Outside the Star Luo Hotel, a group of people stood, led by Divine Domain Douluo En Ci and one of Dai Tianling's princes. They called out towards the hotel where Xia Yi resided.
"Duke Tianhu, it's time for us to head to the Tianhu Domain and take up our positions. Don't worry, with us protecting you, nothing will happen to you."
Xia Yi was the one being "sent to die." Divine Domain Douluo En Ci was responsible for negotiations, while the prince was to remain in the Tianhu Domain as a hostage.
Dai Tianling had over twenty princes. Sending one as a hostage was not a big deal, even if things fell apart.
Inside the Star Luo Hotel, Yali immediately found Xia Yi.
"You can't go!" she said urgently.
As a duke appointed by the Star Luo Empire, heading to the Tianhu Domain was practically a death sentence.
"Do you really need to remind me?" Xia Yi rolled his eyes. He was indeed going to the Tianhu Domain, but not with the Star Luo Empire.
More and more people were watching him now. On the surface, he was backed by Leng Yaozhu and the Spirit Pagoda, making it so that no one dared act against him openly.
But in the shadows? That was another story.
Moreover, Leng Yaozhu was still trapped in the Blood God Legion.
Dream Walking Immortal Art couldn't truly teleport her over.
As for the other forces Xia Yi controlled, soul beasts couldn't yet be exposed. He could also manipulate parts of the Holy Spirit Cult through the Demon Empress's influence.
But the Holy Spirit Cult was the enemy of the entire continent. Xia Yi himself didn't care about that, but he didn't want Leng Yaozhu's reputation to be dragged down because of it.
The Tianhu Domain and the Green Skull Organization were his trump cards.
Until the crucial moment, he would never let anyone know about his connection to the Tianhu Domain.
"Then it's good that you're not going." Yali breathed a sigh of relief. She had feared Xia Yi would impulsively agree to the Star Luo Empire's request.
"If you're not going to the Tianhu Domain, then what do you plan to do?" Yali asked.
"Of course, I'll just follow the fleet back to the Sun-Moon Federation. What else?" Xia Yi replied with a smile.
But just then, Pan Wen suddenly rushed in.
"Your Holiness, something terrible has happened! Two of your Shrek Academy students have crossed the Tianmu Mountains and entered the Green Skull Organization's territory in the Tianhu Domain!"
"What did you say?!" Yali's head snapped up.
"This is news from the Star Luo Empire's border. Early this morning, Shrek Academy's Yuanen Yehui and Ye Xinglan crossed the Star Luo Empire's border and headed west into the Tianmu Mountains," Pan Wen reported.
"That's impossible! They report their whereabouts to me every night. Last night, they were still in Yunkun City!" Yali argued.
"I don't know how it happened either. Your Holiness, look at this." Pan Wen pulled out a soul guide tablet, displaying a video feed of a man and a woman knocking out guards and climbing over the Star Luo Empire's border fence.
It was Yuanen Yehui and Ye Xinglan, with Yuanen Yehui dressed as a man.
"This is surveillance footage from the Star Luo Empire's border. I just received it," Pan Wen said.
"Wait a moment, I'll call them." Yali forced herself to stay calm.
Na'er had already gone missing. If anything happened to Yuanen Yehui and Ye Xinglan, she would truly break down.
Beep, beep, beep…
Yali's expression darkened with every ring. Three times, and still no answer.
She slowly lowered the soul guide communicator and turned to Xia Yi, looking slightly hesitant.
"Xia Yi…"
"Don't look at me like that. I can't handle it." Xia Yi took a step back.
"Brother Ming is missing, so I can't go too far from you. But now, I have to make a trip to the Tianhu Domain," Yali said firmly.
She knew that Yuanen Yehui's situation was definitely linked to the Star Luo Empire, but she couldn't afford to worry about that right now.
Settling accounts with the Star Luo Empire would have to wait.
