Since We're Already Offending Them, We Might as Well Go All the Way!
King Balak Kingdom sneered and pointed his whip into the distance.
"The reason I dared to lead a large army straight to Notting City is because I had already received definite information."
"None of the Titled Douluo of the Long Night Alliance are in their territory!"
Several generals were dumbfounded.
Someone couldn't help but remind him, "Your Majesty, although a fierce battle has broken out in the Far North Forest, Ye Hua has returned. How can those Titled Douluo not follow him?"
As a result, King Balak Kingdom waved his hand dismissively.
"Impossible!"
"Absolutely impossible!"
"There are tens of millions of these monsters!"
"Even if you gave them tens of millions of steamed buns, they could still stuff those Titled Douluo to death. How could they possibly come back so easily!"
"I think it's probably because he couldn't withstand the severe cold, so he left the Titled Douluo on the northern frontier and came back to enjoy himself!"
The marshal placed his hand on his forehead.
My King!
You should face reality!
If the defenses are in dire straits, even Crown Prince Xue Qinghe wouldn't dare return to Heaven Dou City!
Unfortunately, King Balak Kingdom refused to listen to advice.
He became more and more smug as he spoke, "So what if Ye Hua comes back?"
"I know he's powerful, with the strength of Titled Douluo, but I have an army of over ten thousand!"
"Once I take Notting City, those envious forces will naturally jump out to grab the scraps."
"By then, the die will be cast. Will the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, now dead, turn against me?"
He was speaking with great enthusiasm when he saw someone rush towards him.
"Your Majesty, be careful!" The guards quickly protected the emperor.
But the man called out from afar, "Prince Xue Xing has given an order! King Balak Kingdom, receive the order!"
"Hmm?" King Balak Kingdom asked, puzzled. "Why is his order being sent here instead of to the palace?"
While he was pondering, his attendants arrived at the front of the army and raised Prince Xue Xing's Scepter.
"Balak Kingdom's army, halt immediately and retreat thirty li, and are not to cross the border!"
"Otherwise, they will all be treated as treason!"
The entourage exuded an imposing aura that left no room for argument.
Balak Kingdom's smile froze instantly.
He stared wide-eyed. "Prince Xue Xing? What's he doing in this godforsaken place?!"
The Soul Saint's attendant, who was delivering the message, frowned and looked at him as if he were a fool. "The Night Alliance Leader has invited Soul Master from all over the world to Notting City to watch the battle. Everyone knows this half a month ago."
"King Balak Kingdom, you... haven't received the message?"
The air suddenly became still.
King Balak Kingdom was stunned.
Ever since he obtained information about Dai Mubai, he has been plotting revenge.
He was already in the military camp half a month ago!
To prevent any leaks, he cut off all communication!
Not to mention Prince Xue Xing's whereabouts, he only learned of Ye Hua's return last night.
"Your Majesty," the marshal pleaded again, "Why don't we..."
King Balak Kingdom gripped the reins tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.
"We will not withdraw."
The generals were all dumbfounded.
"D-King?!"
"I said I won't withdraw!" King Balak Kingdom's eyes were bloodshot. "The arrow is on the bowstring, and it must be released!"
"That brat killed my brother-in-law! I've endured this for years, waiting for this day!"
"If we withdraw now, how will we save face? And what about retaliation later?"
"After I destroy the foundation of the Long Night Alliance, I will then apologize to His Highness the Prince!"
The attendant frowned. "You intend to defy the prince?"
"They all say to apologize afterward!" King Balak Kingdom said without changing his expression.
Seeing that he was unyielding, the attendants knew that staying any longer would be pointless, so they turned around and rushed back to report.
However, a huge crowd was surging towards the official road in the distance.
"Oh no!" the attendant exclaimed in alarm, "It's too late!"
The people weren't actually running very fast, but Ye Hua took care of them and slowed down.
Amidst the rising dust, the procession of over a thousand people marched on.
Men, women, young and old, Soul Master, commoners, even vegetable farmers carrying hoes and butchers weighing scales, all tiptoed forward, squeezing forward like they were at a temple fair!
