.In the sky, the two sides faced off repeatedly, creating a tense and deadly atmosphere.
The inner palace was equally deathly silent. Countless palace maids looked terrified. Although they knew the royal family would win, the enemy's forces were not weak either. The battle between these powerful figures was enough to turn them, unarmed ashes, into nothingness.
Inside the Spirit Cat Palace, countless guards and powerful warriors formed a circle, protecting the Empress.
Surrounded by her entourage, the Empress slowly approached the palace gates. Her gaze swept over the dozens of tiny figures in the sky, each the size of a grain of rice, before fixing on Dai Yao. Although she couldn't make out his features, she was absolutely certain that it was Dai Yao!
He was heroic and spirited, with boundless ambition.
An intense feeling of jealousy welled up inside him, impossible to suppress.
"Why? Why? I lost to Bai Su, and now my son has lost to her son?! In terms of background and appearance, in what way am I inferior to her? Gods, why are you so cruel to me!"
Her eldest son, Davis, and her youngest son, Dai Mubai, both lost to Dai Yao. If Dai Yao hadn't betrayed the family, Dai Mubai wouldn't be the crown prince today!
How could she, who was always proud and arrogant, accept this? Now that Dai Yao has returned to the Star Luo Empire, not only has his strength increased greatly, but he also brings a group of powerful people who are no weaker than the Dai family, which makes her even more insanely jealous!
Why is Bai Su's son so capable?
Just then, the palace gates, which had been tightly closed, suddenly opened. The soldiers immediately tensed up and went on high alert, raising their weapons and releasing their martial spirits. Amidst the tense atmosphere, a burly figure slowly appeared.
Upon seeing who it was, everyone lowered their guard. The Empress was momentarily stunned, then her expression became complex, and she said calmly:
"Mu Bai, what brings you here?"
The visitor was none other than Dai Mubai.
Dai Mubai glanced at the Empress's guards and nodded secretly. These men were strong enough to protect his mother; it seemed he didn't need to worry about her safety. Then, meeting the Empress's complex gaze, he slowly said after a moment:
"Mother, I have come here to tell you that I will personally confront Dai Yao and protect you."
The Empress's heart skipped a beat.
Because Davis was born early and awakened the White Tiger Martial Soul, he was the first to be designated as the crown prince. This gave him a huge advantage in the competition for the throne.
The position of Star Emperor will most likely fall to Davis.
Therefore, she didn't show much care to Dai Mubai, who also awakened the White Tiger Martial Soul but was six years younger than Davis, allowing Davis to suppress him. After all, this was the cruelty of the struggle for the throne; even among brothers, only one could survive.
She watched Dai Mubai grow up with a cold eye, until Dai Yao awakened his martial soul.
She wanted to suppress Dai Yao, so she pinned her hopes on Dai Mubai. In her eyes, Dai Yao had only just awakened his martial soul, so how could he possibly be a match for Dai Mubai?
Unexpectedly, Dai Mubai lost to Dai Yao.
She couldn't forgive herself for her son losing to Bai Su's son; she was utterly disappointed in Dai Mubai. Yet, she still gave Dai Mubai a chance—a chance to live freely in the remaining years of his life. So, she allowed Dai Mubai to leave for Tian Dou.
But later she realized that it wasn't that Dai Mubai was incompetent, but that Dai Yao was too strong!
After defeating the Second Prince Dai Yaming and the First Prince Davis in succession, Bai Su, while harboring resentment towards Bai Su, also began to change her opinion of Dai Mubai.
Even later, after Dai Mubai returned to the Star Luo Empire, he defeated Davis, who was six years his senior, in a direct confrontation, completely proving his reputation as a genius and inheriting the position of Crown Prince. However, she, as his mother, didn't know how to get along with Dai Mubai.
After all, she had allowed Davis to bully Dai Mubai without doing anything in return.
But now, hearing Dai Mubai's words, she couldn't help but let go of her resentment and asked with some worry:
"Mu Bai, come back! You don't need to do anything here! With the elders' help, that wretch is sure to die! What are you doing getting involved?"
Dai Mubai stopped, but did not turn around, and said calmly:
"Mother, Dai Yao clearly wants revenge and wants to kill you. He risked his life to return to the Star Luo Empire for the sake of his mother's revenge. You are my mother, how can I sit idly by?"
Immediately, he leaped up and disappeared from everyone's sight.
Back then, he was repeatedly defeated by Dai Yao, and as the gap between them widened, who could he, such a proud and arrogant person, confide in about his frustration?
Since the end of the Continental Soul Master Tournament, he had trained diligently day and night, finally defeating Davis. Although he lacked confidence in defeating Dai Yao, he wanted to know just how vast the gap was between him and Dai Yao!
