Setting out for Star Dou, Sun Moon Formless and the Death Spider Spears, the princess turns dark (4.8K bonus update)

At the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, Yu Tianjun handed in an application to return home for the holidays in the Dean's office.

"Hall Master, I've spent some time in Mingdu, and I'd like to go home and see my family. Old Ji's soul power has reached level sixty, so I also want to take him to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a soul ring."

"I approve. You've been away for a while. It's time you went back for a visit."

Yu Tianjun's reasons were perfectly sound, and Jing Hongchen readily agreed. Clasping his hands, he smiled. "Will you bring some of your fellow disciples back to the academy this time? I think your Heavenly Dragon Sect would be a perfect fit for soul tools."

"You became a Level 2 Soul Engineer in three months. You're the most gifted genius I've ever seen."

"I thought Xiao's Three-Legged Golden Toad was already unrivaled under heaven. Who knew there was a Five-Element Qilin in this world? The five elements generate one another in an endless cycle, giving you mastery over every special metal under heaven. Who could compare?"

"With my current cultivation and spiritual power, and the best teachers guiding me through introductory soul engineering knowledge, it's only natural that I'd progress quickly."

Yu Tianjun offered a modest reply, but did not deny Jing Hongchen's praise.

"I'll persuade my fellow disciples to prepare to evacuate."

"Good. That would be best."

Jing Hongchen nodded. "I wouldn't feel reassured letting you go back alone. I specifically invited Liao Mengkai to protect you, so don't stand on ceremony with him."

"You seem to get along quite well with Ji Juechen."

Yu Tianjun gave a wry smile. "Ever since you introduced Ji Juechen to me, he's been coming to challenge me every few days. I simply can't shake him."

"But he's straightforward. I like spending time with people like him."

Jing Hongchen burst out laughing. "He's the scourge of the Radiant Virtue Hall. Even Xiao and Meng take a detour when they see him. You're the only person in Mingdu who can beat him into submission."

"All right, take this. It's a Level 9 Soul Tool I made myself, Sun Moon Formless. It can change your appearance and conceal your aura. Not even a Limit Douluo can see through it.

"It can also use its stored energy to create an Invincible Shield, blocking an all-out strike from a Super Douluo. It triggers automatically when you're in danger, and normally recharges itself by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. A day and a night is all it needs."

"At full charge, it can block two attacks in succession."

Yu Tianjun's gaze sharpened. "A soul tool like this is far too precious."

Jing Hongchen smiled. "It's only right to invest in a genius ahead of time... what's that you've got?"

An aura of death washed over him as an enormous bone appeared between them, eight long, spear-shaped segments extending from it.

"I told you that I killed Bi Yangde, a former member of Shrek's Seven Monsters. He had just broken through to seven rings and obtained this external soul bone. It came from a Death Spider Emperor more than fifty thousand years old."

Yu Tianjun explained calmly, "I've never wanted to accept rewards I haven't earned. This is no less valuable than Sun Moon Formless. Give it to Senior Hongchen.

"Just as I told you back in the Far North, this soul bone will improve her overall talent while curing the backlash from her poison once and for all."

"Senior Hongchen needs it, and I happen to have it. We're friends, so she can have it."

Jing Hongchen listened, his mouth hanging open, unable to find a word to say. A sudden wave of guilt rose within him.

Sun Moon Formless was not his creation. Someone else had made it, but that expert did not want to meet Yu Tianjun so soon and had asked him to hand it over. Now he had become a middleman pocketing the difference—and a rather hefty difference at that.

Still... Little Meng is a future pillar of the empire too. I'll take advantage of that old geezer today.

Just as Jing Hongchen accepted the soul bone with a dry throat and began imagining Meng Hongchen advancing all the way to Super Douluo, Yu Tianjun spoke again.

"Of my three study companions, Senior Hongchen has helped me the most. Wherever I want to go, she takes me there. Ji Juechen spends every day thinking about fighting me. I have to beat him until he's satisfied before he'll show me the way.

"Senior Xiao is engrossed in secluded cultivation, so he hasn't had much time to talk to me."

"That little bastard Xiao Hongchen! Just watch how I deal with him!"

Having received a soul bone of unparalleled rarity, Jing Hongchen took Yu Tianjun's casual remark as an accusation against his grandson. Today, he dared pay lip service to his grandfather's orders while defying them in secret. Tomorrow, he would dare follow His Majesty's example and usurp the throne!

