Qiangu Dongfeng and the Ghost Emperor

Shrek City, the top floor of the Spirit Pagoda, which towered into the clouds.

Qiangu Dongfeng sat in an incredibly luxurious office, the Soul Guidance Communicator he had just used to speak with Leng Yaozhu resting at his side.

"Super Douluo, Ten Thousand Soul Banner..."

Qiangu Dongfeng fell into silence. After a long while, he pulled open a drawer and took out an inconspicuous Soul Guidance Communicator.

Qiangu Dongfeng skillfully powered it on and found the only Soul Guidance Communicator number stored inside.

Beep, beep, beep...

After five rings, the connection was finally established.

"Hello—"

It was a hoarse voice, like fingernails scraping against a chalkboard; just hearing it was enough to make one's skin crawl.

"Ghost Emperor! How could you guarantee what you said earlier?! It was supposed to be a performance for you to take the medicine I gave you, but what happened? Your people turned around and went to East Sea City, even attacking the Spirit Pagoda and the Blacksmith Association there. What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Hehehe—Brother Qiangu, don't be so impatient. I only told them to go and retrieve those drugs, but who could have known that this fellow Shi Qian would go and attack East Sea City? I don't know if he lost his mind or what."

The Ghost Emperor's explanation came through the communicator, though anyone could tell there wasn't a hint of apology in his tone; instead, his flippant words were infuriating.

"Ghost Emperor! I am warning you, if there is a next time, you had better watch yourselves!"

"Eh~ Brother Qiangu, why must you and I be at such odds? This was just an accident." The Ghost Emperor didn't care about the threat at all. "Besides, your goal and mine have always been the same. Don't you want to crush that hateful Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect?"

"Hmph! Easy for you to say. That so-called Demon Emperor of yours hasn't even shown a shadow. Or are you planning to rely on yourself and Halosa to challenge Yun Ming? If that's the case, we had better cut ties sooner rather than later. I won't go on a suicide mission."

Qiangu Dongfeng's expression was grim as he spoke in a cold voice.

Although he was furious about the Holy Spirit Cult's attack, he held it in; for the sake of his grand plan, these sacrifices were worth it.

After all, if they lost the assistance of the Holy Spirit Cult, how could their Spirit Pagoda hope to defeat Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect?

Of course, while he said that, Qiangu Dongfeng still wanted to probe the most mysterious Demon Emperor within the Holy Spirit Cult, but unfortunately, he didn't gain any information in the end.

Within the Holy Spirit Cult, there were a total of seven high-ranking members: one Emperor, two Emperors, and four Dark Heavenly Kings. Below them were the elders at the Super Douluo level.

Ordinary Title Douluo were not fit to sit at the table in the Holy Spirit Cult; at the very least, they were not part of the true decision-making layer.

However, although Qiangu Dongfeng had negotiated a partnership with the Holy Spirit Cult, he had never seen that so-called Demon Emperor from start to finish. Even Halosa was rarely in contact; it had always been the Ghost Emperor who communicated with him.

Come to think of it, he was extremely curious about what kind of person could make the Ghost Emperor and the Underworld Emperor—two quasi-god level powerhouses—willing to submit to her.

The Ghost Emperor understood the subtext of Qiangu Dongfeng's words, and his voice turned completely cold. "I already agreed with you: as long as you can develop a drug that can completely stabilize the human spirit, our Holy Spirit Cult will fully assist you in dealing with Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect. But you? Have you seriously put your heart into it?"

"..." Qiangu Dongfeng sighed and rubbed his aching brow. "In that case, I will recruit a group of pharmacists at the Spirit Pagoda branch on the Heaven Dou Continent and have them cooperate with your research. It is far from the Douluo Continent, so we don't have to worry about the risk of exposure."

"Very well. It seems your influence on the continent isn't as great as you claimed, Brother Qiangu..."

"That is none of your concern!" Qiangu Dongfeng's eyes sharpened. "In exchange, tell your subordinates to restrain themselves! Don't let anyone notice anything amiss."

"Yes, yes, Brother Qiangu, yes..."

The Ghost Emperor chuckled.

"Hmph!"

Qiangu Dongfeng let out a cold snort and ended the call. He then squeezed the Soul Guidance Communicator with force, causing it to shatter.

He felt a bit of doubt about whether his cooperation with the Holy Spirit Cult was right or wrong, but the arrow had already left the bow; things had reached this point, and he had no room to turn back.

"Shrek Academy..."

Qiangu Dongfeng paced to the massive floor-to-ceiling window. Through the night, he could still see the dazzling golden light in the distance.

"We shall see..."

"Beep—beep—"

"What a piece of work! If it weren't for your good father, you wouldn't have the right to speak to me like that!"

Listening to the busy signal from the Soul Guidance Communicator, the Ghost Emperor threw it heavily onto the ground in anger.

The specially crafted communicator rolled across the floor and finally landed at the feet of a person wearing armor.

He wore gray armor and a cloak; the armor was crystal clear, refracting a strange light. His appearance was extremely handsome and delicate, with long black hair draped behind his head, forming a sharp contrast with his snow-white face.

"Halosa? Why are you here?"

The Ghost Emperor was somewhat surprised; he had been so angry just now that he hadn't noticed the other's arrival.

Halosa did not answer, but instead picked up the Soul Guidance Communicator. "You were just in contact with Qiangu Dongfeng?"

"Hmph, that fellow Qiangu Dongfeng is as cunning as a fox. If I don't show him something real, I'm afraid he won't let this go so easily."

"I told you long ago: this man, Qiangu Dongfeng, may be called a Limit Douluo, but he is more like a merchant. Cooperating with him is fine, but you must never rely on him for anything." Gray mist surged from Halosa's body, and a skeleton crawled out from the ground, taking the communicator from his hand and silently tidying up the room that the Ghost Emperor had tossed about.

He himself began to walk outside. "Let's go. Demon Emperor has just woken up a bit and wants to see you now. As for the rest, we can talk as we walk."

Seeing this, the Ghost Emperor had no choice but to follow.

Although he had always indicated to Qiangu Dongfeng that the Demon Emperor was little more than a mascot within the Holy Spirit Cult—and in truth, that was largely the case—he still held the Demon Emperor in the utmost respect.

In the Holy Spirit Cult, strength was always supreme.

"Shi Qian's involvement, that was your doing, wasn't it? He had no idea about our collaboration with the Spirit Pagoda."

Although Halosa was asking, his tone was absolute.

The Ghost Emperor remained silent. This colleague of his might appear indifferent and even taciturn, but he saw through many things with great clarity.

In truth, the news of the Holy Spirit Cult's collaboration with the Spirit Pagoda was known only to him, Halosa, and the four Dark Heavenly Kings; he hadn't even informed the Demon Emperor yet.

Shi Qian's attack on the Spirit Pagoda had indeed been encouraged by him, but it was largely Shi Qian's own initiative; the Ghost Emperor had merely given him a secret nudge.

As for the final outcome, he had anticipated it long ago, and either way, he stood to lose nothing.

"And that young lady? Where have you coaxed her off to?" Halosa suddenly asked.

"Her?" The Ghost Emperor paused for a moment. "I instructed her not to go near those military encampments. With the vastness of the world's oceans, she certainly won't encounter any danger."

Halosa shook his head. The two walked through the winding underground palace and finally stopped in front of a massive cavern.

"We've arrived. Let's head down."