Strange

Qian Daoliu finished his preparations and immediately set off with Bo Saixi, Ye Guyi, and their party, racing at full speed toward the Sun Moon Empire.

They traveled at high speed, passing through the major cities of the Sun Moon Empire, only to find every place under heavy guard. The city gates were manned by heavily armed troops, squads of soul masters patrolled the streets, and the common folk had all shuttered their doors and stayed inside; the entire empire was permeated by a tense, murderous atmosphere.

The sight of the entire nation standing in such strict battle readiness caused a chill to run through Qian Daoliu's heart.

Qian Daoliu guessed that, in all likelihood, something had happened within the Sun Moon Empire.

Consequently, Qian Daoliu, Bo Saixi, and the others stopped holding back, accelerating their pace toward Ming Capital.

As for the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion and the Soul Hall soul engineer legions, Qian Daoliu could only order them to return to Ming Capital and stand by via the Sun Moon Empire's internal communication channels.

Qian Daoliu and his group returned to Ming Capital.

Just like most of the cities along their route, Ming Capital was currently under extremely tight security, with soldiers and soul engineers everywhere.

However, things went a bit better this time; no sooner had Qian Daoliu and his group arrived at the city gates than an acquaintance recognized them.

"Brother Qian! Sister Bo Saixi!"

"I have been waiting for you for so long!"

Qian Daoliu saw his old acquaintance, Kong Deming, walking out from Ming Capital to greet them with a warm invitation.

Qian Daoliu was quite surprised by this.

"Teacher!"

Ye Guyi called out with great enthusiasm upon seeing the man.

When Kong Deming saw Ye Guyi and realized her cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, he was so shocked his mouth hung wide open.

"Yiyi, you've broken through!"

Hearing this, Ye Guyi responded softly, "Yes, Teacher. With the help of the Ancestors and the others, I have broken through to the Soul Douluo realm, and I have even obtained a hundred-thousand-year soul ring!"

"What?"

Now it was Kong Deming's turn to be too stunned to speak.

"Third Offering!"

Just as Kong Deming stood there in shock, the others—Qiangu Zhenyue, Qiangu Zhenxie, and the rest—also called out to him.

After Kong Deming exchanged greetings with everyone, Qian Daoliu seized the opportunity to ask, "Brother Kong, what has happened to the Empire?"

"Why are the cities along the way, including Ming Capital, under such strict guard?"

Hearing this, Kong Deming's expression turned grim as he replied, "Brother Qian, let me get you all back to your residence first, then we shall talk."

The group returned to the Offering Hall of the Soul Hall.

Kong Deming got straight to the point: "Brother Qian, the situation is dire!"

"Do you remember that mysterious soul engineer legion mentioned in the intelligence reports a while ago?"

"For the past few days, they have been appearing and disappearing like ghosts, constantly launching sneak attacks on major cities within the Empire!"

"His Majesty sent me to capture that soul engineer legion!"

"I had already tracked them down, but at the critical moment, they vanished right under my nose!"

"This has happened several times now!"

"I was truly at my wit's end, which is why I proposed to His Majesty that all the cities in the Empire be placed under martial law."

Kong Deming said all of this in one breath.

Hearing this, Qian Daoliu roughly understood the source of Kong Deming's frustration.

To put it plainly, the enemy's elusive nature was making life miserable for the Sun Moon Empire.

Qian Daoliu pondered for a moment before asking Kong Deming a crucial question: "Brother Kong, how is their strength?"

Kong Deming thought for a moment before answering, "Their strength? It is very high. Although their highest cultivation is only at the Soul Douluo level, many of the rest are Soul Emperors and Soul Saints, and their average cultivation starts at level fifty! They are not a whit inferior to the Royal Soul Engineer Corps of the Sun Moon Empire!"

"The only comforting thing is that their numbers are limited; there are only three or four hundred of them. Furthermore, the soul guidance devices they are equipped with are a significant step down from those of the Empire's legions!"

