The Sun and Moon Empire, Mingdu.
Skyscrapers rose like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, piercing the clouds. Glass curtain walls refracted a dazzling brilliance under the sun, illuminating this colossal, un-walled city like a mirage.
Along the crisscrossing tracks, Soul Tool electric trains whistled past, their bodies shimmering with a faint blue soul energy aura, complementing the various Soul Tool airships suspended overhead.
Giant Soul Tool screens flashed continuously between the tall buildings, cyclically playing promotional videos for the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. Passionate music and commentary, amplified by Soul Tool speakers, spread to every corner of the city, pushing the fervent atmosphere of the impending competition to the extreme.
Even compared to Sea Abyss City the prosperity of Mingdu was in no way inferior; in fact, Mingdu boasted a larger area and greater population.
If not for the profound foundation and era-transcending genius residing in Sea Abyss City, Mingdu would undoubtedly be the undisputed number one city on the continent—whether by its astonishing size, its population numbering in the tens of millions, or its Soul Tool technology that led the times, it firmly surpassed any city in the original Three Douluo Kingdoms.
Furthermore, thanks to the emergence of the Simulated Universe, Mingdu's development was rocketing forward at a visible pace.
Various civilian Soul Tools were popping up everywhere, from self-cleaning devices to climate-controlling ones, greatly improving the lives of the populace and indirectly fueling the rapid growth of the Sun and Moon Empire's national strength.
The already leading Soul Tool technology saw its research efficiency multiply, aided by the massive data and simulation experiments provided by the Simulated Universe. The gap between them and the original Three Douluo Kingdoms was continuously widening.
Even if the original Three Douluo Kingdoms were trying to catch up with the help of the Simulated Universe, the gap remained and couldn't be closed in a short time.
This was the principle that the strong get stronger, and the weak get weaker.
The Hyperion floated silently high up, dozens of kilometers away, its stealth mode blending it completely into the clouds.
Lu Jingming led Gu Yue and the others, slowly descending from the high altitude. They concealed their presence and walked toward Mingdu like ordinary travelers.
Although Mingdu lacked walls, it had strict entry regulations.
Especially during the sensitive period leading up to the tournament, all personnel had to enter through designated official roads, complete registration, and obtain entry permits. Otherwise, they would be immediately arrested by patrolling soldiers for illegal entry.
Lu Jingming's group naturally chose to enter openly through the main entrance.
Their purpose for coming was to participate in the Soul Master Tournament. To sneak in would be undignified and invite ridicule.
Coincidentally, the Shrek Academy team arriving from a distance had the same intention.
As a top academic force on the continent, they always acted openly. Being caught sneaking in would mean a complete loss of face.
Mingdu Avenue, the main artery running through the city, was wide enough for ten Soul Tool electric trains to run abreast and was the only route for all outsiders entering Mingdu.
In front of the registration point, besides the fully armed soldiers and busy staff, Lu Jingming keenly sensed a Titled-Douluo-level Soul Engineer's life aura hidden in the shadows.
Possessing a fragment of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's Authority, few life forms could hide from him.
"They've invested heavily," Lu Jingming mused.
During the tournament, various forces converged, creating a chaotic mix. To prevent any incidents, the Sun and Moon Empire directly stationed a Tier-9 Soul Engineer at the gate, indicating their extreme vigilance and nerve-wracking attention to the matter.
As Servants created from negative emotions, Raiden Mei and the others, though energy forms, were not spirits but solid entities, and naturally needed to comply with the registration rules.
This was precisely one of the Sun and Moon Empire's objectives: to scout for the Servants' traces through the entry registration.
After all, Servants usually appear almost identical to ordinary people. As long as they don't display their strength, they can easily pass as humans.
Even the Sun and Moon Empire's most advanced detection Soul Tools were powerless against these powerful existences from another world.
The detection functions designed for native Soul Masters and Soul Beasts had a negligible effect on the Servants.
The registration process was surprisingly simple.
A staff member operated a special Soul Tool camera to take a picture of each entrant and, after registering their name, granted them passage.
The whole process was astonishingly fast—essentially a photo and a name. As for the authenticity of the name, the Sun and Moon Empire officials seemed unconcerned; what truly couldn't be faked was the clearly recorded face.
Of course, even if the faces were faked, the Sun and Moon Empire had prepared for that mentally. They never expected to gather all intelligence this way. It was more a gesture, an intangible deterrent to potential threats.
