Zhu Zhuyun's words left everyone present completely stunned.
The Zhu Family elders' smiles vanished.
They watched Zhu Zhuyun sit firm in the saddle, and in the end, all they could do was heave a heavy sigh.
"The Zhu Family... is finished!"
The Zhu Family was no great power that ruled the land. Without the Heaven Dou Imperial Family as its sheltering tree, the whole family would quickly fall into decline.
There was nothing more they could do.
Train a new generation now?
It was already too late!
As the sole heir to the current Star Luo Imperial Family, Dai Yunzhao would give no one else another chance.
One of the elders looked toward Zhu Zhuyun.
"I want to know, where is the commoner Dai now?"
Unfortunately, the moment the words left his mouth, Xiong Ao's Golden Blade lopped off his head!
Blood splashed across the mud, striking terror into everyone's hearts!
Xiong Ao's voice rang out coldly. "Anyone else who dares show disrespect to His Highness will meet a much worse end!"
"We have now consolidated the border troops and are preparing for a decisive battle at Star Luo City!"
"Go back and tell the nobles in Star Luo City that no matter what they choose, His Highness will hold no grudges."
"If they choose to resist to the bitter end, they will die!"
Consolidated the border troops!
They knew Dai Yunzhao commanded great respect among the border troops, but they had never imagined he could bring the entire Star Luo border army under his banner.
If this news reached Star Luo, it would send shockwaves through the city!
The group had arrived at the border with their heads held high. They left, every one of them utterly shaken.
Mud and water clung to their disheveled clothes. They had witnessed the Star Luo Imperial Family's bloody struggle firsthand, and seen the ferocity of the soldiers guarding the frontier!
And Dai Yunzhao had actually managed to keep such men in check.
Five days later.
After hurrying along as fast as they could, the group finally made it back to the palace.
But the earlier reports had already reached Star Luo City.
The people of Star Luo City were now gripped by panic. They simply didn't dare gamble their lives on Dai Yunzhao's kindness.
And judging by the reports from the border, the border army really was on the move!
In the Star Luo Hall, the Star Luo Emperor's face was deathly pale.
More white had appeared in his hair. This domineering Star Luo Emperor truly had grown old.
His two sons had died one after another, and the Evil Eye White Tiger lineage in his branch had been cut off completely.
For generations, the Star Luo Imperial Family had slaughtered its own, leaving only one survivor to inherit the throne.
There wasn't even a collateral branch left in all of Star Luo. How could he not grieve?
Dai Weisi's body had yet to be fully laid to rest, and now Dai Mubai's corpse lay before him.
The Star Luo Emperor looked at the civil and military officials standing in court. His voice was full of sorrow. "Who can lead an army to repel the commoner Dai?"
No one answered!
Those were the most valiant troops in all of Star Luo!
And their commander was Dai Yunzhao, who had once dealt Heaven Dou a crushing defeat.
Never mind anything else, just consider the battle at Three Gorges Pass a few days ago. Three chiefs of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Education Committee had died horribly, and not one of the thousand-odd elite soldiers had survived.
Dai Yunzhao hadn't even shown himself yet, and the whole of Star Luo was already caught up in the storm around him.
If he did appear, they couldn't imagine what would happen then.
The Star Luo Emperor looked at the silent officials.
He suddenly flung the memorials before him onto the floor!
"I was young once, too. In my youth, Star Luo praised my name!"
"Under my rule, Star Luo has flourished. Do you all think I'm old now? That I'm no match for him?!"
Everyone fell to their knees.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! We deserve death!"
Bang!
The Star Luo Emperor slammed his hand on the imperial desk and rose to his feet.
"Right, you all deserve death! No one leaves today until you come up with a plan!"
A troop of Golden Melon Warriors stepped forward, glaring menacingly at the assembled officials.
But no one dared raise their head.
At last, the Star Luo Emperor waved them away.
"Enough. I'll simply lead the expedition myself. Father and son, killing each other..."
"I'm tired. Court is dismissed."
The Star Luo Emperor paid no further attention to the civil and military officials before him.
He turned and left the throne.
Alone, he returned to the palace and sat on the white jade steps.
His wife had been dead for many years, and he had never taken another concubine.
In all his years on the throne, he had believed himself accomplished in both letters and arms. He had never dared neglect his duties, had always kept the people's well-being in mind, and had labored constantly over military affairs.
The elderly eunuch stood at his side, bowing.
The Star Luo Emperor spoke softly. "Tell me, was I really wrong...?"
The elderly eunuch didn't answer. He knew the emperor was talking to himself.
The Star Luo Emperor heaved a long sigh.
"Yunzhao truly was my most outstanding son. I knew that from the very beginning!"
"But I would rather have had my second son become emperor. If the Evil Eye White Tiger vanished, perhaps Star Luo would have one or two mighty rulers, but what about the generations after them?"
"What Star Luo needs is a bloodline that can endure for ten thousand years without defeat, not a worthy ruler or two whose names end up in another country's history books."
Only then did the elderly eunuch take a few small steps forward.
"Your Majesty, the ground is cold. Please put on another layer."
The Star Luo Emperor waved him away.
His eyes were full of grief as he gazed toward the palace walls in the distance.
"I was wrong. I should have killed him the moment he was born. I witnessed his virtue, and I saw his bravery with my own eyes!"
"I should have known long ago that a child like that would turn everything upside down!"
The Star Luo Emperor rambled on.
He didn't dare tell anyone else these things. He was the ruler; no one could know he had been wrong.
Until...
The sound of wheels rolling across the ground rang out!
Creak, creak!
The Star Luo Emperor abruptly raised his head!
Before him stood a tall Black Armor Warrior, pushing a wheelchair.
The blanket on the wheelchair was the same one as before, but the person seated there now wore a red martial uniform edged in gold!
Dai Yunzhao!
The elderly eunuch's pupils suddenly contracted. He tried to cry out for help, but the Star Luo Emperor raised a hand to stop him!
His eyes were fixed on the young man in the wheelchair.
"So now you can come and go from the Star Luo Palace as you please."
Dai Yunzhao straightened the blanket covering his legs.
"I always could. You simply never cared, Father."
Dai Yunzhao's words sent the Star Luo Emperor into a complete rage.
He pointed at Dai Yunzhao, his voice hoarse with fury. "You resent me? But I'm the emperor. This is what I was supposed to do!"
"You don't possess the Evil Eye White Tiger of the Star Luo Imperial Family. How could I keep you?"
"Do you realize that you and I will both go down as sinners?"
Dai Yunzhao looked at the Star Luo Emperor, who was shouting himself hoarse. He only shook his head.
"Father, I went to see that Grandmaster you mentioned."
"He's an incompetent good-for-nothing. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had no place for him, so he gave himself the title of Grandmaster and went around the continent deceiving people."
"You were right. My Martial Soul isn't the Evil Eye White Tiger. But how do you know my bloodline can't be passed down?"
The Star Luo Emperor straightened his dragon robe and adjusted his beaded crown.
"So now you're no longer asking whether I'm ruler or subject?"
Dai Yunzhao remained perfectly calm. "At home, there are no rulers and subjects. Only father and son."
The Star Luo Emperor's shoulders trembled uncontrollably.
His voice caught with emotion. "I thought you would lead the border army in a charge against Star Luo City and kill me along with the rest!"
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