Douluo: Peerless Black Tortoise Moon God

Chapter 288 The Ultimate Snow Soul Master has been delivered to Mingdu, Xu Tianran is furious, accusing him of leaking secrets.
The leak of information about the spirits was within Xu Tianxi's expectations, and he had contingency plans in place. After all, a lot can happen in two years, and secrets don't stay hidden forever. But he was still a little angry.

They just got back to the mainland and immediately started giving me a hard time, as if they don't take me, Xu, seriously at all?

"How far has it been leaked? Is it common knowledge or just spread in a small circle?" Xu Tianxi suppressed his anger and continued to press for answers.

Beneath Xue Di's long, fluttering eyelashes, her deep blue eyes, like ice flowers just beginning to bloom, held a hint of worry: "It hasn't spread on a large scale yet, but it has already begun to circulate among the upper echelons of the Sun and Moon Empire, and the three great empires may have already learned of the news as well."

“Your senior sister Meng told me that this news started spreading two months ago. Tracing the source, someone retrieved information from the first batch of test subjects two years ago and obtained the information from them.”

"Ha, what great authority! Which powerful figure from the Sun Moon Empire is this, coming to me for intelligence? Don't they know this is a top-secret research report?"

Xu Tianxi smiled coldly, already having a guess in his mind.

"As you know, there are very few people in the Sun Moon Empire with this kind of authority. The only ones who can bypass you are members of the royal family, and their reasons are also legitimate."

Xue Di began to explain the cause and effect to Xu Tianxi. Xu Tianxi sometimes nodded, sometimes frowned, and sometimes a few black lines appeared on his forehead.

The source of this incident wasn't some conspiracy or machinations, but rather the infatuation of a certain naive princess with Shrek—

Two years ago, when Mingdu was suppressing the Xishui Alliance, Xu Tianxi proposed the establishment of the Minghun Guard. Kong Deming returned from the sea and notified the relevant departments to approve it, and this nominal organization was established.

The core members are many geniuses from the Royal Academy's Control Department. Ji Juechen and Ye Guyi are the main force. They frequently led people to wipe out the remaining evil soul masters within two years and were the most active. Hongchen and his sister, Xu Sanshi and others would also occasionally take action.

This organization, which resembled the Shrek Inspection Team but was far more efficient, attracted the intense interest of Princess Xu Tianzhen, a Shrek enthusiast within the royal family.

Xu Tianzhen insisted on participating, cosplaying as the inspection team. The old emperor, fearing that she might burn down the palace again if she got upset, granted her request and instructed Crown Prince Xu Tianran to secretly ensure her safety no matter what.

Jing Hongchen negotiated with Xu Tianzhen, requiring her to obey orders at all times after joining and not to leak any information, etc. Thirty rules were agreed upon, and Xu Tianzhen agreed to them all, except for mentioning that Xu Tianran would be secretly watching, because she herself was unaware of it.

This is where the problem arose.

Apart from Ji Juechen, who has not yet broken through to the Soul Saint level, Ye Guyi, Meng Hongchen, and Xiao Hongchen have all fused with Soul Spirits. Xu Sanshi, Ma Rulong, Ye Wuqing, and others have also successively used Soul Spirit Token Soul Rings.

Over the course of several months, Xu Tianzhen went on missions with the main force, systematically hunting down and killing some remaining members of the Holy Spirit Cult.

During the battle, to ensure absolute success, occasionally someone will release their spirit to assist in the fight and eliminate the evil spirit master.

After this happened several times, Xu Tianran's men noticed something amiss and reported it to the Crown Prince, who then became very interested.

Two years ago, he was very envious of the talents under Xu Tianxi, but he had to restrain himself because of Xu Tianxi's presence.

Xu Tianxi has been out of the public eye for a long time, claiming to be in seclusion researching soul tools. His ideas are like brushes, scratching and scratching at Xu Tianran's mind.

Driven by desire, he personally observed the actions several times in secret while sitting in a wheelchair three months ago. He noticed something unusual about the spirits and traced it back to the experiment two years ago, identifying several prisoners who participated in the experiment.