A scout from the Balak Kingdom's army reported, "Your Majesty, a large number of civilians have been discovered ahead, roughly estimated at nearly a thousand, and the number is still increasing!"
King Balak Kingdom narrowed his eyes. "That treacherous brat Ye Hua, he uses the common people as shields when he has no army."
"Trying to use your reputation to stop me? I won't fall for that!"
"They're just commoners; a few words of intimidation and they'll disperse!"
Just then, a tall figure stepped out from the front of the group.
Ye Hua stood calmly upright. "King Balak Kingdom, what brings you here?"
King Balak Kingdom smirked, "Ye Hua, when you took control of Notting City, you killed my brother-in-law to establish your authority. Today, I've come to settle this blood debt!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Hua instantly flew into a rage!
"How dare you! You're impersonating the king!"
"Huh?" King Balak Kingdom was stunned.
Ye Hua's words were like knives. "King Balak Kingdom is a man of great principle, who loves his people like his own children. How could he raise an army for personal vendettas? You are clearly an imposter!"
"Heh," King Balak Kingdom sneered, "Playing dumb when you can't win? Ye Hua, who do you think you can fool with your clumsy tricks?"
"I brought the royal seal with me; would you like to verify it?"
"All troops, heed my command!" King Balak Kingdom ordered directly, "Advance for me! Flatten Notting City!"
"Leave no one alive among these people!"
Flags fluttered, swords and spears clashed, and soldiers in the front ranks marched forward, causing the ground to tremble.
Ye Hua stood still, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Oh? You mean you're going to kill us all?"
"Nonsense!" King Balak Kingdom said without hesitation, "Since I've come, I have no intention of leaving any survivors!"
Ye Hua turned to the side and spread his palms out to the crowd behind him, as if introducing a long-awaited performance.
"That's perfect, these people all want to hear how you're going to kill them."
The next second, the crowd behind him parted to the sides in unison.
Prince Xue Xing's face was gloomy, and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family insignia on his chest was dazzling in the sunlight.
Next came Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, Dugu Bo, and others.
All the bigwigs on the stage stood in a row behind Ye Hua.
King Balak Kingdom's smile froze completely on his face.
His hand holding the reins trembled violently, and he almost dropped the whip.
"Prince Xue Xing..."
"Sect Master Ning? Sword Douluo? Poison Douluo?!"
King Balak Kingdom seemed to see his great-grandmother.
"You... you..."
He looked at Ye Hua, his eyes filled with utter horror as if he had seen a ghost.
Then he quickly turned to look at his attendant.
"This... this was all invited by him?"
The attendant nodded, as if looking at a dead man.
King Balak Kingdom gasped in shock, nearly fainting!
Just kidding, Prince Xue Xing alone is enough to give him a run for his money!
If all these big shots were here, what would he even be able to do?
Dai Mubai, the information is wrong!
If Ye Hua hadn't returned, wouldn't everything have been fine?
Seeing their amused expressions, he felt his vision go black!
But misfortune never comes singly, and Tuo Ba Chuo, Hu Qian, and Feng Chang stepped forward.
"Night Alliance Leader, before we capture Dai Mubai, let the three of us atone for our sins!"
"King Balak Kingdom has provoked us without authorization. We are willing to help you capture him and bring him to face your judgment!"
Now, the situation is clearly out of his control.
If this matter is not handled properly, it could be seen that the third prince of the Star Luo Empire, together with the three major sects within the empire, has gone to the Heaven Dou Empire to stir up trouble and attempt to provoke a civil war.
The nature of that conflict could escalate from a feud between sects to an imperial declaration of war—a situation even the Heavenly King himself couldn't afford to take the blame for!
The only thing to do is try to please Ye Hua and make him happy so that he won't pursue the matter any further!
Ye Hua was surprised by this unexpected bonus and readily agreed.
The three men exchanged glances and charged directly at the Balak Kingdom's army!
When King Balak Kingdom saw their Martial Soul, his expression changed drastically!
"Damn it, what are people from the Star Luo Empire's sects doing here?"
"Could it be...?"