Zhu Zhuyun's face flushed with embarrassment.
What was Dai Yunzhao saying?
Anyone else who heard those words would get the wrong idea.
But the next moment, the dagger at her lower back had already sliced through her clothes.
Shadow's voice was icy. "If those people hiding in the dark attack, you'll die too."
Shadow's senses were astonishingly sharp.
Even though the Zhu Family specialized in assassination and stealth was their forte,
Shadow had still sensed the few Soul Kings lurking in the dark.
Wherever there was light, shadows were inevitable.
Everyone silently backed away.
Only Dai Yunzhao's carriage slowly drew closer to Zhu Zhuyun.
The people from the Zhu Family didn't approach Dai Yunzhao.
Because Zhu Zhuqing was also by his side!
If Zhu Zhuyun really died, Zhu Zhuqing was still one of the Zhu Family's most important younger generation.
Besides, Dai Yunzhao wasn't holding Zhu Zhuqing hostage!
It would be bad if they attacked and accidentally hurt her.
Dai Yunzhao's carriage pulled up beside Zhu Zhuyun. His handsome face was full of amusement.
"Why don't you accompany me for a while, sister-in-law?"
Zhu Zhuyun bit her lower lip and didn't answer.
She had no right to choose!
Shadow coldly forced her into the carriage.
Her Soul Power had been sealed, so she couldn't make a scene inside the carriage.
Shadow drove the carriage forward at a leisurely pace.
Zhu Zhuyun sat on pins and needles inside.
Dai Yunzhao stared straight at her with a pair of eyes that seemed ready to devour her whole.
But... she was his sister-in-law!
Though she wasn't married into the family yet, she was still Dai Yunzhao's sister-in-law.
Even if she wasn't his sister-in-law, she'd have to be his third sister-in-law, right?
His unblinking stare filled her with an absurd sense of immorality.
Zhu Zhuyun kept lowering her head.
Sitting beside Dai Yunzhao, Zhu Zhuqing was too shocked to speak.
When had her older sister ever acted like this?
Even after she was betrothed to Dai Weisi, she had still been the Zhu Family's future successor first.
Zhu Zhuyun had always been cold and proud. She'd never lost her composure again and again like this!
Leaning back against the carriage, Dai Yunzhao spoke without any discernible emotion. "Sister-in-law, are you planning to offer Dai Mubai a token of your loyalty?"
Zhu Zhuyun turned her head away, not daring to answer.
Dai Yunzhao didn't mind. He simply analyzed the situation aloud:
"You originally bet on Dai Weisi, and the family behind you basically stood with you too."
"But Dai Weisi is dead, and everything you planned has gone up in smoke."
"You and Dai Mubai have no affection between you. In fact, you have grievances against each other."
"If you want to switch sides and support Dai Mubai, you'll have to show enough sincerity."
"My head is the gift you'll offer to prove your loyalty."
Dai Yunzhao spoke of all this as if it were nothing.
He had lived under immense pressure for years.
He had to become an outstanding prince so he wouldn't be cast aside easily.
He had to pretend to be a considerate son, putting on an act of fatherly love and filial piety with the Star Luo Emperor.
He also had to avoid competing over anything and let everything go according to plan.
For six years, he had always acted with the utmost caution, never daring to show himself.
Even Shadow had remained hidden, unseen by outsiders for six years.
Only after enduring all that for six years could Dai Yunzhao still escape after overturning the chessboard.
Zhu Zhuyun sat upright, a trace of scorn in her eyes. "Fourth Prince, I admit you have insight and ability."
"But what makes you think you can stand against the entire Star Luo Empire? A bunch of soldiers on the border?"
"Don't forget where their provisions come from, or where their families are!"
"Their families are in the Star Luo Empire. How dare they rebel? Once their food runs out, who will listen to your ideals?"
Compared with Zhu Zhuqing, who pursued Dai Yunzhao without a second thought, Zhu Zhuyun was more practical and mature.
In everyone's eyes, there was no way Dai Yunzhao could win!
Even if someone came to his aid, Dai Yunzhao still couldn't accomplish anything.
The moment Dai Mubai set foot on the land of the Star Luo Empire, it would mean Dai Yunzhao's death was drawing near!
The Star Luo Imperial Family had secretly kept an eye on Dai Mubai during all the years he'd been away.
Dai Mubai wouldn't be fighting alone.
As an outstanding student of Shrek Academy, his dean and teachers would escort him back.
On top of that, the Star Luo Empire's personal guards would protect him!
With protection layered upon protection, there would be no mishaps when Dai Mubai returned.
It was precisely because Zhu Zhuyun had seen this that she had decisively chosen to strike, determined to take Dai Yunzhao's head before everyone else and gain leverage for herself.
Dai Yunzhao closed his eyes to rest.
"You think I won't win. Maybe I won't, but I might as well give it a try. If I can't beat them, I'll just leave."
"It's just me against the entire Star Luo Empire. There's no shame in losing."
Dai Yunzhao's words left Zhu Zhuyun at a loss.
She'd thought he was the sort of person who would fight to the death, and if he lost, die on the battlefield.
But now Dai Yunzhao had calmly said that if he couldn't win, he'd leave!
He simply didn't care what people thought.
He didn't care about their opinions at all!
He only did what benefited him.
The carriage had barely traveled twenty li when rows of armored Star Luo border troops appeared ahead.
They gripped the standard-issue long spears unique to the border army, solemnly waiting for their new king!
Only then did Zhu Zhuyun suddenly realize.
Dai Yunzhao had been betting with her the whole time. The bet was that he could get away.
Even if Dai Yunzhao had been surrounded back then, these soldiers would still have charged in to save him, no matter the cost.
Leading the soldiers was the general who had previously sat beside Dai Yunzhao.
The general's name was... Xiong Ao.
Xiong Ao rode forward and stopped beside the carriage.
"Your Highness, the troops have assembled. These are the men you brought back from the mountain of corpses and sea of blood."
"They were born on the border, and their families are here too."
"These eight hundred men have nothing to hold them back!"
Dai Yunzhao sat by the carriage door and looked at the eight hundred men in the distance.
He had only eight hundred men, while the Star Luo Emperor had an army of a million.
The Star Luo Emperor still cared about his reputation.
He could have issued a perfectly open order for someone to lead an army and kill Dai Yunzhao.
Instead, he had hidden his intentions, hoping to give Dai Mubai a chance to kill Dai Yunzhao!
His opponent had a million troops, while Dai Yunzhao had only eight hundred.
And these eight hundred weren't especially strong in Soul Power Level.
But they were absolutely loyal, and that was enough!
Dai Yunzhao turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "You asked me what I wanted to do. Do you remember my answer?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded firmly.
"You said you wanted to build a Soul Master army."
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the eight hundred men in the distance and lowered her voice. "But there are only eight hundred of them, and... their Soul Power Levels aren't very high."
Xiong Ao was a Soul Emperor, and he heard every word Zhu Zhuqing said.
The great general furrowed his brows.
But before he could say anything, Dai Yunzhao spoke up on their behalf.
"Eight hundred it is. Eight hundred men have their own way of fighting. With just eight hundred of us, all we can do is strike first!"
"General Xiong Ao, keep an eye on Zhu Zhuyun. I need to go to the Star Dou Forest!"
Before you continue