This is a classic example of "blind spot under the lamp."
Xiao Yan's lips curled up slightly.
Zhu Zhuqing's move was bolder and more brilliant than he had anticipated.
Although Heaven Dou City is heavily fortified by the Spirit Hall, precisely because of this, the Spirit Hall does not conduct extensive searches there.
Who would have thought that a wanted criminal was hiding right outside their own doorstep?
They were too confident in their control of Heaven Dou City, so confident that they didn't question what was happening right under their noses.
Moreover, Heaven Dou City is the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire. Although the Spirit Hall wields immense power there, it still has to give the Heaven Dou Imperial Family some face.
We can't act as recklessly as we do in the Star Chasing City.
While the Spirit Hall in Star Chasing City might dare to conduct such a street closure and search, in Heaven Dou City they would have to consult with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family first.
The conflict between the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and the Spirit Hall has a long history. While they appear to be on good terms, they are secretly wary of each other.
Moreover, Xue Qinghe, the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, also known as Qian Renxue, although secretly a member of the Spirit Hall, has a relationship with Bibi Dong that can hardly be described as harmonious.
Moreover, the other members of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family would not blindly obey the Spirit Hall.
Zhu Zhuqing's choice to settle in Heaven Dou City was probably not just to avoid the darkest place, but also because she had her eye on the subtle rift between the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and the Spirit Hall.
Only within that crack could the Dark Hall find a space to survive.
Dai Wusi stood aside, watching Xiao Yan put the letter away.
His gaze lingered on the Soul Division Martial Soul for a moment, his lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to ask something, but dared not speak rashly.
After a moment's hesitation, he finally asked, "Lord Xiao Yan, can this letter... be of any help to you?"
"Can."
Xiao Yan's answer was brief and affirmative.
He looked at Dai Wusi again, a glint of light flashing in the deep eyes of his Soul Division Martial Soul.
He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over Dai Wusi's pale and somewhat tired face, his tone becoming more serious:
I never owe anyone a favor.
What you've done for the Dark Hall deserves a chance.
I can give you a chance to break through to the Soul King. Not Qi Gathering Pill, which is just a temporary fix.
The Qi Gathering Pill can only replenish your Soul Power; it cannot repair your meridians and foundation.
What I need is a different kind of elixir that can repair your damaged meridian nodes, allowing your Soul Power to flow freely through your meridians and complete a full breakthrough cycle.
Once your meridians are repaired, with your current Soul Power reserves, breaking through to the Soul King will be a natural progression.
Dai Wusi's breath hitched. He stared at the dark figure before him, and for the first time, an uncontrollable emotion flickered in his usually calm eyes.
The ripples were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating concentric circles of waves in his eyes.
He opened his mouth, his voice a few deafeningly hoarse, as if something was blocking his throat.
"You... you're telling the truth?"
His voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the howling of the night wind outside the window, but the emotions it contained were like a pot of water about to boil, forcibly suppressed under the lid.
His fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
He had been waiting for this for so many years.
Ever since that serious illness in his childhood, he has been nailed to the cross of fate by the label of "useless".
He tried every possible method, consumed every edible elixir, and begged every possible person, only to receive nothing but a shake of the head and perfunctory responses.
Now, Xiao Yan has given him a promise.
It was not pity, not charity, but a reward for the risks he had taken.
This respect, this attitude that regarded his efforts as an equal exchange, moved him more than any elixir.
Within six months.
Xiao Yan extended a finger, the dark fingertip of his Soul Division Martial Soul gleaming with a cold, eerie light under the lamplight, his tone resolute and calm.
I will help you reach the Soul King realm.
It's not a facade built with pills, nor is it the kind of illusion that reverts to its original state once the effects of the medicine wear off. It's a true Soul King with unobstructed meridians and abundant Soul Power.
You will possess full cultivation potential, just like any other normal Soul Master.
You will possess true power of your own.
Dai Wusi fell silent.
He lowered his head, looking at his pale, slender hands, noticing his fingertips trembling slightly.
After a moment, he raised his head again, his expression returning to its usual composure.
But the glimmer of light deep in his eyes could not be hidden no matter what.
He took a deep breath, solemnly cupped his hands towards Xiao Yan, and spoke with a resolute tone, as if entrusting his life to someone else:
"Your Excellency Xiao Yan, the term is six months."
Whether it works out or not—even if you ultimately can't cure my broken body—I, Dai, am grateful for your words today.
If you ever need me, the gates of the Star Chasing City will always be open to you.
Although I, Dai Wusi, am a good-for-nothing, I will never take back what I've said.
Xiao Yan nodded. His Soul Division Martial Soul turned around, preparing to leave the study.
The purpose of this trip has been achieved.
He obtained the secret letter left by Zhu Zhuqing, confirmed the approximate location of the Dark Hall, and also gained a potential long-term ally.
Next, he just needs to get away as soon as possible and head to Heaven Dou City to meet up with Zhu Zhuqing.
He turned around and his steps quickened; he was already planning his route to Heaven Dou City.
But just as the Soul Division Martial Soul was about to merge into the shadow, a vast pressure suddenly descended from above the City Lord's Mansion.
The oppressive force came extremely suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, or like a muffled rumble before a storm.
Xiao Yan's Soul Division Martial Soul suddenly froze for a moment.
