Chapter 176: The Emperor's Gambit, Fan Yu Heads to Heavenly Soul Imperial City
Wisps of fragrant smoke from the dragon saliva incense coiled through the quiet expanse of the Imperial Study, hanging in the air like ethereal silk.
The Heavenly Soul Emperor slowly tore his gaze away from the simplified blueprints of the Mortal World Protection array, shifting his focus to Liu Yuan. The deep shock that had previously widened his eyes had now crystallized into a visceral, burning ambition.
"Liu Yuan," the Emperor began, his voice carrying a low thrill. "The more I turn your plan over in my mind, the more flawless it appears."
He sank back into the plush cushions of the dragon throne. His fingernails rhythmically tapped against the polished surface of the imperial desk, the crisp clack-clack echoing in the silent room. "However, concerning the exact methods to breach their psychological defenses, or the inevitable diplomatic pressure we will face from other nations during their defection... do you have more specific operational details?"
Standing tall in the center of the grand hall, Liu Yuan merely shook his head, his expression a mask of perfect calm. "Your Majesty, I am, at my core, only a Soul Master. My days are spent studying martial souls and honing combat tactics. As for how to weigh human greed with official titles and gold, or how to mobilize the Empire's intelligence network to extract targets right from under the noses of rival nations... I have not concerned myself with such administrative minutiae."
He paused. The faint purple-gold radiance swirling within his Double Pupils slowly receded into the depths of his gaze. "Specialization is key," he added, his tone smooth and measured. "These grand strategies must be orchestrated by Your Majesty personally. I am solely responsible for providing the ultimate 'bait'—the Grade 9 core materials plundered from Mingde Hall. As long as the bait is sufficiently irresistible, reeling in the fish should be a trivial matter for someone of Your Majesty's caliber."
Rather than showing disappointment, the Heavenly Soul Emperor threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Well said! Specialization is indeed key! Since that is the case, leave the rest to me. As long as those Soul Engineers still draw breath on the Douluo Continent, I have my ways of ferreting them out one by one. Armed with noble titles, rich fiefdoms, mountains of gold, and the technical materials in your possession that could drive any researcher mad with desire... I refuse to believe they cannot be recruited."
The Emperor rose from his throne, extending a gracious hand toward Du Busi and Liu Yuan. "Sect Master Poison, Liu Yuan, this matter is of paramount importance. To ensure that our initial contact and their subsequent resettlement go off without a hitch, I hope both of you will remain in the Imperial City for a time. Firstly, it will allow me to properly fulfill my duties as a host. Secondly, should any unforeseen emergencies arise, the absolute deterrent power of the Body Sect will be necessary to maintain order."
Du Busi cast a sidelong glance at his disciple. Catching Liu Yuan's subtle nod, the old man replied in a deep, resonant voice, "Since Your Majesty has extended such a gracious invitation, this old man will impose upon your hospitality for a few days. Truth be told, I am quite curious to see if these elusive fish will actually take the bait."
Over the following half-month, Liu Yuan and Du Busi were accommodated in the Qingfeng Garden, the most luxurious detached palace within the Imperial City.
This sprawling estate was traditionally reserved exclusively for foreign heads of state. More, it was situated directly above the Imperial City's primary spiritual vein, resulting in an incredibly dense concentration of Heaven and Earth Origin Energy that nourished the body with every breath.
To demonstrate his utmost sincerity, the Emperor decreed that all their provisions—clothing, meals, housing, and transportation—be tailored to the exact specifications of the imperial sovereign himself.
Naturally, Liu Yuan found his stay exceptionally comfortable., the Heavenly Soul Emperor had specifically arranged for Princess Weina to serve as their personal escort and companion throughout their stay.
At this very moment, within the lush confines of the Imperial City's back garden, Weina sat across from him. Dressed in an elegant pale blue court gown that accentuated her graceful figure, she delicately poured a cup of steaming spiritual tea for Liu Yuan.
"Liu Yuan, has your stay in the Imperial City been to your liking over the past half-month?" Weina asked softly. Her gaze lingered on the deep depths of his Double Pupils, carrying a glimmer of undisguised admiration. As a princess of the Heavenly Soul Empire, she understood better than anyone exactly what the technological materials he had brought back meant for her nation's future.
Liu Yuan picked up the porcelain teacup, taking a slow, appreciative sip. His gaze swept over the magnificent, golden-roofed palace complex in the distance as he responded with cool indifference. "Everything provided has been top-tier. Naturally, I am comfortable. However, the scenery is secondary. What I am truly looking forward to is the arrival of that Vice Dean, Fan Yu."
