The Sun Moon Empire's greatest secret?
Huo Yuhao was briefly stunned.
To be honest—he really didn't know anything about that.
Even the original novel didn't mention it.
Well, relying on a novel to verify reality is kind of foolish. Novels and reality often have subtle discrepancies. Huo Yuhao only believed in one thing—his own strength.
If you don't understand, just ask.
"What is it?" Huo Yuhao asked directly.
"You'll see when we get there. Don't get too scared!" Tang Ya replied with a mysterious smile.
Huo Yuhao said no more.
The three continued on their way.
Tang Ya was actually watching Bei Bei closely. Seeing that Bei Bei showed no emotional reaction to her talking with Huo Yuhao, her heart felt bitter.
"Have you stopped caring about me to the point you won't even get jealous?"
Ever since Bei Bei became an evil soul master, communication between them had grown even sparser. She never got the recognition she hoped for, the kind that validated her presence in his new identity.
Even after Bei Bei returned from headquarters and fully accepted his status as a Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Sect, he seemed more distant from her than ever.
They had become strangers—strangers who used to know each other best.
There was no affection left between them.
If Bei Bei's memories and consciousness weren't clearly still intact, Tang Ya might have suspected he had been brainwashed by a secret technique.
According to what she knew, the Holy Spirit Sect's brainwashing methods wiped out a person's memories and replaced them with fabricated ones to allow easier control.
This had been confirmed by the elders.
So, Bei Bei hadn't been mind-controlled—something else had changed.
Maybe… he had really changed.
But Tang Ya wasn't giving up.
As they continued deeper in, they encountered no resistance. All combat-capable soul engineers had already gone to reinforce the plaza. The less combat-inclined ones had hidden inside the research labs and locked the doors tight—just in case.
The three of them moved unhindered until they reached a mysterious room deep within the facility. More accurately, it was a massive laboratory.
A black metallic door stood silently open. The space inside was vast.
At the moment, the lab was completely abandoned. The powerful soul engineers stationed here had all gone with Jing Hongchen to defend the plaza.
No one had closed the door, giving the three the perfect opportunity.
"Talk about lucky. Now we don't even need to figure out how to break in," Tang Ya exclaimed in pleasant surprise.
Huo Yuhao, seeing that Tang Ya and Bei Bei had headed straight here, immediately realized—there were traitors in Mingde Hall feeding information to the Holy Spirit Sect.
"Let's go, Armor Emperor. Let me show you the Sun Moon Empire's greatest secret!" Tang Ya said playfully.
She and Huo Yuhao followed Bei Bei into the lab.
The lab was enormous—circular in shape, with a diameter of over 100 meters and a height of over 30. The moment they stepped inside, all three were instantly drawn to the massive object before them.
It was a giant humanoid metallic structure, at least fifteen meters tall. The enormous body was forged entirely from metal. Though it looked a bit crude, its structure was largely complete. At the chest area, an open space revealed what looked like a seat or cockpit.
Huo Yuhao fell silent.
Tang Ya noticed his silence and chuckled, "Surprised? Impressed?"
She assumed Huo Yuhao was overwhelmed by the sight. Truth be told, she had been just as shocked when she first saw it—because she knew exactly what it was.
A humanoid soul tool.
According to intel, the Sun Moon Empire had poured massive resources and top-tier talent into developing this humanoid soul tool, and it was only now about half-finished.
Once completed, it would become a terrifying battlefield weapon—a national treasure for the empire.
Without wasting time, Bei Bei and Tang Ya revealed themselves and took out pre-prepared storage tools to start packing up everything they could carry from the lab.
As for the humanoid soul tool, Mingde Hall had prepared an enormous Starlight Sapphire to store and transport it.
Huo Yuhao didn't help. He was concerned that if he acted, they'd suspect him of stealing something—which would blow his cover.
After all, Brother Hao doesn't tolerate being wronged, even a little.
Tang Ya was a bit surprised by Huo Yuhao's "cooperative" behavior. She had assumed he would quietly try to gather intel for Shrek Academy.
But then she laughed it off.
"Shrek never cared much about soul tools. It makes sense for someone from Shrek to act this way. Heh… stupid Shrek. When the humanoid soul tool breaks through Shrek City one day, let's see if you regret it!"
In truth, the reason Huo Yuhao stayed silent was because—this was it? This was the Sun Moon Empire's big secret?
He had expected something fresher.
