Douluo Continent: A Thousand Miles of Cultivation

With her hands on her hips, Xiaobai was really angry. Putting aside personal relationships, Qianshui was the future sea god in her mind, the strongest person who surpassed the Grand Sea God. She didn't know where this woman came from and what nonsense she was spouting.

"My lord, please don't be angry... Erlong... Erlong knows your friend, she can take us to him!" Zi Zhenzhu raised her arm and nudged Liu Erlong, she was frantic.

Liu Erlong, who pushed open the door, was basically certain that she knew Qian Shui; otherwise, why would her emotions change so drastically?

Originally, since soul beasts couldn't understand human emotions, Purple Pearl naturally asked them in secret to avoid any misunderstandings. This was also a way to accomplish that 'great deed', wasn't it?

If it weren't for the fact that Liu Erlong knew Qian Shui, Zi Zhenzhu wouldn't have so readily accepted this thankless task, after all, it was like finding a needle in a haystack.

“What you say makes some sense. You, a human woman, don’t have Qian Shui’s aura on you. Instead, there are some remnants of evil energy. Presumably, this injury wasn’t caused by him. This also proves that you’re fine.”

The tense atmosphere seemed to relax at this moment, and Purple Pearl also breathed a sigh of relief. You know, the one in front of you is no ordinary mermaid.

The Demon Soul Great White Shark, the guardian beast of Seagod Island, combined with its ability to transform into human form, suggests that this heroine is likely the Demon Soul Great White Shark King who has reigned for 100,000 years.

So Purple Pearl was genuinely afraid that the mermaid would swallow her whole.

Now that someone knows Qian Shui, the biggest problem is solved; we don't need to search for a needle in a haystack anymore. "You need to hurry; this is a matter of life and death, not a joke! If something really happens, you'll all die!"

"Alright, alright! My lord, let's set off immediately! Erlong, hurry!"

Seeing the two of them slip away so quickly, Xiaobai wondered if she hadn't been kind enough. It wasn't like she was going to eat them after threatening them.

Gazing at the endless sea, Xiaobai's expression was extremely solemn. Her trip was not only to remind the Thousand Water Sea God that the deadline for completing the eighth test was approaching, but also because a real crisis had emerged, a crisis that even the High Priest of the Sea God could not suppress!

...

The sea breeze blows, and the sun's rays make the gently undulating sea glow with thousands of brilliance.

A large ship was sailing swiftly across the sea, its masts erected on its hull, carrying huge purple sails as it headed eastward. This was the famous ship of this region, the Purple Pearl, the voyage of Purple Pearl, the leader of the Purple Pearl Pirate Gang.

"Erlong, who exactly is this Qianshui? Is he really not your boyfriend?"

Gossip is a woman's nature, and one captain had almost imagined that there was an irreconcilable conflict between Miss Liu Erlong and her boyfriend's family, and that her boyfriend would accidentally kill Liu Erlong's father in the end.

Or perhaps she heard rumors that her boyfriend killed her father, leading to a break with him and her suicide by drowning, which ultimately benefited Zi Zhenzhu—these kinds of melodramatic plots.

"He's about twenty years younger than me, do you think that's possible?"

Seeing Zi Zhenzhu's persistence, Liu Erlong was speechless.

Although Qian Shui is somewhat handsome and so strong that one can overlook his age, he is still too young and not at all Liu Erlong's type.

"What happened?! Don't lie to me, you must have been in trouble at sea because of him, right?!"

"There is some connection..."

"Oh~" Purple Pearl had an expression of knowing this was true, her eyes wide open and her little mouth agape in an "O" shape.

"Erlong, it's not wrong to like young people, but what about your strength? You're still just..."

"He is a level 99 Title Douluo."

Liu Erlong quickly interrupted Zi Zhenzhu's delusions. Being young was indeed not a mistake, but the powerful and awe-inspiring figure was the Qian Shui that Liu Erlong knew.

It's just that things that are too unbelievable are always hard to believe. At least in Purple Pearl's understanding, she could barely accept a Soul Douluo or Title Douluo in his twenties. You're saying he's a Limit Douluo?

"Couldn't you come up with a better excuse to brush me off?"

"This isn't just a perfunctory response; it's a fact!"

"Stop trying to fool me. If such a young and powerful person really emerged, even someone like me living in a remote overseas area should have heard about it. The problem is, there's no such news at all. What else can you call this but a lie?"

Purple Pearl was stating a fact, a judgment based on common sense.