After registering, as Lu Jingming was about to lead the group into Mingdu, a faint gaze suddenly fell upon him, tinged with scrutiny and curiosity.
He frowned, subconsciously glancing back, and his lips couldn't help but twitch.
The owner of the gaze was a girl with blue and pink bi-colored long hair, exquisitely beautiful—it was Wang Dong'er.
However, her current expression and the aura she exuded were completely different from the Wang Dong'er in Lu Jingming's memory—whether in her male guise as Wang Dong or her female guise as Wang Dong'er, the girl's appearance was unchanged, but her inner spirit was entirely different.
"Tang Wutong?"
Lu Jingming instantly understood.
Such a profound, transformative change could only be explained by the awakening of Tang Wutong.
Although this was earlier than in the original work, considering the upheaval he had caused on the Douluo Continent recently, it was reasonable for Tang San to change his plans. He wasn't too surprised.
What truly surprised him was the woman standing beside Tang Wutong—dressed in a luxurious peacock costume, her skirt adorned with fine golden patterns, exuding an indescribable aura of seduction and danger with every movement.
"Holy cow, Goddess of the Golden Star, Vita?"
Lu Jingming almost failed to maintain his expression.
Her Servant was her? With Vita here, Mingdu was truly going to get lively.
Given her personality, if she didn't cause some earth-shattering event, she wouldn't live up to her reputation as a "bad woman."
Looking beside Tang Wutong, besides Vita, there were two middle-aged men in gray robes.
Their presences were restrained, like ordinary people, but Lu Jingming could feel a boundless, ocean-like life aura within them, indicating unfathomable strength.
"That must be Da Ming and Er Ming,"
Lu Jingming nodded inwardly. Although these two had deliberately contained their auras, their fundamental power could not be hidden from his perception.
The rest were a group of young people under twenty, whose attire and Soul Power fluctuations suggested they were disciples of the Clear Sky Sect (Haotian Zong). They were likely the team representing the Clear Sky Sect in the Soul Master Tournament this time.
With just a quick glance, Lu Jingming withdrew his gaze and, with a normal expression, led his group into Mingdu.
Mingdu Avenue was astonishingly wide, paved with smooth, flat bluestone slabs, easily accommodating dozens of people walking abreast.
Shops lined both sides of the road, filled with various Soul Tools and merchandise. The sounds of hawking and bargaining rose and fell, presenting a scene of great prosperity.
"Interesting, there are many familiar faces!"
Unlike Tang Wutong, who focused on Lu Jingming, Vita tapped her finger against her lips, recalling the two familiar figures she had just seen, Durandal and Raiden Mei, and displayed an intrigued expression.
"Oh! Beautiful sister, you're actually here! Seeing you makes me so happy, tee-hee~."
A clear, slightly surprised girl's voice rang out, accompanied by the clinking of bells. A figure with black twin tails, wearing a fiery red outfit, full of passionate freedom, appeared behind Tang Wutong's group.
"Cute little sister Sparkle, we are truly destined! This is just too interesting!"
Vita was momentarily stunned, then broke into a brilliant smile, her slightly narrowed eyes filled with delight.
"Right? Right? I thought so too, sister! For the opening of this play, meeting you is a golden start, isn't it?"
Sparkle intimately held Vita's hand, leaning forward slightly, getting close to Vita with an exceptionally warm smile.
"Of course, little sister. Next, it's Fools' Time."
Vita was equally affectionate, acting as if Sparkle were her closest confidante, closer than a biological sister.
"Sister Vita, is this your friend?"
Tang Wutong looked at Vita and Sparkle in surprise. Their intimate manner clearly indicated a close relationship. However, she knew Vita was a memory construct from another world and a Servant. For her to meet an acquaintance, the other party must also undoubtedly be a Servant.
"Of course. This is little sister Sparkle, my kin and dear friend."
Vita introduced her with a beaming smile.
"Oh, so you're sister's Master? Worthy of being the one to summon sister, you're such a pretty little sister."
Sparkle's eyes lit up. She instantly moved in front of Tang Wutong, appearing very intimate and curious.
Tang Wutong was slightly uncomfortable with this overly familiar personality and subconsciously took a step back. Niu Tian and Tai Tan flanking her also frowned, instantly locking their spiritual power onto Sparkle.
"Tee-hee, don't be so cautious, little monkey and little green snake. Lady Sparkle is very friendly, a good person."
Sparkle pouted, sounding a little displeased.
