Behind Yu Tiange, tens of thousands of Dragon Cavalry soldiers raised their weapons in unison, pointing them straight at the sky.
Amidst the solemn military formation, a roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami erupted.
"Dragon Riders!"
"Invincible!"
The earth began to tremble violently.
...
at the same time.
Tian Dou City, Imperial Palace.
Inside the magnificent hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost frozen.
A messenger clad in light armor knelt on one knee, his voice trembling slightly with urgency.
"Urgent report!"
"Urgent military intelligence! The Marquis of Champion has launched a general offensive against Gengxin City with the main force of the Dragon Cavalry at noon today!"
The moment the words fell, Emperor Xueye, who was sitting on the golden dragon throne in the main hall, suddenly gripped the armrests tightly.
The color quickly faded from his well-maintained face, replaced by a deathly pale complexion.
"How dare you!"
A furious shout, like a thunderclap, echoed endlessly in the hall, making the beams and pillars hum.
"Jade Sky Spear!"
"How dare he disobey the imperial edict and start a war without authorization!"
Emperor Xueye abruptly rose to his feet, his bright yellow dragon robe billowing without wind, and an aura of imperial power instantly enveloped the entire palace.
"In his eyes, is there still any regard for me, the Heavenly Emperor!"
The messenger lowered his head even further, his body trembling like a leaf, and dared not utter a word.
Below the main hall, the civil and military officials remained silent, none daring to provoke the emperor in his rage.
Only one person, standing in the special position at the head of all officials, merely frowned slightly upon hearing this, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
This person was dressed in a simple gray cloth robe, with an ordinary appearance and a slightly stiff figure, which was out of place with the luxurious atmosphere of the hall.
He is none other than Yu Xiaogang, the "Master" whom the Great Emperor Xueye has recently appointed as the empire's military advisor.
Yu Tiange?
Upon hearing this name, Yu Xiaogang felt a ripple in his heart.
He remembered.
He did indeed have a nephew in the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family who also had this name.
A nephew who was considered a good-for-nothing by his family.
A hint of disdain unconsciously crept onto Yu Xiaogang's lips.
He still remembered that the child's awakened martial soul was the same as his own, an detached martial soul, and its appearance was exactly the same as "Luo Sanpao".
Back then, I was engrossed in researching martial soul mutations and kindly offered to borrow that child's mutated martial soul "Luo Sanpao" to conduct a crucial experiment.
In his view, this was an immense honor for a good-for-nothing.
The only value of a martial spirit destined to have no future is that it can contribute to its own great theoretical research.
But that ungrateful nephew refused without even thinking.
How foolish! They don't know what's good for them.
Yu Xiaogang snorted coldly in his heart.
However, that kid did have some self-awareness.
Knowing he was a good-for-nothing and that staying in the sect would only bring him humiliation, he simply left the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect early on and disappeared without a trace.
However, they should just be people with the same name.
after all,
How could such a useless person be associated with the powerful and invincible Marquis of Champion?
That's simply a fantasy.
Emperor Xueye's gaze fell on Yu Xiaogang. Seeing the strange expression on his face, his anger subsided slightly, and he asked in confusion:
"Master, do you perhaps know this Yu Tiange?"
Because of his groundbreaking martial spirit theory and the halo of being the future heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Clan, Yu Xiaogang was treated as an honored guest by Emperor Xueye.
This time, he brought the Shrek Academy students to Heaven Dou City to participate in the upcoming Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academies.
Upon hearing the emperor's question, Yu Xiaogang snapped out of his thoughts and immediately shook his head.
His face wore his usual calm and confidence, as if he had everything under control.
"Your Majesty is overthinking it; it's just someone with the same name."
"My nephew has a low-level martial spirit and mediocre talent; he has long since faded into obscurity."
How could he possibly be the champion marquis with illustrious military achievements?
Yu Xiaogang was resolute.
That good-for-nothing has managed to cultivate to the Soul Venerable realm; it's all thanks to his ancestors burning incense in his honor.
The champion, Hou Yutiange, is rumored to be a powerful figure at the level of an eight-ring Soul Douluo.
The gap between them is as vast as an insurmountable chasm.
Despite his extraordinary talent and the immense effort he has devoted to research over half his life, he has only reached level 29 in soul power. How could that good-for-nothing become a Soul Douluo?
Absolutely impossible.
Emperor Xueye did not doubt his words, after all, although the surname "Yu" was not common, it was not unique either.
He sat back on the dragon throne, his face still extremely grim. He rubbed his throbbing temples and asked:
"Master, in your opinion, what should be done about this?"
"This Yu Tiange has achieved great merit and now commands his own troops, disobeying orders. He is truly a major threat to our Heavenly Struggle!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang remained expressionless, only asking a question in return.
"Your Majesty, the military report says that the Marquis of Champion is leading 20,000 Dragon Cavalry?"
"Exactly." Emperor Xueye nodded.
A hint of surprise flashed in Yu Xiaogang's eyes, which quickly turned into disdain.
"Gengxin City is the most fortified city in the western part of Xingluo. It has high walls and thick walls, and two princes, Dai Weisi and Dai Mubai, are stationed in the city, commanding 100,000 troops. The city has enough food and weapons to last for several years."
"Does the Marquis of Champion think he can break through such a formidable pass with only 20,000 cavalry?"
"Excuse my bluntness, but this is nothing short of a pipe dream."
Emperor Xueye nodded in deep agreement.
"Indeed, that's what I think too. Gengxin City is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and Xingluo's reinforcements are already on their way. Yu Tiange's move is too reckless, and the chances of success are slim."
Although Yu Tiange's past achievements were nothing short of legendary, neither Emperor Xueye nor Yu Xiaogang believed that he could create a miracle in the face of an absolute disparity in troop strength and a formidable city defense.
In their view, this was just another arrogant act by their overconfident and arrogant generals.
This arrogance will surely lead to his downfall.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Yu Xiaogang spoke up, his voice steady and clear.
"Your Majesty, that is precisely why now is the best time to reclaim military power."
"It is an indisputable fact that Yu Tiange's achievements have overshadowed the emperor's, and his prestige in the army even surpasses that of the royal family. If this continues, the country will cease to exist."
"His unauthorized military action this time is a crime against the emperor. When his army is defeated and his morale is dampened, His Majesty will issue an edict ordering him to withdraw his troops and return to the capital. He will certainly not dare to disobey."
"At that time, Your Majesty can legitimately strip him of his military power, transfer him away from the Dragon Cavalry, and completely eliminate this major threat."
A glint flashed in Emperor Xueye's eyes; he was clearly tempted.
But then he revealed a hint of apprehension.
"That's true... but what if he refuses to obey the imperial edict, or even... raises an army and rebels?"
After all, that was a well-equipped and invincible Dragon Cavalry army of 20,000, the sharpest sword of the Heavenly Dou Empire.
If this sword were to be reversed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Upon hearing Emperor Xueye's concern, Yu Xiaogang revealed an almost mocking smile.
He shook his head slightly, his words full of contempt.
(End of chapter)