Ten Minutes Ago.
"Buzz buzz buzz!"
In the distant southern sky of Snow City, a streak of crimson streaked across, tinged with dark gold, cutting through the clouds and flying straight toward the Soul Guidance Emergency Center on the side of Snow City.
"Oh? You've come quite quickly, arriving in half a day."
Dong Zian heard the buzzing sound above, his thick eyebrows raised, a smile playing on his lips, as he led Li Jie out of the makeshift command center.
"Click!"
A deep, muffled sound rang out, and a divine-level red mech, its body engraved with mysterious patterns, descended from the sky and landed steadily on the ground. A middle-aged man, somewhat thin but with a tall frame, stepped out of the cockpit.
"Old Dong, tell me quickly, where is that genius you mentioned in the previous communication? Although I haven't seen him yet, I already sense that he has a connection with my sect."
The middle-aged man's brown-yellow eyes lit up instantly when he saw Dong Zian appear. After carefully locking his mech, he strode forward.
As he took a step, a surge of powerful energy emanated from his body, even weakening the chilling wind that swept around him.
"So this is the current sect master of the Body Sect? Hearing about him doesn't do him justice. This powerful physique seems to have been honed to its limit in every part."
Li Jie, following behind Dong Zi'an, narrowed his eyes, a hint of shock in them. But seeing the chef's white coat worn by the middle-aged man, he shook his head slightly.
Indeed, the person who had come was the current sect master of the Body Sect, the Body Douluo Mu Ye, a... top-tier chef.
"Old Mu, what's the rush? I see you've replaced the rear wings of your mecha again? The performance must have improved quite a bit."
Dong Zi'an didn't answer, but instead pointed to the red god-level mecha behind Mu Ye and asked.
Like him, Mu Ye was a god-level mecha pilot. Their connection stemmed from this profession.
"Of course, do you think I don't cherish my mecha like you do?"
Mu Ye's lips curled into a slight smile, as if the mecha were his most prized possession.
"And what about your old one?"
Dong Zi'an continued.
"The old one… no, I'm asking where he is? Where is the future prodigy of my Body Sect? Don't try to dodge the question."
Mu Ye's brows furrowed, his tone urgent, a hint of fervor in his eyes.
Their Body Sect was already on the verge of collapse. If they didn't absorb fresh blood, it would truly become a case of one man feeding the entire sect.
If they could recruit this Body Sect genius with dual extreme martial souls, their Body Sect could continue for another century.
"Of course we have him, but we can't let him join your Body Sect directly."
Dong Zi'an's eyes flashed, and he shook his head slightly.
"Old Dong, listen to me. You can't handle this prodigy with a true martial soul. Let me handle it! I can develop his true martial soul to the fullest extent."
"Or, if you have any requests, just say so."
Upon hearing this, Mu Ye immediately tried to persuade him earnestly, stating that he would do anything as long as he was given the genius with the true martial soul.
"I'll let you teach him, but you can't let him go with you directly. Your cultivation is still too low."
Dong Zi'an remained calm and refused.
He knew Mu Ye's personality well. If he gave Jiang Xiu to Mu Ye now, Mu Ye would definitely run away with Jiang Xiu without saying a word, which would be a loss for him.
Therefore, he had to suppress Mu Ye first and prepare for later.
"What are you saying? Cultivation is cultivation, and strength is strength. Is my strength lacking?"
Mu Ye seemed to have been hit where it hurt, his face flushing slightly, but he still spoke defiantly, even appearing several sizes taller, his rich blood surging within him.
"Old Mu, are you trying to force me? I'm not buying it."
Dong Zi'an's eyes flashed with a blue light, and the phantom of a ferocious blue-faced wolf with fangs appeared, glaring fiercely at Mu Ye.
"Old Dong, it's not that I'm not giving you face, but I'm taking this person away today, no one can stop me! I said it!"
Mu Ye's shoulders trembled, his tone resolute.
"Old Mu, don't try to fool me. Do as I say, and everything will be fine. If you dare to use force, I'll blast you with the level 10 fixed-position soul-guided cannon shells from the military camp, making your mech fly away with you!"
Dong Zi'an took a step forward, an invisible aura of killing intent emanating from him, and shouted in a deep voice.
"Squeak!"
Just as the tension was about to escalate, the silver doors of the Soul Guidance Emergency Center opened to the sides, revealing a small figure.
"Uncle Dong, what are you doing?"
Jiang Xiu asked, his eyes clear, looking at the scene before him.
"Oh! This must be my disciple. Come, quickly call him Master."
"Master used to hold you when you were little. So many years have passed, I almost didn't recognize you. Master will take you back to the sect now."
The moment Mu Ye saw Jiang Xiu, he seemed to sense something, his face instantly filled with smiles as he rushed towards Jiang Xiu.
"Mu Ye, you rascal."
Dong Zi'an's lips twitched violently upon hearing this. Before this, he was certain that Mu Ye had never seen Jiang Xiu at all, yet he could say such a thing without blushing. No wonder he was a body refiner, his skin was thick enough.
"Alright, let's go inside and talk."
Dong Zi'an flashed in front of Mu Ye, grabbed his shoulder, stopped his forward momentum, and said calmly.
"Okay, good disciple, let's go inside and talk."
Mu Ye's expression froze for a moment, but then he recovered and nodded slightly, though his eyes were full of satisfaction as he looked at Jiang Xiu.
He also suppressed his urge to simply abduct Jiang Xiu, for he wasn't necessarily sure he could defeat Dong Zi'an, a Limit Douluo.
Jiang Xiu looked at Mu Ye before him, a slight thought stirring within him.
He knew of the Body Sect, of course. Ten thousand years ago, it was a behemoth ranking among the top three on the entire continent, but now it had fallen into decline.
There were many reasons for this decline, but in Jiang Xiu's view, one major reason was that ten thousand years ago, before his death, Du Busi entrusted the secret of the Body Sect to Huo Yuhao. Before ascending to the God Realm, Huo Yuhao didn't seek out a Body Sect Soul Master, but instead entrusted the secret to Shrek Academy for safekeeping…
And Mu Ye had said earlier that he was here to take him as a disciple? But Dong Zi'an seemed unwilling…
With some doubt, Jiang Xiu, sandwiched between the two, walked towards the Soul Guidance Emergency Center.
"I didn't expect the Commander to care so much about Jiang Xiu, even inviting him here. But then again, such high talent shouldn't be wasted."
"I truly wish our human race could produce more geniuses,"
Li Jie sighed. On the metal wall opposite him were several large, red characters engraved: Survival is the first principle of civilization.
As long as the Abyss remains, their Douluo Continent will continue to suffer.
"How exactly did the Abyss plane discover our Douluo Continent six thousand years ago?"
This question has troubled the Federation for a long time, and Li Jie often pondered it, but he never had a precise, authoritative answer.
(End of Chapter)