Just like Tang Hao back then, who became a Title Douluo in his forties and was known throughout the Douluo Continent as the youngest Title Douluo, but it was Qian Shui who was the one who became the youngest.

Although the title of Immortal Douluo is widely known, he is not famous, and few people know that he is already the most powerful figure in the world.

If it weren't for the news about Tang San and that evil spirit, Liu Erlong wouldn't have believed it either. At least the fear on those people's faces was real. Otherwise, why would they have fled in such a panic?

Seeing that Liu Erlong remained silent and unwilling to engage with her, Zi Zhenzhu could only ask a crucial question, "Let's assume what you said is true, then where do we go to find him?"

"The Crown Prince's Residence, Heaven Dou Empire!"

……

"A storm is brewing..."

"Miss Rongrong, what are you saying?"

"Feng Xiaotian, if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"

"Fire Dance, me..."

Seeing that these classmates, who were a generation older than her, could still have the mind to fool around, Ning Rongrong was also in a dilemma.

She had just returned from the Crown Prince's residence with Ning Huahua and learned some incredible news, but it seemed that Ning Huahua and Xue Qinghe had deliberately let her know, otherwise they wouldn't have let her go.

"You should know about Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's disappearance, right?"

A group of students were summoned, and the reason for the school's closure these days was roughly guessed by everyone.

The new weapons being tested one after another by the Soul Guidance System personnel are an important research topic for them.

Shui Yue'er, standing to the side, rolled up her long blue hair, a shade darker than Shui Bing'er's, and asked in confusion, "I know, it was on New Year's Day, during the time when we went to attend His Highness the Crown Prince's private banquet. Has this matter been investigated and clarified?"

"It's been confirmed. They defected and returned to the Star Luo Empire!"

Feng Xiaotian, who was joking around with Huo Wu, suddenly realized that he and Dai Mubai had a pretty good relationship and were considered close friends. "Oh, I see."

Shaking her head, Ning Rongrong knew more and thought more deeply. "It's not that simple. The reason it's called defection is because of something else!"

"what's up?"

"I just received the news. The Star Luo Empire launched a shameful surprise attack on the Imperial Border Army without declaring war! And the commander of this army is none other than Dai Mubai!"

Ning Rongrong's words, which were meant to be shocking, caused a huge stir. Within moments, she was surrounded by a crowd.

"Rongrong, are you serious?!" Oscar exclaimed incredulously. He had lived with Dai Mubai for many years, and even though their relationship had nearly broken down before, they were still classmates.

"What's wrong with Dai Mubai? Is he repaying kindness with enmity? The academy has taught him a lot!" Zhu Zhuqing, the usually quiet kitten, was unusually furious.

Ning Rongrong was just guessing about many things, such as the endless nationwide martial law and school closures. What was the purpose of all these things?

Xue Qinghe recalled Xue Luochuan and visited the camp of the Heavenly Dou Royal Knights on the first day of the New Year, bringing them along as well. Was it just a casual visit? Was it simply a sightseeing trip?

No action by decision-makers at the center of power is superfluous; behind every seemingly irrational action lies an important, practical objective to be achieved.

Just as Xue Haicang wondered if Xue Qinghe was foolish enough to start a direct war with the Spirit Hall, Ning Rongrong, who was actually involved, saw things much more deeply.

Xue Qinghe was definitely not targeting the Spirit Hall, because the Spirit Hall's actions were almost always beneficial to the Heaven Dou Empire. Her brother Xue was definitely not stupid.

However, personal feelings certainly play a role, so His Highness the Crown Prince would definitely want to do more, especially now that he has gained such power.

From a situational analysis perspective, since the war preparations are genuine, their target is neither the far north represented by the Ice and Snow Emperors who are holed up in Heaven Dou City, nor can the Spirit Hall, which is hesitant to act against them, be ruled out.

Therefore, the only objective is to guard against the Star Luo Empire!

The saying goes, "When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits." The Star Luo Empire seems to be sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight, keeping to itself and minding its own business.

Historically, the forces that join the conflict last always gain the initiative and the greatest benefits. Ning Rongrong thought that perhaps Xue Qinghe was guarding against this.

After all, the conflict between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall has reached a fever pitch in the open. This is not a secret that needs to be hidden; on the contrary, it should inspire the people's fighting spirit and encourage them to work together to deal with the crisis.

