Douluo: Steal Tang San's luck and become stronger!

Under that terrifying pressure that felt almost tangible, only Tao Zuo could barely maintain his bowed posture, but he was already trembling all over and sweating profusely. The other four Soul Kings' legs went weak and they involuntarily knelt down on the ground.

Their faces were ashen, they couldn't even lift their heads, they felt short of breath, and their souls trembled, as if they would be crushed into dust by this oppressive force at any moment! The shadow of death loomed over them with unmistakable realism.

While a titled Douluo might be difficult to impersonate due to their name and status, an 89th-level Soul Douluo who is close to a titled Douluo also possesses the power of life and death! At this moment, Tao Zuo no longer harbored any thoughts of testing or taking chances; only boundless fear and awe remained in his heart.

With a "thud," he finally gave in and knelt down, his forehead pressed tightly against the cold stone slab, his voice distorted by extreme fear.

"M-Your Excellency, please spare me! I dare not! I will never dare to speak out of turn again! Please forgive me, Your Excellency! Please forgive me!"

He begged for mercy while frantically wiping the cold sweat pouring down his forehead with his sleeve.

The four Soul Kings kowtowed repeatedly, unable to even speak properly when begging for mercy.

Seeing that the deterrent effect had been achieved, Tang Lan sneered inwardly and slowly withdrew some of the outward pressure, allowing the five people to catch their breath, but still made them kneel on the ground, not daring to get up.

He needed to extract more information from these people about the Holy Spirit Cult's plans in Rose City.

For the next half hour or so, a peculiar "interrogation" unfolded in this quiet alley, still permeated with a faint scent of blood and pink pollen. Tang Lan adopted the posture of a superior inspector.

At times, he sternly reprimanded them for their oversights in their undercover work; at other times, he "casually" inquired about the situation of the other "brothers" in the city; and at still other times, he expressed "concern" about the "Bloody Bird" plan but remained vague...

Kneeling on the ground, still shaken, Tao Zuo, in order to save his life and to demonstrate his "value" and "loyalty" to this suddenly appearing "high-ranking official," spoke almost without reservation, desperately revealing all the information he knew, afraid of omitting even the slightest detail that might displease the other party.

Through Tao Zuo's intermittent narration, which was interspersed with flattery and self-praise, Tang Lan and Wang Qiu'er gradually pieced together a chilling picture.

The number of evil spirit masters lurking in Rose City and its surrounding areas far exceeds City Lord Xu Yu's previous estimate! Within Rose City alone, there are no fewer than several hundred! These people are not concentrated in one place, but rather dispersed and hidden in small groups. Tao Zuo roughly explained their known distribution.

In the East City area, the infiltrators are mainly a few small and medium-sized chambers of commerce and mercenary groups, with about eighty people in charge, led by a level 78 Soul Saint nicknamed "Poison Scorpion". In the West City area, the infiltrators are more than one hundred people, using the slums and chaotic areas. The leader is a "Corpse Old Ghost" who is good at manipulating corpses and is said to have the strength of a Soul Douluo.

However, the specific ranks are unknown; in the southern city area, there are relatively fewer, but there are still fifty or sixty people, managed by Tao Zuo himself and two other Soul Emperors; in the northern city area, which is close to the city lord's mansion and military camp, it is the most difficult to infiltrate, but there are still twenty or thirty skilled in disguise and espionage, led by a mysterious female Soul Master "Phantom", who rarely shows herself.

Most of these evil spirit masters took advantage of the chaos around the time of the recent beast tide outbreak, infiltrating the city under various identities and secretly lying in wait.

The core instructions they received were...

Conceal your identity, refrain from causing trouble, gather as much information as possible about city defenses, the distribution of Soul Master forces, and resource reserves, and be on standby at all times, awaiting further instructions from the "higher-ups".

When Tao Zuo mentioned "waiting for instructions," his eyes once again revealed that expectation mixed with fanaticism and cruelty.

"Brothers... We've been cooped up in the city for so long, unable to cultivate our evil arts or enjoy blood sacrifices. We're practically bored to death! We're just waiting for the orders from above to come down. When that happens... hehe, this Rose City will be our hunting ground! The Holy Church's carnival will surely descend once again!"

As Tao Zuo recounted the "Bloody Bird" plan, a twisted light—a mixture of fanaticism, worship, and a thirst for destruction and blood—uncontrollably appeared in his eyes, and Tang Lan couldn't help but feel a chilling sarcasm.