Still, humanoid soul tools were valuable. The technology behind them was ahead of its time—and they were precursors to mechas.
And the massive Starlight Sapphire was an absolute treasure.
But to Huo Yuhao, their value wasn't particularly high. Especially since the humanoid soul tool wasn't even finished. Even if the Holy Spirit Sect had the resources to complete it, could they really afford the cost?
More likely, the thing would be dismantled and reverse-engineered to improve the Holy Spirit Sect's own soul tool tech.
Though Huo Yuhao didn't know how the Holy Spirit Sect got this intel, or why they wanted the humanoid soul tool so badly, he had no intention of stopping them.
"Since we're here to steal… might as well go all the way."
Deep underground, Huo Yuhao's centipede-leg clones sprang into action. They'd been waiting patiently, and at his long-distance command, they drilled through the metal walls and began infiltrating Mingde Hall unnoticed.
Their target: the soul tool warehouse.
Originally, this side mission was scheduled for after leaving the Sun Moon Empire. But Huo Yuhao decided to start early.
Mingde Hall had three most precious resource centers:
The humanoid soul tool lab — the pinnacle of craftsmanship.
The soul tool warehouse — the empire's firepower reserve.
The blueprint archive — the empire's technological heritage.
The soul tool warehouse stored vast numbers of pre-fabricated fixed-installation soul tool shells, all set aside for future wars.
Most importantly, three of the top ten ranked fixed-installation soul tool shells—all level-9—were also stored in Mingde Hall. These were the most powerful fixed-installation weapons on the entire Douluo Continent.
Against standard level-9 shells, Jing Hongchen might barely escape using every trick he had. But against those three, even a hundred Jing Hongchens combined would only end in death.
Maybe because the warehouse was extremely well-hidden, or maybe due to overconfidence in their defenses, no one was guarding the outside. The centipede-leg clones moved in smoothly.
"If there's time afterward, I should swing by the materials warehouse and clean out the rare resources too," Huo Yuhao mused.
Tang Ya and Bei Bei quickly finished looting the lab. Finally, they used the massive Starlight Sapphire to store the giant humanoid soul tool.
And at the exact moment the humanoid soul tool vanished—the lab's alarm system was triggered, and blared throughout all of Mingde Hall.
Currently locked in a bitter battle with a Super Douluo, Jing Hongchen's face changed dramatically.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! You actually dared to steal that thing!!!!"
Alarm sirens blared from Mingde Hall.
Within the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, many teachers and students were jolted awake by the sudden warning.
The academy's security forces immediately sprang into action, rushing toward Mingde Hall, while another team was dispatched to request aid from the imperial palace.
Given the severity of the alarm, it was clear something major had occurred—beyond what the academy alone could handle. The situation now required imperial intervention.
Back inside the academy, Lin Jiayi quickly made arrangements. He ordered teachers to evacuate the students and ensure their safety, leading them out of the academy as a precaution.
This also served to clear space for the potential battle that might soon break out.
Xian Lin'er and the other exchange students from Shrek Academy were naturally among the evacuation group. She had everyone stay close together and follow the retreating crowd—but she herself remained hidden inside the academy, ready to support Huo Yuhao at any moment.
Given the chaos, Lin Jiayi didn't have the time or attention to track any specific individual. Once he confirmed that Shrek's students had left the academy premises, he turned his focus elsewhere.
Zhang Lexuan was in a similar position. Outside the academy, she became fully alert upon detecting the disturbance at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, preparing to act at a moment's notice.
Within Mingde Hall, the fierce battle raged on.
The evil soul masters, under the leadership of two Title Douluo, held their ground. The academy's soul engineers were unable to repel them at first.
The enemy's tactics were far too sinister—and they too were armed with soul tools.
The soul engineers of Mingde Hall, wary of friendly fire, could not go all-out within their own facility. The evil soul masters, however, fought without restraint.
In particular, the two enemy Title Douluo held back many of Mingde Hall's elites.
After the humanoid soul tool was stolen, the shrill alarm had left Jing Hongchen utterly furious—yet torn between conflicting priorities. He wanted to recover the humanoid soul tool but couldn't leave the battlefield. Meanwhile, the enemy Title Douluo fighting him launched a ferocious offensive to pin him down.
It dawned on Jing Hongchen—the attackers' true objective was likely the humanoid soul tool!
Fury surged through him. There was a traitor among them! How else could the evil soul masters have learned about such a confidential project?
He wanted to kill the mole a thousand times over!
