Place in the Top Three, and I'll Name You Crown Prince

After returning to the Star Luo Empire.

Dai Chengqian first settled Zhu Zhuqing into his Imperial Prince's Residence, then immediately entered the palace to see the Star Luo Emperor.

The Star Luo Emperor was reviewing memorials in his study.

Upon learning that Dai Chengqian had completed his training journey and come to report, he put down his memorials and told the eunuch:

"Let him in. Let's see how much he's improved after more than a month of training.

When I asked Qingyue Douluo just now, she kept me guessing. I imagine she must have gained something."

The eunuch beside him dared not interject and merely bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will show the Sixth Prince in at once."

After the eunuch delivered the message, Dai Chengqian entered the study and met the Star Luo Emperor.

The Star Luo Emperor was looking at an enormous map on the wall.

The map depicted the territories of the three great powers: the Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire, and Spirit Hall.

Hearing Dai Chengqian enter, the Star Luo Emperor turned to look at him.

When he sensed that Dai Chengqian's soul power had reached level 33, surprise appeared on his face.

"Your soul power actually rose to level 33? Sixth Son, what soul ring did you absorb?"

Dai Chengqian gave the Star Luo Emperor a mysterious smile and said:

"Father Emperor, I'll show you. But let's agree on this first—don't get scared when you see it."

The Star Luo Emperor laughed at Dai Chengqian's words and waved a hand.

"Just show me already. What soul ring hasn't your old man seen? Enough with the mystery."

Hmph, your jaw will hit the floor in a moment, Dai Chengqian grumbled inwardly, then activated Martial Soul Possession.

When three soul rings appeared—two yellow and one black—and especially when that black ring emerged.

The Star Luo Emperor, who had only just sat down, shot to his feet.

"A ten thousand year soul ring! How is that possible!"

Dai Chengqian was thoroughly pleased to see the Star Luo Emperor stunned by his ten thousand year soul ring.

Dai Chengqian cleared his throat and said:

"It's only a ten thousand year soul ring. You've seen everything, haven't you? No need to be so surprised."

Seeing Dai Chengqian's eyebrows practically flying into the sky while he deliberately acted as though it were nothing, the Star Luo Emperor felt his temper flare.

Absorbing a ten thousand year soul ring as his third ring was simply unheard of. How on earth had this brat done it?

He glanced at Dai Chengqian and said:

"I hear you brought back the Second Daughter of the Zhu Family, Zhu Zhuqing?"

The Zhu Family doesn't seem to know yet. Shall I send someone to inform them?"

"Ah! Father Emperor, please don't!" Dai Chengqian wailed, begging for mercy.

"Hmph. Then behave yourself and tell me everything about your trip to Star Dou in detail."

"Yes, Father Emperor."

With the Star Luo Emperor holding that little weakness over him, Dai Chengqian could only abandon his plans to show off.

He obediently explained how his martial soul had mutated, how he had enlisted Qingyue Douluo's help to kill a ten-thousand-year soul beast, and how he had boldly attempted to absorb its ten thousand year soul ring.

He reported every last detail to the Star Luo Emperor.

After listening, the Star Luo Emperor looked at Dai Chengqian and said:

"Show me your Third Soul Skill."

Dai Chengqian nodded and used Thousand-Flash Thunder Shadow, instantly moving from in front of the Star Luo Emperor to behind him.

The Star Luo Emperor was inwardly shocked by Dai Chengqian's speed.

He was a Titled Douluo himself, and experiencing a soul skill at such close range allowed him to discern a great deal.

Powerful as this ten-thousand-year soul skill was, he was more concerned with Dai Chengqian's mutated martial soul.

Both their martial souls were White Tigers, yet Dai Chengqian's mutated martial soul actually made even him feel a sense of pressure.

It was as though Dai Chengqian's martial soul exerted a degree of bloodline suppression over an ordinary White Tiger martial soul.

Though deeply shocked, concealing his emotions was a compulsory lesson for the Star Luo Emperor.

The Star Luo Emperor tapped his fingers against the desk and said evenly:

"All right. Return to where you were."

Crack!

Electric arcs flashed.

Dai Chengqian returned to the front of the Star Luo Emperor's desk.

"Not bad. Your performance on this training journey barely met my expectations."

Dai Chengqian looked up at the Star Luo Emperor without saying anything.

An emperor, all right. He's even better at showing off than I am.

He had absorbed a ten thousand year soul ring as his third ring, yet his father could still describe that as "barely" meeting expectations. He had to hand it to him.

Though the Star Luo Emperor said "barely," he was deeply shocked inside.

He had never imagined that his sixth son would suddenly display such tremendous potential.

Having seen Dai Chengqian's purple sky divine thunder tiger martial soul and ten thousand year soul ring, the Star Luo Emperor no longer worried about his future combat strength.

As long as Dai Chengqian did not slack off and cultivated steadily, becoming a Titled Douluo would be no problem at all.

