Dai Hengyu's Choice

The bishop's words stirred a trace of emotion in Dai Yao's heart.

At Star Luo Royal Academy, he was an existence everyone was unwilling to mention. His situation was difficult, and he was even less favored in the competition for the throne. No one was willing to support him—not even a few opportunists.

Yet the far more powerful Spirit Hall had shown him respect.

"Since that's the case, after my duel with Dai Yaming, I'll set out and leave the Star Luo Empire," Dai Yao said, revealing his plans.

"Spirit Hall will certainly be waiting for Your Highness," Bishop Ferdinand promised.

····· the way back.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Dai Yao, hesitating to speak.

She knew Dai Yao had considered a great deal for their future. She could understand fleeing to the Heaven Dou Empire, but she couldn't understand why he wanted to go to Spirit Hall.

"If you have any questions, just ask," Dai Yao said with a smile. He had long since noticed Zhu Zhuqing's hesitation.

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

"Not join, but draw close to it." Dai Yao pointed out the problem in her wording.

"Draw close?"

"That's right. Joining Spirit Hall would be a dead end, and there'd be no turning 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. If we leave the imperial city, we may gain freedom, but we'll also find ourselves in a dangerous place."

"If we want to survive safely, we must have a faction capable of blocking the Empress's pressure."

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

"But as a prince of an enemy nation, I would inevitably be confined by the Heaven Dou Empire. If that's the fate awaiting me, then what would be the point of leaving the Star Luo Empire?"

"Then there are the Upper Three Sects. The Clear Sky Sect has withdrawn from the world, while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan are both in Heaven Dou.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 of those two sects might lead to the same outcome as going to the Heaven Dou Empire. The freedom we obtained would also be limited to a certain extent."

"As for Spirit Hall, it stands aloof between the two empires and has the greatest ability to protect us. Moreover, most of Spirit Hall's members are Commoner Soul Masters, so it's the most inclusive. Therefore, going to Spirit Hall is the best choice."

Zhu Zhuqing thought for a while and realized that Dai Yao had only explained why they should choose Spirit Hall, not the meaning behind drawing close to it.

She widened her puzzled eyes and tilted her head. "Then what does drawing close to it mean?"

Dai Yao explained as he walked, "We're leaving the Star Luo Empire, but that doesn't mean we have to completely sever ties with it. Do you want to cut off contact with your clansmen forever?"

Hearing Dai Yao's words, Zhu Zhuqing froze.

Whenever she thought of the Zhu Family, she would tremble from time to time. But if she truly had to sever ties with them, Zhu Zhuqing simply couldn't bring herself to say it.

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's reaction, Dai Yao knew his guess had been right.

Zhu Zhuqing didn't have the courage to completely break with the Zhu Family.

Wasn't that how things had gone in the original story? Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai had fled to the Heaven Dou Empire, yet even when they had no hope of winning the competition for the throne, they hadn't chosen to resist.

Moreover, after becoming Titled Douluo, the two of them had not only refrained from settling accounts with their clansmen, but had instead forgiven them. Dai Mubai had even given the throne to Dai Weisi.

This showed how submissive the two of them were by nature.

Bloodline reasons had certainly played a major part in their making such a choice.

Therefore, no matter what happened, Zhu Zhuqing would never completely sever ties with her family.

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

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

But Zhu Zhuqing was his fiancée, so he had to consider her feelings. He couldn't unilaterally make the choice for her.

"I understand now. Thank you, Yao Ge."

Zhu Zhuqing's emotions were complicated. Brilliant as she was, she understood the reason Dai Yao wanted to draw close to Spirit Hall from a single sentence, and a trace of sweetness rose in her heart.

But Dai Yao's words had also reminded her to consider whether she was ready to sever ties with her family.

To truly join Spirit Hall.

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

····· returning to the Academy, Dai Yao stayed in the Cultivation Ground.

He continued cultivating beneath the waterfall, resisting the pressure brought by its falling water.

Although only a few short days remained, he could not afford to slack off during his cultivation.

At that moment, 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 a long time.

Feng Wutong brought Zhang Xiaofan to Dai Yao's side. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhang Xiaofan explained his purpose.

"Fourth Highness, the Vice-Dean requests your presence."

"The Vice-Dean?"

There were several Vice-Deans, and for a moment Dai Yao couldn't tell which one it was.

"It's Prince Dai, Dai Hengyu."

A dark look crossed Dai Yao's heart. After waiting so long, he's finally here.

Going to Spirit Hall so openly would naturally not escape the notice of anyone paying attention.

And he had never intended to hide it.

He arrived at the Vice-Dean's office and 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. Once Dai Yao had gone inside, he carefully closed the door.

Looking at Dai Yao, who had grown much taller and looked impressively heroic, Dai Hengyu felt extremely gratified.

Your mother can finally rest in peace with a smile.

But the news that Dai Yao had gone to Spirit Hall a few days earlier had made him uneasy. No one in the Star Luo Imperial Family dared to get involved with Spirit Hall.

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

"To register as a Soul Master," Dai Yao answered expressionlessly.

"Register as a Soul Master?" Dai Hengyu seemed to have heard the greatest joke in the world. He furrowed his brows, unable to understand why a prince of the Star Luo Empire would go to Spirit Hall to register as a Soul Master.

"That's right. Spirit Hall gives every registered Soul Master below Rank 30 a certain subsidy. 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 aren't enough at the Royal Academy."

"Ten Gold Coins a month comes to one hundred and twenty a year. That's no small amount to me, so I went to Spirit Hall to register as a Soul Master. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Dai Yao explained.

His words left Dai Hengyu unable to refute him.

For every prince, the income from the Council of Elders made up only a small portion. Most of their wealth came from their Maternal Clans. But no one had expected Dai Yao to be such an oddity—he simply had no Maternal Clan.

Thus, he had no greatest source of income.

But all of that was merely an excuse Dai Yao had given for going to Spirit Hall.

He cultivated day and night, and aside from studying Soul Master knowledge, he had no unnecessary expenses at all. Every year, he still had plenty of the Council of Elders' allotment left over.