Dugu Bo looked at Sunday, who was still playing the piano, with worry on his face.
"Aren't you going to make any preparations? Those are two level-ninety-five Super Douluos coming your way. They won't be easy to deal with."
Sunday closed his eyes, his whole body swaying to the piano's rhythm.
"There's nothing to prepare. When soldiers come, send generals to meet them; when water rises, build earthworks to hold it back. Besides, the ones coming are merely two small fry.
To borrow someone's words, a strategist waits for the right moment to act!"
Dugu Bo shook his head. Knowing there was no way he could persuade him, he walked over to a nearby lounge chair and lay down, beginning to enjoy this rare, leisurely afternoon.
Meanwhile, in the Crown Prince's Manor, Qian Renxue's breathtakingly beautiful face turned dark and frightening.
"Damn it, Salas must be tired of living. And that woman-what does she think she's doing? Doesn't she know Heaven Dou City is my territory?"
Faced with Qian Renxue's fury, Snake Lance and Pufferfish tacitly lowered their heads and pretended not to hear.
After smashing the things in the room, Qian Renxue resumed Xue Qinghe's appearance and waved a hand at Snake Lance and Pufferfish.
"Guards, prepare my carriage for the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace. Also, notify the Imperial Knights Corps to take up defensive positions outside the city!"
The guards at the door nodded and left without hesitation. Their young master's commands were to be obeyed absolutely.
Xue Qinghe took a deep breath, then stepped outside. He was going to request an imperial edict from Xue Ye. If Bibi Dong dared to make a move, she could hardly blame him for chopping off her dog's paws.
In the Spirit Temple Hall in Heaven Dou City, Salas was sitting on pins and needles.
Two figures stood quietly opposite him. One wore pitch-black robes, his entire body shrouded in shadows like an evil ghost.
The other wore resplendent golden armor, with golden hair falling over his shoulders. His features were delicate and beautiful, like a woman's.
"Salas, are you saying you reported this to Spirit City without even verifying it?"
"Heh heh heh, Salas, submitting unauthorized or false reports is a capital offense. Can you bear that responsibility?"
Salas wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and answered shakily.
"Elder Yu requested that this matter be expedited and personally vouched for it, so I did not conduct a thorough investigation. Please forgive me, Your Excellencies."
He was far too shrewd to let these two dump the blame on his head. Yu Xiaogang had requested it, after all. Why not simply push every problem onto him?
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance. Of course they knew the Yu Xiaogang Salas was referring to.
This matter hardly mattered at all. Even if they came, what could they do? The Heaven Dou imperial family had gained two Titled Douluos, but they could not openly break relations over that.
If Bibi Dong had not seen Yu Xiaogang's name in the letter, she would never have sent two Titled Douluos.
"You'd better pray this is true. Otherwise... hmph!"
With a cold snort, Yue Guan left the Martial Soul Temple with Gui Mei, flying toward the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
When they reached the academy gates, they saw the Imperial Knights Corps stationed nearby.
"Chrysanthemum Guan, this could be troublesome."
Gui Mei frowned at the solemn atmosphere in the military camp.
Yue Guan inwardly cursed the complication as well. Titled Douluos were difficult enough to handle, and now there was an army too.
"What are you afraid of? Would the Heaven Dou Empire dare openly break relations with us? Let's go."
The two entered the academy and encountered Meng Shenji.
Meng Shenji nodded to them.
"This way, Your Excellencies. The chief dean is already waiting for you."
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance, nodded, and followed him. After passing several buildings, they arrived at a garden with a piano standing at its center.
"Chief Dean, Their Excellencies have arrived."
Meng Shenji bowed respectfully to Sunday.
Sunday stood beside the piano, gently stroking it. Hearing the movement behind him, he turned to look at the three.
Solemn majesty gleamed in his amber eyes. The instant their eyes met, Yue Guan and Gui Mei were pulled into an enormous opera house.
"This... Old Ghost, is this an illusion?"
Chrysanthemum Guan tensed at the sight of the luxurious, imposing opera house and hurriedly turned to Gui Mei.
Gui Mei probed their surroundings, then shook his head. Although his unusual martial soul gave him some understanding of mental powers, he was not a mental-type Soul Master.
"I can't tell. Everything here feels completely real. Be careful, Chrysanthemum Guan. We're in serious trouble this time."
Both immediately summoned their martial souls and watched Sunday warily.
Seeing their reaction, Sunday did not attack. Instead, he sat down and began playing a piece.
"What is he doing?"
"No idea."
A moment later, however, they learned exactly what Sunday intended to do.
The piano's notes echoed through the hushed Grand Theater. Yue Guan and Gui Mei suddenly felt their heads grow heavy, and everything they had experienced in Spirit City and the Martial Soul Temple replayed before their eyes like a slideshow.
"What is this, Old Ghost?"
Clutching his head, Yue Guan stared in horror at the scenes. Their conversation with Bibi Dong was laid bare in its entirety, down to the smallest detail.
Gui Mei's face was likewise filled with shock. Was this truly something a human could accomplish?
When the piece ended, Sunday stopped playing and looked at Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
"Your pope really is desperate for her beloved's affection. She knew perfectly well that I could defeat Tang Hao with ease, yet she still sent you two to your deaths."
As he spoke, Sunday rose and appeared beside Yue Guan and Gui Mei in an instant, looking down upon them.
"I heard... you wanted to steal my medicinal formula?"
Sunday raised his hand as he spoke and pressed it down slightly. An invisible force field immediately pinned both men to the ground, leaving them unable to move.
"What-!"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei were on the verge of tears. How could they possibly be on the same level as this man? They had not even said anything before being slammed to the ground.
"Please calm your anger, Senior. We had no such intention. We merely came on His Holiness the Pope's orders to discuss cooperation."
Yue Guan's face flushed crimson. It took an immense effort to force the words out in his ducklike rasp.
Sunday glanced down at them, then turned and walked toward the edge of the stage.
"Cooperation? I have no intention of cooperating with that fool.
Besides, the first requirement for cooperation is comparable strength. Clearly, you do not qualify."
Sunday reached out and pulled. The entire theater rapidly transformed, soon becoming the skies high above the Douluo Continent.
The three floated high in the air, with white clouds and rolling mountain ranges beneath them.
"A divine miracle..."
Gui Mei and Yue Guan were, after all, senior members of Spirit Hall, so they naturally knew that divine miracles existed. Spirit Hall had risen to prominence through its devotion to the Angel God.
"To think gods truly exist."
Listening to their muttering, Sunday waved his hand and knocked them straight out of the Dream of the Great Unity.
With two thuds, Yue Guan and Gui Mei fell to their knees, gasping for breath as cold sweat poured down their backs.
"Old Ghost, what happened to us?"
After taking a moment to recover, Yue Guan raised his head, a trace of bewilderment on his face. It felt as though he had just left the Douluo Continent.
Gui Mei looked at Sunday apprehensively, not daring to say another word.
Sunday still stood beside the piano, gently stroking it, as though nothing had happened.
Meng Shenji was equally bewildered. What happened? They only just met the chief dean. Why are they already on their knees?
"Board Member Meng, our guests seem to be feeling unwell. Please see them out."
With that, Sunday closed his eyes and stood still, as though entering meditation.
Far away in Spirit City at the center of the continent, a figure quietly appeared, silently observing the city, its buildings, and a figure within the Papal Hall.
Before you continue