Deep within the palace lies an exquisite and elegant garden, teeming with exotic flowers and rare plants.
Emperor Xue Xin of the Dou Ling was sitting at a white marble table, with a beautiful and graceful woman on each side of him.
The garden was filled with the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments, accompanied by the gentle laughter of the concubines, creating a scene of tranquility and enjoyment.
Xue Xin casually placed one hand on her beloved concubine's leg, a contented smile on her face.
However, on the open ground in front of him, the space rippled gently like water, and a figure appeared without warning—it was Kong Deming!
Xue Xin's smile froze instantly, and her right hand, which had been resting on the concubine's lap, jerked back as if she had been electrocuted.
He was first startled, to have his innermost imperial garden so silently and without warning—it was an utter disgrace!
Immediately, a surge of imperial rage, feeling offended, welled up within him.
He jumped to his feet, not even bothering to straighten his slightly disheveled robes, and pointed at the suddenly appearing Kong Deming, shouting sternly, "Who are you? How dare you trespass into the forbidden area of my Dou Ling Imperial Palace! Guards! Protect the Emperor!"
Before Xue Xin's cry of "Protect the Emperor" had even completely faded, and before Kong Deming could even speak, three figures as swift as lightning shot out from different directions deep within the palace, landing instantly in the Imperial Garden with a sharp whooshing sound.
All the newcomers were elderly men, and the Soul Power surging around them had reached the level of Titled Douluo!
The moment they landed, they instinctively formed a triangular shape, tightly protecting the pale-faced Emperor Xue Xin in the center.
This reaction speed is incredibly fast; it's no wonder he's a royal servant.
Xue Xin's reign was not very long, and he may have been somewhat indulgent in pleasure and occasionally acted irrationally.
But seeing the three royal retainers so wary, even he, as slow-witted as he was, understood that the person before him was definitely not simple!
The anger that had risen from being disturbed was instantly extinguished as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, replaced by a chill that rose from the bottom of his heart and a strong sense of lingering fear.
Xue Xin may not have recognized Kong Deming at first, but the three Guardian Douluo knew exactly who he was the moment they saw his face!
Kong Deming, the master of the Sun Moon Worship Hall, came in person and went directly to the Dou Ling Emperor, which definitely indicates that he came with ill intentions.
The three of them already had some guesses about the purpose of his trip.
Kong Deming took in the changes in their expressions but didn't bother with any further words.
He cut to the chase, his tone carrying an undeniable air of accusation. "A royal retainer of the Dou Ling Empire dares to lay a hand on my grandson? Does he intend to start a war with my Sun Moon Empire?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Xin confirmed Kong Deming's identity.
When this serious accusation of "intending to start a war" was slapped on his head, his heart tightened suddenly!
He knew how terrifying the Sun Moon Empire's military strength and Soul Guidance Technology were; the Dou Ling Empire was definitely no match for it.
Overwhelmed by fear, he almost blurted out a denial. "Nonsense! This matter concerns relations between our two countries; how can you speak such nonsense! When has my Dou Ling Empire ever laid a hand on your grandson?"
A cold, mocking smile curled at the corner of Kong Deming's lips.
As expected, the other party remained defiant until faced with the inevitable.
He was too lazy to say anything more, and a thought flickered in his mind.
A flash of silver light appeared before him, and two figures were thrown out of the Silver Moon Divine Light Shield like rag dolls, crashing heavily onto the exquisite stone slabs of the garden.
It was the two captured royal retainers of the Dou Ling Empire, Shi Bing, the Spatial Domain Douluo, and Song Qinghan, the Myriad Treasures Douluo.
At this moment, where was even a trace of the majesty of Titled Douluo remained between the two of them?
Because of the confinement of the God Sealing Ring, his spirit appeared weak and listless, his face was sallow, his eyes were dim and his breath was as weak as a candle in the wind, and he looked haggard and exhausted, as if he had lost all his vitality and was about to die.
Kong Deming looked at Xue Xin, whose expression had clearly changed, pointed at the two disheveled figures on the ground, and said calmly, "Are you sure they're not from the Dou Ling Empire?"
He paused slightly, as if giving the other party a final chance, but the murderous intent in his subsequent words was undisguised.
"If you admit that they have nothing to do with them, then their life or death is naturally none of the Dou Ling Empire's concern."
"I can send them on their way now, saving us from wasting food."
As soon as he finished speaking, a chilling killing intent enveloped Shi Bing and the other person as if it were a tangible force.
Xue Xin glanced at the two emaciated figures on the ground, then steeled her resolve and said, "They are not from my Dou Ling Empire."
As Xue Xin's almost ruthless denial fell, Shi Bing and Song Qinghan on the ground both trembled violently, and then the last faint light in their eyes was completely extinguished, leaving only a deathly silence.
They closed their eyes, as if they had already accepted their fate as expendable pawns.
Seeing their "colleague's" current predicament, a sense of sorrow spread through the hearts of the three servants surrounding Xue Xin, and the feeling of shared grief was hard to suppress.
However, standing at the forefront, Qin Xu, the Heavenly Sun Douluo who is the chief retainer of the Douling Royal Family and the stabilizing force of the empire, sees further and more clearly than the young and impulsive emperor.
He stared at Kong Deming, who remained calm and even slightly mocking, across from him, his mind racing.
If the Sun Moon Empire truly intends to use this opportunity to start a national war, it will not be just Kong Deming alone; it will inevitably be a massive army of Soul Tool pressing in with Thunderous Might force.
He came alone, holding hostages; clearly, he wasn't there to declare war, but rather... to negotiate!
Having figured this out, Qin Xu felt somewhat relieved, but the pressure remained undiminished.
This means that the Dou Ling Empire must pay a price sufficient to quell the wrath of the number one person of the Sun Moon in order to regain peace and the lives of the two enshrined figures.
As for attacking Kong Deming, Heavenly Sun Douluo, despite being a Level 97 Super Douluo, clearly knew that even with their numerical advantage, they would not be a match for Kong Deming.
The initial decision to target Kong Xuan was based on the idea that the Spatial Domain Douluo's spatial abilities would allow him to kill Kong Xuan without anyone noticing.
Now that the plan has failed, they can only bear the consequences.
He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, "Palace Master Kong, let's not beat around the bush. Your presence in my Lingdou City is surely not just to interrogate me. What is the purpose of your visit? Please speak frankly."
These words are tantamount to indirectly acknowledging the identities of the two worshippers.
Xue Xin looked at Qin Xu with some surprise, seemingly puzzled as to why he had suddenly "backed down."
At Qin Xu's prompting glance, he swallowed back the words he was about to say and nervously looked at Kong Deming.
Kong Deming seemed unsurprised by Qin Xu's tact. His gaze swept over Xue Xin, whose expression was constantly changing, before finally settling back on Qin Xu.
"It's very simple."
Kong Deming's voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. "My grandson cannot be frightened in vain, and the dignity of my Worship Hall cannot be challenged."
"Since you've acknowledged that these two are from the Dou Ling Empire, then you must pay the price."
Hearing that Kong Deming and his men had no intention of starting a war, Xue Xin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Kong Deming slightly raised his hand, pointing to the two slumped figures on the ground. "Their lives, and the future peace of your Dou Ling Empire, depend on what you are willing to offer in exchange."