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As previously mentioned, although the Zhu family, the Duke of the Underworld, held a prestigious position, they possessed no real power within the Star Luo Empire.
Even their fief was located near the capital, allowing the Dai family to keep them under constant surveillance.
Naturally, the Zhu family couldn't be expected to provide much help. However, as close associates of the Dai family, they had access to information far beyond that of ordinary people.
This was precisely what Ye Wen wanted. Though he could forcibly extract such intelligence on his own, he didn't consider a mere mortal nation like this worth his effort. It was better to delegate the task to an ordinary family he deemed worthy—and the Zhu family became the obvious choice.
Ye Wen held nothing but disdain for the relationship between the Dai and Zhu families. As in-laws, the Dai family had been ruthlessly exploiting the Zhu family, granting them a prestigious status while humiliating them in every possible way.
And this process hadn't lasted just ten or a hundred years—it had persisted for over two millennia.
In that sense, the Zhu family truly had remarkable endurance.
Still, it remained to be seen how this move would play out. Ye Wen hoped the Duke of the Underworld wouldn't prove ungrateful.
Zhu Zhuyun happily accepted the mission.
All she had to do was relay certain pieces of information to her father, who would then arrange for someone to pass them along to Tianxing Academy's subordinates, eventually reaching Ye Wen.
To prevent interference from the Dai family, Ye Wen even provided Zhu Zhuyun with a set of secret codes.
Zhu Zhuyun placed the codebook inside a storage-type soul-guiding necklace tucked against her chest, giving Ye Wen quite the eyeful. Spicy.
However, Zhu Zhuyun soon cast a worried glance at Zhu Zhuqing and asked Ye Wen,
"Sea God, what should we do about my sister?"
Glancing at Zhu Zhuqing, who stood nearby looking uneasy, Ye Wen pondered for a moment before replying,
"When you return, claim that you were attacked by fallen soul masters. Say your sister was abducted by evil soul masters during the chaos. Don't worry—I'll handle the scene to ensure no one suspects anything.
As for your sister, she'll stay with me to train. This will reassure your family.
If you ever miss her, you can visit Tianxing Academy, and I'll arrange for you to see her.
But until the fall of the Star Luo Empire, it's best to minimize contact."
"Phew…" Zhu Zhuyun let out a sigh of relief.
She also marveled at how gentle Ye Wen was—quite different from the lofty gods she had imagined.
Though the excuse was somewhat far-fetched, fallen soul masters were known to be madmen who cared little for noble or commoner status.
Moreover, these individuals particularly enjoyed torturing women and children.
Before leaving, Zhu Zhuyun cast an envious glance at Zhu Zhuqing. After all, being able to study beside a god was a blessing that soul masters could only dream of attaining in ten lifetimes.
Watching her sister slowly disappear into the distance, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes grew complex.
"What's wrong? Hating someone for so long, only to realize you've been deceived—surprising, isn't it?" Ye Wen teased, breaking the awkward silence.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated, unsure how to respond. This playful demeanor was quite different from the solemn godlike figure she had encountered earlier.
"Come on, let's go. I'll take you to train properly. At your age, being only level 27 is rather lackluster."
Zhu Zhuqing wasn't much of a talker, so she silently followed him.
Over the next few days, the two gradually grew more familiar with each other.
Ye Wen stopped using "I" in the formal tone—it had only been for show, and even he found it tiresome.
Traveling through scenic mountains and rivers, Ye Wen continuously guided Zhu Zhuqing in her cultivation.
Her martial soul, the Underworld Spirit Cat, sounded anything but ordinary.
The very name "Underworld" carried immense weight. Upon examination, it was revealed that Zhu Zhuqing not only possessed the darkness attribute but also a degree of spiritual power.
Such a combination in Douluo II would have been standard for Holy Spirit Sect's evil soul masters.
Yet her first two soul rings were the most basic agility-enhancement combat bonuses.
Had all their effects been stacked to boost speed alone, Zhu Zhuqing's strength would have been far greater. Moreover, these two soul rings weren't even of optimal years.
The suppression was brutal.
The royal family's struggles in the Star Luo Empire were indeed "fair."
Fortunately, these were merely two-hundred-year soul rings—there were plenty of ways to compensate.
One day, Zhu Zhuqing seemed distracted during training, her gaze wandering toward the distance.
While munching on local snacks, Ye Wen asked curiously, "What's wrong, Zhuqing?"
Then, as if realizing something, Ye Wen smirked mischievously and said,
"Thinking about men already at such a young age?"
This left the shy and taciturn Zhu Zhuqing blushing furiously. She could only silently poke Ye Wen with her finger.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Ye Wen exaggeratedly cried out in pain, but Zhu Zhuqing soon stopped.
Having lived a long life, Ye Wen had a good idea of what was on her mind and ceased teasing.
"Missing your fiancé?"
Zhu Zhuqing silently nodded.
Ye Wen felt somewhat speechless. The girls of this Douluo Continent were truly pure-hearted. Even though Dai Mubai had abandoned her to gallivant abroad, she still thought fondly of him.
Still, having a girl so devoted to him would indeed feel pretty satisfying—even if such girls were often labeled as "love-brained."
"I happen to know where he is. Want to go see him?" Ye Wen asked again.
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze wandered for a moment as memories of a young Dai Mubai playing with her surfaced. She then nodded.
Years had passed, but Soto City remained unchanged—the weathered walls, bustling crowds, and the lively spirit arena.
This time, Ye Wen didn't intend to draw attention. He quietly entered the city with Zhu Zhuqing in tow.
Zhu Zhuqing curiously observed the somewhat dirty and chaotic streets of Soto City. Having spent plenty of time in the Star Luo capital, she wasn't particularly moved.
"Teacher, where is Dai Mubai?"
"Don't rush. You have to eat a meal one bite at a time. Just wait—I'll show you a good show."
Looking at Ye Wen's back, Zhu Zhuqing felt a sense of foreboding but obediently followed.
Ye Wen led her into an elegant hotel.
Zhu Zhuqing glanced up at the sign above the entrance.
"Rose Hotel."
Though she hadn't activated her martial soul possession, her naturally keen hearing picked up faint sounds of heavy breathing upon entering. Her face flushed red.
Being precocious, she vaguely understood what kind of place this was.
Ye Wen didn't elaborate further, leading her directly to the second-floor railing to look down below.
At this moment, a playful smile lingered on Ye Wen's lips.
"Wait a bit longer—a good show is about to begin."
Just then, a familiar figure walked in.
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