The one playing the role of a God Envoy?
Other Worlds?
Mirror Hongchen looked at the young man in front of him. His slightly longer, dark hair was spread out, and the handsome face didn't hold its usual gentle smile, but rather a relaxed abandon. His dark eyes were like bottomless abysses, ready to devour everything in the World.
The child has grown up.
"So, there's no God Envoy?"
"Yes." An Zhen nodded lightly, "The Immortal Herb was found by Electrolux and me during the holidays at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. I took over that place. At the time, I planned to use this as an excuse to fool Shrek, so I tried it on you first, Grandpa."
"…"
Mirror Hongchen gently rubbed his brows, not because An Zhen had fooled him earlier, as he was, after all, his own child. The main reason was that the information in these few sentences was quite substantial.
"Greetings, Senior." Mirror Hongchen stood up and bowed slightly to Electrolux, "Thank you, Senior, for taking care of Xiao Zhen."
Even if he isn't a God Envoy, with this person's strength, he is likely among the Limit Douluo. A Dead Spirit Saint God, daring to bear the name of God, traversing Worlds, it's incredible.
"He is my disciple." Electrolux nodded calmly.
"Teacher Electrolux's strength is immense; the words 'God Envoy' are not worthy to be placed after Teacher's title." An Zhen stood up, standing between the two, "We're all family, let's sit down and talk."
Consider this a formal introduction.
An Zhen got down to business.
"In Teacher's World, there's a contract called a master-servant contract, similar to ancient slavery contracts, but unlike those, this one is guaranteed by extraordinary power. The master can completely control the servant's actions."
"Xiao Zhen plans to enslave other Ninth-Level Soul Engineers?" Mirror Hongchen's fingers gently tapped the armrest of the chair, as if contemplating the feasibility of this matter.
"Those who obey me prosper."
This was An Zhen's answer.
"This is an extreme measure. As long as they behave, they will have freedom, wealth, and power." The young man's dark eyes were calm and unruffled. "Human nature is complex. Grandpa is my kin, and I trust Grandpa. But I won't entrust such an important matter to a group of strangers."
Reality is like this. Trust between strangers is fragile, let alone with those Ninth-Level Soul Engineers. Who would be willing to let others ride on their heads? Compared to promising benefits or paying heavy prices to ask for their help, An Zhen felt the master-servant contract was more reliable. They might betray for greater gain, but they would never be foolish enough to risk their own lives.
"You've grown up." Mirror Hongchen nodded with satisfaction.
He preferred his own child to understand this truth through personal experience rather than through the harsh reality of a direct lesson.
Electrolux remained silent. He had witnessed sincere emotions and experienced cruel betrayals.
An Zhen looked at Electrolux.
The gray-haired young man spoke, his calm voice ringing out, "For ordinary Titled Douluo, as long as they have something to worry about, it's not hard to forcefully subdue them. But if they would rather die than submit, preventing self-detonation is somewhat difficult."
After all, it was a forced master-servant contract.
There was a simpler method: directly kill them and refine them into undead puppets. However, the aura would be too obvious. While it might fool ordinary people, facing high-level Spirit Masters, they would instantly notice something was off. It's not possible to refine all high-ranking officials of the Sun Moon Empire into undead.
"Senior's strength is heaven-defying, I admire you." Mirror Hongchen complimented, then got to the point, "I have some understanding of the other Ninth-Level Soul Engineers. Some of them are cowards who fear death, but there are also some loyal national heroes."
"So, we need to proceed slowly." An Zhen said, "Under the pretext of 'cleansing the ruler's side,' we will support another Crown Prince and eliminate the Evil Soul Masters who collaborate with the Evil Fiends."
An Zhen is currently only a Spirit Ancestor. When he reaches Titled Douluo, his individual combat power will have reached the peak of this World, fully capable of supporting his plans for other things. But the current Sun Moon Empire is a completely unstable factor for him.
Xu Tianran.
Besides his own people around An Zhen, he is the only outsider who knows his identity.
Especially after this competition, the name "An Zhen" will likely be known throughout the entire Continent. Even if Xu Tianran might not do anything at this stage to win over Mirror Hongchen, An Zhen won't stake his safety on this "might." In the original work, he could cooperate with the Holy Spirit Church, and after Mirror Hongchen supported him to ascend the throne, he kicked Mirror Hongchen out of the circle, exiling him to be a city lord. This guy has absolutely no bottom line.
As for developing discreetly?
An Zhen's choice is to directly eliminate this unstable factor to prevent future troubles. Moreover, he needs a stable, strong rear base that can provide him with a safety net. An Zhen is a very cautious person; while he wouldn't say 99% certainty is suicide, he still needs to leave himself a fallback plan.
