Chapter 341: Winds Stir in Star Luo
Inside the Star Luo Imperial Palace:
"So you're saying that wretched child has returned?"
A stunning woman with a crown of purple and gold looked coldly at the kneeling Crown Prince. In her eyes flickered a hint of excitement, mixed with a chilling glint of murderous intent.
For years, she had sacrificed countless pawns within Spirit Hall, all in a vain effort to track down that wretched child. Now, after hiding away for five years, that turtle had finally emerged, and she couldn't contain her rising joy.
Her brows knitted slightly, and she spoke in a firm tone:
"Crown Prince, is this news reliable?"
The golden-haired young man kneeling before her slowly raised his head, revealing none other than Dai Mubai. With the fall of the former Crown Prince, Davis, Dai Mubai had since assumed the title. His face now showed little of its former lightheartedness, replaced by a colder demeanor.
After a moment's thought, Dai Mubai replied with conviction:
"It should be reliable. This information came from a former companion from Shrek Academy, and my follow-up investigation confirms that several powerful soul masters recently appeared in Longxing City."
The Empress stifled her inner glee, giving Dai Mubai a gentle look and a faint smile:
"You have done well. If this is true, you will have rid our imperial family of a major threat! Your father will surely reward you for this."
But Dai Mubai's face remained impassive as he bowed his head and responded calmly:
"Thank you, Empress Mother."
Noting Dai Mubai's lack of enthusiasm, the woman's gentle expression vanished, replaced by a cold indifference. She waved her hand dismissively:
"You may leave."
"Yes…" Dai Mubai withdrew slowly, only turning away once he reached the palace door. Stepping out into the courtyard, he glanced back at the opulent rear palace, an inescapable feeling of sorrow settling deep within him.
He sighed heavily, his thoughts turning to his half-brother:
"Dai Yao, don't think me heartless. Blame your arrogance for revealing yourself and venturing into the Star Luo Empire. I'll honor your memory… once you're gone."
Truthfully, Dai Mubai didn't harbor much hatred for Dai Yao. Although he had been defeated by him multiple times, it was only because of Dai Yao's victory over Davis that Dai Mubai had been able to secure his position as Crown Prince. Without that victory, he would never have had the right to inherit the title.
Now, having secured his place as Crown Prince, he finally had the right to live.
For this, his brothers had to die.
Suddenly, he thought of something and smiled slightly, considering,
"It's been a long time since I last saw my eldest and second brothers. Perhaps I'll go share the news about Dai Yao with them…"
Though Davis had been disgraced and Dayaming severely injured, making them no longer threats to him, they were still his rivals. Mercy to one's enemies was cruelty to oneself, and thus, he had them both imprisoned. His heart had grown ruthless, but that coldness was, after all, a trait befitting an emperor.
Guards stood at regular intervals outside the palace, silent and solemn, none daring to make a sound. Despite the thousands of guards around him, Dai Mubai felt profoundly alone.
A gust of wind blew through, stirring his golden hair. His gaze grew cold and distant, and his solitary footsteps echoed through the empty palace, fading into the distance…
Elsewhere in the palace, the Star Luo Emperor scrutinized a report in his hand, his brow furrowed in frustration. After a long moment, feeling the strain in his eyes, he set down the document and let out a heavy sigh.
Yet the tension within him remained unrelieved.
His fists clenched tightly, veins bulging, and he muttered through gritted teeth:
"Spirit Hall, what a bold Spirit Hall!"
The report contained only a single line: "The Kingdom of Guder has crowned a new king and declared Spirit Hall as the kingdom's official religion."
The implications were staggering. Spirit Hall was now intervening directly in the governance of kingdoms, with several kingdoms and duchies beginning to distance themselves from imperial influence and aligning themselves with Spirit Hall. Their ambitions were becoming increasingly apparent.
At that moment, a soft hand reached out and gently rested on his shoulder, kneading the tension away. The Star Luo Empress, her expression tender, whispered,
"Your Majesty, you mustn't overstrain yourself. You are the Empire's heart and soul. If you fall ill, there's no one to replace you."
