Seeing the soul tool-linked defensive array being shut down, Xia Yi spoke again, "Pagoda Master Li, we have come on orders from the Vice Pagoda Master of the main Spirit Pagoda to carry out official duties. Please cooperate."
Li Qingyue had no choice but to lead the senior officials of the Heaven Dou City branch of the Spirit Pagoda down to greet Xia Yi.
"Senior Beast God, Master Xia Yi, you've traveled far—let me arrange a welcome banquet for you," Li Qingyue said with a kind smile to Di Tian and Xia Yi.
"There's no need for a welcome banquet. Our time is limited. Let's get straight to business. Take us to the Heaven Dou City Spirit Pagoda warehouse," Xia Yi said with a smile. He knew all too well that Li Qingyue was stalling, hoping to delay until reinforcements from the Spirit Pagoda headquarters or the Sun-Moon Federation could arrive.
Although Xia Yi wasn't afraid of the Federation or the headquarters' experts, he didn't want to waste time in Heaven Dou City.
There were so many branches of the Spirit Pagoda. If every branch stalled him for two or three days, who knew how long it would take to complete the mission of retrieving the soul beasts.
Li Qingyue's expression changed repeatedly. She hadn't expected Xia Yi to be so unyielding, giving no room for diplomacy.
If it weren't for Di Tian standing nearby, she would've pointed at Xia Yi and cursed him for being a traitor to humanity, helping soul beasts with such dedication.
Seeing the murderous gleam in Di Tian's eyes, Li Qingyue knew there was no room left for negotiation.
Let's not forget, hidden in the shadows was also a powerful expert who had secretly shut down the soul tool-linked defense system. If a battle really broke out, the Heaven Dou City Spirit Pagoda would have no chance of winning.
Just as Li Qingyue was about to give in, a fleet of mechas suddenly descended from the sky—over a hundred in total. Leading them was a striking red mecha.
A middle-aged man in uniform stepped out of the red mecha and walked up to Xia Yi. "Master Xia Yi, I am Mo Wu, governor of Heaven Dou City and also a member of the Federation Council. I fully support Her Excellency Phoenix Douluo's proposal to return the soul beasts and soul spirits made from soul beast souls to the soul beasts. However, this matter concerns the future of the entire soul master world. Though I am not a soul master, I understand its gravity. Therefore, until I receive official orders from the Federation, I cannot allow you to take the soul beasts in Heaven Dou City."
Xia Yi glanced coldly at Mo Wu, then turned to look at Zi Ji and said sharply, "This is a matter between the Spirit Pagoda and the soul beasts. No one has the right to interfere. Anyone who dares to stop us—kill them!"
There was no need for Di Tian to make a move—Zi Ji alone was more than enough.
"Xia Yi, how dare you!" Mo Wu shouted, though there was a trace of fear in his eyes.
If Xia Yi had said this to a human, Mo Wu wouldn't have been the least bit afraid.
After all, he was the governor of Heaven Dou City.
Anyone who harmed him would be hunted down relentlessly by the Sun-Moon Federation.
Even a Limit Douluo wouldn't dare touch him lightly.
But Zi Ji was a soul beast.
His identity as governor meant nothing in her eyes.
She could literally slap him to death.
The red mecha behind him wouldn't be able to protect him.
Still, he refused to back down. He was the governor—Zi Ji might dare act, but he believed that Xia Yi wouldn't let her truly harm him.
"Scram!" Zi Ji's deep purple eyes flashed with terrifying intent. Her killing aura locked onto Mo Wu.
Mo Wu's face instantly turned pale. Zi Ji's aura alone made his legs tremble, nearly forcing him to kneel.
"You…" Mo Wu glared at Xia Yi, anger blazing in his eyes. He couldn't believe Xia Yi would actually let Zi Ji attack him.
Crack! Before he could speak further, a tremendous weight crashed onto him—like a thousand-ton cauldron—and both his legs snapped with a crack.
He collapsed to the ground.
