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"Y–Your Majesty, terrible news!"
Before the man even arrived, his panicked voice came rushing into the palace halls. Footsteps tumbled closer and closer until a figure clutching a wooden chest stumbled inside in complete disarray.
In his haste, his leg caught the threshold of the palace door. He pitched forward violently.
Momentum sent the chest flying from his hands.
Clack!
The box crashed onto the floor, the lid flipping open.
Nothing fell out immediately—but a splash of red liquid spattered onto the tiles.
Dai Yutian's face darkened. Irritation flashed in his eyes as he glared at the sprawled messenger.
"What is this panic! What kind of disgraceful conduct is this! Speak clearly—what has happened?!"
The man trembled from head to toe, voice quivering as he stammered, "Y–Your Majesty, we just received word—the border has been breached by a group of terrifyingly strong cultivators. T–they… they are heading straight toward the palace!
They say… they're all Titled Douluo level, and… a–and… their leader is that traitor of the Zhu Clan—Zhu Zhuqing!"
"What?!"
Dai Yutian shot to his feet, the dragon throne rattling beneath him. Shock and fury surged across his face.
"Zhu Zhuqing? How dare she! And those Titled Douluo—where did they come from?!"
Behind the curtains, Empress Zhu Yali—upon hearing that name—stepped forward rapidly.
Her gaze was sharp as blades.
"Zhu Zhuqing? You mean Mubai's former fiancée?"
The messenger broke out in a fresh wave of sweat. "Yes—according to reports from the border guards, the one leading them is indeed Zhu Zhuqing of the Zhu Family."
The Zhu Clan was a vassal house to the Star Luo royal line. They had not forgotten that fugitive girl who had betrayed them.
Zhu Yali's expression turned grim. Of all people, she understood Zhu Zhuqing's temperament.
The way the Zhu Family had treated her back then… if Zhu Zhuqing had returned now, it was certainly not for reconciliation.
Yet Zhu Yali was no ordinary imperial consort. To rise above countless concubines and become empress, she naturally possessed a calculating mind.
She did not panic. Instead, she said softly to Dai Yutian:
"Your Majesty, do not be alarmed. Even if many Titled Douluo come against us, we need not fear. After all, the Star Luo Empire has over thirty Titled Douluo of our own, as well as numerous Contras and Soul Saints.
As long as we recall all generals and gather our forces, no matter how strong our enemy, storming the imperial palace will not be easy."
Dai Yutian found reason in her words. Drawing a deep breath, suppressing his rage, he commanded coldly:
"As the Empress advises—summon all generals back at once."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The messenger began to rise when Dai Yutian suddenly interjected:
"Wait. What is that chest about?"
He had noticed it from the beginning, but with such startling news, he hadn't questioned it until now.
The messenger finally recollected himself. "That chest was delivered alongside the report—from the Tianlong Empire's royal family. I do not yet know what lies inside."
"You don't know? Then pick it up at once!" Dai Yutian snapped, already thinking to replace such a useless courier.
The man scrambled forward, bending to lift the box.
But as he straightened, something oval and black slipped from within, clattering across the floor with a thud, thud, thud.
The man caught a clear glimpse of it.
He screamed and hurled the chest away.
"T–that's… General Ling Leizhu's head?!"
Dai Yutian had been moments from scolding him further—but the name Ling Leizhu instantly froze him.
His pupils contracted sharply.
He looked toward the fallen object.
A familiar face stared back at him—lifeless.
"Ling Leizhu's… head?! He's dead?!"
Dai Yutian and Zhu Yali exclaimed at once. They locked eyes, both seeing disbelief within the other.
Yes, Ling Leizhu was one of the weaker Titled Douluo under Star Luo—but a Titled Douluo nonetheless.
He had volunteered to spearhead the assault, leading 100,000 troops in support.
Such force was more than enough to annihilate a minor kingdom.
Moreover, Ling Leizhu was not foolish—he'd chosen to invade one of Tianlong's weakest vassal states.
Yet not long after departure, without a single report from his army, his head was sent back instead.
The implication was horrifying—
Ling Leizhu and his entire army had been wiped out.
Dai Yutian's fists clenched tight, his expression turning ashen.
To send back Ling Leizhu's head—was this Tianlong's way of provoking me?
No—
How did Tianlong know I was preparing to attack them?
To slay Ling Leizhu so swiftly could only mean they had been prepared beforehand.
A sudden thought flashed through Dai Yutian's mind.
"Could it be… there's a Tianlong Empire spy within Star Luo?!"
But even as the idea formed, he discarded it.
Only he and the Titled Douluo knew of the planned invasion.
And those Titled Douluo were the pillars of Star Luo—impossible to betray.
As he struggled to piece it together, a new realization dawned.
"No… two years ago, when Tianlong Empire was founded, they could already rival Spirit Hall. Their strength must be immense.
With such power—could they really be without ambition?"
"In other words—while I had designs on Tianlong, they have also been eyeing Star Luo."
"Now that Star Luo's national strength has swelled, we broke the peace first—Tianlong simply seized the chance they'd been waiting for."
Dai Yutian's face darkened like thunderclouds rolling over the sky.
Beside him, Zhu Yali's expression was equally grave. She had never expected that the box contained the head of a Titled Douluo.
Defeating a Titled Douluo was one matter—but killing one outright was another.
In the original history, even Yue Guan (Chrysanthemum Douluo), rank 95, could beat Dugu Bo, rank 92, yet could not kill him.
Unless one reached rank 97 or 98, it was exceedingly difficult to slay a peer of Titled Douluo level.
Yet Tianlong had not only killed Ling Leizhu in a short span, but also erased his 100,000 troops without a single survivor to report back.
Clearly, they had been prepared long in advance.
Otherwise, not even a single soldier would have failed to escape.
The palace fell silent.
Only the occasional drip… drip… of blood sliding down Ling Leizhu's severed neck echoed in the vast chamber.
Dai Yutian, after all, was an emperor.
He soon regained composure.
After a moment's reflection, he issued his command:
"You—send word to all Titled Douluo-ranked generals. Inform them of General Ling Leizhu's death and of Tianlong's Titled Douluo invasion. Order them to cease all offensive maneuvers against Tianlong and assemble in the imperial palace at once."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The messenger fled like a pardoned criminal.
Within the hall, Dai Yutian and Zhu Yali both wore heavy expressions.
They had underestimated Tianlong's strength—and its ambition.
Just like Star Luo, Tianlong too harbored the desire to unify the continent.
And the news of Star Luo's intent to strike had already spread across the land.
Even Spirit Hall and Sea God Island had received word.
To them—
This was an opportunity.
(End of Chapter)