"Your Highness, the Regent Prince…"
Wang Hou's face drained of color. He kowtowed frantically, voice trembling. "I was only following your orders! I am innocent!"
Xu Tianran's eyes remained fixed ahead, not even glancing at him. Yet faint killing intent began to seep from his aura.
Still, he merely asked:
"What order did I give?"
Wang Hou froze, mouth opening—only for Xu Tianran to cut in calmly:
"I know you acted without ill intent. But if I don't execute you, how can I calm the people's hearts? After your death, I'll care for your wife and children. You needn't worry—go in peace."
He raised his voice slightly. "Come!"
From the shadows, Xue Chen (Shadow Douluo) emerged silently, his expression unreadable as he stared down at Wang Hou.
At Xu Tianran's command—"Do it."—Xue Chen blurred into a black streak.
And then… there was no "then."
In an instant, Xue Chen held aloft Wang Hou's severed head, blood dripping onto the floor. The wide-open eyes still burned with disbelief—clearly dying with unfulfilled grievances.
Watching this, the official who had been prostrated on the ground didn't even dare wipe the splattered blood from his robes. Cold sweat poured down his spine.
Xu Tianran merely glanced at him.
"You understand what to do next, I trust."
To serve a ruler is to walk beside a tiger!
The thought flashed through the official's mind. He immediately began kowtowing like a pestle pounding rice. "Your Highness, this humble servant understands—fully understands!"
If he didn't, Wang Hou's fate would be his own.
"Get out," Xu Tianran said flatly—yet fury simmered beneath the calm.
Terrified, the official scrambled away on hands and knees, stumbling out the door.
Once the man was far enough gone, Xu Tianran ordered, "Take the body to them. Then have someone clean this place."
"Yes."
Moments later, all traces of blood were scrubbed away.
Xu Tianran sat motionless in his wheelchair, eyes closed in meditation. His earlier rage had vanished—replaced by absolute serenity.
Then, suddenly, he spoke.
"Master Zhongli—I've done what needed doing. Now, it's your turn to give me a perfect answer."
"Ke ke ke—"
Zhongli Wu materialized soundlessly, his laughter echoing through the chamber. "Your Highness, aren't you just helping yourself?"
Xu Tianran opened his eyes, locking gazes with the Level 98 evil soul master—yet not a shred of fear showed on his face.
"You're absolutely right," he conceded.
A silent standoff hung in the air—until Xu Tianran relented first, offering a gentle smile. "For our mutual benefit, I'll leave the rest to your disciples of the Holy Spirit Sect."
Zhongli Wu gave a slight nod—then vanished without another word.
Alone in the vast hall, Xu Tianran sat half-swallowed by shadow, half-bathed in the glow of soul-engineered lamps. His expression remained unreadable.
Later, when servants came to replace his wheelchair, a maid noticed something odd—the armrest appeared crushed inward, as if gripped by unimaginable force.
---
Over the next few days, the tournament continued.
But a massive public outcry had erupted—centered on expelling the Holy Spirit Cult. Accusations flew: "The empire is blind!" "Colluding with evil soul masters!" The masses were swept up in righteous fury.
Yet this storm lasted less than a day before collapsing entirely.
The Sun Moon's authorities responded swiftly:
"Official Wang Hou conspired with the Holy Spirit Cult's evil soul masters. He has been executed as a warning. However, per tournament rules, only teams that violate regulations or are eliminated may be expelled. The Holy Spirit Church has broken no rules. Thus, despite their nature, they cannot be arbitrarily removed—doing so would damage Sun Moon's honor.
We solemnly pledge: during the tournament, the Holy Spirit Cult will not harm civilians. Any violation will be met with immediate execution!"
Combined with the Sun Moon's overwhelming influence as the host nation, public opinion quietly shifted—turning in favor of the empire.
Meanwhile, Sun Moon security forces seized the opportunity to root out spies—capturing numerous agents from the original Three Great Empires.
In the end, only the Three Empires' competing teams continued protesting. But without popular support, and facing Sun Moon's ironclad authority, their resistance fizzled into nothing—just like earlier complaints about the tournament format.
"Xu Tianran's heart is truly ruthless," Huo Yuhao murmured in a Mingdu alleyway.
"He's a true hegemon," Chen Junting replied. "It's precisely because of that ruthlessness that he, a cripple, rose to become Crown Prince and shape history."
Chen Junting had anticipated this outcome.
After all, if sacrificing one scapegoat could resolve everything, why would Xu Tianran abandon his grand plan?
"Enough of this," Chen Junting said, turning to Huo Yuhao. "Any progress?"
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "Too little time—no solid leads yet. But I did hear something interesting."
"Oh?" Chen Junting's interest piqued. "If you're bringing it up, it must be significant."
Encouraged, Huo Yuhao laid it all out: "I heard Mingdu's three largest underground black markets are organizing a secret competition during the Continental Youth Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. The prizes are incredibly generous—one includes rare metals. Rumor has it the champion will even receive a Grade-9 soul tool."
"You want to join?"
Chen Junting knew little about this event—only that the top prize was indeed extraordinary. Supposedly crafted by Ye Yulin, a Grade-9 soul engineer rivaling Jing Hongchen himself, the weapon was called the Sun-Moon Divine Needle.
"Yes," Huo Yuhao's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Such a reward would be a waste to pass up. And with my soul skills, I'm confident I can conceal my identity. The matches are held at night—won't interfere with the main tournament. Plus, black markets are treasure troves of information; we might uncover what we're looking for. And as a soul engineer myself, it's a perfect chance to test my skills and learn from peers."
"Brother Junting, this underground tournament offers multiple benefits at once."
"If you've decided, go ahead," Chen Junting said without hesitation. In his view, the championship was practically guaranteed for Huo Yuhao. If so, why not claim the Sun-Moon Divine Needle for free?
Good things—if you don't take them, it's a waste.
"Understood," Huo Yuhao replied firmly.
Seeing his resolve, Chen Junting nodded—then checked the time, frowning deeply.
They'd already passed their rendezvous hour, yet Gu Tianchen still hadn't appeared. A sense of unease prickled Chen Junting's instincts. Just as he prepared to search—
"Something big's happened."
Beside them, a spatial gate suddenly tore open.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)