Douluo Jueshi: Picking up Firefly at the Beginning

As the saying goes, "to seek the skin of a tiger", the reason why Xu Tianran was willing to temporarily give up one-third of the profits to the evil soul masters was just to use their power to let the Holy Spirit Church serve the empire in the upcoming war.

He would never be so foolish as to actually hand over the underground forces of the Sun and Moon Empire to others and create a threat.

After all, as a qualified ruler, he has to maintain the stability and balance of the entire empire and will never allow any party's power to expand excessively and threaten the foundation of his rule.

The referee of this match was one of the three ninth-level soul masters in the Sun-Moon Empire, Star Douluo Ye Yulin. He even took out his favorite soul guide, the Sun-Moon Divine Needle, as a reward for the championship.

Liu Xing came to watch the game this time, not only to join in the fun, but also to see Huo Yuhao's undead. In a regular competition, Huo Yuhao definitely wouldn't dare to show his undead, otherwise he would be labeled as an evil soul master, even if he was from Shrek Academy.

In Mingdu City, the Soul Instructor Competition is in full swing, and the venue is brightly lit and bustling with activity.

However, in sharp contrast, the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Instructor Academy, shrouded in darkness, had already fallen into silence.

It was not long before the lights-out time stipulated by the academy, and the students returned to their dormitories early to rest.

The night was as dark as ink, spreading out wantonly. The weather today was a bit gloomy, making the light around particularly dim after nightfall.

The entire academy seemed to be shrouded in a thick black curtain. Only the soul guide lamps on the walls of the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Guide Academy, which emitted soft light, tenaciously penetrated the darkness and brought some light to the surroundings of the academy, just like twinkling stars in the darkness.

In front of a tightly closed gate not far from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Instructor Academy, several figures stood there quietly.

They cleverly used the cover of night, like ghosts hidden in the darkness, almost completely blending into the surrounding environment.

If you don't look carefully, it's hard to notice that there is someone lurking here.

"Why haven't you come yet?" A clear but somewhat anxious voice sounded softly in the silent night.

The person who was speaking was a girl. She frowned slightly, her eyes revealed a hint of uneasiness and anxiety, and her feet unconsciously paced lightly on the spot.

"Don't be anxious." Immediately afterwards, a gentle and steady voice sounded, like a spring breeze blowing, soothing the restless emotions.

The voice was like an elder comforting his impatient younger generation, giving people a sense of security.

Just at this moment, the clouds that had originally piled up in the sky were slowly pushed away by the gentle night breeze, as if by an invisible big hand.

The bright moonlight took the opportunity to pour down from the gaps in the clouds, falling right into this dark corner, clearly revealing several figures hidden in it.

It turned out that there were five people waiting quietly here, namely Wang Donger, Tang San, Xiaoxiao, Liu Erlong and Flanders.

That’s right, Tang San and Wang Dong’er are among them.

In the entire Tang Clan, except for the steady and reliable Bei Bei who was still staying in the hotel to take charge, almost everyone else had already taken action.

Under the strict surveillance of the competition organizers, they should all be resting safely in their hotel rooms at this moment, while the unknown secret operation is quietly carried out under the cover of darkness.

The people who had been talking before were the anxious Wang Donger and the calm Tang San.

The reason they gathered here was to wait for Huo Yuhao to display his unique ability of soul separation. Once the time was right, they would officially start the plan they had carefully prepared for a long time.

Not only them, Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan also have their own tasks and are acting in secret at this time.

In the Sun and Moon Empire, the majestic imperial palace is like a shining pearl in the night, with brilliant lights illuminating the surroundings like daylight.

Regent Xu Tianran sat upright in his study, with an ancient book placed on the desk in front of him. He was flipping through the pages intently, his expression calm and focused.

Juzi stood quietly by the side, her posture elegant. "Juzi, do you want to see the Soul Guidance Instrument Making Competition? You're a Soul Guidance Instrument as well, so you should be very interested in this, right?" Xu Tianran suddenly stopped what he was doing, looked up, and cast his gaze at Juzi with a gentle smile on his face.

Juzi was slightly stunned, a hint of surprise rising in her heart. After a brief thought, she said softly, "Your Highness, this might not be a good idea... As the Crown Prince, how could you easily appear in such an occasion? If your identity is exposed, it would cause a lot of trouble."

Xu Tianran, however, didn't take it seriously. He continued smiling and said, "It's okay. As long as we act carefully and don't reveal our identities, that's all. This match is actually a treat I specially gave to the Holy Spirit Church."