Fortunately, he wasn't alone among the elite defenders.
"Hall Master, stay calm. I'll go to recover the asset!" shouted one of the Title Douluo from Mingde Hall. Among the hall's top researchers were several Title Douluo and even some Rank 9 soul engineers.
"Go! Now!" Jing Hongchen roared.
The Title Douluo quickly selected several Soul Douluo and retreated through a side passage toward the lab containing the humanoid soul tool.
The enemy Title Douluo tried to intercept them, but the hall's other soul engineers bravely blocked his path. In the chaos, several people were injured or killed—but they successfully held the enemy back.
However, the departure of a Title Douluo and several Soul Douluo weakened Mingde Hall's overall strength, placing greater pressure on those who remained.
Still, they only needed to hold out a bit longer—reinforcements from the Sun Moon Royal Academy were already on their way, and the message had reached the imperial palace. The imperial consecrates would arrive soon.
When that happened, not a single evil soul master would escape!
Meanwhile, the Mingde Hall Title Douluo and his team of Soul Douluo rushed toward the lab. Before even entering, he shouted with righteous fury, "Who dares disturb this place? Return what you've stolen!"
He stormed in, radiating power and menace—but that quickly turned to shock. His eyes widened in horror.
Right before him, in the center of the lab, sat a fully activated eighth-grade stationary soul-guided cannon shell!
"No! Fall back! Retreat immediately!" he howled in terror.
The Soul Douluo behind him hadn't even grasped the situation when a deafening explosion erupted.
The massive blast engulfed the entire laboratory, consuming everyone inside.
Around the corner outside the lab, hidden by the Dim Compass, Huo Yuhao and two companions sheltered behind a wall, avoiding the worst of the blast and keeping watch.
Surprisingly, the lab held up well. Though the explosion shattered the lab doors and left countless cracks in the walls, the structure hadn't collapsed entirely.
Huo Yuhao glanced at Tang Ya, who wore a slight smile.
"This was your plan too?" he asked.
This scheme likely didn't come from Bei Bei—his current state made deep strategy unlikely.
When the alarm first went off, neither Tang Ya nor Bei Bei had panicked. They clearly expected it—perhaps they guessed it would happen, or maybe the traitor tipped them off.
They had left behind the eighth-grade soul-guided shell, then exited the lab with Huo Yuhao, hiding nearby using the Dim Compass.
And sure enough—someone walked right into the trap. A Title Douluo, no less.
Even a Title Douluo, without proper defenses, would be gravely wounded or killed by such a weapon.
The explosion silenced the alarm, but its echo reached the main plaza, darkening Jing Hongchen's face further.
He realized: someone had just used a high-level soul-guided shell inside Mingde Hall.
How dare they?!
Mingde Hall, though solid, was underground. A large enough blast could collapse the structure, burying everyone alive. And deploying such a weapon could easily harm innocents nearby.
Worse yet, beneath Mingde Hall lay a massive munitions cache. If the explosion reached it, not only the academy—but half the capital of Mingdu—would be obliterated!
This was why the soul engineers had avoided using high-power weapons.
The evil soul masters, however, had no such concerns—because they didn't even know about the munitions cache.
Maybe, according to Tang Ya's intelligence, they believed the labs were the biggest secret here—never imagining the true danger that lay below.
As the dust settled…
"You're quite something, Sister Tang Ya," Huo Yuhao thought, holding back a laugh.
Within the Holy Spirit Cult, Bei Bei clearly outranked Tang Ya—but she often made the real decisions.
Tang Ya smiled faintly. "Let's go take a look."
Bei Bei then deactivated the cloaking field, and the trio cautiously approached the lab—remaining alert.
They'd just laid a deadly trap and weren't about to fall into one themselves.
Their caution was justified.
Just as they neared the lab, a battered figure lunged out—it was the Title Douluo from earlier. He was in shambles: clothes shredded, hair disheveled, drenched in blood, and missing his left arm. Pieces of shattered soul tools clung to him, suggesting he survived thanks to his defensive gear.
The Soul Douluo who had followed him were clearly all dead.
But the surviving Title Douluo's aura was unstable. Still reeling from the brink of death, he looked half-mad.
The moment he saw the trio, he screamed and charged at them.
"It's you! You bastards! This isn't what we agreed on! Die! Die!"
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow.
Judging by his words… Was this the traitor?
But how had he survived until now? Collaborating with evil soul masters, and still so careless?
