Douluo Continent: Speaker above, Dragon God kneels to receive orders

Chapter 25 A Visitor from Across the Ocean, The Divine Craftsman's Calamity

A visitor from across the ocean, the calamity of the master craftsman

Sun and Moon Federation, Mingdu. This city is entirely made of steel, glass, and soul-guided light. Unlike the stone houses of the Star Luo Empire, it's cold and stark. Hundreds of meters tall silver metal buildings pierce the sky like swords, and soul-guided light curtains weave a net in the heavens, enveloping the entire city in a pale blue halo. Colorful soul-guided flying vehicles weave in and out between the buildings; you can't quite describe what it looks like, it's just chaotic, but quite beautiful.

The atmosphere was tense today. Federation flags fluttered along the streets, and the sea breeze carried a salty, fishy smell from the harbor. The Star Luo Empire's royal delegation was officially visiting today. This wasn't just diplomacy; it was a transoceanic affair. The Star Luo Empire was on the other side, separated by the endless blue sea. Previously, due to limitations in soul-guided technology, that sea was stagnant and insurmountable. Now, they had built transoceanic warships, and a group of people had braved the sea to finally reach this unfamiliar place. The people of Mingdu found these people fascinating, but those in power knew it was like walking a tightrope.

The Federal Central Legion's headquarters is located in a circular valley on the outskirts of Mingdu. The leader of the nine legions, known as the Federation's favored son, is its strongest army. The entrance is riddled with detection devices and turrets, hidden in the shadows, so tight even birds can't fly past. The valley is exceptionally quiet, with only the occasional low rumble of a soul-guided engine.

At that moment, two figures, like ghosts, slipped past all the visible and hidden sentries and appeared silently in front of a building deep in the valley. Tang Wulin and Xu Tianqi.

"Teacher, is this the Central Army's base?" Tang Wulin looked around, his eyes wide with shock. This place was a completely different world from Donghai City, where he grew up. The soul guidance energy in the air was as thick as water, carrying a cold metallic smell, and even the Golden Dragon King bloodline within him felt a little restless.

"This is just the surface." Xu Tianqi's expression was calm, his gaze like an eagle's, sweeping across the empty void. "The real Mingdu is the soul guidance network underground, and the wills hidden behind power. Let's go, your master is waiting for you."

"Master..." Tang Wulin's heart tightened. He hadn't seen Mo Runshu for a long time since leaving Sun and Moon Island. That person had passed on the Sun and Moon Divine Skill to him, yet he still felt he couldn't quite understand it.

Xu Tianqi didn't say anything more and walked straight over. Tang Wulin took a breath and followed.

The Speaker's office on the top floor of the Federal Parliament building. It wasn't as luxurious as I'd imagined; instead, it was quite empty, with hardly anything there. A large floor-to-ceiling window offered a panoramic view. Outside, aircraft flew by and lights twinkled, but inside, it was as quiet as if frozen.

A man stood with his back to the door, his hands behind his back. His blond hair was loose, flowing down his back, each strand seemingly holding the sun. He wore a white robe, and his blond hair fell beside his face, making his face both handsome and fierce.

Mo Runshu. Speaker of the Federal Council, Level 99 Limit Douluo, Four-Word Battle Armor Master.

"You've arrived." He didn't turn around; his voice wasn't loud, but it resonated directly in your mind.

"The Sun and Moon Divine Skill, he didn't disappoint me." Xu Tianqi's voice came from the doorway, a little cold and not very polite.

Mo Runshu turned around. His face was unrealistically handsome, most striking were his eyes—one blue, bottomless; the other golden, blindingly bright. Paired with his blond hair, they were captivating. He looked at Tang Wulin, who felt as if he were being roasted by the sun, as if he had been seen through from the inside out.

"Speedier than I expected." Mo Runshu smiled. The smile was gentle, but Tang Wulin felt a chill. "The first layer of the Golden Dragon King's seal was actually refined in this way. Xu Tianqi, your path to defying the gods is far superior to my rigid soul-guiding technology."

"Enough nonsense." Xu Tianqi snorted, not wanting to waste any more time with him. "I brought him here, not to hear your opinion. Where's what I wanted?"

With a casual wave of his hand, Mo Runshu silently produced an exquisite metal box on the coffee table.

"The Seed of Time and Space you requested, I spent three years finding it at the site of a fallen Time and Space deity." He looked at Tang Wulin, his gaze deepening. "Wulin, do you know why I passed on the Sun and Moon Divine Skill to you?"

Tang Wulin didn't speak. He wanted to ask too.

"Because your bloodline is the rule of the divine realm. My martial souls, the Sun and Moon Goddess and the Eternal Sighing Cross Sword of the Goddess of Light, pursue order and eternity," Mo Runshu said slowly, his fingers stroking the golden hair that fell to his chest. "Rules are chaotic, order must be stable. Your existence is the greatest threat to the order of this world. I originally wanted to use soul guidance technology to purify you and turn you into a war machine that obeys me. But Xu Tianqi stopped me."

He paused for a moment, something flashing in his eyes.

"She told me that instead of creating a puppet, it's better to cultivate an opponent. An opponent who can break the old rules and establish new ones."

"So, you taught him the Sun and Moon Divine Skill so that he would kill you later?" Xu Tianqi sneered.

"No." Mo Runshu shook his head, a burning desire in his eyes. "It's so he can kill a god."

He walked up to Tang Wulin and took out a cross pendant from his pocket. The pendant emitted a soft, sacred light, as if it contained something from a very long time ago.

"This is one of the origins of my martial spirit, a fragment of the sword heart of the Eternal Sigh Sword of the Goddess of Light. It cannot help you become stronger, but it can enable you to withstand the pressure and mental control of all gods in your spirit."

