Qian Renxue's voice regained the composure and calmness of the Crown Prince.
She flicked a neatly folded strip of paper with her fingertip; the paper arced through the air and landed steadily in the man in black's hand.
The note contained only one line of text, detailing the information she had obtained from internal channels of the Spirit Hall regarding the battle of Spirit City.
This information is more accurate and detailed than the versions circulating on the mainland.
The man in black took the note, said nothing more, just nodded slightly, and then disappeared into the shadows of the study in a flash.
Qian Renxue leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and the smile on her lips remained.
The setting sun outside the window was just right, and the last rays of its rays shone through the window frame onto her profile, outlining her exquisitely beautiful face with its distinct features.
She thought that Xiao Yan should arrive in Heaven Dou City soon.
She could even picture the scene in her mind.
Xiao Yan, weary from his journey, entered Heaven Dou City and followed the marks left by Zhu Zhuqing to find the inconspicuous house in the north of the city.
Then he pushed open the door and saw Zhu Zhuqing standing at the entrance to the back hall, looking at him.
What expression would that usually cold face have then? Qian Renxue found herself actually looking forward to it.
Perhaps it was because she was too lonely during this long period of infiltration that seeing others reunite was a kind of comfort for her.
In the north of Heaven Dou City, there is a secluded residence.
The house looks unremarkable from the outside—blue bricks and gray tiles, low walls, and not even a plaque at the entrance.
Unidentified vines climbed all over the courtyard wall, their leaves swaying gently in the night breeze, making a soft rustling sound.
The courtyard gate consisted of two weathered wooden doors, with rusty brass rings that looked as if they hadn't been opened in a long time.
The neighbors only knew that a few merchants from out of town lived here. They kept to themselves and never got into any disputes with anyone.
Occasionally, you might see a few figures coming and going, all with their heads down, hurrying past, buying groceries and cooking like other residents—so ordinary it's not worth mentioning.
But beneath this ordinary exterior, the interior of this mansion is a completely different world.
It has three underground floors and two above-ground floors, with each floor being more heavily guarded than the one above.
The entrance is hidden behind the woodpile in the kitchen; it can only be opened by pressing the correct mechanism.
The members of the Dark Hall take turns on duty, in three shifts, with four people per shift: two people are responsible for surface patrols and two people are responsible for guarding the underground entrance.
Their Soul Power fluctuations were completely concealed by the shielding array set up in the courtyard. Even if Titled Douluo passed by outside the courtyard wall, he could not sense anything unusual.
Zhu Zhuqing sat in the deepest, quiet room, holding a newly delivered secret letter in her hand.
This quiet room is not large, only about ten feet square. The four walls are thick bluestone walls, with no windows, only a heavy iron door leading to the corridor.
The interior furnishings are extremely simple.
A wooden bed, a square table, and a chair.
She had been living here for months, and every time she went out, she would take the underground passage, which led from the bottom of a dry well at the back of the courtyard to the alley next door.
She wore a dark purple, tight-fitting outfit that perfectly accentuated her curvaceous figure.
Her long, jet-black hair was still simply tied back, with a few stray strands falling from her ears, making her delicate face appear even more aloof.
But at this moment, her eyes, which were usually known for their coldness, were filled with tears and a thin layer of mist.
It shimmered with tiny, fragmented lights in the dim, yellowish glow of the oil lamp on the table.
His eyes were filled with excitement and joy.
There was also a hint of grievance that she herself couldn't quite explain.
The grievance wasn't resentment towards him, but rather the feeling of someone who had endured for too long during the most difficult time, and suddenly seeing someone they could rely on, causing all the strength they had been holding on to instantly crumble.
She had read the handwriting on the secret letter at least twenty times.
An hour has passed since I received the letter from the man in black.
For the entire hour, she sat motionless in the chair.
She silently recited each word countless times, word by word.
The secret letter contained only a few lines of text, written in neat and crisp handwriting, a style unique to Qian Renxue:
"The identity of the mysterious expert from Spirit City has been confirmed; it is none other than Xiao Yan."
After his return, his strength increased dramatically. He destroyed the Pope's Palace with a single sword strike and fought three Titled Douluo alone before escaping unscathed.
