Running all the way home, Dai Huabin no longer dared to stop for anything. When he rushed through the front door, his urgent, flustered appearance even caused a group of guards to look at each other in confusion, unsure of what to do.
As the second son of the White Tiger Duke Mansion, Dai Huabin was no stranger to knowledge. Regarding that man who called himself "Ghost Elder," he vaguely suspected something.
If he guessed correctly, this Ghost Elder was most likely an Evil Soul Master.
Evil Soul Masters were infamous on Douluo Continent. Whenever a village was completely massacred, it was almost always the work of an Evil Soul Master.
Now that an Evil Soul Master had appeared, it could easily lead to unnecessary major trouble. Thinking this, Dai Huabin only wanted to quickly inform the family elders of the situation.
However…
When Dai Huabin arrived at the White Tiger Hall, even before entering, he could already hear voices from inside, occasionally mixed with laughter. There was the voice of his father and mother, as well as that of his uncle.
At that moment, his steps halted, and he leaned against the wall, much like Dai Yaoheng had once done.
"Yaoheng, from now on, Yuhan is in your care. If you don't treat her well, us uncles won't be happy about it."
"Don't worry, Third Uncle. Yuhan and I share the same bloodline—it is fate. In the future, I will love her well."
"That's good. Alright, you two go enjoy some time alone, cultivate your feelings. We elders still have things to discuss."
"Yes."
The last "yes" was spoken by both a young man and a young woman.
Hearing the footsteps approaching the door, Dai Huabin's face grew icy, cold as midwinter. He quietly hid behind a flowerpot.
The next moment, two figures walked out—Dai Yaoheng and Zhu Yuhan.
"Swish!"
Suddenly, Dai Huabin's pupils shrank sharply. In his view, Dai Yaoheng immediately took Zhu Yuhan's hand as they stepped out.
Dai Yaoheng's face carried a faint smile, while Zhu Yuhan's cheeks were slightly red. They laughed and chatted as they left the White Tiger Hall.
Only when they had walked far away did Dai Huabin slowly emerge from behind the flowerpot, his gaze darkened with shadow.
"Zzzt."
At that moment, the soul-guided lamp outside the White Tiger Hall flickered, seemingly from unstable wiring, and the light dimmed instantly.
The faint light receded like a cast fishing net slowly being pulled back, and Dai Huabin's figure vanished into the darkness.
The air seemed to solidify. Eventually, a figure moved toward the deeper darkness, never stepping back into the light.
…
"Sect Leader, are we really not going to pursue that brat Huo Yuhao?"
Lang Ya and Yu Tao looked at Poison Never Dies with confusion.
They didn't understand why their sect leader had suddenly abandoned a target.
"Of course we will pursue him, but not now. Enough talking. I'm still waiting to go fishing. You two go wander around. Remember, don't provoke anyone from Shrek Academy for now. Wait for my orders."
Poison Never Dies' eyes flickered slightly, and then his figure vanished from their sight.
Lang Ya and Yu Tao looked at each other.
"Forget it, let's treat this as a sightseeing trip," Lang Ya said helplessly.
"Seems that's the only option," Yu Tao agreed.
…
If one were to ask which city on Douluo Continent was the most prosperous, it would undoubtedly be the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, Sun Moon City, also known as Ming Capital.
The city had a population exceeding ten million. Unlike the three original Douluo Continent nations, it did not have protective city walls, because the city had established an extensive internal defense system, rendering walls gradually obsolete.
From the air, one could see towering buildings, dozens of meters high, some reaching the extreme height of a hundred meters, standing like steel pillars upon the land, stretching as far as the eye could see.
The sun's rays shone upon this vibrant city. On the main roads over thirty meters wide, there were bustling public horse-drawn carriages and busy pedestrians.
East Palace, Rear Garden.
The area was not particularly large, but it was filled with rare plants, some of which were already extinct in the outside world.
The air was fragrant with flowers, giving a sense of calm and relaxation. The warm sunlight made one sleepy and drowsy.
On a wheelchair, a young man with bronze skin leaned back, eyes slightly closed, enjoying the comfort of sunlight on his body.
