"Ye Yu, you don't need to blame yourself."
"Even Clan Head Ye and Poison Douluo couldn't do anything about Father Emperor's poison."
"That you're at a loss is only natural."
Although she felt secretly relieved in her heart, Qian Renxue still couldn't help showing a faint trace of disappointment on her face. She gave a bitter smile as she spoke.
"Ah…"
Ye Yu shook his head, letting out a helpless sigh.
But as if suddenly recalling something, his tone shifted and he asked,
"Since His Majesty can no longer be saved, has Your Highness decided what to do… once His Majesty returns to the dragon in the heavens?"
At those words, Qian Renxue deliberately showed a look of confusion.
"What to do? I am the Crown Prince. If Father Emperor unfortunately passes, then of course I will inherit the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire and ascend to the position of emperor."
"Your Highness, while you do indeed hold both the legitimacy and right to inherit the throne," Ye Yu said gravely, "His Majesty's death comes from poison, an unnatural cause. This makes the transition abnormal. Without His Majesty to safeguard you, accidents are far too likely to occur."
"For example—according to what I know, the Fourth Prince Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing have secretly allied. They have constantly been tripping Your Highness up, attacking you from the shadows."
"When Shrek Academy was about to join the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy at Qin Ming's invitation, on the surface it seemed as though the Fourth Prince was being a spoiled wastrel and provoked Shrek Academy. Shrek's people, impulsive as they are, beat him in contempt of the Empire. In the end, Prince Xue Xing pulled my grandfather in to expel them."
"But is that truly how it was?"
"Your Highness should know very well why that matter actually happened."
"It was because Qin Ming belongs to the three Board of Education members—and those three stand firmly on your side."
"If Shrek Academy had joined the Imperial Academy, with three Spirit Sages, two Spirit Emperors, and a number of talented students within, all of them would have been potential supporters of Your Highness. That is no small force."
"Neither the Fourth Prince nor Prince Xue Xing wished to see your faction grow stronger, so they orchestrated that farce only to drive Shrek away."
"They dared to do so even then. Now, with His Majesty stricken by strange poison and likely to die without the truth ever being uncovered, I worry that Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing may join hands, raise their voices, and accuse Your Highness of poisoning His Majesty to usurp the throne."
"Even if most of the capital and court officials support you, the chaos that would erupt would still greatly damage the royal family's prestige and weaken the Empire's strength."
Ye Yu's eyes gleamed darkly, his words carrying the weight of a strategist who could see straight into people's hearts.
Hearing this, Qian Renxue's heart trembled. A flicker of guilt rose within her.
Because if no one else knew… she certainly did.
Who else but her had laid the poison in Emperor Xue Ye's body?
"Ye Yu, then what should I do?"
Though she understood the hidden meaning in Ye Yu's words, Qian Renxue still maintained the façade of a gentle and benevolent heir. She showed hesitation and conflict, as if too compassionate to act—yet unwilling to fail the Heaven Dou Empire. She seized Ye Yu's hand tightly, her expression bitter as she asked.
"It's simple."
"Before anything happens, remove the hidden dangers in advance."
Ye Yu's eyes grew cold. With a sharp motion, he clenched his fist before him, sneering.
"Now, His Majesty lies unconscious, poisoned beyond saving. The culprit has not been found. Both in the capital and throughout the Empire, people's hearts are unsettled. Outwardly things seem calm, but beneath the surface, the situation teeters on the brink."
"If Your Highness inherits smoothly, all is well. But should anything go wrong midway, hostile forces will seize the chance!"
"The Empire's succession is a matter concerning the lives of millions. Your Highness must not be soft-hearted."
"It is only the lives of two men—neither of them honorable."
"As long as you fabricate an excuse, there will be no problem. You must not sacrifice the welfare of the Empire's people for their sake."
"Let Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing suffer a little. They have enjoyed the royal family's grace for so long—it's only right they now make a small sacrifice."
