Jin Hao Awakened, the Performance Began

After learning this news, Xue Ye could no longer sit still in the Imperial Palace.

He immediately shouted outside:

"Attend me! Prepare the carriage for First Prince Manor."

"Summon the Imperial Palace physicians."

As soon as Xue Ye finished speaking, the guards and servants outside sprang into action.

Then, surrounded by a large entourage, he hurried toward First Prince Manor.

Upon arriving at the manor, Xue Ye immediately headed for the room where Jin Hao lay unconscious.

Once inside, Xue Ye saw the unconscious Jin Hao and the anxious Lin Cheng at his side. He called out to Lin Cheng:

"Lin Cheng, how is Qinghe? Is he in danger?"

Hearing this, Lin Cheng replied:

"Your Majesty, His Highness the First Prince was not directly killed by the assailant. Instead, he was controlled and forcibly made to absorb a Millennium Soul Ring from an Ice Crystal Swan, in an attempt to make His Highness explode and die."

"But for some reason, His Highness did not explode. He merely fell unconscious and still has signs of life, though we do not know whether there will be any lasting effects."

Upon hearing this, Xue Ye staggered and nearly lost his footing.

Xue Ye wondered what sins the Heaven Dou Empire had committed. In a single day, all three of his sons had been targeted. His second and third sons had been eliminated outright, while his eldest had been forcibly made to absorb a Millennium Soul Ring. His life and death were still uncertain.

But Xue Ye had also guessed why his fourth son had not been assassinated. Xue Beng had been with his second brother, Xue Xing. That day, Xue Xing was hosting the Title Douluo Dugu Bo at his residence and had called Xue Beng over to make an appearance.

Xue Ye believed that if not for that, Xue Beng would have suffered an attack as well.

At that moment, Xue Ye thought that if his eldest son died too, then he would be left only with his most useless fourth son, Xue Beng—a complete wastrel.

Moreover, ever since childhood, Xue Beng had been close to his uncle Xue Xing, and not nearly as close to Xue Ye himself.

Xue Ye understood the reason for this. He had tacitly allowed it, after all. His younger brother had made a mistake in his youth that left him unable to have children.

As Xue Xing's elder brother, Xue Ye did not want to see his brother die without descendants. Besides, Xue Ye originally had four sons. No matter what, it would never have been Xue Beng, a concubine-born son rather than the Empress's child, who inherited the throne. He still had three elder brothers ahead of him.

Thus, Xue Ye had once intended for Xue Beng to inherit Xue Xing's title in the future. Otherwise, his younger brother's bloodline would end.

Xue Xing understood his intentions as well, so he doted heavily on his nephew Xue Beng, creating the current situation.

Xue Ye did not dare imagine what would become of the empire if Xue Qinghe truly died and its future was handed to a spoiled wastrel.

The thought gave Xue Ye a splitting headache.

Just then, the Imperial Palace physician Xue Ye had brought along finished examining Jin Hao.

Seeing this, Lin Cheng immediately asked:

"How is the First Prince? Is his life in danger?"

Hearing Lin Cheng's question, Xue Ye also looked at the physician with hopeful eyes.

Facing their gazes, the physician said:

"Your Majesty, General, there is no need for concern. His Highness the First Prince is not in mortal danger. However, because he was forcibly made to absorb a Millennium Soul Ring, the Soul Power within his body became chaotic. His Highness fell unconscious because that Soul Power was rampaging through his body."

"This subject has already suppressed all of his Soul Power and returned it to its proper place. His Highness is no longer in danger."

Hearing this, both Lin Cheng and Xue Ye breathed sighs of relief.

Then Xue Ye asked:

"When will Qinghe wake up? And his Martial Soul... it has not been affected, has it?"

At this, a trace of excitement appeared on the physician's previously calm face. He said to Xue Ye and Lin Cheng:

"Your Majesty, General, His Highness the First Prince will awaken before long."

"As for His Highness's Martial Soul, Your Majesty, this time His Highness may have turned misfortune into a blessing. Just now, I discovered that his Soul Power has transformed into ice-attributed Soul Power. It is no longer the gentle Soul Power he once had; it now possesses offensive power. Furthermore, his Soul Power has risen from what should have been level twenty-one to level twenty-six."

As these words fell, the furrowed brows of Xue Ye and Lin Cheng relaxed, and smiles appeared on their faces.

This was undoubtedly excellent news.

Naturally, Xue Ye was delighted. Not only was his eldest son unharmed, but he had even gained a blessing from misfortune. His Soul Power had reached level twenty-six. Such Soul Power at fourteen might not be worth mentioning among other geniuses, but within the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, it was exceptionally good.

He was especially pleased to hear that his son's Soul Power had changed into ice-attributed Soul Power. Although the Imperial Family's inherited Martial Soul was the powerless swan, a symbol of nobility, and the Heaven Dou Empire relied on alliances with other sects to stabilize its rule, who would not want an heir capable of breaking through those limitations to emerge within the empire?

A powerful member of the Imperial Family was extremely important to the Imperial Family.

Lin Cheng's happiness was even simpler. As long as Xue Qinghe was fine, with the Second Prince and Third Prince dead and the Fourth Prince a wastrel, there would be no more uncertainty over the succession. His nephew would become the future emperor of the empire.

Although Xue Ye still felt some sorrow over the deaths of his two sons, after learning this news, it seemed as though he was no longer quite so saddened.

At that moment, Jin Hao understood that it was time for his performance. He could open his eyes and begin acting.

Then, in the next instant, Xue Ye and the others heard a soft cough, followed by a voice:

"Did I survive?"

Jin Hao portrayed himself as a weak, injured man who had only just awakened.

Hearing this, Xue Ye immediately came to Jin Hao's side and asked:

"Qinghe, do you feel any discomfort?"

"Father, I do not feel too uncomfortable. My meridians just hurt a little."

After he spoke, Xue Ye looked toward the physician.

Seeing this, the physician stepped forward and said:

"These are aftereffects left by the rampaging Soul Power. A few days of rest will be enough. It will not leave any lasting illness."

Only then was Xue Ye reassured. He then asked:

"Qinghe, what exactly happened to you at that time?"

Hearing this, Jin Hao understood that it was time to perform.

"Father, at the time, two guards and I went to the Soul Beast Forest to search for my Second Soul Ring. But after searching for several days, we found nothing suitable. I had originally planned to give up, return to prepare some more, and then head to the Star Dou Great Forest."

"But then, someone suddenly rushed out and directly killed the two guards."

"Fortunately, the guards managed to send out a distress signal with their dying strength. When that assailant saw it, he immediately controlled me and forced me to absorb that Millennium Ice Crystal Swan Soul Ring."

"Perhaps he believed I would certainly die from the impact of the Millennium Soul Ring. And after seeing that distress signal, he left immediately."