He could clearly feel the power contained within that oppressive aura; it was genuine Contra Soul Douluo- level strength.
Moreover, he wasn't a newbie just starting out in Soul Douluo; he was a veteran who had been immersed in this realm for many years.
The roof of the study in the city lord's mansion creaked under the immense pressure, and several tiles were shaken off the eaves.
It smashed into pieces on the bluestone ground in the yard, making several crisp sounds.
The oil lamp flame in the corner flickered violently a few times, almost going out, casting a flickering light in Dai Wusi's pupils.
"Lord Dai, a guest is visiting late at night. Why didn't you inform me?"
Let me also fulfill my duty as host.
A deep, cold voice came from mid-air.
The voice wasn't loud, but it resonated like a great bell throughout the entire city lord's mansion, carrying an air of superior arrogance and unquestionable authority.
Every word was pronounced clearly and coldly, as if deliberately enunciated, conveying a condescending tone as if interrogating a criminal.
The Soul Power fluctuations contained in that sound caused the paper covering the study window to tremble slightly.
Dai Wusi's face turned deathly pale instantly.
He instinctively took a step back, his lower back slamming against the edge of the desk with a dull thud.
He looked up towards the rooftop.
Although he couldn't see the people on the roof, he recognized the voice all too well.
That was Han Jiang, the Soul Douluo stationed in Star Chasing City by the Spirit Hall, and also the shadow that had been haunting him like a ghost for the past few months.
Dai Wusi quickly whispered in the direction of the Soul Division Martial Soul:
"It's Han Jiang, the Soul Douluo stationed in Chasing Star Chasing City by the Spirit Hall."
He has been monitoring the city lord's mansion for the past few months.
The Spirit Hall doesn't trust me; they've sent people to plant hidden sentries around the City Lord's Mansion.
I thought there would be a break when the sentries changed shifts tonight, but I didn't expect him to come in person.
He probably sensed something was amiss in the study.
Although your clone didn't show any Soul Power fluctuations, we talked for too long just now, and it might have noticed something.
He spoke very quickly, in a very low voice, yet his words were clear and logical.
"You go through the backyard; there's a path there leading to the abandoned house next door. I'll stall him."
Without any hesitation, the Soul Division Martial Soul flashed slightly in the shadows and sped towards the hidden door at the back of the study.
Dai Wusi straightened his robes, smoothed out the wrinkles on his cuffs, straightened his back, and pushed open the door to walk into the courtyard.
He deliberately slowed his pace as he stepped across the threshold, a perfectly timed wry smile appearing on his face as he looked up at the figure standing in mid-air.
The moonlight clearly outlined the figure's silhouette.
He was a middle-aged man dressed in the white robes of the Spirit Hall, who appeared to be in his forties.
He was tall and thin, with broad shoulders, a sinister face like an eagle, high cheekbones, and a neatly trimmed goatee on his chin.
A faint, mocking smile played at the corners of his lips, as if he held a condescending contempt for the city lord's mansion beneath his feet and everything within it.
His white robe was embroidered with the eight unique Soul Seals of Soul Douluo.
The eight soul imprints glowed with a pale blue light under the moonlight, each representing one of his Soul Ring.
He was surrounded by a dense aura of water-attribute Soul Power, and the water vapor in the air condensed into countless tiny water droplets under the pull of his Soul Power.
A faint halo of mist formed around him.
The halo refracted a faint iridescence under the moonlight, appearing quite magnificent, but within that magnificence lay a deadly danger.
"Lord Han."
Dai Wusi stood in the courtyard, looked up and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Han Jiang, a perfectly timed bitter smile on his face.
His smile contained a mixture of helplessness, humility, and a touch of perfectly timed self-deprecation.
You've misunderstood.
As you know, my city lord's mansion is always deserted, without even a decent guard. Who would come to visit a useless city lord in the middle of the night?
He spoke these words in an extremely humble tone, his back slightly bent, appearing completely submissive.
However, Xiao Yan was able to clearly perceive the frequency of his heartbeat through the perception of his Soul Division Martial Soul.
That was the hurried pace characteristic of lying.
However, Han Jiang was at least twenty zhang away from him, so he shouldn't have been able to hear his heartbeat.
Han Jiang snorted coldly.
His gaze was sharp as a knife as he scanned the courtyard, from the stone table and benches in the corner to the old servant dozing under the eaves, and then from the old servant to the half-closed window of the study.
He did indeed sense an unusual energy fluctuation.
The fluctuation was extremely weak, unlike Soul Power or the ordinary flow of heaven and earth energy; it was more like a Spiritual Soul Power compressed to its extreme.
If he hadn't decided to come and inspect the area himself tonight, it would have been impossible to catch him.
Although he couldn't explain what it was, his intuition told him that Dai Wusi was lying.
This useless city lord is acting strangely tonight—his eyes are flickering more often than usual, and his fingers are trembling slightly as he speaks.
"Lord Dai, you don't need to lie to me."
Han Jiang's figure slowly descended from mid-air and landed on the bluestone ground in the center of the courtyard.
His toes touched the ground without making a sound, but a thin film of water instantly formed on the bluestone slab beneath his feet.
He stood before Dai Wusi, a full head taller than him, looking down at the frail city lord with an increasingly pronounced mocking smile.