His gaze remained fixed on the emerald green flame in the palm of his Soul Division Martial Soul, never wavering for a moment.
The light in those eyes grew brighter and brighter, and even deep within the pupils, two pulsating blue spots of light were reflected.
"You are... Xiao Yan. You really came back."
Dai Wusi took a deep breath, reached out to hold onto the bookshelf behind him, and pressed his fingertips firmly on the rough wooden partition to steady himself.
He raised his head again, suppressing the surging emotions in his chest, and looked at the dark figure before him, his tone becoming much more solemn:
"You don't need to test me. I only want to know one thing—are you Xiao Yan?"
Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment.
The Soul Division Martial Soul did not answer immediately, but simply stood quietly watching Dai Wusi.
His opinion of Dai Wusi rose even higher in his mind.
This person was able to recover from shock in just a few breaths and maintain a humble yet assertive attitude while confirming the other party's identity. This level of composure is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
How did you guess?
Xiao Yan's voice came through his Soul Division Martial Soul.
The voice was slightly lower and hoarse than the real person's, with a metallic quality, echoing in the small study.
Dai Wusi gave a wry smile.
He reached up and wiped the sweat from his forehead, which had been heated by the flames. His fingertips trembled slightly, whether from nervousness or excitement.
He pointed to the flames in the palm of his Soul Division Martial Soul, his tone carrying a sense of relief and certainty:
"When you released this Heavenly Flames Martial Soul at the Soul Master Tournament, although I wasn't there, the video crystal of the Soul Master Tournament had already spread throughout the elite circles of the entire continent."
It is possible to hold both the Qi Gathering Pill and the Heavenly Flames Martial Soul in one hand at the same time.
Aside from Xiao Yan himself, I can't think of anyone else.
The Qi Gathering Pill was crafted by you, and the Green Lotus Core Flame is your Martial Soul.
These two things together make your signature.
He paused, pointed to the bookshelf behind him, and added:
"Moreover, when the people from the Dark Hall first came into contact with me, they used Qi Gathering Pill, so I knew that this force must be related to you and Zhu Zhuqing."
I have personally experienced the effects of that elixir.
It only took a few months to go from the early stage of Soul Ancestor to the peak of Soul Ancestor.
The Qi Gathering Pill originally flowed into the Star Luo Empire from your hands, but since your disappearance, all the Qi Gathering Pill in the hands of various forces have been exhausted.
The fact that the Dark Hall can still reliably provide me with Qi Gathering Pill can only mean that the Dark Hall belongs to you.
Or rather, the master of the Dark Hall is you, Xiao Yan.
After hearing these words, Xiao Yan's opinion of Dai Wusi rose even higher.
This person is indeed sharp-minded, able to connect the scattered clues in such a short time. From
This insight and logical reasoning ability are something that a useless city lord who only knows how to loaf around and wait for death could never possess.
His sensitivity to information and analytical skills are probably stronger than most Soul Saint.
"Since you know who I am,"
Xiao Yan's voice remained calm as Soul Division Martial Soul slowly withdrew the flames from his palm, causing the temperature in the study to drop several degrees.
He turned his gaze back to Dai Wusi, his tone carrying a subtle but authoritative air.
"Then you should know why I'm looking for you."
Dai Wusi nodded, his expression becoming complicated.
He didn't rush to answer, but bent down and picked up the bamboo slips scattered on the ground one by one, then neatly stacked them and put them back on the bookshelf.
His movements were slow and careful, as if he were using this mechanical action to organize his thoughts, or as if he were buying time for his hesitation.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan did not urge him.
This is just his Martial Soul; even if there really is an ambush here, Xiao Yan is not afraid.
A moment later, Dai Wusi turned around again, the excitement on his face gone, replaced by a solemn honesty.
He walked to the desk, placed his hands on the tabletop, leaned forward slightly, and looked directly into the deep eyes of the Soul Division Martial Soul.
"Lord Xiao Yan."
He spoke, his tone more composed than before, each word carefully chosen.
"Between you and me, we are not allies, but we are definitely not enemies either."
When you and Zhu Zhuqing first arrived in Star Chasing City, I even used some underhanded tactics while you were on your way to the capital.
My relationship with the Dark Hall is purely cooperative, a simple exchange.
You know my strength; I'm a level 49 Soul Ancestor, unable to even break through to the Soul King level.
In the eyes of a behemoth like the Star Luo Imperial Family, I am nothing but trash.
