Chapter 15: Rising Ripples

Xingluo Cheng, Huang Gong.

"Shrek Academy has gone too far." Xu Jiawei slammed the table and rose, the entire desk trembling.

The commotion startled Xu Jiujiu, who had just entered.

"Brother, what happened?"

"See for yourself!" Xu Jiawei tossed the letter to Xu Jiujiu. The angry flush on his face noticeably faded after she came in, but the faint bloodshot veins in his eyes were still visible.

Xu Jiujiu took the letter and opened it to read.

The letter's contents were brief—beyond a few pleasantries, it pointed to only one key element—

"Shrek Academy has decided that Yan Shaozhe, the Dean of the Martial Soul Department, will lead the team, dispatching the Shrek Inspection Group to conduct a full investigation into the abnormal night phenomenon in the Star Luo Empire. We hope the Star Luo Empire's official side will cooperate."

Not a request—a notification.

An academy issuing a notification to an empire.

"Damn it." Xu Jiawei's tone was grim. "Who the hell leaked the information."

"They shouldn't know about Miss Xiadie and that Your Excellency's information." Xu Jiujiu folded the letter and placed it on the desk.

"Hmph! Of course they don't know that." Xu Jiawei also suppressed his anger. "The only ones who know those two's identities are me, you, the Manyi Worshipper, and the Medical Immortal Your Excellency."

"Wang Lao is in closed-door cultivation breaking through to level 96, and Manyi watched you, Jiu Jiu, grow up since childhood—she wouldn't reveal matters without permission."

"You and I are even less likely."

"What they know, or rather what they've investigated and pieced together."

"They've likely learned that someone on their deathbed, or someone whose end was near, obtained lifespan."

"The problem is this is also classified—only a few of us in the upper echelons know."

"I also expressly forbade them from spreading this matter outside."

"Our official line to the outside is that the sudden night over Xingluo Cheng was a natural phenomenon caused by changes in the heavens."

"I'm afraid…" Xu Jiujiu hesitated, words caught in her throat.

"Speak, what are your thoughts?" Xu Jiawei dropped into a chair. "We're siblings, no need for so much ceremony here, and there are no outsiders."

"Perhaps it's that one from the Gongjue Fu?" Xu Jiujiu ventured tentatively.

"Baihu Gongjufu?" Xu Jiawei fell silent.

The Dai family and the Zhu family women had intermarried for generations—even now, ten thousand years later, it remained so.

Both clans were deeply entrenched in court; obtaining internal information would not be difficult.

Seeing Xu Jiawei's silence, Xu Jiujiu continued: "It's said that the Baihu Gongjufu's eldest son, Dai Yaoheng, joined the Shrek Inspection Group a year ago."

"If Shrek learned about matters within the Star Luo Empire's borders through Dai Yaoheng, it's not impossible."

"Brother, don't forget what Wang Lao said—that the Dragon God Your Excellency only has a few years left."

"Lifespan extension!"

Xu Jiawei sighed helplessly. "Even if that Dragon God Douluo has no such intention, the other Shrek elders would."

"No wonder, no wonder they're being so forceful this time."

"Jiu Jiu, what are your considerations?" Xu Jiawei looked at his sister again.

"Mm…" Xu Jiujiu said, "I actually came for another matter. Miss Xiadie wants to hunt a Spirit ring, but her teacher seems to have other matters to attend to."

"Brother, what is your choice?" Xu Jiujiu stopped the topic.

"That Xiadie—is she hoping we'll help her hunt a Spirit ring?" Xu Jiawei's voice was cautious.

Xu Jiujiu nodded. "She told the manager this morning; I just received word on my end."

"Also, I suggest we stall Shrek Academy for a while." Xu Jiujiu added.

"Alright!" Xu Jiawei nodded in reply. "It also works out to take that child away from this troubled place."

"When you return, don't come back to Xingluo Cheng first either."

"Once I've confirmed what Shrek actually wants, I'll notify you whether to return."

"Understood." Xu Jiujiu nodded.

