Meeting Yang Wudi

"Young master, we've arrived at the Breaking Clan's estate." Wang Hao, the commander of the death guards, called from outside the carriage.

But Dai Xuanyu did not hurry to get out. He turned to the two elders accompanying him. "Elder Long, Elder Xuan, I'll have to trouble you both shortly."

"Rest assured, young master. This old woman will protect you. Nothing will go wrong," Zhu Xuan declared at once.

Beside her, Dai Long said with complete confidence, "You can rest easy, young master."

"If that mere Soul Saint dares harbor ill intentions toward you, I'll strike him down on the spot!"

"Ah, Elder Long, there's no need to go that far. I came to recruit Yang Wudi, a master of medicine. Best not to make a scene."

Dai Xuanyu spoke with a smile. Inwardly, he agreed with Dai Long, but he still had to say otherwise.

As the saying went, the son of a wealthy family did not sit beneath a roof with falling tiles, and a gentleman did not stand beside a crumbling wall.

Dai Xuanyu would never be foolish enough to visit Yang Wudi with only a few guards and those items.

He did not make a habit of assuming the worst of people, but he would never place his life in someone else's hands, either.

Besides, even when traveling incognito, the crown prince of the Star Luo Empire was not playing a weakling to lure out his enemies.

He had certainly brought every safeguard he needed.

Then, accompanied by Dai Long and Zhu Xuan, Dai Xuanyu stepped down from the carriage.

Wang Hao presented their visiting card, and a member of the Yang clan led the four of them into the Breaking Clan's reception hall.

"Honored guests, please wait a little while. The clan chief is preparing medicine and cannot come to meet you just yet."

A middle-aged man who had hurried over spoke to Dai Xuanyu, seated in the place of honor, with utmost respect. He was afraid of causing the slightest displeasure.

His name was Yang Lin. Apart from the clan chief, Yang Wudi, he was the Breaking Clan's strongest member, a high-level Soul Emperor.

Whenever Yang Wudi secluded himself to cultivate or prepare medicine, Yang Lin handled the Breaking Clan's affairs as its acting head.

"We came without warning. The fault is ours."

"No matter. Since Chief Yang is still occupied, we can wait a little longer."

Dai Xuanyu waved a hand, looking thoroughly understanding.

Treating worthy people with courtesy was a lesson every emperor had to learn.

When it came to an irreplaceable expert like Yang Wudi, no amount of respect was excessive.

Hearing this, Yang Lin said, overwhelmed by the honor, "Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness."

The visiting card had already told Yang Lin who Dai Xuanyu was, and he did not dare put on the slightest airs.

Although Dai Xuanyu's visiting card had not explicitly identified him as the crown prince, his status as the fourth prince of the Star Luo Empire was more than enough for now.

However cruel the Star Luo Imperial Family's traditions were, he was still a prince.

As long as he had not been stripped of his title or lost his life, his standing in the outside world remained unchanged.

A clan like the Breaking Clan, which had long since lost its former glory, naturally had to take him very seriously.

No, even if the Breaking Clan still enjoyed its former glory, Dai Xuanyu would still be owed the proper respect and courtesy.

After all, even at the Breaking Clan's peak, when its members were numerous, it had not possessed a single Soul Douluo.

Even its chief, Yang Wudi, was still stuck at the bottleneck of level seventy-nine and had yet to break through to Soul Douluo.

"Please enjoy these, Your Highness."

While they waited in the reception hall, maids served pastries and tea.

"Not bad." Dai Xuanyu's eyes lit up after he sampled a pastry.

The Breaking Clan had put a clever touch into these pastries, mixing in medicinal herbs.

It gave them a distinctive flavor and texture.

"If Your Highness likes them, I'll have someone write out the recipe and give it to you at once," Yang Lin said immediately.

There was a reason Yang Lin was being so eager to please.

As the Breaking Clan's acting head, he had been settled in Great Cloud City for several years and had learned a fair amount about the Star Luo Empire.

That included the Star Luo Imperial Family's brutal contest for the throne.

Yang Lin was a high-level Soul Emperor, yet he could not gauge the strength of either elder accompanying Dai Xuanyu. He immediately realized that this fourth prince was no ordinary figure.

That was precisely why he had shown such warmth.

"Then you have my thanks." Dai Xuanyu nodded slightly, accepting the offer.

Power and status truly were curious things.

Dai Xuanyu was the one who wanted the recipe, yet Yang Lin was practically begging him to accept it.

No wonder so many people became enthralled by power.

But Dai Xuanyu had remained clearheaded throughout.

He would enjoy its privileges, but he would never lose himself in them.

On Douluo Continent, where strength reigned supreme, only strength could decide everything!

"Your Highness honors us with your visit. Forgive me for failing to welcome you sooner."

Just then, a hearty laugh rang out, and an elder who looked younger than his years entered the reception hall.

He was tall but lean, with black hair and a ruddy complexion. It was hard to believe he was an elder.

The only jarring thing was his cold, hawklike eyes, which made his warm expression seem strangely out of place.

That's right. It's still fourteen years before Yang Wudi makes his first appearance. Looking at him, Dai Xuanyu quickly understood.

Yang Wudi had not yet become the level eighty-two Soul Douluo he would be in the future. It had only been a few years since he had led the surviving clan members to settle in Great Cloud City.

Dai Xuanyu also knew why Yang Wudi was treating him so warmly.

He quickly rose from his seat and strode toward Yang Wudi to greet him.

For a moment, it was almost hard to tell which of them was the host and which was the guest.

"As expected of the Breaking Clan's chief. Now that I've met you, I can see you truly are a master..." Dai Xuanyu gave Yang Wudi every courtesy.

Yang Wudi, somewhat overwhelmed by the honor, replied, "Your Highness flatters me. It's only an empty reputation."

This fourth prince really is no ordinary man. Even while traveling incognito, he has two Soul Douluo-level experts at his side?!

It seems this generation's struggle for the Star Luo Imperial Family's throne may take an unexpected turn.

Inside, Yang Wudi's thoughts surged like storm-tossed waves.

When he learned that Dai Xuanyu, the Star Luo Empire's fourth prince, had come to visit the Breaking Clan with two mysterious experts in tow, Yang Wudi had taken the visit extremely seriously.

Only upon meeting him did Yang Wudi realize he had still underestimated the fourth prince.

With two Soul Douluo-level experts following him, Dai Xuanyu's claim to the crown prince's position was practically set in stone.

Yang Wudi could hardly be blamed for thinking so. Anyone who saw Dai Xuanyu's entourage would have reached the same conclusion.