Pope Bibi Dong herself was slightly injured in this battle, and the Martial Soul Avatar the Titled Douluo martial souls of Chrysanthemum and Ghost were broken.
She pressed the secret letter to her chest, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.
The heart that had been hanging in my chest for a year finally slowly returned to its place at this moment.
That breath, held for over a year, was finally exhaled at this moment.
Her lips trembled slightly, but the corners of her mouth curved upwards in a smile.
Zhu Zhuqing's smile was extremely faint and insignificant.
She deliberately restrained him from laughing too unrestrainedly.
But the combination of those reddened eyes and slightly upturned corners of her mouth created a picture that was more touching than any radiant smile.
"You're finally back."
She spoke softly, her voice so low that only she could hear it, as if afraid of waking someone from a sweet dream.
The sound echoed softly in the closed, quiet room for half a breath before dissipating, but she had waited far too long for these words.
For more than a year, she led the Dark Hall into hiding.
From Star Chasing City to the desolate border mountains, from the desolate mountains to the Cangling Mountain Range, from the Cangling to Heaven Dou City.
Every step was like walking on a knife's edge; every foothold had to be checked for safety multiple times.
The Spirit Hall's pursuers were like an inescapable shadow, relentlessly following behind.
If it weren't for the secret assistance and cover provided by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Qian Renxue along the way, they probably wouldn't have been able to make it so easy.
But now, Xiao Yan has finally returned.
He cleaved the Pope's Palace in two with a single sword strike, and even the combined might of three Titled Douluo couldn't stop him.
Thinking of this, Zhu Zhuqing's smile widened even further.
She carefully folded the secret Xiao Xin and placed it in her inner pocket. Then she stood up, walked to the door, and pushed open the heavy iron door.
At the end of the corridor, a You Ying stood there, like a guard, waiting for her to come out.
"Lord, what are your orders?"
You Ying was slightly taken aback when she saw Zhu Zhuqing's expression.
She had known Zhu Zhuqing for so long, and this was the first time she had ever seen such an expression on her face.
Even though Zhu Zhuqing had managed to control her emotions, those who knew her very well could still sense the changes in Zhu Zhuqing mood.
You Ying joined the Dark Hall a little over a year ago.
Having followed Zhu Zhuqing for a year, he knew every subtle expression on her face.
Zhu Zhuqing rarely smiled; even when she was happy, it was just a fleeting, slight upturn of the corners of her mouth.
But at this moment, a flame flickered deep within her eyes, bringing her entire face to life because of that flame.
"Strengthen surveillance at the city gates. Three shifts aren't enough; add another. All members of the Dark Hall are on standby."
All the pills in the storage room were inventoried, and the quantity was replenished to the highest standard.
Zhu Zhuqing issued several orders in one breath, each one concise and clear.
Without asking any questions, You Ying quickly suppressed her smile, regaining her usual composure and competence, and nodded in response:
"I'll arrange it right away."
Meanwhile, at the Shrek Academy.
In front of the Shrek Academy's gates, Dean Flender stood alone beneath the plaque he had personally hung up.
He was wearing a faded gray robe with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his fairly muscular forearms.
Compared to two years ago, he has a few more strands of white hair at his temples and a few more crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, but his eyes are still as sharp as an eagle's.
He looked up at the large characters " Shrek Academy " on the plaque; Shrek Academy had grown considerably in size by now.
They nurtured the team that was formed back then, even though the Shrek Team lost to the Spirit Hall team in the finals.
But it was still a well-deserved second place.
Moreover, the entire continent already knew just how terrifying Xiao Yan was back then.
Therefore, this was not merely a humiliation for Shrek, but rather an honor for them.
This also made Shrek Academy famous.
The funds that Flender had tried so hard to cut back on are now so plentiful that there's no need to worry about them at all.
All the major powers are vying to pour resources into Shrek.
But in Flender's heart, looking at the Shrek Academy now, he felt an overwhelming sense of desolation.
Back then, Shrek had him, Xiao Gang, and Erlong.
The younger generation includes Xiao Yan, Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and others.
Although Shrek was young at that time, he was passionate, united, and full of hope.
After each victory in the Soul Master Tournament, Flender would personally treat the entire academy to a meal at a tavern in the city.
