Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends.

……

The atmosphere inside the royal villa where the Xingluo delegation was staying was far from as calm as it appeared on the surface.

Duke Zhu Tianlin sat in the main hall, holding a routine official meeting with the etiquette officials of the Tiandou Empire. His words were polite and impeccable.

However, the real undercurrents are surging in places unseen.

In a secluded side room of the annex, the eldest prince Davis stood gracefully by the window, holding a glass of red wine, gazing at the scenery of the Heavenly Dou Imperial City.

Behind him, a trusted guard was giving a low-key report.

“Your Highness, we have already made initial contact with several nobles of Tiandou City. They are tight-lipped about the matter of the elixir, but they speak highly of His Highness Gedo, so the efficacy of the medicine is undoubtedly real.”

Davis gently swirled his wine glass, his eyes deep: "Goddo, Queen Eva's guest of honor. It seems the only breakthrough lies with Goddo. Continue to investigate, spare no expense. I need to know her preferences, whereabouts, and what she needs most."

"Yes. Also..."

The guard hesitated for a moment before speaking, "It seems that the Third Prince is also trying to contact shady figures who sell intelligence through some clandestine channels."

Davis's lips curled into a cold smile: "My brother, still so impatient. Let him run into walls. Remember, our target is the elixir and the alchemist himself. Don't waste too much energy on him; just keep an eye on him. If necessary..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "We can cause him some trouble and make him understand that some things are not for him to covet."

"Understood, sir."

Meanwhile, in another side hall of the annex.

Dai Mubai was whispering rapidly with someone who appeared to be a servant of the annex.

After handing over a small bag of gold soul coins, he asked, "Have you found out anything? About that witch Gord, or where can you get that kind of elixir?"

The eunuch quickly put away his money pouch, nervously looking around. He spoke rapidly, "My lord, I am of low rank and have no contact with those important figures. I have only vaguely heard that His Highness Gedo is mysterious and rarely shows his face. A few days ago, many important figures did attend a private gathering, but no one dares to reveal the details. It seems that this kind of elixir is not yet circulating on the black market; it is probably all firmly in the hands of those powerful families."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Dai Mubai's eyes, but more than that, he felt resentment.

He knew things wouldn't be that easy, especially after his older brother Davis arrived, which would make his actions even more difficult.

But he had no way out; he had to do everything in his power to seize every possibility.

"Keep an eye out, and contact us at the usual place if you receive any messages."

……

Tian Dou City, Yue Xuan.

Tang Yuehua was gracefully brewing tea, while Ning Fengzhi sat opposite her.

With two representatives from the three upper sects gathered together, the conversation naturally turned to the recent hot topic.

"Brother Fengzhi, what is your sect's opinion on Her Majesty Geduo and her elixirs?" Tang Yuehua pushed a cup of tea in front of Ning Fengzhi, her voice gentle and melodious.

Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly and picked up his teacup: "The medicine is remarkably effective, truly an extraordinary product. For my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, it may be a new path. I imagine Lady Yuehua is quite interested as well."

He glanced meaningfully at Tang Yuehua. Although the Haotian Sect was in seclusion, Tang Yuehua was running the Yuexuan outside and was well-informed. Moreover, given her own circumstances, she would definitely pay more attention to things that could break the rules.

Tang Yuehua didn't hide her feelings and sighed softly, "If it can help with martial soul cultivation, Yuehua is naturally willing to give it her all. However, that Lady Geduo seems to only care about materials and not about personal relationships or money. I have sent people to search for the items on the list, but unfortunately, the results are not good."

Ning Fengzhi did not believe Tang Yuehua's words. As members of the three upper sects, who did not know the other's background?

“Likewise,” Ning Fengzhi nodded in reply.

"The materials on the list are indeed unusual and strange, many of them probably not common. It seems that Her Majesty's background is more mysterious than we imagined, and trading with her will be no easy task."

Tang Yuehua gently shook her folding fan and sighed.

In fact, she did have some of the things that Godot needed, but she did not exchange them because she had another desire in her heart.

She wanted to see Eva again and ask if there were any special pills that could help her break through the level nine limit of soul power.

