A prince blocked the way, a hopeless death trap

Sun Moon Imperial City, Worship Hall!

Seeing Kong Deming suddenly disappear, Yun Jin could not help asking in confusion:

"Where is Elder Kong going?"

"Haha, do you even need to ask?"

Liao Mengkai grinned, looking thoroughly pleased and in excellent spirits:

"He must have regretted it after witnessing that boy Xu Yan's heaven-defying talent firsthand.

He plans to go out himself and bring him back to the Imperial City!"

"You're celebrating far too soon."

Ye Yulin gave him a faint glance, his voice cool:

"During last night's coup, the late emperor died horribly, and the Offering Hall tacitly condoned the entire affair.

Given Xu Yan's temperament, do you really think he would willingly return to the imperial family and serve the empire?"

He paused briefly, then continued with another question. "Even if he returned, where would that leave Xu Tianran and his son?

And how would we deal with all the nobles who participated in last night's coup and took sides in the struggle for power? Execute every last one?"

The other elders in the hall nodded in agreement.

Last night's bloody coup had already carved an irreparable rift between Xu Yan and the Sun Moon Empire.

Even if Xu Yan possessed unparalleled talent and could be called a monster.

For the sake of stability at the imperial court and the balance of power.

Kong Deming would never support his accession to the throne again.

Liao Mengkai's expression abruptly darkened, his brows knitting tightly:

"Then what exactly did Elder Kong go out to do?"

A hint of cold mockery curved Ye Yulin's lips:

"Who can say for certain?

Perhaps he intends to remove this hidden danger completely, personally cutting out the weed by its roots to prevent any future trouble.

Or perhaps he's interested in that boy's tremendous vitality."

But Ye Yulin did not voice that last sentence.

Everyone knew that the Sun Moon Empire's bloodlines had a flaw.

Cultivation was far more difficult for them than for the people of the Douluo Three Kingdoms.

Breaking through to Super Douluo was harder still.

Kong Deming was already at level 94, and conventional methods could no longer help him break through.

But with tremendous vitality to propel him forward, he might be able to repair his bloodline's flaw and force a breakthrough.

Even if that failed, absorbing it would still benefit his body.

Ye Yulin certainly did not consider Kong Deming a softhearted man.

Meanwhile, on a rooftop high above the slums.

Du Busi, Jin Peng, and Mo Yuan stood overlooking the area.

They watched Xu Yan in the distance, their eyes filled with shock.

Unable to hide how shaken he was, Jin Peng spoke in a low voice:

"Sect Master, just what did this boy consume?

How can his recovery be so terrifying?!

Could some supreme immortal herb have tempered his body?"

"It's hard to judge."

Du Busi shook his head lightly, a sharp gleam flickering in his eyes. "No ordinary immortal herb could have such a heaven-defying effect.

The key should be his martial soul. It's definitely extraordinary!"

He had personally witnessed Xu Yan doubling his combat strength through daylight alone, without even activating a soul skill.

Aside from supreme secret arts, only a special martial soul could accomplish such a thing.

Looking bewildered, Mo Yuan pressed him. "Doesn't he have a body martial soul too? Is his different from yours, Sect Master?"

"The human body holds countless different mysteries."

Du Busi explained slowly, "My body martial soul possesses an innate deadly poison, which can enhance my combat strength in the early stages.

But the higher my cultivation, the stronger the poison's backlash becomes. Instead, it turns into a shackle and a burden.

This boy is entirely different. There isn't a trace of sinister poison or baleful energy within him. Instead, he is filled with the ultimate pure yang flame.

More remarkable still, this flame can absorb the yang energy of heaven and earth to nourish itself and continually grow stronger.

That should be why his combat strength surges during the day."

Xu Yan was not the only one with such an ability.

In the Dou Ling Empire, Heavenly Sun Douluo's Heavenly Sun martial soul could likewise absorb yang energy to enhance his strength.

Yet in comparison, the boost he received fell far short of Xu Yan's.

"He must have consumed some immortal herb with an ultimate life attribute, which then fused with his own pure yang flame.

Yin and yang nurtured each other, giving birth to this special flame that possesses both the power to burn the heavens and heaven-defying vitality."

"So that's how it is."

Understanding dawned on Mo Yuan, and he reminded him, "Sect Master, it's already daylight. We shouldn't linger here. It's time we left."

"Wait a little longer."

Du Busi folded his arms across his chest and muttered:

"Are all the Sun Moon Empire's higher-ups useless?

After one huge disturbance after another, they still haven't noticed!"

Hearing this, Jin Peng's mouth twitched.

Having worked alongside him for decades, he naturally knew what Du Busi was thinking.

The three of them had caught up with Xu Yan's group long ago, only for Du Busi to deliberately stop them.

He had said there was no rush, that they still had plenty of time, and that they could take the opportunity to see Xu Yan's true strength.

In reality, he simply wanted to wait for the Sun Moon Empire's top experts to arrive.

Once Xu Yan was cornered, he would make a powerful entrance.

And stage a dazzling rescue.

By crushing the Sun Moon experts, he would win over the genius.

