At this moment, the Heaven Dou Emperor Xue Ye was gravely ill, lingering on the edge of death.
To ensure nothing went wrong, Qian Renxue ordered the palace completely sealed.
The "guards" stationed at the palace gates were in fact Spirit Masters of Spirit Hall, secretly dispatched and disguised in armor. They not only guarded the main entrances of the imperial palace but also the gates of Xue Ye's bedchamber.
Beyond that, patrol squads crisscrossed the palace grounds in shifts. Hidden even deeper in the shadows were Porcupinefish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo, personally overseeing the operation.
After leaving the Slaughter City, Tang Chen carried Tang San directly to Heaven Dou City, heading straight for the imperial palace.
"Who goes there? Stop at once!"
"This is the imperial palace. Trespassers will be executed on sight!"
The disguised guards saw figures flying through the air, seemingly intent on intruding into the palace. Startled, they immediately summoned their Martial Souls and shouted furiously toward the sky.
Neither Tang Chen nor Tang San realized the palace guards were actually Spirit Hall's men. The Asura God had not mentioned this, and they simply assumed these were ordinary imperial guards.
Wanting to expose Qian Renxue's deception, Tang Chen descended with Tang San at the palace gates.
"I am Tang Chen, the former Clear Sky Douluo. The Heaven Dou Empire's Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, is actually an imposter from Spirit Hall!"
"Let me pass immediately, and notify the imperial family of this matter at once!"
Tang Chen's voice boomed like thunder as the Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hand.
From beneath his feet, nine Spirit Rings rose—eight black, one red—radiating terrifying power.
The "guards" exchanged uneasy glances, their hearts sinking.
Tang Chen! The former Clear Sky Douluo! They had not expected him to interfere. According to the rumors, he was even stronger than Spirit Hall's Grand Priest.
A Limit Douluo, armed with an eight-black, one-red Spirit Ring configuration… Even if His Excellency Porcupinefish Douluo and His Excellency Snake Lance Douluo joined forces, they might not be his match!
Just then, a calm yet cutting voice rang out.
"Tang Chen, the former Clear Sky Douluo?"
"How very bold of you."
"The Clear Sky Clan colluded with the Fourth Prince and Prince Xue Xing, attempting to throw the empire into chaos and usurp the throne."
"We have yet to settle accounts with your sect, and now you dare to slander His Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Truly courting death!"
From the palace halls walked a tall, handsome young man in blue-silver robes. His long hair shimmered like crystal, his eyes gleamed like blue gems, and a mocking smile played on his lips. It was Ye Yu.
At his words, the disguised Spirit Masters seemed to awaken from a trance. Each immediately put on an expression of righteous fury.
"You Clear Sky Clan traitors conspired with Prince Xue Xing and the Fourth Prince to seize the throne, and after failing, you now dare frame His Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Such shameless lies! We won't be deceived!"
"YE YU!!!"
The moment Tang San saw him, his eyes burned blood-red with fury. His fists clenched, and his chest heaved as he roared,
"Give Xiao Wu back to me! Give my mother back!"
So this was Ye Yu…
Realization dawned on Tang Chen as well, his face darkening instantly. Cold killing intent erupted in his gaze.
"Xiao Wu?"
Ye Yu smiled faintly at Tang San's hysterical outburst.
"She's already sacrificed herself to become my Spirit Ring."
"Her Spirit Abilities are quite useful. Don't worry, I'll make good use of her."
"As for your mother…"
His lips curled into a wicked grin. With a thought, he summoned Ah Yin from the Blue Silver Domain and pulled the beautiful woman into his arms.
"She is now my Blue Silver Empress."
"So if you round things up, doesn't that make me your stepfather?"
"Little San, aren't you going to call me Dad?"
"MOTHER!!"
Although Tang San had never seen Ah Yin before, the bond of bloodline instantly told him this was his mother. Tears welled in his eyes as he choked out the cry.
"Little San…"
Ah Yin's own eyes misted with sorrow as she looked upon her son. But when she felt Ye Yu's possessive grip tightening around her waist, her heart sank.
She remembered the promise she made to save Tang Hao's life.
She remembered the vow she had given to the Blue Silver Grass clan.
She remembered the countless nights she had spent with Ye Yu…
There was no turning back. She could never return to what she once was.
She had already become entirely reshaped in the image of the Blue Silver Emperor, Ye Yu.
Ah Yin gave a bitter smile, but did not reply.
"Ye Yu, damn you! Let my mother go!"
"What have you done to her?!"
Seeing his mother smile bitterly yet refuse to answer, helplessly held in Ye Yu's arms, Tang San's vision blurred with rage. His roar shook the palace gates.
Even the disguised guards trembled inwardly. To act so brazenly in front of Tang Chen—the legendary "Invincible on Land," the previous Clear Sky Douluo—and to flaunt possession of Tang San's mother…
This Ye Yu was either mad or truly fearless.
In their hearts, they couldn't help but admire him.
No wonder the Young Master trusted Ye Yu so deeply. His audacity was unparalleled!
"You brat… courting death!!"
The instant Tang Chen realized the woman in Ye Yu's arms was his grandson's wife, Ah Yin, his fury erupted. His eyes blazed crimson as the Clear Sky Hammer surged with power.
With a thunderous roar, Tang Chen charged straight at Ye Yu.
But Ye Yu merely smirked, his crystal-blue eyes flashing with cold light.
Nine scarlet Spirit Rings rose in sequence, surrounding his body.
An immense pressure of Spirit Power and mental might burst forth, surging like a tidal wave across the palace.
First Spirit Ability: Spiritual Interference Domain!
At once, an invisible spiritual field unfolded, engulfing both Tang Chen and Tang San.
Their senses blurred. Sight and sound collapsed into blinding silver-white nothingness.
At the same time, Ye Yu activated the External Spirit Bone – Demon Willow Fluff he had secretly implanted in their bodies. Spirit Power within both Tang Chen and Tang San instantly turned chaotic, making it impossible for them to circulate their abilities.
The Blue Silver Spirit Jade Tree manifested with dazzling brilliance.
A colossal tree of pure blue crystal erupted from the earth, its trunk veined with golden lines, studded with stars, crescent moons, and glowing suns. Crimson phoenix patterns, icy blue lines, and violet thunder streaks coiled across its bark.
Its massive crown unfurled like a starry sky, towering into the clouds.
"What a monstrous Martial Soul!"
Even the disguised Spirit Masters were stunned speechless at the sight of Ye Yu's Blue Silver Spirit Jade Tree.
The ground split open. From below, titanic serpents of translucent blue crystal burst forth, each more than ten meters thick. They coiled upward like living chains, twining mercilessly around Tang Chen and Tang San.
Trapped inside the Spiritual Disruption Domain, their five senses dulled, and with the Demon Willow Fluff wreaking havoc inside their meridians, they couldn't unleash any Spirit Abilities.
"What… what's happening?!"
Tang San felt his Spirit Power devoured and disrupted, even his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track becoming unusable. His heart sank in shock and rage.
Tang Chen too realized in fury—the External Spirit Bone he thought he had profited from, stolen from the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King, was in fact a hidden curse.
The serpents tightened.
In the next moment, the two of them were bound together, hoisted aloft within a pillar of blue crystal serpents that reached into the sky.