The gentle warm breeze stirred a few bamboo leaves, producing a soft "rustle" sound.
However, the tranquility did not last long. Rapid footsteps approached from a distance and stopped behind the young man in the wheelchair.
"Your Highness, something major has happened."
The newcomer appeared to be around forty, with a firm and resolute appearance, a strong build, and clad in armor with a faint glow, resembling a commanding military officer.
"Speak." The young man in the wheelchair did not open his eyes but spoke calmly.
"The southwestern nobles of the Xingluo Empire have been annihilated," the man said gravely.
Hearing this, the young man immediately opened his eyes. Using his right hand, he rotated the wheelchair to face the man.
Though not exceptionally handsome, the young man's eyes, devoid of emotion, radiated an indescribable aura of authority—the presence of a superior.
He was the crown prince of the Sun Moon Empire, Xu Ti naturally.
"What exactly happened?"
The man quickly responded, "Just the day before yesterday, the southwestern nobles of the Xingluo Empire suddenly requested aid, saying the royal family planned to move against them. Upon receiving this news, Marshal Wang Long of the eastern frontier immediately sent a team to attack the Xingluo garrison through the Mingdou Mountains."
"According to past practices, we intended to divert the Xingluo royal family's attention. But just as the conflict between us and the Xingluo Empire escalated, Evil Sovereign Soul Master Group Leader Xia Chenxuan sent word that the southwestern nobles had already been completely wiped out, and the entire southwestern region was once again under Xingluo royal control."
Xu Ti naturally frowned, thinking quickly and identifying the key point. His expression turned cold."Well done, Xingluo royal family. A two-birds-one-stone scheme. Seems their emperor is no fool."
The man was momentarily stunned, clearly not thinking on the same level as Xu Ti.
Seeing his confusion, Xu Ti said coldly, "The Xingluo royal family must have first sent people to lie in wait in the southwest, then deliberately spread false information to make the nobles panic, and requested aid from us. When the aid arrived, the royal soul masters struck immediately. The nobles were likely annihilated that very day."
"Is White Tiger Duke Dai Hao at the border?"
Hearing this, the man's expression changed sharply. "According to intelligence from the frontlines, the commander of this Xingluo operation was not Dai Hao. Even Dai Hao's controlled legions were split into several groups."
Xu Ti sighed."That's expected. Dai Hao was most likely recalled to Xingluo City by the emperor under the pretext of participating in the Douluo Competition. When we mobilize, he could be forcibly retained, while the emperor's confidants control the western army of the Xingluo Empire."
"This…" The man's expression stiffened. "Then Your Highness, what shall we do next?"
"Has the emperor made any plans?" Xu Ti asked.
"No, but His Majesty has summoned the prime minister and others to discuss this matter. The annihilation of the southwestern nobles greatly affects our future plans," the man replied, shaking his head.
"What about my good brothers?" Xu Ti continued.
"They will likely use this incident to display their abilities and will probably offer advice to His Majesty proactively."
"Heh." Xu Ti smiled faintly. "A group of people who only play small tricks will never accomplish great deeds."
"Your Highness is correct," the man said, bowing slightly.
"Chen Yan, do you want to be the future commander of the southern army of the empire?" Xu Ti asked, smiling.
The man's body trembled slightly, but he answered without hesitation, "I do."
"Good." Xu Ti nodded approvingly. "You are my loyal minister. As a loyal minister, you deserve what a loyal minister deserves."
The man's breath quickened as he awaited the crown prince's orders.
Xu Ti said, "My younger brothers are all hungry for the throne. What we need to do is continuously compete with them for authority. This is the opportunity. If the emperor cannot decide, the court will convene tomorrow. When His Majesty inquires about the Xingluo Empire, you follow my instructions."
"Know your enemy and know yourself; you will never be defeated. Dai Hao is revered as a war god in Xingluo, but they don't know all his honors were given by us. Every local conflict has built his resume. The stronger he becomes, the more the royal family fears him. Therefore, we must ensure he retains authority in Xingluo."