Ning Fengzhi and Tang Yuehua exchanged a smile, both seeing the same solemnity and determination in each other's eyes.

The emergence of elixirs has subtly altered the delicate balance among the top powers; whoever can acquire more first will gain an advantage in the future.

……

The capital of the Star Luo Empire.

No secrets stay hidden forever. The news that the First Prince Davis and the Third Prince Dai Mubai had secretly followed the delegation to Tiandou City, along with the rumor about the miraculous elixir, spread quietly like wild grass in early spring throughout the upper levels of Xingluo.

Zhu Mansion.

Zhu Zhuqing was gazing absently at a black bamboo in the courtyard outside the window.

Her figure was still quite young, but her dark eyes already held a calmness and maturity far beyond her years.

The news that Dai Mubai had secretly infiltrated the delegation and headed to Tian Dou naturally reached her ears as well.

Chapter 101 Chat Room

Zhu Zhuqing's slender eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a faint look of surprise flashed in her eyes.

That dissolute prince, whom she thought only frequented brothels and was self-destructive, actually had such a bold and proactive side.

This is somewhat different from her previous understanding.

But that's all.

After the initial surprise, what still welled up in her heart was her disgust and alienation towards Dai Mubai.

After all, his frivolous and unrestrained image was already deeply rooted in Zhu Zhuqing's mind, and it was by no means something that could be changed by a single unexpected action.

Dai Mubai's actions were nothing more than a struggle for his own precarious position; what did it have to do with Zhu Zhuqing?

Although they are destined to be together, they are still each other's most direct competitors and potential threats who could be dragged into the abyss by the other at any time.

In comparison, the pills that allow Soul Masters to absorb Soul Rings beyond their level are more appealing to her.

If... if she could also obtain this kind of elixir, would she be able to improve her strength more quickly and gain the power to break free from this cold, cruel fate more quickly?

Even if it's just a sliver of hope, it's worth fighting for.

The head of the delegation was her father, Zhu Tianlin.

This thought stirred a ripple in Zhu Zhuqing's tranquil heart.

Although their father always prioritized the interests of the family and the empire, was impartial and rarely showed the usual fatherly tenderness to his daughters, this was ultimately an opportunity.

Should she, or could she, express this desire to her father in some way?

Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts oscillated silently between the cold reality and the faint light.

……

Inside a quiet lounge at the Star Luo Royal Junior Soul Master Academy.

Levin was currently staring intently at the strange area in his mind that only he and the other fairy tale characters could perceive—the fairy tale chat room opened up by the system.

Inside the chat room, information flowed very slowly, and most of the time it was in a state of near silence.

After all, we are scattered across the mainland, our relationships are unfamiliar, and we may even have old grudges. We tend to contact each other privately rather than communicate on public channels.

However, there are always exceptions.

[Pinocchio]: The grilled pork ribs at the college cafeteria tasted really good today! But they seemed a bit overcooked, so hard they could break your teeth, haha!

[Pinocchio]: In the afternoon's practical class, the teacher praised my dodging skills as very agile! Although I know he actually meant to say that my attack power was too weak...

Pinocchio: I saw a bird with particularly beautiful feathers flying by outside the window! I really want to ask it if it can take me for a ride!

Pinocchio appears in the chat room almost every day, sharing snippets of his life—trivial, exaggerated, and sometimes even containing descriptions that are clearly exaggerated for the sake of being funny.

Pinocchio felt too lonely.

Alone, I arrived in this completely unfamiliar world, with no familiar faces around me. There was no Grandpa Geppetto, no Mr. Cricket, and no Blue Fairy, who, though she later reconciled with me, wasn't initially a true friend.

The competition at Xingluo Royal Academy was fierce, and he knew that his classmates were close to him because of his talent; no one really wanted to be his friend.

But Pinocchio also longs for communication and attention.

Therefore, before this chat room existed, he could only attract attention by telling harmless little lies.

Lies can activate his martial spirit, bring a slight improvement to his cultivation, and even make him temporarily forget that he is a human being.

