I Cannot Hand You the Throne! You and I Are No Longer Father and Son, or Sovereign and Subject!

Dai Yunzhao's voice echoed through the great hall. "Third Brother has gone traveling and gives no thought to the throne. If Father has any use for me, your son would never dare refuse!"

Everyone was stunned.

Dai Yunzhao had actually said that!

But...

It seemed Dai Yunzhao had every right to say it!

The Star Luo Imperial Family had always raised its heirs like venomous creatures in a jar, forcing them to fight one another.

The transition from one generation to the next was equally merciless.

But only a ruthless, merciless ruler could bring stability to the Star Luo Empire!

Now that Dai Yunzhao had triumphed over Dai Weisi, he had already proven his worth.

Dai Weisi had schemed and maneuvered, only to end up dying a miserable death within the palace walls!

Who would dare say Dai Yunzhao lacked the means?

No one had known of this silent Black Armor Warrior before.

Yet Dai Yunzhao had kept him hidden in the palace!

And the man had already become a Soul Emperor!

No one dared imagine how accomplished Dai Yunzhao might have been if he hadn't suffered from cold poison all those years ago.

The Star Luo Emperor's eyes flickered with emotion.

"Yunzhao, I know you're capable, but the Star Luo Empire... cannot be placed in your hands!"

But at that moment, Dai Yunzhao rose to his feet and strode up the palace steps.

His Soul Power, at level twenty-eight, was on full display!

The Fierce Tiger King Martial Soul bared its fangs and claws!

The civil officials and military officers were all shaken.

Even the Star Luo Emperor stared straight at Dai Yunzhao!

"Yunzhao, you can stand again!"

Dai Yunzhao raised his eyes and met the Star Luo Emperor's gaze.

"Father said you couldn't hand Star Luo over to me. What about now?"

The Star Luo Emperor had seen Dai Yunzhao's talent.

Dai Yunzhao was no good-for-nothing!

The Star Luo Emperor closed his eyes. "Still no!"

After lying low for so many years, Dai Yunzhao had even purged the cold poison from his body.

The Star Luo Emperor, his own father, had known nothing about it.

Dai Yunzhao stared at the Star Luo Emperor on his throne as well.

Everyone at court knew the Star Luo Emperor favored his fourth son.

But after Dai Yunzhao was crippled, the Star Luo Emperor had continued to grant him the rewards he was due.

He had simply never visited Dai Yunzhao again.

Even though Dai Yunzhao's palace was the one closest to the emperor's own chambers!

This time, Dai Weisi had brought people into the imperial palace.

That should never have been allowed!

They could have ambushed Dai Yunzhao outside. Dai Weisi could have fought him one-on-one inside the palace!

The one thing he could not do was bring outsiders in to kill him!

But the Star Luo Emperor had tacitly allowed it.

The princes had previously been sent to various commanderies to assist with local affairs.

The people of Dai Yunzhao's commandery still praised him to this day!

Yet just when he had finally put everything in order, he was abruptly summoned back.

Because riots had broken out in the commandery overseen by his eldest brother, Dai Weisi!

Dai Weisi and Dai Yunzhao had both led their troops north.

Dai Weisi's entire line had collapsed. Caught between pressure from both sides, Dai Yunzhao had held on—and ultimately turned defeat into victory.

After that battle, Dai Yunzhao never returned to the battlefield.

They said the youngest child was the most beloved.

The Star Luo Emperor had acted that way, too.

But what was the truth?

He claimed Dai Yunzhao was the son he loved most, yet in reality, he had been clearing every obstacle from Dai Weisi's path!

Dai Yunzhao had wondered if it was because he was too weak.

After all, the struggle for the Star Luo Empire's throne had always been bloody and brutal!

But Dai Weisi had brought outsiders into the imperial palace!

The emperor had allowed it!

Dai Yunzhao's voice rang out slowly. "Your Majesty, have I failed in virtue?"

Even now, the court still praised Prince Yunzhao's virtue.