"We need Dai Hao to return. You will answer His Majesty that after the Douluo Competition, we will launch a Level Three military strike against the new general of the Xingluo Empire. They cannot withstand it."
"When the Xingluo Empire loses, internal divisions will arise. Dai Hao may reclaim command. When he was general, they always won; with another, they lost. This highlights his importance."
"As for the other two countries and Shrek Academy, if they become wary due to the conflict, we can handle it. Once Dai Hao is in command, we can reduce the military strikes, even lose a few battles intentionally, and end the war."
"This not only restores Dai Hao to command but strengthens his prestige and the rift within the royal family, easing tensions with the other countries and Shrek Academy."
The man's breath grew heavier hearing this.
"Now, do you know what to do?" Xu Ti asked, smiling.
"I understand, Your Highness," the man said respectfully.
"Good. If you handle this well, I will recommend you to His Majesty for the southern army tomorrow."
"I will go through fire and water to assist Your Highness," the man kneeled, deeply respectful.
"I shall rest now," Xu Ti said with a gentle smile.
"I take my leave," the man bowed, stepped back, and exited the garden.
"The Xingluo Empire's dog-eat-dog politics are better; we must not disturb the balance."
Looking at the blooming flowers, Xu Ti's eyes gleamed with icy coldness. If it weren't for his disabled legs, those younger brothers would never pose any threat.
He would not need to scheme for power.
But this method was inefficient. He needed a faster way to seize all authority and launch a war to unify the continent.
To achieve a feat no one else had completed: unification of the continent.
"Do I really have to agree to their demands?"
Gradually, Xu Ti's gaze deepened.
"Your Highness, your tea has arrived."
A gentle voice spoke. Xu Ti did not turn his head but extended his left hand. In the next moment, he received the teacup from a small, snow-white, delicate hand.
Holding the teacup, Xu Ti sipped, savoring the aroma, feeling his mood lighten.
"As expected, it's best when you, Orange, make the tea—it suits me better."
Xu Ti smiled.
"Your Highness, you flatter me. Compared to the palace tea masters, I still have much to learn."
Beside Xu Ti stood a beautiful sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl, her body adorned in a yellow dress. Her eyes were lively and orange, her black hair flowing gently, and her fair skin smooth and radiant, like translucent jelly under the sunlight.
"You always like to be modest." Perhaps only in front of her could Xu Ti let down his guard.
Orange smiled, her red lips more charming than the flowers in the garden.
"By the way, the teacher I found for you—how is he?" Xu Ti asked, turning to Orange.
"Teacher Xuan is strict but highly skilled. Under his guidance, my progress has been rapid. I must thank Your Highness, otherwise I wouldn't have had access to such a level of soul masters."
Orange stepped behind Xu Ti, gently massaging his shoulders.
Feeling the comfort, Xu Ti showed a trace of ease on his face.
"Too bad he cannot be recruited, or it would be perfect," Xu Ti said casually.
Orange smiled, "Teacher Xuan values freedom; there's no way around it."
Xu Ti nodded, and silence fell between them.
After a long while, Xu Ti spoke again, "Besides learning soul-guided device technology, you should also start learning military knowledge."
Orange continued massaging, a glint of joy in her eyes.
"Once I hold supreme power over the empire, I will make you commander of the entire army. But the responsibility is heavy; I don't know if you can handle it," Xu Ti said.
"No matter what, Orange will never betray Your Highness' trust," Orange said firmly.
Xu Ti smiled slightly, "With your intelligence, I believe you can. But this path must be tested; my enemies are still many."
"Orange believes Your Highness will achieve what you desire," Orange said gently.
"Ha ha." Xu Ti laughed twice, patting Orange's soft hand. "Alright, return to the academy. I wish to be alone for a while."
"As you wish." Removing her hands from his shoulders, Orange saluted respectfully and walked away.
The faint fragrance she carried gradually faded. Xu Ti's thoughts were caught by something; he turned to watch her elegant figure recede. Even just a back view, it was captivating.
However…
Xu Ti slowly clenched his fists.
"It seems a choice must be made."
.......................
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