Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

Zhu Zhuqing shut her mouth, letting the blue silver grass guide her as she sped through the night.

The group had been away from Wuhun City for about half an hour. The surrounding scenery had changed from farmland on the outskirts of the city to rolling hills. The trees on both sides of the official road were getting denser and denser, and the moonlight was cut into fragments by the branches and leaves and scattered on the ground.

Just then, Tang Hao suddenly stopped.

He stood firmly in the middle of the official road like a mountain that had suddenly frozen in time, his dusty robes ceasing to flutter in the night wind.

His cloudy yet sharp eyes narrowed slightly, and a cold smile curved his lips.

“You’ve been following me for so long,” his voice wasn’t loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet night, “It’s time to come out.”

Tang San and Cinderella stopped simultaneously, a knowing glint in their eyes. They didn't turn around, but instead instinctively shielded Zhu Zhuqing behind them.

Zhu Zhuqing's heart sank, and her fingers clenched unconsciously.

The night breeze stopped.

Three figures emerged silently from the darkness on both sides of the official road.

One person was in front, and two were behind, forming a triangle that surrounded the four people in the middle.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a sharp face, dressed in a black outfit, arms crossed, and a half-smile playing on his lips.

Two people stood behind him, one on his left and one on his right, dressed the same and exuding the same aura.

The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive, like three invisible mountains pressing down on this silent official road.

When Zhu Zhuqing saw the face of the leader, her face instantly turned ashen.

She knew him.

Commander Zhao, Davis's personal bodyguard.

The person who handled "matters that were inconvenient to disclose" for Davis in the Star Luo Imperial Palace, the executioner who was already a Soul Saint ten years ago and whose strength is now unfathomable.

Her leg involuntarily took a half step back, but Cinderella grabbed her wrist.

Cinderella didn't turn around, but simply squeezed her hand tightly, the force firm and steady, as if to say: Don't be afraid.

Commander Zhao's gaze swept over Tang Hao and then landed on Zhu Zhuqing's face, the corners of his mouth curving even deeper.

"Your Majesty has a keen sense of perception." His voice was unhurried, carrying a calm composure that comes with experience.

"We are merely acting under orders and have no intention of being your enemy. This Miss Zhu is someone my Highness specifically requested. We hope you will do us a favor and not interfere in the internal affairs of the Xingluo royal family."

He paused, his tone still calm, but with a hint of warning: "Otherwise... it won't look good for anyone."

Tang Hao looked at him, his cloudy eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Why don't I get involved?"

The voice was very soft, as if asking what to have for dinner.

But those five simple words instantly froze the composed smile on Commander Zhao's face.

He squinted and carefully examined the gray-clad man in front of him.

His messy hair covered half his face, and his coarse cloth clothes were covered with bits of grass that he looked like a down-and-out country bumpkin.

But the composure with which he stood motionless in the darkness, facing three high-level soul masters, was something no ordinary person could possess.

Commander Zhao's eyelids twitched.

Having spent so many years in the Star Luo Imperial Palace, his ability to read people was already unparalleled. The composure in the eyes of the person before him was not feigned, but genuine, a calm that had settled after weathering countless storms.

He had only ever seen that kind of calmness in strong people.

But the arrow was already on the bowstring, and it had to be released.

Commander Zhao took a deep breath, his smile vanishing completely, replaced by a cold and resolute expression: "Then don't blame us for being impolite."

The moment the words fell, three beams of soul power erupted simultaneously.

Beneath Commander Zhao's feet, eight spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—soared into the sky, transforming him into a Soul Douluo.

The person on the left has seven spirit rings: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black. He is a Spirit Saint.

The person on the right has six spirit rings: yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, and black. He is a Spirit Emperor.

The three streams of soul power pressed down like a tangible force, causing the trees on both sides of the official road to rustle and their withered leaves to flutter down.

Zhu Zhuqing's hands were trembling, Cinderella's face was also a little pale, and Tang San's Blue Silver Grass spread wildly under his feet, instinctively entering battle mode.

Tang Hao smiled.

The smile was light and faint, carrying a condescending, almost pitying mockery.

"I thought he was so amazing."

He slowly raised his right hand.

Then, an aura as powerful as a landslide and a tsunami erupted from his body.

Nine spirit rings rose from beneath his feet.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!

The nine spirit rings slowly rotated, especially the last bright red spirit ring, which exuded a terrifying pressure that made one's soul tremble.

