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When it came to political maneuvering, the Tian Dou Imperial Family was undoubtedly far superior to the Xing Luo Imperial Family, which relied solely on brute force to determine its emperor. However, this very reliance on scheming was precisely why the Tian Dou Imperial Family hadn't produced a Title Douluo for many generations.
Moreover, because the Tian Dou Empire was located in the relatively northern hinterlands, far from the frontlines of war, its nobility had grown decadent and indulgent. This further diminished any chance of producing a Title Douluo.
Additionally, the noble factions of Tian Dou were highly exclusive toward commoner soul masters, as evidenced by the fact that the empire's most prestigious institution, the Tian Dou Imperial Academy, only admitted students of noble lineage.
For these reasons, the top-tier combat strength of Tian Dou had been steadily declining over the years.
Anyone with clear eyes could see that the Tian Dou Imperial Family's ability to control subordinate factions had grown increasingly weaker.
To break this deadlock, Emperor Xue Ye even devised the plan of having Ning Fengzhi become Xue Qinghe's teacher—a move akin to borrowing the tiger's might. Unfortunately, what he didn't know was that his son, Xue Qinghe, had already been replaced and wasn't simply ruthless—he was something far more sinister.
The pie of power among the top-tier factions was limited.
If the Shui family of the Tianshui Academy wanted to rise into the upper echelons, a Title Douluo was absolutely essential.
Thus, the leader of the Shui family deeply understood that an unripe genius was worth nothing. For years, they had meticulously concealed Shui Bing'er's true information.
Had Shui Bing'er's true information been exposed earlier, there would have been two possible outcomes:
The first outcome would have been outright assassination.
In this year's Soul Master Tournament, the grandson of the Elephant Armor Sect's leader was almost assassinated after exposing a thousand-year soul bone. Even Tang San, who displayed his own talent but didn't express interest in joining the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, drew threats of assassination from Gu Rong, the Bone Douluo. These incidents were enough to highlight just how ruthless high-level soul masters could be.
The second outcome would have been marriage proposals from sects with Title Douluos, seeking to marry Shui Bing'er into their families to secure her loyalty.
Oh, and because she and her sister possessed a spirit fusion technique, both sisters would likely have been married off together as a package deal.
After all, compared to simply pouring resources into cultivating a soul master as a venerated elder, a marital alliance was far more reliable.
And if children were involved, it would often spell the end for a woman, especially in a romance-heavy world like Douluo.
As for Prince Xue Xing's direct recruitment attempt, it was clearly a thoughtless move.
Given that the Xue family was struggling to survive, who would want to board such a sinking ship?
If Ye Wen had been in Prince Xue Xing's position, he would have proposed a marriage alliance between Shui Bing'er and Xue Qinghe, making her the empress of the Tian Dou Empire to solidify the union between the two families. Instead of merely promising resources, this approach would have been far more effective—after all, every major faction had resources to spare.
However, regardless of which scenario unfolded, the Shui family would have suffered significant losses. After all, who with self-respect would willingly submit to another when they could be their own masters?
But now, with Ye Wen directly exposing their secrets, the Shui family was effectively being roasted on a spit. While they were still competing in the tournament, the team's instructor could already imagine the myriad troubles that awaited them afterward.
'Sigh… My head hurts!'
At this moment, a soft knock sounded at the door of the Tianshui team's waiting room.
"Hello, I am Ye Wen, disciple of the Medical Alliance's leader. I've come today to discuss something important. May I come in?"
Ye Wen's calm and collected voice echoed through the door. The instructor wore a complex expression, knowing full well that the current mess was Ye Wen's doing.
Though she inwardly resisted Ye Wen, the instructor ultimately opened the door.
The nobles and major factions of Tian Dou were quite perceptive. They knew that their Soul Douluo-level strength wasn't enough to compete in this recruitment battle, so they hadn't dared disturb the Tianshui team.
As for Ye Wen, though his cultivation was weaker, he represented Dugu Bo and the Medical Alliance. No matter how bold the instructor might have been, she wouldn't dare refuse him entry.
As soon as the door opened, Shui Yue'er's eyes lit up, and she gushed, "So handsome (≧w≦)!!!"
Ye Wen noticed her reaction and nodded slightly. 'Of course I'm handsome—I know it.'
This also reminded Ye Wen that aside from being Shui Bing'er's younger sister, Shui Yue'er apparently had a weakness for good looks.
Since today's event was formal, Ye Wen hadn't worn a mask. Moreover, the VIP spectators were tactful enough not to disturb him, allowing Shui Yue'er to catch a glimpse of Ye Wen's true appearance.
"Hello, Miss Shui Yue'er," Ye Wen greeted her with a slight bow.
Even this small gesture sent Shui Yue'er into a daze, much to Shui Bing'er's embarrassment.
Ye Wen then greeted the others present before turning to Shui Bing'er and the instructor.
"I believe this teacher already knows my purpose for coming here. Please don't misunderstand—we in the Medical Alliance have no interest in forcing anyone. Today, I revealed this matter to give the Shui family an opportunity—an opportunity to join the Medical Alliance.
Regarding the details of the alliance, tonight I will personally visit your family along with my teacher to discuss further. Thus, Miss Shui Bing'er, please do not feel burdened and focus on the competition. I can assure you that even if your family chooses not to join the Medical Alliance, no faction will dare trouble you."
With that, Ye Wen bowed once more. "That is all I have to say. Farewell."
Watching Ye Wen arrive gracefully and leave just as swiftly, the beauties of Tianshui stood momentarily stunned. However, Ye Wen's words had calmed their previously anxious minds.
After all, Prince Xue Xing's personal visit earlier had frightened them deeply. Though in Tang San's eyes, Prince Xue Xing was nothing more than a clown, the majority of the Tianshui soul masters were commoners. They were well aware that this seemingly unassuming middle-aged man was a monster standing at the pinnacle of Tian Dou's power structure—a figure they couldn't afford to offend.
Now, with Ye Wen, a powerful figure, offering his protection, they no longer feared retaliation for the instructor's earlier rejection.
Despite the brief disruption to their mindset at the start, the Tianshui Academy—renowned for achieving 23 victories in 26 matches during the qualifying rounds—easily secured their first victory without incident.
However, for the Tianshui Academy, Ye Wen's visit tonight was the main event.
The influential figures in the VIP seats, seeing Ye Wen return so quickly without anyone from the Tianshui Academy accompanying him, instinctively assumed that his recruitment attempt had failed.
But Ning Fengzhi didn't share this view. In his eyes, Ye Wen was a cunning fox with deep schemes.
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