Furthermore, if the Sun Moon Empire can be used by him, firstly, he can have more resources to squander. He can use the power of the entire Empire to cultivate his Virtual World. Secondly, the path to becoming a God. An Zhen is determined to become a God. The Virtual World is one path. Electrolux is also a path. Following the example of the Angel God and Sea God, becoming a God through faith is another path.
When the Sun Moon Empire falls, An Zhen will be well-fed.
With the Sun Moon Empire, An Zhen can plan more things and has more capability.
The most crucial point is that An Zhen now has the ability to scheme for the Sun Moon Empire at this very opportune time, before Xu Tianran ascends the throne and before the Holy Spirit Church fully cooperates with the Sun Moon Empire. He has this ability, with Electrolux, this big shot, by his side. And he is currently in the shadows, so why should he develop discreetly? Xu Tianran is currently the weaker party.
"Then, as Xiao Zhen said, we'll support a puppet from the Sun Moon Royal Family to ascend. In that case, as long as we gather enough power, even that old guy Kong Deming will obediently make concessions to us." Mirror Hongchen thought it was feasible.
"The chosen royal bloodline must be pure, and it's best if they have no ambition." An Zhen stated his opinion.
"Xiao Zhen, what do you think of Princess Tianzhen? She has the Sun Spirit, which only direct descendants of the Sun Moon Royal Family possess, and she is innocent and naive." Mirror Hongchen said. The other princes of the Sun Moon Royal Family are all ambitious, but this princess is an exception.
The quiet Electrolux suddenly looked at An Zhen, a hint of playful amusement in his eyes, "A girl?"
Although there was no reason, he strongly suspected that his disciple had already set his sights on this princess.
"That little princess?" An Zhen nodded seriously, "She can do it."
Next, An Zhen and Mirror Hongchen discussed various details of their future actions, such as which Ninth-Level Soul Engineer to start with, and subsequent negotiations with Shrek.
...
In the Shrek Academy team's lounge.
"Mingde Hall?" Elder Xuan pondered.
"Yes." An Zhen nodded, "This is also the candidate recommended by God Envoy Teacher, but the specifics still need you, Elder Xuan, to contact and discuss."
He should not interfere too much.
"I know." Elder Xuan felt a headache. He originally didn't handle matters of this kind, and now such a huge matter had suddenly arisen: an Evil Soul Master organization with over twenty Titled Douluo-level Evil Soul Masters cooperating with the Sun Moon Empire. How could this be tolerated?
The white-haired old man took a sip of wine, easing his emotions.
"Alright." Elder Xuan looked at everyone, "This matter is not to be spread outside. You don't need to worry; even if the sky falls, I'll be here to support it. You are still young now, it's a time for growth."
"Exactly, no need to worry." An Zhen said calmly, as if nothing had happened.
"Martial Uncle." Ma Xiaotao looked speechless, "You should have told us about such an important matter earlier."
They had thought they were in a time of peace, but unexpectedly, it was now the eve of a World War.
The long-haired senior sister nodded gently.
Over twenty Titled Douluo-level Evil Soul Masters. Such a terrifying number was already comparable to Shrek Academy.
"Isn't it because I was afraid you'd worry? Besides, I thought the Academy's higher-ups knew." An Zhen blinked, looking innocent.
"The Original Douluo Three Kingdoms are fine, but who knew those Evil Soul Masters were hiding in the Sun Moon Continent?" Shrek's intelligence network in the Original Douluo Continent was very good, but there were no channels on the Sun Moon Empire side, let alone the fact that Evil Soul Masters had already started cooperating with the Sun Moon Royal Family. Elder Xuan thought of another matter, "Is the extreme attribute of Xiao Tao and those two girls because of something An Xiaozi got from the God Envoy Senior?"
"Yes." An Zhen nodded.
"Alright then." Elder Xuan didn't delve deeper; he trusted this child and Elder Mu's decision. "You all rest well. I will handle the matters of the Evil Soul Masters and the Sun Moon Empire."
With that, Elder Xuan's figure disappeared.
"That was really scary." Xiao Xiao sighed, gently patting her chest with her small hand.
"Don't worry." An Zhen reached out and pulled Xiao Xiao into his embrace, his tone full of optimism, "Elder Xuan and the others are supporting us. Even if war breaks out tomorrow, we don't need to go to the battlefield."
Unless everyone above them dies.
Then, An Zhen told the girls who didn't yet know the story of the God Envoy about the matter.
"Then does that mean I slept with a future Divinity?" Ma Xiaotao teased.
"Watch your mouth." Ling Luochen said with a cold expression.