As the wounded Title Douluo attacked, Bei Bei and Tang Ya instantly activated their martial souls. Tang Ya barked to Huo Yuhao:
"Armor Emperor—why are you just standing there? Move!"
This time, the evil soul masters want it both ways.
The moment the explosion rang out, Fan Yu's heart jumped in alarm. He instinctively stood up and looked toward the tightly sealed metal door—only to be stopped by the man beside him.
"Brother Fan, where are you going?" the man asked.
"Brother Xuan, I… I just want to go out and check on the situation," Fan Yu forced a smile as he tried to explain.
The man next to Fan Yu was none other than Xuan Ziwen, the same researcher from the original novel who served as Huo Yuhao's mentor at the Mingde Hall.
Xuan Ziwen was a pure academic, and Fan Yu had never disliked him. On the contrary, he had even considered whether Xuan Ziwen could be recruited into Shrek Academy. But the conditions simply weren't attractive enough. Bringing Xuan Ziwen to Shrek would only delay his potential.
However, Xuan Ziwen wasn't about to allow Fan Yu to leave.
"Brother Fan, it's best you stay here. My lab is the safest place right now. Also, because of your identity, I can't permit you to take any risks," Xuan Ziwen said seriously.
His words were laced with genuine concern.
Because of Fan Yu's earnestness and diligence, Xuan Ziwen had taken a liking to mentoring him. Over time, their relationship had grown into one of brotherhood—half teacher, half friend.
Xuan Ziwen figured Fan Yu was probably worried about the other exchange students from Shrek Academy. But no matter what, he couldn't just let Fan Yu throw himself into danger.
Fan Yu had said earlier that he wanted to stay in the lab all night to train. Xuan Ziwen guessed it was because the exchange program was nearing its end, prompting Fan Yu to double down on his efforts.
So, ignoring Fan Yu's polite refusal, Xuan Ziwen chose to stay up with him and help him master more knowledge and techniques.
What he hadn't expected… was for things to turn out like this.
But Fan Yu had no intention of accepting Xuan Ziwen's kindness—not now.
He was deeply worried about Huo Yuhao!
Fan Yu didn't want to offend Xuan Ziwen, but he didn't know how to persuade him to let him leave. As for using force… he honestly didn't have the confidence. Xuan Ziwen was a stronger soul engineer than he was.
"Brother Xuan, don't you need to go out and help? Won't the higher-ups of Mingde Hall blame you later?" Fan Yu suddenly asked.
Xuan Ziwen just smiled and shook his head. "No need to worry, Brother Fan. I'll be fine. I'm only good at research—I'm not as strong as other soul engineers."
"..." Fan Yu was speechless.
Do you even hear yourself?
If I wasn't weaker than you, I might've believed that lie!
"Besides, as long as I can keep you safe, that's enough. That also spares the higher-ups from any trouble. They won't do anything to me," Xuan Ziwen added.
"Thanks… I guess," Fan Yu muttered reluctantly.
"There's no need to be so formal between us."
Xuan Ziwen smiled and pulled Fan Yu down to sit, conserving their strength and preparing to respond to any danger.
Fan Yu could only sit in silent anxiety, praying inwardly: Yuhao, please be okay. If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain this to the Academy?
The very person Fan Yu was so worried about—Huo Yuhao—was at that moment fighting alongside Bei Bei and Tang Ya against an injured Title Douluo.
Three heroes against a Title Douluo.
Both Bei Bei and Tang Ya displayed the power of Soul Sages, and the configuration of their soul rings was astonishing.
Tang Ya: Two purple, five black.
Bei Bei: Seven black.
Both were outside the realm of common sense.
Their soul rings were different from what Huo Yuhao remembered. This was because within the Holy Spirit Cult, there were secret techniques that could evolve soul rings.
These techniques were undoubtedly sinister, and their origins remained a mystery.
Huo Yuhao couldn't help but be curious.
After all, evolving a soul ring wasn't easy. Most means of doing so were tied to gods. So what exactly was this "Holy Spirit" the cult worshipped?
With such unusual soul ring configurations, their battle strength was, of course, exceptional—far beyond the normal Soul Sage level.
Bei Bei had fully invoked his Evil Dragon Martial Soul, transforming both his arms and legs into dragon limbs. His speed and power skyrocketed, making him the main force fighting the injured Title Douluo.
