Seeing Long Xiaoyao agree, Wei Xuan smiled in satisfaction and nodded. "You won't regret this decision."
"Heh." Long Xiaoyao didn't share his mood. The thought of possibly serving as someone else's protector left him distinctly uneasy.
Half an hour later, Long Xiaoyao departed alone, while Wei Xuan, Jing Hongchen, and the two unconscious ninth-tier Soul Engineers returned to Mingdu.
Inside the Soul Guidance airship, Wei Xuan and Jing Hongchen stood side by side. The two Soul Engineers remained asleep, not yet awakened.
Jing Hongchen kept glancing at Wei Xuan, clearly wanting to speak but hesitating.
"Hall Master Hongchen," Wei Xuan said without turning his head, "if there's something on your mind, just say it. There's no need for formality between us."
Jing Hongchen sighed lightly and nodded. "I can't help but feel uneasy about this alliance with the Holy Spirit Cult."
Wei Xuan turned his head briefly toward him, then looked back ahead, his tone calm but resigned. "We only had two choices just now," he said.
"Either ally with them or die. There was no third option. If we had refused, Long Xiaoyao would've killed us on the spot. Tell me—under those circumstances, what other choice did we have?"
Jing Hongchen's expression darkened. This was the first time he'd ever been so powerless, his life dependent on another's whim.
"Then what if we simply deny it?" he said after a moment. "Once we're back in Mingdu, we won't have to worry about safety. Even if we refuse to acknowledge the alliance, what can they do? No matter how strong the Holy Spirit Cult is, I don't believe they'd dare act recklessly in Mingdu. If they do, we'll show them the might of the Sun Moon Empire."
His tone was firm, but it couldn't mask his distaste. To him, forming an alliance with the Cult was like making a pact with a tiger—sooner or later, it would bite.
Wei Xuan shook his head without hesitation. "I gave my word, and I intend to keep it," he said. "I'll honor my promise."
"But, Your Highness," Jing Hongchen pressed, "just because you keep your word doesn't mean they will. Those Evil Soul Masters aren't known for virtue."
"Then we'll wait and see," Wei Xuan replied coolly. "If they break their promise, I'll have my own way of dealing with them."
Seeing the confidence on Wei Xuan's face, Jing Hongchen could only nod in silence.
Far to the north of the Jingyang Mountains, four elderly men descended from the sky, breathing heavily, their expressions shaken.
These were the four ninth-tier Soul Engineers who had escaped the chaos. Even Long Xiaoyao would've had to expend considerable effort to kill them outright.
When the battle turned, he had merely driven them back rather than risk an all-out fight.
"What do we do now?" one of them asked uncertainly.
"We can't stay in the Sun Moon Empire," another said grimly. "After what we've done, remaining here would be suicide."
The others looked toward him, already knowing what he meant.
"We leave. We'll go to the original Douluo Continent. With our rank as ninth-tier Soul Engineers, plenty of factions will want to take us in. Once we join a strong enough power, even if they discover our whereabouts, there's nothing they can do."
"But… what about our families?" one asked, voice heavy with worry.
"At this point, what's the use of worrying about them?" another said bitterly. "Staying here won't save them. We'd just die together."
"Forget the families for now. Save yourselves first."
Upon returning to Mingdu, Jing Hongchen immediately entered the imperial palace to report everything to the Sun Moon Emperor.
The emperor nearly fainted from rage when he heard. Furious beyond words, he ordered the Second Prince Xu Tiannan's entire estate purged that very day.
Within twenty-four hours, the once-glorious Second Prince's mansion became nothing but a memory.
Officials close to Xu Tiannan were demoted or punished, several nobles were reprimanded, and the prince's personal guard was reassigned under imperial control.
Three days later — at Mingde Hall.
The news of Xu Tiannan's death had spread throughout Mingdu, causing an uproar across the capital.
Wei Xuan, however, seemed unaffected.
He had thrown himself entirely into Soul Tool research.
After absorbing his second Soul Ring, his Soul Power advanced again — though he was only level twenty-two, his energy was far denser and more refined than ordinary Soul Masters of the same rank.
Measured by volume alone, his Soul Power rivaled that of an average Soul Elder.
Eager to test his new strength, he began crafting higher-grade Soul Tools almost immediately.
He and Long Xiaoyao had agreed to meet again in half a month for the Evil Soul Master trial. Until then, he had free time.
"Brother Wei Xuan! Brother Wei Xuan, where are you?"
A childish voice called from outside the laboratory.
Within Mingde Hall, Wei Xuan had his own private lab, outfitted with the finest instruments—worthy even of a ninth-tier Soul Engineer.
Hearing the anxious voice, he set down his tools.
The door creaked open, and a chubby six-year-old boy with rosy cheeks and round limbs ran in.
The moment he saw Wei Xuan, the boy's lip trembled and his eyes filled with tears. "Wuu… Brother Wei Xuan!"
He stumbled forward and threw himself into Wei Xuan's arms, sobbing pitifully.
