Just then, Dai Yao's expression suddenly hardened. He glanced sideways at the door and said calmly:
"Uncle Hengyu, someone's here."
Dai Hengyu was startled, wiping away the tears on his face. He then looked towards the door, carefully sensing his surroundings, but found no one. He turned to Dai Yao, puzzled, and asked:
"Dai Yao, it seems like no one's coming?"
Just as Dai Hengyu was wondering, the door suddenly opened, and an old man with a simple and ancient face appeared in front of the two of them.
The old man had white hair and beard, which were disheveled and dressed in the simple clothes of an ordinary person. However, his eyes were deep and unfathomable when still, and as bright as thunder when moving. He could not be regarded as a slovenly old man at all.
This casual attire, ironically, gives off a sense of uninhibitedness.
After the old man entered the room, his gaze lingered on Dai Hengyu's face for a moment before settling on Dai Yao.
The sight of a tangible gaze made Dai Yao's heart sink, and he immediately felt an immense pressure, his skin stinging as if pricked by needles.
"Very strong. The pressure this old man exerts on me is even greater than that of a level 95 Bone Douluo. This person should be the Grand Elder of the Elder Council."
He frowned, thinking warily.
Seeing Dai Yao remain calm and composed despite the pressure, the Grand Elder nodded approvingly. Such strength was extremely rare among the younger generation. Even the current Crown Prince, Dai Mubai, couldn't stand up straight in his presence. Dai Yao, hailed as the number one genius of the younger generation, truly lived up to his reputation.
He asked in a deep voice:
"You're Dai Yao?"
The old man spoke, his voice like a tiger's roar, making Dai Yao feel as if he were in the wilderness, stared at by the fierce eyes of a giant, striped tiger. He snorted coldly and said indifferently:
"Now that you're here, is there any need to ask?"
He had never had a good impression of the elders of the Dai family; they had ambushed him several times before, and if it weren't for luck, he would have been dead. Now, he learned about the past grievances from Dai Hengyu and understood his true enemy. The conflict between them was irreconcilable and there was no possibility of resolving it.
Naturally, they wouldn't treat the Grand Elder well.
"Dai Yao…"
Dai Hengyu looked anxious, wanting to persuade Dai Yao. After all, the Grand Elder was a level 96 Super Douluo, whose strength was so formidable that few on the continent could match him.
If he really offends the Grand Elder, even with the protection of the Poison Douluo, Dai Yao might not be able to leave alive.
However, the Grand Elder just chuckled:
"Hengyu, don't worry. Since it's to resolve the conflict, I won't get angry over such a small matter. Besides, what's wrong with young people being a little arrogant? We, the White Tiger family, must have the domineering spirit to look down on the world. Dai Yao did a great job."
Dai Yao frowned deeply; the elder's words disgusted him.
Back when he was in the Star Luo Empire, these guys ignored him; but after he joined the Spirit Hall and displayed his talent, they finally tried to win him back and get him to return to the Star Luo Empire. What were they all doing when he was in the Star Luo Empire?
"Sir, just say what you want to say directly. There's no need for all this beating around the bush."
Dai Yao raised his head, met the Grand Elder's gaze, and said in a deep voice.
The Grand Elder was taken aback for a moment, then laughed:
"Young man, you're really impatient. In that case, Hengyu, you go out first, I'll have a good talk with him."
Dai Hengyu looked at Dai Yao with concern. After Dai Yao nodded, he hesitated for a moment before leaving.
The door closed, and the room became quiet. Dai Yao met the Grand Elder's scrutinizing gaze without fear and slowly said:
"Can we talk now?"
The Grand Elder shook his head and sighed:
"You young people are really… Tell me, how can you stop hating the Dai family? Just name it, and I'll do everything I can to satisfy you."
Dai Yao sneered. The hatred between him and the Dai family was irreconcilable.
The current emperor is the culprit who killed my mother. The empress also killed my mother. The fifth and second elders of the council have repeatedly tried to kill me. If the fifth elder's actions are somewhat forgivable due to his position, then the second elder is unforgivable!
Back then, when Dai Yao wanted to establish the Qinglian Sect and return to the Xingluo Empire, the Second Elder, without distinguishing right from wrong, directly accused Dai Yao of betraying the family and wanted to kill him.
Dai Yao was clearly the victim, forced to flee the Star Luo Empire to save his life. The Second Elder, fully aware of the truth, refused to give Dai Yao any chance to defend himself—this was utterly outrageous!
"Resolve the feud? Forget it! Your Dai family is too noble; I am simply not worthy of your status!"
Dai Yao sneered.
Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder's expression remained unchanged. He looked at Dai Yao for a long while, then sighed and said:
"Dai Yao, I have heard about your past. I heard that the current empress killed your mother, but that is a matter for the royal family, and the family cannot interfere too much. As for your experience at the Star Luo Royal Academy, it was indeed the family's fault."
