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*****
The Sun and Moon Empire's grand palace.
"Your Majesty, at the Battle of Jiannan Pass, the Blue-Clad Douluo defeated two of our titled Douluos, a Rank 9 Soul master, and countless other warriors," a robust young man in orange armor reported, standing at the foot of the jade staircase leading to the emperor's throne.
Jiannan Pass, the nearest fortress to Mingdu, was heavily guarded to prevent the Blue-Clad Douluo from entering the capital. The Sun and Moon Empire had deployed many strong warriors there.
"I want to know who this person is and where they are now," said the emperor, Xu Tianran. His grim expression spoke volumes about his authority.
"Your Majesty, the Blue-Clad Douluo's origins are shrouded in mystery. Despite our intelligence department's efforts to investigate all known titled Douluos, we couldn't find any information about him. It's as if he just appeared out of nowhere," the man in orange armor replied. "After breaking through Jiannan Pass, the Blue-Clad Douluo secretly entered Mingdu, visited a soul tool shop, and left with a young boy. Since then, we've lost track of him."
"What?" Xu Tianran's brows furrowed deeply upon hearing this. "Are you saying that the Blue-Clad Douluo stormed through dozens of our cities, injuring several of our empire's strongest warriors, just to retrieve a single boy?"
His voice grew colder, laced with a hint of accusation.
"It seems that way, Your Majesty," the man in orange armor replied, his forehead damp with sweat. The story seemed improbable, but it was indeed what had happened.
"Your Majesty, there's more news that might interest you. The soul tool shop where the boy was seen is called Infinity Soul Tools, and it's rumored that the shop's owner is the infamous Unnamed Master. Mingde Hall's head, Jing Hongchen, mentioned that if they could recruit the Unnamed Master, it would significantly elevate the level of their soul tools."
Xu Tianran's eyes showed a flicker of intrigue upon hearing this. He had already heard about the Unnamed Master from Jing Hongchen, who had personally recommended recruiting him to improve Mingde Hall's capabilities.
"Send someone, under my command, to invite the Unnamed Master to the palace," Xu Tianran ordered after a brief pause.
"Your Majesty, what if he doesn't come? The Unnamed Master is likely connected to the Blue-Clad Douluo," the man in orange armor asked, his concern evident. Despite knowing the Unnamed Master's reputation, he hadn't expected the emperor to take such an interest in him.
"If he refuses, you know what to do," Xu Tianran replied coldly, a murderous intent flickering in his eyes.
"Understood, Your Majesty," the man in orange armor responded, straightening his posture before quickly exiting the grand palace.
However, just then, a voice echoed from outside the palace.
"Your Majesty, Zuo Wenjing, the commander of Sunset Pass, has urgent military news and requests an audience!"
With the voice still echoing, a figure in red armor, visibly weakened, knelt outside the grand palace.
"Summon Zuo Wenjing to the hall," came the order.
Zuo Wenjing staggered into the hall, and the court saw that the commander of Sunset Pass was visibly wounded. His armor, supposed to be red, was stained with blood.
"What happened, Zuo Wenjing?" Xu Tianran's expression darkened as he observed the pale face of the injured commander.
"Your Majesty, two days ago, the Blue-Clad Douluo appeared in the western coastal region of the empire, buying large quantities of food, herbs, and other resources. I attempted to intercept him, but I was gravely injured. I made my way to Mingdu to report this to Your Majesty," Zuo Wenjing said, dropping to his knees. His armor was soaked, making it hard to distinguish where the red metal ended and the blood began.
His words sent shockwaves through the hall. The assembled ministers buzzed with anger and shock.
"The Blue-Clad Douluo is buying food and herbs in large quantities? Does he really think the Sun and Moon Empire will cower before him?"
"Your Majesty, I request that we issue a nationwide order to hunt him down. We can't allow him to do as he pleases within our borders!"
"Your Majesty, he could be amassing resources to raise an army! We must send troops to root him out!"
Voices clamored in the grand hall, each expressing outrage and suggesting drastic measures against the Blue-Clad Douluo.
However, as the emperor, Xu Tianran remained calm, his eyes sharp as he took in the scene. He cast a glance at the man in orange armor, who took the hint and quickly left the hall.
Meanwhile, at Infinity Soul Tools in Mingdu, Han Feng, the temporary shopkeeper, was polishing the soul tools on display.
"I wonder when the young master and the others will return," Han Feng muttered to himself. Since Shui Wuyá and Shui Yánjun left, he hadn't heard a word from them, and the uncertainty gnawed at him.
"The Level 3 Ice Pearl has sold out again, and the Level 4 Frost Sword has been flying off the shelves these past few days," a clerk called out to Han Feng.
"Got it," Han Feng replied, nodding. He wasn't particularly skilled at business, but the clerk had a knack for it and managed the shop exceptionally well. Under his guidance, business had been booming.
"Boss, you really don't need to polish those soul tools all day. They're not going to break if you don't clean them. You should go out and enjoy some of the world's finer things. It's a lot more fun," the clerk suggested, noticing Han Feng's somewhat robotic demeanor.
The clerk always suspected that the shop's owners were anything but ordinary. The young boss, despite being just a teenager, had an air of mystery about him, even though he was friendly enough. As for Han Feng, the bulky temporary shopkeeper, he appeared to be the young boss's servant and had a demeanor that was stoic and single-minded.
"I'll do that when I get a chance," Han Feng replied with a short laugh. The sound lasted only a moment before his expression darkened.
Han Feng turned to gaze out the shop window, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Boss, is something wrong?" the clerk asked, sensing that something was amiss.
"Listen, you've done an excellent job. Here's your bonus," Han Feng said, his left hand tapping his storage soul tool, producing a heavy bag filled with gold soul coins, which landed in the clerk's hands. "Now, leave the shop and go find Zhang Youde on the next street. He'll give you a new job."
This was unlike Han Feng, who was generally a man of few words. The clerk could tell that Han Feng's sudden urgency signaled danger.
As the clerk held the heavy bag of gold coins, he felt a chill run down his spine. Something serious was happening. The atmosphere in the shop grew tense. He knew better than to question Han Feng, so he simply nodded and quickly left the shop, the bag of gold coins clinking in his hand.
(End of Chapter)