War Arrives

Tang Ya bowed deeply to Huo Yuhao and Tang Wulin. "I have no way to repay the kindness you two have shown me."

Huo Yuhao replied, "It was only a small effort. There's no need to be so courteous."

Tang Wulin chimed in, "We didn't really do much, either. If you want to thank someone, thank Shrek Academy and my sister."

Bei Bei stepped forward and said, "Without your help, Xiao Ya would have been taken by the Holy Spirit Cult. Xiao Ya and I will forever remember the great kindness you have shown us."

Tang Ya nodded. "If you ever need help, just ask. Bei Bei and I will absolutely come to your aid without hesitation."

Huo Yuhao said helplessly, "Then listen to my command throughout this rescue operation. Consider that your way of helping the two of us."

Du Busi interjected, "How will you prove that you are capable of commanding us?"

Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. "With the Martial Soul Fusion Skill between Wulin and me alone, even if everyone present joined forces, I'm afraid you still wouldn't be able to withstand it."

Tang Wulin nodded in agreement. "Surely everyone knows just how powerful a Martial Soul Fusion Skill between two Titled Douluo can be."

Xuan Zi smoothed things over. "Everyone's goal is to rescue the hostages. There's no need for infighting. Let's discuss the specific plan."

Du Busi curled his lip and snorted, but he raised no objection. Huo Yuhao then laid out his detailed plan to everyone. In the end, they all nodded in agreement and began making their preparations.

Xuan Zi would create destruction and unrest in the northern district, Yan Shaozhe would stir up trouble and chaos in the western district, Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo would draw attention in the eastern district, while Du Busi would cause disorder in the southern district.

Among the remaining people were also Titled Douluo from the Star Luo Empire, who would serve as backup. They would receive the hostages near the water prison, close to the southern district.

Once Feng Ling realized that Sunrise City was under attack, she immediately made her own arrangements. She would personally confront the enemy in the northern district, Wu Yun and Wu Yu would suppress the chaos in the western district, and the Third Elder and Fourth Elder would face the enemy in the eastern district.

Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao and Tang Wulin would fight in the southern district. The three Zhongli brothers, all Soul Douluo-level experts, would remain behind to guard the most important underground water prison.

Through the actions of his spiritual clone, Huo Yuhao used Ultimate Ice and Dark Gold Dreadclaw to blast open the water prison's exit. Three hundred hostages suddenly rose up and attacked the few evil soul masters, charging out of the encirclement and straight toward the exit.

How could thirty evil soul masters possibly stand against three hundred soul masters? The evil soul masters were defeated and killed by the soul masters in mere moments.

Even the Soul Douluo-level Zhongli brothers were helpless in the face of such a riotous upheaval. The three of them could only watch as the hostages fled toward the southern district.

On the southern side, Huo Yuhao and Tang Wulin pretended openly that they could not defeat Du Busi. To all the Soul Engineers of the southern Soul Engineer Legion, this seemed perfectly reasonable. After all, it was hardly strange for two Titled Douluo to lose to a Super Douluo.

Thus, the southern district ultimately fell, allowing the hostages to pass through easily and escape Sunrise City.

The three hundred soul masters followed the reinforcements led by Zhang Lexuan, Tang Ya, Tang Wutong, Vina, Xu Jiujiu, and the others. In the end, they successfully escaped Sunrise City together and left the Sun Moon Empire by sea.

After seeing the distress signal released by the Zhongli brothers, the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion, one of the Sun Moon Empire's protectors, swiftly arrived from Ming Capital and reached the northern district of Sunrise City using flying Soul Tools.

By himself, Xuan Zi successfully held back Feng Ling and the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion that had come from Ming Capital as reinforcements. After receiving Huo Yuhao's mental message that the rescue and evacuation had succeeded, he took the initiative to retreat and leave the scene.

Afterward, Feng Ling and the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion realized that the enemy had used a feint to strike elsewhere, and they quickly rushed toward the water prison together. The same was true of the eastern and western districts.