Staring blankly at Dai Mubai's rapidly receding figure, the Empress felt a strange emotion rising in her heart. For so many years, she had been blinded by her jealousy of Bai Su. Now she realized that some things seemed to be more meaningful than competing with Bai Su to see who was stronger or weaker.
······
"Dai Yao, if you want to kill my mother, you must get past me first!"
In the tense standoff, a figure suddenly stepped in.
Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound, and were all somewhat surprised and speechless. The Star Luo Emperor's face darkened, and he shouted:
"Mu Bai, this is none of your business. Get out of here!"
Although Dai Mubai is not as good as Dai Yao, he is still a rare genius in the history of the Star Luo Empire and its future. A great battle is about to begin here, and with Dai Mubai's strength, his situation is extremely dangerous. Therefore, it is necessary to send someone to protect him.
However, this would inevitably weaken their own strength, which was something the Emperor did not want to see.
Dai Mubai raised his head, cupped his hands, and said:
"Father, Dai Yao has come here to avenge his mother and kill the Empress Dowager. As her son, how can I stand idly by? I have waited far too long for this battle. Father, I beg you to grant my request!"
The Emperor was taken aback; Dai Mubai's words made sense.
However, this great battle was beyond Dai Mubai's ability to participate in.
Many powerful figures from the Star Luo Empire looked at Dai Mubai with a newfound respect. Even though Dai Mubai had been defeated by Dai Yao, there was nothing else to criticize about him.
While the Star Luo Emperor remained silent, Dai Yao said somewhat impatiently:
"Dai Mubai, why bother? You know perfectly well you're no match for me, why make a fool of yourself?!"
Dai Mubai said in a deep voice:
"Dai Yao, if you and I switched places, and someone wanted revenge and killed your mother, would you stand in front of her?"
Dai Yao paused for a moment, then gave Dai Mubai a deep look, understanding Dai Mubai's thoughts. Moreover, with so many Qinglian Sect disciples watching, if someone dared to challenge him, he had to accept the challenge; otherwise, it was inevitable that some people would have strange thoughts about him.
Seeing that the Star Luo royal family tacitly stepped back a distance, leaving the two a wide dueling arena, he said in a deep voice:
"Since that's the case, I'll give you another defeat!"
Immediately, under the watchful eyes of countless people in Xingluo City, Dai Yao lowered his wings and landed on the ground. The snow on the ground was swept away by the air currents generated when the two sides confronted each other, revealing the brown stone slabs on the ground.
The two sides stood in their respective positions, as if preparing for the start of a battle.
Both Dai Yao's side and the Star Luo royal family's side turned their attention to this place.
Dai Mubai was the first to move; as his soul power circulated, his robes fluttered without wind. His wicked eyes were incredibly arrogant, and rings of soul power slowly appeared around him.
"Level 61 Power Attack Type Battle Soul Emperor, Martial Soul: White Tiger, please enlighten me!"
After being possessed by the White Tiger, its powerful and domineering aura spread out instantly, causing even the many ministers in the palace to marvel.
"As expected of His Highness the Crown Prince, his strength is truly terrifying. No wonder he was able to overcome a six-year age gap and defeat the former First Prince, Davis."
"His Highness the Crown Prince recently broke through to level sixty. Even the palace guard captain is no match for him. Keep in mind, His Highness the Crown Prince is only in his early twenties, yet he has already reached the Soul Emperor level. Dai Yao is definitely no match for His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Hey, you're wrong about that. Dai Yao and His Highness the Crown Prince have fought several times, and His Highness the Crown Prince has never won. This time, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Crown Prince will also lose."
"That's not necessarily true. His Highness the Crown Prince has been cultivating diligently lately, and his strength has greatly increased. Dai Yao is a full three years younger than His Highness the Crown Prince. The outcome is very close, and it's still uncertain who will win!"
Seeing Dai Mubai's performance, the First Elder couldn't help but nod in approval:
"Mu Bai's strength is much greater than mine was back then. Although he is not as strong as Dai Yao, he should be about the same."
The murmurs and chatter of the crowd had no effect on the two people in the room.
Dai Mubai stared at Dai Yao, who remained motionless, with suspicion and uncertainty. The memory of his past defeat gradually resurfaced in his mind, and he said in a deep voice:
"You're too arrogant. I'm not the same person I used to be. If you continue as before and refuse to unleash your martial spirit, you will be the one defeated today!"
Dai Yao smiled noncommittally:
"Yeah?!"
After a brief pause, Dai Mubai's third and fifth soul rings lit up simultaneously, and he unleashed the White Tiger Vajra Transformation and White Tiger Demon God Transformation at the same time. His body swelled up a full size, stretching his originally loose clothing until it bulged, and his granite-like muscle contours exuded an astonishing sense of power.
Amidst the gasps of the crowd, Dai Mubai was the first to strike.
