However, it was only a brief pause, and Marshal Dai Hao did not say much.
Princess Xu Jiujiu, standing beside him, scanned everyone present, then addressed Zhang Lexuan, who was leading the group, "Since you have returned to the Star Luo Empire, how about resting in the camp tonight?"
Faced with Princess Xu Jiujiu's invitation, Zhang Lexuan glanced at Wang Nan. Having caused such a commotion just now, she guessed Wang Nan's consumption must not be small, and several Disciples also needed to recover their spirit power. After a moment of thought, she nodded in agreement.
"We apologize for the trouble, Marshal."
"It's no trouble," Marshal Dai Hao said, waving his hand. "I'll arrange it right away."
Soon, several armored soldiers led Wang Nan and his group out of the Marshal's tent.
Princess Xu Jiujiu watched the departing group, then sat in the tent, contemplating for a long time before getting up and going to a camp behind the Marshal's tent.
"Imperial Uncle."
Hearing Princess Xu Jiujiu's voice, Star Luo Douluo awoke from his meditation, opening his eyes, which sparkled like a starry sky with points of starlight.
The reason Star Luo Douluo was able to use the Star Luo Empire's national title as his Titled Douluo was precisely because he himself was a member of the imperial family, able to harness the power of the stars. This was also because his Spirit was a mutated form of the imperial family's Star Crown Spirit.
"Imperial Uncle, how are your injuries?"
"They are no longer serious."
Star Luo Douluo looked at Princess Xu Jiujiu, who was sitting in front of him. "What is it? Just speak directly."
"Imperial Uncle, I just met the person who helped us stop the Sun Moon Empire's pursuers."
"Who is it?" Hearing this, Star Luo Douluo couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Do you still remember the Soul Duel Tournament five years ago? The final was between Shrek Academy and Tianhun Empire's Dio Academy. There was only one match in the final, and the Spirit of the Shrek Academy student who represented them was the Coiling Dragon Staff."
"You're saying someone went from Spirit Emperor to Titled Douluo in just five years?"
Princess Xu Jiujiu looked at Star Luo Douluo in surprise. "Imperial Uncle, do you mean he has already broken through to Titled Douluo Rank?"
Star Luo Douluo also found such a cultivation speed too astonishing. "Even if his Rank hasn't reached Titled Douluo, the previous attack wasn't something an ordinary Spirit Master could unleash. Even some Titled Douluo couldn't achieve the concept of that single strike."
Although Princess Xu Jiujiu was an imperial princess, her cultivation Rank was not very high, so her vision was slightly lacking. To be able to repel the Sun Moon Empire's pursuers, she had already tried to overestimate Wang Nan's strength, but she didn't expect that even her Imperial Uncle, the Super Douluo Star Luo Douluo, would praise him so highly.
Princess Xu Jiujiu was speechless for a moment. Five years ago, they were still competing on the same arena, but five years later, Wang Nan had already grown to such a degree.
"Jiujiu."
Hearing Star Luo Douluo's voice, Princess Xu Jiujiu looked up.
"Jiujiu, you must understand that while strength is the foundation of everything, sometimes strength doesn't represent everything. As a member of the imperial family, you should understand this even more."
Star Luo Douluo's voice lowered. "Currently, the White Tiger Duke has a very good private relationship with your brother, but not every White Tiger Duke can become friends with the Emperor."
Star Luo Douluo's words were vague, but Princess Xu Jiujiu still nodded. "I understand, Imperial Uncle."
"Good, go."
---
On the other side of the military camp, Wang Nan did not meditate in his tent.
If he, possessing a soul core, were to truly unleash the absorption of the world's elemental energy, everyone else around him, except for other Titled Douluo who also possessed a soul core, wouldn't be able to recover their spirit power through meditation.
At this moment, he was outside his tent, sitting casually on the ground, allowing his soul core to slowly absorb the world's elemental energy, his mind still replaying that single strike.
Although his spirit power Rank had not yet reached Rank 90, he had heard Mu En mention during a casual conversation that once one's cultivation reached the Titled Douluo level, improvement couldn't be achieved solely through meditation; it also required the Spirit Master's own comprehension.
This was even more true for Super Douluo. Without comprehension, one could sit for years without gaining anything, but once enlightenment was achieved, cultivation could advance by leaps and bounds.
His situation was somewhat similar to what Mu En had described. The moment he unleashed that strike, his internal spirit power indeed increased.
Footsteps came from behind him, and Wang Nan opened his eyes and looked back.
"Big Brother Wang."
"Yuhao." Hearing the call, Wang Nan knew who it was. "Come and sit."
"Okay." Huo Yuhao was not particular and sat on the ground beside Wang Nan.
"Why aren't you meditating?"
"Big Brother Wang, there's something I want to talk to you about."
"About the White Tiger Duke?"
"Partially." Huo Yuhao nodded. "But there are other things too."
Wang Nan glanced at Huo Yuhao, and for a moment, he couldn't think of anything else besides Marshal Dai Hao that would make Huo Yuhao look so troubled.
"Well, want to talk to me about it?"
"Okay." Huo Yuhao took out a short blade from his Pregnant—about a foot and two inches long, with no other elaborate decorations besides tiger stripes. "This is what he left for my mother. Big Brother Wang, you know, the White Tiger Duke is considered my father."
"When I was little, I would envy the children of other servants in the Duke's Mansion. Their fathers always accompanied them, but I was a child without a father. Although Mom told me that my father was an extraordinary person, I only felt resentment towards him."
"He took Mom, had me, but ignored us, mother and son. If it weren't for you, Big Brother Wang, perhaps Mom would have…"
At this point, tears welled up in Huo Yuhao's eyes. "Later, Mom and I moved out of the Duke's Mansion. I thought from then on it would just be Mom and me, and we would never have any contact with the Duke's Mansion again. Mom also stopped mentioning him. But today, I saw him again…"
Huo Yuhao's gaze was exceptionally complex. Perhaps it was his first time encountering the White Tiger Duke so closely, seeing the man his mother spoke of, seeing his "father," and also recalling the resentment from his childhood.
"So, what are your thoughts now?"
"I… I haven't decided, but he is definitely not my father. I will make him and those people in the Duke's Mansion apologize to Mom in person."
Wang Nan just listened quietly and didn't say much. He hadn't personally experienced Huo Yuhao's childhood, so he wouldn't dictate his decisions.
"Big Brother Wang."
"What's wrong?"
"I thought you would advise me not to do these things."
"Why would you think that?"
"Because I haven't heard of you, Big Brother Wang, having any enemies. You seem like the kind of person who wouldn't make enemies with anyone."
Wang Nan paused when he heard this, then reached out and touched the storage spirit tool on his wrist, which still contained many items "picked up" from other Spirit Masters.
"Hmm… I do have very few enemies."