Right now, she had to get Yuanen Yehui and Ye Xinglan out of the Tianhu Domain first.
"Weren't you just telling me not to go? Well, I'm not going. If you want to go, go yourself." Xia Yi immediately shook his head, without the slightest hesitation.
"But what about you if I leave?" Yali asked anxiously.
"Instead of arguing with me here, you should be thinking about how to save your students." Xia Yi shook his head, then turned to those inside the room.
"We're leaving. We'll head to Haibin City and return to the Douluo Continent with the fleet."
With that, Xia Yi ignored Yali and walked downstairs with Lan Fuzi and Gu Yue.
"Doesn't he fear SkyCovering Douluo Yun Ming?" Watching Xia Yi prepare to leave, Divine Domain Douluo En Ci narrowed his eyes slightly.
The Star Luo Empire had indeed set this trap to force Yuanen Yehui and Ye Xinglan into the Tianhu Domain.
They had assumed that Xia Yi wouldn't dare lose Yali's protection, leaving him no choice but to follow her into the Tianhu Domain.
But unexpectedly, Xia Yi had no intention of following Yali.
Even so, En Ci wasn't about to give up on bringing Xia Yi to the Tianhu Domain.
"Duke Tianhu."
En Ci blocked Xia Yi's path and said, "As the Duke of Tianhu, where do you think you're going?"
"You should look at who I am. Do you really think the Star Luo Empire is qualified to grant me a title?" Xia Yi sneered.
He was, after all, the husband of Leng Yaozhu, the Vice Pagoda Master of the Spirit Pagoda.
Leng Yaozhu was currently Blood One of the Blood God Legion, a three-star general, holding the same military rank as Chen Xinjie and Yu Guanzhi.
Even though the Federation government had acted as if they didn't mind, that didn't mean he could openly accept a title from the Star Luo Empire.
"Duke Tianhu, your title was personally granted by His Majesty. It's not something you can refuse at will. The Tianhu Domain is your fiefdom; you can't just ignore it," En Ci said coldly.
"What, are you planning to force me? Think carefully—does the Star Luo Empire have the capacity to deal with both the Federation's army and the Spirit Pagoda at the same time?" Xia Yi sneered, then turned to leave.
En Ci clenched his fists tightly. Several times, he almost lashed out, but he managed to restrain himself.
They had thought their plan was flawless, that they had accounted for everything.
Yet the moment they put it into action, something had already gone wrong.
Xia Yi wasn't afraid of Yun Ming. That was something the Star Luo Empire hadn't expected.
Attacking Xia Yi openly was a consequence they couldn't afford.
Not to mention, if Leng Yaozhu teleported over, a Quasi-God with a four-word battle armor… even if he and Tong Yu fought together, they wouldn't stand a chance.
If Leng Yaozhu wanted to take Xia Yi away, no one could stop her.
Rather than antagonizing the Spirit Pagoda pointlessly, they had to change tactics.
"Send word to our people in the Tianhu Domain—at all costs, kill Yuanen Yehui and Ye Xinglan in the Tianhu Domain before the Holy Spirit Douluo arrives. Make it look like the work of the Green Skull Organization."
At this point, the Star Luo Empire had no way out. No matter what, they had to force the Tianhu Domain into cooperating.
If not, facing the Federation's five major armies alone would be impossible.
"The Tianhu Domain must not become a casualty of this war between the Star Luo Empire and the Sun-Moon Federation, nor can it become their pawn," Xia Yi murmured as he left the Star Luo Hotel.
He had to secretly go to the Tianhu Domain.
The Tianhu Domain was his trump card. He couldn't afford to let anything happen to it.
But he had to avoid all prying eyes. No one could know.
And he had just the method—
By using the Dark Dragon King's power, he would descend through the Tianhu Domain's altar.
That way, not only would no one discover him, but it would also further cement his identity in the eyes of the Tianhu Domain's powerhouses.