Tang Ya, on the other hand, had disguised her martial soul, unwilling to reveal her true identity. Her weapon appeared as a blue-black vine whip, which she wielded skillfully—lashing, wrapping, and obstructing her opponent. Her martial soul resembled some sort of vine-like plant.
She remained a control-type soul master, using the whip to interfere with the wounded Douluo and support Bei Bei from the rear.
As for Huo Yuhao, he simply drew his Ultimate Ice Twin Sword, without revealing any soul rings, and joined the fight with precise sword techniques—serving more as an assistant to Bei Bei.
The strength he revealed was slightly below Bei Bei's.
Whether others believed it or not didn't matter—he did. If someone accused him of hiding his power, he could easily say he was on a mission and didn't need to go all out. That would be enough of an explanation.
After all, this wounded Title Douluo stood no chance against Bei Bei and Tang Ya together.
One reason was that he was already gravely injured and his soul tools had been mostly depleted by the earlier explosion. The other reason was how unusual Bei Bei and Tang Ya's powers were.
Tang Ya's martial soul had the property of absorbing life force. As her Dark Blue Silver Grass grew stronger, she could simply keep whipping the injured Douluo to weaken his vitality further—amplifying his already critical state.
Bei Bei was even more terrifying. With the Ultimate Evil Attribute of his Evil Dragon Martial Soul, he was able to confront a Title Douluo head-on. Among Ultimate-attribute soul masters, a Soul Sage fighting a Title Douluo was not unheard of.
Especially one who was already injured.
Huo Yuhao's contributions were merely the icing on the cake.
This particular Title Douluo had chosen to work with the evil soul masters not only because he had fallen into their trap but also because he wanted to replace Jing Hongchen.
In the chaos of the imperial court and the paranoia following successive assassinations, it was easy for some to grow ambitious.
He thought: Maybe it's time for a new Hall Master of Mingde Hall. Seizing control during a regime change sounded like a profitable move.
What he didn't expect was that the evil soul masters would also betray him—trying to eliminate him as well and play both sides.
How dare they?
The answer came from Bei Bei's three punches.
The first punch, infused with Ultimate Evil energy, shattered the last of the Douluo's defensive soul tools.
The second punch, full of raw power, broke his only remaining arm, which he had raised to defend himself.
The third punch, driven by killing intent, pierced his heart, ending his life on the spot.
Three punches shattered his dream of becoming Hall Master.
The Title Douluo died with his eyes wide open.
Tang Ya collected the corpse, planning to use it either to win over elders or to bribe subordinates.
After silencing him, Tang Ya didn't intend to stop there.
"Armor Emperor, we still have some time. We have one more place to visit," she said to Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao looked at her calmly.
Tang Ya smiled even more brightly. "The Mingde Hall's soul tool blueprint archive."
Huo Yuhao was silent. Tang Ya was really going to make the Sun Moon Empire an enemy for life.
"Armor Emperor, the Holy Son and I both consumed a lot of energy just now. This time, it's your turn to clear the path," she said, her smile dazzling.
Huo Yuhao: Fine, fine… it's all coming for me now, huh!
The subsequent move to the soul tool blueprint storage room went much more smoothly. There were still no guards along the way, and not even a single soul was stationed outside the storage room.
However, the door to the storage room was tightly sealed, preventing Huo Yuhao and the others from breaking in.
The massive metal door was inscribed with numerous soul tool arrays, appearing thick and impregnable.
The door was truly enormous.
A full five meters tall.
It was designed to withstand even the bombardment of a level-nine soul tool!
Tang Ya struck the metal door hard with her whip, but it didn't even leave a scratch. The door didn't speak, yet somehow it exuded a mocking air.
"With such a strong defense, it's no wonder no one is guarding this place—there's simply no need," Huo Yuhao remarked from the side, his tone as indifferent as ever. But to Tang Ya, it sounded like he was mocking her.
And to be fair—he was.
Tang Ya, already frustrated by her inability to break through the door, felt even more stifled by Huo Yuhao's comment.
She glared at him, annoyed and indignant. But the look suited her—beautiful people always look good when they're angry.
Without a word, Bei Bei stepped forward. He raised his hand and released his soul power imbued with the attribute of Ultimate Evil, slowly enveloping the metal door.
Tang Ya and Huo Yuhao both turned their attention to Bei Bei, waiting silently for the result.
Tang Ya had no better options, so she could only hope Bei Bei could pull it off.