The prisoners had all signed confidentiality agreements, but the Crown Prince's residence possessed a powerful memory restoration technique. After a brutal torture session, they confessed everything... and their soul information was thus leaked.

Afterwards, Xu Tianran secretly reported to the old emperor, intending to interfere. Jing Hongchen hurriedly entered the palace and said that the experiment was still in the research stage and the technology was not yet mature.

Xu Tianran then suggested that members of the royal family could also join the experiment, providing personnel, financial and material support to advance the maturity of the soul technology. His words were extremely earnest, as if he could give Jing Hongchen any amount of gold and silver she wanted.

Jing Hongchen... was so angry that he almost slapped this bastard who wanted to steal the peach across the face.

You want to help? Help my ass! My Mingde Hall is the wealthiest in the world, do we need your pittance? There are only two core technical personnel for the Soul Spirit, Xu Tianxi and Meng Hongchen, and only these two know the spirit transmission incantation.

Xu Tianxi was away on business and had not returned. Meng Hongchen returned and formed a soul bond with Xiao Hongchen and others. The subsequent research came to a standstill because Xu Tianxi was no longer available. Without a brilliant mind, no amount of money or resources could be poured in.

If Xu Tianran's proposal is accepted, the result will have to be labeled as Xu Tianran's. Xu Tianxi is away and has not returned, and Jing Hongchen will never allow such a thing to happen.

In front of the emperor, Jing Hongchen suppressed her anger and argued with Xu Tianran for a long time. Finally, she simply implied that the main person in charge, Xu Tianxi, was a member of the royal family, a top researcher with impeccable credentials, and was currently out and about contacting soul beasts. She suggested that His Highness should go and stay wherever was more suitable for resting his legs...

The two sides broke up unhappy.

A few days later, details of the dispute and news about the spirit began to circulate within the palace. It was impossible to find out who spread the rumors, but the stories were quite detailed and attracted the attention of many powerful figures who came to the Royal Academy.

Among these people, there are quite a few level nine soul masters and even more level eight soul masters. If accurate information is not given, the students of the actual control system will not be able to leave their homes. Some of Jing Hongchen's old friends are also openly and secretly discussing their feelings.

Finally, Jing Hongchen and Ye Yulin stepped forward together, stating that the Soul Spirit Experiment Group was working hard under the leadership of the main creator, Xu Tianxi, and asked all Soul Masters to give this groundbreaking top-secret project sufficient respect, otherwise they would not be surprised if they took drastic measures.

As time went on, the matter of souls began to circulate among the upper echelons of the Sun and Moon Empire. If the spies of the three great empires weren't too useless, they would surely be able to obtain some fragments of information.

After learning the whole story, Xu Tianxi frowned, speechless for a moment.

Xu Tianran's actions were expected, but how idle must Princess Xu Tianzhen be? Instead of focusing on her studies at the Mingdu Soul Master Academy, she's meddling in the affairs of the Royal Academy.
He looks like the kind of person who has been spoiled rotten. Once he comes to power, the first thing he'll do is send this kind of terrorist who burns down palaces and causes trouble to the three great empires to develop the land.

"You like causing trouble, huh? I'll capture you when we get back and use your Sun Martial Soul as cultivation resources for my sister. I'll make you use your Soul Skill a thousand times a day and see if you still have the energy to cause trouble," Xu Tianxi thought viciously.

"These are no ordinary insects that have come to interfere with our experiments. We must deal with them severely in the future!" After labeling these bastards, Xu Tianxi sighed and shook his head slightly.

With the Sun Moon Empire in such a mess, he has no choice but to return as soon as possible; it's like they won't let him have a moment's peace.

Xue Di nodded, indicating that she agreed with Xu Tianxi's attitude, and then said, "In addition, there is another matter that requires your opinion."

"Is there something else? What is it?" Xu Tianxi's brows furrowed, and a murderous aura emanated from him.

Seeing this, Xue Di quickly waved her hand and reassured her, "Don't worry, this isn't a bad thing; in fact, it's a good thing."

"Good thing?"

