Heaven Dou Annual Banquet, Golden Crocodile's Arrival

After cultivating at Heaven Dou Royal Academy for a full month and a half, Su He had successfully broken through to Level Thirty-Nine. Once he reached the Level Forty bottleneck and went hunting Soul Beasts for a Soul Ring, he would take the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, this Immortal Herb.

This way, the restrictions of the bottleneck would automatically help Su He refine and suppress the Soul Power brought by the Immortal Herb to the greatest extent possible. After acquiring his fourth Soul Ring, that refined, high-quality Soul Power would feed back into Su He's level along with the Soul Ring's energy.

This saved Su He the time he would otherwise have needed to refine his Soul Power before a breakthrough, making it the most efficient cultivation method. Of course, this applied only to Su He. The exceptionally refined purity of his Soul Power was his greatest reliance when defeating opponents above his level.

After all, few Soul Masters placed such importance on the quality of their Soul Power. Ordinary Soul Masters were already quite satisfied as long as their Soul Power was not unstable. Some focused solely on their level and cared nothing for the purity of their Soul Power, only to end up being defeated by weaker opponents fighting above their level.

But today, Su He did not plan to remain at Heaven Dou Royal Academy to cultivate. Through his correspondence with Qian Renxue, he had learned that the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's annual banquet was approaching. That would mark the beginning of the plan to eliminate Third Prince Xue Haicang.

The death of Third Prince Xue Haicang was a crucial part of Spirit Hall's Usurpation Plan, and Su He and Qian Renxue were quite confident about it.

The reason was simple: powerful forces stood behind them. Even if Plan A failed, they still had Plan B as a safeguard.

Moreover, ten days earlier, Qian Renxue had learned some momentous news through her correspondence with Qian Daoliu—a piece of information that Spirit Hall had kept under strict secrecy.

Second Worship Golden Crocodile had emerged from seclusion and broken through the Level Ninety-Eight bottleneck to reach Level Ninety-Nine, becoming Spirit Hall's second Limit Douluo! After his breakthrough, he had voluntarily set out for the Heaven Dou Empire to ensure Qian Renxue and Su He's safety.

Although a Limit Douluo like him was currently still inferior in combat power to Divine Envoys such as Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi, and could not wield divinely bestowed power, Golden Crocodile had broken through to Limit Douluo without relying on a deity's strength. Accordingly, his potential was even greater, and he had a considerable chance of Becoming a God in the future.

Breaking through to Level Ninety-Nine not only granted Golden Crocodile a long lifespan, but also gave him the possibility of elevating his life level. The God Realm of Douluo Continent contained a total of 1,847 Third-level Gods, 216 Second-level Gods, eighteen Level One Gods, and five God Kings. Among those Second- and Third-level Gods, many had surely set their sights on Golden Crocodile's potential. Yet because Spirit City was the sacred ground the Angel God had left behind before Becoming a God, none had dared rashly leave behind a Deity Inheritance.

Thus, at Qian Daoliu's suggestion, Golden Crocodile Douluo was leaving Worship Hall for the first time. Besides helping Su He hunt Soul Beasts for Soul Rings, he would head to the Heaven Dou Empire to protect Su He and Qian Renxue, while also seeking an opportunity to advance further.

Su He was delighted to hear that Teacher had broken through. With Golden Crocodile Douluo's help, the operation to kill Third Prince Xue Haicang was practically foolproof.

Yet at the very instant Golden Crocodile Douluo left the gates of Spirit City in a swift carriage, an ethereal, strange voice suddenly appeared in his mind. Even with his exceptional composure, his expression tightened.

"Golden Crocodile Peerless, Power God Descends!" The eight words resounded through Golden Crocodile Douluo's sea of consciousness, making the visitor's identity obvious.

One of the Second-level Gods—the God of Power!

Su He, traveling back to Heaven Dou City, knew nothing of Golden Crocodile Douluo's situation. He was still considering the safest way to kill Third Prince Xue Haicang.

If they used poison, then Qian Renxue's double would have to attend the annual banquet, and both the double's food and the Third Prince's food would have to be poisoned.

Furthermore, the double could not be told of the plan. Only if the poison suddenly took effect while he knew nothing could his reaction feel more genuine, making it easier to fool the sharp-eyed old foxes among the ministers present.

However, with Imperial Tutor Lin Xinyuan attending, the risk of the double being exposed increased exponentially. That left Su He deeply uneasy.

"What exactly should I do..." Su He frowned as he pondered how to carry out the plan. After the death of First Prince Xue Luochuan, the Heaven Dou Empire's protection of its imperial heirs had become extremely strict and thorough. Under such circumstances, trying to kill a prince through nonviolent means was extraordinarily difficult.

Then Su He suddenly noticed something strange. Both he and Qian Renxue seemed to have fallen into a very odd misconception.

Why couldn't they use force?

Against an imperial power like the Heaven Dou Empire, which did not even possess a Titled Douluo-level powerhouse on the surface, crushing them with overwhelming strength was the most effective and direct approach. More conveniently still, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family had no way to counter it.

Supporting the Heaven Dou Empire's crown prince was simple as well—physically eliminate every remaining competitor, one by one. Once Xueye had only Xue Qinghe left as a son, even if he did not wish to pass on the throne, he would have no choice but to grit his teeth and give it to Xue Qinghe.

The Original Work did not describe in much detail how Qian Renxue and Su He eliminated Xue Haicang. It merely stated that they used slow-acting poison to successively eliminate Xue Luochuan and Xue Haicang over two years, leaving only Xue Beng behind. Emperor Xueye and Prince Xue Xing had already guessed that Qian Renxue was behind it, but even a tiger would not eat its cubs. In the end, Emperor Xueye could not bear to eliminate "Xue Qinghe," and instead taught Fourth Prince Xue Beng how to protect himself.

That was what led to Bibi Dong poisoning Emperor Xueye to death, only for Qian Renxue's ascension to be stopped by Tang San. Xue Beng then seized the throne that had never belonged to him in the first place.

With that thought, Su He made his decision.

He could not be bothered to play mind games with these imperial nobles skilled in political schemes. With powerful strength behind him, he would act swiftly and decisively.

He would silently kill off the remaining three princes, then pin the blame on the Star Luo Empire. As for whether Xueye believed it or not? He could believe whatever he wanted.

If he had the ability, he could pass the throne to Princess Xue Ke.

At this thought, the corners of Su He's lips curled upward in a cold smile.

The horses pulling the carriage neighed, and the wheels gradually slowed. Su He knew they had arrived at the Crown Prince's Mansion.

He rose and stepped down from the carriage. Two figures were already waiting at the entrance to the hall. Seeing "Xue Qinghe" before him, along with the burly figure beside "Xue Qinghe," entirely shrouded in a black robe, whose Soul Power fluctuations could not be detected yet whose aura felt exceedingly familiar, Su He smiled faintly. He stepped forward and cupped his fists in salute.

"Congratulations to Teacher on your breakthrough."

The figure within the black robe smiled as well and patted Su He on the shoulder. It was none other than Golden Crocodile Douluo, who had entered the Peerless realm!

"You have improved greatly over these years. I am very pleased." Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice brimmed with undisguised pride. "From now on, while carrying out the plan in the Heaven Dou Empire, you two should focus on cultivation. As for anyone who causes trouble, just kill them."

The simple words were domineering beyond measure. His formidable strength was what gave him the confidence to speak so boldly. Golden Crocodile had now accepted a Divine Trial—the Power Divine Trial, beginning directly from the Sixth Trial. Given time, even the two Divine Envoys would no longer be his opponents.