Chapter 228: Emperor Beneath the Sword
"Tch, not worth a fight!"
The six-winged angel silhouette within the palace swung its sword again, sending a multitude of sharp sword rays slashing towards the Titled Douluo.
The Titled Douluo's face turned pale as he used every ounce of strength to withstand the fierce strike. Ultimately overwhelmed, he was thrown back, crashing into a massive pillar inside the palace. He slowly slid down, barely alive.
Qian Chenhai's face twisted into a cruel smile as he brandished his longsword, preparing to deliver the final blow to the Titled Douluo. But just then, a blood-red long blade appeared in front of him, blocking his attack.
"That's enough," Xu Changling spoke, his tone calm.
Qian Chenhai grunted, turning his head to glare at Xu Changling with frustration, but he could only hold back his resentment and withdraw.
Inwardly, he cursed, lamenting the absence of Zhongli Qing; for now, he couldn't do much against Tyrant Blade Douluo.
Once Zhongli Qing returned, he would make sure this man met his end!
Ignoring Qian Chenhai, Xu Changling turned his gaze toward Dai Yuansheng after stopping his attack. "You lost."
"Heh…heh…" Dai Yuansheng laughed bitterly. "In the past, I didn't fall at the hands of my cursed younger brother. Yet today, I am defeated by you."
"Spare my children, and I will surrender," Dai Yuansheng said with a darkened expression.
Although his strength with eight spirit rings would normally allow him to crush the Spirit Saint level Xu Changling, the presence of two powerful Titled Douluo nearby made him realize that further resistance was futile.
He had no other choice left, only the faint hope that his children might be spared.
"They'll be stripped of their spirit power and will lead quiet lives as ordinary people," Xu Changling replied indifferently, evidently having planned his response.
"Ordinary lives...that's good; at least they'll live," Dai Yuansheng replied despondently, his former imperial bearing utterly shattered. "Victory belongs to the conqueror, and I have no more words."
Squelch!
Xu Changling drew the ceremonial sword of the Prime Minister and thrust it into Dai Yuansheng's heart.
The illegitimate Emperor of Star Luo Empire lost his life beneath Xu Changling's sword.
"One day, Tang Qianqiu, I, Zhongli Qing, Lord of the Holy Spirit Cult, will avenge this blood feud!"
The venomous voice echoed from the sky above, reaching into the palace.
Xu Changling and Tyrant Blade Douluo remained expressionless, as if they had anticipated this, while Qian Chenhai's face contorted with horror.
"Tang Qianqiu came back?!"
He couldn't conceal his panic as it spread across his face, fear surfacing deep within his eyes.
Tang Qianqiu…Tang Sect!
Years ago, when the Spirit Hall was annihilated, they had been one of the main forces!
Zhongli Qing was likely in hiding by now, but what about him?
Would the Tang Sect kill him to prevent further trouble?
Damn it!
He had sent people last night to confirm that Tang Qianqiu had left Star Luo City.
So why had he returned?
Why?!
"You all…" An elderly figure appeared abruptly in the palace.
Upon seeing the emperor with a ceremonial sword plunged into his chest, lifeless on the throne, his pupils contracted, his aura fluctuating, and his voice rising sharply, "You killed His Majesty!"
It was the Star Luo Empire Chief Protector, rushing back after intervening.
But he was too late.
"Greetings, Elder Zhou." Xu Changling gave a slight bow.
"Xu Changling!" Elder Zhou barely restrained his rage. "In the past, we shared similar ideals, and I have shown you great favor. Why have you placed me in a position of betrayal?"
"I haven't put you in that position, Elder Zhou," Xu Changling replied with a bitter smile. "I had no choice, nowhere else to turn."
"The Dai family bestowed great favor upon me, yet I failed to protect His Majesty. If that's not betrayal, then what is?"
"Elder Zhou, the Dai family is the Dai family; Dai Yuansheng is Dai Yuansheng. The two cannot be equated," Xu Changling said sternly. "The Duke of the East is also a descendant of the Dai family."