"Stop!" shouted the red mecha pilot behind him. He drew a three-meter-long sword from his back and charged at Zi Ji.
Hmph! Zi Ji snorted coldly. A deep dragon's roar echoed as a violet-black energy sphere appeared at her feet. The purple light spread rapidly, instantly engulfing the entire mecha squad that Mo Wu had brought.
A terrifying devouring force emanated from the light. All the mecha pilots felt their soul power being drained rapidly. Without enough soul power, their mechas could no longer stay airborne and fell like dumplings into a pot.
"Domain!" The red mecha pilot barely managed to remain aloft, but he was only a Level 94 Title Douluo. Even with the red mecha boosting his power, he was still no match for Zi Ji.
Soon, his soul power was drained dry, and like the others, he plummeted from the sky.
Watching the overwhelming might of Zi Ji, the Heaven Dou City Spirit Pagoda powerhouses were dumbfounded.
"When did Zi Ji's Devouring Domain become this terrifying?" Li Qingyue was shaken to the core. The Spirit Pagoda knew more about the fierce beasts of the Star Dou Forest than anyone else. They had assessments and records of all their soul skills.
But the power Zi Ji now displayed far exceeded any of their evaluations.
Based on her previous strength, even if the mechas couldn't defeat her, it wouldn't have been easy for her to defeat so many of them either.
But now, she did it effortlessly.
Xia Yi turned to the shocked Li Qingyue and said with a smile, "Pagoda Master Li, shall we?"
Li Qingyue's eyes flashed with cold light. She hadn't expected Xia Yi to be so bold as to allow a soul beast to assault a Federation governor.
Did he not fear sparking widespread outrage?
"Please follow me," Li Qingyue finally said. She realized that Xia Yi would not leave without taking the soul beasts and soul spirits made from soul beast souls from the Heaven Dou City Spirit Pagoda.
If he dared to let Zi Ji attack a city governor, he'd surely dare to let Di Tian attack her.
And if Zi Ji was already this terrifying, how strong was Di Tian?
Li Qingyue didn't dare to imagine.
She could only obediently lead Xia Yi's group toward the Spirit Pagoda warehouse.
What she didn't know was that Zi Ji had actually held back.
Among the fierce beasts, Zi Ji had been the first to fully accept Xia Yi. She knew he might need to stay in the human world for a while, and didn't want to cause him unnecessary trouble—so she didn't kill anyone.
Though Xia Yi had allowed her to kill any who interfered, she had acted only to intimidate.
And it worked. Li Qingyue immediately gave in and dared not try any more tricks.
In the Heaven Dou City Spirit Pagoda warehouse, Xia Yi selected more than 20,000 soul spirits made from soul beast souls and rescued over 500 soul beasts. He then entered the Spirit Ascension Platform and rescued another 30,000 soul spirits.
When news reached the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, Qian Gu Dongfeng was so enraged he smashed his desk.
If even the Heaven Dou City branch had caved, then no other branch in the Federation—be it in Xing Luo City or Mingdu—would dare disobey Xia Yi.
"Zi Ji's strength has surged. The Demon Emperor's strength has surged. The Phoenix Douluo sisters' strength has surged. I was wrong. The Holy Spirit Cult was wrong. The secret to rapidly advancing in cultivation must come from the soul beasts—those divine-level soul beasts. The Phoenix Douluo sisters advanced so quickly because they cooperated with the soul beasts. No wonder they help them," Qian Gu Dongfeng muttered, the pieces falling into place upon hearing of Zi Ji's rise in power.
But that only made him more furious.
Leng Yaoyu had used the Spirit Pagoda's resources to trade with soul beasts, yet the benefits had gone entirely to her and her sister.
How could Qian Gu Dongfeng not be enraged?
"Leng Yulai is far away in Mingdu. I want to see just how powerful divine-level spiritual power really is. She dares to stir up trouble alone at Spirit Pagoda headquarters?" Qian Gu Dongfeng snorted coldly and immediately headed toward Qian Gu Dieting's secluded cultivation chamber.
(End of Chapter)