At the same time, Huo Yuhao's spiritual clone had already rescued Nan Qiqqiu and Nan Shuishui from the Third Elder's residence, allowing them to leave the Sun Moon Empire along with the main group.

When Feng Ling, the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion, Huo Yuhao, Tang Wulin, the Third Elder, the Fourth Elder, Wu Yun, and Wu Yu returned to the water prison one after another, they immediately saw the Zhongli brothers, who had failed their mission. The three stood there trembling with fear.

After hearing everyone's reports, Feng Ling clenched her fists through gritted teeth. "So they had planned all of this together long ago, and so flawlessly at that. How did they manage to account for everything so perfectly?"

The Third Elder frowned tightly. "They were able to silently remove the Soul-Annihilating Powder from the hostages and coordinate with them from within. That means the other side definitely has a soul master with exceptionally powerful spiritual power, someone highly skilled in reconnaissance, detection, and concealment."

The Fourth Elder agreed. "Concealment? Now that you mention it, I even suspect that the person who secretly helped others deal with our Holy Spirit Sect during the tournament may very well be the mastermind behind this attack."

Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched slightly upon hearing that, and he could not help silently praising them. It would be a real waste if you two didn't become detectives.

Zhongli Tian advised Feng Ling, "This time, Shrek Academy, the Heaven Dou Empire, the Body Sect, and the Star Luo Empire deployed many Titled Douluo to join forces against us. They must repay this grudge a hundredfold. Why don't we pay them a visit and give them a little gift later..."

Feng Ling replied, "Sure. First go apologize to the Cult Leader, then suggest your idea to him."

Zhongli Tian's expression immediately turned unpleasant. After all, with the mission having failed, the three brothers responsible for guarding the water prison bore the greatest responsibility.

The silent Huo Yuhao suddenly said, "The other side deployed many experts this time. We truly were short on manpower, so I believe the Cult Leader will understand. As for revenge, we need to consider it carefully over time."

Tang Wulin agreed. "We need to consider what benefits we can gain after sending a return gift. We can't waste our effort for nothing. So there really is no need to rush revenge."

Feng Ling nodded, then said to Zhongli Tian, "Did you hear that? Figure out for yourself how you'll report to the Cult Leader when you return."

Ming Capital, Holy Spirit Cult headquarters.

After hearing the report from the Zhongli brothers, Zhongli Wu flew into a rage. Yet in the end, he did not impose any real punishment on them, since they were his direct relatives.

Afterward, Zhongli Wu went alone to the Sun Moon Empire's imperial palace to apologize to Xu Tianran for the failure to guard the prison.

Ju Zi comforted him. "National Preceptor, there is no need to worry. The ultimate victor of this war will be our Sun Moon Empire. This minor setback is nothing."

Zhongli Wu replied, "If you need assistance, this Cult will give its full support."

Xu Tianran nodded with a smile. "Then I'll be counting on you, National Preceptor."

After Zhongli Wu left, Xu Tianran asked Ju Zi, "How are things progressing on the Heaven Dou Empire's side?"

Ju Zi answered, "Our army has already taken two-thirds of the Heaven Dou Empire's territory and is now launching a full-scale invasion in its north. I believe it won't be long before we conquer the entire Heaven Dou Empire."

Ju Zi was a military genius seen only once in a century. Through her battle plans, the Sun Moon Empire's army successfully occupied vast tracts of Heaven Dou Empire territory at the smallest possible cost.

Not only that, she had also ordered the use of Soul Tool technology to infiltrate and subtly influence the ordinary citizens of the Heaven Dou Empire, continuously consolidating the Sun Moon Empire's rule.

A blazing fire burned in Xu Tianran's eyes as he said excitedly, "Well done. As expected of the marshal I personally appointed. You handle matters with decisive efficiency."

After the tournament ended, Xu Tianran's imperial father had already fallen gravely ill and passed away. As the regent prince, he naturally became the new emperor of the Sun Moon Empire and its true ruler.

After Xu Tianran's impassioned words, Ju Zi turned and left the imperial palace expressionlessly, heading for the battlefield on the Heaven Dou Empire's front lines.