Xu Tianran raised his hand, stopping the guards beside him from speaking.
They did not possess the cultivation of a Titled Douluo and did not understand what a Super Douluo represented, especially someone like Zhongli Wu. With his strength, the entire Sun Moon Empire would need to employ numerous tactics to deal with him.
Xu Tianran could not imagine who else could threaten Zhongli Wu while Du Busi was held up fighting Phoenix.
"Perhaps the Imperial Advisor simply went to heal his injuries. Send out a notice for everyone to stay vigilant. Once the Imperial Advisor's whereabouts are discovered, he is to return to Mingdu immediately."
"Yes."
Xu Tianran continued toward the study, though his brows remained furrowed.
He was naturally suspicious. Not finding a trace of Zhongli Wu, his first thought was not that Zhongli Wu had been killed, but that he had fled elsewhere to avoid responsibility.
The Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion was one of the five great protector forces of the Sun Moon Empire. It should have been under Ju Zi's command as the primary force attacking the Tianhun Empire, but because Ju Zi had returned to the palace, Phoenix had taken over temporarily. Even for the Sun Moon Empire, assembling such a Soul Engineer Legion was not easy.
As Imperial Advisor and military supervisor, Zhongli Wu bore responsibility for such a major incident. He could not escape blame.
Given the Holy Spirit Cult's methods, it would not be surprising if this attack had been orchestrated by Zhongli Wu himself.
"Delaying the war, collecting Souls, do you really think I am unaware? People of the Holy Spirit Cult, hmph."
Xu Tianran's gaze chilled. "Give the order for the Mingdou Mountain Range front to advance at all costs. I do not believe the Star Luo Empire's White Tiger Duke alone can hold Death God Douluo at the Mingdou Mountain Range for two full years."
"As for the Tianhun Empire, have the Dreadclaw Soul Engineer Legion withdraw from the Douling Empire border and replace the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion to continue advancing south."
"Yes." The guard responded, then paused. Further south of the Tianhun Empire was Shrek Academy.
Xu Tianran, of course, understood this. Their cooperation with the Holy Spirit Cult existed precisely because they feared Shrek Academy's power.
Since the war began, the Holy Spirit Cult had only been working half-heartedly. They claimed to be cooperating, but in truth, they were merely collecting Souls from the battlefield.
He had indulged them for two years. It was time to force them to confront Shrek Academy. Once Shrek City was breached, the Holy Spirit Cult would no longer be needed.
---
"Sect Master!"
On the city wall of Tianling City, Du Busi had just landed when he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
His old injuries had yet to heal. First, he had battled Fire Phoenix Douluo for a prolonged time, then he took a direct hit from the Bone Dragon detonated by Zhongli Wu, and finally he was affected by Wang Nan's Domain. Although he stabilized himself in midair and avoided falling, his old wounds could no longer be suppressed.
"It is nothing." Du Busi waved his hand and looked toward the outside of the city.
The Tianhun Empire's army seized the opportunity to attack, and the Sun Moon Empire's camp was in chaos. Although surrounding forces quickly provided support, the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion had suffered heavy losses, and its greatest threat had disappeared.
"Thank you, young brother."
Du Busi looked at Wang Nan, who had arrived with him. Wang Nan's face was slightly pale. Although he was not physically injured, his spirit power had nearly run dry.
Do not think that Wang Nan had not been at a disadvantage against a ninety-eighth-level Super Douluo. Using such Moves consecutively, especially combining several Spirit Abilities, Coiling Dragon Staff techniques, and Spirit Bone abilities at the end, would have completely drained him if not for his two Soul Cores.
"Sect Master Poison is too polite."
Beside them, Golden Body Douluo Elder Jin stepped forward to support Du Busi. When he saw Wang Nan, surprise flashed in his eyes. He had followed Du Busi in the attack on the Sun Moon Empire camp and had witnessed the commotion between Wang Nan and Zhongli Wu from afar.
He simply had not expected the person who fought Zhongli Wu for so long to be Wang Nan.
Du Busi was about to ask about Wang Nan's identity when he noticed Elder Jin's unusual expression.
"You two know each other?"
"We met once. Elder Jin, it has been a while."
Elder Jin nodded and whispered a few words to Du Busi.
Du Busi's expression shifted slightly as he examined Wang Nan. His relationship with Shrek Academy was not good; Mu En was even his enemy. Thinking about how he had just addressed Wang Nan as "young brother," he felt a trace of displeasure.
Even so, grievances had their proper targets, and Wang Nan had undeniably just helped the Body Sect. "You should rest in the city first. Later, the Body Sect will send a gift of gratitude."
"I only happened to be passing by. There is no need for a gift, but I do need a quiet room to rest for a while."
"Alright, someone will arrange it for you."
Outside the city, the Tianhun Empire's army continued to press the attack. The city itself was bustling with activity, so Wang Nan did not linger on the city wall. He followed the Body Sect members to a room.
He sensed faint spirit power fluctuations in the surrounding rooms, indicating that this place had been specially arranged for Spirit Masters.
With two Soul Cores rotating in his glabella and chest, constantly absorbing elemental energy to replenish him, Wang Nan felt his spirit power gradually rising. Even so, he frowned.
His ninth spirit ring's Spirit Ability was unusual.
When a Spirit Master absorbs a spirit ring, they automatically comprehend the Spirit Ability within it. It is a mysterious sensation, as if the residual consciousness of the Spirit Beast instructs the Spirit Master on how to use the ability.
This allows a Spirit Master to immediately use the Spirit Ability after obtaining the ring, even without prior cultivation.
They cannot yet fully control its power, range, or direction, but the method of using it becomes instinctive.
Wang Nan's ninth spirit ring, however, was different. Besides the initial Domain Spirit Ability, he sensed another power hidden within it. He had not fully unleashed the potential of this ninth spirit ring.
He remembered the feeling when he used the dragon god's tear.
The Silver Dragon King's words still echoed in his mind. Wang Nan understood that his ninth spirit ring was tightly connected to that sentence, but he could not yet link the meaning with the hidden power inside the ring.
Finding no answer, he set the matter aside for now and closed his eyes. Scenes from his battle with Zhongli Wu replayed in his mind.
Fighting a Spirit Master near the peak of cultivation naturally brought him immense gains.
This had been his first time using Martial Soul True Body after his bone tempering. That wonderful sensation made him realize that the Silver Dragon King's bone tempering did more than strengthen his physique.
The intertwining of Spirit Bone and spirit power was unmistakable. The Spirit Bone within him had advanced to a higher level.
Another gain came from Zhongli Wu's final sneak attack.
Although Wang Nan had anticipated it and prepared accordingly, he still had no prior indication before Zhongli Wu launched the strike. It was a very peculiar method.