"This is one of the origins of my martial spirit, a fragment of the sword heart of the Eternal Sigh Sword of the Goddess of Light. It cannot help you become stronger, but it can enable you to withstand the pressure and mental control of all gods in your spirit."

Tang Wulin stared at the pendant, his heart churning. He instinctively looked at Xu Tianqi. Xu Tianqi paused for a moment, then nodded slightly.

Tang Wulin took a deep breath and reached out to take the sword heart fragment. The moment his fingertips touched it, a warm and vast amount of information surged into his mind. It wasn't soul power, but belief—the kind of thought that allows a mortal to dare to wield a sword against a god.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"No need to thank me." Mo Runshu waved his hand, turned around and walked towards the French windows again. "You and I will have a battle sooner or later. I just don't want my opponent to be driven insane by his own father before he even sees me."

At this point, his face suddenly darkened. His previous gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp, piercing expression, like a knife just drawn.

"You've come at the right time. Today, the Star Luo Empire's delegation officially settles in Mingdu. On the surface, it's about peace and trade between the two countries, with the Star Luo Emperor hoping to alleviate domestic pressure through trade. But what I care about most is the smell of rats in the gutter."

"A rat?" Tang Wulin asked.

"The Holy Spirit Cult," Mo Runshu said, each word distinct, his eyes filled with hatred. "Those evil soul masters, I don't know what methods they used, to infiltrate Mingdu. On the surface, they appeared to be putting on a diplomatic show, but in reality, they brought a plan that could destroy this cooperation."

"What are they going to do?" Tang Wulin asked in a deep voice, sensing something was wrong.

Mo Runshu's gaze was like a knife: "Their target is Zhenhua."

"The master craftsman Zhenhua?!" Tang Wulin's heart sank.

"That's right." Mo Runshu nodded, his tone heavy. "The only level nine blacksmith on the continent. Zhenhua is not only a treasure of the Federation, but also a pillar of the entire blacksmithing world. In this era, only he can forge four-word battle armor, only he can complete the Heavenly Forging. He is the soul of the Blacksmith Association, and no one can replace him."

"The Holy Spirit Cult wants to assassinate a level nine blacksmith?" Xu Tianqi frowned. "What benefit would that bring them? Zhenhua is definitely surrounded by heavy troops."

"The benefits are too great." Mo Runshu sneered. "Just because he is the pillar of the forging world and the cornerstone of the Federation's high-end combat power, killing him is a slap in the face to the Federation. Moreover, they will do it cleverly, leaving behind the unique soul power fluctuations of the Star Luo Empire's royal family at the scene, or even traces of secret techniques that only the Star Luo royal family possesses."

"A frame-up!" Tang Wulin understood immediately. "They want to frame the Star Luo Empire!"

"Bingo." Mo Runshu snapped his fingers. "Once Zhenhua is killed during the Star Luo delegation's visit, and the evidence points to Star Luo, the anger of the Federation's people will explode. At that point, forget about cooperative trade; the Federation's hawks will immediately push for war legislation, and the Central Army will directly raze the Star Luo border. That's exactly what the Holy Spirit Cult wants—a war across the entire continent. Because only war can generate enough death and resentment to make them practice evil arts and even summon their evil gods."

"Despicable!" Tang Wulin clenched his fist.

"Don't be impulsive." Xu Tianqi grabbed his shoulder and looked coldly at Mo Runshu. "What's your purpose in telling us all this? You are the Speaker of the Federal Parliament; protecting Zhenhua is your duty."

"Protecting him is my duty." Mo Runshu smiled slightly, his eyes a little sly. "But I can't stay by his side every day. Some of the dirty work needs to be done by outsiders like you. I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"Secretly protect Zhenhua and uncover the Holy Spirit Cult's hidden stronghold in Mingdu." Mo Runshu looked at Tang Wulin. "In exchange, I will use the Central Legion's resources to provide you with intelligence support in secret. I will also arrange an unexpected event that you want to see, bringing certain people to your forefront."

"A key figure?" Tang Wulin was taken aback, then realized who he was referring to.

"Afraid?" Mo Runshu was quite straightforward, reaching out to tidy his blond hair behind his ear. "But I'm even more afraid that you won't even have a chance to meet before being swallowed by your own fates. Tang Wulin, the Golden Dragon King within you, your destiny is destruction and rebirth. And I want to see if there is a third path between destruction and rebirth."

Just then, the hidden door on the side of the office opened silently. A cold figure stepped out.

Her silver hair reached her ankles, each strand glistening like it held moonlight. She wore a long white robe, exuding an aloof and unapproachable air—the complete opposite of Mo Runshu's sun-like warmth.

Yue Manman. Vice Speaker of the Federal Council, Level 99 Limit Douluo, Four-Word Battle Armor Master. Twin Martial Souls: Star Angel and Prophecy Angel.

She walked to Mo Runshu's side, stood there without saying a word. When her pale silver eyes looked at Tang Wulin, it was as if a faint starlight shimmered within them, carrying an air of seasoned wisdom. Her presence brought a touch of quiet to the otherwise oppressive office, but Tang Wulin felt a tremor run through his soul—he had run into his boss.

Mo Runshu glanced back at her, the sharpness in his eyes instantly dissipating, replaced by gentleness. Then he looked at Tang Wulin, his tone flat.

"Go. The Star Luo delegation's welcome banquet begins tonight. That's the best time for the Holy Spirit Cult to make its move, and also your best chance to get involved."

The door closed. The office fell silent again.

Mo Runshu gazed at the neon lights slowly illuminating outside the window, his blond hair fluttering gently in the wind. A slight smile played at the corners of his lips, a smile that was hard to describe.

"The fish is in the net."

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