"In principle, the family guarantees the fairness of the competition for the throne and ensures that each prince has the best conditions for cultivation and is not threatened by outsiders. However, the family is only a supervisor, and as such, there will naturally be oversights."
Dai Yao stared coldly at the Grand Elder and questioned him:
"So the Empress secretly attacked me several times, almost causing my death, and you all pretended not to see anything? When I was hunting soul beasts, the Empress interfered, resulting in no soul masters helping me hunt them? And the Empress has never been punished? She just sits there peacefully?"
The Grand Elder remained silent for a moment, knowing that the family was indeed in the wrong. As supervisors, they had failed to fulfill their duties, leading to the prince's predicament. Moreover, they had not punished Empress Xingluo in a timely manner, allowing her to continue her misdeeds.
However, the First Elder was still cultivating at the time, and the Second Elder was in charge of family affairs.
By the time he emerged from seclusion, Dai Yao had already fled the Star Luo Empire. By the time he learned of this, it was too late. Moreover, at that time, the Crown Prince was Davis, and the Empress was Davis's mother. Even if the family wanted to punish the Empress, they would have to consider the Crown Prince's opinion.
After all, the royal family is the true inheritor of the White Tiger lineage, and these elders are merely the family's guards. Even he, as a Title Douluo, is no exception.
After a moment, the Grand Elder said in a deep voice:
"If you're willing to come back, we'll help you deal with the Empress; you can do whatever you want with her. What do you say?"
Dai Yao's expression was indifferent, his arms crossed over his chest:
I don't think it's very good.
The Grand Elder, a dignified Super Douluo, humbled himself to apologize to Dai Yao, yet Dai Yao's attitude remained hostile. Even with his excellent self-control, he was somewhat annoyed. He took a heavy breath, stared at Dai Yao, and slowly said:
What do you want?
Dai Yao couldn't help but sneer. They were the ones who came to beg for his forgiveness, but now they were the ones who were angry. How ridiculous.
He finally saw through the Grand Elder's true colors and simply said:
"What do I want? Okay, then I'll tell you!"
"The first thing is that the Empress must die. Is that possible?"
The Grand Elder frowned slightly. Dai Yao's attitude was far too aggressive. He, a Super Douluo, had lowered himself, yet Dai Yao was so ungrateful. But considering Dai Yao's talent, if he sincerely returned to the family, the Star Luo Empire would have one more level 99 Peerless Douluo in the future.
Thinking of this, he held back and nodded, saying:
"I can guarantee that."
Seeing that the Grand Elder agreed, Dai Yao was not surprised at all, and said coldly:
"My second matter is that I want the Second Elder dead!"
The First Elder was somewhat stunned, and said in a deep voice, "Did the Second Elder offend you?"
Dai Yao sneered, "When I returned to the Star Luo Empire, the Second Elder wanted to kill me without even asking what happened. He clearly knew the truth of what happened back then, yet he still insisted on harming me. It's clear he harbored ill intentions towards me. If he doesn't die, I won't be able to sleep or eat in peace when I return to the Dai family!"
The Grand Elder's expression remained unchanged. After a moment of silence, he agreed:
"I also agree to your second request."
The Second Elder devoted himself to the family, but he was indeed highly problematic in the matter of Dai Yao. The Second Elder's lifespan was already short; therefore, let him sacrifice himself for the family. As long as Dai Yao returns to the Star Luo Empire, then the Second Elder's death will have been worthwhile!
Dai Yao was taken aback, not expecting the Grand Elder to agree to his request. He had to admit, the Dai family was ruthless. Immediately, his expression turned grim, and he said coldly:
"As for this third matter, I want Emperor Xingluo dead!"
Snap—
The elder slammed his hand down, and the solid wood table shattered with a crash.
He glared at Dai Yao, his face full of a look of being fooled.
Emperor Xingluo is the face of the Xingluo Empire. If he dies, the entire Xingluo Empire will be thrown into great turmoil.
Especially during this turbulent period, with the death of the Star Luo Emperor, the Star Luo Empire will inevitably be destroyed by the Spirit Hall.
Although Dai Yao was exceptionally talented, the Grand Elder was well aware of his relative importance compared to the entire Star Luo Empire. Dai Yao's proposal clearly indicated that he had no intention of returning to the Star Luo Empire.
He angrily said:
"Boy, don't think you can take advantage of your talent and squander my patience. Do you know that most of the elders in the family want to kill you to prevent future troubles? It was I who gave you a chance to return to the family!"
"I reluctantly agreed to the conditions you mentioned earlier, but what do you mean by this third condition? The Emperor is your own father! What has he done to offend you that makes you want to kill him?"
Upon hearing this, Dai Yao felt that the world was somewhat absurd.
Give me a chance to return to the family. Do they think I really want to go back to the family? These people are used to being in power and high and mighty, and they don't understand what they hate at all.
She was clearly begging for her own forgiveness, but she made it sound like she was doing herself a favor. What kind of logic is that!
He had long known that the discussions with the Grand Elder would yield no results, but he never expected them to be so absurd!
