The Love Continent's Underlying Law, a Mysterious Map, and Coming Clean: Exchanging a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for the Snow Empress Embryo (3k)

At that moment, the Blood Bat Douluo, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke.

"Your Highness, this is the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast embryo. By the time I discovered it in the core region of the Far North, it had already transformed into an embryo, so I had no way of determining its attribute or even its species. But I believe this should be more than enough to prove my sincerity, correct?"

Xu Jiujiu came back to her senses and smiled.

"Of course. You need not question the Imperial Family's credibility. From now on, there will be no more Blood Bat Douluo in this world, only Tian Feng, Star Luo's Guardian Douluo. You need only enjoy a peaceful life with your wife and child. Others will handle everything else for you."

Upon hearing this, a genuine smile finally appeared on the Blood Bat Douluo's face.

He walked back to the bedside, reached out to hold his wife's hand, and spoke in a voice so gentle it was almost cloying.

"Ah Rou, from now on, we'll never have to live that wandering life of being hunted and ostracized again. I'll stay by your side and protect you and our child. We'll never have to be separated again."

The woman lying in bed tightly gripped the Blood Bat Douluo's hand in return as tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

Few knew that the Blood Bat Douluo and the woman before him had been childhood sweethearts, supporting each other as they grew up in the same orphanage. Their bond was unimaginably deep. They had sworn never to part in life or death, which was why the Blood Bat Douluo had brought his lover with him wherever he went over the years.

Yet it was precisely because of this that Ah Rou had been caught up in an accident not long ago. The Blood Bat Douluo had taken her to many famous healing-type Soul Masters in the Sun Moon Empire, but in the end, all they could do was keep her barely alive.

With no other options left, he remembered the Medicine Immortal Douluo of his former homeland's Imperial Family Offering Hall, who was known as the greatest healing-type Soul Master of the age. That was why he had deliberately sought out the Imperial Family's covert contacts to propose a deal.

As for the ninth-grade Soul Tool, the God Sealing Platform, he had stumbled upon it by chance in Ming Capital's underground black market. It possessed one and only one outstanding ability: sealing. Yet the requirements for completing a seal were extraordinarily harsh, and in more than ninety-nine percent of situations, it could only be used as an ornament.

But who could have imagined that this God Sealing Platform, which could only be considered bottom-tier among all ninth-grade Soul Tools, would completely change his fate?

More importantly, it was universally acknowledged that only ninth-grade Soul Engineers could create ninth-grade Soul Tools, and the Sun Moon Empire was the only place on the continent with ninth-grade Soul Engineers. Therefore, even if the Star Luo Imperial Family used this treasure to stir up trouble someday, the Sun Moon Empire and the continent's other powerful figures and factions would never suspect him.

Qiangu Yunche quietly watched the scene unfold, sighing inwardly.

Sure enough, the origin of all this was once again so-called love.

What was love in this world? Nothing more than one thing restraining another.

Love truly deserved its status as the Love Continent's most fundamental code and effective law. Sometimes, it worked astonishingly well.

Just as the Blood Bat Douluo and Ah Rou were about to leave the room, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Please wait, you two."

The Blood Bat Douluo turned around and looked at Qiangu Yunche.

Though he was reluctant to admit it, among the three Title Douluo in the room, the one who made him feel the most danger was actually the seemingly young Qiangu Yunche.

"Young master, is there anything else?"

Taking a deep breath, the Blood Bat Douluo tried his best to keep his voice steady.

Qiangu Yunche stared at him for a moment before using Soul Power to send over two small herbs that looked like luminous jade.

"The bloodsucking you can't control stems, first, from your Martial Soul's nature, and second, from a trace of evil energy hidden deep within your Martial Soul. Sacred Heart Grass grows bathed in holy energy, yet its medicinal properties are extremely mild. It is enough to purify that trace of evil energy from both your Martial Soul and your future child's Martial Soul. It can also cleanse your body and soul."