These evil spirit masters lurking in the shadows believe their actions are secretive and their plans meticulous. They view all the living beings in the city as lambs to the slaughter and sacrificial offerings, dreaming of controlling everything and about to usher in a "carnival."

They never expected that someone would infiltrate their ranks in such a way, uncover their plot, and even exploit their fear and greed.

Tao Zuo, seemingly to further prove his "worth" or to curry favor with the "Faceless Lord" who had suddenly appeared before him, cautiously mentioned a name after explaining the general framework of the "Bloody Bird".

"My lord, actually... the reason I attacked these two female soul masters this time was not only because I found them suspicious, but also because I thought... perhaps I could use them to curry favor with 'that lord'."

Tao Zuo lowered his voice even further, with a hint of flattery and probing.

"Oh? 'that person'?"

Tang Lan raised an eyebrow, showing a hint of interest, signaling him to continue.

This is exactly the direction he wants to guide—to find out the higher-level nodes of the Rose City evil soul master network.

Seeing that the "Faceless Lord" was not displeased, Tao Zuo perked up and quickly said.

"Yes, sir. It's the superior who has been directly issuing orders to our brothers in the South City and some of the West City's undercover brothers—Lord Vincent! He is an 82-level Soul Douluo powerhouse, and his martial soul is the extremely rare 'Bloodthirsty Bat'!"

He described his superior's image with a tone of awe.

"Lord Vincent... he is a gentleman who pays great attention to his appearance and etiquette. He always wears a well-tailored black evening suit, the kind that is worn only at banquets of ancient Western nobles, with white gloves and a cane inlaid with rubies. He speaks slowly and gracefully, and looks... just like a true ancient nobleman."

But then, a barely perceptible hint of fear and flattery crept into Tao Zuo's tone.

"However, this is only the surface. Lord Vincent's martial soul 'Bloodthirsty Bat' is very special. He can quickly restore his soul power and heal his injuries by consuming the blood of others, especially soul masters. He can even greatly enhance his own strength for a certain period of time! He has a... unique fondness for high-quality, fresh soul master blood."

He glanced at the two unconscious women in purple and green on the ground and licked his lips.

"These two female Soul Masters are Soul Kings at such a young age, with top-tier Martial Souls. Their blood must be pure and full of vitality. If we could offer them to Lord Vincent so he could have his fill... I think that if the Lord is pleased, he might promote us a few, give us better jobs, or... allocate more cultivation resources to us."

He revealed another selfish motive behind his "unauthorized action"—to use someone else's talent to curry favor with his superiors.

Tang Lan sneered inwardly. These evil soul masters were indeed strictly hierarchical, full of exchanges of interests and sycophancy.

He remained expressionless, merely giving a faint "hmm," as if he were used to such things. Then, he spoke in a calm yet authoritative tone.

“Vinacent? I’ve noted that name down. But I don’t know if he’s still here. My mission may not directly involve him.”

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over Tao Zuo, his tone turning cold and carrying a commanding tone.

"But since you've mentioned him, if there's any further news about him, or if he manages to contact you, have him come see me. Understand?"

These words stunned Tao Zuo and the four Soul Kings behind him. Summon Lord Venacent… to see this “Faceless Lord”? Although the “Faceless Lord” had indeed demonstrated greater strength than Lord Venacent, Lord Venacent was, after all, their direct superior, and seemed to have powerful backers… Was such a direct order…? However, this thought only flashed through their minds for a moment before being suppressed by reality. In the Holy Spirit Cult, strength was the ultimate authority! The difference in rank was obvious, and this “Faceless Lord” was mysterious and unpredictable, directly subordinate to “those few,” his status clearly far exceeding Venacent's. The strong commanding the weak was only natural!

"Yes! Yes! I understand! If I can contact Lord Vincent, I will definitely convey your message!"

Tao Zuo quickly agreed, not daring to have the slightest objection.

Tang Lan nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with Tao Zuo's attitude.

He stopped dwelling on Vincent and instead changed the subject, issuing new instructions.

"Tao Zuo, listen carefully. I need you to do something right now."

Tang Lan's voice became serious and clear.

"Use all your channels in the South City to spread the word that the Holy Church's envoy, Lord 'Faceless,' has arrived in Rose City. To oversee the progress of 'that matter' and coordinate the preliminary matters of the 'Bloody Bird' plan, a meeting will be held tomorrow night at midnight at the Radiant Restaurant in the city."