Under her gentle massage, the Star Luo Emperor felt some of his weariness dissipate. He reached out with his rough hand to cover the Empress's slender one, saying with a smile,
"No need to worry, my Empress. I'm still a Soul Douluo; a little strain won't bring me down."
The Empress replied with mild reproach,
"But I've heard you haven't rested in days. Even if you are a Soul Douluo, your body can't endure such abuse forever. And after all these years, you still only call me 'Empress.' I wonder if you even remember my name…"
The Star Luo Emperor's face stiffened. He moved to withdraw his hand, only to have the Empress clutch it firmly. Her face, usually so serene, now showed traces of sorrow and resentment.
Ever since he'd ascended the throne, their moments alone had been exceedingly rare. The Empress knew his heart no longer belonged to her. Perhaps from the moment he'd met that woman, their golden marriage had become a mere façade.
Turning to look at her familiar yet distant face, his expression grew cold as he yanked his hand away.
There had been a time when he'd loved another woman deeply. Yet no matter how he tried to win her favor, she had always longed to leave him. But to inherit the throne, he'd had no choice but to let her go. Eventually, he watched her die with cold indifference, as her child languished in the palace, enduring all manner of hardships.
Now, many years later, he'd all but forgotten her. But what he couldn't forget was the Empress's ultimatum during his struggle for the throne. At a time when he needed her support most, she'd forced him to choose.
Just as he was on the verge of defeating the then-Crown Prince and securing his place, she had threatened him. Furious but desperate, he had no choice but to comply.
Relinquishing the woman he loved, he accepted the support of the Zhu family and ultimately defeated the former Crown Prince, securing the throne.
He hated himself for not being in control then, and he despised the Empress for her betrayal. Since ascending the throne, he'd kept her at a distance. And no matter how often she had tried to reach out, he had never once initiated contact. This endless rejection had driven the Empress's bitterness toward that woman and her son, Dai Yao.
Watching her mournful expression, he felt nothing. Indeed, after all these years, he had nearly forgotten her name.
Was it… Yue'er?
But it no longer mattered. In a voice void of emotion, he said:
"Speak. If you've come to talk of romantic nonsense, return to your palace."
The Empress's gaze bore into him, her beautiful eyes welling with tears. Over the years, she had cried herself nearly blind for this man's heartlessness.
All of it was that woman's fault! If not for her, she and the Emperor would have never grown apart. They had once been so in love, so blissfully happy...
"It was all ruined by that woman! Since she's already dead, let her son pay the price!"
The Empress's expression returned to a cold calm. She said dispassionately,
"There's news that the wretched child has been sighted within Star Luo Empire."
"Dai Yao?" The Star Luo Emperor's voice showed a hint of surprise before returning to its usual indifference. "Where?"
"Longxing City."
"What do you intend to do?"
With a cold smile, the Empress replied,
"I intend to kill him. He is a traitor to the royal family, and he's disgraced the Empire. I will mobilize the Elder Council to eliminate him!"
The Emperor paused to consider this.
"What?" the Empress sneered. "Are you still thinking about that woman, hoping to protect that wretched child?"
The Emperor cast her a fleeting look of disdain. Had he wanted to protect Dai Yao, he would have done so back when the boy was trapped in the Cold Palace. Now, with Dai Yao having brought such shame to their empire, why would he even consider sparing him?
His thoughts turned instead to the kingdom of Guder, which had recently declared Spirit Hall its state religion. Removing Dai Yao would serve to deter other kingdoms and principalities and assert Star Luo's power over the increasingly brazen Spirit Hall.
Casting a steely gaze at the Empress, he replied,
"I will order the Elder Council to act. Dai Yao will not leave Star Luo alive. Now, if you have nothing else, return to your quarters."
Seeing that the Emperor had finally agreed, the Empress's face broke into a satisfied smile. She cast him a long, lingering look, then turned and swept out of the room, her train trailing behind her.
A few young eunuchs, who had been holding their breath and pretending to have heard nothing, quickly moved to follow her, attending to her as she departed.
