The next morning, the first light of dawn appeared.
At the border of the two great empires, a wide, ornate carriage was advancing toward the Star Luo Empire, kicking up a trail of dust.
The interior of the carriage was extremely comfortable, furnished with a soft bed, making sitting very relaxing.
A small table was placed in the center, laden with a dazzling array of fruits and snacks, enough to make one drool.
Lu Feng lay comfortably on Zhu Zhuqing's lap, opening his mouth slightly to accept a grape she fed him by hand. The juice burst out, filling his mouth with sweetness.
"The Strength Clan truly deserves its reputation as a forging family. This carriage is exquisitely crafted. Sitting in it, you don't feel a single bump. It's not inferior even to the Imperial Family's carriages," Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but praise.
The corner of Lu Feng's mouth turned up in a wicked smile as he teased, "Then when I ascend the throne, I'll capture them all and make them forge iron exclusively for me."
Zhu Zhuqing rolled her eyes at him, snorted softly, and reproached, "Hmph, the Strength Clan is in Heaven Dou City. Unless you can grow wings and fly over there, how are you going to snatch them back?"
"Don't worry, there will be such a day." The corner of Lu Feng's mouth rose slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
He had kept a record of all his conflicts with the Strength Clan in his little notebook.
These debts would be settled sooner or later.
The carriage traveled extremely fast, speeding along. In just one morning, they successfully entered the territory of the Star Luo Empire.
It was the crisp autumn season. The air outside was fresh and cool, carrying a hint of autumn chill.
The environment of the Star Luo Empire was completely different from that of the Heaven Dou Empire. It was vast and boundless, dominated by plains, with few high mountains or dense forests, offering an extremely broad field of view.
The capital of the Star Luo Empire—Star Luo City—sat majestically in the very center of the Star Luo Plains. From the border, even by carriage, it would take the better part of a month to get there.
The carriage traveled day and night for three or four days.
After crossing a small hill, a city built of pitch-black giant stones faintly appeared in Lu Feng's line of sight.
This was the gateway to the Star Luo Empire—Longxing City, also a prosperous border trade city.
Longxing City was not directly under the jurisdiction of the Star Luo Imperial Family but belonged to a kingdom.
Due to frequent trade, merchants came and went in an endless stream, making it extremely lively.
This seemingly small city's annual revenue actually ranked in the top five among all the main cities of the Star Luo Empire, showing its level of prosperity.
On the Douluo Continent, numerous kingdoms and duchies were ostensibly subordinate to the two great empires, but secretly, they governed themselves, acting like independent little kingdoms.
Even worse, some duchies, backed by mysterious forces, became increasingly unscrupulous. Not only did they disobey the empire's orders, but they also blatantly expanded their territories.
An hour later, Lu Feng and Zhu Zhuqing finally arrived at Longxing City.
After a simple inspection at the city gate, they successfully entered the city.
Inside the city, pedestrians rubbed shoulders, bustling with activity. Various shouts and hawking cries rose and fell.
Lu Feng looked curiously at the shops on both sides, his eyes full of novelty and excitement. After all, this was his first time in a southern city.
Zhu Zhuqing watched his curious appearance, her eyes curving into a gentle smile.
"How is it? Our Star Luo Empire isn't bad, right?"
Although she had left the Star Luo Empire helplessly due to internal family competition, stepping onto this familiar homeland again, an indescribable emotion surged in her heart.
The familiar streets, buildings, the unique scent in the air, and every blade of grass and tree here made her feel incredibly warm.
Lu Feng smiled faintly, his eyes full of doting affection, and said softly, "It is indeed not bad, a good place. No wonder it could raise such a beautiful girl like you."
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing's face instantly turned red.
She turned her head away, a faint blush on her cheeks, and scolded, "Glib tongue. Come on, I'll take you to taste the unique wine of our Star Luo Empire."
Saying this, Zhu Zhuqing pointed to a tavern not far away.
"Let's go there."
Lu Feng looked in the direction she pointed and saw a simply and elegantly decorated tavern.
The tavern was a two-story building, its outer walls painted a fresh green, looking particularly elegant. A quaint plaque hung above the wooden circular arch, engraved with four vigorous characters.
"Happy Hour?"
Lu Feng read softly, a flash of inspiration suddenly striking his mind, as if he remembered something.