When he said this, there was no self-pity in his tone; he was simply stating a fact, as calmly as if he were describing the weather today.
But Xiao Yan could tell that beneath this calm exterior lay a deep-seated resentment and bitterness that had settled after decades of being looked down upon and neglected.
"Actually, I don't care about being a puppet city lord in Star Chasing City."
But I want to become stronger!
So I need an opportunity to get out of my current situation.
The Dark Hall gave me Qi Gathering Pill, and in return, I helped Dark Hall in Star Chasing City.
That's all. I can't give you much more.
I lack the strength of Titled Douluo and the real power of the Imperial Family.
All I can do is help the Dark Hall confuse the pursuers while they are searching for the Spirit Hall, so that they can escape safely from under my nose.
That's all.
As he spoke, he looked directly into the empty, deep eyes of the Soul Division Martial Soul, without flinching or trying to be friendly; he simply stated a fact in a straightforward manner.
He neither exaggerated his contributions nor concealed his incompetence.
This honesty, in turn, earned Xiao Yan's trust.
A person who can speak frankly and without pretense in such a situation is either truly open and honest, or extremely cunning and calculating.
Regardless of which one it is, it proves that Zhu Zhuqing's judgment was correct.
"But the Qi Gathering Pill didn't allow me to break through to the Soul King."
Dai Wusi's voice carried a hint of bitterness, which churned in his throat before he suppressed it, only making his tone lower.
He raised his hands and looked down at his pale, slender palms.
Those were the hands of a member of the Imperial Family; they had never done any rough work, with long, slender, fair fingers and delicate skin.
But at this moment, those hands were nothing more than a symbol of worthlessness in his eyes.
I've been stuck at level 49 for a long time.
The people from the Dark Hall said that the Qi Gathering Pill could help me break through my bottleneck, and it did indeed work, allowing me to advance from the early stage of Soul Ancestor to the current limit of Soul Ancestor.
Can you imagine that feeling?
He clearly felt that the bottleneck was right in front of him, within reach, and his Soul Power reserves had already exceeded the minimum required for a breakthrough, even surpassing those of many normal Soul Ancestor Masters.
However, at critical moments, the meridians would not be able to withstand the pressure, and the Soul Power would dissipate on its own when it reached those damaged nodes.
I've tried countless times, and every time I fail at the last minute.
It becomes ineffective once you reach the Soul King level.
The Qi Gathering Pill can replenish Soul Power, but it can't repair this broken body of mine.
He lowered his hands, looked up at his Soul Division Martial Soul, and the bitterness in his eyes turned into an almost pleading expectation:
"I asked someone to send a message to the Dark Hall, asking if there were any further transactions."
Are there any higher-level pills or other cultivation techniques that can help me overcome this hurdle?
As long as it helps me cultivate, I don't care about the cost, even if it means starting a war between the Star Luo Empire Sect and the Spirit Hall.
Unfortunately, the Dark Hall also seems to be helpless in this regard.
After hearing these words, Xiao Yan had a clear understanding of the ins and outs of the matter.
The person who first came into contact with Dai Wusi must have been Zhu Zhuqing.
Before he left, he handed over the entire recipe and finished product of the Qi Gathering Pill to Zhu Zhuqing. Zhu Zhuqing was the only person in the entire Douluo Continent who could produce the Qi Gathering Pill.
Zhu Zhuqing exchanged Qi Gathering Pill for Dai Wusi's cooperation; this is a typical example of an exchange of benefits.
The Dark Hall needed Star Chasing City as a foothold, Dai Wusi needed to break through his cultivation level; both sides got what they needed.
However, Zhu Zhuqing's alchemy skills were limited. The Qi Gathering Pill she had were all stockpiled by Xiao Yan before he left, and the quantity was limited. Every time she used one, there was one less left.
Moreover, the Qi Gathering Pill can only enhance Soul Power, but cannot repair the foundation of meridians.
Dai Wusi's bottleneck is damage to his meridians, not a lack of Soul Power; the Qi Gathering Pill only treats the symptoms, not the root cause.
The reason why the Dark Hall did not respond later was probably because Zhu Zhuqing herself encountered trouble and had no time to maintain contact with Dai Wusi.
Based on the timeline, Zhu Zhuqing gave Dai Wusi the Qi- Qi Gathering Pill when the Dark Hall had just gone into hiding and was in dire need of protection.
At that time, the Spirit Hall's pursuit was the most intense, and the Dark Hall was like a frightened bird, making every foothold crucial.