The Star Luo Empire couldn't afford to offend Shrek, nor could it afford to offend the teacher behind Xiadie—offending neither was best, especially with the Sun Moon Empire watching like a tiger from outside.

"I'll go help too!"

A graceful figure flew in through the window.

A Super Douluo's soul power pressure permeated the room.

The woman's face was exquisitely beautiful, yet concealed by a veil; her loose silver-white hair lent her a touch of noble air.

"Wang Lao!?"

"Y-you've broken through." Xu Jiawei said excitedly.

"A slight accomplishment—peak of level 96."

"Hiss—"

Xu Jiawei, standing at her side, and Xu Jiujiu exchanged glances.

Compared to Xu Jiujiu, Xu Jiawei felt it more keenly.

After all, he too was a titled Douluo.

"Your Majesty." Wang Xian'er gave Xu Jiawei a slight bow.

Xu Jiawei was, after all, the Emperor—and a titled Douluo. Even though she was the most senior Worshipper, the respect due was still due.

"Under no circumstances offend the one behind Xiadie."

"Mm?" Xu Jiawei was puzzled.

Wang Xian'er exhaled and said, "That Your Excellency's strength absolutely surpasses Dragon God Douluo Mu En, and may even have reached the level of Jinyan Heilongwang Ditian."

"Ditian, the Beast God of the Star Dou Great Forest?"

"Correct." Wang Xian'er said, "I healed Mu En's wounds, so I can roughly judge Mu En's strength."

"Far inferior to that person; perhaps with the aid of the Golden Ancient Tree it could be reached."

"But that would only be for a short time."

"Moreover…" Wang Xian'er walked to the window, stretched out a fair, white palm, held it slightly open, and placed it half an inch above a potted plant on the floor.

A surge of the aura of death welled up.

The verdant potted plant withered at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"This… what is this?"

Xu Jiawei sprang to his feet in a flash.

"The power of death." Wang Xian'er lowered her hand. "I've only grasped the merest surface of it for now."

"Even so, I am still a Healing Spirit Master."

"But any ordinary Title Douluo below the 95th Level would not be my match."

"This Spirit Hunt is the perfect chance to obtain suitable Spirit Rings for Miss Xiadie and Princess Jiu Jiu."

"Only Manyi would be unsafe going alone, so I'll go along as well." The Death Element gathered in Wang Xian'er's palm dispersed.

"Wang Lao, what on earth is going on?" Xu Jiawei's mouth was dry and parched. Theoretically, Wang Xian'er was only a healing-type Title Douluo with virtually no combat ability—setting aside that Soul Guidance Device, which didn't count.

"Life and death are interconnected." Wang Xian'er also sat down in an empty chair nearby.

"Didn't that person give me a pill?"

"I comprehended the pill's ethereal Qi and broke through to the 96th Level, but I had a vague premonition that if I could swallow that pill, I might be able to advance even further in the future."

"So I swallowed it."

"The process was extremely painful, yet from it I comprehended a trace of the essence of life and death."

"Now I can not only strip away the life elements in the air to heal."

"I can also strip away the death elements in the air and inflict damage upon a target."

"However, compared with the perfect, primordial balance of that pill, I am still far inferior."

"But even so, my own lifespan is already much longer than when I had just broken through to the 96th Level."

"Hiss—"

Wang Xian'er's words left Xu Jiujiu and Xu Jiawei speechless for a long time.

"I heard you mention Shrek." Wang Xian'er gave the two no time to think.

"Your Majesty, risk and reward go hand in hand; flowers added to brocade can never compare to coal delivered in snow."

"That person's departure may well be a test for us."

"His Majesty chose to leave just as Shrek was about to arrive—surely that's too much of a coincidence, isn't it?"

"I…"

Xu Jiawei opened his mouth.

But Wang Xian'er raised a hand to stop him.

"Your Majesty, let's discuss it after we return from the Spirit Hunt."

"I hope by then we will all have a satisfactory answer."

Wang Xian'er departed, her destination the very hotel where Xiadie was staying.