Huo Yuhao, on the other hand, was surprised. He hadn't expected Bei Bei to be capable of using the power of an Ultimate attribute so proficiently. When it came to dealing with most soul tools, Ultimate attributes held a significant advantage.
Suddenly, a harsh cracking sound rang out—the power of Ultimate Evil had actually started corroding the door!
"It's working!" Tang Ya's eyes lit up.
Huo Yuhao said nothing.
But he understood clearly.
The Ultimate Evil attribute was breaking down the structural integrity of the metal door, corroding even the embedded soul tool arrays. The door's defense was being undone from within.
This was a unique feature of Ultimate attributes—their powerful effects on objects. The extreme cold of Ultimate Ice, the corrosive nature of Ultimate Evil—they all had immense destructive power against most soul tool materials.
Conversely, ordinary soul tools couldn't fully harness the power of soul masters with Ultimate attributes.
When Bei Bei had depleted more than half of his soul power, the door finally creaked open with a loud groan, revealing a gap just wide enough for a person to slip through.
"It's open!" Tang Ya exclaimed joyfully. She even turned back to shoot Huo Yuhao a smug look before saying, "Let's go in!"
Her entrance into the storage room mirrored the moment Huo Yuhao first entered Shrek Academy—it was déjà vu.
The defenses of the blueprint storage room were strong on the outside but weak within. After entering, they encountered no further resistance.
Bei Bei went off to the side and began using a milk bottle to replenish his soul power. The blueprints inside the storage room held no interest for him.
Tang Ya, however, quickly began scavenging, stuffing every blueprint she could find into her storage-type soul tool.
These blueprints were extremely valuable—considered one of the cornerstones of the Sun Moon Empire. For Tang Ya, they were the foundation upon which she would rebuild the Tang Sect.
Reflecting on the fall of the Tang Sect, Tang Ya had gained new insight. The decline wasn't just due to their obsession with the Blue Silver Grass martial soul—it was also because the sect stubbornly clung to hidden weapons and failed to embrace soul tool development.
The Three Princes' Zhuge Divine Crossbow Cannon had given her inspiration. No matter how he had gotten the Tang Sect's hidden weapon blueprints, he had proved one thing—hidden weapons could be combined with soul tools. But that required deep soul tool knowledge to support a modernized Tang Sect.
Even if she couldn't construct a new soul tool tech tree from scratch, Tang Ya could take from those who already had one.
That's why she had her sights set on Mingde Hall.
It was, in a way, a Tang Sect tradition.
For this mission, the humanoid soul tools were the Holy Spirit Cult's main objective. But the blueprints—those were Tang Ya's personal goal.
In truth, Tang Ya had long been preparing in secret to rebuild the Tang Sect. After all, the Holy Spirit Cult never truly felt like home to her. She once hoped to rebuild the sect alongside Bei Bei, but after they grew apart, she had to make preparations on her own.
If Bei Bei ever decided to rebuild the Tang Sect in the future, Tang Ya would give everything she had to support that cause.
Lately, however, her desire to rebuild the Tang Sect had grown urgent.
And that was all thanks to Huo Yuhao's actions.
His body double was still out assassinating targets, and Tang Ya realized something was wrong—both the Xishui Alliance and the Aria Pavilion might soon be lost.
Huo Yuhao was clearly working against her!
But she couldn't lay a hand on him.
Reluctant though she was, Tang Ya wouldn't go down with the Xishui Alliance and Aria Pavilion. Her way out—her Plan B—was the reestablishment of the Tang Sect.
She knew she'd eventually sever ties with the Holy Spirit Cult. If the other factions couldn't be her backup plan, then the Tang Sect would have to be.
And once she rebuilt the sect, the Three Princes—who held the Tang Sect's secrets—would be dealt with.
First, though, she needed to amass enough power.
Tang Ya wasn't foolish. She knew she couldn't touch the Three Princes now. But the future was another story.
Any blueprint stored in the Mingde Hall archive was a high-quality item. Among them were level-nine soul tool designs and even schematics for the Zhuge Divine Crossbow Cannon.
Whoever possessed these blueprints, and had enough resources and soul engineers to back them, could swiftly rise to power.
With these blueprints, the Tang Sect could flourish once more—and Tang Ya would return to settle all scores.
Anyone who dared lay hands on the Tang Sect's legacy had already chosen the path to destruction!
Of course, blueprints for personalized level-nine soul tools, such as the Blazing Heaven Tyrant Cannon, weren't stored here.