That wasn't the aura a Soul Douluo could possess, nor the aura a Soul Saint could possess.

Title Douluo!

Commander Zhao's face turned ashen the moment the spirit ring lit up.

The two Soul Masters behind him were completely stiff, their legs trembling.

"You...you are..." Commander Zhao's voice changed, as if someone was choking him, "A Title Douluo!"

Tang Hao did not answer. He simply stood there, adorned with nine rings, his dusty gray robes fluttering in the wind from his soul power.

The moonlight fell on him, making his disheveled figure look like a war god from ancient mythology.

Commander Zhao's mind raced at that moment.

Title Douluo.

The most elite beings on the continent, the strongest at the top of the food chain.

The three of them—a Soul Douluo, a Soul Saint, and a Soul Emperor—are all formidable masters, commanding respect wherever they are.

But against a Title Douluo, they wouldn't even be enough to fill a tooth gap.

Moreover, the aura emanating from this man, and the oppressive feeling emanating from his last red spirit ring, was something that an ordinary Title Douluo could not possess.

Commander Zhao broke out in a cold sweat.

He took a deep breath, forced himself to speak, and his tone had changed from arrogant to pleading: "Senior, we meant no offense. We were just following orders and had no choice..."

Tang Hao looked at him, the mocking smile deepening: "On whose orders? Davis?"

Commander Zhao's face darkened further, but he dared not refuse: "It was...it was His Highness's order. But since you, senior, wish to protect this Miss Zhu, we naturally dare not obstruct you. However..."

He paused, carefully observing Tang Hao's expression: "But how should we explain this to His Highness when we return?"

Tang Hao sneered: "That's your business."

Commander Zhao gritted his teeth and glanced back at his two companions.

The fear on the two men's faces was no longer concealed; they kept giving him meaningful glances, meaning: Don't be foolish, your life is more important.

He turned his head and bowed deeply to Tang Hao: "Senior is right. We will take our leave now and will not disturb you any further."

After saying that, he waved to the two people behind him, and the three figures disappeared into the darkness like stray dogs.

The official road returned to silence.

The moonlight shone down, and the night breeze gently blew; the tense atmosphere just moments before seemed like an illusion.

Zhu Zhuqing stood there, her legs still trembling, but her cat-like eyes were filled with the relief of surviving a disaster.

She watched Tang Hao's retreating figure, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she found that her throat was so dry that she couldn't utter a single word.

Cinderella patted her shoulder and said softly, "Let's go, we're not safe yet."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded vigorously.

Tang Hao didn't say anything more and turned to continue walking into the depths of the night.

His pace remained unhurried, but this time, both Tang San and Cinderella noticed that his steps were a bit lighter than before.

It felt like a heavy burden had finally been lifted.

……

The hotel where the Star Luo Royal Academy is staying in Wuhun City.

Commander Zhao knelt before Davis, his forehead pressed against the cold ground, his voice filled with fear: "Your Highness, I am incompetent, please punish me."

Davis sat on the sofa, holding a cup of tea that had gone cold, his long golden hair gleaming coldly in the candlelight.

His face was expressionless, but deep within his eerie eyes surged extremely complex emotions.

"Title Douluo?" His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself.

"Yes." Commander Zhao lowered his head even further. "I saw it with my own eyes. Nine soul rings, four ten-thousand-year rings and one one hundred-thousand-year ring. I have only ever sensed that person's aura from a few of the Empire's retainers."

Davis remained silent for a long time.

The room was so quiet that the faint crackling of the candle wick could be heard. Zhu Zhuyun sat beside him, her fingers lightly resting on his arm, saying nothing, simply watching him silently.

"That Title Douluo," Davis finally spoke, his voice still very soft, "what does he look like?"

Commander Zhao paused for a moment, then recalled, "He was dressed in gray, with disheveled hair, and looked quite down on his luck. But his aura... was very strong."

Davis's fingers gently traced the rim of the teacup.

Gray clothes, messy hair, down-on-his-luck, a titled Douluo.

A name flashed through his mind, but he quickly suppressed it.

That's impossible. That man has been hunted by the Spirit Hall for over a decade; how could he possibly be here? And why would he stand up for Zhu Zhuqing?

But if it wasn't him, then who was it?

Davis closed his eyes, leaned back on the sofa, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.

Zhu Zhuqing.