A Beast Against an Empire

"Powerful Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, please spare me! I wasn't the one who sent people to kill you. It was—it was my uncle, Prince Xue Xing. He was the one who sent them."

Just moments ago, Xue Beng had been worried that Xue Xing would give him up if he was found out. But when the moment actually came, he sold Xue Xing out without hesitation. It was downright laughable.

"Heh, I knew it." Xiao Yu gave a cold snort. He had long suspected Xue Xing. Who else in the entire Heaven Dou Imperial Palace would help Xue Beng? He simply hadn't been able to confirm it.

Now that he had Xue Beng's confession, he no longer had to worry about innocent people being caught up in this.

"Oh~" Xiao Yu called softly. Before Xue Beng could react, something lifted him up, and in an instant he was in the air.

"Ah!!!" Xue Beng instinctively looked back, only to see a gigantic Soul Beast staring at him with murderous eyes. He let out a piercing scream.

Xue Beng's scream tore through the night sky above the palace. Like a signal, it instantly roused the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace's dormant defenses!

"Impudent beast! What evil creature dares trespass in the palace grounds and seize His Highness the prince?!"

"Protect the Fourth Prince!!"

Several furious shouts rang out like thunder. Then four figures, radiating immense Soul Power and surrounded by Soul Rings, shot into the sky from different parts of the palace like arrows loosed from a bow!

They had only one target—the Holy Wing King, Xiao Yu, hovering in midair and radiating a terrifying pressure!

These four Soul Saints were either members of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's retinue or high-ranking commanders of the imperial guard. They usually guarded the palace, and now that the heart of the palace had come under attack and a prince had been captured, they had no choice but to act.

All four unleashed their Soul Power. The surging energy stirred the air and created a powerful pressure as they tried to lock onto Xiao Yu.

But when their gazes swept past Xiao Yu and landed on Xue Beng, who was held fast in Yu Yi's massive talons and dangled in midair, pale-faced, with his trousers soaked as he screamed and struggled, every attack they had been about to unleash froze in their throats!

"Damn it! The Fourth Prince is in its grasp!"

"Careful! Don't hit His Highness!"

"That huge blue bird has the prince! We can't attack it!"

They were caught between a rock and a hard place. The four Soul Saints were suddenly faced with a massive dilemma.

They could attack Xiao Yu without hesitation and unleash a devastating assault. But Yu Yi was holding Xue Beng too close; any area attack or stray blast of energy could tear the Fourth Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire to pieces in an instant! They couldn't bear the consequences.

The scene abruptly ground to a halt. The Soul Saints only dared to surround Xiao Yu and the others, not attack, afraid of provoking Yu Yi, who still held Xue Beng.

Furious, wary, and anxious gazes fixed on Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu hovered in the air. Facing the pressure of four Soul Saints, his eyes remained as cold as ancient ice, even carrying a hint of disdain.

"Humans." Xiao Yu's mental voice rang clearly in the ears of the four Soul Saints and the countless terrified guards and nobles watching below.

"This man, Xue Beng, conspired with his uncle, Prince Xue Xing, and sent Soul Emperors and Soul Kings to attack the Royal Soul Beast Forest at night. They intended to kill me and grievously injure my companion. This is a blood feud!"

"The Soul Beast just spoke!" Before anyone could even consider what Xue Beng had done, Xiao Yu's ability to speak had already seized everyone's attention.

"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast! It's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!" someone cried. In an instant, all the nobles panicked.

A dead Soul Beast was the only good Soul Beast. Who could remain calm when suddenly confronted with a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? It was powerful enough to rival a Titled Douluo.

And although their nation was an empire, the Heaven Dou Empire didn't even have a Titled Douluo of its own. No wonder they were terrified.

Before long, most of the nobles had fled to the corners, daring only to watch from a distance, afraid Xiao Yu might kill them.

This also allowed the Soul Masters standing guard nearby to breathe a sigh of relief, but their faces grew even more troubled.

The nobles could leave in peace; they didn't dare. They had to do their duty, but this was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Charging in would surely mean death.

Still, what Xiao Yu had just said caught their attention. It seemed the Soul Beast had come to avenge itself. Perhaps it wouldn't slaughter everyone indiscriminately.

"I have come here today to demand justice!" Xiao Yu's gaze swept over the Soul Saints surrounding him, then settled on Xue Beng, who dangled from Yu Yi's talons like a dead dog.

"Xue Beng has confessed. Where is Xue Xing? Bring him out to face me!"

Sensing his king's will, Yu Yi tightened his talons around Xue Beng. The sharp tips pierced his luxurious princely robes and sank into his flesh. The pain made Xue Beng's screams even more shrill.

"Uncle! Save me! Uncle Xue Xing! Come out, quick! You did all of this! Save me!!"

The four Soul Saints looked livid, both shocked and furious.

They were shocked that it was a prince and a prince's uncle who had attacked the Royal Forest and provoked such a terrifying Soul Beast. They were furious that a Soul Beast was forcing the imperial family into a corner like this, bringing disgrace upon the royal house.

Yet they still didn't dare move! Xue Beng's life hung by a thread, and Xiao Yu's strength and bearing seemed unfathomable.

"Someone, go and fetch Prince Xue Xing!" one of the Soul Saints suddenly shouted. There was no other way to handle this now but to bring Xue Xing here. Their opponent was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, after all.

Meanwhile, at the Prince's Mansion, Xue Xing had no idea Xiao Yu would dare barge into the palace and confront Xue Beng. Nor had he expected Xue Beng to be so spineless that he would give him up just like that.

He had just poured himself a cup of freshly brewed tea. Wisps of steam rose from it, seemingly driving away the last trace of gloom in his heart.

A cold smile even tugged at his lips. "Hmph, investigate all you like! Let's see what you can find. Are you going to turn the world upside down over a beast? Once this blows over..."

He leisurely raised the teacup, ready to savor this brief moment of "peace."

Just as the cup was about to touch his lips—

"Boom!" The gates of the Prince's Mansion were suddenly blasted open, and dozens of soldiers rushed in together.

"Who is it?" Xue Xing put down his teacup in annoyance. Who would dare barge into the Prince's Mansion? Were they looking to die?

But as soon as he stepped out of his study, the dozens of soldiers headed toward him.

"Soldiers? Who sent you here?!" Xue Xing was taken aback when he saw them.

In that instant, a host of possibilities raced through his mind. Had someone discovered what he had done?

But when he met the soldiers' gazes, he saw fear and unease in their eyes. It didn't seem to be what he had imagined.

The soldier at their head hurried forward and said, "Your Highness, have you offended a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? It's holding His Highness Prince Xue Beng hostage right now and demanding that you go there."