He looked through the glass window. Inside the tavern, a faint, warm light was on; clearly, it was open for business.
"Let's go in and take a look." A trace of anticipation flashed in Lu Feng's eyes. He took Zhu Zhuqing's hand and strode toward the tavern.
"Ding-a-ling~"
The tavern door was pushed open slowly, triggering the small bell hanging above. The crisp sound echoed in the tavern.
At this moment, a waiter dressed in white walked over slowly, a professional smile on his face, and said politely, "Welcome to Happy Hour Tavern. What would you two like to drink?"
A faint smile curled the corner of Lu Feng's mouth as he said gently, "Hello, please give me a glass of the freshest fruit juice."
"Fruit juice?" Hearing this request, the waiter frowned subconsciously.
Ordering fruit juice in a tavern, is this person here to cause trouble?
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, as if he thought of something important. He looked at Lu Feng carefully again.
"Respected sir, please wait a moment. I will go ask the boss."
After speaking, the waiter trotted away.
"Lu Feng, do you know the owner of this tavern?" Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing was full of doubts and couldn't help asking.
Lu Feng smiled. Before he could answer, a hearty laugh came from behind the counter.
"Hahaha, Brother Tang Er, you finally decided to come see this fatty."
With the voice, the curtain was yanked open, and a big fatty squeezed out from behind.
This person was about 1.7 meters tall, but a conservative estimate put his weight at three hundred jin (150 kg). His face was fleshy, and the big beard on his chin was carefully braided into a twist, looking quite unique.
"Hahaha, Gulas, you've gotten fatter again." Lu Feng laughed loudly, opening his arms to give Gulas a warm bear hug.
Gulas patted Lu Feng's shoulder hard and lamented, "Brother Tang Er, you've changed too much. I almost didn't recognize you."
Currently, under the effect of the [Disguise] skill, Lu Feng's overall appearance still maintained Dai Mubai's look, but some details of his face had begun to gradually transform back to his original appearance.
In a few more years, when he recovered seventy or eighty percent of his original appearance, under the subtle influence, the people around him wouldn't notice anything unusual.
At this moment, Gulas's gaze fell on Zhu Zhuqing. He looked her up and down a few times and said with a smile, "Eh? This must be my sister-in-law? Not bad, beautiful, big butt, just a little thin."
Hearing such a direct comment, Zhu Zhuqing's face instantly flushed red. It was the first time she had been spoken of like this, feeling both shy and a bit awkward.
Lu Feng held Zhu Zhuqing's hand and introduced her, "Zhuqing, this is Gulas, a friend I met in the Soul Beast Forest before."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly and said softly, "Hello, my name is Zhu Zhuqing."
Gulas laughed heartily. "Haha, I'm so happy to meet an old friend today."
Saying this, he grabbed a mug of ale next to him, threw his head back, and drank it in one gulp.
"Brother Tang Er, I'll go call Big Sister and the others. Tonight, we won't go home until we're drunk!"
Lu Feng asked with a smile, "Are Big Sister and the others in Longxing City too?"
Gulas nodded. "Yeah, that guy Man Sandao moved fast. Their kid is old enough to buy soy sauce now."
Lu Feng didn't wake up until noon the next day.
With his level 59 soul power, he could stay sober after a thousand cups just by circulating his soul power slightly. But reuniting with old friends was rare, and he naturally didn't want to spoil this special feeling.
"Creak~"
The door was pushed open slowly, and Zhu Zhuqing walked in with a basin of hot water.
Lu Feng washed his face with a towel to wake himself up and said, "Zhuqing, where are Gulas and the others? We still have business to attend to; it's time to say goodbye."
"I've already told them. As for the Broken Clan, I've also sent someone to deliver a visiting card."
"Mhm." Lu Feng nodded slightly.
Zhu Zhuqing continued, "After the Clear Sky Clan sealed their mountain, the four single-attribute clans scattered. Although the Broken Clan suffered heavy losses back then, they are skilled in refining medicine and are very popular in the Star Luo Empire."
Saying this, she frowned slightly, a little worried. "The Broken Clan receives countless solicitations every year, but they have rejected them all. Lu Feng, are you really confident in recruiting them?"
Lu Feng pondered for a moment and said slowly, "I can't say it's a sure thing, but we have to try. As for the probability of success, I think it's ninety-eight percent."
"Hmph, keep bragging." A faint smile appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's lips, her eyes full of tenderness.