Otherwise, what's the deal with the new weapons testing at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy? And why would they let her, a student, know about it? Is Xue Qinghe just bored, or does he have too much money?

Weapons must eventually be used by someone, and these gifted students are that person.

So, faced with her classmates' questions, Ning Rongrong decided to speak up, "I don't know either. I heard it when I was helping out at the Crown Prince's residence. Apparently, it wasn't just Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun who went missing, but also Dean Liu Erlong of Blue Tyrant Academy and our school's teacher Flander."

These events were presented together, and the most horrifying thing was that Mr. Flander's body had been discovered!

"Impossible! Dean Flander is a Soul Saint! How could Dai Mubai possibly..." Oscar's voice trembled upon hearing the news of Flander's death.

Regarding Flander's death, Ning Rongrong wouldn't say she felt nothing, but she could only make a rational judgment, since they hadn't known each other for very long. "Sometimes you don't need to do the killing yourself."

"But why would he do that! What did Dean Flander do to him!" Oscar, unaware of the truth, simply believed it to be the truth.

Whether it's the truth or not is no longer important. Ning Rongrong is only stating her judgment, "Let's submit the petition... After all, Dai Mubai needs this, you should understand."

Yes, from a normal perspective, if Dai Mubai wants to return to the Star Luo Empire, he needs to pledge allegiance.

Otherwise, not only would his joining the Heaven Dou Royal Academy be a serious matter for him, but his good brother Davis could also use it as an excuse to easily kill him.

At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing was so angry that she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists tightly. "He is so despicable and despicable that it chills the teeth!"

Chapter 286 Pre-Battle Mobilization [6000 words]

The tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease; the students' hatred and anger serve as a better guide.

Ning Huahua, walking from a distance, interrupted everyone's thoughts, "What's all the noise about! Look at the equipment! You're students, not soldiers. If there's a battle to fight, it's not your turn!"

They were all hot-blooded young men. A traitor had emerged from among their classmates, and they naturally felt ashamed and resentful. Moreover, with a national war looming, everyone was eager to prove themselves.

In response to Ning Huahua's words, the hot-tempered Huo Wu immediately retorted, "Dean, what you say is true, but we are definitely stronger than ordinary soldiers, right?"

Feng Xiaotian immediately echoed, "That's right, Dean. We're not bragging, but with just this group of people here, wiping out several thousand-man squads wouldn't be a problem."

After the Elite Tournament ended, all the graduating talents were recruited into the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy by Qian Shui through a single reform.

Advanced Soul Master Academy is equivalent to university. Qian Shui granted the Heaven Dou Royal Academy the degree of 'graduate student'. The Martial Soul and Cultivation Joint Development Research Institute is such a thing.

The first thing they did was release some information, which was a small amount of publicity before the elite competition. It wasn't much, and it seemed completely unintentional, but it still circulated among the students.

Secondly, showcasing achievements is crucial, and the Royal Fighting Team II is naturally the best way to promote themselves. Whether it's Qian Shuishui single-handedly taking on the entire Heavenly Dou region in the qualifying rounds, or their narrow defeat against the super martial soul quasi-titled Douluo Qian Renxue in the finals, both are excellent promotional materials.

Further, the Spirit Hall made a disastrous move, causing the departure of the Spirit Academy's highly capable teaching staff and a large number of forces belonging to the Qian Shui faction.

The first reason is that the strength of the Heaven Dou Empire has increased dramatically, and the second reason is that the teaching staff of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy has expanded.

The news spread like wildfire, and everyone knew that Qian Shui's entire team had entered the Heaven Dou Royal Academy to teach back then. Who on the entire continent couldn't see the true value of that so-called "Soul Alliance Institute"?

This is like suddenly having the opportunity to become your idol's student. Who could resist that?

Thus, the plan to relocate the Spirit Hall's personnel arose due to various reasons.

To attract outstanding talent, Xueye's title and money are not enough. For Soul Masters, these things are nothing more than easy gains once they have sufficient strength.

What truly attracts attention is strength itself. Just a group of powerful individuals standing there can draw enough attention, just like the Spirit Hall itself.

Similarly, strength is still key to rising to the top, and Ning Huahua's character was labeled by Qian Shui as a 'beautiful, strong, and tragic' female protagonist.

Becoming the dean of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy was simple; it only took Xue Qinghe issuing a transfer order.

However, there will always be people who disagree, and you will encounter all sorts of minor troubles, such as reckless and stubborn people who do not fully understand your strength and oppose you.