Dai Hengyu's Choice

Bishop Ferdinand's words moved Dai Yao deeply.

At Star Luo Royal Academy, he was someone no one wanted to mention. His circumstances were difficult, and no one thought highly of his chances in the struggle for the throne. No one was willing to support him—not even opportunists.

Yet Spirit Hall, a far more powerful force, had shown him respect.

"Then after my duel with Dai Yaming, I'll set out and leave the Star Luo Empire," Dai Yao stated his plan.

"Spirit Hall will certainly await Your Highness," Bishop Ferdinand promised.

...On the way back.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Dai Yao, seeming to want to speak but holding herself back.

She knew Dai Yao had given much thought to their future. She could understand even fleeing to the Heaven Dou Empire, but she could not understand why he wanted to go to Spirit Hall.

"If you have questions, just ask." Dai Yao had long noticed Zhu Zhuqing's hesitation and spoke with a smile.

"Why does Yao Ge want to join Spirit Hall?" Zhu Zhuqing asked.

"Not join. Align with them," Dai Yao corrected the issue in her wording.

"Align with them?"

"Yes. Joining Spirit Hall would be a dead end, with no way back. But we have no other choice right now. Can we leave the Star Luo Empire on our own? The Empress is watching us from the shadows. Leaving the Imperial City may grant us freedom, but it would also place us in danger."

"If we want to live safely, we need a force capable of shielding us from the Empress's pressure."

"Across the entire continent, only a few forces possess that kind of strength. Given our hostile relationship, the Heaven Dou Empire would certainly protect us."

"However, as princes of an enemy nation, we would inevitably be confined by the Heaven Dou Empire. If that were our fate, what would be the point of leaving the Star Luo Empire?"

"Then there are the Upper Three Sects. The Clear Sky Sect has secluded itself from the world, while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan are both in Heaven Dou. Going to either sect might end the same way as going to the Heaven Dou Empire. The freedom we gained would still be limited."

"Spirit Hall, however, stands apart from the two great empires and is the most capable of protecting us. Moreover, most Soul Masters in Spirit Hall come from commoner backgrounds, making it the most accepting faction. So Spirit Hall is our best choice."

Zhu Zhuqing thought for a while and realized that Dai Yao had only explained why they should choose Spirit Hall, not what aligning with it meant.

Her eyes widened in confusion. Tilting her head, she asked, "Then what does aligning with them mean?"

As they walked, Dai Yao explained, "Leaving the Star Luo Empire does not mean we must completely break with it. Do you want to sever all ties with your clansmen?"

Zhu Zhuqing froze upon hearing his words.

Whenever she thought of the Zhu Family, she could not help trembling now and then. But if she truly had to break with them, Zhu Zhuqing could not bring herself to say it.

Seeing her reaction, Dai Yao knew his guess had been correct.

Zhu Zhuqing did not have the courage to completely break with the Zhu Family.

Wasn't it the same in the original story? Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai fled to the Heaven Dou Empire, yet even when they had no hope of winning the struggle for the throne, they did not choose to resist.

Even after becoming Titled Douluo, the two of them not only refrained from settling scores with their clansmen, but even forgave them. Dai Mubai had even yielded the throne to Dai Weisi.

It was clear how submissive their natures were.

Their bloodline surely accounted for a large part of why they made such a choice.

Therefore, Zhu Zhuqing would never completely break with her family.

But Dai Yao was different. Not only was he a transmigrator with no affection whatsoever for this so-called family, but he also shared a blood feud with the Empress.

It could be said that if someone wanted to destroy the Star Luo Empire, he would definitely lend a hand.

But Zhu Zhuqing was his fiancée. He had to consider her feelings and could not make the choice for her unilaterally.

"I understand. Thank you, Yao Ge."

Zhu Zhuqing's emotions were complicated. As intelligent as she was, she understood Dai Yao's reason for aligning with Spirit Hall from that single sentence, and a trace of sweetness rose in her heart.

Yet Dai Yao's words also reminded her to consider whether she was ready to break with her family.

To truly join Spirit Hall.

For a moment, bitterness and sweetness surged into her heart together, leaving her deeply conflicted.

...After returning to the academy, Dai Yao remained in the Cultivation Ground.

He still cultivated beneath the waterfall, resisting the pressure it brought.

Though only a few days had passed, he could not afford to slacken in his cultivation.

Just then, he noticed two figures approaching him.

The fiery-red figure was naturally Feng Wutong, while the other was Zhang Xiaofan, whom he had not seen in quite some time.

Feng Wutong led Zhang Xiaofan over to Dai Yao. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhang Xiaofan explained why he had come.

"Fourth Highness, the vice-dean requests your presence."

"The vice-dean?"

There were several vice-deans, and Dai Yao could not immediately tell which one it was.

"It is Prince Dai Hengyu."

A shadow crossed Dai Yao's heart as he thought to himself, After waiting so long, he has finally come.

His conspicuous visit to Spirit Hall could naturally not be concealed from those paying attention.

Besides, he had never intended to hide it.

Arriving at the vice-dean's office, he knocked on the door.

"Come in."

A voice came from behind the door.

Zhang Xiaofan opened the door and gestured for Dai Yao to enter. After Dai Yao went in, he gently closed the door behind him.

Seeing that Dai Yao had grown much taller and now carried an imposing, heroic air, Dai Hengyu felt greatly gratified.

He silently thought, Your mother can rest in peace now.

But news of Dai Yao's visit to Spirit Hall several days ago had filled him with unease. No member of the Star Luo Imperial Family dared to have dealings with Spirit Hall.

Dai Hengyu asked bluntly, "Dai Yao, what did you go to Spirit Hall for a few days ago?"

"Soul Master Registration," Dai Yao answered expressionlessly.

"Soul Master Registration?" Dai Hengyu seemed to have heard the greatest joke in the world. Frowning, he could not understand why a prince of Star Luo would go to Spirit Hall for Soul Master Registration.

"Yes. Spirit Hall gives a certain subsidy to every registered Soul Master below Rank 30. A Soul Grandmaster receives ten Gold Coins every month."

"As a prince, the Council of Elders gives me one thousand Gold Coins each year. But one thousand Gold Coins are simply not enough at the Royal Academy."

"Ten Gold Coins per month comes to one hundred and twenty a year. That is no small amount to me, so I went to Spirit Hall for Soul Master Registration. Is there any problem with that?"

Dai Yao explained.

Dai Hengyu had no rebuttal to those words.

For every prince, the income from the Council of Elders was only a small portion of their funds. Most of it came from their maternal clan. But no one had expected such an oddity as Dai Yao, who had no maternal clan at all.

Thus, he lacked his greatest source of income.

But all of that was merely Dai Yao's excuse—an excuse for going to Spirit Hall.

He cultivated day and night. Aside from studying Soul Master knowledge, he had virtually no extra expenses, and he had money left over from the Council of Elders' annual allowance every year.