Long Xiaoyao's hesitation didn't escape Jing Hongchen's notice, but the old man paid it little mind. Instead, Jing Hongchen spoke calmly:
"Senior, if I may — changing allies might actually be better for the Holy Spirit Cult."
"Oh?" Long Xiaoyao lifted his gaze toward him, feigning curiosity. "And what do you mean by that?"
Seeing that he had captured Long Xiaoyao's attention, Jing Hongchen took a steady breath, forcing his tone to remain even.
"I mean that you should consider cooperating with His Highness Wei Xuan instead. He is, without question, a far better partner than Xu Tiannan."
"In both talent and reputation within the Empire, His Highness far surpasses him. Working with Wei Xuan would bring your Holy Spirit Cult far greater benefits."
"Moreover," Jing Hongchen added sharply, "Wei Xuan's character is leagues above Xu Tiannan's. He would never betray his allies once his goals are met."
"I don't know what promises Xu Tiannan made to you," he continued, "but I know the man well. He'll help you only while he needs you. Once he gains enough power, he'll purge the Holy Spirit Cult without hesitation."
"Enough!" Xu Tiannan barked, face dark as ink. "Don't you dare sow discord between us!"
He turned hastily toward Long Xiaoyao. "Dragon Emperor, don't listen to him! I would never betray you!"
Jing Hongchen sneered. "A man who murdered his own brother for the throne — what wouldn't he do?"
Long Xiaoyao's eyes flickered, his face unreadable. He said nothing for a long time, then asked softly, "And how can you guarantee that Wei Xuan would be a better choice for us?"
He already knew much about the Sun Moon Empire's politics — enough to understand that if he had to choose between Xu Tiannan and Wei Xuan, the latter was the wiser ally.
Wei Xuan's chances of becoming emperor were higher, and unlike Xu Tiannan, he didn't reek of deceit and cruelty.
If it weren't for Xi Shui's insistence on this alliance, Long Xiaoyao wouldn't have bothered with Xu Tiannan at all. Men who could kill their own kin disgusted him.
But he still needed to know where Wei Xuan stood regarding the Holy Spirit Cult.
Jing Hongchen caught on quickly. After only a moment's hesitation, his resolve hardened.
"If you can get us out of this alive," he said firmly, "I can persuade His Highness to form an alliance with your Cult — mutual benefit, mutual aid."
"And I can offer additional support to the Holy Spirit Cult," he added, "so long as it doesn't involve mass killing or atrocities."
As the Master of Mingde Hall, his word carried immense weight.
It was a compromise born of necessity, but survival came first. If Wei Xuan lived, he would eventually hold enough power to control the terms of that alliance — perhaps even reform the Cult from within.
"Who knows?" Jing Hongchen thought grimly. "Maybe we could cleanse it of some of its darkness."
It was a self-consolation, but it made the bitter pill easier to swallow.
Long Xiaoyao seemed intrigued. His gaze turned toward the silent Wei Xuan. "What is your stance?" he asked.
Xu Tiannan's face twisted. "Dragon Emperor, you wouldn't dare break our pact, would you?" he demanded, his tone sharp with panic.
At the same time, he signaled the nearby Soul Engineers with a glance — the message clear: Kill Wei Xuan now.
Wei Xuan, who had been quietly observing him, finally lifted his head and smiled faintly.
"I see no problem with an alliance," he said evenly. "Each side gets what it needs."
"But before that," he added softly, "you should decide — are you helping him, or helping me?"
He gestured toward Xu Tiannan.
The Second Prince's expression contorted with fury. His hands clenched the sides of his chair so tightly that the metal groaned and warped under the pressure.
He cursed himself inwardly. If he had known this would happen, he'd never have invited Long Xiaoyao here. The ally he'd counted on had become the greatest variable — the sharpest blade aimed at his own throat.
Long Xiaoyao's gaze drifted between the two of them, uncertain. He weighed each choice carefully but could not yet decide.
Wei Xuan, seeing his indecision, shook his head slightly. Since you can't choose, he thought, I'll choose for you.
A glint of cold light flickered in his eyes. He looked at Xu Tiannan one last time, almost pitying.
"Ambitious, cunning, ruthless," he murmured softly — only he could hear his own words. "You could have achieved greatness… if only you hadn't provoked me."
A powerful spiritual surge erupted.
Invisible waves of mental force rippled outward, striking the air like a silent explosion.
Every person present stiffened in shock, their hearts pounding violently as dread filled their chests.
Then came a scream — high-pitched, piercing, filled with horror and unwillingness.
All eyes turned toward the sound.
Xu Tiannan lay limp in his chair, face pale as death, eyes wide in terror, blood seeping from his seven orifices. His expression froze that way — horror immortalized.
Even the Titled Douluo among them could sense it clearly: his heart had stopped. His breath was gone. He was utterly, irrevocably dead.
For several seconds, no one moved. Even Long Xiaoyao stood stunned, disbelief written across his face.
A living man — a prince — dead without warning, without visible cause. None of them had even seen who struck the blow.
All they had felt was that brief surge of spiritual energy — and then, silence.
When the shock finally broke, the survivors fell into full alert, scanning their surroundings warily.
Long Xiaoyao's expression hardened. His Martial Soul released instinctively, black aura coiling around him as his power surged.
The Dark Holy Dragon appeared behind him, massive and imposing. Two yellow, two purple, three black, and two red Soul Rings circled his body, their radiance lighting the air.
The oppressive might of an Ultimate Douluo spread across the forest like a tidal wave.