"If they had thousands of people running wild within the Empire, there is no telling what kind of chaos they would cause!"

Just as Qian Daoliu and Kong Deming were discussing this, Bo Saixi suddenly interjected, "Qian Daoliu, do you remember that student from Shrek Academy who vanished right under our noses during the Ming Capital All-Continent Soul Master Tournament?"

Both Qian Daoliu and Kong Deming were shaken to their cores upon hearing Bo Saixi's words.

Qian Daoliu said, "Xixi, are you saying it is highly likely that this person is that brat named Huo Yuhao, and he is maliciously retaliating against the Sun Moon Empire?"

Bo Saixi nodded with certainty. "It is very likely!"

On the side, Kong Deming seized the gap to add, "It is one hundred percent Shrek Academy!"

"Currently, the only person known to possess spatial power is that kid named Huo Yuhao! He is capable of vanishing without a trace right under our noses!"

"At the same time, the only ones on the continent capable of assembling a Soul Engineer Legion of such scale and cultivation level are Shrek Academy, in alliance with the Xingluo Empire!"

After the three of them put their heads together, they realized that the small-scale Soul Engineer legions within the Sun Moon Empire were very likely the Shrek Academy Soul Engineer team led by Huo Yuhao.

However, a new problem arose.

Although they knew the opponent's background, how to capture this team remained a challenge.

In the end, it was Qian Daoliu who reacted first, instructing Kong Deming to find the personnel who had guarded the Ming Capital competition venue a year ago to inquire.

He asked them if there had been any anomalies at the Ming Capital venue during those few days.

Upon hearing a patrol team report, "That night, there was a disturbance at the Ming Capital venue!"

Only then did Qian Daoliu discover a potential flaw in the spatial power possessed by Huo Yuhao.

That was, Huo Yuhao's spatial gate required him to emerge exactly where he had vanished.

Of course, this hypothesis of Qian Daoliu's still required Kong Deming to verify it personally.

However, this had already been a great help to Kong Deming.

Having made his decision, Kong Deming immediately prepared to bid farewell to Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi!

"Brother Qian, Sister Bo Saixi, no words are needed for such great kindness!"

"I shall mobilize the Soul Engineer legions to lie in wait for the Shrek Academy Soul Engineer team!"

"Even if I have to sacrifice half the personnel of the Royal Soul Engineer Corps, I will completely erase this force from the Sun Moon Empire!"

It was Qian Daoliu who held back the departing Kong Deming, saying, "The Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion and the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion have already completed most of their tasks in the Tianhun Empire!"

"You can recall them from within the Tianhun Empire!"

"They will help you deal with the Shrek Academy Soul Engineer team together!"

Hearing this, Kong Deming's face was filled with even more gratitude.

Qian Daoliu waved his hand and took the opportunity to ask, "Brother Kong, it will still take some days for the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion and the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion to return!"

"Xixi and I still have some matters we need to ask you about!"

Kong Deming replied, "Brother Qian, please speak freely!"

Qian Daoliu continued, "Brother Kong, currently the Star Dou Great Forest and Shrek City are occupied by the soul beast clans led by fierce beasts!"

"Xixi and I need to obtain high-age soul rings!"

"Are there any other places you can recommend?"

Kong Deming was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

However, recalling the miraculous abilities Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi had displayed after their last disappearance, Kong Deming did not ask any further questions.

Instead, he explained to Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi, "Brother Qian, Sister Bo Saixi!"

"On the Douluo Continent, besides the Star Dou Great Forest which is currently occupied by fierce beasts!"

"There are several other places that abound with high-age soul beasts!"

"These naturally include the Sunset Forest!"

"The Far North, the Evil Demon Forest near the Sun Moon Empire! And of course, the Ice Sea near the Sun Moon Empire!"

"If I were to make a recommendation for you!"

"I would recommend the Sunset Forest!"

Hearing this, Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi asked Kong Deming in unison, "Why?"