"You're looking for Gu Lingjun?"
Hearing Jiang Qingtong's question, Jing Hongchen pondered for a moment before saying, "She seems to have followed the Tianyin Douluo to the Mingdou Mountain Range front line. Do you need something from her?"
Jiang Qingtong nodded. Jing Hongchen added, "Then I'll have someone escort you there."
"No need. The Empire needs manpower everywhere right now. I'm only going to find her—there's no need to trouble anyone to accompany me." Jiang Qingtong shook her head, refusing Jing Hongchen's arrangement.
Hearing this, Xuan Ziwen was the first to object. "You are the Empress of our Sun Moon Empire. If anything were to happen to you, how would we explain it to your brother?"
"Exactly!"
Jing Hongchen agreed, insisting that a ninth-rank soul engineer accompany Jiang Qingtong to the Mingdou Mountain Range.
Unable to argue with them, Jiang Qingtong could only accept.
Outside the new headquarters of the Soul Hall, Jiang Qingtong looked at the approaching Elder Hong and smiled. "Elder Hong, I have to trouble you to accompany me on another trip."
Elder Hong waved his hand with a smile. "This old man is simply destined for hard work. Being able to escort the Empress to the Mingdou Mountain Range is a blessing for me!"
"You're talking nonsense again." Jiang Qingtong pouted lightly and boarded the soul-guided train with Elder Hong.
Because the soul-guided satellites in the sky had all been destroyed by power from beyond the world, the Empire's surveillance ability had decreased drastically. For safety, after consulting with Jiang Shengyu, Kong Deming decided to recruit large numbers of militia to patrol the railway lines and prevent unexpected incidents.
Militia could be seen stationed around the train.
Signal relays between Mingdu and the border region had already been established, allowing communication to function without satellites. Thus, news of Jiang Qingtong's departure had already reached the border garrison by the time she set out.
The Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Regiment and the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment, who remained stationed there, prepared themselves fully to welcome Jiang Qingtong.
They had also taken measures to avoid alerting the nations of the former Douluo Continent.
Seeing such a grand formation, Jiang Qingtong was taken aback. "I'm only here to find someone—why so tense? You all already work hard enough guarding against the three nations. Go and rest."
The regiment commander of the Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Regiment, Liao Mengkai, shook his head. "Please rest assured. Other than those few Ultimate Douluo, the forces of the three nations pose no threat to our Beast King-class regiments. We are not tired."
Elder Hong added at the side, "Your status is incomparably revered. No amount of formality is excessive."
Hearing this, Jiang Qingtong finally realized that things were no longer the same as before. She was now the Empress of the Sun Moon Empire—equal in status to Jiang Shengyu, and the very hope of the entire Empire.
Jiang Qingtong soon found Gu Lingjun, who was in the medical zone inspecting wounded soldiers, and explained her purpose.
Hearing that Jiang Qingtong intended to engrave her martial soul, Gu Lingjun was stunned. Only a few ninth-rank soul engineers trusted by Kong Deming, as well as Meng Hongchen and the others, knew the truth of Jiang Qingtong's martial soul.
Although Gu Lingjun had participated in earlier campaigns, she had not understood Jiang Qingtong's martial soul. Only now did she realize what kind of existence it truly was!
There was actually such a martial soul in the world!
Without hesitation, Gu Lingjun said, "If you have chosen my martial soul, it is my honor!"
With that, Gu Lingjun released her martial soul. Two yellow, two purple, and three black rings—seven in total—rose from beneath her. A silver halo manifested behind her head, the Silver Radiant Heavenly Ring shimmering with sacred light.
During her exchange studies between the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and Shrek Academy, Gu Lingjun trained for a period under Elder Zhuang.
Although Elder Zhuang had not fully imparted everything to her, as a Super Douluo of the healing type, even a portion of his teachings was enough to benefit her greatly. Because of this, Gu Lingjun had already reached rank seventy-nine, only a step away from becoming a Soul Douluo.
Jiang Qingtong raised her hand, gently lifting the Mirror Lotus. She plucked a crystalline petal and flicked it toward Gu Lingjun.
The crystal-like petal entered Gu Lingjun's body. A silver radiance spread through her, and she felt a strange sensation well up from deep within—not painful, but novel and mysterious.
When the petal emerged again, a silver halo was imprinted at its center.
The imprint's color resembled that of the Mirror Lotus; without careful observation, it would be hard to distinguish.
The Mirror Lotus petal returned to Jiang Qingtong. She circulated her soul power, and the halo on the petal lit up—manifesting a silver ring behind her head as well!
Except for the absence of wings, Jiang Qingtong at that moment resembled a silver-radiant angel—pure and holy.
Sacred and dazzling!
The martial soul "Silver Radiant Heavenly Ring" was successfully engraved!
Driven by Jiang Qingtong's far more powerful soul force, her Silver Radiant Heavenly Ring shone even more brilliantly than Gu Lingjun's. Under its radiance, the wounded throughout the room received its nourishment—their injuries rapidly alleviating.
Even Gu Lingjun felt her own martial soul tremble. Her soul power bottleneck loosened for an instant!
Her level seventy-nine soul power showed faint signs of advancing.
Realizing this change, Gu Lingjun hurriedly expressed her gratitude and explained the situation.
Hearing this, Jiang Qingtong was surprised as well. She hadn't expected to gain an unexpected benefit simply from engraving a martial soul. At Gu Lingjun's growth rate, the Sun Moon Empire would likely gain another healing-type Titled Douluo in the future!
This would greatly reduce Tianyin Douluo's burden.
After all, Tianyin Douluo's martial soul was not strictly a healing-type but an auxiliary-type with a trace of life force capable of healing injuries.
By comparison, Gu Lingjun possessed a true healing-type martial soul—every one of her soul skills was designed for healing.
Just as Jiang Qingtong was familiarizing herself with the Heavenly Ring's soul skills, the Heart of Life inside her storage device suddenly reacted. It flew out on its own, floating before her!
Jiang Qingtong stared in shock.
Gu Lingjun frowned. "Your Majesty, this—"
Jiang Qingtong waved her off gently, signaling not to panic. She gazed at the Heart of Life, which glowed softly green. Its power seemed to be gradually resonating with the Silver Radiant Heavenly Ring behind her.