The Storm BeginsHeavenly Dou Imperial Palace.
Tang San slowly stepped into the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, a place he had visited countless times, but for the first time, it felt so unfamiliar, so terrifying. It was as if a colossal beast was devouring everything, threatening to consume anyone who dared to venture inside and seek its secrets.
He took a deep breath of the cold air around him and, following the usual procedure, slowly entered the palace.
He discreetly observed the surrounding guards. As expected, they were all unfamiliar faces. Although they wore guard armor, they all faintly exuded the aura of Soul Masters. Moreover, each of them was a Soul Master of level 50 or above. Such a force of Soul Masters was rare in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Although the Heaven Dou Empire has a small number of Soul Masters, it doesn't mean it can't muster fifty Soul Kings or higher. However, the sudden appearance of fifty powerhouses he had never heard of before is a big problem.
In the world today, only the Spirit Hall can easily gather so many Soul Masters.
A barely perceptible sneer appeared on Tang San's lips. Xue Qinghe was indeed a member of the Spirit Hall.
"Sigh, it's truly unexpected that such a popular crown prince is actually a member of the Spirit Hall. What a Spirit Hall! It seems they've been coveting the two great empires for a long time, planting spies within them. When the time is right, they'll rise up together, and with a single call from the Spirit Hall, the whole world will respond. Hmph, they might actually be able to unify the continent."
"To plunge the entire continent into war for one's own selfish gain, causing countless people to be displaced, is truly evil."
"Today, I, Tang San, represent the common people and all the nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire, and I will surely eradicate your evil organization from the continent!"
Thinking of Xue Qinghe's refined appearance, Tang San was momentarily dazed. However, he quickly calmed down. There was no room for reconciliation between him and the Spirit Hall; it was a fight to the death.
Today, either he dies, or Xue Qinghe perishes.
His steps grew increasingly firm as he slowly entered the imperial bedchamber.
Upon entering the palace, Tang San saw Xue Qinghe serving Emperor Xue Ye at his sickbed with a dutiful expression. If he hadn't known Xue Qinghe's true colors, Tang San would probably have been deceived by her.
Shifting my gaze slightly, I saw that behind Xue Qinghe were not the masked person, but two elderly men dressed in plain clothes.
The masked man stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the window. When Tang San saw him enter, he clearly felt the masked man scrutinize him before looking away and gazing out the window. There was no discernible emotion in that gaze.
For some reason, Tang San was always wary of that masked man.
Tang San narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the two elderly men in plain clothes behind Xue Qinghe. Just by being near the two old men, Tang San could feel a suffocating pressure. He had only ever felt this kind of pressure from the titled Douluo of the Clear Sky Sect.
In other words, these two are titled Douluo!
His heart sank. But the appearance of these two was not unexpected. How could a grand plan to overthrow the Heavenly Dou Empire be without powerful figures?
Noticing Tang San's arrival, Xue Qinghe sighed, as if heartbroken for the unconscious Emperor Xue Ye. He gently held Emperor Xue Ye's withered hand, without turning to look at Tang San, and said calmly:
"Tang San, you've arrived?"
Tang San's heart sank, but he pretended to be respectful and said:
"Your Highness, I am late."
Although Xue Qinghe had already noticed Tang San's unusual behavior, she was now certain of victory and there was no reason for her to turn the tables. She didn't believe that Tang San, who had seventeen cards up his sleeve, could possibly defeat her so easily.
"You stay here for now."
Xue Qinghe said casually, not taking Tang San seriously at all.
Tang San responded and slowly retreated to the wall, standing opposite the masked person by the window.
Tang San's arrival seemed to possess a magical power, causing Emperor Xue Ye to slowly awaken. After coughing a few times, he not only regained consciousness but also appeared remarkably energetic.
After regaining consciousness, Emperor Xue Ye glanced discreetly at Tang San by the window before turning his gaze back to Xue Qinghe. However, his pupils constricted sharply when he noticed the two old men behind Xue Qinghe.
As the emperor of the empire, he was naturally very familiar with the elders of the Spirit Hall. He had also seen the two old men who appeared before him; they were the Serpent Spear Douluo and the Porcupine Douluo from the Spirit Hall.
The meaning behind these two old men standing behind Xue Qinghe is self-evident.
In an instant, he understood many things.
The deaths of the two princes, the strange occurrences around Xue Qinghe over the years, and Prince Xue Xing's words about the toxins accumulating in his body—he hadn't believed it at first. But the sudden appearance of two Title Douluos was enough to convince him that those accidents from back then were secretly orchestrated by Xue Qinghe.