Even so, these designs alone were enough to be called the Sun Moon Empire's treasure trove.
After looting every last one, Tang Ya finally felt satisfied.
"Mission accomplished. Let's get out of here~" she said cheerfully, her voice light with joy.
Bei Bei put away his milk bottle and stood. His soul power was back to about eighty percent. Tang Ya, due to earlier combat, had only about fifty percent left.
But since they were retreating now, further fighting wasn't expected—so Tang Ya wasn't too concerned.
Under the cover of the Illusion Compass, the trio returned smoothly to the plaza, ready to depart with the evil soul masters.
Surprisingly, even with reinforcements from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, the evil soul masters had managed to hold their ground. While a few Soul Douluo had fallen, none of the Titled Douluo Elders or Super Douluo Protectors had been defeated.
Then again, no one would mourn the death of a Soul Douluo.
This was the Holy Spirit Cult.
"Elders, Protectors, it's time to leave," Bei Bei said, his voice reaching everyone's ears.
Without hesitation, the elders and protectors burst forth with power, forcing their opponents back and beginning their retreat.
The Dream Demon disengaged from the battle and silently appeared behind Tang Ya. She glanced sideways at Huo Yuhao before asking, "You took longer than expected."
"We ran into a Titled Douluo along the way, but the Holy Son took care of it," Tang Ya replied with a smile.
"I see." The Dream Demon nodded, not pressing further.
But just as the Holy Spirit Cult members were about to withdraw, a furious shout rang out:
"Trying to run? Stay right where you are! Royal Soul Engineer Regiment—execute the evil soul masters!"
The evil soul masters were trying to retreat, and Jing Hongchen's eyes were bloodshot with rage, fighting desperately to stop them.
No matter what, this group of evil soul masters must not be allowed to escape. Otherwise, what dignity would the Empire have left? How could they account for the Empire's losses? And he, Jing Hongchen, would be eternally guilty, his death not enough to atone.
More importantly, this could implicate the entire Hongchen family. If he died, so be it—but his grandson and granddaughter still had a bright future ahead of them. He couldn't let his disgrace destroy everything.
Yet, limited by his own strength and the severe injuries he'd sustained, Jing Hongchen only felt a deep sense of helplessness. The evil soul masters wanted to flee, and he was powerless to stop them.
As he watched them retreat, Jing Hongchen clenched his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. His scalp tingled, his vision dimmed, and he nearly spat blood in frustration.
Unexpectedly, just then, divine reinforcements descended from the heavens—the Royal Soul Engineer Legion had arrived!
The legion's commander led dozens of soldiers onto the scene. Upon spotting the fleeing soul masters, his eyes turned sharp as he barked an order:
"Trying to run? Leave them here! Royal Soul Engineer Legion, heed my command—slay the evil soul masters!"
At his command, the soldiers immediately raised their soul tools and unleashed a barrage of soul ray attacks, covering the fleeing evil soul masters in a storm of light.
When Huo Yuhao saw the soul tools in their hands, he nearly laughed. They were using the Zhuge Divine Crossbow Cannons—a weapon he had developed himself!
Though these were downgraded to the fifth-tier model, they remained incredibly powerful—top-class among fifth-tier soul cannons, retaining the key features of spread-fire and charge-fire.
Just a few dozen soldiers using spread-fire blanketed the entire group of evil soul masters, as effective as if a hundred had launched a focused assault. The evil soul masters had no choice but to halt their escape and defend against the onslaught.
The limited number of soldiers was due to the narrow entrance of Mingde Hall and the ongoing battle within it—more soldiers were still squeezing through the corridors, pouring into the plaza to join the fight.
Even the Sleep Demon personally intervened, shielding Beibei and Tang Ya.
Naturally, Huo Yuhao acted instinctively, placing himself protectively in front of them. Tang Ya was speechless but couldn't argue in that moment.
With the arrival of the Royal Soul Engineer Legion, the evil soul masters were successfully held back. Jing Hongchen quickly reorganized the remaining forces to coordinate with the legion in surrounding and exterminating them.
Their presence brought immense pressure. The Royal Soul Engineer Legion was one of the most mysterious corps under the Hand of the Nation, usually stationed to guard the Imperial City and rarely seen on any battlefield.
Even when war broke out between the Sun-Moon Empire and the Three Nations of Douluo, and the four beast-legions were deployed, the Royal Legion remained stationed in Mingdu. Only at the most critical moments would they leave the capital.
