A deep chill flickered in the depths of Xu Tiannan's eyes.
"Second Brother… I've returned once more. The pain you gave me, I'll return a hundredfold!"
There's a saying: 'If you wish no one to know, then don't do it yourself.'
Over the past weeks, Xu Tiannan had been secretly investigating who had been behind the assassination attempt on him.
His list of suspects had narrowed to just two: the Second Prince, Xu Tianyu, and the Third Prince, Xu Tianshi.
Among all the princes, only these two possessed enough power and influence to organize such an attack.
According to his investigation, on the day of the assassination, the Contra-level experts under the Third Prince had clear alibis—they were all accounted for elsewhere.
But those under the Second Prince… none had shown their faces that day. Some claimed to be away, others in seclusion.
In short, every one of them was suspicious.
Although Xu Tianyu had cleaned up the traces very well, leaving behind no direct evidence, Xu Tiannan was certain—the one who ordered his assassination was none other than Xu Tianyu.
Every night when Xu Tiannan recalled that ambush on the outskirts of Mingdu, the sharp pain of his ruined legs, and how he had barely survived by a thread, hatred and agony clawed at his heart.
Only by executing Xu Tianyu through a thousand cuts could he ease even a fraction of that hatred.
He had not retaliated earlier because his title of Crown Prince had been stripped.
Many of his followers had fled—some even defected to Xu Tianyu or Xu Tianshi.
His power base was shattered.
Even if he wanted revenge, he had no means to strike back.
But now… with the Holy Spirit Church as his ally, he once again had the strength to act.
When he had told Zhong Liwu earlier that their first step should be to weaken Xu Tianyu's power and cut off his wings, that was not only a political strategy, but also revenge.
Zhong Liwu nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. The old Emperor Xu Jing's health is failing. If Xu Tianyu truly becomes Crown Prince, within two years, he might even be acting as Regent.
Once that happens, he'd hold the true power of the Sun and Moon Empire. He'd be half an emperor already.
At that point, even my mother might find it difficult to touch him."
Xu Tiannan's face darkened with regret.
It was true—when he had been Crown Prince, he had become arrogant and complacent.
He had left Mingdu, the capital, for a casual outing—and that had given Xu Tianyu the perfect opportunity to strike.
If he had stayed in Mingdu, no one would have dared touch him.
After all, Mingdu, the capital of the Sun and Moon Empire, was teeming with powerful experts.
Anyone attempting to assassinate the Crown Prince would have been surrounded in moments—even a Super Douluo would not escape death afterward.
With Xu Tianyu's current strength, he never could have touched a single hair on Xu Tiannan's head.
Had Xu Tiannan simply stayed patient, waiting for his father's health to decline, he could have seamlessly inherited power.
Then he could have killed or crushed whichever brothers he wished—without consequence.
If time could be turned back, Xu Tiannan swore he would never have acted so recklessly.
He would have remained in Mingdu, kept a low profile, and quietly built his power.
But it was too late for regret.
Suppressing his self-reproach, Xu Tiannan spoke to Zhong Liwu.
"You're right. Xu Tianyu's popularity in court grows by the day. At this rate, within six months, Father will likely name him Crown Prince.
We must ensure that within those six months, Xu Tianyu's power is crippled—or that he is eliminated."
Zhong Liwu frowned slightly. His spirit power was already level 96.
(In the later original timeline, after the Mingdu explosion and the wars, Zhong Liwu reached level 98.)
With his current strength, he was confident he could kill Xu Tianyu even in Mingdu.
But escaping afterward would be another matter.
Mingdu was saturated with advanced soul tool detectors.
Even Super Douluos found it nearly impossible to evade them.
Once discovered, the Imperial Soul Engineer Legions could use linked soul tools to seal entire districts instantly.
Unless his mother or Uncle Long (Long Xiaoyao) personally came to rescue him, he would almost certainly perish in Mingdu.
Zhong Liwu said gravely,
"Assassinating Xu Tianyu in Mingdu would be too costly. Can you lure him outside the city? If he leaves Mingdu, killing him would be no harder than crushing an ant."