Now, with this chat room, everyone in it is from a fairy tale world just like him, and they will respond to him.

Therefore, Pinocchio used this place as a confessional, a place where he could freely communicate.

He knew he had exaggerated some of his words, and even mixed in a little bit of untruth, but he comforted himself: "I'm just saying a little bit, just to make everyone think it's a little more interesting. When I make real friends here in the future, I won't do this anymore, and I will definitely tell the truth!"

But recently, a new person has been appearing frequently in the chat room: the witch Gothel.

Unlike Pinocchio, she doesn't spam the chat, but every now and then she clearly lists the names of several potions, their effects, and the reputation points required to exchange for them.

【Godot】: Resilience potion, which can slightly and permanently increase physical strength. It requires 30 reputation points to exchange.

【Godot】: Vision Potion, enhances mental perception, requires 30 reputation points to exchange.

【Gedo】: Energy Extract Liquid, accelerates soul power recovery, requires 10 reputation points to exchange.

These are all genuine products derived from her witchcraft, with clear descriptions of their effects. They are by no means simplified versions of elixirs used to fool the nobles of the Heavenly Battle.

In front of her fellow villagers whom she knew well, Ge Duo did bring out some genuine items, and of course, these potions were by no means cheap.

Levin's gaze lingered on the tough medicine for a long time.

Improving physical strength is a great attraction for any Soul Master in the Douluo Continent, and it is the same for him.

He is exceptionally talented, but if he could be even stronger, who would refuse?

Levin glanced at his accumulated reputation points. As a genius with innate full soul power, and in a high-profile place like the Star Luo Royal Academy, the reputation he had quietly accumulated was quite considerable, more than enough to exchange for a toughening potion.

However, he hesitated for only a moment before looking away.

The role of reputation points goes far beyond this.

Within the system, reputation points can not only be used to redeem ready-made items and draw rewards containing miraculous power, but also are related to unlocking more features in the future.

That's where reputation points should really be used.

While Gordoy's potions are good, in Levin's view, using precious reputation points to exchange for a fixed enhancement with known effects is not the best choice.

He prefers to accumulate reputation points and use them in more crucial areas, or to exchange them for system-exclusive benefits that cannot be obtained from the outside world.

"Let's wait a little longer."

Levin exited the chat room interface, having already made up his mind.

He believed that, through his own talent and hard work, he could improve his physical strength, not just by relying on magic potions.

……

Deep sea, fishbone cave.

Ursula's enormous octopus tentacles coiled up a pearl emitting a dark light and embedded it into a complex magic circle on the cave wall.

Stealing a moment from her busy schedule, a sliver of her mind drifted into the chat room.

Looking at the list of potions that Godot had provided, Ursula let out a low laugh.

【Usura】: @Gedo, old sister, you've started doing business with your own people? Your vision potion doesn't sound as effective as the gaze of the deep-sea jellyfish here. Want to consider stocking up? I'll give you a discount~ You can also exchange it for your local specialties.

Ursula didn't forget to take this opportunity to promote her seafood; she even considered buying materials from Godot.

Chapter 102 The Seller's Market

Gedo's reply was swift, tinged with sarcasm.

【Geduo】: No need. Your stuff that's been soaking in seawater has too strong a fishy smell and will affect the purity of my medicine. Besides, people who need it will naturally buy it.

Ursula didn't care about what Gedo said; it wouldn't affect her anyway, so she let it go.

She continued to watch the chat room with a smile. She wasn't very interested in Gothor's potions; the deep sea had plenty of unique resources.

What interests her more is the chat room itself, and how it allows her to perceive the movements and locations of her compatriots scattered across the mainland, which enables her to better grasp potential transactions or opportunities for exploitation.

……

Inside the simulation training room of the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace.

Snow White, who had just finished a round of soul power cultivation, slowly opened her eyes, and the chilling aura surrounding her gradually dissipated.

She habitually focused her attention on the system interface in her mind, glancing at the public chat room that was quiet yet filled with Pinocchio's nonsense and Gothic advertisements.

The effects of the various potions listed by Godor caught her eye, causing her azure pupils to flicker slightly.