Xue Di nodded slightly, her gaze strange, and said, "Yes, Xiao Bai and the others have arrived in Mingdu, and they brought someone with them."

"Brought someone with you?" Xu Tianxi pondered for a moment, then raised his eyes slightly: "A Soul Master with the Ice and Snow Maiden Martial Soul?"

"Yes." Xue Di said seriously, "The girl's name is Su Tong. She is a quasi-Soul Emperor. Three months ago, she went to the far north to hunt souls. Xiao Bai and A Tai found her and captured her alive."

"Xiaobai told me that they had been training the girl with various etiquette rules for two months to ensure she would be absolutely obedient."

Those two big guys are going to teach human soul masters etiquette and rules? Won't little Su Tong be terrified?

Xu Tianxi's eyelids twitched, and he asked in confusion, "What does this have to do with me? Your son prepared it for you."

"Don't talk nonsense. Xiaobai is just my godson. You're making it sound like we're related by marriage." Xue Di said softly, then smiled and said:

“You know my situation best. I already have a path to godhood to take, so there’s no need for me to become a spirit and take on a human body. This girl is of little use to me now.”

"Xiaobai and the others said that I could use this girl as a maid even if I didn't need her, but I've never had a maid in hundreds of thousands of years, and I'm not used to having one. But since she's already been sent here, I'm thinking..."

Xu Tianxi's lips twitched slightly as he tentatively asked, "Leave it to me?"

The Snow Empress nodded slightly and said with a faint smile, "You like collecting geniuses. An Ice and Snow Maiden Soul Master with an ultimate Snow Martial Soul, her talent is quite good, isn't it?"

"It's not bad, but there's something strange about it..."

Xu Tianxi glanced at Xue Di, thought to himself that it was strange, and then said, "You mean well, so I won't refuse. Let's talk about it when we get back to Mingdu."

"Okay." Xue Di smiled.

"Thank you for reminding me of these two things. If there's nothing else, I'll go and rest now. I've just returned to the mainland, so I'll rest for a night before going back to deal with the troubles of the Sun Moon Empire. You should also get some rest."

Xu Tianxi waved to Xue Di and walked out of Xue Di's guest room in Xuanming Sect.

As Xu Tianxi disappeared from Xue Di's sight, her lips moved slightly, but she remained silent.

"Why is it so hard to say 'You've had a good rest'? What's wrong with me?" the Snow Emperor thought to herself, puzzled.

……

Under the cover of night, in the Crown Prince's Palace of the Sun and Moon Empire.

Xu Tianran and Xu Guozhong sat facing each other, secretly discussing matters, while Shadow Douluo Xue Chen kept watch for them outside.

One of them had lost his lower body, and the other had lost his right thigh. Each of them wore prosthetics, but they looked no different from ordinary people.

"Well, Imperial Uncle, we've been searching for the Conferred God Platform for two years now. Shouldn't there be some news by now?" Xu Tianran tapped his knuckles on the table, his face half-lit and half-shadowed by the candlelight, making him exceptionally imposing.

"I've got it! Don't worry! This time, Jing Hongchen will definitely be taught a lesson!"

Xu Guozhong nodded emphatically, handed over a scroll, and said with no small amount of pride, "That old thief Jing Hongchen is really good at hiding things. I had to use all the spies I had planted in Mingde Hall to find the location of that thing."

"But Your Majesty, do you really think those guys from the Body Sect will be foolish enough to come here?"

Xu Tianran took the scroll map, glanced at it, put it down, and revealed a cold smile: "Of course, I recently placed a bounty of 100 million gold soul coins on the Adventurers' Guild, just to get them to attack Mingde Hall!"

"Your information will appear on the Adventurers' Guild's bounty list tomorrow. I will also mark a few more important experimental areas."

Looking at the folded documents and a large stack of files related to Jing Hongchen on the table, Xu Tianran felt a nameless rage rise in his heart. He slammed his hand on the table and overturned all the files.

"Jing Hongchen has repeatedly shown no respect. This time, I will teach him a lesson he won't forget!"

(End of this chapter)