"Lord Holy Son, spare me! Please spare me!" Salas's heart-rending screams came from behind him.
Cao De paid him no heed and strode straight out through the gaping hole.
The three girls stood side by side in the corridor, quietly waiting for Cao De to emerge.
As soon as he came out, all three hurried over to him.
"Let's go. It's getting late. We'll stay here tonight," Cao De said.
"Yes, Master."
Shui Bing'er had already booked two rooms: one for Cao De and one for the three girls.
But when Shui Yue'er woke in the middle of the night, she discovered that her sister and Huo Wu were gone.
Some strange noises drifted over.
Still groggy, Shui Yue'er could not understand what her sister and Huo Wu were doing. They were probably cultivating!
The next morning.
After breakfast, Cao De and the three girls headed to Spirit Hall.
When they arrived at the Spirit Hall Branch, the guards hurried forward and bowed upon seeing Cao De. "Greetings, Lord Holy Son."
A red carpet was promptly rolled out, with Spirit Hall's Soul Masters arranged in two rows.
Cao De paused in surprise before walking forward. Each Soul Master dropped to one knee as he passed.
When he reached the end of the red carpet and looked back, all the Soul Masters were kneeling in perfectly orderly rows.
Shui Bing'er and the other two girls followed behind Cao De, feeling rather constrained. Even the usually lively Huo Wu was quiet now.
Wu Chen hurried up to greet him. "Greetings, Lord Holy Son."
"You've put together quite a reception," Cao De said with a smile.
"As long as it meets with your approval, Lord Holy Son. This way, please." Wu Chen respectfully led him into the main hall.
Cao De did not stand on ceremony. He sat straight down in the seat of honor on the highest dais, with Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er, and Shui Yue'er standing on either side.
Wu Chen respectfully poured him some water. "Please, Lord Holy Son."
Without wasting time, Cao De took a sheet of paper from System Space, bearing his drawing of the box in his mind, and handed it to Wu Chen.
"Find this item," Cao De said slowly.
Wu Chen took the paper and examined it carefully. "As you command."
Cao De waved a hand at Wu Chen.
Wu Chen immediately withdrew to carry out his orders and assigned his subordinates to the task.
That evening, Cao De sat in his room, cultivating the Great Sun Heart Method.
Someone knocked on the door, and a voice came from outside. "Lord Holy Son, we have a lead on the item you're looking for."
Cao De was surprised. They had found something so quickly.
"Come in!" Cao De said.
A small, thin man slowly entered with his body bowed, closing the door behind him.
"What's the lead?" Cao De asked.
"The lead is..." the small man began, bowing.
Suddenly, the small man lunged at Cao De, flinging a handful of powder.
Cao De neither dodged nor flinched, merely watching him quietly.
The next instant, a figure suddenly appeared in front of the small man, and the powder he had thrown came flying back at him.
This is bad! Cold sweat broke out over the small man. He quickly held his breath and tried to flee outside.
Just then, tremendous force bore down on his shoulder. Shadow pinned him firmly to the floor, leaving him unable to move.
Knowing he was finished, the small man tried to bite through the poison hidden in his tooth.
How laughable it was to think he could swiftly kill himself in front of a Titled Douluo.
With a pulse of Shadow's Soul Power, the small man immediately passed out.
Cao De waved a hand. Space warped around Shadow, who vanished instantly.
A moment later, Wu Chen rushed inside and frantically looked around.
He had just sensed a powerful presence. Fearing that someone meant Cao De harm, he had hurried over.
"Lord Holy Son, are you all right?" Wu Chen asked.
Cao De shook his head and pointed at the unconscious man on the floor. "Do you know him?"
Wu Chen crouched down and examined him carefully. "Lord Holy Son, this man is Li Hu. He has been with Spirit Hall for six years."
"Oh. He just told me he had a lead on the item I wanted, then tried to knock me out with poison," Cao De said slowly.
Wu Chen's heart jolted. Li Hu had actually tried to assassinate the Holy Son. If he were held responsible...
Wu Chen hastily knelt. "Lord Holy Son, I truly knew nothing about Li Hu's actions. Please investigate this thoroughly."
Cao De chuckled. "I never said you did it. Interrogate him properly and find out what he was after."
"As you command," Wu Chen replied at once.
"All right, you may go." Cao De waved his hand.
Wu Chen picked up Li Hu and hurried outside.
After the two had left, Cao De beckoned, and Shadow instantly appeared beside him.
"Stay close to Li Hu and see what Wu Chen does. Also, don't let Li Hu die," Cao De instructed, narrowing his eyes.
"Yes." Space warped around Shadow, who disappeared again.
Cao De gazed at the moonlight, his eyes narrowing.
I had Wu Chen investigate the box today, and tonight someone tried to kidnap me.
So who was it? Wu Chen? Or someone else?
Thoughts raced through Cao De's mind.
Another knock sounded at the door.
"Lord Holy Son, someone wishes to see you."
Cao De frowned.
"Come in."
The door opened, and a Soul Master from Spirit Hall entered, followed by someone else dressed in Spirit Hall attire.
But the newcomer's ample chest had already given her away. She was a woman.
Cao De studied her. With her voluptuous figure and impossibly long legs, she had the allure of a mature beauty.
The only blemish was a centipede-like scar on her fair face, running from her forehead down to her cheek.
It looked rather frightening.
The woman bowed slightly. "Greetings, Lord Holy Son."
Cao De sat back down, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup before speaking.
"Go on. What do you want with me?"
"I'd like to make a few deals with you, Lord Holy Son," the woman said, taking out a sheet of paper bearing a drawing of the very box Cao De was seeking.
"What do you think, Lord Holy Son?" she asked with a smile.
Cao De said nothing. His Martial Soul, the Thousand-Blade Demon Sword, had already appeared in his hand, and he idly toyed with it.
"Tell me, since you came alone, wouldn't keeping you here spare me the need to make any deals?"
As his words fell, the Thousand-Blade Demon Sword was already pressed against her neck.
"You're welcome to try, Lord Holy Son." The woman leaned her neck toward the Thousand-Blade Demon Sword. There was not a trace of fear in her eyes, and a smile still lingered on her lips.
Cao De withdrew his blade and smiled. "You're rather interesting. Tell me about this deal."
"How would you feel about destroying the Star Luo Empire, Lord Holy Son?" The woman picked up the teapot and poured herself a cup, smiling as she spoke.
"So who exactly are you?" Cao De asked, somewhat curious.
"My name is Xiao Lingmeng-or Dai Lingmeng. My father is the emperor of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Yutian," Xiao Lingmeng said with a smile.
Cao De took a sip of tea and teased her.
"Let me take a wild guess. You're an unwanted, unloved illegitimate daughter, aren't you? Your brother doesn't care for you, your father doesn't love you, and you have a gravely ill mother."
Xiao Lingmeng's gaze shifted slightly, and a smile spread across her face.
"You truly are formidable, Lord Holy Son. You even guessed my background. But you got one thing wrong."
"My mother is already dead."
The smile remained on Xiao Lingmeng's face. As she spoke of her mother's death, it even gradually deepened.
"So, Lord Holy Son, would you like to work with me?"
Xiao Lingmeng asked with a smile.
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