Ten minutes earlier.
Bzzzz!
Far off in the southern sky above Snow City, a streak of crimson edged with dark gold shot past the clouds, flying straight toward the Soul Guidance Emergency Center on the outskirts of Snow City.
"Oh? He got here pretty fast. It only took half a day."
Hearing the buzzing overhead, Dong Zi'an raised his thick eyebrows, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. He led Li Jie out of the hastily assembled command center.
Clang!
A deep, heavy sound rang out as a red God-Rank Mecha, its entire body engraved with intricate patterns, descended from the sky and landed steadily on the ground. A middle-aged man with a lean build but a broad frame emerged from the cockpit.
"Old Dong, tell me, where's that genius you mentioned on the comms? Though I haven't met him yet, I can already feel that he and my sect are fated to be together."
The middle-aged man's brown-yellow eyes lit up the moment he saw Dong Zi'an. After carefully closing up his Mecha, he strode toward him.
As he walked, a surging force of Bloodline Power faintly spread from him. Even the cold wind blowing around them seemed to weaken.
"So this is the current sect master of the Body Sect? Seeing him is even more impressive than hearing about him. His powerful body looks as though every part has been tempered to its limit."
Li Jie, following behind Dong Zi'an, narrowed his eyes, a hint of shock in them. But when he saw the chef's white clothes the middle-aged man was wearing, he gave a slight shake of his head.
That's right, the visitor was none other than the current sect master of the Body Sect, Body Douluo Mu Ye—a top-tier chef.
"Old Mu, what's the rush? I see you've replaced the rear wings on your Mecha again. Its performance must have improved quite a bit."
Dong Zi'an didn't answer. Instead, he pointed to the red God-Rank Mecha behind Mu Ye.
Like him, Mu Ye was a God-Rank Mecha Master. The two had first become acquainted through their shared profession.
"Of course. You think I'd be as careless with my Mecha as you are?"
At that, Mu Ye's lips curled up slightly, as if his Mecha were his most precious treasure.
"What did you do with the old one?"
Dong Zi'an pressed on.
"The old one... No, I'm asking you, where is he? Where's the future prodigy of my Body Sect? Don't stand there trying to change the subject."
Mu Ye's brows drew together. He asked in an urgent tone, his eyes faintly burning with eagerness.
The Body Sect was already on the brink of collapse. If they didn't bring in fresh blood soon, he'd be the only one with a full belly while the whole sect went hungry.
If they could bring this Body Martial Soul genius with two Ultimate Martial Souls into the sect, the Body Sect could endure for another hundred years.
"There is someone, naturally. But I can't let him join your Body Sect outright."
Dong Zi'an's eyes flickered as he shook his head slightly.
"Old Dong, listen to me. You can't handle a prodigy with a Body Martial Soul. Let me do it! I can bring out the full potential of his Body Martial Soul."
"Or if you have any demands, just name them."
Hearing that, Mu Ye immediately tried to reason with him, saying he'd do anything as long as Dong Zi'an handed the Body Martial Soul genius over to him.
"You can teach him, but I can't let him leave with you right away. Your cultivation is still too low."
Dong Zi'an remained calm and refused again.
He knew Mu Ye's temperament well. If he handed Jiang Xiu over now, Mu Ye would take him and run without a second thought. That would be a losing deal.
So he had to rein Mu Ye in first, to prepare for what came next.
"What kind of thing is that to say? Cultivation is one thing, strength is another. Is this sect master weak?"
Mu Ye looked as though he'd been struck where it hurt. His face flushed, but he stood his ground, his body seeming to grow taller as surging Bloodline Power rose within him.
"Old Mu, are you trying to use force? That won't work on me."
A green shadow flickered in Dong Zi'an's eyes, and the phantom of a Green-Faced Wolf, its savage face bristling with fangs, appeared and glared at Mu Ye.
"Old Dong, it's not that I don't respect you. I'm taking him with me today, no matter who tries to stop me! I said it!"
Mu Ye's shoulders trembled as he spoke with grim resolve.
"Old Mu, don't give me that. Do things my way and we can work this out. If you try to use force, I'll have the army camp bombard you with a Level Ten Fixed-Load Soul Guidance Cannonball. I'll send you and your Mecha flying together!"
Dong Zi'an stepped forward. An invisible killing aura spread out around him as he barked the words.
Creak!
Just as the tension reached its breaking point, the silver-white doors of the Soul Guidance Emergency Center slid open, revealing a small figure.
"Uncle Dong, what are you doing?"
Jiang Xiu looked at the scene before him, his eyes clear and bright as he asked.
"Ah! So this is my disciple! Come on, call me Master."
"Master even held you when you were little. So many years have passed, I almost don't recognize you. Master will take you back to the sect right now."
The moment he saw Jiang Xiu, Mu Ye seemed to sense something. His face instantly broke into a smile as he hurried toward him, speaking as he went.
"Mu Ye, you rascal..."
Dong Zi'an's mouth twitched fiercely at his words. Before this, he was certain Mu Ye had never even met Jiang Xiu. Now he could say something like that without so much as blushing. No wonder he was a body-tempering expert—his skin was thick as a wall.
"Enough. We'll talk inside."
Dong Zi'an flashed in front of Mu Ye, grabbed him by the shoulder to stop his charge, and spoke calmly.
"Fine. Come along, my good disciple. We'll talk inside."
Mu Ye's expression froze for a moment, but he quickly recovered and gave a slight nod. Still, his gaze rested on Jiang Xiu with obvious approval.
He also pushed aside, just a little, the idea of simply whisking Jiang Xiu away. It was just that he wasn't sure he could beat Dong Zi'an, a Limit Douluo.
Looking at Mu Ye, Jiang Xiu's thoughts stirred.
Of course he knew the Body Sect. Ten thousand years ago, it had been one of the three most powerful forces on the entire continent. But now it had fallen into decline.
There were many reasons for its decline, but in Jiang Xiu's view, one of the main ones was that, before his death ten thousand years ago, Du Busi had passed the Secret of the Body to Huo Yuhao. Yet before ascending to the Divine Realm, Huo Yuhao hadn't gone in search of Body Soul Masters. Instead, he'd handed the Secret of the Body over to Shrek Academy for safekeeping...
From what Mu Ye had just said, he'd come to take Jiang Xiu as his disciple? But Dong Zi'an didn't seem willing...
With a trace of uncertainty, Jiang Xiu walked between the two men as they headed into the Soul Guidance Emergency Center.
"I never would've thought the commander cared so much about Jiang Xiu that he'd even invited this man here. But I suppose it makes sense. Talent like that shouldn't go to waste."
"I truly hope our human race produces more prodigies."
Li Jie sighed. On the metal wall opposite him, several large red words had been engraved: Survival is the first rule of civilization.
As long as the Abyss remained, the people of Douluo Continent would remain in dire straits.
"How did the Abyss Plane discover Douluo Continent six thousand years ago?"
That question had troubled the Federation for a long time. Li Jie often wondered about it too, but there had never been a reliable, authoritative answer.
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