The Blood Bat Douluo stared blankly at the two immortal herbs before him. With his experience, it was naturally not difficult for him to see that Qiangu Yunche was telling the truth.

After taking another deep breath, the Blood Bat Douluo's gaze toward Qiangu Yunche changed from vigilance to immense surprise and gratitude.

After hesitating for a moment, he seemed to make up his mind and spoke.

"Young master, I will forever remember your great kindness. I have no way to repay you, so please accept this map as a token of my gratitude."

A map as a gift?

Qiangu Yunche was somewhat surprised, but he still accepted the piece of parchment and watched as the Blood Bat Douluo and Ah Rou disappeared from sight.

After the two left, Xu Jiujiu leaned her little head over and asked curiously.

"What's on this parchment that a Title Douluo would offer it as a gift?"

Qiangu Yunche shook his head, indicating that they would look at it later, then turned and walked toward the God Sealing Platform.

Xu Jiujiu pouted in slight dissatisfaction, but her interest in the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast embryo quickly overwhelmed that minor emotion.

Meanwhile, after examining the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast embryo for a while, the Medicine Immortal Douluo sighed.

"This old woman has lived for so long, yet this is still the first time I've seen such an existence. At least I've broadened my horizons before death."

Xu Jiujiu, who was supporting the Medicine Immortal Douluo, smiled upon hearing that. "Grandma Medicine Immortal, how can you say something so inauspicious? You're the empire's stabilizing pillar. Listen to me—you'll live another two hundred years. Perhaps then you'll see something even more eye-opening."

As she spoke, Xu Jiujiu did not forget to wink at Qiangu Yunche.

The Medicine Immortal Douluo smiled and patted Xu Jiujiu's hand without saying anything more.

After all, she had accumulated more than two centuries of experience and seen too many storms. Even something as rare as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast embryo, which was a once-in-a-lifetime sight ninety-nine percent of the time, had only caused the slightest ripple in her placid heart.

Once that ripple faded, everything became smooth as a mirror again, as though nothing had happened.

After the Medicine Immortal Douluo left, the Nebula Douluo once again concealed himself. As for Elder Lin, his enthusiasm for the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast embryo was not even comparable to his desire to study the core formation inside the God Sealing Platform.

After all, the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast embryo had already been locked inside the God Sealing Platform, leaving no way to study it.

In the end, only Qiangu Yunche and Xu Jiujiu remained.

Qiangu Yunche knew the truth.

Xu Jiujiu, on the other hand, was purely thinking up ways to scam people.

It had to be said that she and her brother, Xu Jiawei, had practically scheming written into their bones.

After a moment, Xu Jiujiu spoke.

"Yunche, to be honest, I have an idea."

The idea queen Xu Jiujiu had appeared yet again.

Qiangu Yunche slapped his forehead and said helplessly.

"You aren't planning to sell this thing to the Sun Moon Empire's Mingde Hall through an auction when the Soul Fighting Tournament begins next year, then put out a bounty to drag super factions like the Body Sect and Shrek Academy into fighting each other bloody over it, so you can fish in troubled waters, are you?"

Xu Jiujiu: "...?"

In an instant, Xu Jiujiu's eyes widened to their limits. She looked at Qiangu Yunche with shock and excitement, her gaze filled with unconcealed admiration and a mutual understanding that needed no words. It was as though a kindred spirit had met another amidst low hills and foul waters.

Could there be anything more romantic in this world than scamming people together with the person one loved?

Xu Jiujiu thought there was very little that could compare.

Fortunately, Qiangu Yunche had long grown accustomed to Xu Jiujiu's scheming nature. He sighed and said, "If this Hundred-Thousand-Year embryo were auctioned, its final price would definitely exceed hundreds of millions of Gold Soul Coins. But what I need to tell you, Jiujiu, is that hundreds of millions of Gold Soul Coins, or the Sun Moon Empire's so-called high-grade Soul Tools, are simply not worth mentioning compared to this thing."

