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The Tian Dou Imperial Palace—
Emperor Xue Ye sat high upon his throne. At this moment, he slowly opened his eyes.
Though the Swan martial soul of the Xue Clan wasn't renowned for combat prowess, with the resources of an entire empire at his disposal, Emperor Xue Ye's cultivation had reached a respectable Soul Douluo level. With his mental strength, he could naturally sense the battle raging in the direction of Dugu Bo's residence.
"Has it ended?"
At that moment, a black shadow flashed by. A figure clad in a black robe and mask knelt before Xue Ye.
A flicker of light appeared in the masked person's hand as they retrieved a document from their storage soul-guidance device and handed it to Emperor Xue Ye.
Xue Ye accepted it calmly, flipping through it with an air of nonchalance.
Gradually, a glimmer of interest lit up in Xue Ye's eyes, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curled upward.
"Not bad, not bad. I didn't expect there to be such a capable person under my command—one who could single-handedly suppress over a dozen Soul Sages in an instant, including three high-level Soul Sages. Afterward, even my three Elders couldn't subdue her. This level of strength is comparable to a Title Douluo."
However, Xue Ye quickly reined in his smile.
"Though this Countess Tianxin once achieved great military feats and has now displayed such strength, her rash actions in the imperial city today are still taboo.
It seems she's another soul master who doesn't take the imperial authority seriously.
But so what?"
As these thoughts crossed his mind, a hint of arrogance surfaced in Emperor Xue Ye's gaze. His Xue family had ascended to the throne despite their weak swan martial soul—not through sheer strength but through strategic alliances and diplomacy.
Emperor Xue Ye was confident that as long as he offered a sufficiently tempting deal, this Countess Tianxin would surely pledge her loyalty to the imperial family and defend the empire's borders.
With this in mind, Xue Ye scrutinized the document even more carefully. As long as a soul master had family or attachments, they inevitably had weaknesses—and exploiting those weaknesses was his method of control.
Soon, Xue Ye understood the full context of the incident.
A thoughtful look passed through his eyes. "So that's how it is. She went berserk because her descendant disappeared while under Dugu Bo's care? What a loyal and righteous woman."
From a man's perspective, Xue Ye deeply admired Huo Rui's display of loyalty and righteousness. If he weren't old and frail, he might have even entertained thoughts of pursuing her.
However, as an emperor, he couldn't condone her actions. This was a classic case of a martial artist breaking the law, and given her noble status, it was also a challenge to the imperial authority.
Yet, Huo Rui's combat prowess undoubtedly provided the perpetually weak Tian Dou Imperial Family with another pillar of support. While Emperor Xue Ye was tempted, he also felt some hesitation.
At this moment, another black-robed figure rushed in and handed over another report.
Xue Ye knew this contained the final outcome of the battle. He felt a slight unease, hoping that the eccentric Dugu Bo hadn't killed Huo Rui.
Otherwise, his hard-earned powerful chess piece would be lost.
The report contained only a few brief sentences:
[Both sides unleashed their full power but did not determine a victor. It appears they negotiated a truce. Dugu Bo took Countess Tianxin to the depths of Sunset Forest, likely heading to Dugu Bo's secret base there.]
[Additionally, after probing Dugu Yan, it was confirmed that Countess Tianxin's grandson-in-law, Ye Wen, has formally become Dugu Bo's disciple. Analysis suggests both parties may have reached a reconciliation and could potentially collaborate.]
After reading the two reports, Emperor Xue Ye's brows furrowed momentarily before relaxing again.
An emperor feared nothing more than his subordinates forming cliques—but what he feared even more was complete stagnation among officials, as that signified total unity against him.
Though neither Dugu Bo nor Huo Rui belonged to the royal faction, they also weren't part of any other faction—they were neutral. Moreover, both prioritized their families, making them the easiest type of people to manipulate.
After careful consideration, Emperor Xue Ye concluded that their alliance posed no harm to the imperial family—and might even...
His gaze fixed intently on the name "Ye Wen." He had seen it in previous reports but hadn't paid much attention. Now, it seemed this person was the spark that ignited the conflict between the two—and being valued by two Title Douluo-level fighters meant he was no ordinary individual.
Moreover, Xue Ye felt he had seen the name "Ye Wen" somewhere before but couldn't recall where, causing a slight headache.
Emperor Xue Ye massaged his temples, his expression turning dark. For someone at the Soul Douluo level to be plagued by illness, and for the imperial physicians to be unable to diagnose it, was truly laughable.
After calming himself and taking a moment to steady his breathing, Emperor Xue Ye felt somewhat better. Closing his eyes, he said:
"Bring me all available information on this person named Ye Wen."
"Yes."
The black-clad figure bowed and vanished instantly from the palace.
At this moment, an attendant reported:
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince requests an audience."
Xue Ye opened his eyes indifferently. "Summon him."
"Your humble son pays respects to Your Majesty," Qian Renxue said politely, bowing. Then, with concern, he added, "Father, are you alright? It looks like your old ailment has flared up again. Shall I call the imperial physician to treat you?"
Emperor Xue Ye shook his head slowly. "It's useless. This old ailment hasn't improved despite years of treatment. Let's discuss official matters first. Why have you come to see me? And how is the pacification of the imperial city proceeding?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I've arranged everything. Since Poison Elder's residence is remote and scarcely populated, and they avoided attacking crowded areas during their battle, there hasn't been significant damage," Qian Renxue replied calmly.
"Is that so?" Xue Ye nodded slowly. "That's good. And why else have you come to see me?"
Qian Renxue, feigning filial piety, didn't reveal his true intent—to check if his father was near death. Instead, he said gently:
"I have no pressing matters, Father. I merely grew concerned seeing your health deteriorate recently. I wanted to visit and see how you're faring."
Xue Ye's expression remained calm and indifferent.
"If that's the case, then go attend to your duties. My health isn't good, and I can't handle state affairs. The Tian Dou Empire relies heavily on you.
Furthermore, Xue Beng is unruly. In the end, this empire will belong to you. Don't rush—what is yours, I won't withhold. But don't fight for it either. Do you understand?"
Qian Renxue pretended not to notice the veiled warning in Xue Ye's words and responded warmly:
"I understand, Father. But compared to the throne, I'm more concerned about your health. Please rest well and avoid overexertion—it could harm your body.
Since you're fine, I'll take my leave now."
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