But martial strength alone was nowhere near enough to inherit the imperial throne. He also needed the wisdom to govern a nation.

With that thought, the Star Luo Emperor stood, pointed at the map on the wall, and turned to Dai Chengqian.

"Sixth Son, look at this map and tell me what you think.

Don't worry about being wrong. Just say whatever comes to mind."

Dai Chengqian's gaze fell on the map.

It depicted the territories of the Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire, and Spirit Hall.

It also showed some subtle changes in the three powers' territories over the past few years.

He knew the Star Luo Emperor was testing him.

After considering it for a moment, Dai Chengqian said to the Star Luo Emperor:

"Father Emperor, judging by this map, Spirit Hall's territory stretches between our Star Luo Empire and Heaven Dou.

Its presence keeps both sides in check, preventing either us or Heaven Dou from growing too powerful.

On the surface, this arrangement looks excellent. We haven't gone to war with Heaven Dou for many years, and Spirit Hall has reaped considerable benefits from it too. All three sides are happy.

But have you considered this, Father Emperor? That all rests on the premise that Spirit Hall has no great ambitions."

The Star Luo Emperor looked at Dai Chengqian with considerable surprise upon hearing his analysis.

He had not expected Dai Chengqian to offer such an assessment. Nodding slightly, he said:

"Good. Go on."

Dai Chengqian pointed to Spirit Hall's position on the map and said:

"Ever since Bibi Dong became Supreme Pontiff, Spirit Hall's ambitions have grown increasingly great.

Look at the map, Father Emperor. Compared with before she took power, Spirit Hall's territory has grown larger and larger.

And that's only what we can see on the surface. Behind the scenes, I suspect there may be even more.

Spirit Hall controls the awakening and administration of soul masters. As its strength increases and its territory expands,

Father Emperor, what do you think Bibi Dong will do?"

The Star Luo Emperor frowned and said:

"Could Spirit Hall have ambitions to establish a nation? Does she want to create the Douluo Continent's third great empire between our Star Luo Empire and Heaven Dou?"

Dai Chengqian inwardly gave the Star Luo Emperor a thumbs-up.

As expected of someone who had been emperor for so many years, he understood with just a slight hint.

Dai Chengqian continued:

“Father Emperor, I believe your guess is correct, but I don't think it ends there.”

Dai Chengqian looked at the map, his expression serious.

“Father Emperor, I believe Spirit Hall's ambitions are definitely not as simple as merely establishing an empire.

Bibi Dong's ambition is probably to unite the entire Douluo Continent!

To establish the mightiest empire, one standing above every other nation."

"What?

If that is their goal, Spirit Hall would have to go to war with both our Star Luo Empire and Heaven Dou.

How could that be possible?"

Dai Chengqian's words startled the Star Luo Emperor.

In his view, Spirit Hall was still far from possessing that kind of strength.

Forget uniting the entire Douluo Continent—even the Heaven Dou Empire, with its Seven Great Sects, was not something Spirit Hall could easily conquer.

The Star Luo Emperor patted Dai Chengqian's shoulder and said:

"Good. To offer such an analysis of national affairs at your young age is very impressive.

You're just making a few too many assumptions in your assessment.

That woman Bibi Dong certainly has considerable ambition, but even if she wants to unite the Douluo Continent, Spirit Hall's current strength is still far from sufficient."

Dai Chengqian sighed inwardly.

He understood that convincing the Star Luo Emperor with just a few words was impossible.

The only thing he could do now was increase his own strength as quickly as possible.

Suddenly, Dai Chengqian remembered that when he had received his roulette reward, some sections of the wheel had offered rewards related to soul tools and their manufacture.

If he later obtained the means to manufacture soul tools.

Could he build a Soul Tool Army of his own?

When that time came, even Tang San's Tang Sect would probably amount to little before his Soul Tool Army.

With that thought, Dai Chengqian said to the Star Luo Emperor:

“Father Emperor, I have a request.”

"Speak."

“I wish to establish my own princely guard. Please grant me permission, Father Emperor.”

The Star Luo Emperor frowned.

A prince commanding troops was a grave taboo. Although a princely guard was not a formal army, permission could not be granted casually.

But his sixth son had indeed performed the best lately, and he had already made him his first choice for crown prince. Rejecting him outright would hardly be appropriate.

With that thought, the Star Luo Emperor looked at Dai Chengqian and said:

"What's a princely guard worth?

Sixth Son, in two years, the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, jointly hosted by Spirit Hall and the two great empires, will begin.

The strongest young people in the world will gather there.

Your brothers will all assemble teams to compete.

You should prepare a team to enter as well.

Whichever of you brothers leads a team to a top-three finish, I will immediately name him crown prince.

If you want military authority, then work hard to become crown prince. When that happens, I will grant you a share of military command to exercise as you see fit!"