Niu Tian and Tai Tan's pupils constricted. To immediately discern their true forms, this seemingly harmless, lively girl truly shocked them.
"Little Wutong, little sister Sparkle doesn't mean any harm, she's just a bit too enthusiastic."
Vita smiled faintly, completely unconcerned about Sparkle approaching her Master.
Although under the Holy Grail rules, if the Master dies, the Servant's power will gradually dissipate, and the Servant will completely disappear once the negative energy is gone.
Therefore, under this rule, Servants generally won't harm their own Masters. This was a safeguard Lu Jingming had built in when designing the Holy Grail.
After all, there were too many troublesome people in his memory, and the existence of the Masters served as a restraint on the Servants.
"Hello, my name is Tang Wutong, I'm Sister Vita's Master, Sister Sparkle."
Tang Wutong hesitated before extending her hand. Although Sparkle looked around her age, Tang Wutong subconsciously used the honorific "sister."
"Tee-hee, little Wutong is well-behaved! Sister has trained you well!"
Sparkle's eyes darted around, then she chuckled.
"T-trained?"
Tang Wutong's mouth twitched. She didn't know how to respond to that.
"Heh heh, little sister Sparkle is just joking with you, little Wutong!"
Vita let out a soft laugh, but at an angle Tang Wutong couldn't see, her expression cooled for a fraction of a second.
This mischievous little sister was subtly trying to trip her up.
"Cute little sister Sparkle, we'll have plenty of time to revel when our stage arrives, don't you think?"
Vita's implied meaning was for Sparkle to find other amusements and not bother her until the stage was set.
"Of course, sister. Some are self-opinionated, some are self-moved, some are purely self-serving, and some are deceitful—but the Fools mock everything and amuse themselves, tee-hee~"
Sparkle was very happy. There were already so many amusements, and Vita's appearance made her even more excited.
The main course is usually saved for last, so she was willing to heed Vita's warning for now and find other fun to pass the time.
Tang Wutong couldn't understand Vita and Sparkle's conversation and was utterly confused. She instinctively felt that this pair of "sisters" weren't as close as they claimed.
"Sister, to have fun, you must seize the right moment to enter the stage, tee-hee~!"
Sparkle saw the Shrek Academy team, including Ma Xiaotao, approaching from behind, and knew their time for catching up was over.
Vita also noticed the arrival of the Shrek Academy group. They were numerous and contained quite a few powerful individuals, some of whom even made Vita instinctively feel a sense of danger, but this only made her more delighted.
The more powerful the better, so the plot wouldn't fall into clichés, and the reversals would be more enjoyable.
If her true body were here, she might have to worry about self-preservation, but as just a memory construct, it didn't matter. She'd seek enjoyment however she pleased.
"Dong'er, it really is you!"
In the Shrek Academy team, Xiao Xiao spotted Tang Wutong immediately, her face lighting up with genuine surprise and joy.
Wang Dong'er, who had been in contact with them, had suddenly cut off communication for some unknown reason. Xiao Xiao had been very worried, fearing something had happened to her.
If she had known the Clear Sky Sect's specific location, she would have gone to find Wang Dong'er long ago. Seeing her safe and sound now made her overjoyed.
Tang Wutong frowned slightly upon seeing Xiao Xiao.
Although she had inherited Wang Dong'er's memories, she hadn't fully accepted them. Out of a strange sense of avoidance, she hadn't contacted Xiao Xiao and the others again.
But now, she clearly couldn't run away any longer and could only steel herself to face them.
"Xiao Xiao, long time no see."
Tang Wutong tried hard to recall Wang Dong'er's tone and demeanor from the memories and greeted Xiao Xiao.
Xiao Xiao's steps halted immediately, and the smile on her face froze. She looked at Tang Wutong with doubt.
Although the smile and tone were identical to the Wang Dong'er she remembered, the subtle sense of distance made her feel a strange unfamiliarity, as if the person in front of her wasn't the Wang Dong'er she knew, but a complete stranger.
It wasn't just Xiao Xiao; Bei Bei, Jiang Nannan, and Xu Sanshi, who had approached, also noticed something was off.
The person in front of them still looked like Wang Dong'er, but the inner temperament and feeling had undergone earth-shattering changes, making her feel somewhat foreign and even difficult to understand.
"Dong'er, what happened to you?"
Xiao Xiao asked cautiously, her voice filled with worry. She suspected that the change might have been caused by Huo Yuhao.
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