I gave you a chance to build a relationship with the empire's future strongest expert, and you ran off into seclusion! You rebellious brat, with no sense of priorities or the bigger picture! When the benefits come around, he won't even remember you!

The Dean practically jumped three feet into the air. A sense of weightlessness swept through the teaching building, and an urgent order went straight to the front lines.

"Put me through to the Metal World Mimicry Cultivation Environment... hello? This is Jing Hongchen! Fifth-year student Xiao Hongchen has violated academy rules, disregarded an academy assignment, and shown dishonesty and disloyalty toward the academy. Arrest him on the spot and send him to the academic affairs office for three months of reflection!"

Jing Hongchen thundered into the desk phone, slapping a grave accusation onto Xiao Hongchen from the outset and banishing him to the little dark room.

Seeing this, Yu Tianjun felt some sympathy for Xiao Hongchen, who had been arrested without cause. "Dean, surely Senior Xiao going into seclusion doesn't warrant this."

"You don't know what he's like. That brat is a regular at the academic affairs office. One day he sneaks into the Radiant Virtue Hall, the next he fiddles with forbidden soul tools, and the day after that he steals treasured rare metals. If the academy weren't giving this old man some face, they'd have kicked him out long ago."

Jing Hongchen waved a hand, grumbling, "And despite all that, he has a huge fan following at the academy. They like copying him and strutting around looking cool. They've caused me no end of trouble."

"If you face him in the Soul Fighting Arena, don't hold back for my sake. Give him a good thrashing."

Hearing that, Yu Tianjun said nothing more and silently wished Xiao Hongchen luck.

In the Metal World Mimicry Cultivation Environment, Xiao Hongchen breathed rare-metal energy in and out, lost in the pleasure of devouring it, his head swaying smugly.

"Level forty-nine. I really am the Sun Moon Empire's greatest genius in a thousand years. Just one step away from Soul King. My cultivation speed is the fastest under heaven."

"Xiao Hongchen! Your misconduct has come to light. Come with us to the academic affairs office."

Two burly men abruptly appeared behind Xiao Hongchen as he finished cultivating. Without a word of explanation, they seized him, one on either side.

"I haven't even been breaking academy rules that often lately! You can't arrest people for no reason. Who told you to arrest me?"

Soul-power-suppressing handcuffs were locked around Xiao Hongchen's wrists, and he was dragged away, his eyes brimming with the aggrieved indignation of someone declaring, "I may not be a good student, but you can't frame me!"

"Which department gave you the order? If it was the year office, I'll go to Director Lin. If it was the dean's office, I'll go to my grandfather."

"Save your breath. Your grandfather was the one who ordered us to arrest you. His orders were absolute: three months in the academic affairs office."

"My grandfather? Did he find out I stole one of his level-six Fixed Soul Cannon Shells?"

The two staff members froze. This brat really had some nerve!

Xiao Hongchen muttered to himself, "Or is he blaming me for setting his favorite little golden carp free? I caught a nearly identical one and put it back the very next day."

The two academic affairs staff members were speechless. "..."

Your grandfather really wasn't wrong to arrest you!

"Hey, wait, neither of those? Then I get it. That hateful Qilin has been bad-mouthing me! Let me go! I'm going to challenge him one-on-one..."

Realizing that neither of his two misdeeds was the cause, Xiao Hongchen settled on the only remaining possibility and loudly demanded a fight with Yu Tianjun.

"Senior Xiao, you want a soul fight with me?"

Just then, a clear, cool voice reached Xiao Hongchen's ears.

Xiao Hongchen turned to see Yu Tianjun in casual clothes, both hands in his pockets, his face as handsome as polished jade and his posture straight as a spear. Beside him stood an icy fellow holding a sword against his chest: the Sword Addict, Ji Juechen.

"Perfect. I've wanted to test my skills against you for a long time, Senior. Let's head to the Soul Fighting Arena."

Yu Tianjun shrugged. "You're wrong to accuse me of bad-mouthing you. I only mentioned it in passing. I didn't expect the Hall Master to fly into a rage. You were the one who made him angry."

"If you win, I'll plead your case. How about it?"

Xiao Hongchen turned his face away. "I'm not fighting. If I was wrong, I was wrong. Trips to the academic affairs office are an everyday affair for me."

"All right." Yu Tianjun nodded and called Ji Juechen to leave.

"Wait."

Xiao Hongchen suddenly spoke, and Yu Tianjun and Ji Juechen stopped.

"Well, it was my fault for not completing the assignment earlier. I apologize."

