I Still Prefer Your Earlier Attitude, When You Backed Down

The Stargazing Tower stood at the highest point of the imperial palace, overlooking the entire complex.

Xue Qinghe said respectfully, "Teacher, you've finally come. Your student has been waiting here for you for a long time."

Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly. "Your Highness, you flatter me. Though I am your teacher, you are also the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, a person of noble status. This is really too much honor for me..."

After the exchange of pleasantries, Xue Qinghe changed the subject.

Xue Qinghe said, "It's just that Imperial Father is in danger right now, and Qinghe is beside himself with anxiety. I wish I could stand before him this instant and shield him from danger."

Ning Fengzhi's pupils contracted. Little fox, so this is what you were waiting for. No wonder you invited me here. You want me to share the pressure.

Ning Fengzhi gathered his thoughts and reassured him, "Your Highness, you worry too much. Both His Majesty and Your Highness represent the very foundation of the Heaven Dou Empire.

"Both you and His Majesty are indispensable to the Heaven Dou Empire. I believe His Majesty will understand."

Xue Qinghe chuckled. "Hearing you say that, Teacher, your student does feel much better."

Ning Fengzhi said, "Of course, His Majesty has the protection of the army. He'll certainly be fine, Your Highness. You needn't worry too much."

Xue Qinghe gave a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Of course. Imperial Father will be fine."

On the surface, the two seemed perfectly amiable, but deep down...

Qian Renxue: Old fox!

Ning Fengzhi: Little fox!

Meanwhile, in the imperial palace's main hall.

An attendant came to report, "The two enshrined, Phantom Douluo and Demon Lizard Douluo, have arrived..."

Emperor Xue Ye felt reassured at the news. There was no other reason: these two were the Heaven Dou Empire's twin divine needles that calmed the seas.

The Heaven Dou Empire could keep the entire continent in awe partly because of its formidable national strength, and partly because of its two Titled Douluo, Phantom and Demon Lizard. With those two Titled Douluo there, hardly anyone in the Soul Master World dared to make trouble for the Heaven Dou Empire.

Phantom Douluo was a level ninety-five Super Douluo with the Illusory God Shadow Martial Soul and innate level-nine Soul Power. He was a diehard loyalist whom the Heaven Dou Imperial Family had nurtured since his Martial Soul Awakening.

Demon Lizard Douluo was a level ninety-two Titled Douluo with the Troll Lizard Martial Soul. He had joined the Imperial Family after the Soul Master Tournament and been nurtured by them into a Titled Douluo. He was relatively loyal to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

Before long, the two entered the hall.

"Phantom greets Your Majesty..."

"Demon Lizard greets Your Majesty..."

Xue Ye said, "Both of you, please rise at once."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Demon Lizard looked at Chen Mo and his three companions. "You four little brats are the ones who dared offend my Heaven Dou Empire..."

Phantom Douluo was ruthless and a man of few words. "Those who offend the Heaven Dou Empire die!"

Afterward, Ning Fengyuan also arrived in the hall with the people of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Emperor Xue Ye merely glanced at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and nodded.

Emperor Xue Ye naturally knew where Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe were.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was only an ally; he couldn't expect too much of them. It was good enough that they had sent people. What more could he ask for, a bicycle?

As for Xue Qinghe, imperial families had always been cruel. Brothers killing brothers and fathers and sons killing one another were commonplace.

The crown prince's greatest enemy was none other than the man sitting on the throne: Xue Ye himself.

How could there be a crown prince for seventy years under heaven?

So although Xue Ye felt somewhat chilled, he could just about understand.

With an army of three hundred thousand at his command and two Titled Douluo protecting him, Emperor Xue Ye had long since cast aside his earlier worries and fear.

Emperor Xue Ye looked at Chen Mo and his three companions with a majestic air. "Haier City? I don't think I agreed to that, did I? Ge Long!"

With that, Xue Ye looked at Grand Marshal Ge Long.

