Qian Daoliu's gaze swept over the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion, newly reorganized and ready for battle. Every member was at least level 40, and among them were no shortage of powerful Soul Saints and Soul Douluo. Their numbers reached a full 3,000. Each one carried a condensed aura and ringing battle spirit, while the Soul Hall's new generation of prodigies, including Ye Guyi, held the front lines. It was a formidable formation.
Looking at this elite force, poised and ready to strike, boundless pride surged in his eyes. In a deep voice, he exclaimed, each word reverberating through the hall:
"Douluo Continent, my Spirit Hall has returned!"
Then, Qian Daoliu remembered something else.
He took the Soul Tools and Invincible Barriers Kong Deming had entrusted to him from his storage device.
He handed them to Ye Guyi, Qiangu Zhenyue, Qiangu Zhenxie, Jin Lin, and Guang Yao to distribute among the members of the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion.
Once everyone had received their equipment, the entire army looked uniform. The icy gleam of high-grade Soul Tools enhanced their strength, and their overall combat power soared. They were already no weaker than any Soul Engineer legion in the Sun Moon Empire, apart from the Royal Soul Engineer Corps.
Of course, this force's practical combat abilities still needed improvement. That was also why Qian Daoliu was leading them on this expedition.
Another reason, naturally, was to cultivate Ye Guyi, the inheritor of the Angel God.
Because Qian Daoliu had relinquished his godhood, he could no longer condense the Angel Godhood himself.
But Ye Guyi was different. There was an entire Heaven Dou Empire's worth of Evil Soul Masters.
Qian Daoliu was confident that he could create another Angel God within his lifetime.
And that person would be Ye Guyi.
After inspecting the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion, Qian Daoliu accompanied Bo Saixi as they prepared to turn in for the night, conserving their strength for the expedition the next day.
The next day, dawn had barely broken.
A familiar female voice rang out from beyond Soul Hall.
"Luan Feng of the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion requests an audience with Your Excellency, the Angel!"
At that moment, inside the Worship Hall of Soul Hall, Qian Daoliu was dozing with Bo Saixi in his arms.
Qian Daoliu heard the commotion outside the hall.
He couldn't help frowning as he opened his bleary eyes.
Bo Saixi murmured in Qian Daoliu's arms, "Who is it? Why disturb someone's sweet dreams so early in the morning?"
As Qian Daoliu's partner, Bo Saixi had also heard that the voice outside belonged to a woman.
And it was a voice she found rather irritating.
At the thought, Bo Saixi couldn't help giving Qian Daoliu a reproachful glare. "Qian Daoliu, you've got some nerve! You already have a little lover coming to your door!"
As she spoke, Bo Saixi angrily shoved Qian Daoliu away.
Caught off guard, Qian Daoliu tumbled off the bed.
The pain jolted him fully awake.
He was also curious which fool had come to spoil his morning so early.
Under Bo Saixi's watchful gaze,
Qian Daoliu straightened his clothes, pushed open the hall door, and flashed to Soul Hall's main gate.
"It's her!"
Qian Daoliu looked up and saw that the visitor was indeed Luan Feng, the Fire Phoenix Douluo and commander of the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion, whom he had seen at the imperial palace the day before.
She stood alone beyond Soul Hall's mountain gate, her crimson armor blazing in the morning light. She stood tall and straight as a pine, her brows and eyes sharp and fierce.
Though by herself, she carried the imposing, blood-chilling air of a legion commander. She waited quietly, composed and neither servile nor arrogant.
Only then did Qian Daoliu remember that he wasn't just taking the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion on the expedition.
He was also supposed to command the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion.
No wonder the commander of the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion had come to find him so early. He had simply forgotten that this was on the agenda.
With no choice, Qian Daoliu put away his irritation and went out to meet her.
"Sorry for the wait, Fire Phoenix Douluo!"
Hearing him, Luan Feng showed no displeasure at having been kept waiting. A trace of faint shyness crossed her heroic brows, and she replied respectfully in a gentle voice:
"Your Excellency, you're too kind. I've come to report last night's latest intelligence. The remnants of the Heaven Dou Empire have joined forces with the Evil Soul Masters and seized Heaven Dou City. The Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion has assembled outside the eastern side of the Ming Capital. We're ready to set out for the Heaven Dou Empire as soon as you give the order!"
Qian Daoliu gave a brief "Oh," indicating that he understood.
Then he said to Fire Phoenix Douluo, "You can return to the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion's encampment first."
"The Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion and I will be along shortly!"
"Yes!"
After receiving Qian Daoliu's order, Fire Phoenix Douluo didn't dare delay. She answered, then took her leave reluctantly.
"Then I'll take my leave first!"
As Qian Daoliu watched, Fire Phoenix Douluo turned into a streak of fire and departed from Soul Hall.
Watching her hasty nature, Qian Daoliu couldn't help sighing. "She really is an impatient one!"
Then Qian Daoliu returned to Soul Hall and explained the situation to Bo Saixi.
He summoned Ye Guyi and the others to assemble the members of the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion.
After everyone finished breakfast, Qian Daoliu swept his hand and announced, "The Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion is setting out!"
Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi led the way. Behind them, Ye Guyi, Qiangu Zhenyue, Qiangu Zhenxie, Jin Lin, and Guang Yao, the five members of the new generation, each led a squad as they headed for the eastern outskirts of the Ming Capital.
An hour later, the two legions—the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion and the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion—joined forces.
If the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion was dressed mainly in black, the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion was clad primarily in crimson.