The very air grew heavy. The ground cracked underfoot. Even breathing became difficult.
For a brief moment, Wei Xuan felt as though a mountain were pressing down on him — crushing, suffocating. If Long Xiaoyao hadn't quickly reined in his aura, that mere release of power could have killed him outright.
The four ninth-tier Soul Engineers who had followed Xu Tiannan stood frozen, their formation broken.
Their leader dead, their courage shattered. They exchanged fearful looks and quickly gathered back-to-back, trembling as they prepared for whatever would come next.
It all felt unreal. The Second Prince of the Sun Moon Empire — a powerful Contra at level eighty-five — slain in an instant?
Had it not been for the lingering pressure of Long Xiaoyao's aura, they might have believed it was all a dream.
Jing Hongchen moved instinctively, stepping in front of Wei Xuan protectively. Though Xu Tiannan was dead, relief was the last thing on his mind.
"Whoever you are, there's no need to hide," Long Xiaoyao called, rising into the air. "Show yourself."
His tone was steady but guarded. He could sense no threat, no movement — only silence.
The forest remained still.
Wei Xuan stood quietly behind Jing Hongchen, a faint smile tugging at his pale lips.
There was no "Ultimate Douluo" assassin. The strike had been his.
And he had no intention of revealing that fact. Let them imagine whatever phantom enemy they wished.
Minutes passed.
Finally, Long Xiaoyao descended. With his leadership, Wei Xuan, Jing Hongchen, and the two captured ninth-tier Soul Engineers swiftly left the Jingyang Mountains behind.
They moved fast — impossibly fast. Within ten minutes, they had crossed the range entirely and landed atop a small ridge several miles outside its borders.
Wei Xuan turned to Long Xiaoyao and smiled faintly. "Thank you for your help, Senior."
Without Long Xiaoyao's deterrence, it would've been impossible to escape those four engineers alive.
Long Xiaoyao nodded. "I didn't help for nothing. Xu Tiannan's death nullifies our previous pact. I now represent the Holy Spirit Cult — and I wish to form an alliance with you."
He spoke directly, without pretense. With Xu Tiannan dead, Wei Xuan was the only viable candidate left.
The other princes of the Empire were insignificant by comparison.
Long Xiaoyao's gaze bore into Wei Xuan, his tone firm, almost commanding. This was not a request — it was a declaration.
Wei Xuan nodded. "Very well. But before we agree, some things must be made clear. I'd rather avoid future misunderstandings."
Relief softened Long Xiaoyao's face. "Go on," he said.
Jing Hongchen remained on alert beside Wei Xuan, ready for anything.
Wei Xuan spoke calmly. "I can help the Evil Soul Masters — resolve the corruption of their Martial Souls, and restore their sanity. I can also help wash away the Cult's stigma, change its reputation among the people."
Long Xiaoyao's expression brightened with excitement, though a trace of caution remained. "Then in return," he said slowly, "you must promise that once you become Emperor, you'll declare the Holy Spirit Cult the state religion."
"I have no interest in the throne," Wei Xuan replied evenly. "But I can swear upon my Martial Soul — if we form this alliance, I will see the Cult made the Empire's official religion."
Long Xiaoyao nodded, satisfied. "Then tell me," he said, "what do you want from us?"
Wei Xuan smiled slightly. "Three conditions."
"Three?"
"First," Wei Xuan said, "the Holy Spirit Cult must restrain its members. Any Evil Soul Master who uses my method to purify their Martial Soul must not kill without reason, must not commit atrocities. If they do — even if you won't punish them, I will."
His tone was calm, but the chill behind his words made even Long Xiaoyao's heart tighten.
The old Douluo studied him carefully, realizing that Wei Xuan's conviction ran deeper than he'd thought.
Wei Xuan continued, "Second, I need the right to call upon the Holy Spirit Cult when necessary — to command its forces, if I must."
"And the third…" He paused briefly, meeting Long Xiaoyao's eyes. "I want you to be my Path Protector for ten years."
"Path Protector?" Long Xiaoyao frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means you'll stay by my side," Wei Xuan said simply. "To protect me for ten years."
"So… a bodyguard?" Long Xiaoyao's face darkened. "You're asking me, the Dragon Emperor, to be your bodyguard?"
Jing Hongchen coughed lightly, stepping in. "It's not quite the same," he said quickly. "Protecting and serving aren't identical. I protect His Highness all the time — does that make me a bodyguard?"
At that, Long Xiaoyao's expression softened somewhat. "Very well," he said. "The first two terms, I accept. But the third — change it. I won't shadow you like a guard."
The first two conditions were reasonable. The third, however, was beneath him.
A man of his status could not simply become someone's protector.
"Your Highness," Jing Hongchen urged softly, "perhaps you could offer another condition instead."
Wei Xuan shook his head firmly. "No. The third stays. I need you to be my Path Protector."
To reach true strength — and to survive long enough to get there — he needed a guardian of immense power.
No one fit that role better than Long Xiaoyao.
Long Xiaoyao frowned, still resistant.
"Then let's do it this way," Wei Xuan said calmly. "If I truly can cure the Evil Soul Masters of their corruption — you'll serve as my Path Protector for ten years. Nothing more."
"You won't have to obey meaningless orders. Only protect me when necessary. It'll strengthen our alliance — make it unbreakable."
Long Xiaoyao thought deeply, then finally nodded.
"Very well. If you can truly purify the Evil Soul Masters' Martial Souls," he said solemnly, "then I will serve as your Path Protector for ten years."
(End of Chapter)