He Really Was Guarding Against Me, and Testing Me

Mingdu, the capital of the Sun Moon Empire and one of the Holy Spirit Cult's most important strongholds, could undoubtedly be called the number one city on the continent when it came to soul tool technology.

Towering buildings stood row upon row, while the streets were broad and clean. Soul-powered streetlights and soul-powered billboards could be seen everywhere.

There were even some simple soul-powered vehicles weaving through the streets.

The saying that technology changed lives was best embodied here.

Ever since the Sun Moon Continent had fused with the Original Douluo Continent, the Sun Moon Empire had greatly advanced the development of the entire continent with its sophisticated soul tool technology.

As the empire's political, economic, and technological center, Mingdu received more visitors every year than any other place on the continent.

Merchants, tourists, and scholars from all over came in an endless stream.

After a week of arduous travel, a carriage finally entered Mingdu through its city gates and slowly came to a stop on a bustling street in the city center.

The carriage door opened, and a young man dressed in a blue-green robe was the first to jump down.

He stood tall and straight, with refined features. His black eyes calmly swept over the surrounding environment. It was Li Changqing.

Two beautiful figures followed close behind him.

Today, Jiang Nannan wore a white short skirt whose hem fell just to the middle of her thighs, perfectly displaying her fair, slender legs.

She wore a light-blue short-sleeved shirt on top, with a thin white belt around her waist that outlined her slim, delicate figure.

Combined with her breathtakingly beautiful and gentle face, she looked pure and captivating, like an unparalleled beauty descended into the mortal world.

Ye Guyi had changed into a golden long dress, its hem reaching her calves and revealing a section of smooth, fair lower legs.

She wore a pair of high heels in the same color, making her already tall figure appear even more slender.

Though her looks alone were not as stunning as Jiang Nannan's, the noble and sacred aura bestowed by her Sacred Angel Martial Spirit ensured that she was in no way inferior overall. In fact, she possessed a unique charm of her own.

Standing on the streets of Mingdu and looking at the bustling traffic and forest of towering buildings before them, both girls could not help widening their eyes in heartfelt amazement.

"Wow... so this is Mingdu?"

Ye Guyi looked around, her eyes filled with curiosity. "It really is completely different from Shrek City. Shrek City feels weighty and solemn, while this place feels... prosperous and modern."

Jiang Nannan nodded as well and softly agreed. "It really is different. The architectural style here, the street layout, and those soul tools... they're all completely unlike Heaven Dou City and Shrek City."

Li Changqing stood beside them. Only after they had finished marveling did he say, "Let's find somewhere to stay and get settled first. We can come back out and wander around tonight."

The two nodded in agreement and followed Li Changqing toward a nearby hotel.

After finding a hotel and booking their rooms, the three of them returned to their respective rooms and took hot baths, washing away the dust and exhaustion of the journey.

In the room next door, Jiang Nannan had changed into a white silk camisole nightgown. Her smooth, long hair cascaded over her shoulders, making her appear more languid and alluring than usual.

She stood by the window, looking at Mingdu's bustling nightscape outside. After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked, "Sister Guyi, do you think... we really came all this way to Mingdu just for sightseeing?"

Ye Guyi was lying on the bed, flipping through a Mingdu travel guide.

Hearing this, her hand paused slightly. She raised her head to glance at Jiang Nannan and asked in return, "What are you trying to ask?"

Jiang Nannan turned around and leaned against the windowsill, her gaze thoughtful. "I just feel that... Changqing probably has other intentions. For example, concerning evil soul masters."

Ye Guyi's delicate brows furrowed. She put down the travel guide and sat up. "Didn't he tell us not to cause trouble? If that's the case, why would he have anything to do with evil soul masters?"

Jiang Nannan shook her head and analyzed softly, "That's what he said, but Sister Guyi, have you considered something? We aren't residents of Mingdu. We're only tourists here. In other words, we don't need to fear retaliation from evil soul masters at all. Once we've had our fun, we can just leave. Who would be able to find us?"

Ye Guyi froze for a moment. Following that line of thought, she realized it really did make sense.

She frowned and pressed, "Then why did he deliberately say those things to me before we came?"

Jiang Nannan fell silent for a moment before saying quietly, "Maybe... he was afraid you wouldn't be able to hold back and would directly attack the evil soul masters."

Ye Guyi opened her mouth, intending to refute her, only to discover that she could not say a word.

Because she knew her own personality too well.

She possessed the Sacred Angel Martial Spirit and was naturally irreconcilable with evil soul masters.

On top of that, her mother had died at the hands of evil soul masters. That blood feud had made her hate them to the bone.

It could be said that the double buffs of hatred and duty had already been stacked to the limit on her.

If she encountered evil soul masters in Mingdu, could she truly restrain herself from acting?

Even Ye Guyi herself did not dare guarantee it.

She lowered her head and remained silent for a long while before quietly saying, "You're right... he really was guarding against me, or rather, testing me."

She had not considered it before. It was only because of Jiang Nannan's words that she realized it.

"Testing? What do you mean?"

Jiang Nannan's breathtaking face was filled with confusion as she asked, "Why would he test you for no reason?"

"Because when I first met him a few years ago, he told both me and my mother something."

Ye Guyi did not hide this matter and said softly, "If I refused to listen to him and acted on my own, putting myself in danger, he would leave without hesitation. The kind of leave without even looking back."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nannan's body could not help trembling.

"It seems the sightseeing is only a pretext. The real purpose is to test me." Ye Guyi sighed softly. The spirit she had had before also sank at that moment.

Seeing her somewhat dejected expression, Jiang Nannan walked over and sat beside her. She gently held her hand and said tenderly, "Sister Guyi, Changqing is doing this for your own good too. Mingdu is, after all, the heart of the Sun Moon Empire, and the Holy Spirit Cult's influence here runs deep. If we truly make a major disturbance here, the three of us probably won't be able to get away unscathed."

She truly had not expected Li Changqing to come directly to Mingdu just to test Ye Guyi.

Wasn't he afraid that Ye Guyi would drag him into the flames, leaving him stranded here along with her?

Ye Guyi was silent for a moment before gently nodding. "I know... I'll hold myself back. I won't cause trouble for you two."