Their sole purpose for existing: to protect the Emperor and obey his orders.
But no one dared underestimate their strength. In terms of combat power, the Royal Soul Engineer Legion was the strongest under the Hand of the Nation—their thumb, so to speak.
Even the powerful Royal Dragon Legion, strongest among the four beast-legions, was inferior.
The Royal Legion's entry requirements were far more stringent—every member needed to be at least a five-ring Soul King. Moreover, all the latest and most advanced equipment would first be issued to them.
Tonight, due to the invasion of Mingde Hall, the Emperor of the Sun-Moon Empire had directly deployed them.
Had Tang Ya returned earlier, the evil soul masters might have avoided a direct confrontation with the Royal Legion and escaped in time. But there were no "what-ifs"—and this wasn't the time to argue.
Several elders and enshrined protectors began contemplating a new strategy for retreat.
It was now impossible to take everyone with them, but Beibei and Tang Ya had to survive.
"General, you must stop them! They've stolen imperial secrets!" Jing Hongchen shouted hoarsely.
Hearing this, the Royal Legion's commander's eyes narrowed with killing intent as he looked at the evil soul masters.
"Infiltrating Mingde Hall is a capital offense. Stealing imperial secrets only worsens your crimes. Even a hundred deaths wouldn't redeem you!"
"Enshrined Protectors—intervene! Stop them from fleeing!"
As his voice fell, two elderly men in ornate robes silently appeared, blocking the escape route. Their auras unmistakably revealed them as Titled Douluo.
More crucially, both carried not just one but multiple ninth-tier soul tools, radiating overwhelming danger.
These two were Elders Su and Mo, enshrined protectors of the Sun-Moon Empire's Hall of Worship. To enter this elite body, a soul master had to fulfill two strict requirements: be a ninth-tier soul engineer, and possess a personal ninth-tier soul tool.
In the Empire, Titled Douluo could be cultivated—some could even reach it through drugs—but ninth-tier soul engineers were extremely rare. Those capable of creating personalized ninth-tier tools were even rarer.
Each enshrined protector was a pillar of the Empire.
Though these two were only average Titled Douluo in power, even the two super Douluo protectors of the Holy Spirit Cult now looked tense—they dared not underestimate them.
"Everyone, surrender quietly. Don't make this ugly," Elder Mo said with a smile that belied the threat in his tone.
Elder Su, in contrast, had a face full of killing intent. Clearly the more temperamental of the two, he growled, "Surrender now, return what you stole, and we may be lenient. Otherwise... you'll leave no bones behind!"
"Protectors, what should we do?" the Sleep Demon asked the Holy Spirit Cult's two super Douluo protectors nervously.
The Cult's ordinary elders really couldn't match these imperial protectors.
The two protectors exchanged a look and came to a decision. Without hesitation, they grabbed Beibei and charged toward the Royal Soul Engineer Legion.
"We'll go first. You cover the rear!"
Sleep Demon: "!!?"
Tang Ya: "???"
Huo Yuhao: "..."
This decision stunned the remaining Holy Spirit Cult members. It was obvious the two protectors had abandoned everyone else, even Tang Ya, their so-called "Holy Maiden."
Even though the Cult was never known for loyalty, this was way too ruthless!
But these two super Douluo were here solely to protect Beibei, acting on Long Xiaoyao's personal orders. In case of danger, their only priority was him.
Rather than clash with the two imperial protectors, it was easier to break through the larger but less maneuverable Royal Soul Engineer Legion, whose effectiveness was hindered by the terrain.
If they could breach the line, they could enter the corridor beyond and escape through the front gate to safety.
Everything else was expendable.
Important note: these two protectors weren't evil soul masters and didn't even believe in the Holy Spirit Cult's doctrine. Their protection of Beibei was purely due to Long Xiaoyao's request—Tang Ya and the others meant nothing to them.
Without Beibei, they wouldn't have come at all.
As they made their move, the Empire's two enshrined protectors struck as well.
"Trying to flee right in front of us? You're courting death!"
"Daring to escape before this old man's eyes? You'll die here!"
The Sleep Demon widened his eyes and roared, "You hold the rear! I'll protect the Holy Maiden!"
He could no longer hide Tang Ya's identity. Grabbing her, he raced after the two fleeing protectors.
The remaining evil soul masters, including several elders, were left in stunned confusion.
Should they loyally protect the Holy Maiden—or run for their lives?
That was the question.