Xu Tiannan shook his head.
"After what happened to me, neither Second Brother nor Third Brother would ever step outside Mingdu again."
Zhong Liwu's expression grew serious.
"In that case, we can only aim to cripple his faction first—weaken his power base so he's unfit to become Crown Prince."
Xu Tiannan's heart seethed.
If only my Crown Prince title hadn't been stripped… with that status, eliminating Xu Tianyu would've been simple.
Xu Tianyu had struck first; any retaliation could have been justified.
He could have used the Holy Spirit Church to kill Xu Tianyu, then presented fabricated evidence of Xu Tianyu's assassination attempt to his father.
As Crown Prince, the worst punishment he'd face would have been a minor reprimand or a few months of confinement.
Maybe Emperor Xu Jing would even have praised him for "cleverly using the Holy Spirit Church's strength."
But now, he was just a crippled former prince, no longer in favor—no better than an outcast.
His father valued Xu Tianyu and Xu Tianshi far more.
If he acted rashly now, punishment would not be light confinement—it would be execution.
A bitter smile crossed Xu Tiannan's lips, his hatred toward Emperor Xu Jing deepening.
No matter how much he and his brothers schemed, they could never escape that man's shadow.
Every rise and fall, every gain and loss, depended on the Emperor's will.
The Emperor let them fight, so they fought.
The Emperor forbade them from recruiting level-nine Soul Engineers, so they obediently refrained.
Even this cooperation with the Holy Spirit Church ultimately existed because of the Emperor's fear and suppression.
Xu Tiannan suddenly recalled the past—years ago, he and his brothers Xu Tianyu and Xu Tianshi had once gotten along.
How had things fallen to this state of blood and vengeance?
He dismissed the thought with a cold laugh.
"Zhong Liwu, you're right. The current plan is to remove Xu Tianyu's wings.
His two greatest supporters are the Song Family—his mother's clan—and the Wang Family.
If we destroy those two families, Xu Tianyu's power will be crippled. He'll never again qualify for the throne."
And so, Xu Tiannan and Zhong Liwu began plotting the eradication of the Wang and Song Clans.
Meanwhile — Plain Alliance Headquarters, Meeting Hall
Inside the grand hall, numerous Soul Sage–level and above elders of the Plain Alliance sat silently around a long table, waiting for their leader, Shangguan Wei'er, to arrive.
Creak—
The heavy doors opened.
A woman entered, dressed in a striking crimson gown that shimmered like fire.
Her beauty was dazzling—her chestnut hair coiled high in an elegant bun.
Every step she took swayed with graceful allure, her figure sensuous yet dignified.
Her face, though holy and composed, could captivate any soul.
That slender waist, those enticing curves—she was temptation incarnate.
Though everyone knew their Alliance Master, Shangguan Wei'er, was a ruthless and commanding woman, the male elders still couldn't help stealing glances at her.
Some flushed, some swallowed nervously—utterly lacking composure.
Shangguan Wei'er was the Alliance Master of the Plain Alliance, and her strength was formidable.
It was said her cultivation even surpassed that of An Litong, the Contra-level chairman of the Aodu Chamber of Commerce.
Countless powerful men had once fallen at her feet.
Yet despite her youthful appearance—no older than twenty-five or twenty-six—she had actually led the Plain Alliance for over forty years.
No one knew her true age—and no one dared ask.
Age was a woman's greatest secret, and for someone as vain as Shangguan Wei'er, it was forbidden to mention.
Anyone foolish enough to do so rarely met a pleasant end.
But today, the beauty's expression was devoid of her usual charm—cold and solemn.
That only made her all the more breathtaking, even to the female elders.
Trailing a faint scent of perfume, she strode to the center seat of the hall and sat at the head of the table.
Her voice was melodic, yet her tone was glacial.
"This meeting concerns two matters.
First, regarding Elder Zhao Yurou. Yesterday, she clashed with a Soul Sage from the Xishui Alliance, was gravely injured, and had her meridians shattered.
Had reinforcements not arrived in time, she would have died at the hands of that evil soul master."
