You two are a perfect match

Five days remained in the countdown to the "Million-Year Soul Bone Appraisal Gathering."

Just as Ren Tao had predicted, Vast Sea City was now completely sealed off. Heavily armed troops guarded every gate, and Sharp-Tailed Swift Soul Masters occasionally streaked across the sky, flying so high and fast that they vanished in the blink of an eye.

Even the harbors, docks, and coastline near the city were patrolled by guards twenty-four hours a day.

The whole of Vast Sea City had been enclosed like an iron barrel.

With Titled Douluos stationed there as well, even a Titled Douluo would have to pay a considerable price to force their way through its defenses.

Of course, none of this depended on whether Mr. Ren was actually in the city.

Yu Xiaogang's view was that as long as Spirit Hall believed Mr. Ren was there, that was enough.

Even taking ten thousand steps back, if Spirit Hall obtained inside information through its spies, there was still another factor: Emperor Xue Beng of the Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Emperor Dai Rong were to meet secretly in the city to discuss the details of the Spider Hunt Operation.

As for how the two sides would face the impending struggle over the Million-Year Soul Bone after hunting the spider, that was a matter on another level altogether.

At that moment, in the reception hall of Vast Sea City's city lord's residence, experts from the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires stood on either side of the entrance. Rather than guards, they looked more like two armies confronting each other in silence before battle.

Inside the hall, sunlight streamed through the tall, narrow windows onto Emperor Xue Beng's face, warming his cheeks red and drawing fine beads of sweat from his forehead.

Only he and the Star Luo Emperor were present. At Dai Rong's request, all other attendants had been kept outside, supposedly so the two emperors could converse alone. Yet at the chosen hour, Dai Rong sat in the guest's seat while bright sunlight shone straight into Xue Beng's face, almost as though it had all been calculated beforehand.

And this was Heaven Dou Empire territory, Emperor Xue Beng's home ground. That left the emperor, accomplished actor though he was, feeling a little more apprehensive.

Is Dai Rong telling me he knows every arrangement in Vast Sea City, or have the Star Luo Empire's spies already infiltrated my inner circle?

"Who exactly is this Mr. Ren? The moment he acts, wind and rain follow. How could someone like that have remained utterly unknown? Xue Beng, do you have any clues?"

Star Luo Emperor Dai Rong did not begin by discussing their respective positions or strategies. Instead, he asked a seemingly unrelated question.

"Experts often remain behind the scenes. Take the Chang Tribe experts at your side, Uncle Dai. They've performed remarkable feats time and again, but how many people even know they exist?"

Xue Beng took a small sip of tea and spoke with apparent nonchalance.

"Hmph! You even know about the Chang Tribe. It seems you've put in no small amount of effort. My dear nephew, if you have that much energy, why not spend it on cultivation or dealing with Spirit Hall? Then I wouldn't have to sit here wasting words with you!"

As the Star Luo Emperor spoke, his expression suddenly hardened, his voice thick with contempt and disdain. "Of Xue Ye's sons, the only one I thought worthy was Xue Qinghe. What a pity... In strategy or martial valor, how could your Heaven Dou compare with my Star Luo Empire? Yet now I have to stand beside you and plot together. Fate truly makes fools of us!"

Xue Beng's expression changed abruptly. He was about to slam the table, rise, and deliver a righteous rebuke.

Dai Rong waved a hand. His Soul Douluo aura erupted like a tiger's roar, exploding through the air with a thunderclap that made Xue Beng shudder and drop heavily back into his chair.

"Enough nonsense. What's your plan? What do you need me to do?"

"You!"

Xue Beng flew into a rage and nearly swept out in a huff, consequences be damned. But he had proposed this meeting, and it had always been the Heaven Dou Empire asking for an alliance. The reason went without saying: official corruption and declining national strength. If not for Spirit Hall's interference, the Heaven Dou Empire might well have been destroyed by the Star Luo Empire long ago.

The Star Luo Empire, meanwhile, might lack top-tier combatants, but even if it declared war alone, it still had the confidence to clash head-on with the Spirit Hall Empire on the battlefield.

"I have a plan that can kill Bibi Dong, leaving the Spirit Hall Empire a host of dragons without a head. It will collapse without us having to attack!"

After weighing it repeatedly, Xue Beng decided to swallow a moment's anger for the sake of an alliance that could endure through the ages, and finally voiced his idea.

"Hmph."

Dai Rong snorted almost immediately, casting a sidelong glance at Xue Beng. Petty scheming, just as expected. Is this the full extent of your ability?

"Kill Bibi Dong? With what? Ah... I'm the fool here. Why am I wasting so many words on you?"

As he spoke, Dai Rong adjusted his armor, rose, and prepared to leave.

"Dai Rong!"

Xue Beng's expression crumpled as Dai Rong moved. He sprang to his feet and shouted, "If you have no intention of plotting against Bibi Dong, why did you come to Vast Sea City? Surely it wasn't just for that unsubstantiated Million-Year Soul Bone?"

Idiot...

The Star Luo Emperor mouthed the word. After all, senior figures from both empires were watching outside. Preserving Emperor Xue Beng's dignity in public was part of maintaining his own proper bearing. "I came here first to meet this Mr. Ren who appeared out of nowhere, and second to meet Bibi Dong. You were never part of my considerations!"