Wei Xuan took two steps back to absorb the impact, steadying the child gently. He wasn't worried about himself—only the boy.
Patting the small one's back, he asked softly, "What's wrong? Who made you cry like this?"
The boy was Xu Yanqing, the youngest son of the Sun Moon Emperor.
"Wuu… I—I heard Second Brother is dead…" Xu Yanqing hiccupped, his chubby face streaked with tears.
Wei Xuan fell silent, unsure how to comfort him.
He himself possessed the composure of someone far beyond his years—but Xu Yanqing was only six, innocent and pure. Hearing that his own brother had died, it was no wonder he was heartbroken.
After a pause, Wei Xuan asked gently, "Do you blame me?"
He and the boy shared no blood relation, but their bond was genuine. Wei Xuan truly saw him as a little brother and hoped this tragedy wouldn't drive them apart.
Xu Yanqing sniffled, loosening his grip, and shook his head rapidly, his round cheeks wobbling with the motion.
"No… I don't blame you," he said through tears. "I'm sad Second Brother died, but… I don't blame you."
"Why?" Wei Xuan asked with a faint smile. He could tell the child was being honest.
"Because… because Second Brother brought it on himself," the boy said, voice trembling. "If he hadn't tried to kill you, then he wouldn't have…"
He couldn't finish the sentence. His tears flowed again, his small body trembling as he sobbed.
Though he and Xu Tiannan had never been close, blood was still blood. Any child his age would cry after losing a sibling.
Wei Xuan ruffled his hair gently, heart softening at the sight.
"Alright," he said softly. "No more tears. Let your brother show you a little trick."
Xu Yanqing blinked up at him, still sniffling. "A trick?"
Wei Xuan smiled and raised his right hand, letting faint frost mist gather around his fingers.
The mist flowed like living smoke, drifting lazily around the boy. Under Wei Xuan's control, it carried no chill—just soft, shimmering vapor.
The mist danced in the air, transforming continuously: an ice bird spreading its wings, a miniature sea with leaping fish, a dragon spiraling skyward, a tiger prowling across invisible fields.
"Ha-ha! Amazing!" Xu Yanqing clapped his small hands, laughter chasing away his tears.
Wei Xuan smiled warmly. The innocence of children truly was healing.
He continued to shape the mist into countless forms—creatures of land, sky, and sea—before finally letting it condense into a transparent handkerchief that floated up and gently wiped the boy's tear-streaked face.
Xu Yanqing giggled, taking the handkerchief curiously and turning it over in his tiny hands.
"This is so cool! Brother, can you teach me how to do that?" he asked, eyes wide with admiration.
Wei Xuan chuckled. "This one's my special trick. I can't teach it."
"Aww, but I really wanted to learn," the boy said, disappointed.
Wei Xuan pinched his round cheeks affectionately. "Even if you can't learn that one, I can still teach you something fun. Come—show me your Martial Soul."
Xu Yanqing scratched his head awkwardly. After a long pause, he mumbled, "I… haven't awakened it yet."
Wei Xuan blinked. "You're already six! How have you not awakened your Martial Soul yet?"
"I… kinda forgot," Xu Yanqing admitted sheepishly. "I was having too much fun in Lingyun City…"
He trailed off, head drooping, clearly afraid of being scolded.
Wei Xuan couldn't help but laugh softly. "Forgot, huh? Alright then. Let's go awaken it now."
"Really? Yay!" Xu Yanqing cheered, beaming with joy, his earlier sadness gone without a trace.
Wei Xuan shook his head helplessly, tidied up his tools, and led the boy out of the lab.
Sun Moon Royal Academy – Awakening Chamber
Xu Yanqing stood within the formation circle, his small body trembling, face contorted in pain.
"Hang in there, Yanqing. It'll be over soon," Wei Xuan said, frowning slightly.
"So much resistance… this Martial Soul must be extraordinary," he thought, anticipation stirring.
"Hot… so hot…" Xu Yanqing gasped, his skin turning crimson as the air around him rippled and twisted.
Suddenly, a blinding red light burst from his body, condensing behind him into a blazing sphere of fire — a miniature sun, radiating boundless heat.
The air itself warped violently under the scorching temperature.
"Such heat… from a Sun Martial Soul?" the old Soul Master assisting the awakening murmured in disbelief. Even as a Soul Emperor, he was forced to circulate his Soul Power just to endure it.
Wei Xuan gazed at the radiant orb, thoughtful. This level of intensity was far beyond what a newly awakened Martial Soul should produce.
"Innate full Soul Power," he mused silently. "And a temperature surpassing any normal Sun-type Martial Soul… could it be…?"
He stepped closer. "Yanqing, how do you feel?"
To his surprise, the boy looked fine—just flushed and sweating slightly.
"I feel great!" Xu Yanqing said brightly. "Stronger than before… just a little hot!"
He tugged at his collar, trying to cool himself.
Wei Xuan smiled faintly. The Sun Martial Soul… an Ultimate Fire attribute. It seemed that the young prince's future was destined to blaze as brightly as the sun itself.
(End of Chapter)