Back then, he was constantly worried about funding for the school, but he always had a smile on his face.
But now, everything has changed.
The academy had many more students, but Flender could never find the joy he once had.
Oscar has gone out to gain experience, saying he's going to the Far North to find an opportunity that will make him stronger.
He left in early spring, and two winters have passed since then, with no word from him.
Sometimes, when Flender sees Oscar's favorite dessert in the cafeteria, he'll subconsciously think of saving a portion for him.
After the Soul Master Tournament ended, Liu Erlong still intended to advise Grandmaster, but ultimately disappeared without a trace.
Flender searched for her everywhere for more than six months.
He used every connection he could and spent most of his life savings.
However, they still couldn't find any clues about Liu Erlong.
Of the Golden Iron Triangle, only Flender remains.
Sometimes he would sit alone on the school's playground late at night, staring blankly at the empty stands.
As for the Shrek Seven Devils, whom Flender was once proud of.
After Tang San was taken away by Clear Sky Douluo, his whereabouts became unknown.
As a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, Xiao Wu naturally cannot return to the human world.
Ning Rongrong has also returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Although she occasionally comes to Shrek Academy to visit, she never stays for long.
Ma Hongjun has completely let loose and has already gone out, his whereabouts unknown.
As for Dai Mubai...
Flender fell silent.
He was aware of the situation on the Star Luo Empire's side.
Dai Mubai, who was crippled by Xiao Yan, coupled with the situation that had erupted in the Star Luo Empire, was a prime example.
Even if Dai Mubai doesn't die, his fate probably won't be much better.
Among them, Xiao Yan, the most talented, was even forced away by Grandmaster...
Just yesterday, news of the battle in Spirit City reached Shrek Academy.
It was a secret report from the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's intelligence channels.
Although Flender withdrew from the center of the continental conflict, he still had several old connections.
He sat in his office all night with that secret report in his hand.
The secret report said that the mysterious expert cleaved the dome of the Pope's Palace with a single sword strike, and it took the combined efforts of three Titled Douluo to barely stop him.
The secret report also stated that the powerful figure had a pair of flame wings interwoven with blue and white.
When Flender saw the words "flames of blue and white intertwined," he almost dropped his pipe.
He knew whose flame it was.
During the Soul Master Tournament, he witnessed Xiao Yan unleash Heavenly Flames, a flame unlike any other in the entire Douluo Continent.
He suddenly realized that the mysterious expert who had cleaved the Pope's Palace in two with a single sword strike was actually Xiao Yan.
"A single sword strike cleaved the Pope's Palace in two; even three Titled Douluo working together couldn't stop it..."
Xiao Yan, what kind of monster are you?
His voice echoed across the empty playground a few times before fading away; no one answered him.
After leaving the cave, Xiao Yan continued his journey towards Heaven Dou City.
After breaking through to level 67, his speed increased even further.
The fiery tails left by the Twin Flame Wings as they streaked across the sky were even more dazzling than before, and the interwoven blue and white light trailed two long arcs in the clear sky, looking like a shooting star streaking across the heavens from the ground.
The scenery along the way rushed past his feet, the continuous mountains were gradually left behind, and the barren hills gradually turned into scattered farmland and scattered villages.
Farmers working in the fields would occasionally look up and see that strange bluish-white light in the sky, then point and whisper among themselves before bending down to continue their work.
On the evening of the second day, the afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky with a magnificent fiery cloud.
Xiao Yan paused briefly in a low-lying hilly area.
He landed on the top of a small hill, which was bare except for a few weathered boulders scattered on the slope.
He planned to rest briefly before continuing his journey.
At his current speed, he should be able to reach Heaven Dou City in about a day.
However, just as he sat down cross-legged and habitually released his soul perception to scan the surrounding environment, a dense fluctuation of Soul Power suddenly came from a valley several miles away.
The fluctuation wasn't particularly strong; in his perception, it was roughly equivalent to the level between Soul King and Soul Emperor.
However, the energy was extremely concentrated, clearly indicating that someone was releasing Soul Power for some specific activity. Xiao Yan guessed that the other party was probably breaking through.
What concerned Xiao Yan even more was that the fluctuations in Soul Power contained an extremely familiar aura—poison.