"When the Blood Bat Douluo captured it, the embryo had already fully formed, so naturally, he had no idea what he had actually caught. But I can tell you with certainty that this is not a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast."

Xu Jiujiu froze, confusion appearing on her face. "Not a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? Then could it be..."

There were far too few possibilities that could fit, and someone as clever as Xu Jiujiu quickly guessed the truth.

Yet that truth felt absurd to her.

Xu Jiujiu could not tell whether the Blood Bat Douluo had stepped in dog shit or eaten it, but she could be certain that he had indeed delivered them an unimaginably precious gift.

"Not a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, yet capable of re-cultivating into a human..." Xu Jiujiu swallowed with difficulty, then asked in a trembling voice, "Yunche, are you saying this is the embryo of a Fierce Beast re-cultivating into human form? If that's true, then... then is it the third-ranked Titan Snow Demon King among the Three Heavenly Kings, the second-ranked Ice Jade Scorpion King, or... it can't possibly be the Heavenly Snow Woman, can it?" Xu Jiujiu asked with difficulty.

Seeing Qiangu Yunche nod lightly, Xu Jiujiu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally died completely.

What was the Heavenly Snow Woman?

It was a peerless Fierce Beast that had survived at least six Heavenly Tribulations, the most powerful ruler of the Far North, and the third-ranked powerhouse on the continent's list of ten greatest Fierce Beasts.

Such an existence had actually been effortlessly captured and brought into the human world by a bottom-tier Title Douluo, only to end up in their hands almost as if it had been given away for free.

The overwhelming shock and delight made Xu Jiujiu's legs go weak, leaving her unable to stand steadily. In the end, Qiangu Yunche had to support her.

After recovering slightly, Xu Jiujiu tightly grabbed Qiangu Yunche's sleeve and asked urgently.

"Yunche, can you really be certain about this?"

"Others might not be able to determine it, but I can tell you that I'm certain—absolutely certain," Qiangu Yunche said calmly.

"Good, then I understand. From this moment onward, this must remain absolutely confidential. Even if it rots in our hands, we can never let outsiders obtain it."

Xu Jiujiu instantly regained her clarity and completely abandoned the idea of using the Snow Empress Embryo as bait to create trouble.

Humans had no way of knowing how terrifying a Fierce Beast that had survived six Heavenly Tribulations truly was, but if its power fell into human hands, it could absolutely create a powerhouse capable of changing the world's balance with their strength alone.

Xu Jiujiu did not want that person to belong to any faction other than the Star Luo Empire.

And if the information leaked and they were certain they could not keep the Snow Empress Embryo, then Xu Jiujiu felt it would be better to tamper with the God Sealing Platform before outsiders came to seize it, then toss it into the headquarters of some major faction they disliked.

Xu Jiujiu believed that the destructive power the enraged Snow Empress could unleash after breaking free would be no less than several ninth-grade Fixed Soul Guidance Cannonballs exploding at once. They would still gain tremendously from it then.

The moment she finished speaking, Xu Jiujiu immediately added.

"I'm going to meet with my imperial brother and report the situation here truthfully. Yunche, will you come with me?"

Qiangu Yunche shook his head, but just as Xu Jiujiu impatiently prepared to leave, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her.

"Jiujiu, rather than letting this thing rot in our hands, we might as well put it to proper use. Tell His Majesty that I'm willing to exchange a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast willing to sacrifice itself for you for the Snow Empress Embryo. Let's see what His Majesty thinks."

Watching Xu Jiujiu fall completely stiff with shock, Qiangu Yunche pinched her soft cheek and continued with a smile.

"I'm not joking. I'm being very serious."

"Go on. I'll wait for your answer."

As he watched Xu Jiujiu walk out of the room like a puppet on strings, Qiangu Yunche turned his gaze toward the God Sealing Platform. The expression in his eyes flickered between light and darkness, impossible to read...