"You…" Elder Zhou's anger faded as he paused, adopting a thoughtful expression. "So, you intend to have the Duke of the East succeed the throne?"
Elder Zhou had accepted the royal family's invitation to serve as their guardian due to a past debt of gratitude. But he also held a poor opinion of Dai Yuansheng as emperor. His recent actions were merely a matter of duty as Chief Protector.
If Xu Changling intended to seize power for himself, then Elder Zhou would have to oppose him despite their past association.
But if his aim was to enthrone the Duke of the East…well, perhaps this was a matter of family infighting rather than outright treason.
"Yes."
With Xu Changling's affirmation, Elder Zhou relaxed, casting a glance at Qian Chenhai, whose expression shifted nervously. "The Spirit Hall should never be revived. But that's not for me to handle; handle it as you see fit."
"I will take the Emperor's body with me," said Elder Zhou solemnly.
With that, he carefully lifted Dai Yuansheng's corpse, grabbed the barely-breathing Titled Douluo, and disappeared from the hall in a flash.
The hall sank back into silence with Elder Zhou's departure.
"Xu Changling! It was you!" Qian Chenhai seemed to piece something together, his face contorted with rage, like a demon. "You called Tang Qianqiu back, didn't you?!"
Though Xu Changling had been discreet, Qian Chenhai managed to piece together clues from his memory, tracing the scheme back to its orchestrator.
"You—I'll kill you!" Filled entirely with hatred, Qian Chenhai unleashed the full extent of his power.
Nine spirit rings rose behind him as the six-winged angel specter brandished its sword, swinging it toward Xu Changling.
Tyrant Blade Douluo, whose spirit power level was comparable to Qian Chenhai's, attempted to intercept but was a moment too slow.
His face twisted in alarm. "Lord Xu, withdraw!"
He was struggling to hold Qian Chenhai back; the full force of an attack by two Titled Douluo would be enough to obliterate a Spirit Saint.
"Ah..."
Xu Changling sighed softly. Stars shimmered around him, forming a faint crown above his head, radiating with brilliant light.
Behind him, nine spirit rings gradually appeared.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!
The rage on Qian Chenhai's face froze, replaced by disbelief. "Nine rings!"
"Ho—how do you have nine rings?!"
Impossible. This was impossible.
Only two years ago, Xu Changling had revealed himself in battle with the strength of a Spirit Saint, possessing just seven rings.
Seven rings... rising to nine in two years?
"I just learned a secret technique to conceal spirit rings," Xu Changling replied with a slight smile. In the next instant, countless rays of starlight surged toward Qian Chenhai.
The starlight morphed into a cage, trapping Qian Chenhai entirely, leaving him unable to move.
Tyrant Blade Douluo shouted, his longsword expanding to hundreds of meters in the light of his seventh spirit ring, slashing down upon Qian Chenhai.
Releasing his true spirit form, Tyrant Blade Douluo's strike was a nearly full-force attack.
"Ahhh!" Qian Chenhai gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with an intensity that defied direct gaze.
Golden flames ignited on his body, and blood-red streaks appeared on the towering six-winged angel behind him, transforming its once-pure white wings to crimson.
This was a secret technique of the Six-Winged Angel Clan. With a powerful burst of strength, Qian Chenhai tore free of the starlight bindings, slashing his sword with such force it seemed to split heaven and earth, meeting Tyrant Blade Douluo's blade head-on.
"Heh..." Blood dripped from Qian Chenhai's mouth. "So what if you're a Titled Douluo of rank ninety-one? What can you possibly do to me?"
"Oh? And what if I join the fight as well?"
A voice rang out from behind.
Qian Chenhai whipped around, his eyes widening as a massive, golden character for "kill" appeared in the sky, exuding a chilling aura of bloodlust that suffocated anyone who dared gaze upon it.
In that instant, the spectral image of a radiant white tiger appeared, its eyes glowing red and blue, emanating the might of a king of beasts.
"White Tiger—Annihilation Slash!"
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