He coughed a few times, and asked calmly:
"Qinghe, who are these two behind you...?"
Xue Qinghe smiled slightly and looked at Emperor Xue Ye, saying:
"Father, don't you already know? Who are they?"
Emperor Xue Ye's heart sank slightly. He hadn't expected Xue Qinghe to drop the pretense altogether. His mind raced, and he sighed softly, pointing at the two Title Douluos with great sorrow, he said:
"Sigh, Qinghe. You are the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. What in the world can't satisfy you? Why do you have to get involved with these people from the Spirit Hall? Do you know that they may seem kind now, but once you're no longer of any use to them, they'll tear you apart!"
"It's not too late to turn back now."
Seeing that forbearance was futile, Emperor Xue Ye decided to try to move Xue Qinghe with his emotions. If Xue Qinghe could turn back, even the Spirit Hall would have to hesitate to act, and in that case, there would still be hope.
Hearing Emperor Xueye's heartfelt words, Xue Qinghe fell silent for a moment. Of course, she wouldn't be persuaded by Emperor Xueye; however, over the years, she had been able to feel his love for her.
Her biological father, Qian Xunji, left early, and her mother, Bibi Dong, regarded her as an enemy. Having never experienced fatherly or motherly love since childhood, Qian Renxue personally felt the fatherly love that Emperor Xueye had for her through Emperor Xueye.
However, due to their different identities, this so-called fatherly love was ultimately just an illusion. As a descendant of the six-winged angel race, she would not indulge in romantic love.
Seeing Qian Renxue remain silent, Serpent Spear Douluo stepped forward, looked at Emperor Xueye, and sneered:
"Xueye, you don't need to persuade him anymore. You think you can change the young master's mind with just a few words? You're just delusional."
Upon hearing the words "Young Master," even the most composed Emperor Xue Ye couldn't maintain his composure. He stared blankly at the silent Xue Qinghe, and said in disbelief:
"They call you... Young Master? Who exactly are you?"
Xue Qinghe gazed intently at Emperor Xue Ye. The tenderness in her mind vanished like a fleeting dream. Her slight hesitation slowly disappeared, replaced by icy coldness. She said softly:
"Now that things have come to this, it's time for you to die knowing the truth. After all, you've been my father for so many years. My real father is the former Pope of the Spirit Hall, Qian Xunji! And I am Qian Renxue, a descendant of the current Six-Winged Angel family!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xueye felt as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his mind. Xue Qinghe, whom he had regarded as his own son for so many years, was actually someone else's son. His mind went blank, he couldn't hear anything, and the mental shock almost sent him to his death.
He bit his tongue hard; the pain brought him back to his senses somewhat.
He's dead, but what about the Heavenly Dou Empire? He absolutely cannot hand the Heavenly Dou Empire over to Qian Renxue! He understands very well that he must live; only he can turn the tide.
He had never felt so clear-headed, so rational.
His voice trembled as he asked, "Then... what did you do to the real Xue Qinghe?"
At this moment, all his actions were merely a means to buy time. Despite the slim chances, he had to survive until a turning point arrived. If he died prematurely, even with Tang San and the others' extraordinary powers, they would be powerless to reverse the situation. The Heaven Dou Empire would fall into disarray.
Tang San was right beside him. Although he couldn't trust Tang San, Tang San was his only hope now.
Xue Qinghe laughed:
"Naturally, he died long ago."
Emperor Xueye fell into a long silence.
Since Xue Qinghe was confident of victory, he was in no hurry to kill Emperor Xue Ye.
Beside him, Tang San, like Emperor Xue Ye, was also deeply shocked, finally understanding Xue Qinghe's true identity. After a brief silence, he suddenly threw his right hand, sending a firework-like projectile flying out the window and soaring into the sky.
Now, Emperor Xueye has fully realized that as long as he obtains Emperor Xueye's approval, with Emperor Xueye's prestige, he can win the support of many nobles in the Heavenly Dou Empire and reverse the current unfavorable situation. It is precisely for this reason that he deliberately used a scheme to lure the snake out of its hole, causing Xue Qinghe to deliberately expose himself.
As he expected, Xue Qinghe arrogantly disregarded everyone and revealed his identity.
Now, once the fireworks explode, the reinforcements outside the palace will receive the signal and attack the city to rescue Emperor Xueye. At that time, the Spirit Hall's conspiracy will be exposed!
The Clear Sky Sect has sent five Title Douluos this time, while the Spirit Hall has only sent two. Five against two, the advantage is on our side!