At her words, fury erupted among the elders.
"The Xishui Alliance goes too far!"
"Those evil soul masters think our Plain Alliance is easy prey?"
"Damn them! We must avenge Elder Zhao Yurou!"
Their voices echoed—until Shangguan Wei'er's next words.
"If that's how you feel," she said lightly, "then who among you volunteers to take the field—and cripple the soul master who injured Zhao Yurou?"
Instantly, silence fell.
They all knew too well the terror of the evil soul masters.
Their powers were strange, unpredictable—few of equal rank could match them.
Defeating a Soul Sage–level evil soul master required at least a Contra-level powerhouse.
Shangguan Wei'er's cold eyes swept over the silent room, growing even frostier.
Still, she did not scold them.
Even she herself, if honest, preferred not to fight such opponents head-on.
She thought grimly,
"Those Xishui Alliance bastards keep stirring up trouble, provoking conflicts, trying to seize our territory and profits. Truly a headache."
The Xishui Alliance's ambition was no secret—they sought to dominate Mingdu's entire underground network.
Were it not for the Plain Alliance and Aodu Chamber of Commerce, both backed by noble houses and the military, the Xishui Alliance's evil soul masters would have long unified the city's underworld.
The Plain Alliance had existed for generations, controlling most of Mingdu's entertainment and catering industries—fields favored by aristocrats who loved indulgence.
Their influence was built upon noble patronage.
Though Shangguan Wei'er cooperated with these nobles, she was no one's subordinate.
She was a Title Douluo, a peer in power and influence.
Each year, she received her share of profits and cultivation resources.
Born to a viscount's family, her martial soul had undergone mutation, granting her extraordinary talent.
She cherished cultivation above all—for greater strength meant longer life and eternal youth.
After reaching Soul Sage, she had joined the Plain Alliance to secure resources.
Over the years, she had risen to its leadership, and ten years ago, she broke through to Title Douluo.
Now, her cold voice echoed through the chamber:
"The evil soul master who crippled Elder Zhao Yurou must die.
We will send assassins to eliminate him."
"As for Elder Zhao Yurou," she continued, "she has served the Plain Alliance faithfully for years.
We will provide protection and compensation for her injuries.
Those who serve the Plain Alliance will never be forgotten."
The elders nodded, comforted.
Zhao Yurou's fate reassured them—should any of them fall one day, the Alliance would not abandon them.
In this world, that promise mattered.
Shangguan Wei'er then said,
"The second matter—one month ago, Elder Song Yu (the false identity of Wang Chen) suddenly disappeared.
After the investigation, it has been confirmed that his identity was fabricated. His true identity and purpose remain unknown.
If seen again, be on guard."
"Yes, Alliance Master!"
Fifteen minutes later, the meeting ended.
Shangguan Wei'er rose, her long, flawless legs moving gracefully as she swayed toward Zhao Yurou's residence.
As Alliance Master, it was only proper that she personally visit an elder who had been crippled in service.
Meanwhile — At Zhao Yurou's Home
Ye Guyi's eyes were blurred with tears as she gazed at the bedridden Zhao Yurou.
The woman's meridians had been completely severed.
For soul masters, meridians were the pathways through which soul power flowed.
Without them, one could neither circulate energy nor activate soul skills—not even enhance one's body with soul power.
Zhao Yurou lay pale and lifeless, her spirit broken.
For a soul master, losing one's cultivation was worse than death.
Unless a miraculous healing treasure or a healing-type Title Douluo intervened, there was no hope of recovery.
If not for her attachment to Ye Guyi, Zhao Yurou would already have ended her own life.
She forced a faint smile and said softly,
"Guyi… I'm a cripple now. From here on, you'll have to rely on yourself.
I've served the Plain Alliance for many years—they'll offer you protection for my sake, but such things fade quickly.
People forget once the tea grows cold.
Your talent will draw attention—be careful not to be used."
Hearing those words—like a final farewell—Ye Guyi broke down, burying her face in her hands.
Aunt Zhao… please don't leave me… wuuuu...