Qian Daoliu looked out across the camp. It was red as fire, its radiance illuminating the surroundings. Every suit of armor gleamed, and the troops' momentum surged like a rainbow. Their eyes were sharp and their battle spirit burned bright, their mighty presence like a wildfire sweeping across the plains. They formed a stark visual contrast with the Soul Hall legion, clad in black and radiating murderous intent.
At the same time, Qian Daoliu noticed that although the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion was stronger overall than the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion,
its overall aura was far inferior.
The reason was that the members of the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion were all veteran soldiers, tempered on countless battlefields. Their eyes gleamed with ferocity, and the aura of slaughter had seeped into their bones. Their iron-blooded edge had been forged through countless battles.
Though the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion's cultivation was impressive, they had little practical experience. Their presence was young and unseasoned, like a batch of raw recruits. They lacked the fierce battle spirit of those who had fought in blood-soaked clashes.
Qian Daoliu understood.
As soon as Qian Daoliu and the others appeared, Fire Phoenix Douluo flew over to greet them.
She looked up, and her gaze suddenly sharpened, surprise filling her heart.
Every member of this Soul Hall Soul Engineer legion was equipped with fine, luxurious gear, far surpassing that of her own Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion. Their overall cultivation was also a cut above her forces.
She marveled inwardly at Qian Daoliu's astonishing influence, growing ever more curious and awed by this mysterious, powerful Angel Excellency.
To Bo Saixi, however, this gesture looked like an unabashed provocation.
Bo Saixi gave a cold snort. "Qian Daoliu, now that the troops have assembled, why aren't we setting out? What are we waiting for?"
Qian Daoliu's heart tightened, and an inexplicable chill ran down his back. He immediately put aside his wandering thoughts, not daring to waste another moment.
He gathered his aura, his expression solemn, then raised a hand and issued a clear command to the two legions: "Fire Phoenix Douluo, lead the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion as the vanguard! Head to Heaven Dou City in the Heaven Dou Empire first! You can establish a local encampment and wait for the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion to arrive!"
He had chosen Heaven Dou City as their first stop because it was the old capital of the Heaven Dou Empire. The place was a den of dragons and snakes, teeming with Evil Soul Masters as well as the remnants of the Heaven Dou Empire.
It was also close to the Sun Moon Empire. Only by taking it could they extend their reach across the rest of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Then Qian Daoliu continued issuing orders.
"The Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion will split into two!"
"Bo Saixi and I will each lead one group! Deploy them on the left and right flanks of the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion, then proceed to Heaven Dou City!"
As the Great Enshrined of Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago, Qian Daoliu was no stranger to deploying troops and arranging formations.
As soon as Qian Daoliu gave the order,
Fire Phoenix Douluo took command and led the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion toward the Heaven Dou Empire at high speed using Flying Soul Tools.
As for the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion, just as Qian Daoliu had said,
it began to split into two.
Ye Guyi, Qiangu Zhenyue, and Qiangu Zhenxie followed Qian Daoliu as the left flank.
Jin Lin and Guang Yao followed Bo Saixi as the right flank.
The entire Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion was also equipped with Flying Soul Tools.
They sped toward Heaven Dou City in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Since the Sun Moon Empire had already occupied the Heaven Dou Empire, the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion and the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion encountered virtually no resistance along the way.
Besides, Heaven Dou City lay near the western part of the Heaven Dou Empire, extremely close to the Sun Moon Empire's border.
Before Qian Daoliu had a chance to help Ye Guyi kill Evil Soul Masters and increase her strength, they had already reached the outskirts of Heaven Dou City in the Heaven Dou Empire.
The Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion had arrived before the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion.
The Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion had already established an encampment outside Heaven Dou City.
As soon as Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi's Soul Engineer legion arrived,
Qian Daoliu noticed that outside Heaven Dou City, besides the encamped Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion, another ordinary Soul Engineer legion from the Sun Moon Empire and a large force of infantry were stationed farther out.
They were the First Soul Engineer Division, 2,000 strong, and the Central Infantry Main Force, 50,000 strong.
However, both forces had suffered heavy casualties. It seemed the Heaven Dou Empire's rebellion, backed by the Holy Spirit Cult, had been no ordinary affair.
Fire Phoenix Douluo contacted Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi through the Sun Moon Empire's long-range Soul Tool communications and proposed:
"Your Excellencies, I suggest we surround three sides and leave one open!"
"The Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion will surround the western side!"
"The Soul Hall left flank will surround the eastern side!"
"The Soul Hall right flank will surround the southern side!"
"The First Soul Engineer Division and the Central Infantry Main Force will form a larger encirclement on the outer perimeter!"
"At the same time, we can set up a seventh-tier Soul Cannon on the southern side to prevent the enemies inside the city from escaping!"
"As for Your Excellencies, you can enter the city and kill the Evil Soul Masters!"
No wonder Fire Phoenix Douluo was a seasoned woman general. Even Qian Daoliu found her plan flawless.
Qian Daoliu agreed at once.
At the same time, Qian Daoliu deployed the Sun Moon Empire's High-Altitude Reconnaissance Devices, beginning round-the-clock surveillance of Heaven Dou City.
But Qian Daoliu quickly discovered that the High-Altitude Reconnaissance Devices weren't omnipotent.
For a thick layer of deathly aura had appeared above Heaven Dou City at some point, its power firmly blocking every attempt to spy from outside.
With no other option, Qian Daoliu could only order the army to take up positions according to the original plan.
He himself would enter Heaven Dou City with Bo Saixi, Ye Guyi, Fire Phoenix Douluo, and the others to inspect the situation.
Before you continue