Strange

After Qian Daoliu had finished resting, he immediately set off at full speed for the Sun Moon Empire with Bo Saixi, Ye Guyi, and the others.

They raced along the road, passing through the Sun Moon Empire's great cities. Everywhere they looked, they saw strict security. Heavily armed troops guarded the city gates, Soul Master squads patrolled the streets, and the people stayed shut up in their homes. A tense, murderous atmosphere hung over every city.

The sight of entire cities on high alert made Qian Daoliu's heart tighten.

Qian Daoliu suspected that something serious had happened in the Sun Moon Empire.

So Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi's group stopped holding back and sped toward Ming Capital.

As for the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion and the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion, Qian Daoliu could only have them return to Ming Capital and stand by through the Sun Moon Empire's internal communications network.

Qian Daoliu and the others returned to Ming Capital.

Like most of the cities they had passed along the way,

Ming Capital was also under tight guard, with soldiers and Soul Engineers everywhere.

But this time, things went a little more smoothly. As soon as Qian Daoliu and the others reached the city gate,

an acquaintance recognized them.

"Brother Qian, Sister Bo Saixi!"

"I've been waiting ages for you!"

Qian Daoliu saw his old acquaintance Kong Deming emerge from Ming Capital, warmly inviting them inside.

Qian Daoliu was rather surprised.

"Teacher!"

Ye Guyi was also delighted to see him and called out warmly.

When Kong Deming saw Ye Guyi, he noticed how rapidly her cultivation had advanced and stared in shock, his mouth hanging open.

"Yiyi, you've broken through!"

Ye Guyi replied softly, "Yes, Teacher. With the help of the Old Ancestors, I broke through to Soul Douluo, and I even obtained a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!"

"What?"

Now it was Kong Deming's turn to be so shocked that he couldn't speak.

"Third Offering!"

As Kong Deming stood there stunned, the others, including Qiangu Zhenyue and Qiangu Zhenxie, called out to him as well.

Kong Deming exchanged greetings with everyone.

Seizing the opportunity, Qian Daoliu asked him, "Brother Kong, what's going on in the Empire?"

"Why are all the cities along the way, including Ming Capital, so heavily guarded?"

At that, Kong Deming's expression darkened and brightened in turn. "Brother Qian, let me take you back to your lodgings first. Then we'll talk!"

Everyone returned to the Soul Hall's Worship Hall.

Kong Deming got straight to the point. "Brother Qian, things aren't looking good!"

"Do you remember that mysterious Soul Engineer Legion mentioned in the intelligence not long ago?"

"In recent days, they've been appearing and vanishing without a trace, repeatedly raiding cities across the Empire!"

"His Majesty sent me to capture that Soul Engineer Legion!"

"I had already found them, but at the crucial moment, they vanished right before my eyes!"

"That's happened several times!"

"I was at my wits' end, so I suggested that His Majesty put the Empire's major cities on high alert!"

Kong Deming rattled off a great deal in one breath.

By now, Qian Daoliu understood what was troubling him.

In short, the enemy kept appearing and disappearing without a trace, giving the Sun Moon Empire no end of trouble.

Qian Daoliu thought for a moment, then asked Kong Deming a key question. "Brother Kong, how strong are they?"

Kong Deming considered this before answering. "Their strength? They're formidable. Their highest cultivation is only at the Soul Douluo level, but quite a few of the rest are Soul Emperors and Soul Saints. As for their average cultivation, it starts at level fifty! They're every bit a match for the Sun Moon Empire's Royal Soul Engineer Corps!"

"The only consolation is that their numbers are limited, just three or four hundred. And the Soul Tools they carry are far inferior to those of the Empire's Soul Engineer Corps!"

"If there were several thousand of them roaming around the Empire, who knows what kind of chaos they'd cause!"

While Qian Daoliu and Kong Deming were discussing the matter,

Bo Saixi suddenly interjected, "Qian Daoliu, do you remember that student from Shrek Academy who vanished right under our noses at the Ming Capital All-Continent Soul Master Tournament?"

Qian Daoliu and Kong Deming both shuddered when they heard Bo Saixi.

Qian Daoliu said, "Saixi, are you saying this person is very likely that boy called Huo Yuhao, deliberately taking revenge on the Sun Moon Empire?"

Bo Saixi nodded firmly. "Very likely!"

Kong Deming seized the opening to add, "It's definitely Shrek Academy!"

"So far, the only person known to wield spatial power is that boy called Huo Yuhao! He can vanish without a trace right under our noses!"

"And the only force on the continent capable of assembling a Soul Engineer Legion of this size and strength is Shrek Academy, allied with the Xingluo Empire!"

After putting their heads together, the three realized that the small Soul Engineer Legion operating within the Sun Moon Empire was very likely Shrek Academy's force, led by Huo Yuhao.

But that brought up another problem.

Though they knew the enemy's identity, capturing the squad was another matter.

In the end, Qian Daoliu was the first to react. He had Kong Deming locate the people who had guarded the Ming Capital tournament venue a year earlier and question them.

He asked whether anything unusual had happened at the venue on those days.

When one patrol team reported, "There was a disturbance at the Ming Capital venue that night!",

Qian Daoliu finally found a possible flaw in Huo Yuhao's spatial power.

That was, wherever Huo Yuhao's spatial gate disappeared, it had to reappear in that same place.

Of course, Qian Daoliu's theory still needed Kong Deming to verify it personally.

Even so, it had already helped Kong Deming tremendously.

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

"Brother Qian, Sister Bo Saixi, I can't thank you enough!"

"I'll mobilize the Soul Engineer Corps at once to lie in wait for Shrek Academy's Soul Engineer Legion!"

"Even if I have to sacrifice half the personnel in the Royal Soul Engineer Corps, I'll wipe this force from the Sun Moon Empire!"

Qian Daoliu stopped Kong Deming as he was about to leave. "The Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion and the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion have completed most of their assignments in the Heaven Dou Empire!"

"You can recall them from the Heaven Dou Empire!"

"They can help you deal with Shrek Academy's Soul Engineer Legion!"

Kong Deming was even more grateful.

Qian Daoliu waved a hand, then asked, "Brother Kong, it'll still take some time for the Soul Hall Soul Engineer Legion and the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion to return."

"Saixi and I have a few things we need to ask you."

Kong Deming said, "Go ahead, Brother Qian!"

Qian Daoliu continued, "Brother Kong, the Star Dou Great Forest and Shrek City are now occupied by the Soul Beast Clan, led by the Ferocious Beasts!"

"Saixi and I need to obtain high-year Soul Rings!"

"Are there any other places you can recommend?"

Kong Deming was slightly taken aback.

But when he thought of the extraordinary abilities Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi had gained after disappearing the last time, he didn't ask for details.

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

"Besides the Star Dou Great Forest, which is currently occupied by Ferocious Beasts, there are several other places on the Douluo Continent with abundant high-year Soul Beasts!"

"Among them, of course, is Sunset Forest!"

"The Far North, the Evil Demon Forest near the Sun Moon Empire, and the Ice Sea near the Sun Moon Empire are also options!"

"If you want my recommendation,"

"I recommend Sunset Forest!"

At that, Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi asked Kong Deming in unison, "Why?"