The Star Luo Emperor's eyes quivered. "Of course you haven't."

Dai Yunzhao continued, "Have I failed in ability?"

Dai Yunzhao had excelled in both civil administration and military affairs.

"Of course not."

Dai Yunzhao's voice was steady. "Have I committed any wrongdoing?"

Dai Yunzhao had yet to make a single mistake.

Most of the time, he had even helped the Star Luo Emperor govern the empire.

The Star Luo Emperor let out a breath. "You have naturally done nothing wrong."

Dai Yunzhao took one more step forward, stopping directly in front of the Star Luo Emperor.

"Then have I defied your will, or colluded with the enemy and betrayed my country?!"

By the time Dai Yunzhao finished speaking, the Star Luo Emperor had opened his eyes again.

Those imperial eyes held nothing but coldness!

"None of those."

The Star Luo Emperor's voice was perfectly calm.

None of them!

Dai Yunzhao had done everything right!

The Star Luo Emperor knew that perfectly well.

But he only wanted Dai Yunzhao to be a golden songbird in his cage.

A prop to display his own benevolence!

Unfortunately, Dai Yunzhao no longer wished to keep playing the devoted father and filial son with him.

Dai Yunzhao's voice dropped. "May I ask Father why your son cannot inherit the throne?"

The Star Luo Emperor clenched both hands around the arms of his throne.

Anger flared in his eyes.

The civil officials and military officers had seen that fury more than once.

Whenever he showed that expression, someone was about to die!

The Star Luo Emperor's voice suddenly rose. "Because our Imperial Family possesses the Evil Eye White Tiger! It is what our ancestors left to us!"

"Even if you had an ordinary White Tiger, I could let you inherit the throne!"

"But you just had to be some strange tiger—a tiger no one can make sense of!"

"I sought the advice of the legendary Grandmaster, and he said your mutation could never be reversed!"

Grandmaster?

Dai Yunzhao was so angry he laughed.

Across the entire Douluo Continent, who else shamelessly used that title to swindle people?

Only Yu Xiaogang!

The Star Luo Emperor was even more of an idiot.

He really thought Dai Yunzhao would obediently remain a caged bird.

In his eyes, Dai Yunzhao deserved to be executed!

If someone as outstanding as Dai Yunzhao was deemed inferior to Dai Weisi, that would only make Dai Weisi's influence swell without limit.

Dai Yunzhao gave a helpless laugh.

So much for a loving father and devoted son!

So much for brotherly affection!

It had all been a load of meaningless theatrics, performed just to deceive him.

Now that he stood in the great hall, the Star Luo Emperor would rather summon Dai Mubai back!

All because of what Yu Xiaogang had said.

What a Grandmaster!

What a Star Luo Emperor!

Dai Yunzhao offered no further argument.

He merely swept his gaze across the civil officials and military officers around him.

Every one of them stared at Dai Yunzhao, eyes shining!

Anyone could hear from this father-and-son exchange that Dai Yunzhao had suffered.

And what a virtuous and outstanding man Dai Yunzhao was!

Dai Yunzhao took a step back and bowed with perfect courtesy. "Since there is no place for me here, then..."

"I request permission to resign!"

Dai Yunzhao spoke with remarkable calm.

He was letting go of the entire Star Luo Empire!

Thud!

A muffled bang rang out as the Star Luo Emperor slammed his hand down on the throne.

"What are you, to speak to me like that?!"

Dai Yunzhao slowly straightened.

"The blood of the ancestors of Star Luo runs through my veins, and I have inherited their virtue."

"But my sovereign father believes my virtue wanting and deems me unworthy of that name!"

"Then... I, Dai Yunzhao, hereby resign. From this day forward, I am no longer a member of the Star Luo Imperial Family."

"You and I... are no longer father and son."

At Dai Yunzhao's words, all the civil officials and military officers who supported him knelt.

Dai Weisi was bad enough, but if the Star Luo Empire were handed to that beast, Dai Mubai, the empire would be doomed!

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"