Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi entered Duluo City without stopping at an inn. Instead, they headed directly toward the City Lord's Mansion to investigate the truth that both intrigued and unsettled them.
The Evil spirit master serving as Duluo City's current lord was named Zhang Ao. According to Shrek Academy's intel, Zhang Ao possessed a martial soul called the Death Evil Demon Blade, said to strengthen itself by devouring the vitality of living beings. Zhu Ziyang had read through Zhang Ao's biography—he had only been a Soul Emperor a year ago and was a teacher at a prestigious Heaven Dou Empire spirit master academy. He was known for being upright and kind, making it hard to imagine that he could be a Evil spirit master.
If Zhang Ao's capabilities were truly as the reports described, without exaggeration or omission, then the strange atmosphere of Duluo City would finally make sense to Zhu Ziyang.
All he needed now was to meet Zhang Ao and see if the man bore the weight of any sins. That would be the best way to determine whether Zhang Ao was a man born in darkness but yearning for the light, or a deeply concealed villain.
They arrived at the mansion and barged right in. In the main hall, they met Zhang Ao. Zhu Ziyang took one look and immediately came to a conclusion. Without hesitation, he grabbed Qian Lingyi's hand and turned to leave.
The sudden action left Zhang Ao confused and angry at the strangers who had intruded into his home. Qian Lingyi was also puzzled but couldn't stop him. By the time Zhang Ao reacted, the two had already disappeared. Enraged, he summoned his guards and ordered them to find and capture the two intruders who dared to storm into the lord's estate.
Zhang Ao, though known for being approachable, wasn't someone to be trespassed upon without cause. He was determined to find and punish them—to teach them to respect a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse.
But it was too late. Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi had already left Duluo City and were now outside its borders.
"You ran way too fast! I nearly couldn't keep up," Qian Lingyi complained.
"We got the wrong person. Why wouldn't I run?" Zhu Ziyang waved it off. "That Zhang Ao doesn't carry the weight of sin. So, he's clearly not our target."
"So… even Shrek Academy's intel can be wrong?" Qian Lingyi smirked.
"Wrong on two counts. First, it's 'our' intel. Don't forget, you're part of Shrek Academy now too." Zhu Ziyang corrected her. "Second, the intel wasn't wrong. Zhang Ao is indeed a Evil spirit master—but one not recognized by the traditional spirit master world."
"…Fine, I can't argue with that," Qian Lingyi muttered after glaring at him for a moment. "So, where to next?"
"To the Tianhui Grand Canyon. We're getting your sixth spirit ring," Zhu Ziyang replied.
——
Tianhui Grand Canyon.
After leaving Duluo City, Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi traveled north, entering the canyon through its southern entrance. With Qian Lingyi leading the way, they pushed deeper inside.
"We've been wandering for three days now. Are you sure there's a Radiant Tiger clan in this canyon?" Zhu Ziyang asked as they paused near a lakeside deep within the canyon.
"I heard about it from my grandmother! Her fifth spirit ring came from a Radiant Tiger," Qian Lingyi replied. "Let's just keep looking—we might find them soon!"
"Alright. Two more days. If we don't find anything by then, we'll try the northern mountain range to find a suitable spirit beast," Zhu Ziyang relented.
"Hehe, we'll find them. I just know it," Qian Lingyi grinned playfully.
Their persistence paid off. On the fourth afternoon, they spotted a thousand-year Radiant Tiger in the distance. Both of them lit up with excitement and began quietly tailing it.
Their plan was simple—follow the Radiant Tiger back to its clan. But the tiger seemed to be a loner. It roamed alone for three days, showing no signs of heading toward other tigers. The pair were getting dragged around in circles.
"I've had it!" Qian Lingyi cried. "Why hasn't this thing gone back to its clan yet?"
"Maybe it's been cast out," Zhu Ziyang speculated.
"So we've wasted the last three days? Let's just go—I'm done," Qian Lingyi said dejectedly.
"Wait, I've figured out where the Radiant Tiger clan is," Zhu Ziyang said confidently. "Come with me."
"What? How do you know?" she asked in surprise.
"Haven't you noticed? That tiger keeps circling the same area. I've observed that spot—it's got a hidden depression in the terrain. If that tiger hadn't wandered within a hundred meters of it a few times, I might not have noticed."
"You think their lair is in that depression?" she asked with delight.
"Almost certainly," Zhu Ziyang nodded.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Qian Lingyi tugged him excitedly. "The sooner we find those tigers, the sooner we can get out of this cursed place!"
At the edge of the depression, they cleared away some weeds and fallen branches to reveal a massive cave entrance three to four meters tall. Just inside the cave lay a massive white tiger with six white wings folded over its back.
"Six-Winged Radiant Tiger!" Qian Lingyi gasped in excitement. This was the very beast they had been searching for all this time.
A Six-Winged Radiant Tiger was a Radiant Tiger that had surpassed ten thousand years of cultivation. Its wings evolved into six, and it would gain new elements in addition to its original light attribute. This particular tiger had golden, red, and silver patterns on its wings, showing that it commanded light, fire, and divine elements.
"It has a thirty-thousand-year cultivation. Can you handle it?" Zhu Ziyang asked.
"Don't underestimate me! My fifth spirit ring is twenty thousand years old," Qian Lingyi said proudly.
"Roar!" The Six-Winged Radiant Tiger had already noticed them and leapt forward with a furious roar.
"Noisy beast." Zhu Ziyang summoned the Stillness Fate Ending Scythe and struck the tiger squarely on the head, slamming it to the ground.
Qian Lingyi followed up swiftly. With her Angel martial soul activated and sword in hand, she drove the blade into the tiger's belly.
The beast howled in pain, jaws wide open. Zhu Ziyang took the opportunity to swing his scythe again, slicing half its jaw clean off. Blood gushed out across the cave floor.
Still struggling, the tiger lashed out with its paws, but Qian Lingyi didn't give it a chance. Her second spirit skill activated, and she severed one of its front limbs. She then spun and drove her sword through its throat, ending its life.
Its eyes dimmed, and its life faded away. A thirty-thousand-year Six-Winged Radiant Tiger was slain—almost effortlessly.
The moment it fell, over a dozen Radiant Tigers rushed out from deeper in the cave. None of them exceeded a thousand years in cultivation, and neither Zhu Ziyang nor Qian Lingyi had any interest in them. Carrying the fallen tiger's corpse, they quickly departed toward the canyon's outer edge.
(End of Chapter)
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