Your Highness, Is This Killing Intent a Little Too Heavy? The Heaven Dou Army Besieges the City!

Though the order in his hand was nothing more than a blank sheet of paper.

But the White Tiger Spirit unique to the imperial clan of the Star Luo Empire was real beyond question. There was no faking it.

Even if they still could not be certain the person before them was the Fourth Prince.

No matter what, he was a member of the empire's upper ranks.

And so...

"Wu'an City Guard, Centurion Xu Feng, respectfully welcomes the Fourth Prince!"

The leading commander instantly dropped to one knee and greeted Dai Chengfeng with reverence.

Whoosh!

Immediately after, the sound of everyone dropping to one knee in perfect unison rang out. "Greetings, Fourth Prince!"

"Mm. Rise."

Dai Chengfeng looked at these elites. "As expected of soldiers tempered by blood and fire!" He nodded in satisfaction.

Then he withdrew his martial soul and returned to the carriage.

"Uncle, into the city!"

"Right away, Your Highness. Sit tight!"

Zhu Fan smiled and cracked the whip. "Hyah!"

Escorted by several soldiers, the carriage set off once more.

"Uncle, given my current reputation out there as an exiled, unwanted Crippled Prince, do you think I'll run into some cliché situation where people look down on me?"

"After all, they say heaven is high and the emperor is far away, much less in an imperial border city like Wu'an City."

"The city lord should basically be like a local emperor, right?"

At that moment.

Inside the carriage, Dai Chengfeng suddenly lifted the curtain and spoke to Zhu Fan.

"Chengfeng, what are you thinking?"

Zhu Fan rolled his eyes at Dai Chengfeng. "With a Soul Douluo like me here, how could something like that happen?"

"True."

Dai Chengfeng smiled. "It's just that I'm actually rather hoping to be looked down on..."

"That way, I can kill him with perfect justification, then naturally take control of all authority in Wu'an City, so I won't be tied down in the future."

Hearing Dai Chengfeng's words.

Even Zhu Fan, who was used to life and death, could not help the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "This Highness of ours is excellent in civil strategy, military tactics, cultivation talent... everything!"

"It's just that this killing intent of his—isn't it a little too heavy?"

"He hasn't even met the other party yet, and he's already thinking about how to get rid of him and take over his authority..."

Dai Chengfeng said no more, and the carriage fell silent for a time.

Very soon, the two of them traveled unimpeded all the way through, and the City Lord's Mansion not far ahead was already clearly visible.

At this moment.

Zhu Yan, the city lord of Wu'an City, had long since received advance word from the soldiers guarding the city.

Now he was standing before the gates of the City Lord's Mansion, his expression respectful and faintly nervous as he waited.

Zhu Yan was different from those ordinary soldiers.

As a collateral descendant of the Zhu Family, even though his bloodline had long since thinned to the point that even his martial soul was no longer the Hell Spirit Cat, he still had a certain degree of understanding of many matters among the empire's upper ranks.

Among them was this Fourth Prince with Innate Full Soul Power, Dai Chengfeng.

After all, back then, His Highness Dai Chengfeng had been a prominent figure regarded as the one most likely to inherit the position of the next Star Luo Emperor.

Zhu Yan had even specially viewed his portrait.

Thus, when Dai Chengfeng slowly stepped down from the carriage, Zhu Yan recognized him at once.

"It really is the Fourth Prince..."

"I once heard that His Highness the Fourth Prince acted willfully and recklessly, causing a fierce conflict between his Soul Ring and his martial soul, nearly exhausting all his potential. His future achievements were destined to be extremely limited."

"And such conduct completely enraged His Majesty, leading him to exile him to a remote place like Wu'an City."

"It's just that I never received His Majesty's Imperial Edict, so I treated it as a bit of gossip."

"I never expected the rumors to actually be true!"

However, even though he confirmed the rumors, Zhu Yan still did not dare show the slightest contempt on the surface.

After all, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse.

No matter how unfavored he was, Dai Chengfeng's father was still the current Star Luo Emperor, and his mother was the current Empress.

Moreover...

Zhu Yan likewise recognized him at a glance. The man following beside Dai Chengfeng was a direct-line genius of the Zhu Family—now already at the Soul Douluo level, the former Imperial Guard Commander, Zhu Fan!

