figured it out myself."
"You?"
"If you don't believe me, Elder Zhang, you can let me try." Xu Yanli paused. "What does the Body Sect have to lose by letting me meet him?"
Zhang Fan stared at him for a long while, then finally stepped aside.
"Come with me. But I warn you, if you try anything..."
"Don't worry, Elder Zhang," Xu Yanli said with a soft laugh. "I value my life more than anything."
In the great hall of the Body Sect,
Du Busi sat at the highest seat. Xu Yanli could sense his age and frailty, but his eyes betrayed nothing. They still shone with a frightening brightness.
Xu Yanli stood in the middle of the hall, his expression calm as he looked straight into Du Busi's eyes.
"Boy, I hear you can heal my hidden injuries?"
Du Busi's voice was hoarse and low, his gaze carrying a hint of amusement as he sized Xu Yanli up. "Let's hear it. What makes you think you can?"
Xu Yanli didn't rush to argue. Instead, he slowly released his Martial Soul.
After all, seeing was believing.
In an instant, holy, dazzling light burst into bloom behind him. The immense phantom of a Twelve-Winged Angel appeared and vanished in the glow, while the radiance of the Sun Moon Star slowly circled him, sacred and serene.
Two purple and three black Soul Rings rose slowly into place beneath his feet.
Du Busi's eyes narrowed slightly at once.
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