With his legs slightly bent, he shot towards Dai Yao like a cannonball. The sound of air being torn apart caused countless people to gasp in surprise.
But the next moment, Dai Yao disappeared from the spot.
Thud—
With a dull thud, everyone looked in the direction of the sound. When they saw what had happened, their expressions slowly froze, their mouths agape in disbelief!
Dai Yao suddenly appeared in front of Dai Mubai, took a lunge and sidestepped, and struck Dai Mubai in the abdomen with a palm.
Dai Mubai was struck in the middle like a pliable noodle, his head and feet slowly moving forward due to inertia, forming a ">" shape. Dai Mubai's pupils dilated instantly, his mouth opened wide in pain, and even his six spirit rings began to flicker and become somewhat unstable.
Then, it flew backward at an even faster speed, crashing heavily onto the palace walls and denting them.
Everyone stared blankly at what was happening, their faces filled with disbelief.
His Highness the Crown Prince was defeated? And so decisively? Dai Yao defeated Dai Mubai without even releasing his Martial Soul. They couldn't believe this was the same brilliant prince who had defeated the First Prince and was now full of vigor.
Some nobles who were close to the Spirit Hall and knew about Dai Yao's experiences over the past few years also showed expressions of shock. Although they had anticipated Dai Yao's strength, what was happening before their eyes was simply too unbelievable.
A Soul Emperor-level expert was defeated by Dai Yao in a single exchange. Just how far has this boy, who is three years younger than Dai Mubai, grown?!
The sky was deathly silent.
The five elders of the White Tiger Clan, the two eunuchs in the palace, and the patriarch of the Zhu family all wore extremely solemn expressions.
As the saying goes, the layman sees the spectacle, while the expert sees the details.
There were far too many factors involved in Dai Yao's palm strike. The speed of the attack, the force of the strike, his keen eyesight, and his powerful physique were all indispensable.
Dai Yao's palm strike was not only incredibly fast, but it also precisely targeted Dai Mubai's weak point. The powerful force pierced through Dai Mubai's body, even shattering his martial spirit. Such an effect could never be achieved without years of dedicated practice.
Even they couldn't guarantee they could deliver such a powerful blow.
The Second Elder's gaze was icy cold, his eyelids twitching. Dai Yao's behavior both surprised and frightened him.
"I've tried to kill him time and time again, this wretched creature must hold a grudge against me. If I fail to kill him this time and he escapes, I will never be able to eat or sleep in peace!"
The Second Elder began to regret agreeing to the Empress's request and his insistence on killing Dai Yao. Now, he also understood the chilling feeling that ran down the Empress's spine when Dai Yao was targeting her.
The Third Elder and Fourth Elder wore expressions of surprise. The difference was that the Third Elder's face held a hint of murderous intent. The Fifth Elder, witnessing Dai Yao's current performance, felt a surge of inner anguish. Such a genius originally belonged to their Dai family!
When the Grand Elder saw Dai Yao's performance, a look of amazement flashed across his face. He secretly glanced at the Star Luo Emperor, his turbid eyes becoming as unfathomable as a deep pool, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.
Dai Yao and his group wore expressions of utter certainty. They had witnessed Dai Yao's even more outrageous antics before. Defeating a mere Soul Emperor was hardly surprising.
Two eunuchs at the Contra Douluo level quickly flew down and dug Dai Mubai out of the ruins.
Dai Mubai, dug out of the water, was in excruciating pain. It wasn't just physical pain; the mental anguish was even greater! After years of cultivation, he had been defeated by Dai Yao in a single move, and Dai Yao hadn't even used his Martial Soul! A wave of defeat washed over him, filling him with unbearable shame!
Upon seeing Dai Mubai's disheveled appearance, the Star Luo Emperor was instantly enraged. He had challenged Dai Mubai, only to have the Star Luo Empire lose so much face; what would the world think of them if word got out?
He angrily said:
"You disgraceful thing, get out of here right now!"
But Dai Mubai seemed not to hear the Star Luo Emperor's words, looking at Dai Yao with complicated emotions, and said painfully:
"You win."
Dai Yao didn't look at Dai Mubai. In his mind, Dai Mubai wasn't even a match for him. His real opponent was the Soul Douluo in the sky! Eight wings unfurled behind him, and he slowly rose into the air, saying calmly:
"Back in the Continental Soul Master Tournament, you still had a fighting chance against me. But five years have passed, and you can't even see my back anymore. I'll spare your life, but take care of yourself."
Hearing this, Dai Mubai gave a self-deprecating smile. He had strived day and night to emulate Dai Yao for so many years, yet the distance between them only grew further. What was the point of all the sweat he had shed during his training?
In the sky, Dai Yao slowly raised his head, meeting the murderous gaze of the Star Luo Emperor, and sneered:
"Now, the real show is just beginning, don't you think?" (End of Chapter)