There Was a Traitor Within

Because they dared to fight and always went after the toughest targets, the Dragon Elephant Sect had an incredibly complex network of connections within the military. Even the Five Guardians of the Nation had to show them some respect.

As for Mingde Hall, it was the Sun Moon Empire's foremost Soul Engineer research institute. A great number of the Sun Moon Empire's high-level Soul Engineers were either members of Mingde Hall or had trained under it.

Beyond his status and strength, Jing Hongchen's technical expertise as a Soul Engineer was also exceptional. He could be considered the person closest to being the Sun Moon Empire's second-greatest Soul Engineer.

With Kong Deming living in seclusion, Jing Hongchen was practically the highest authority in the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Engineer field.

He might not have been sharp-witted, but he was no fool. If the situation spiraled out of control and both families turned against the Fourth Prince, then forget competing for the position of Crown Prince—even the Emperor's favor would likely vanish.

Just as the man was about to throw out a harsh remark, retreat with as much dignity as possible, and secretly have someone smarter handle the matter, two figures came striding through the air before crashing down like meteors.

One had an elephant's head atop a human body, a gemstone embedded in his crown, two pairs of tusks protruding from his mouth, and a body over four meters tall, like a walking iron tower. The other was short and round, his skin covered in golden bumps, with a third eye reflected between his brows.

Who else could these two be but Chen Li and Jing Hongchen?

The instant Chen Li appeared with Soul Power erupting from his entire body, terror immediately surfaced on the Fourth Prince's face.

Facing two Titled Douluo, one enraged and the other furious, he no longer dared to conceal his Martial Soul or Soul Power. A massive fireball filled with intense light energy appeared in his hand—the Sun Martial Soul, one of the sources of the Sun Moon Empire's name.

As his Martial Soul was summoned, his Soul Rings naturally emerged.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black.

A set of Soul Rings that did not belong to a Titled Douluo, nor even followed the optimal Soul Ring configuration, appeared around the man. Chen Li and Jing Hongchen carefully sensed him and discovered that his strength was merely Level 85.

At that moment, not only did Chen Li's expression turn savage, but even Jing Hongchen, who had seemed relatively composed until then, wore a twisted expression. Yet his fury was not directed at the Fourth Prince or his uncle, but at his cousin—the chief steward of Hongchen Mansion.

Others might not know, but Jing Hongchen knew very well that the man had broken through to Level 88 five years ago.

Although his limited talent and excessive use of medicine during cultivation meant he would find it difficult to advance another step in his lifetime, with no chance whatsoever of becoming a Titled Douluo, his strength with Soul Tools was still not weak among Soul Douluo. At the very least, he stood above the Sun Moon Empire's average.

A Level 88 Soul Douluo had been intimidated by the aura of a Level 85 Soul Douluo...

Don't say it was because too much drug abuse had made his foundation unstable.

Yes, he had indeed abused drugs, and yes, his foundation was unstable.

But the problem was that the Soul Douluo opposite him was no better. His foundation was just as unstable. They were both worthless frauds.

The other man's Sun Martial Soul did not even have the optimal Soul Ring configuration, while he himself had a genuine optimal configuration. If one looked closely, his Water Content should have been even lower.

And under such circumstances, an inferior Level 88 had been forced back by an equally inferior but lower-level Level 85 Soul Douluo?

Jing Hongchen's cousin, Qian Hongchen, took a step back as cold sweat continually dripped from his head. He wanted to explain, but had no idea how to begin. He had considered running, but the instant he moved his feet, he could sense that countless Soul Tools had locked onto him.

"I'm doomed." Qian Hongchen was on the verge of tears, yet he did not dare explain himself.

Because Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen taking Chen Ming out today had indeed been his responsibility, and he had secretly sent someone to inform the Fourth Prince.

He had also deliberately acted weaker during the earlier clash of auras, giving the Fourth Prince an opportunity to approach them.

Originally, he had thought this was merely one Prince trying to recruit the Hongchen Family for his own interests. Success or failure did not matter; surely nothing serious would happen.

He had obtained a fine treasure. Even if he was reprimanded later for failing in his duty of protection, it would not matter.

After all, if he returned and properly refined that Treasure Herb, perhaps it could offset the side effects caused by the dormant drug toxins in his body and let him advance another step. Perhaps, someday, he might even have a chance to touch the realm of a Titled Douluo.

Compared to that, what did a little scolding or punishment amount to?

But he had never expected things to develop to this point. That muscle-brained brat had punched a Prince into the air in broad daylight, and the two sides had drawn their swords against one another, nearly coming to blows right in the street.

And most importantly, Jing Hongchen had caught him deliberately holding back...

Emotionally, Qian Hongchen desperately wanted to complain that Chen Ming and Chen Li had appeared at the wrong time, and that Chen Ming had handled things poorly. Since the Prince liked her, couldn't she just give herself to him?

Even if she truly could not accept it, couldn't she at least not have acted so violently?

But rationally...

Qian Hongchen felt it would be best to stop thinking now and not harbor even the slightest malice. Otherwise, he would definitely be grabbed by the legs and torn in half from the middle.

Jing Hongchen stared at Qian Hongchen for a long while. In the end, he still spared some dignity for this cousin who had followed him for twenty years.

"I'll deal with you after we return. You'd better pray that what you did wasn't too outrageous," Jing Hongchen transmitted through Soul Power, then shifted most of his attention to the Fourth Prince.

But Qian Hongchen knew that although Jing Hongchen appeared unconcerned with him, if he tried to run, he would still be blasted into a corpse without so much as a trace left within three seconds.

At that moment, the Fourth Prince's dark-skinned uncle was being held in Chen Li's hand like a chick. The Sun Martial Soul he had just released had been casually crushed one-handed by Chen Li without even using a Soul Skill.

Though the shattering of his Martial Soul had triggered a Backlash throughout his body, sending Soul Power rampaging through his meridians and causing blood to stream from his seven orifices, the middle-aged man, who also came from one of the Sun Moon Empire's great noble families, did not dare show even a shred of malice or displeasure before Chen Li, who looked ready to devour someone. He could only force out a smile uglier than crying and repeatedly insist that it was all a misunderstanding.

The difference in strength between a Titled Douluo and a Soul Douluo was enormous. For a physical-type fighter like Chen Li, even without using Soul Power, he could easily tear the man into pieces as though ripping apart chicken meat.

As for the Fourth Prince?

His mere Soul Emperor cultivation was enough to bully children, but before a Titled Douluo, there was no need to even make a move. A single burst of aura could crush him to death.