Night hung heavy as the evening breeze swept the scattered clamor from the roadside through the streets and alleys of the Radiant Sun Empire's capital.
Dressed in an elegant golden robe, Qian Xunzong strolled leisurely back to the imperial inn where he was staying. His posture was lazy and relaxed, without the slightest trace of tension one might expect after infiltrating the imperial palace.
Inside the inn's private room, Xinghe had been waiting for quite some time. The Second Worship of Spirit Hall sat upright in a chair, having reined in the immense pressure of a Titled Douluo. The moment he saw Qian Xunzong push open the door, he immediately rose to greet him, his tone carrying a hint of anxious curiosity:
"How did the investigation of the palace go? Did you find anything unusual?"
Qian Xunzong casually shut the door, dropped onto the cushioned couch, picked up the cold tea on the table, and took a gulp before casually grumbling:
"The abnormalities are enormous. The Radiant Sun Imperial Palace looks ordinary enough on the surface, but the waters hidden within are absurdly deep. While investigating in secret, I ran into a Level-97 Peak Douluo."
"A Level-97 Peak Douluo?!" Xinghe was not surprised.
"A secular empire actually has such a formidable foundation? An ordinary sect is already considered a top power if it has a Titled Douluo overseeing it. Yet the Radiant Sun Empire has a Peak Douluo hidden within its borders, along with quite a few Soul Engineers?"
On the Douluo Continent, empires appeared to control the secular territories, but in truth, they had always been suppressed by the major sects and Spirit Hall. High-level combatants were extremely scarce, and Titled Douluo were even rarer. Most were unwilling to lie dormant within a secular imperial palace.
Qian Xunzong spread