"We've booked all the 'Sky' suites on the top floor for an exclusive evening party. At that time, all brothers belonging to the Holy Church within Rose City, regardless of whether they belong to the East, West, South, or North districts, and regardless of their direct superior, must attend! Anyone absent, late, or who leaks information... will be considered a traitor!"

This order was like a thunderclap, exploding in the ears of Tao Zuo and the others!

Holding a party at the Radiant Restaurant? Gathering all the evil spirit masters in the city? Now?! Tao Zuo's expression changed instantly. He subconsciously looked up, his face filled with astonishment and worry.

"My...my lord! This...this is probably not a good idea!"

He explained hurriedly.

"My lord, you are wise! These are critical times! Rose City is heavily guarded, with the city lord's mansion and the city defense army keeping a close watch! Our primary task here is to conceal our identities and avoid being exposed! Such a high-profile gathering of everyone..."

"The target is too large, the risk is extremely high! If word gets out and the City Lord's Mansion discovers it, or if other forces take notice, it could bring about annihilation and ruin the Holy Church's grand plans! I urge you to reconsider, my lord!"

His concerns were not unfounded. Holding large gatherings under the enemy's nose was indeed a major taboo for infiltrators.

However, Tang Lan interrupted him directly, her tone cold and impatient.

"enough!"

He looked down at Tao Zuo, who was kneeling on the ground, his eyes sharp as knives.

"Tao Zuo, you only need to do the tasks I assign you. As for the risks, how to avoid them, whether it's necessary to do so... these are not your concerns. I have my own arrangements and considerations. You just need to follow orders. Understand?"

The forceful commands and unquestionable attitude once again demonstrated the authority of the "superior".

Tao Zuo was choked and speechless, his face turning pale and then red.

He was certainly afraid of death and exposure, but he was even more afraid of the wrath of the "Faceless Lord" before him. The consequences of disobeying orders would probably be worse than being exposed.

Just as Tao Zuo was struggling internally and didn't know what to do, Tang Lan's tone suddenly softened, carrying a sense of "a combination of kindness and severity".

"of course."

Tang Lan spoke slowly, her gaze falling on Tao Zuo as if examining a tool.

"If you can handle this matter well and satisfy me... I will not treat those who have made contributions unfairly."

He paused briefly, then offered a temptation that Tao Zuo simply couldn't refuse.

“If you do this well, I will give you a reward. A reward that will allow you to break through to level 70 in a short period of time.”

Level 70! Soul Saint!

These two words were like a spell, instantly shattering all of Tao Zuo's hesitation and fear! He had been stuck at level 69 for several years, unable to cross that threshold.

Soul Emperor and Soul Saint may seem to be only one level apart, but they represent a huge watershed in terms of strength and status! In the Holy Spirit Cult, only Soul Saints can be considered true pillars, possessing more power in resource allocation and influence! This is the realm he has always dreamed of!
"M-Sir! You...you're telling the truth?!"

Tao Zuo suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with unbelievable ecstasy and greed, his voice trembling with excitement.

The four Soul Kings behind him also turned to look at Tang Lan, their eyes filled with envy and longing.

Tang Lan did not answer directly, but just snorted coldly, as if she disdained to lie about such a thing.

He raised his right hand, palm up, his soul power fluctuating slightly. A ball of "soil"-like substance, about the size of an egg, with a strange and pure golden color, and seemingly alive, appeared out of thin air in his palm.

This "golden soil" did not leak any imposing energy fluctuations; instead, it gave people a sense of solidity, warmth, and as if it contained the primal vitality of the earth.

But the moment it appeared, Tao Zuo and the other four Soul Kings all felt that their soul power seemed to resonate with it in some subtle way. Tao Zuo, in particular, felt his long-standing bottleneck loosen slightly!
"This thing, the prototype of 'Earth Vein Essence,' was obtained by me by chance. It has a remarkable effect on earth-attribute soul masters, or those who focus on stability and accumulation."

Tang Lan introduced it in a calm tone, as if she were talking about an ordinary object.

"Consider this your first reward in advance, to help you solidify your foundation and overcome obstacles. There will be follow-up after this is accomplished."

As he spoke, he flicked his finger, and the golden nascent form of "earth vein essence" transformed into a soft golden light, slowly drifting towards Tao Zuo.

Tao Zuo reached out and carefully took it with trembling hands. (End of Chapter)