Dark Alley Intersection

Night. The southeastern corner of Tianhun City, the Dark Alley District. The alley was narrow. The walls on both sides were tall, blocking the moonlight. There was stagnant water on the ground, making a slapping sound when stepped on. Moss grew at the base of the walls, slippery. Quan Cangtian walked in front. Zixiao followed half a step behind him to his left. The Thunder Light Sword was at his waist, still sheathed. He stopped in front of a shabby inn. The door was closed. The windows were sealed shut. But he could sense that there were three presences inside. He did not go in. He walked forward. The second location was a gambling den. The door was closed, but light leaked out from within. A thin line of yellow light flickered through the crack of the door. The third location was a warehouse. The door was locked, and the windows were sealed shut. He stood at the entrance of the warehouse. The dark red crystal beneath his palm gave a jump. The frequency was faster than what he had sensed earlier on the street. It jumped again. It was almost about to rush out. He suppressed it. Zixiao spoke in a low voice. "Three strongholds, connected in a line." Quan Cangtian nodded. "The middle one is the strongest." "A Titled Douluo." Zixiao's lightning danced at her fingertips. Quan Cangtian glanced at her. Zixiao extinguished the lightning. A wind blew through the alley. It carried a musty smell. And something else. The smell of decay seeped out from the base of the walls. Quan Cangtian turned around, preparing to leave. The door of the gambling den opened. A person walked out. A black robe, with a hood concealing his face. Around level seventy. His presence was not heavy, but his steps were steady. He saw Quan Cangtian and Zixiao. He paused for a step. He did not make a move. He merely stared at Quan Cangtian. Quan Cangtian felt the dark red crystal beneath his palm jump more violently. Once, twice, three times. The frequency grew faster and faster. He suppressed it. The Black-Robed Person spoke. "People from the Quan Family?" It was not a question. Quan Cangtian did not answer. "The Young Patriarch came in person." Quan Cangtian still did not speak. The Black-Robed Person. "The Pontifex asked me to bring a message." He paused. "The thing inside your body belongs to the Pontifex." Quan Cangtian clenched his fist. "When you are strong enough, someone will come to collect it." He turned back toward the gambling den. The door closed. Zixiao's Thunder Light Sword was unsheathed by half an inch. Quan Cangtian pressed down on her hand. He shook his head. Zixiao put the sword away. The two of them left the Dark Alley District. The inn room. Quan Batian sat by the table. The teacup was empty. Quan Cangtian and Zixiao walked in. Quan Cangtian stated the situation he had scouted. Three strongholds, connected in a line. The middle one was at the Titled Douluo level. There was also the message delivered by the Black-Robed Person. Quan Batian finished listening. He did not speak. He picked up the teacup, found it empty, and put it down. "The Pontifex's." He repeated it once. Quan Cangtian. "Regarding the gene, he knows." Quan Batian nodded. "How does the Pontifex know about the item sent by the Envoy of Elation?" Quan Cangtian could not answer. Quan Batian. "Two threads." He looked at Quan Cangtian. "One is the Body Sect. Three days later, Huo Yuhao goes to see Du Busi." "One is the Dark Soul Cult. The gene inside your body has a connection with them." He paused. "Two threads, do not get them tangled together." Zixiao sat nearby. The Thunder Light Sword lay horizontally across her lap, without speaking. Three days later. Morning. The inn entrance. Jin Peng walked in. He still had that scarred face, and his presence was very heavy. He saw Quan Batian and cupped his fists. "The Sect Master is willing to see him." He looked at Huo Yuhao. "This afternoon. The Body Sect's stronghold in Tianhun City." Quan Batian nodded. Jin Peng. "The Sect Master does not have much time. Shichen this afternoon." "Understood." Jin Peng turned to leave. Quan Batian called out to stop him. "Jin Peng." Jin Peng looked back. "Du Busi... what is his attitude?" Jin Peng was silent for a second. "The Sect Master has always valued Soul Masters with a Body Martial Soul." He did not say much more. He turned and left. Huo Yuhao stood nearby. His palms were a bit sweaty. He wiped them on his clothes. Shichen in the afternoon. Still that same apothecary. Jin Peng led Huo Yuhao inside. The back door led to a basement. The basement was not large, but it was very clean. Several drawings hung on the walls, depicting human meridians. The lines were dense, in red and black, marking the acupuncture points and pathways. Du Busi sat at the very back. In his fifties. Of medium build, neither fat nor thin. There was no particular expression on his face. He looked like he was in his fifties, but Huo Yuhao knew he was older than that. His presence was very heavy. Much heavier than Jin Peng's. A ninety-eighth-rank Super Dourol. He saw Huo Yuhao. His gaze did not change much. "Spirit Eye." It was not a question. Huo Yuhao nodded. "Three Martial Souls." Huo Yuhao nodded. Du Busi stood up. He walked over to stand in front of Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao felt a wave of pressure. It was not a coercive aura. It was a kind of scrutiny. Like he was weighing a stone to see if it was worth carving. Du Busi looked at him for a few seconds. "Your Spirit Eye has not awakened yet." "No." "Want to learn?" Huo Yuhao did not answer immediately. He was thinking. Quan Cangtian's face flashed across his mind. Quan Batian's face flashed across his mind. The kindness the Quan Family showed him. Skydream Ice Worm. Ice Emperor. Electx. He opened his mouth. "I want to learn." Du Busi did not speak. "But I will not join the Body Sect." Du Busi's eyebrows twitched. Very slightly. But Huo Yuhao saw it. "Why?" "The Quan Family has been good to me." Du Busi was silent for a few seconds. He turned around. He walked back to his seat. "Very well." Huo Yuhao was stunned for a moment. Du Busi. "I can teach you the Body Sect's Secondary Awakening Technique." "But you are not a person of the Body Sect." He paused. "This is a transaction." Jin Peng stood at the entrance. He did not speak. But his hand clenched into a fist. Huo Yuhao looked at Du Busi. "What transaction?" Du Busi. "You learn the Secondary Awakening. In the future, if the Body Sect has a need, you will help once." Huo Yuhao thought about it. "Agreed."