Ge Long knew what was expected of him and dropped to one knee. "It was all this humble minister's fault. I took it upon myself to send people to Haier City and disturbed Your Majesty as a result. My crime deserves ten thousand deaths..."

Although Xue Ye had not agreed at the time, he had not objected either. That amounted to tacit permission.

Xue Ye knew about the matter. An ordinary person who was not a Soul Master had defeated numerous Soul Ancestors one after another. The Heaven Dou Empire was not the only one interested; the Star Luo Empire was interested too.

The difference was that the Heaven Dou Empire was closer, so it had made the first move.

Of course, with everyone watching, Grand Marshal Ge Long naturally had to shoulder the blame himself. Otherwise, how could he get by in the future?

Emperor Xue Ye said, "Young friend, as you can see, I have already punished him. As for your trespassing in the imperial palace, I will not hold it against you.

"But you killed so many people and offended me. Such crimes are enough to exterminate all nine generations of your families.

"However, I cherish talent. So long as you are willing to submit to the Heaven Dou Empire and sign this contract, I can not only let bygones be bygones, but also grant you the rank of duke..."

Chen Mo and the others had indeed offended the empire's majesty before, but Xue Ye considered himself a broad-minded ruler. If they were willing to submit to him,

he could not only forgive them, but also offer them high offices and generous salaries.

Both the strength and the potential of Chen Mo and his three companions made it worthwhile for Xue Ye to do so.

To fight their way directly to his side was simply impossible without the combat strength of two or three Titled Douluo. Besides, they were all young: the oldest was only eighteen, and the youngest just twelve.

If they could give the Imperial Family those powers that differed from those of Soul Masters, then the day the Heaven Dou Empire united the continent would be just around the corner, and he would become the strongest emperor in history.

Chen Mo found it somewhat amusing to see Xue Ye looking so confident now, as though he had everything under control.

He casually took out the image-recording orb from before, which showed Emperor Xue Ye's earlier display of weakness and submission.

"So, you four are the ones who came to assassinate me? Do you know...

"Heh heh, I expect my subordinates must have offended..."

A phantom image of Emperor Xue Ye suddenly appeared in the hall, repeating the words he had spoken earlier.

Chen Mo continued to mock him. "Compared to how you look now, I'd still rather see your earlier attitude, when you backed down."

At the sight, Emperor Xue Ye lost his composure on the spot, his face flushing red with anger.

As for everyone else, their expressions turned somewhat strange. They wanted to laugh but dared not.

Humiliated, Emperor Xue Ye flew into a rage and shouted, "Stubborn fools! Kill them! Kill him..."

Since they refused to appreciate his offer, he could only destroy them. Otherwise, the Heaven Dou Empire would one day be destroyed at their hands.

As soon as Emperor Xue Ye finished speaking, the space within ten zhang of Chen Mo was cleared out.

The two scimitars took more than a dozen heads, including that of a Soul Saint.

Before entering the hall, no enemy had ever been able to get within ten zhang of him. But because of the temporary truce, some sneaky bastards had already crossed that line.

In fact, for Chen Mo, keeping enemies more than a hundred zhang away was best. But that covered too large an area, and there were many enemies now, while he also had to look after Lin Yaodong and Xiao Wu.

So he had kept the safe zone between ten and twenty zhang. If anyone entered within ten zhang, Chen Mo would make dealing with them his priority.

At the same time, the Heaven Dou Empire's Soul Masters and soldiers began their attack.

Nearly a hundred Soul Saints and higher-level Soul Masters activated their Martial Soul Avatars at once. It was quite a spectacular sight.

Chen Mo formed a hand seal and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the Yang Yang Parent-Child Scimitars.

Kui Water Light-Splitting Sword Art!

The Yang Yang Parent-Child Scimitars merged into one, becoming the Yin-Yang Parent-Child Ring. In an instant, hundreds of duplicates of the Yin-Yang Parent-Child Ring appeared across the hall, spinning rapidly outward and severing heads wherever they passed.

"This is bad! Fall back!"

"Protect His Majesty!"