Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, banquet hall.
Candlelight flickered, and cups clinked merrily.
Emperor Xue Ye sat at the head of the table, his face ruddy and his spirits high.
Today, he had hosted a banquet for Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, hoping to get his hands on the Immortal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
That old rascal Ning Fengzhi had gotten his hands on Immortal Herbs thanks to his daughter, and his Martial Soul had evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. He was now riding high.
If the Heaven Dou Empire could get even a few Immortal Herbs, what could stop it from rising to greatness?
"Mr. Dugu," Emperor Xue Ye said with a broad smile, raising his cup. "Come, let me drink to you."
Dugu Bo raised his cup in response, but inwardly, he muttered to himself.
This old emperor was being so obsequious for no reason. He was either up to something or after something.
Just as expected!
Prince Xue Xing leaned over, his face wreathed in smiles. "Mr. Dugu, I heard you have an Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well with lots of Immortal Herbs in it?"
Dugu Bo nearly dropped his wine cup. He eyed Prince Xue Xing warily. "No, I don't. Don't go spreading nonsense! Who told you such rubbish?"
Emperor Xue Ye laughed and hurried to smooth things over. "Don't be nervous, Mr. Dugu. My daughter, A Ke, told me. She heard it from... from that Brother Cao."
Dugu Bo's expression changed instantly.
Brother Cao?
That Brother Cao who had slapped ten God Officials to death and made his granddaughter Yan'er utterly devoted to him?
His attitude softened at once, and he sighed. "It's true, there are some. But... sigh, that girl Yan'er has already plucked quite a few of them. Girls always favor outsiders, girls always favor outsiders!"
Emperor Xue Ye's eyes lit up, and he pressed his advantage. "Then... could you spare a few Immortal Herbs, Mr. Dugu? I heard Sect Master Ning's Martial Soul evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda after he took an Immortal Herb."
Dugu Bo stuck out his neck and answered firmly, "No way! I don't have many left! Even if the King of Heaven himself came, I'd have none for him!"
Emperor Xue Ye was about to say more.
Just then, Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically. He shot to his feet!
He pointed up at the Sky Screen. "Th-this..."
Emperor Xue Ye and Prince Xue Xing looked up together. Golden light rippled across the Sky Screen, and an image slowly appeared.
The scene in the image was none other than the banquet hall they were in.
Several figures appeared in the image: Emperor Xue Ye, Prince Xue Xing, Dugu Bo... and Empress Liu!
Prince Xue Xing froze for a moment, then beamed with delight. He cupped his hands toward Dugu Bo in congratulations. "Congratulations, Mr. Dugu! You've made the list! Fifteenth on the Combat Power Ranking! You're truly still going strong!"
Dugu Bo's mouth fell open. He looked utterly bewildered. "Th-this... That can't be right, can it? I'm only level ninety-two. By rights, there's no way it should be my turn. Could it be... could my Jade Phosphor Snake Poison really be that powerful?"
He spoke modestly, but the corners of his mouth were already starting to curl up.
Prince Xue Xing hurried to flatter him. "You're far too modest, Mr. Dugu! Your Jade Phosphor Snake Poison is second to none. Fifteenth on the Combat Power Ranking is absolutely where you belong!"
Dugu Bo stroked his beard, grinning from ear to ear.
But he was celebrating too soon.
The image did not freeze on him. The scene on the Sky Screen moved slowly past Dugu Bo, finally settling on Empress Liu.
Liu Yixue, empress of the Heaven Dou Empire, was sitting at the banquet, her face deathly pale.
As she watched the image of herself on the Sky Screen and the golden pillar of light about to descend, her vision went black. She nearly fainted.
I'm screwed!
It's coming for me!
"BOOM!!!"
The familiar golden pillar of light descended from the heavens and enveloped her.
[Combat Power Ranking, Fifteenth Place: Liu Yixue.] [Identity: Empress of the Heaven Dou Empire.] [Strength: Level 99 Titled Douluo.] [Techniques: Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique, Heavenly Demon Chaotic Dance.] [Rewards: 5 Teleportation Talismans, each capable of transporting the user to any location on the Douluo Continent; Soul Power increased by one level.]
The entire banquet hall erupted!
The smile on Prince Xue Xing's face froze. He slowly turned around.
"S-sister-in-law..."
"Y-you made the list?"
Emperor Xue Ye sat motionless at the head of the table, his face ashen. His hands clenched the armrests of the throne so tightly his knuckles turned white.
His eyes churned with disbelief and a humiliation too deep for words.
The Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique.
He knew all too well what that meant.
Every one of those young women on the Genius Ranking had cultivated the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique.
It was a dual cultivation technique!
And now, his empress had cultivated it too.
Had she... done that with Brother Cao as well?
Emperor Xue Ye's breathing grew ragged, his chest heaving.
He stared at the empress in the golden light, his voice hoarse.
"Yixue... What is the meaning of this?"
Empress Liu slowly opened her eyes within the golden light. Seeing Xue Ye's ashen face, she felt a bitter ache well up inside her.
What could she say?
That she had spent years having intimate exchanges with Brother Cao in the Dream Space?
Or that she had given him countless hours of hard work and... all sorts of positions?
If she had been forced, she might have had some excuse.
But the truth was that she had been eager and proactive, taking what she wanted with abandon. Her conscience was truly burdened.
"Your Majesty, I..."
Emperor Xue Ye did not wait for her to finish. He turned abruptly and strode away. His hunched back seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.
Prince Xue Xing stood where he was, looking first toward the direction his elder brother had gone, then at his sister-in-law in the golden light. His expression was a sight to behold.
Dugu Bo was even more stunned.
He had just been congratulating himself on making the list, only for it to turn out that it wasn't him at all. It was the empress.
He swallowed reflexively and backed away a few steps, afraid the enormous scandal might land on him.
"Th-this..."
He didn't know whether to pity Emperor Xue Ye or admire that Brother Cao.
Even the empress was one of his women?
Just how many women were in Brother Cao's harem?
After receiving her rewards, Liu Yixue turned to Dugu Bo.
"Mr. Dugu, are you truly unwilling to part with a few Immortal Herbs?"
Dugu Bo's attitude did a complete about-face.
"I'll part with them. Right away!"
"Mr. Dugu, didn't you say that even if the King of Heaven himself came, you wouldn't have any?"
How could Dugu Bo dare to argue? "The King of Heaven himself came, and I'd have none."
"But the Combat Power Ranking can have some!"
Watching the images on the Sky Screen, the entire continent was shaken once again.
"Why is the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique on the Combat Power Ranking too?"
"What kind of technique is the Heavenly Demon Chaotic Dance? It doesn't sound proper either!"
"I give up! Brother Cao didn't even spare women over twenty-five!"
"Tsk, tsk, an imperial empress! Another stunning beauty, and so full of charm!"
"What a bombshell! The empress made the list, and even the emperor has had his day wearing a green hat!"
Xue Ye really had it rough. His daughter and his wife had both been lured away by the same man!
"You can always trust Brother Cao's taste!"
"Wait, is that really the point? The point is that her reward is a one-level increase. That means level one hundred!"
"Level one hundred? Doesn't that mean she's become a god?"
"Does anyone know? Explain what level one hundred means!"
Actually, some people had long suspected the Combat Power Ranking might feature the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique too.
But even so, when it truly appeared, they couldn't help being stunned.
Brother Cao was awesome!