The Ambush Descends

Heaven Dou City.

It was the largest, most important, and most prosperous city in the Heaven Dou Empire, as well as the empire's capital.

Across all of Douluo Continent, the only cities that could barely compare were Star Luo City, the capital of the Star Luo Empire, and Spirit City, which Spirit Hall had established in recent years under Pope Bibi Dong's leadership.

Unlike the Star Luo Empire, which revered strength above all else and combined military and political authority, the Heaven Dou Empire's military strength was more than a notch inferior.

Moreover, the Heaven Dou royal family's Martial Soul was the support-type Swan Martial Soul.

Thus, the entire Heaven Dou Empire was more like a massive alliance bound together by shared interests.

Yet precisely because of this, Heaven Dou City attracted countless Soul Masters and merchants from across Douluo Continent. In terms of economic prosperity, neither Star Luo City nor Spirit City could compare.

For example, among the widely recognized Seven Great Clans, the territories of the upper three clans—the Clear Sky Clan, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—were all located not far from Heaven Dou City.

Among the lower four clans, the territory of the relatively powerful Holy Armor Clan was likewise within the Heaven Dou Empire.

This flourishing prosperity also meant that even Soul Bones, which were exceptionally rare to Soul Masters, frequently appeared at auction houses in Heaven Dou City.

South of Heaven Dou City, night.

As usual, after bidding farewell to his drinking buddies from Blue Tyrant Academy, Tai Long headed home alone.

"First Soul Skill, Earth Origin Spike!"

Suddenly, an elusive voice echoed from all around him.

"Who's there?"

Tai Long abruptly turned around.

Yet he found no one behind him.

A sense of foreboding immediately welled up in his heart.

"Come out! I'm Tai Long, the young clan master of the Clan of Strength! My grandfather is Titan, an eighty-sixth-rank Soul Douluo!"

Tai Long looked around, but still failed to spot anyone nearby. Unable to help himself, he shouted sternly at the air.

The moment his words fell, Tai Long caught sight of a dark shadow from the corner of his eye.

Tai Long whirled around, instinctively preparing to summon his Martial Soul and activate his Spirit Avatar.

"Mighty Gorilla, Spi—"

Before he could finish, a pitch-black figure darted out from behind him like a ghost.

In the blink of an eye.

When Tai Long opened his eyes, he saw a black claw shimmering with eerie, ghostly light hurtling straight toward his face.

He had no time to react at all.

The next second, Tai Long felt his entire face being gripped.

Even the phantom of the Mighty Gorilla Martial Soul behind him, which had been about to manifest through his Spirit Avatar, was forced to dissipate on the spot.

Rustle, rustle~

Cold, deep, utterly irresistible.

Tai Long's feet left the ground as he was pinned down and dragged away.

His back scraped against the ground, producing a rustling sound.

He had not even seen what the other party looked like. He did not know whether it was a man or a ghost.

He heard only a voice, but saw no person!

Nothing could have described it better.

A wordless sense of despair instantly shrouded his heart. Tai Long struggled to open his mouth, trying to make a sound and draw someone's attention.

But it was as though his throat had been filled with water. Not a sound came from his mouth.

He could only be dragged along by this unknown being.

Very soon.

Whoosh~

A faint breeze passed by. Other than the shallow drag marks Tai Long had left on the ground, there was no trace of him remaining.

Naturally, this had been Jiang Li after using Zhu Zhuqing's Earthly Origin Civet Martial Soul.

His purpose was to carry out the plan he had made earlier—to provoke conflict between the Clan of Strength and Shrek Academy.

Jiang Li had discovered that ever since Zhu Zhuqing's Martial Soul had evolved from the Netherworld Civet into the Earthly Origin Civet, its speed and eerie unpredictability had truly improved tremendously.

Coupled with the massive boost granted to his right arm by the Golden Dreadclaw Bear's External Soul Bone.

Tai Long was a Soul Venerable above rank thirty, just like him, yet with a single ambush, Jiang Li had captured him with ease before he could even react.

This was far easier than Jiang Li had imagined.

Jiang Li dragged Tai Long to a secluded room he had found beforehand, where there was no one around.

He tossed him inside like a dead pig.

As for why he did not throw him into the Summoning Space?

It could only be said that every man, as a child, had either owned or dreamed of owning a secret base of his own.

No, even most grown men probably still harbored such thoughts.

Otherwise, the idiom "hiding a beauty in a golden house" would never have existed.

And to Jiang Li, the Summoning Space was that secret base belonging solely to him.

What kind of trash was Tai Long? Was he worthy of being thrown into the Summoning Space and polluting its air?

Jiang Li withdrew his Martial Soul and looked down at Tai Long. "Do you want to become the clan master of the Clan of Strength?"

There was no finesse in his words whatsoever. His tone was completely blunt and straightforward.

It was as though he were not asking a serious question, but something as casual as whether Tai Long had eaten.

His whole body felt as if its bones had been scattered apart. Tai Long curled up in pain, laboriously raising his head to look at Jiang Li. "Y-you... who are you? I-I'm Tai Long, the young clan master of the Clan of Strength. My grandfather is a Soul Douluo."

But rather than a threat, his tone sounded more like he was trying to bolster his own courage.

Tai Long had no idea how he had offended the man before him.

Being beaten or scolded would have been one thing, but what was with this shameless ambush and capture?

And after ambushing and capturing him, the man immediately asked whether he wanted to become the clan master of the Clan of Strength.

This man was simply insane.

"And then?" Jiang Li tilted his head and repeated his earlier question. "Young Clan Master Tai Long, do you want to become the clan master of the Clan of Strength?"

Tai Long shrank farther back toward the corner. Though he had no idea how the other party had done it, the emptiness of his Soul Power left him feeling utterly insecure.

Especially when he had no idea what the madman before him intended to do to him.

Tai Long trembled as he said, "Y-you, what exactly do you want?"

"I'll ask one last time. Do you want to become the clan master of the Clan of Strength?" Jiang Li asked impatiently.

If possible, he truly did not want to deal with this messy bullshit at all.

But if he wanted to provoke the Clan of Strength and Shrek Academy into fighting each other, Tai Long, the young clan master of the Clan of Strength, was indispensable.

When Tai Long did not answer, Jiang Li grew impatient.

He raised his hand and directly summoned the Summoning Grimoire Martial Soul, opening it to Xiao Wu's page.

"Soft-Boned Rabbit, Spirit Avatar!"

Without hesitation, he directly used Xiao Wu's Soft-Boned Rabbit Martial Soul.

"Second Soul Skill, Charm!"

The next second, the second Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up, and a circle of red light gleamed in Jiang Li's eyes.

"Now tell me, Tai Long. Do you want to become the clan master of the Clan of Strength?" Jiang Li asked, his ruby-like eyes fixed on Tai Long.

Tai Long's mind spun. He then swallowed and said to Jiang Li, "Yes! I want it so badly! I dream of becoming the clan master of the Clan of Strength!"