He could establish his authority while making Xu Yan admire him and willingly join the sect.

Du Busi never tired of indulging in such slightly childish schemes.

Yet his strength stood above all others beneath the heavens, so he naturally acted without restraint.

On the ruined battlefield in the slums.

Xu Yan casually tossed the charred, shriveled corpse in his hand aside.

His gaze was icy as he looked at the scar-faced man.

"It's time to send you down there to reunite with your men."

Before his words had faded, the ground beneath his feet suddenly erupted with a sharp blast.

White light flowed.

Xu Yan shot forward like a flaming cheetah.

Moving at incredible speed, he lunged straight at the scar-faced man.

Catching sight of the glowing soul tool patterns beneath Xu Yan's feet, the scar-faced man's pupils contracted sharply.

Horror filled his face as he cried out, "A Level 4 Soul Tool!"

Was there any justice left in the world? A Soul Grandmaster was actually wearing Level 4 Soul Tool Shoes?!

He was already gravely injured, and his entire right arm was crippled.

How could he possibly fight anymore?

Seeing Xu Yan charge toward him, the scar-faced man turned hastily without hesitation.

He fled in panic toward the center of the Imperial City.

"Damn it! What a monster!

If I'd known he'd be this difficult to deal with, I never would have gotten greedy!"

Filled with regret, the scar-faced man fled frantically.

But before he had taken more than a few steps, he slammed into a tall, straight figure.

Bang!

The tremendous recoil instantly sent him flying, and he crashed heavily to the ground.

"Fuck! Are you blind? Watch where you're going!"

The scar-faced man scrambled up in a sorry state and shouted angrily.

But the instant he looked up and recognized the newcomer's face, his entire body stiffened, and all the color drained from him.

With terror written across his face, he blurted out, "P-Prince Xu!"

The newcomer was over fifty, with handsome, distinguished features, and wore the luxurious robes of an imperial prince.

He held a soul tool longsword crafted from the finest materials, at least level eight in quality.

He was none other than Xu Tianyuan, deputy commander of the Sun Moon Empire's Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps.

"Xu Tianyuan!"

In the distance, Xu Yan stopped abruptly, his expression instantly turning grave.

His heart sank completely.

Yan Feng, Xu He, and Ji Juechen immediately gathered beside Xu Yan.

Every one of them looked tense.

Their earlier battle against the assassins had ultimately been little more than a minor skirmish.

But the man before them was a true top expert of the empire, ******.

A sense of helplessness that seeped into their very bones quietly settled over their hearts.

Xu Tianyuan's gaze was indifferent as he completely ignored the four wary youths.

He looked coldly down at the scar-faced man kneeling on the ground and asked in an icy voice:

"Who's blind?"

Trembling all over, the scar-faced man hurriedly knelt and kowtowed, begging fearfully for mercy:

"I was reckless! I know I was wrong! Please spare my life, Your Highness!"

"Useless trash."

Xu Tianyuan's eyes were cold and merciless as he said flatly:

"A Soul Ancestor who can't even take down a Soul Grandmaster is only a waste of resources."

Before his words had faded, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He raised his hand and struck his palm straight down at the scar-faced man's head.

"No—!"

Bang!

The scar-faced man's plea cut off abruptly.

His head burst apart, killing him on the spot.

Only after disposing of the scar-faced man with swift efficiency did Xu Tianyuan raise his eyes to Xu Yan and Xu He.

A gentle, false smile settled over his face. His tone was even, yet every word carried murderous intent:

"Your Highnesses, you've fled all the way here. It's time you stopped running.

Allow me to send you on your final journey."

At the sight of that hypocritical face, fierce rage instantly blazed in Xu He's eyes.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared fixedly at him and snarled through clenched teeth:

"Xu Tianyuan! My father treated you generously, promoting you against convention to deputy commander of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps and granting you power and glory!

Yet with a wolf's heart and a dog's lungs, you colluded with Xu Tianran and his son to stage a coup, murder your sovereign, and plunge the nation into chaos!

Where is your conscience?!"

Xu Yan stood silently, saying nothing.

He knew that any further arguments or accusations at this point would be futile.

In the original story, Xu Tianyuan had already become commander of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps.

That meant he had sided with Xu Tianran long ago.

He was also one of the greatest beneficiaries of this coup.

Xu Yan took a deep breath and discreetly activated his spiritual power.

He quietly extended it into the Soul Tool Ring on his finger.

Within its enormous fifty-cubic-meter storage space, aside from everyday supplies, cultivation consumables, and various ranged and close-combat soul tools.

At the very center of the space, a massive shell as thick as a bucket rested quietly.

This was his final trump card, and also his worst path of no return.

A Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shell.

One of the products of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Tool Research Institute.

Once detonated, its power was enough to flatten an entire city.

And annihilate all life.

[PS: My new book is still in its early days, so I'm begging all you handsome, wealthy bosses for some support.

Toss me a few recommendation votes and monthly votes so I can get a taste.

If that's too much, simply keeping up with the chapters would do. I bow here in thanks!]