Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Wuhun City, inside the Pope's Palace.

The gilded candlesticks illuminated the entire hall as if it were daytime, and Bibi Dong, dressed in a magnificent papal robe, sat high on her throne. Her slender fingers gently caressed the hidden weapon blueprints presented by She Long, her amethyst eyes gleaming with an unfathomable light.

The hall was eerily silent, save for the occasional crackling of the candlelight. She Long knelt on one knee on the scarlet carpet, his head bowed, even his breathing deliberately held low. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, but he dared not raise his hand to wipe it away.

"Is this the work of Tang Hao's son?" Bibi Dong finally spoke, her voice as clear and cold as an icy spring. Her fingertips lingered on a certain ingenious mechanism design on the drawing, and a meaningful smile curved her lips.

She Long straightened his back even more: "Your Holiness, that is indeed the case."

A moment later, a disdainful sneer appeared on Bibi Dong's stunningly beautiful face: "Heh, the Tang Clan? Nothing more than children playing house." Her slender fingers lightly traced the intricate design of the hidden weapons on the blueprints, a glint of brilliance flashing in her purple eyes. "However, the design of these weapons does indeed have some merit."

"Your Majesty is wise." She Long immediately bowed in response, his voice carrying just the right amount of awe. He maintained his bowed posture throughout, not daring to look directly into the Pope's gaze, which seemed to pierce through one's heart.

As the candlelight flickered, Bibi Dong casually placed the drawings on the table. Her magnificent robes gleamed coldly in the candlelight, a stark contrast to the faint smile on her lips. A silence fell over the hall, broken only by the occasional captivating glow of the jewels on the papal scepter.

Bibi Dong's gaze shifted slightly, and she glanced indifferently at She Long: "Elder She, issue the order to immediately activate the 'Soul Hunting Plan'." She lightly tapped her papal scepter, producing a crisp sound. "Primary target—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan." A cold glint flashed in her purple eyes. "Simultaneously, closely monitor the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's every move."

"I will obey His Majesty's decree." She Long's eyes suddenly sharpened as he clasped his hands in acceptance. Just as he was about to turn and leave, Bibi Dong suddenly spoke again: "Elder She..."

She Long immediately stopped, respectfully turned back and bowed: "Does Your Majesty have any further instructions?"

As the candlelight flickered, Bibi Dong's exquisite face was hidden in the interplay of light and shadow, while the jewels on her gilded crown reflected a cold, eerie light.

Bibi Dong gazed at She Long, her voice soft as a whisper yet carrying an undeniable authority: "After the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is destroyed," she lightly traced the intelligence scroll on the table with her fingertips, "let that child come to see me in the Star Dou Great Forest."

She Long's face stiffened, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead: "Your Majesty, what about the young master?"

“It’s alright.” Bibi Dong’s lips curled slightly, her elegant long dress shimmering with a cold luster in the candlelight. “He was able to persuade Xiao Xue, and that is the best proof.” She gracefully raised the intelligence document in her hand, which recorded the details of Feng Yao and Qian Renxue’s secret conversation, a hint of unfathomable emotion flashing in her purple eyes.

She Long bowed deeply: "I will obey Your Majesty's decree." He took three steps back before turning and leaving.

As She Long's figure slowly retreated from the main hall and disappeared into the deep corridor, Bibi Dong's gaze remained fixed on the twinkling starlight outside the hall. A rare look of emotion appeared on her exquisite face, and complex feelings swirled in her purple eyes.

"How exciting," she murmured to herself, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the jewels on the papal scepter. The thought of reuniting with that boy stirred a long-forgotten flutter in her heart.

In the glow of the gilded candlesticks, Bibi Dong suddenly sighed softly, "What kind of magic does that child possess?" Her voice held a hint of puzzlement and curiosity, "that he could make someone as proud as Xiaoxue accept the presence of other women."

She slowly rose, her papal robes trailing gracefully behind her. Walking to the window, gazing towards the Star Dou Great Forest, Bibi Dong's eyes hardened. "To ensure absolute certainty," the moonlight cast a cold glow on her delicate profile, "we must make him completely a member of the Spirit Hall."

Thinking of this, Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed slightly, and she parted her lips slightly: "Someone come here."

Before the words were finished, the candlelight in the hall flickered suddenly. Two figures, one in gold and one in black, appeared like ghosts, kneeling on one knee without disturbing a speck of dust.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Yue Guan's golden hair shone brightly in the candlelight, while the ghost was completely hidden in his black robe. The two maintained a perfectly bowed posture, showing both respect and the demeanor of titled Douluo.

