At the Spirit Hall branch in Heaven Dou City, five or six extra guards now stood watch outside its gates—far more than usual.
Inside his office, Salas sat at his desk, staring at a sealed letter. The usual confidence on his face was gone, replaced by a furrowed brow and clear worry.
The upheaval In Heaven Dou? He'd only learned of it after the Pope, Bibi Dong, had revealed her spirit power.
When Bibi Dong arrived in Heaven Dou, she hadn't come to the Spirit Hall branch—she'd gone straight to the crown prince's residence. By the time Salas realized what was happening, it was already too late. He'd heard the royal family had issued an arrest warrant for the young master, and he had even begun gathering troops, preparing for an all-out confrontation with Heaven Dou.
But before any action could be taken, someone sent by Qian Renxue came to him.
At first, Salas had thought the envoy was there on behalf of the young master to coordinate a plan of inside and outside cooperation. Instead, the person simply handed him a letter.
"If His Excellency returns, give this to him."
This cryptic message only added to Salas's headache.
First, the Pope appeared out of nowhere and exposed the young master's identity. Then, before leaving, the young master turned him into a courier. If things truly escalated between Heaven Dou and Spirit Hall, this branch would be the first to be wiped out…
One was the Pope. The other, the young master. And neither of those two had left a single clear instruction!
Sure, Spirit Hall was powerful—but this was a lone outpost, completely cut off from reinforcements. Not even a single Titled Douluo elder was stationed here. If Heaven Dou decided to strike, he wouldn't stand a chance.
Still, as the branch overseer, Salas didn't panic. He continued managing daily affairs with practiced efficiency.
But under the growing surveillance of Heaven Dou's royal guard, the branch was now completely cut off from the main Spirit Hall. Salas was racking his brain trying to figure out a way to reestablish communication.
Just then, a voice came from outside the door.
"Sir, someone is requesting an audience. They specifically asked to see you."
"Hm?" Salas's face tightened. Anyone who dared ask for him by name in this tense time was likely from the Heaven Dou royal family.
"I asked," the maid replied. "They claim to be a friend of yours. Judging from their clothes, they don't seem to be from the royal family."
"A friend?" Salas frowned but quickly nodded. "Bring them to the guest hall. I'll come shortly."
A friend at this time? If they weren't from the royal family, then who?
He rose and made his way to the guest hall, thoughts spinning—only for his eyes to widen in shock the moment he stepped inside.
"Y-Your Excellency?!"
"Hello again, old man! Long time no see~" Paimon greeted him sheepishly.
She still remembered her earlier embarrassment when she'd accidentally blown up part of the place during her attempted spirit awakening.
"Good day, Your Excellency!" Salas quickly gave a proper bow.
He hadn't expected the young master to have such foresight—that this honored guest would return!
This outpost was like a lone boat in stormy seas. Salas himself, a Spirit Douluo, was the highest combat strength they had. If Heaven Dou launched a strike, they'd fall instantly.
But now things were different. This person was none other than that honored guest—someone with a close relationship with the young master. Surely, he wouldn't let the Heaven Dou royal family destroy this branch, right?
"Old man," Paimon asked with concern, "do you know where Qinghe went?"
Salas, still basking in the joy of having a powerful ally nearby, blinked. "Qinghe? You mean… Young Master Qian Renxue?"
"Yup! Qinghe is Qian Renxue—I know everything now."
Salas gave a nod. "I'm afraid I don't know where she went. My guess is… she returned to the main Spirit Hall."
He shook his head. With all external connections cut off, he had no idea what was going on outside. Not just Qian Renxue—even any major operations from headquarters were a complete mystery to him.
Still, it made sense. If the young master escaped, she likely fled back to Spirit Hall.
"Ehh? That's not what the Traveler said…" Paimon pouted. So even the old man didn't know where Qinghe was.
Suddenly, Salas perked up. "Ah, Your Excellency—please wait a moment!"
He darted out of the room.
Less than a minute later, he rushed back in, an envelope clutched tightly in his hands.
"This is…?"
Aether took the letter and examined it. Salas had run off just to grab this?
"This was entrusted to me by someone on the young master's behalf," Salas explained. "They said it was for Your Grace. I didn't dare open it."
Aether looked over the envelope. Sure enough, it was addressed to Guest Minister, written in Qian Renxue's familiar hand.
He opened It and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
*Brother Aether,
If you're reading this, it means we've parted ways once again. I don't know when we'll meet again…*
The handwriting was neat and composed at first, but toward the end, it shifted into a hurried scrawl:
Spirit Hall is in danger. Take care.
Aether's brows furrowed.
Spirit Hall is in danger?
He looked up at Salas, then shook his head. Qian Renxue couldn't have been talking about the Heaven Dou branch.
But he had just left Spirit City not long ago. All of the top Titled Douluo were stationed there—even Qian Daoliu, a rank 99 Limit Douluo. What danger could threaten a place like that?
"Traveler, what's wrong? What did Qinghe say in the letter?" Paimon asked quietly. She'd rarely seen Aether look this serious. It only happened when something truly dangerous or baffling was at hand.
Aether didn't reply immediately. He tightened his grip on the letter. "Branch Master Salas, did the messenger say anything else?"
"No, Your Excellency." Salas shook his head after a moment's thought. "The soul master who brought it handed it to me directly—said nothing more."
"I see… then we'll take our leave for now. Thank you for your time."
"Eh? Your Excellency, won't you stay a bit longer?" Salas tried to urge him to stay.
"There's still something I need to handle. I'll visit again another day."
With that, Aether turned and left with the group.
Once outside, Paimon glanced around, then leaned in and whispered, "Traveler, what's going on?"
"Qian Renxue might be facing something she can't handle alone."
"Wha—?! Then we've gotta help her, fast!"
_
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