Yu Tianjun turned back and saw that his face was bright red. Xiao Hongchen said quietly, "But I'm not giving up the title of invincible among my peers that easily. I'm not fighting you because I have my own cultivation plan. When the term starts, you and I will fight. How about it?"

"I never turn down a challenge from someone of my generation."

Yu Tianjun accepted Xiao Hongchen's challenge.

At those words, Ji Juechen's eyes lit up. "Qilin, we haven't fought for two days now. Do you think..."

"Shut up. You're the exception among my peers. I'm bringing you along this time to hunt for your sixth soul ring. Settle down."

A dark line creased Yu Tianjun's forehead. This Sword Addict never stopped wanting to fight. Every time, he needed several brutal beatings before he was satisfied.

"Oh."

Ji Juechen's eyes dimmed. To him, even the sixth soul ring, so crucial to other soul masters, mattered less than fighting a strong opponent.

The Sword Addict cared about nothing except his sword and opponents who could hone its edge.

They're going to Star Dou? Are they going to secretly outwork me together?

As he was escorted toward the academic affairs office, Xiao Hongchen's ears twitched. Realizing something, he shouted at the two men heading down another path.

"Wait again! I want to go to Star Dou too! I want to go! Don't leave! Five-Element Qilin, Brother Tianjun, for Little Meng's sake, give your brother a hand! Give your brother a hand!"

Yu Tianjun and Ji Juechen turned back once more, looking puzzled.

"Then shall we go to the Soul Fighting Arena?"

"No! I want to redeem myself through meritorious service!"

Xiao Hongchen's eyes darted around as he struggled desperately. "I'll pay for every expense on this trip. Whatever you need done, just tell me. I don't want to waste cultivation time in the academic affairs office and lose my place as the number-one genius..."

With Yu Tianjun and Ji Juechen together, anyone with a brain could tell they would learn from each other and keep improving. Xiao Hongchen was not afraid of their progress; he was afraid they would improve so much that they left him behind.

"You said it? The generous Young Master Xiao will cover all the expenses of our long-distance trip?"

"Absolutely! Truer than pure gold! I can swear on the honor of the Sea God and the Asura God. If I'm lying, may his divine seat be shattered and may he fall into the mortal world!"

Xiao Hongchen swore solemnly, while thinking that neither the Sea God nor the Asura God was a deity of the Sun Moon Empire anyway. Even if he broke his promise, he had nothing to fear.

I'm just too clever.

Yu Tianjun laughed. "You're really taking every advantage you can, aren't you? Fine, I'll plead with the Hall Master for you. But if you dare go back on your word, Sword Addict's blade won't show mercy."

Ji Juechen stepped forward, holding his four-foot sword that looked like a fire poker. His face was icy as he said, "If you dare lie, I'll leave you unable to get out of bed for a year."

"Of course not, Brother Juechen! I guarantee I'll keep my word!"

The clever Brother Xiao shuddered in fright. The Sea God's divine punishment was far away in the Divine Realm, but Sword Addict's blade was right before his eyes. This was the Radiant Virtue Hall's number-one scourge.

Wait, if Yu Tianjun can even handle Sword Addict, wouldn't I be guaranteed to lose against him?

"You can't give up, Xiao Hongchen. You're invincible among your peers, and you're going to become the Sun Moon Empire's number-one soul engineer."

The clever Brother Xiao encouraged himself and rebuilt his confidence. Given that Xiao Hongchen was invincible among his peers, it followed that he would eventually surpass Sword Addict. By the same logic, Xiao Hongchen could defeat Yu Tianjun.

The logic held. The ridiculous Brother Xiao raised his head and looked ahead, his resolve still firm.

In Heaven Dou City, capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, an evening banquet was being held in the imperial palace.

Smartly dressed young noblemen and noble ladies blooming in splendor danced gracefully across the floor. Soul Guidance Lamps of all kinds, produced in the Sun Moon Empire, illuminated their precise steps and flushed faces. His Majesty the emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire shared in his people's merriment, joining one dance after another.

"Vina, you hardly ever come out. Why are you still so unhappy?"

In a dim corner of the banquet hall, Mu Xue, wearing a brilliant blue gown patterned with snowflakes, found her friend. The Princess looked unwell today, like an eggplant wilted by frost. Her normally bright eyes had little luster.

"I'm not in the mood..."

Vina, who had put on light makeup for the occasion, forced a bitter smile.

"Because of Yu Tianjun? The Heavenly Dragon Sect said he's gone missing."

Mu Xue looked at Vina and comforted her softly. "Don't worry too much. Didn't your father promise to send people to search as soon as he heard? With the empire's resources, if they want to find him, they'll uncover some clues."