"But if we truly can kill Bibi Dong, I believe the Star Luo Emperor would be happy to enjoy the fruits of our labor as well?"

Seeing that things were going badly, Yu Xiaogang spoke at the right moment and slowly walked inside.

Of everyone present, he had stood closest to the room, and only he had the standing to dare intervene in a conversation between two emperors, because he was the Grandmaster!

"Kill Bibi Dong? With you, a Soul Ancestor somewhere in the forties? Since when have the Titled Douluos and Sect Master Ning become so insignificant that you have to step forward and take charge?"

Dai Rong glared at Yu Xiaogang with a dark expression.

"On the strength of being the Heaven Dou Empire's Blue Lightning King, and Tang San and Dai Mubai's teacher!"

Yu Xiaogang had been pushed to the brink as well. Dai Rong's words bristled with spears and clubs, showing him not the slightest courtesy. All he could do now was elevate his own standing.

"Tang San? Never heard of him. As for that good-for-nothing boy Mubai, he's never mentioned having a teacher like you."

Dai Rong's expression shifted as something suddenly occurred to him. "But isn't your real identity an elder of Spirit Hall? Now you're going to sell out your former master to curry favor with Xue Beng?"

Yu Xiaogang's face alternated between white and livid. Having possessed a trash martial soul in his youth and only managed to turn his fortunes around with great difficulty, he had an exceptionally strong sense of pride and valued status and face above all else. His chest heaved and his fists clenched, as though he might charge forward and fight Dai Rong to the death at any moment.

"Still, since you're willing to throw away so much face, you must have made quite a firm resolve. For Mubai's sake, I'll give you one chance!"

After thoroughly trampling Xue Beng and Yu Xiaogang, Dai Rong seemed finally to remember the actual purpose of this meeting. He turned and sat back down on the Tiger-Skin Throne, angling his body toward them.

"Let's hear it. What's your plan?"

"Well..."

Xue Beng's eyes shifted, and he suddenly understood Dai Rong's purpose. This old fox had been interested in his plan all along. His earlier posturing had merely been intended to flaunt the Star Luo Empire's strength and standing, securing him a greater say in the negotiations to follow.

"Grandmaster, Blue Lightning King, why don't you explain our plan to Uncle Dai?"

Calm and unruffled, as though nothing had happened, Xue Beng returned leisurely to his seat. He gave Yu Xiaogang a meaningful look, signaling him to put the bigger picture first.

Yu Xiaogang let out a heavy breath. "This operation is codenamed 'Spider Hunt,' because both of Bibi Dong's twin martial souls are spiders. Her soul power is at least level ninety-eight, and she has numerous Titled Douluos from Spirit Hall guarding her. Assassinating her through force is utterly impossible."

"Get to the point!"

Dai Rong tapped the table with a finger. "What are you relying on to succeed?"

"Poison!"

Yu Xiaogang spoke softly, an unnatural flush passing over his face at the same time. "The deadliest poison in the world. Anyone afflicted is beyond saving."

"Oh?"

A cold sneer curled Dai Rong's lips. "What poison can kill a level ninety-eight Titled Douluo? I doubt even Poison Douluo could manage that. You're only a Soul Ancestor. Do you take me for a fool?"

"Every person has a weakness. Do you know what Bibi Dong's weakness is, Your Majesty?"

Yu Xiaogang gave an eerie smile. His face was pale and dim, yet his eyes shone with unusual brilliance, revealing a deeply contradictory blend of wretchedness and ruthlessness.

Even the Star Luo Emperor, who had spent half his life on horseback and killed countless people, could not help feeling a chill.

"You mean Bibi Dong's weakness is... you?"

Yu Xiaogang said nothing, but the smile on his face had already supplied the answer.

Dai Rong fell into thought.

That set Xue Beng's heart pounding anxiously again. If the proposal was rejected, his journey to Vast Sea City would have been for nothing.

Fortunately, Dai Rong finally gave an affirmative reply.

"Tell me, then. What do you need me to do?"

Yu Xiaogang, however, seemed to have a finished bamboo painting already in his breast. With apparent nonchalance, he posed another question.

"If I'm not mistaken, it isn't that the Star Luo Empire has no Titled Douluos, but that its Titled Douluos aren't in the Star Luo Empire, correct?"

A flicker of vigilance and apprehension crossed Dai Rong's eyes. Probing our strength like this... could the Star Luo Empire be part of your schemes as well?

Yet a hearty smile appeared on his face, utterly at odds with the look in his eyes.

"My dear nephew, I take back what I said earlier. When it comes to enduring hardship and humiliation, and being sinister and despicable, you and your Blue Lightning King Grandmaster truly are a perfect match!"

"I'll take that as a compliment. Then congratulations to us on successfully forming an alliance!"

The Grandmaster raised the wine cup on the table, saluting Xue Beng and Dai Rong in turn.

You old bastard. After Bibi Dong, it'll be your turn!

That was what lay beneath his words.

I know. But two weak chickens like you... I could slap you both dead with one hand!

A smile lingered at the corner of Dai Rong's mouth as he shook the dust from his clothes.

Happy New Year, everyone!

May you be in a good mood every day, and eat plenty of delicious food.

In 2022, I hope my book brings you joy!