Bibi Dong looked down at the kneeling Kiku and Kiku, her purple eyes flashing with a chilling light. She lightly tapped the papal scepter, its clear sound echoing through the hall.

"Conduct a full-scale operation in the Star Dou Great Forest; we must find the trail of that escaped foe." The voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable authority. "Before the operation on the Tian Dou side is complete, we must pinpoint its exact location."

The glow of the gilded candlestick cast varying shadows on her exquisite face. "Furthermore," a meaningful smile played at the corners of her lips, "find a way to ensure that news of the disturbances in the Star Dou Great Forest 'just happens' to reach Heaven Dou City."

The figure beneath the ghostly black robe stiffened slightly: "Your Majesty, this..." The hoarse voice hesitated, "...wouldn't that alert the enemy..."

Bibi Dong's gaze swept over the two kneeling figures, her voice as cold as ice: "Once the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is destroyed, all the major powers will be in a state of panic, unable to even take care of themselves." She lightly stroked the gem on the Pope's scepter with her fingertips, "And the news of the strange events in the Star Dou Great Forest is precisely bait carefully prepared for certain 'interested individuals'."

A glint of light flashed in Yue Guan's eyes, and he immediately bowed his head: "Your Majesty's foresight is truly admirable!"

“Go.” Bibi Dong waved her hand gently, the gilded patterns on the papal robes shimmering in the candlelight.

In an instant, two figures, one in gold and one in black, vanished like smoke, and the vast Papal Palace returned to silence. Only the flickering candlelight cast Bibi Dong's solitary figure onto the jewel-encrusted walls, making her appear like an inviolable deity. Outside the window, a crescent moon quietly climbed the dome, casting a mysterious silver glow over the direction of the Starry Sky Forest.

“Xiaoxue.” Bibi Dong’s eyes dimmed slightly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the patterns on the scepter. “Perhaps this will disrupt your plans, but your mother wishes for you to find true happiness.”

In the glow of the gilded candlestick, a rare softness appeared on her exquisite face. In a daze, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure appeared in her mind—that refined young man who always held a book, his brows forever bearing an unyielding melancholy.

“Xiao Gang,” she murmured softly, a complex emotion flashing in her purple eyes, “soon, you too will be free from this pain.”

A night breeze swept through the hall, ruffling her loose hair. Bibi Dong turned to look out the window; the moonlight cast a long, lonely shadow of her on the cold marble floor. The jewels on her scepter reflected an eerie light, as if silently telling the story of the unspeakable tenderness and obsession deep within the heart of this woman standing at the pinnacle of power.

As night deepened, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan - Dragon Valley.

The pitch-black night enveloped Dragon Valley like thick ink, the howling mountain wind whipping up withered leaves, swirling and whistling at the valley entrance. Heavy clouds obscured the starlight and moonlight, plunging the entire land into a deathly silence. At the valley entrance, two patrolling disciples dragged their weary steps forward slowly. The blue lightning badges on their chests were dim in the night, and their young faces were etched with weariness.

"This awful weather," one of them yawned, rubbing his sore eyes. "We can't even see a single star."

As one of the three most renowned sects in the current Soul Master world, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has become the most promising offensive sect, especially with the Clear Sky Clan living in seclusion and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan known for its support abilities. Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan currently holds the title of "Number One Sect Under Heaven," every Blue Lightning disciple knows in their hearts that it is only due to the prestige of their two peak experts, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.

The night wind swirled fallen leaves past their feet. Dragon Valley had been peaceful for far too long, so long that these patrolling disciples had long forgotten to be vigilant. They strolled along casually, their spears dragging shallow marks on the ground.

The patrolling disciple on the left suddenly shivered and complained to his companion in a low voice, "Is it really necessary for us outer sect disciples to patrol every day? Does anyone dare to come to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan looking for trouble?"

The disciple on the right tightened his collar and said helplessly, "Alright, that's enough. Although those guys in the inner sect look down on us, at least they treat us fairly well."

"Hmph, if it weren't for the generous reward..." The disciple on the left curled his lip, then suddenly squeezed his legs together. "You stay here and guard the area; I'm going to relieve myself in the bushes over there."

"You're such a busybody." His companion waved his hand impatiently. "Go and come back quickly."

