Soul Douluo Duke Nether? Zhu Zhuqing Weeps: Was Her Father Captured by the Great Sun Prince Mansion?

Silence.

The entire hall fell deathly silent.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, as if they had just heard some outlandish tale.

The Crown Prince of the Star Luo Empire, heir to the throne, had actually been snatched up like a chick on his own territory?

This wasn't just a defeat. It was an outright slap in the face to the Star Luo Imperial Family!

They were trampling the "iron-blooded" dignity the Star Luo Empire took such pride in!

"Bastards!!!"

Dai Tianfeng roared and slammed his palm down on the table before him.

With a loud crack, the sturdy table, crafted from ten-thousand-year-old agarwood, instantly crumbled to dust.

"The Great Sun Prince Mansion... What a Great Sun Prince Mansion!"

Dai Tianfeng trembled with rage, his eyes bloodshot. The savage aura of his White Tiger Martial Soul rampaged through the hall, leaving the civil and military officials struggling to breathe.

"They dared to capture my son!

They dared to seize my territory!"

"They're declaring war on the Star Luo Empire! On the entire continent!"

Dai Tianfeng was consumed not only by a father's fury but also by the humiliation of an emperor.

The Crown Prince's capture was an unprecedented scandal in the history of the Star Luo Empire.

If it wasn't dealt with swiftly, the imperial family would lose all authority, and unrest might even break out among the great nobles at home.

"Your Majesty, please calm down!"

The Chancellor came forward trembling and knelt on the ground.

"This matter is far too suspicious. That Steel Giant Ship is unheard of, and a Titled Douluo with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring is an absolute rarity...

"The Great Sun Prince Mansion's origins are mysterious, and its strength unfathomable. We must not act rashly!"

"Am I supposed to just watch Weiss suffer at their hands?!"

Dai Tianfeng roared.

"Of course not!"

The Chancellor hurriedly replied.

"Linhai City has fallen, and the Crown Prince is in their hands. If we attack head-on now, we'll be hamstrung by fear of harming him.

"Our top priority is to immediately gather troops from the surrounding provinces, seal off every exit from Linhai City, and form a siege!

"At the same time, we must send an envoy at once to learn the Great Sun Prince Mansion's true intentions.

"Since they've kept the Crown Prince alive instead of killing him outright, they must have something in mind. As long as they want something, there's room to negotiate!"

Dai Tianfeng's chest heaved violently. After a long while, he finally forced down his towering rage, his eyes turning cold and sinister.

"Convey my orders!"

"First, order every legion in the Eastern Theater to enter full alert at once and assemble toward Linhai City. But without my command, they are not to attack!"

"Second, seal off all information!

"The common people must never learn that the Crown Prince has been captured. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

"Third..."

Dai Tianfeng looked toward the shadows in the corner of the hall, his voice icy.

"Have Duke Nether go there in person and find out just what kind of power this Great Sun Prince Mansion is!"

The following night, deep in the small hours.

Night had fallen over Linhai City.

A black figure, nearly indistinguishable from the night, silently swept over the towering city wall like a ghost.

Duke Nether, Zhu Zihao, was head of the Zhu Clan of the Star Luo Empire and a Soul Douluo of the eighty-fifth rank.

He had absolute confidence in his ability to move unseen.

Thanks to the uncanny nature of his Nether Civet Martial Soul,

even a Titled Douluo would struggle to detect him unless they deliberately searched for his presence.

"Hmph. The Great Sun Prince Mansion... I'll see for myself whether this place is a dragon's lair or a tiger's den."

Zhu Zihao sneered inwardly as he darted through the shadows of the buildings, heading straight for the City Lord's Mansion.

However,

the moment he set foot on the grounds outside the City Lord's Mansion,

a taunting voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

"We've been waiting for you, Duke."

Every hair on Zhu Zihao's body stood on end.

Before he could react, a terrifying force of gravity crashed down from above!

Boom!

The Duke of Nether, a man of immense power in the Star Luo Empire, didn't even have time to unleash his Martial Soul Avatar.

He was pinned hard to the ground, unable to move.

As he stared in terror, several Soul Masters dressed in the Great Sun Prince Mansion's uniform emerged slowly, carrying specially made soul-binding shackles.

They dragged him inside like a dead dog.

In less than fifteen minutes,

word reached the Star Luo Imperial Capital that the Star Luo Empire's envoy, Duke Nether, had become a prisoner.

This time, the Star Luo Empire could no longer sit still.

The Crown Prince's capture could be blamed on the unexpected appearance of the so-called Great Sun Prince Mansion.

But even Duke Nether, who specialized in stealth and espionage, had been seized the instant he infiltrated their territory.

That meant their opponent wasn't just overwhelmingly powerful; their methods of surveillance and defense were also so formidable as to be utterly despair-inducing!

The entire Star Luo Imperial Family was plunged into unprecedented panic and helplessness, while the army they had gathered was left frozen in place, unable to advance or retreat.

In the end, secrets could never stay hidden.

Though the Star Luo Empire did everything it could to suppress the news,

the commotion in Linhai City was simply too great, and the Great Sun Prince Mansion seemed to have no intention of hiding what had happened.

In just a few days, the shocking news sprouted wings, crossed the border, and spread throughout Douluo Continent.

"The mysterious power known as the 'Great Sun Prince Mansion' has burst onto the scene!"

"The Steel Fleet has arrived, guarded by a Titled Douluo. The Star Luo Crown Prince and Duke Nether have both been captured!"

These sensational headlines instantly became the most shocking topic of conversation among all the great powers.

From the mighty Spirit Hall to the Heaven Dou Empire, which had faced off against Star Luo for years,

none could help but be shaken by this colossal new power.

Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City.

The sun shone bright beneath a cloudless sky.

Several luxurious carriages stood ready outside the gates of Shrek Academy.

Today marked the end of the promotion round of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.

As the Heaven Dou Empire's winning team, Shrek Team was about to depart for Spirit City to compete in the final Grand Finals.

Yet the mood, which should have been light and cheerful, was unusually somber.

Flender, Liu Erlong, and Yu Xiaogang—the Golden Iron Triangle—stood together, brows furrowed as they studied a report in their hands.

Among the students, Zhu Zhuqing, clad in a black leather outfit and blessed with a striking figure, was deathly pale. Her body trembled faintly despite her efforts to steady herself.

"Zhuqing, what's wrong?"

Ning Rongrong noticed something was off and hurriedly took Zhu Zhuqing's icy hand, her voice full of concern.

Zhu Zhuqing's usually cool eyes were now filled with panic and helplessness.

She bit her lip hard, her voice so hoarse it was painful to hear.

"My father... has been captured."

"What?!"

Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ma Hongjun, and the others all changed expression at her words.

Even Dai Mubai, who had always deliberately distanced himself from his family, watched Zhu Zhuqing with suddenly constricted pupils and whipped around to face her.

"What did you say?

"Duke Nether... was captured by that Great Sun Prince Mansion too?!"