Chapter 95

Heading south, the temperature gradually rose, and the cities along the way became increasingly prosperous and lively; this place is already near the central region of the Heavenly Soul Empire, not far from its capital, Heavenly Fighting City, which occupies the core position.

However, perhaps due to the continent's collision, the terrain here slightly deviates from the ancient map Shu Yan holds; vast endless plains in the distance are planted with various grain crops, yet the problem lies precisely here.

Looking at the border between the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Sun Moon Empire, once war breaks out, the entire Heavenly Soul Empire's side facing the Sun Moon Empire actually lacks any rugged terrain to defend; at a glance, it's all plains, low hills, and forests.

The economic and military gap between the two nations is inherently large; the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Guide technology completely suppresses the original three Douluo nations, making it nearly unsolvable in war. Moreover, the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Engineer corps are equipped with linked Soul Guide Devices—a technology that hasn't even shown a hint in the original three Douluo nations, so the disparity is obvious. If the overall situation doesn't change in the future, the Heavenly Soul Empire will likely be unable to avoid the misfortune of being the first nation destroyed.

……

However, from the current perspective, among the original three Douluo nations, the Star Luo Empire ranks first in overall national strength, and its Soul Guide Device development can also be considered first; meanwhile, the Heavenly Soul Empire possesses the highest-ranking Soul Master power among the original three Douluo nations.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Clear Sky Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family's lineage, the Origin Sect, and other sects are among the foremost in the continental sect rankings, possessing the most terrifying and vast high-ranking Soul Master power.

As for the Dou Ling Empire… uh… it is the empire with the weakest overall national strength, lacking any notable sect to speak of; if the Dou Ling Empire weren't situated behind the Heavenly Soul and Star Luo Empires, the Sun Moon Empire's first target would certainly be the Dou Ling Empire rather than the Heavenly Soul Empire.

……

The streets within sight began to differ; Shu Yan and the others chose to land and walk on foot, not rushing toward the Sunset Forest, but preparing to first experience the local customs in this ten-thousand-year-old ancient city famed alongside Stellar Net City.

Put simply, they just wanted to take a stroll.

Unlike Stellar Net City's modern-leaning architectural style, Heavenly Fighting City still maintains an old-fashioned style, yet this style does not feel stale; instead, it possesses a unique charm. Upon closer observation, one can still discover many modern elements, and various Soul Guide Devices frequently appear, giving a sense of an extraordinary blend of eras.

Xu Jiu Jiu gazed at the city wall before her, which was not lower or less massive than that of Stellar Net City, then spoke with some emotion:

"Ten thousand years after the divine war, how prosperous Heavenly Fighting City was! Even though I've only seen partial records, I still can't help but yearn for it. Now we can even see remnants of that era here; although Heavenly Fighting City remains prosperous, compared to the past, it simply cannot be compared."

Melodious music sounded in the ears, a few white pigeons flew across the sky, the fountain beside the street sprayed intermittently, children laughed and ran on the street, passersby mostly neat and spirited; Heavenly Fighting City's long-standing title of "Romantic City" perhaps describes this very scene.

Suddenly, Shu Yan chuckled lightly at the side and said:

"Want to go see Weina?"

Xu Jiu Jiu blinked slightly, then reached out to pinch Shu Yan, speaking petulantly:

"Can she be seen casually?"

"I am the Star Luo Princess, and this is the capital of the Heavenly Soul Empire. If the empire there isn't notified in advance, I would just run over to see her, bringing other strong companions; guess what they'd think? How would the Heavenly Soul Empire's high-ups think? At that point, this wouldn't be a surprise but rather a so-called diplomatic incident—mishandling it could spark war…"

"My relationship with Weina is founded on the peace between our two nations; if war truly breaks out, no matter how reluctant we are, we can only become enemies—by then, let alone feelings, not even hatred would be a great fortune."

Shu Yan pinched Xu Jiu Jiu's cheeks, then took her hand and strolled down the street; the handsome man and beautiful woman duo attracted attention, let alone the Ice Snow Dual Emperors—two equally stunning beauties—following behind them.

"Having grown accustomed to the streets of Stellar Net City, the streets of Heavenly Fighting City offer a different flavor as well." Shu Yan murmured sentimentally.

A nation's capital always has its unique aspects; these years the Heavenly Soul Empire faces growing pressure, its domestic economy leaning toward the military, and Heavenly Fighting City hasn't undergone expansion or renovation for many years, but in terms of its current battlefield area and population, it is merely slightly smaller than Stellar Net City.

"By the way, I recall that the headquarters of the continent's former top sect, the Tang Sect, was also in Heavenly Fighting City, but I haven't heard any news of it for many years; I don't know if it has been completely annexed by other sects…"

Xu Jiu Jiu and Shu Yan held hands, gently swaying; she looked at a few youths in the distance wearing identical sect attire, then suddenly spoke.

Shu Yan raised his eyebrows, then said: "Going against the times and instead obsessing over those backward hidden weapons—if they aren't annexed by other sects, it's strange; they're just a bunch of idiots, no need to think further."

Xu Jiu Jiu gave a soft acknowledgment and then said nothing more; at times like this, she cherished the sense of security and affection from her lover by her side, while everything else seemed to fade into insignificance…

……

At dusk, the breeze blowing in still carried a hint of warmth; on one side of the street, the Ice Emperor clung to Shu Yan's thigh, wearing a displeased expression as he said:

"Shu Yan, today I and Xiao'er followed behind you two, eating dog food for an entire afternoon, and now I haven't eaten a single bite of rice; I don't care—tonight you must treat us, I've already scoped out the place, that so-called Sky Soaring Grand Hotel over there, where the aroma is strongest…"

Shu Yan helplessly lowered his gaze at the Ice Emperor, then said: "Fine, let go of me first; this is out in public, you don't mind losing face, but I feel embarrassed; as for whether it's fragrant or not, remember, you're a scorpion, not a dog…"

The Ice Emperor startled at the words, then hastily let go, speaking somewhat embarrassedly:

"Shut up! If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll stuff my foot into your mouth—see if you still want to eat…"

Shu Yan ignored the Ice Emperor, who was on the verge of breaking down, turned his head to Xu Jiu Jiu and the Snow Emperor, spread his hands helplessly, and softly said: "Perfect, it's getting late; we should find a place to rest for the night. Let's head to the Sunset Forest tomorrow; tonight I'll briefly explain the situation there for you…"

Xu Jiu Jiu and the Snow Emperor exchanged a glance, then both nodded.

Shu Yan tapped the Ice Emperor's head, laughing as he said:

"Come on, don't be angry; I'll treat you to whatever you want to eat. Heavenly Fighting City's cuisine should be a bit richer than Stellar Net City's—feeding a big gluttonous scorpion like you shouldn't be a problem."

The Ice Emperor's eyes lit up instantly; after glaring fiercely at Shu Yan, he hurried to catch up with the two women ahead, then with his left and right hands respectively grasped the Snow Emperor's and Xu Jiu Jiu's hands, and finally, without forgetting, turned back to give Shu Yan a provocative smile.

Xu Jiu Jiu also turned back and gave a playful wink; the three women walked forward hand in hand, their backs still stunningly beautiful. Shu Yan let out a soft sigh, gazing at the blood-red sunset beyond the distant clock tower, and couldn't help but feel that this was the life he longed for!

Now, does he truly aim for immortality, or does he wish to eternally maintain this happiness and joy?

Shu Yan pondered, then ended up laughing first himself; no matter what, the essence is the same—only now there are more people and things he cares about…

……

(End of Chapter)