"Commander Zhu Fan merely obeyed this Chengfeng Your Highness's order and helped him hunt the wrong Soul Beast, yet His Majesty actually vented his anger on him too and exiled him as well..."

"Sigh, what an undeserved disaster!"

"And looking at it this way, this Fourth Prince's personality should be extremely arrogant and conceited. I only hope I won't be dragged down by him."

At that thought...

The respect on Zhu Yan's face deepened. He hurried forward a few steps, bent at the waist, and bowed deeply.

"Zhu Yan, City Lord of Wu'an City, respectfully welcomes the Fourth Prince's honored arrival. Greetings, Commander Zhu Fan!"

Zhu Fan nodded, taking it as a return courtesy.

Dai Chengfeng, however, looked at the respectful Zhu Yan before him and felt faintly disappointed. "As expected, it isn't that melodramatic."

But very quickly, he composed his expression.

"City Lord Zhu, there's no need for such courtesy."

"This prince has come to Wu'an City this time as a stranger in an unfamiliar place. In the future, I'm afraid I'll still need much assistance from City Lord Zhu."

Zhu Yan hurriedly nodded. "Your Highness, rest assured. Zhu Yan will do everything in his power to share Your Highness's burdens and resolve your difficulties!"

Then he cautiously probed, "It's just that I wonder, does Your Highness have any specific instructions in coming to Wu'an this time?"

As he spoke, he silently prayed in his heart, I hope this Highness doesn't make any excessive demands!

Dai Chengfeng clasped his hands behind his back and said in an unhurried tone, "This prince has just arrived and is not yet familiar with Wu'an City. City Lord Zhu may as well first introduce me to the situation in the city."

Zhu Yan's face filled with smiles. "Your Highness, Wu'an City lies on the empire's frontier. Though it cannot compare to the imperial capital's prosperity, it has its own unique local customs."

"Moreover, this place is rich in mineral resources, and the surrounding mountains and forests are home to many Soul Beasts. It is an important place for Soul Masters to Obtain Soul Rings."

"It's just that..."

"In recent years, the scum of the Heaven Dou Empire have often appeared here, harassing the common people and making life miserable for those in the city."

"Although we have dispatched troops to encircle and suppress them many times, they always manage to flee back into their city."

After saying this, a trace of helplessness and guilt appeared on his face.

However, afraid that Dai Chengfeng might actually believe him, he hurriedly added, "But overall, in truth, it has always been our Star Luo Empire that firmly holds the upper hand."

Hearing this, Dai Chengfeng smiled and nodded.

He naturally understood what Zhu Yan meant...

For example, today the Star Luo Empire had attacked a Heaven Dou Empire city and seized quite a few good things. The Heaven Dou Empire was unwilling to accept it, but did not dare attack a city in return.

In the end, they could only send a few people to the border to make some symbolic provocations...

Just like the Filipino Monkey and Indian in his Previous Life—terrible at it, yet still loved to play.

It was just that Zhu Yan could not say such things outright, after all. A great nation naturally had to show magnanimity.

But just as Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Yan were conversing...

Suddenly, a soldier hurried over from the distance. "Reporting to the City Lord, Heaven Dou Empire soldiers have suddenly pressed the border. They have now surrounded our Wu'an City completely!"

"What did you say? Surrounded?"

Zhu Yan's face was full of disbelief. "In the past, it was always our Star Luo Empire bullying them. Today, they actually dare surround us?"

"How many men has the enemy brought?"

The soldier's expression was grave. "Replying to the City Lord, roughly thirty thousand troops."

"Thirty thousand soldiers?"

Zhu Yan's brows furrowed deeply. "The garrison of our Wu'an City is only a little over ten thousand. That's three times our own strength. The Heaven Dou Empire has truly gone to great lengths this time!"

Because of Spirit Hall's existence...

Both the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire had a tacit understanding that no large-scale conflict would break out.

On ordinary days, clashes involving a thousand or so soldiers were already the limit.

Zhu Yan could not understand why the Heaven Dou Empire would suddenly dispatch thirty thousand soldiers to besiege the city.

Suddenly...

An ominous premonition surged up in Zhu Yan's heart, and he subconsciously looked toward Dai Chengfeng.

"Your Highness, the enemy couldn't be coming for you, could they?"