"Yes. And I think Father may already know the result."

Vina stared blankly, recalling the scene earlier that day. "I've never seen Father look so terrible. His eyes were spitting fire, his body was trembling, and the flesh on his face kept twitching. It was as though he wanted to tell me something but didn't know how."

"He shut himself in his room all afternoon. When he came out tonight, he was back to normal and told me to put aside my cultivation and come out with him. I'm worried about him, and about that fellow from the Heavenly Dragon Sect."

"I have a feeling it must be very bad news," Vina said. "Even the worst possibility can't be ruled out."

"How could that—"

Mu Xue covered her small mouth in shock. The worst possibility, of course, was that he was already dead.

Vina's guess was correct. Once the banquet ended, the Heaven Soul Emperor summoned his daughter alone. His voice held none of the ease and pleasure it had during the ball. He took one deep breath after another, yet his voice still trembled slightly.

"After investigations through multiple channels, the empire has confirmed that while Yu Tianjun and his second uncle were hunting for a soul ring in Death Canyon, they were attacked by Shrek's dean, Yan Shaozhe, and three inner court disciples. They met tragic deaths, with no remains left behind."

"What!?"

Although she had already suspected it, hearing the news from her father still struck Vina like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. The world before her eyes suddenly turned gray.

"I don't want this news to be true either, but the people I sent to Shrek City, Death Canyon, and the Heavenly Dragon Sect returned with findings that corroborated one another."

The Heaven Soul Emperor's face was dark as deep water. He was the ruler of Heaven Dou. Once the machinery of the empire truly began turning, very little could escape his eyes—apart from Yu Xiaoying, whom Long Xiaoyao had concealed.

"Revered Elder Nightmare went to Death Canyon and used his powerful spiritual power to detect Yan Shaozhe's Bright Phoenix soul power. He and Revered Elder Azure Sky even questioned two hundred-thousand-year soul beast overlords and learned the full course of that battle."

The Heaven Soul Emperor enunciated every word. "Shrek's dean, Yan Shaozhe, was jealous of a worthy talent and ordered three inner court disciples to assassinate Yu Tianjun and his uncle.

"When their attempt failed, he acted personally, using his Martial Soul Avatar to unleash his ninth soul skill and kill both uncle and nephew in the skies above Death Canyon's Core Zone.

"The two revered elders tried to retrieve some of Yu Tianjun's belongings so that a cenotaph could be erected, but found nothing.

"At the Heavenly Dragon Sect, Yu Tianjun's father and grandfather have yet to emerge from seclusion. They probably still know nothing of this tragedy.

"Furthermore, Yu Tianjun may have had twin martial souls, or he may have concealed his strength. He also possessed the power of Ultimate Darkness, which temporarily raised his uncle to the ultimate level and allowed them to escape the first assassination attempt.

"But the gap between them and Yan Shaozhe was still..."

At this point, the Heaven Soul Emperor's lips quivered. He turned away, the joints of the hand protruding from his imperial robe visibly twitching.

"I am furious. Revered Elder Nightmare hypnotized Shi Xing while he was wandering dejectedly through Shrek City. Shi Xing revealed that Yu Tianjun had made his connection to our Heavenly Soul Royal Family known, yet Yan Shaozhe still chose to assassinate him. In fact, that may have strengthened his resolve to do so."

"How could this... how could this happen..."

Vina murmured with vacant eyes. She had not even noticed how she had collapsed onto the sofa. Her brain martial soul could not process such horrifying news.

That witty, irreverent friend was dead, just like that? A peerless prodigy who could have guarded the Heaven Dou Empire for three hundred years, ruthlessly erased by Shrek before he could reveal his own brilliance and future?

Had everything at the Heavenly Dragon Sect shattered like a dream?

"Then what do you intend to do, Father?"

After a long silence, Vina raised her eyes to her father. Her normally gentle voice was dry and hoarse, and endless hatred welled up in her dim eyes.

"Ah..."

The Heaven Soul Emperor let out a long sigh. "We have no Limit Douluo. We don't even have a level 98 Super Douluo."

"I dearly wish to retaliate, but I am powerless."

"Vina, cultivate diligently. In the end, this world is ruled by the strong..."

Vina remained silent for a long time, then turned her graceful back to him. Her voice was chilling, as though she had lost her soul. "Father, don't invite me to any more imperial banquets."

The Princess of Heaven Dou had turned dark at the speed of light.

The emperor nodded silently.