"Zhuqing, you dare to doubt your husband? Prepare for family law."
"Ah, no."
A magnificent, huge residence.
The character "Yang" was carved prominently on the plaque of the mansion, indicating the identity of its owner.
"Bang!"
With a loud noise, the gate of the Yang Residence was pushed open violently. A black-clothed figure was thrown out, landing heavily on the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
The black-clothed man struggled to prop himself up, his face full of anger and unwillingness.
"Yang Wudi, good, good! You dare to refuse the First Prince's solicitation!" He pointed a trembling finger at the Yang Residence and cursed loudly.
At the gate, a lanky man holding a long spear stood with soul power surging around him. Two yellow, two purple, four black—eight soul rings slowly emerged, emitting a chilling aura.
Yang Wudi's gaze was sharp as a falcon's, cold and focused. His voice was deep and majestic, "Hmph, do you think this old man grew up scared? If you dare bark like a mad dog again, taste my Soul Breaking Spear!"
Hearing this, the black-clothed man's expression changed instantly, anger replaced by fear. He opened his mouth but dared not say another word.
"Hmph." He snorted coldly and left the place as if escaping.
"Ai." Yang Wudi watched the black-clothed man's retreating figure, slowly retracted his Martial Soul, and a trace of exhaustion and helplessness appeared on his face.
"Why does the Clan Master sigh?" A middle-aged man next to him couldn't help asking.
Yang Wudi shook his head, worry revealing in his eyes. "As the saying goes, a tall tree catches the wind. The medicines refined by the Broken Clan are too popular. While this is a good thing, it also brings us a lot of trouble."
Since breaking away from the Clear Sky Clan, the Broken Clan's situation had become increasingly difficult.
Due to Spirit Hall's exclusion, many forces avoided them, unwilling to cooperate.
Helpless, Yang Wudi could only lead his clansmen to migrate far away to the Star Luo Empire, finding a chance to breathe in Longxing City.
The world of Soul Masters was not just about fighting and killing; it was more about human connections and worldly wisdom.
Over the years, Yang Wudi had received solicitations from many major forces. He knew well that the Broken Clan needed to find a new backer to gain a foothold on this turbulent continent.
However, most of these forces coveted the Broken Clan's medicine refining secret techniques. For Yang Wudi, this was undoubtedly asking for the Yang family's lifeblood.
Take the envoy of First Prince Davis just now. He opened his mouth demanding the Yang family serve him for twenty years and hand over the medicine refining canon.
How could Yang Wudi agree to such unreasonable demands?
He felt that not killing the man on the spot was already showing a good temper.
"..."
Hearing this, the middle-aged man subconsciously rubbed the corner of his clothes, a hesitant look on his face, wanting to speak but stopping.
Seeing this, Yang Wudi frowned slightly. "Yang Jiu, if you have something to say, just say it."
Yang Jiu hesitated, took a visiting card from his pocket, carefully handed it to Yang Wudi, and stammered, "Clan... Clan Master, this was sent by Third Prince Dai Mubai."
"Dai Mubai?" Yang Wudi frowned tightly, quickly searching for this name in his mind. He felt he had heard it somewhere.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, and his eyes instantly lit up.
"It's him!"
Yang Wudi recalled that a month ago, when he went to Balack City to purchase medicinal herbs, he saw a huge portrait at the entrance of the Great Spirit Arena.
The portrait showed a young man, heroic and striking. Beside the portrait were a few flowing large characters:
"All-Continent Elite Soul Master Tournament Grand Champion, Shrek Academy, Captain Evil Eye White Tiger Dai Mubai, 17 years old, Level 51 Battle Soul King!"
Back then, seeing this portrait, Yang Wudi was greatly shocked.
Becoming a Soul King expert at seventeen... as far as he knew, even Tang Hao back then didn't have such achievements at this age.
Truly, a new generation replaces the old!
"Then let's meet him." Yang Wudi nodded slightly, speaking calmly.
Yang Wudi had also heard about the competition between the Star Luo princes. In his opinion, barring any accidents, this Dai Mubai was very likely to become the next Emperor of Star Luo.
"As long as the other party's demands aren't too excessive and they don't target my medicine refining canon, joining the Imperial Family would be a good path for the Broken Clan."
Yang Wudi pondered inwardly, a trace of expectation in his eyes.