Within half a day, the Elder Council at White Tiger Mountain had received the news. Four bright streaks of light shot into the sky, racing in the direction of Longxing City.
Aside from the Grand Elder, who was a Title Douluo, the other four elders—a formidable group of Soul Douluo—were mobilized. Along with several thousand elite soldiers, their response showed just how seriously they viewed Dai Yao. They wanted to see for themselves what abilities Dai Yao could possibly possess to escape four Soul Douluo from within the Empire's borders.
Gengxin City
An inconspicuous carriage rolled into the city. As the guard approached to lift the curtain and inspect the passengers, a large hand holding a token extended from within.
Initially dismissive of the token, the guard squinted and was about to scold the rider, but a member of Spirit Hall, stationed nearby, quickly stepped forward and stopped him.
Upon seeing the token, the Spirit Hall member swallowed hard. His formerly arrogant expression disappeared, and his once proud posture now sagged as he bent into a respectful bow.
"Greetings, Excellency, Platinum Bishop. Please forgive my ignorance for not recognizing you," he said, his head nearly touching the ground.
A low voice emanated from within the carriage,
"Keep my presence a secret. If anyone learns of it, you'll answer to me."
"Y-Yes, of course!" The man bobbed his head, eager to show his compliance.
The carriage was allowed to pass immediately. Once it was a safe distance away, the Spirit Hall guard, straightening himself, turned to the others, his earlier humility replaced by his usual arrogance.
"What business do you have asking questions you have no right to know? Speak of this to anyone, and you'll lose your heads!"
The guards went pale and quickly closed their mouths, deciding that silence was the better part of valor. Despite their curiosity, they valued their lives far more than any gossip.
The Spirit Hall guard watched the carriage disappear down the road, aware of just how far above his rank the person within it must be. That platinum token—it was the badge of office belonging to the Platinum Bishops, one of only two in the Spirit Hall's network of sacred temples.
Inside the modest carriage, Ning Rongrong peered out the window, watching the streets go by with a worried expression.
"Spirit Hall's influence has grown so aggressive that they've even taken control of the city gates here in Gengxin City. Who knows how many cities across the continent they now control," she remarked.
Dai Yao chuckled and said,
"It's almost impossible to stop Spirit Hall's expansion. Still, Rongrong, don't worry. No matter what happens, I will do everything I can to protect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan during these turbulent times."
Hearing his words, Ning Rongrong's heart swelled with warmth and gratitude. She had no doubts about Dai Yao's sincerity. Back when he was within Spirit Hall, he'd risked his life and stood up for her clan, all without any thought of reward or recognition, even managing to redirect their soul-hunting missions.
From the seat beside him, Dugu Yan gave a playful huff, feigning jealousy.
"Oh, sure! So certain about protecting the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Dai Yao, if you'd say something like that to me, I could die happy…"
She leaned in, draping herself against his side, her face bearing a look of exaggerated sorrow.
Knowing Dugu Yan was only acting, Dai Yao nudged her aside with a look of exasperation.
"Alright, stop acting. The Bi-Scale Clan is already part of the Qinglian Sect, and you're the acting sect leader. We're all tied together now—no need for that kind of talk. Besides, haven't I given you enough sweet words?"
Dugu Yan let out a peal of laughter, unperturbed by his reaction. Her almond-shaped eyes glinted with mischief. Ever since she'd opened her heart to him, her playful, lively nature had blossomed, contrasting her elegant appearance.
She glanced toward Ning Rongrong and grinned.
"Rongrong, remember how your Sword Grandpa once terrorized my grandpa? When you and Dai Yao finally get married, I'll make sure we pay back some of that trouble… together."
Back when Sword Douluo had helped rescue Dai Yao, he'd managed to pin down Dugu Bo's Bi-Scale Serpent form, striking fear into the clan.
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened in surprise at the remark, then turned crimson. Her thoughts flashed to the vision she'd seen in the year-bound illusion, where she and Dai Yao had married. She blushed and murmured shyly,
"Yan-jie~"
Dai Yao sighed and shook his head.
"Yan Yan, let's not tease Rongrong, alright?"
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