Du Busi nodded.

"Jin Peng."

Jin Peng walked over.

"Take him to the training room. Start from the basics."

Jin Peng nodded.

He took Huo Yuhao outside.

Du Busi sat there.

He didn't move.

Night.

Inn.

Quan Cangtian sat by the window.

Huo Yuhao walked in and told him about meeting Du Busi.

Quan Cangtian finished listening.

He nodded.

He didn't say much.

Instead, he raised his right hand.

Beneath his palm, a dark red crystal throbbed, more violently than before. Once, twice, three times. The frequency was very fast.

He looked out the window.

The lights of Tianhun City flickered in the distance. To the southeast, the Dark Alley District.

He sensed an aura.

Approaching.

Very faint.

Yet he recognized it.

It was the black-robed person he had met outside the gambling den that day.

Quan Cangtian spoke in a low voice.

"They're here."

Zixiao opened her eyes.

The Thunder Light Sword lay across her knees. She didn't move, but lightning flickered across the blade.

Quan Cangtian clenched his fist.

The dark red crystal retreated back inside.

Yet he knew it was still listening.

The black-robed person had said that the gene belonged to the pontifex.

The Envoy of Elation had delivered the gene.

What was the relationship between the Envoy of Elation and the pontifex?

He hadn't figured it out yet.

Outside the window, the night wind of Tianhun City blew in, carrying a hint of chill.

People from the Dark Soul Cult were approaching.

Du Busi had agreed to teach Huo Yuhao the Secondary Awakening, but it was a transaction.

The gene inside Quan Cangtian's body was "listening."

Three days later, Huo Yuhao began learning the Secondary Awakening.

The Dark Soul Cult was watching.

What was the relationship between the Envoy of Elation and the pontifex?

He didn't know.

Yet he knew one thing.

The gene was throbbing.

The Dark Soul Cult was approaching.

The real clash hadn't begun yet.