And Dai Wusi did indeed keep his promise.
To help the Dark Hall confuse the Spirit Hall's search and facilitate the escape of the Dark Hall members.
This is a two-way choice, and also a two-way trust.
"You just said that you helped the Spirit Hall when they were hunting down the Dark Hall. What exactly happened?"
Xiao Yan asked, his Soul Division Martial Soul soul leaning slightly forward.
This matter was of great importance to him.
If Dai Wusi really did help the Dark Hall while being pursued by the Spirit Hall, then this person deserves his serious attention.
Dai Wusi sighed.
"It's a long story. It happened about a year ago."
That night, the Spirit Hall suddenly launched a massive manhunt in Star Chasing City, with more than twice the usual number of people, led by a Soul Douluo.
It is none other than Han Jiang, who is currently in charge of the Spirit Hall Main Hall.
"At that time, the Spirit Hall's pursuers were already very close."
Using my position as the city lord, I pretended to cooperate with the Spirit Hall's search.
I personally led Han Jiang's men to search the east of the city, deliberately taking a long detour to delay the search for about half an hour.
Secretly, he sent several trusted old servants to lead them from the dockside path to the city lord's mansion, where they were hidden in a secret room behind this study.
As Dai Wusi spoke, he walked to the bookshelf, pressed his finger on the inside of one of the shelves, and gently pushed it.
The bookshelf slid back half a foot silently, revealing a narrow, hidden door behind it.
Behind the hidden door was a narrow passageway that could only accommodate one person at a time. At the end of the passageway was a small stone room, about ten feet square, which was empty except for a simple wooden bed and an old wooden box covered in dust.
The place was indeed well hidden; the secret door was concealed behind the bookshelves, and the books on the shelves were arranged so neatly that it was impossible to detect anything from the outside.
" The Spirit Hall searched twice but couldn't find the secret room."
The people in the Dark Hall hid in the secret chamber for two whole days, and I personally delivered water and dry rations to them every day.
Two days later, the pursuers relaxed their guard, and most of the Spirit Hall troops stationed in the west of the city withdrew. Only then, under cover of darkness, did I bring them out of the secret chamber and transport them outside the city via an abandoned sewer.
Dai Wusi then walked to the desk and opened the bottom drawer.
There used to be a brass lock hanging on that drawer, but he had already opened it.
He took out a small package tightly wrapped in oil paper from the deepest part of the drawer, peeled off the layers of oil paper one by one, and finally revealed a encrypted letter inside.
The letter was sealed with a black, seven-tiered ancient pagoda seal.
The ancient pagoda's outline is simple yet powerful, its seven-story structure pointing straight to the sky, exactly the same as the symbol of the Dark Hall that Xiao Yan and Zhu Zhuqing had agreed upon years ago.
"In addition, just a few days ago, news of the upheaval in Spirit City spread throughout the continent."
The people from the Dark Hall have found me again.
The person who came this time was a stranger; I had never seen him before. But he was carrying a token from the Dark Hall, a token with a Herta pattern.
He left this letter, saying that if you return, he will give it to you.
The man finished explaining and left without saying another word.
Xiao Yan took the letter, and with a gentle press of his Soul Division Martial Soul's finger on the seal, the Herta seal shattered instantly. The broken seal clay fell onto the desk, making a few soft, crisp sounds.
Inside the envelope was a neatly folded piece of parchment, of excellent quality with a smooth, mirror-like surface, still well-preserved despite having gone through several transfers.
He unfolded the parchment, which contained only a few lines of writing, the handwriting neat and calm, clearly the work of Zhu Zhuqing.
However, the content is all encrypted using special methods.
Xiao Yan also found the location where Zhu Zhuqing and the others were.
"Finally..."
Xiao Yan finally felt relieved.
He had been worried about Zhu Zhuqing's safety since he hadn't heard from her before.
At least for now, it's certain that Zhu Zhuqing is not only unharmed, but has also hidden herself in an unexpected place!
Heaven Dou City!
The capital of the Heaven Dou Empire is the second largest stronghold of the Spirit Hall, second only to Spirit City.
This is a strategically important location jointly guarded by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and the Spirit Hall.
The Heaven Dou City is garrisoned year-round by Soul Douluo powerhouses from the Spirit Hall and at least two Soul Saint.
There is also the Royal Soul Master Corps directly under the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
If Zhu Zhuqing and the others are really hiding in Heaven Dou City, then the Spirit Hall would never have dreamed of it.