Weina tilted her head, genuine curiosity lighting up her features. "Why do you value him so highly? He is indeed a Grade 8 Soul Engineer, but there are several long-established senior engineers on our defection list who possess far more experience."
"Because he is different." Liu Yuan set the teacup down onto the stone table with a soft clink, a cold, calculating gleam flashing through his eyes. "Fan Yu is not just a genius. He is the youngest engineer on the entire Douluo Continent with the highest probability of breaking through to Grade 9. More, he represents the very future of Shrek Academy's Soul Engineering Department. He has been deeply entrenched in Shrek's core for years. Not only does he possess all of their technical secrets, but he also serves as the spiritual mentor for their entire younger generation of disciples."
Turning his head to meet Weina's gaze, a dark, meaningful smirk curved the corners of his mouth. "If we can successfully poach him, Shrek won't just be losing a single Grade 8 Soul Engineer. The very foundation of their Soul Engineering Department will be violently uprooted. I imagine that when Yan Shaozhe and Elder Xuan learn that Fan Yu has 'defected' back to the Heavenly Soul Empire, the looks on their faces will be absolutely spectacular. The destructive power of this single move far exceeds simply burning down one of their laboratories."
Listening to his ruthless analysis, Weina felt a sudden, involuntary chill run through her heart.
She realized in that moment that the youth sitting before her was not merely terrifying in terms of raw martial strength. His mind was just as dangerous. This calculated scheme, designed to surgically strike at the very foundation of a hostile force, revealed a chilling, predatory precision.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away at Shrek Academy.
The night had grown deep, yet the harsh, glaring lights within the Soul Engineering Department's experimental area remained brightly lit, cutting through the darkness.
Fan Yu had just finished a grueling, day-long session of high-intensity soul core carving. Exhausted, he rubbed his aching temples, his fingers stained with metallic dust, and slowly walked out of the heavy metal doors of his laboratory.
Just as he was preparing to drag his weary body back to his dormitory for some much-needed rest, the soul communication device tucked inside his breast pocket suddenly began to vibrate violently.
Frowning in confusion, Fan Yu pulled the device out and connected the signal. Almost no one within Shrek Academy would ever contact him using this specific civilian frequency. The only exception would be a call originating from his distant hometown in the Heavenly Soul Empire.
"Hello? Is this Fan Yu?" A slightly aged, breathless voice crackled through the receiver, laced with sheer urgency.
"Speaking. Are you... City Lord Li?" Fan Yu immediately recognized the voice. It belonged to a City Lord from his home province, an old acquaintance from his early years when he had first been bestowed the title of Viscount by the Empire.
"Thank the heavens, I've finally reached you! Viscount Fan Yu, His Majesty the Emperor has summoned you for a matter of the utmost urgency." The City Lord's voice dropped to a hushed, deadly serious whisper. "His Majesty has issued a top-secret imperial decree. You are required to depart immediately, in absolute secrecy, and report directly to the Imperial City. This matter concerns the very life and death of the Heavenly Soul Empire. It cannot be delayed for even a second!"
Fan Yu's brow furrowed deeply. "His Majesty is summoning me? But I am currently presiding over a critical, top-secret project here at Shrek..."
"Fan Yu! Do not forget your roots. You are first and foremost a Viscount of the Heavenly Soul Empire, and only secondarily the Vice Dean of Shrek!" The City Lord's tone grew harsh and solemn. "His Majesty explicitly stated that if you do not return this time, the Heavenly Soul Empire's northern border defense line will face imminent collapse. As the Empire's most brilliant Soul Engineer, are you truly going to stand by and watch as your fellow countrymen are consumed by the flames of war?"
Hearing the heavy words "life and death" and "northern border defense line," a fierce surge of patriotism ignited within Fan Yu's chest. Even though he had been a part of Shrek Academy for many years, deep in his bones, his loyalty had never truly wavered. He was, and always would be, a son of the Heavenly Soul Empire.
His jaw tightened. "I understand. I will pack my things immediately and set off overnight."
Fan Yu abruptly cut the connection. He stood in silence for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the familiar, metallic gleam of his experimental area. While he was deeply puzzled as to why the Emperor's summons was so sudden and desperate, his conviction remained firm. As a loyal subject of the Empire, he was duty-bound to answer the call during his nation's time of crisis.
Knowing time was of the essence, he chose not to disturb Dean Xian Lin'er, who was currently in deep seclusion. Instead, he hastily scribbled a brief note and left it on the desk of the Soul Engineering Department's main office: Returning home to handle urgent family matters. Gathering a few of his most critical research notes, Fan Yu slipped out of Shrek City under the cover of darkness, speeding through the night toward the distant Heavenly Soul Imperial City.
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]