The Divine Realm Empire's delegation left Longxing City the following morning.
Sima Lanxiao even had the leisure to chat and laugh with the city lord who had come to see them off.
Of course, the lord of Longxing City was not particularly happy.
Last night's arrogant cries of "Spirit Hall," "Clear Sky Remnants," and the like had not been kept from anyone. Who knew how many people were secretly asking around about it?
When everyone took a look the next morning-well, well, the entire Defense Clan had been put to the sword. Spirit Hall must have done it. No question about that.
As far as Spirit Hall's reputation went...
At that thought, the lord of Longxing City genuinely admired the members of the Divine Realm Empire's delegation.
An entire clan had been slaughtered right next door, yet every one of these imperial visitors had slept soundly-or rather, kept their composure remarkably well. They had not made a sound all night.
"By the way, last night..." Sima Lanxiao deliberately steered the conversation toward the Defense Clan.
Unfortunately, while Sima Lanxiao dared to ask, the lord of Longxing City did not dare to answer. He pointed overhead.
"Lord Sima, you people from the Divine Realm Empire still don't understand. Ah, this is a subject we cannot even touch."
Seeing how deeply the city lord shrouded the matter in secrecy, Sima Lanxiao exchanged a few more pleasantries before finally bidding farewell and leading the delegation north toward the Spirit Dou Plain.
"Didn't the lord of Longxing City suspect us?"
Tong Yu was wrapped entirely in a black robe. Even now, he felt as though he could smell last night's blood. "The moment we moved in next door, the Defense Clan was wiped out."
"Because Spirit Hall makes a big enough target," Long Yue said. "I've realized that people like us, from twenty thousand years in the future, simply cannot imagine how powerful Spirit Hall is right now."
Just how powerful was Spirit Hall at this point?
After destroying the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and severely crippling the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Spirit Hall still dared to warn the perpetrators before the entire Douluo Continent, putting on a show of furious outrage-the thief crying, "Catch the thief!"
Everyone on the Douluo Continent knew Spirit Hall had struck from the shadows, yet nobody dared utter a word in the name of justice. It was as though they had chosen to ignore it all.
As far as Spirit Hall's reputation went...
In short, pinning any dirty work on Spirit Hall was a sure bet.
Long Yue quietly leaned toward Tong Yu's ear. "Senior brother, you really ought to learn from the foreign minister. He killed so many people yesterday, yet today he acts as though he was never the executioner."
"..." Tong Yu fell silent.
My junior brother is taking a pointed jab at me.
As news spread of the imperial delegation's visit to the Heaven Dou Empire, the people of the Douluo Continent got their first glimpse of this foreign spectacle.
Citizens in the cities along the route often eagerly awaited the delegation's arrival. Others rushed outside as soon as they heard the news, surrounding the imperial delegation in ring after ring.
The farmers had no interest in such things.
Joander complained to Long Yue more than once that he could not stand these people watching the imperial visitors like monkeys in a circus.
Long Yue was quite magnanimous about it. "Bear with it. Maybe one day, when people from the Douluo Continent visit the Spirit Ice Continent, we'll stare at them like monkeys too."
After saying that, Long Yue would even show the people of the Douluo Continent a small Soul Tool lighting tube-a flashlight-a Soul Tool lighter, or a Soul Tool fan.
These Soul Tools were compact and convenient, perfectly useful in everyday life, and highly advanced technologically.
Quite a few people on the Douluo Continent began spreading word of the wonders of this "nation of Soul Tools" of their own accord.
Naturally, some merchants also wanted to buy Soul Tools. Whether for their own use or for resale, it would be a profitable, worthwhile deal.
Sima Lanxiao neither refused nor agreed. He merely said that everything would be considered once they reached Heaven Dou City.
How much could they earn by selling to a few small merchants? Gold Soul Coins were not made of pure gold, either. They would be better off approaching a major financial power like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect directly for greater profits.
Amid this blazing enthusiasm, the Divine Realm Empire's delegation crossed the Spirit Dou Plain and reached the eastern outskirts of the capital, Heaven Dou City.
The shops and workshops lining the streets outside the city were packed with people, presenting a scene of thriving prosperity. Everywhere the delegation passed, life flourished and all things vied to grow, while the populace offered a "wholehearted welcome."
Well, in truth, people came running to gawk, then soon dispersed again. That showed they all had their own affairs to attend to; they were not idling around with nothing to do but watch people from the Spirit Ice Continent.
"Even older than the Divine Realm Imperial Capital."
The delegation passed through the outskirts and arrived beneath Heaven Dou City's walls.
Built from granite, the walls were tall and massive, with a watchtower several stories high above the gate.
"No Soul Tool wall-defense system," Joander said after inspecting them. "Just ordinary walls. One Fixed Soul Cannon Shell, and they're gone."
"Buddy." Long Yue nudged Joander with his elbow. "Did you actually bring any Fixed Soul Cannon Shells?"
"We did," Joander admitted. "Don't worry. If we wanted to, we could even fight a small-scale war right here in Heaven Dou City."
Long Yue felt reassured.
"Why are you worried about us coming into conflict with the Heaven Dou Empire?" Joander asked. "At first, I thought you were asking whether we'd demonstrate Fixed Soul Cannon Shells to the Heaven Dou Empire so they would buy our Soul Tools."
"Because..."
Long Yue recalled that Qian Renxue of the Angel Clan was currently inside the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Who knew what outrageous schemes Qian Renxue might pull to usurp the empire? If one of them worked against the delegation...
Upon first entering Heaven Dou City, their initial impression was of ancient, majestic architecture.
The streets here were broad, and most of the houses on either side were single-story buildings. This layout made the city feel spacious and filled with sunlight. As the imperial delegation walked along Heaven Dou City's stone-paved streets, very little dust rose around them.
"I thought they'd be dirt roads." Long Yue discovered that the old emperor had actually done a rather good job building up the city he lived in.
Compared with the Heaven Dou Empire's other cities, Heaven Dou City had far better infrastructure.
The avenue led westward all the way to the imperial palace's eastern wall.
The palace walls were capped with yellow glazed tiles. The tiled roofs and the ridges along the palace walls formed concave contours, far more pleasing to the eye than a single long, straight line.
Various Martial Soul designs were engraved on the tiles, glittering beneath the sun.
"They say that in this era, Heaven Dou City was even the continent's foremost city for a time."
"It really has that antique charm."
"It really is completely different... Twenty thousand years is enough to change a great many things," Joander said wistfully.
As both a diplomat and a spy, Joander had visited the Sun Moon Federation more than once, and he had also been to Heaven Dou City.
Under the Sun Moon Federation's rule, Heaven Dou City was a renowned historic city, designated as a capital of culture.
To preserve as much of its character as possible, Heaven Dou City stipulated that no building could exceed fifty meters in height.
The Spirit Pagoda was an exception.
"Even so, the Spirit Pagoda in downtown Heaven Dou City wasn't very large." Joander pointed to a plot beside the palace. "It was probably built right here."
"Here they come-the people welcoming us." Long Yue gestured for Joander to look ahead.
Enough reminiscing about history. We're about to witness history-or rather, become part of it.
Royal guards in gleaming silver armor stood on both sides of the palace street, long halberds in hand, like two silent forests of razor-edged steel.
Standing before the guards was a composed, dignified young man.
The Heaven Dou Empire's eldest prince, Xue Qinghe.
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