Classic Joke Ghost

After spending a day playing in Shrek City with Xu Tianzhen, the two returned to Mingdu through the Undead Demiplane at dusk.

Princess Highness had enjoyed herself immensely. Even her violet eyes seemed a little brighter, making her inexplicably more beautiful.

Somewhat unexpectedly, though, Xu Tianzhen did not ask Kong Ming'an to take her out again next time.

She acted carefree and unreliable, yet she always maintained just the right sense of propriety... Honestly, it was truly difficult to feel any dislike toward someone with Xu Tianzhen's personality.

After seeing Xu Tianzhen off, Kong Ming'an routinely drew up a schedule for the many matters ahead. After that, his daily life gradually became more regular.

He spent most of each day in the Laboratory with Electrolux, researching and discussing the nature of Soul Rings and the possibilities for further applications, continuously optimizing his own Soul Rings throughout the process.

It could be said that research related to Soul Rings would remain a priority for a long time to come.

Besides that, he made time to visit the Barracks to observe the cultivation progress of the latest batch of soldiers practicing the improved version of the "Body Forging Method," then went to the Hall of Worship to collect cultivation samples from the Rank 9 Soul Engineers practicing the "Ring Quenching Method."

Both were long-term projects that required frequent data optimization, patience, and the accumulation of large numbers of samples.

Overall, his daily life was almost excessively fulfilling.

Several months later.

On the road to the military camp outside Mingdu, a Soul Tool Car sped along. Kong Ming'an sat quietly in the back seat, while Starry Sky Douluo Ye Yulin served as the driver in the front.

Compared to several months ago, Ye Yulin's aura was now far more profound. He had clearly succeeded in breaking through, his Soul Power Level reaching ninety-five. He could be considered a top-tier combatant.

The fact that a newly advanced Rank 95 powerhouse was assigned as Ming's personal guard and even made to serve as his driver showed just how absurdly important the Sun Moon Empire considered him.

Gazing calmly at the scenery outside the window, Kong Ming'an took advantage of this brief respite to let his thoughts wander over recent developments.

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen's cultivation progress had been astonishing. Before even reaching the age of ten, both had obtained their Third Soul Rings, each over six thousand years old. They truly deserved their status as geniuses who would become Soul Kings at fifteen in the Original Work. Their talent was terrifying.

Meanwhile, for some reason, Princess Highness had effortlessly integrated herself into their little circle. She was especially inexplicably close with Meng Hongchen. The two often huddled together and whispered, occasionally casting glances at him that left him completely baffled.

Honestly, the way Miss Meng and Princess Highness got along was vastly different from what he had expected, making it difficult for him to understand.

All he could say was that girls' thoughts were even harder to decipher than the differences between Soul Ring parameters.

At court, Xu Tianran had officially been named Crown Prince several months earlier.

Yet less than two months after taking the position of Crown Prince, he encountered a meticulously planned assassination attempt.

This time, without Ju Zi's appearance from the Original Work, Xu Tianran's fate was even more tragic than in the Original Work.

—Both his legs were shattered, and even the left side of his body was nearly destroyed by violent Soul Power. Though the imperial physicians managed to save his life, they ultimately could not save his left arm. Of his five limbs, he had directly lost four.

Unexpectedly, Xu Tianran did not become despondent because of this. Instead, he displayed astonishing resilience. Dragging along that ruined body, he still insisted on handling state affairs.

The emperor was exceptionally gratified and lavished him with praise. He also sent people to search for Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, determined to cure him at any cost. It seemed that his position as Crown Prince had instead become even more secure.

—At least, on the surface.

Besides that, there was also...

"Screech—"

The Soul Tool Car suddenly braked hard, swerving before stopping sideways across the road.

Kong Ming'an's thoughts came to a halt. He instinctively raised his eyes, only to see a burly figure, like an iron tower, appear in the middle of the road ahead without warning.

Kong Ming'an was slightly puzzled, but the next moment...

A suffocating pressure suddenly descended from that person!

Intense killing intent locked onto him without the slightest concealment amid the pressure, nearly sealing off the surrounding space along with it.

Ye Yulin's expression turned grave. With a flash, he stepped forward without hesitation. Nine Soul Rings appeared around him, then seven shattered in succession, and his aura surged explosively!

"Young master, run! It's a Super Douluo!"

Ye Yulin shouted, standing before Kong Ming'an and blocking all the pressure.

Kong Ming'an's pupils contracted. Without hesitation, a doorway to the Undead Demiplane instantly opened behind him.

However, at the very instant before he could flee into the Demiplane—

"Rip!"

At his side, the void was violently torn open by an incomparably pure force!

Another figure appeared like a ghost. His palm became a claw, silently yet precisely reaching for Kong Ming'an's heart from behind!

A second attacker!

A Rank 98 Super Douluo was holding back Ye Yulin, who had only just entered the Super Douluo tier, while another Limit Douluo was attacking Kong Ming'an without restraint—a youth whose Soul Power Level had not even reached twenty!

This was no longer merely bullying the weak. This was utterly shameless!

Yet at this moment, Kong Ming'an had no time to think about or complain about any of that.

The instant before the other figure's all-out strike landed, the Eye of Life on Kong Ming'an's forehead seemed to sense something. It abruptly opened, erupting with boundless emerald-gold radiance!

Vast life energy mixed with a deathly yet holy power poured forth, instantly forming an incomparably resilient Life Shield around his body.

At the same time, the inconspicuous Silver Bracelet on Kong Ming'an's wrist activated in response. Layer upon layer of Silver Moon barriers unfurled, completely enveloping his body and isolating everything within from everything outside.

"Buzz—boom!!"

The second assailant's hand slammed viciously into the intertwined emerald-gold and silver-white defenses. Terrifying energy erupted outward, shattering the Soul Tool Car and collapsing the ground. Cracks spread through the earth like a spiderweb.

The emerald-gold Life Shield rippled violently, while half of the layered Silver Moon Shields shattered in an instant. Yet Kong Ming'an inside remained completely unharmed!

That all-out strike from the Limit Douluo tier had been genuinely, completely blocked!

The second attacker... or rather, Da Ming.

At this moment, Da Ming frowned slightly, an absurd feeling rising uncontrollably within him.

What the hell was this?!

Although, under the Plane's suppression, he could not use God-level Power even as a Divine Official and could only wield strength at the Limit Douluo tier, lest the Plane target him directly—

That strike just now had unquestionably been a full-power attack at the Limit Douluo tier!

He was confident that throughout the entire Douluo Plane, aside from the top few on the Beast Ranking, no other existence could withstand it!

Yet under such a full-power strike, and with the advantage of a sneak attack no less, it had actually been forcibly blocked by a kid with such weak Soul Power, one who was not even a Soul Grandmaster, relying on two external items?

What kind of joke was this?!

Just what the hell was this thing Tang San had asked him to kill?!