"I've kept your brother alive as requested," Zhongli Wu said, arriving at Crown Prince Xu Tianran's eastern palace.
"Many thanks, State Preceptor," Xu Tianran smiled warmly, his demeanor gentle as spring sunshine. "When may I have my dear brother returned? I'd like to… reconnect with Fifth Brother."
Zhongli Wu didn't answer directly. Instead, he countered, "Shall the Holy Spirit Cult assist in guarding him?"
The question instantly darkened Xu Tianran's heart—but his face remained placid. "Oh? Would that not be overkill? I imagine your sect will soon be stretched thin."
"Not compared to the empire," Zhongli Wu replied earnestly. "Since Your Highness spared the Fifth Prince for a purpose, we'll assign our Grand Elder to guard him. Utterly secure."
Xu Tianran's eyes lit with feigned delight. "Then I trouble you, State Preceptor."
"Your Highness flatters me."
"By the way," Xu Tianran abruptly shifted topics, unwilling to dwell on his brother, "the semifinals pit your sect against Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Do you have victory assured?"
Zhongli Wu played along. "Eighty percent certainty, Your Highness."
"Oh?" Xu Tianran feigned surprise, but seeing Zhongli Wu's confidence, he nodded in satisfaction. "Then I leave it to your sect."
"Rest assured. Regarding the false attack on the—"
"State Preceptor!" Xu Tianran cut in sharply.
Zhongli Wu understood. "Understood." He turned and vanished without another word, leaving Xu Tianran alone in his wheelchair, seemingly admiring the garden's beauty.
A quarter-hour passed.
Hmph—!
Xu Tianran's serene facade shattered. Title Douluo-level soul power erupted, ravaging the surroundings with destruction.
Rage, suspicion, and malice twisted his features—as if long-suppressed fury finally burst free.
"That Holy Spirit Cult! You've sealed your doom!"
Kindness?
What kindness?!
That wasn't consultation—it was dictation!
But he couldn't afford to lose them yet. To unify the continent and crush Douluo's powers, he still needed their strength.
"Don't push me. I can always find another to… borrow seed from."
—
Meanwhile, Zhongli Wu walked away from the palace, lost in thought. Only after a full teacup's time did he fully depart.
"Bloodthirsty was right," he murmured. After capturing Fifth Prince Xu Tianhe, Yang Yuan had predicted Xu Tianran's exact reaction to their demands. His tolerance alarmed Zhongli Wu—proving Xu Tianran needed a fatal leverage.
Their current collusion wasn't enough; they'd left no evidence. Next time they discussed "attacking the palace to frighten the old emperor," Zhongli Wu would secretly record it.
But Xu Tianhe remained the priority. Xu Tianran's motives were never simple. That burden now fell to Bloodthirsty Douluo.
Should I consult Mother?
No—the Holy Emperor is healing her. The critical phase approaches.
Zhongli Wu vanished into the shadows.
—
Two days after the quarterfinals, four teams were eliminated. Notably, the Holy Spirit Cult revealed two Soul Saints—not one—against Snow Demon Sect. Only Long Aotian's desperate efforts saved his teammates from severe injury before their deliberate forfeit under Zheng Zhan's "oversight."
Now, after two days' rest, the semifinals of the Continental Youth Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament began. Simultaneously, the underground tournament's tripartite finals—hosted by Mingdu's three major factions—neared.
But the underground finals remained secret to the public.
Through days of covert investigation and intelligence from the Common Alliance, Huo Yuhao had pinpointed Mingdu's armory and granary. Military warehouses and supply depots were harder to locate—only approximate positions known.
For Chen Junting, this sufficed.
Beneath Mingdu's surface, currents surged.
Yet ordinary citizens remained oblivious, buzzing in teahouses and taverns about the tournament. Today's semifinals captivated the nation:
Morning:
Shrek Academy vs. Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy
Afternoon:
Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect vs. Holy Spirit Church
If the morning match crowned "Continental Top Academy," the afternoon would decide "Continental Top Sect."
Despite the Holy Spirit Cult's evil reputation, the debate raged. But public sentiment overwhelmingly favored Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Countless secretly rooted for the rival empire's sect to crush the feared evil soul masters.
A bitter irony indeed.
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