The anger in my heart was instantly ignited.
He abruptly stood up, met the Grand Elder's gaze without fear, and shouted:
"He killed my mother, isn't that enough?! If he hadn't insisted on marrying my mother, she wouldn't have stepped into this palace, and she wouldn't have been killed by the Empress! From childhood to adulthood, he has never looked at me once, what kind of father is he?!"
Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder also found it utterly absurd, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
He shouted sternly:
"This is absurd! It was the Empress who killed your mother, what does it have to do with the Emperor?! It was her honor to be married into the Dai family! Is the Emperor wrong?! You brat, stop your nonsense, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
A storm burst forth from the Grand Elder, causing the room to tremble slightly, pages to flutter, and cracks to appear in the ground. Immense pressure suddenly assaulted Dai Yao.
Dai Yao is no longer the same person he used to be. Even under the pressure of Qingluan Douluo, he can still remain calm, not to mention the Grand Elder whose strength is far inferior to Qingluan Douluo.
But the anger in his heart was already burning fiercely. These guys still fantasized that he was the weak and helpless person he used to be, and that a little charity from them would make him grateful and beg to return to the Dai family with tears streaming down his face.
The soul power in his dantian surged through his body like a burst dam, instantly relieving the pressure on the Grand Elder. He glared and roared:
"roll!"
The sound was like a tiger's roar, and the already trembling room collapsed with a crash.
The pent-up frustration that had been building up in Dai Yao's chest for over twenty years vanished in an instant. He had long wanted to teach these self-righteous fellows a lesson.
The house collapsed, and dust billowed everywhere, but Dai Yao's gaze remained firmly fixed on the Grand Elder opposite him, and he coldly shouted:
"Old man, I thought too highly of you. If you've come to beg for my forgiveness, you should at least show some remorse. Seeing that negotiations are failing, you try to use your power to intimidate me and take my life?! You're no different from those guys in the Dai family!"
"I must avenge my mother!"
"I've decided to take their lives, and not even a god can save them!"
Dai Yao's voice boomed like thunder, leaving even the Grand Elder somewhat bewildered.
The smoke and dust gathered and dispersed intermittently, and the figure of the Grand Elder appeared and disappeared. Where the two locked eyes, sparks seemed to fly, and the Grand Elder made no attempt to conceal his chilling killing intent.
"you······"
The Grand Elder stared intently and spoke slowly.
He hadn't expected Dai Yao to be so resolute, leaving himself no way out and insisting on breaking ties with them. If things were truly beyond repair, even if it meant breaking his promise to Dai Hengyu, he had to eliminate Dai Yao; otherwise, if Dai Yao grew stronger, the threat he posed to the empire would be too great!
He slowly raised his right hand, forming a claw shape, but at that moment, a dark green figure appeared beside Dai Yao in his field of vision.
He stopped what he was doing, gazed at the dark green figure, and said in a deep voice:
"Dugu Bo, do you want to get involved in this mess? I advise you to leave as soon as possible, otherwise, your Bilin clan cannot bear the consequences!"
Dugu Bo had remained calm until he heard the Grand Elder's words, at which point a dangerous glint appeared on his face, his eyes turning as cold as a venomous snake. His precious granddaughter was his Achilles' heel!
Although he was no match for the Grand Elder, his greatest strength was not in one-on-one combat. He unleashed his full power of poison attacks, turning the entire Star Luo City into a dead zone.
He sneered:
"Old cat, Dai Yao is my grandson-in-law, and I will definitely stand by his side. If you dare to lay a hand on him, I will leave no one alive in this Xingluo City! Also, I must give you a piece of advice: you old thing, you are just like me, with not much time left. You should think carefully about who will take your place after you die."
"If Dai Yao is still alive by then, who among you can stop his revenge?"
That's all I have to say. Take care of yourself.
Dugu Bo patted Dai Yao on the shoulder and said softly:
"This place is not safe to stay any longer, let's leave quickly."
Dai Yao remained silent for a moment, then gave the Grand Elder a cold look before quickly leaving before the people from the Star Luo Royal Academy arrived.
Watching Dai Yao and Dugu Bo's departing figures, the Grand Elder's face was ashen.
He knew that the old villain Dugu Bo was capable of anything, and he dared not gamble with the entire population of Xingluo City. If he lost, the entire Xingluo City would fall. If the Spirit Hall took advantage of this opportunity to attack, the Xingluo Empire would be wiped off the continent.
However, Dai Yao's existence was a threat he couldn't ignore. He was well aware of the price he had paid to break through to the Super Douluo level. Already nearing the end of his life, he had further depleted his vital energy, and his days were numbered.
"Alas, time waits for no one!"
Looking up at the heavens, the Grand Elder sighed softly.
If he had enough lifespan, why would he need to curry favor with a junior?! But if he died, who would protect the Dai family? Therefore, he had no choice but to sheathe his claws, hide his sharpness, and begin searching for a successor.
But Dai Yao's refusal reminded him that he had to make a decision. (End of Chapter)