However, just as the fireworks were about to fly out of the window, the masked man who had been so wary of him made his move.
He reached out and grasped the firework, gently squeezing it. The firework deflated like a punctured balloon, flashed briefly in the masked man's hand, and then disappeared.
Everyone's attention was drawn to Tang San's sudden action. The Serpent Spear Douluo and the Porcupine Douluo glanced at Tang San indifferently, making no move. In their eyes, Tang San's actions were nothing more than a clown's futile struggle.
Emperor Xueye glanced at Tang San, a faint hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes. Tang San's exposure at this moment would directly cost him his life, not to mention thwarting the Spirit Hall's conspiracy.
Xue Qinghe sighed, turned his head, and, with his usual refined elegance, said regretfully:
"Tang San, I didn't want to kill you, but why did you have to seek your own death? Wouldn't it have been better to just watch from the sidelines?"
However, Tang San did not look at Xue Qinghe, but stared intently at the masked man, his eyes revealing his shock and horror.
It's important to understand that the technique he used to throw the firework signal was a Tang Sect hidden weapon technique. Even an ordinary Title Douluo wouldn't be able to react to it if they weren't paying attention. But this person not only reacted, but also stopped him.
It was as if the masked man had known his movements all along.
He was very familiar with this feeling of being constantly manipulated; it had even become his nightmare. Every time he encountered Dai Yao, he felt this way.
But now is not the time to dwell on these things. He slowly turned his head and looked at Xue Qinghe.
Despite being in dire straits, and despite his distress signal being interrupted by the masked man, Tang San showed no sign of panic. He calmly said:
"Whether you are Xue Qinghe or Qian Renxue, I must admit that you are a smart person, but also a very naive one. Not everyone is like you, putting profit first in everything. Whether it's my parents' matter or Xiao Wu's matter, how could I possibly compromise with you? The Spirit Hall will be my enemy for life."
"Better to be a broken piece of jade than a whole piece of tile."
The last eight words were spoken by Tang San with unwavering resolve. These eight words belonged to his previous world. As his voice fell, countless Blue Silver Emperor spirit rings shot out instantly, yellow, purple, and black, six of them slowly swirling around Tang San.
Tang San also reached the Soul Emperor level.
Not only that, a chilling killing intent was suddenly released, instantly enveloping the entire palace.
Tang San stared intently at Xue Qinghe and said disdainfully:
"The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul is a legendary martial soul, the representative of the Angel God on Earth. The current Grand Elder, Qian Daoliu, is the owner of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. Every owner of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul is an unparalleled powerhouse."
"But in my opinion, you don't deserve it."
"You're nothing but a rat hiding in the gutter, resorting to all sorts of underhanded tricks; you have no heart of a true warrior!"
Behind the mask, Dai Yao paused slightly in surprise.
He understood why Tang San was so fearless. If he provoked Qian Renxue into a one-on-one duel, given her arrogance, she would surely agree to his terms. While Tang San's strength had indeed weakened considerably due to his influence, it wouldn't be easy for Qian Renxue to quickly eliminate him.
In this way, Tang San bought some time.
However, he didn't want to interfere with Qian Renxue now, knowing it would be pointless. In Qian Renxue's eyes, he was probably just like Tang San, an insignificant figure.
The only thing he cared about was the Vast Ocean Universe Cover.
Moreover, even if Tang San had reinforcements, he wouldn't be able to defeat two Title Douluos. Tang San's greatest reinforcement was the Clear Sky Sect. However, the Clear Sky Sect was currently locked up in a secluded place by Golden Crocodile Douluo and unable to leave the mountain.
Therefore, Tang San's reinforcements consisted only of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Golden Iron Triangle. Although they also had two Title Douluo-level fighters, they were no match for Snake Spear and Porcupine.
Upon hearing Tang San's words, Xue Qinghe's forehead veins bulged. She gave Tang San a deep look and said coldly:
"You choose the path to heaven but refuse to take it, and barge into the gates of hell. Tang San, I know you're trying to provoke me into a fight to buy time. But I must say, your tactic is very effective. Today, I'll give you a chance, a chance for a fair fight."
The Serpent Spear and the Porcupinefish wanted to stop it, but the Spirit Hall's plan couldn't be treated so lightly. Every moment of delay increased the risk of an accident.
But they understood even more clearly that Qian Renxue was already enraged. Only Tang San's death could quell the fire of anger in Qian Renxue's heart.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xue Qinghe slowly rose into the air, his three pairs of wings unfurling behind him... (End of Chapter)