"Watch my mouth?" Sitting on the sofa, her slender beautiful legs crossed, Ma Xiaotao smiled at Ling Luochen, a playful glint in her eyes, "I wonder who was shouting so loudly earlier, 'Master—' "
"Ma Xiaotao!"
The Ice Queen broke through her defenses in a second.
Huo Yutong and the other girls looked shy.
An Zhen occasionally let them use that address too.
After Ma Xiaotao's words, the girls quickly shifted their attention from the grim international situation. Just as An Zhen had said, they were still too young, and this was not their concern. If the sky fell, there were still people above to hold it up. All they needed to do now was grow up well.
In An Zhen's bedroom, Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen's fight quickly moved from under the bed to on the bed, and An Zhen came to break it up.
The flame-sprite-like beauty sat astride An Zhen, her delicate hands resting on his chest. The young man's head lay on a pair of cool, white-stockinged thighs, soft and fragrant like a high mountain snow lotus, lingering at his nostrils.
"Martial Uncle, who was just discussing international affairs, was so handsome." A pair of phoenix eyes gazed lovingly at the young man beneath her, her black-stockinged beautiful legs kneeling.
A Rank 4 Spirit Ancestor, leading the Academy team in the Soul Fighting Competition, he remained unfazed even by the news of over twenty Titled Douluo-level Evil Soul Masters, maintaining a calm expression. While Elder Xuan still had no clear ideas, he could speak eloquently about such a grim situation, and even had the potential to inherit a God Position in the future.
"Indeed." Ling Luochen lowered her head, her fair fingertips gently caressing the young man's cheek, her white-stockinged thighs slightly parted to make An Zhen more comfortable.
Such an excellent junior student.
...
On the other side of the Star Emperor Hotel, in the suite of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy team, in a luxuriously decorated bedroom, a silver-haired middle-aged man was intently engraving an Rank 8 spirit tool core array. Suddenly, the man put down the carving knife in his hand and turned to look at the window.
"May I ask which Senior has graced us with their presence?" Mirror Hongchen spoke.
"Super Douluo?" An aged voice sounded. "I've never heard of the Sun Moon Empire having a Super Douluo."
A white-haired old man suddenly appeared by the window. Were it not for his sharp eyes, he would have looked like an ordinary person.
Rank 99 Limit Douluo, Elder Xuan.
Mirror Hongchen's azure eyes flashed with a hint of solemnity. The Hunyuan Immortal Herb, whose main function was to increase spirit power, had boosted Mirror Hongchen's spirit power by a full one and a half ranks, and also had the effect of compressing spirit power. Yet, even so, facing this old man, he felt an immense threat, and the Hongchen Blessing on his body no longer provided the same sense of security as before.
"This junior is Mirror Hongchen, Hall Master of Mingde Hall. May I know Senior's name?"
"Shrek Academy, Xuan Zi." Elder Xuan gazed at the silver-haired middle-aged man before him.
Having already arrived in Star Luo City, Elder Xuan naturally noticed this Super Douluo accompanying the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy team.
"Why are you here?"
"This junior doesn't seem to have a reason to answer Senior."
"Heh." Elder Xuan took a step forward, and a yellowish spiritual light instantly enveloped the entire room.
"…"
Mirror Hongchen's eyes flashed with an imperceptible look of exasperation. Just as Xiao Zhen had said, this guy was a brute.
"Sigh~" Mirror Hongchen sighed softly, a hint of weariness and fatigue appearing in his eyes, "This junior was also forced. Senior, you don't know, the Sun Moon Empire Crown Prince…"
In the Virtual World, An Zhen observed the conversation between Mirror Hongchen and Elder Xuan, while Electrolux stood ready to act with his undead power at any moment.
To be honest, bringing Shrek to deal with the Holy Spirit Church was quite troublesome, and the key question was what Elder Mu would think. According to some clues in the original work, Elder Mu most likely knew Dragon Xiaoyao and Leaf Evening Water, especially since he entrusted the dragon core to Dragon Xiaoyao before his death. However, he did not inform Elder Xuan of the news. Was it due to guilt? Or some other reason?
However, An Zhen also had a backup plan.
Using others' hands was the best solution.
But if it really didn't work, he would have to do it himself. He would let Ditian and Teacher Electrolux forcefully kill Dragon Xiaoyao and Leaf Evening Water, and, of course, the Evil Eye Tyrant Overlord who was cooperating with the Holy Spirit Church.
The conversation between Mirror Hongchen and Elder Xuan went relatively smoothly.
"As a gesture of sincerity, I can tell Elder Xuan the information I have investigated: the headquarters of the Holy Spirit Church is located within the Fiend Forest of the Sun Moon Empire, and they are suspected of having reached a cooperation with the Evil Eye Tyrant Overlord."