"Your Highness, make your decision."
"Ah…"
Qian Renxue let out a long sigh after hearing Ye Yu's words. She gave a bitter smile, but in her eyes flickered the resolve of someone who had decided.
"Ye Yu, you've truly put me in a cruel position."
"For the Empire, Your Highness. If a villain's name must be borne, let me take it."
Ye Yu smiled faintly as he spoke.
And in that conversation, the fates of Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing were sealed.
Under Ye Zhilian's Nine-Hearted Begonia Martial Soul healing, and Dugu Bo's poison-against-poison treatment, Emperor Xue Ye's mixed poison was suppressed for several days.
But eventually it could no longer be contained.
When word spread that Emperor Xue Ye would not live more than three days, Qian Renxue wore the mask of grief-stricken filial piety. Yet for the Empire's sake, she decisively ordered the palace sealed.
Only this way could the death be concealed.
At the same time, she dispatched her men to the mansion of Prince Xue Xing and the residence of the Fourth Prince. Both were arrested and brought back.
Their charges: privately keeping slaves, corruption and bribery, wanton killings…
And most damning of all—colluding with the court faction and the Clear Sky School while His Majesty lay gravely ill, plotting to overthrow the Empire and usurp the throne. An unforgivable crime!
They were thrown directly into the imperial prison.
To prevent any unexpected turn, on the very day of their arrest Qian Renxue ordered their immediate execution.
Of course, officially this was not her doing.
No—Qian Renxue was merciful. She had only intended to imprison her younger brother and imperial uncle until after she ascended the throne, after which she would have released them.
But somehow, "temporary" prison guards—eager for merit—applied cruel punishment, and Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing "accidentally" died under torture.
Amitabha…
Elsewhere.
Back when Ye Yu forced the secret of the Mysterious Heaven Skill from Tang Hao, Tang San had carried his crippled father—limbs destroyed, cultivation ruined—back to the Clear Sky Clan.
Although most within the sect now regarded Tang Hao as a sinner, the sight of him so brutally maimed, even his fused Spirit Bones stolen, ignited their fury. They clamored for revenge.
But more importantly, they wanted to reclaim the Clear Sky Clan's inherited Spirit Bone that had been taken from Tang Hao.
Yet upon learning of Ye Yu's strength, that fury quickly turned to cowardice.
From Tang Hao's own words, Ye Yu had defeated him alone even before the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament—crippling a Titled Douluo with his own hands.
Knowing Tang Hao's strength, they could only conclude: Ye Yu was already that powerful back then. By now, he was beyond what the sect could provoke.
Still, Tang Xiao, Tang Yuehua, and Titan of the Strength Clan were furious beyond restraint.
Tang Xiao and Tang Yuehua tried everything to restore Tang Hao's shattered dantian and broken limbs, but all efforts failed.
Titan, meanwhile, placed all his hopes on Tang San—the child born with innate full Spirit Power and twin Martial Souls.
Upon learning that Bai He possessed a Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, Titan took Tang San to the Speed Clan, tricked the ginseng away, and gave it to him.
After consuming it, and having cultivated with Tang Xiao for over two years, Tang San had already advanced past the Spirit Ancestor realm.
The ginseng propelled him from rank 43 directly to rank 47.
Another year of cultivation, and Tang San broke through to rank 51—becoming a Spirit King.
To avenge his second brother Tang Hao, Tang Xiao placed his hopes on Tang San, even revealing to him the location of the Slaughter City, urging him to enter.
Now, Tang San had already achieved one hundred consecutive victories in the Hell Slaughter Arena and was about to challenge the Hell Road.
Back at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Tang San had only been a rank 34 Spirit Elder.
Even without the immortal herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, with his talent he could easily have reached rank 37 or 38 within two years.
Following Tang Xiao and relying on the Clear Sky Clan's resources, breaking into Spirit Ancestor in a year, and advancing another two levels the next, reaching rank 43 under pressure, was entirely possible.