After his companions disappeared into the dark bushes, the disciple left behind idly poked the ground with his spear. The area at the valley entrance was open and there was no need to be overly vigilant. He yawned, thinking that he definitely needed to have a couple of drinks to warm himself up after his shift ended.

The night wind suddenly turned biting, chilling the back of his neck. For some reason, he felt the darkness tonight was unusually heavy, as if something was lurking in the shadows, watching over the sleeping Dragon Valley.

Suddenly, the patrolling disciple's ears twitched slightly.

As an ordinary disciple of an outer sect, he was able to join the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan solely due to the connections left by his ancestors. However, fate bestowed upon him a talent that was beyond the reach of ordinary people—extraordinary hearing.

With a slight twitch of his ear, he heard a barely perceptible thud. Years of patrolling experience allowed him to instantly recognize it as the sound of a person falling to the ground.

"Oh no!" His heart tightened, and he immediately held his breath and focused his hearing to the limit.

In an instant, countless subtle sounds flooded into my ears like a tide: the rustling of fabric, the crisp sound of metal gently colliding, and the deliberately suppressed breathing.

Although these sounds were extremely faint, they surged towards Dragon Valley from all directions like rising tides. The patrolling disciples' pupils suddenly contracted, and their backs were instantly soaked with cold sweat.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to warn someone, a chilling sensation suddenly came from his back.

"Well--"

The patrolling disciple's eyes widened in shock as a cold, sharp blade protruded from his chest. A wave of excruciating pain washed over him; he could clearly feel the blade churning inside him, tearing his internal organs to shreds.

“Enemy attack.” He struggled to move his lips, but could only spit out a few mouthfuls of blood mixed with pieces of internal organs. Hot blood rushed to his throat, silencing all warning sounds.

In the darkness, a hand wearing a black glove gently covered his mouth and nose. The last thing the patrolling disciple saw was countless pairs of scarlet eyes suddenly appearing at the entrance of the valley—like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves, silently surrounding the entire Dragon Valley.

His body slowly went limp, his consciousness flickering like a candle in the wind. In his final moments, he heard a muffled groan coming from the direction of his companion—clearly, he too had met with misfortune.

Blood seeped onto the cold earth, staining the outer sect emblem representing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan crimson. The night wind howled as it swept through the valley entrance, carrying the stench of blood deep into Dragon Valley, but no one could sound the alarm anymore.

At the same time, hundreds of dark figures swept across the cliff like ghosts. They spread out in a well-trained manner, each with a chilling glint in their hands. The leading Soul Master raised his hand and made a gesture, and everyone activated their Soul Rings at the same moment—multicolored lights shone in the darkness, yet eerily, without making a sound.

Deep within Dragon Valley, the disciples on night watch were dozing. No one could have imagined that this long-planned massacre would unfold on this seemingly ordinary night. When the first poisoned crossbow bolt pierced the watchtower, the piercing alarm finally tore through the night—but it was too late.

"boom--"

A blinding flash of lightning ripped across the sky, illuminating the mountain of corpses piled up at the valley entrance. A torrential downpour poured down, but it could not wash away the impending carnage.

On the other side, in the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.

Qian Renxue sat regally on the gilded throne, her slender fingers gripping the armrests tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force. Her golden eyes were now gleaming with a cold light, staring directly at She Long, who was kneeling on one knee.

"Why did she specifically ask Xiaofeng to go to the Star Dou Great Forest?" Her voice was so cold it seemed to freeze the air.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on She Long's forehead as he bowed deeply. "Young Master, please forgive me. I truly did not know His Holiness the Pope's true intentions." He carefully chose his words. "Perhaps... he simply wanted to see Xiao Feng?"

Feng Yao chuckled softly and stepped forward. His slender fingers gently rested on Qian Renxue's tense shoulder: "Xue'er, why make things difficult for Uncle She?" His gentle voice carried a soothing magic. "If His Holiness the Pope wishes to see me, I will go."

Qian Renxue suddenly stood up, her long, gilded hair billowing behind her in a dazzling arc: "Do you know her—" She stopped herself mid-sentence, only glaring fiercely at She Long.

Feng Yao gently squeezed her palm, giving her a reassuring look.

Feng Yao's eyes flickered slightly, giving She Long a knowing look. She Long immediately felt relieved and quickly bowed, saying, "This subordinate takes his leave." After saying that, he carefully took a few steps back, turned around, and quickly left the hall, making sure to gently close the door behind him as he left.

(End of this chapter)