At this point, he narrowed his eyes slightly, a calculating glint flashing in them. "At the same time, this is also a good opportunity to recoup some of the profits from the nobles and the military. Those guys from the Holy Spirit Church have big appetites. Without this profit, their power over there will be difficult to stabilize. As for watching the game, nominally it's just you going. If you're interested, go ahead."

Orange opened his mouth, as if he suddenly wanted to say something, but when the words came to his lips, he held them back.

"What? Are you worried that if I cooperate with the Holy Spirit Church, I will end up seeking the skin of a tiger?" Xu Tianran was so smart that he saw through the doubts in Orange's heart at a glance.

Juzi nodded gently and said solemnly, "Your Highness, the Holy Spirit Cult is, after all, a sect composed of evil spirit masters. They act erratically and ruthlessly, and are not tolerated by the world. Their way of thinking is completely different from that of us normal spirit masters, and they have no bottom line. I am really worried..."

Xu Tianran waved his hand, interrupting Juzi's words. His expression grew serious, and he slowly said, "I know for a fact that cooperating with them is playing with fire. However, the current situation doesn't allow me to have any other choice."

He gestured for Orange to push him to the window. Gazing out at the brightly lit imperial courtyard, his eyes piercing, "In terms of the development of soul guides, the three countries formerly part of Douluo Continent are indeed far behind our Sun-Moon Empire. Our national strength is also far greater than theirs. However, when it comes to actual military strength, we might be able to deal with one of them, but ruling the entire continent is no easy task."

He turned slightly, looked at Orange with a piercing gaze, and continued, "Have you ever thought about why those three countries have never made great efforts to develop soul guides? It's not just because they lack resources like rare metals. The more crucial reason is that the powerful profession of soul master has existed on the Douluo Continent for a long time, deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, forming a deep-rooted concept of soul master."

"For those countries, powerful spirit masters are like strategic nuclear weapons; they are an important safeguard for the nation. In terms of the number of spirit masters, our Sun-Moon Empire is far from being comparable to these three countries. In terms of high-end combat power, the gap is even more obvious. Take Shrek Academy, for example. It is a sacred place in the spirit master world. From this academy alone, I don't know how many Titled Douluo have been trained who are feared throughout the continent."

"Perhaps, given time, a few hundred years from now, our Sun-Moon Empire, with its vast accumulation of soul guides and outstanding soul guides, may indeed realize its ambition of unifying the continent. However, life is short, and how can I wait that long? A true man, while born into this world, should seize every moment. I must complete my ambition of conquering the entire continent during the time I rule the empire!"

Having said that, Xu Tianran's eyes were already filled with fanaticism, as if the grand blueprint was right before his eyes.

"But Your Highness, isn't the Spirit Hall also very powerful? They have also formed an alliance with us, haven't they?" Orange frowned slightly and asked with confusion in his eyes.

Xu Tianran sneered, his lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident look. He said, "While the Spirit Hall is certainly powerful and a dominant force in another plane, they also have their enemies. After all, they come from a different plane than us. I can certainly form an alliance with them and use their combat power to my advantage, but the power of the Holy Spirit Church is equally indispensable."

"I need to use the power of both sides to check and balance each other and achieve a delicate balance. I was originally worried that the Holy Spirit Church would gradually grow stronger and eventually become too big to control. However, now with the variable of the Spirit Hall, I have a more comprehensive response plan."

At this point, a cold look suddenly flashed across Xu Tianran's lips, as if hiding endless calculations and conspiracies.

Orange stood quietly by, listening attentively to Xu Tianran's words. Although he looked calm on the surface, his heart was in turmoil, with waves of chills rising in his heart.

She knew very well that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was usually very secretive and had a mind as deep as the sea. It was rare for him to reveal his true feelings in front of her today.

Although Xu Tianran trusted her very much, his scheming and ambition still made Juzi feel a little awed and worried.

The night becomes darker and darker.

The gentle night breeze quietly blew into the study through the gaps in the window, bringing a hint of coolness, as if reminding the two of the passage of time.

Xu Tianran inadvertently looked out the window and saw that it was getting late. He turned around, looked at Ju Zi with a smile, and said, "If you want to watch the game, you have to leave now, otherwise it would be a pity to miss the exciting part."

Orange shook her head slightly and said softly, "I don't want to go anywhere. I just want to stay with you, Your Highness."

As she spoke, she slowly stretched out her hands, gently placed them on Xu Tianran's shoulders, and began to gently massage his shoulders. Her movements were skillful and soothing, trying to relieve Xu Tianran's fatigue of the day.

(End of this chapter)