The large hand descended. The Auspicious Beast closed her eyes tightly, yet she felt no pain.
Ditian frowned slightly and glanced toward the lakebed, then subtly shook his head.
"That soul fragment should have been completely crushed. Even if Tang San is a God King, it would be nearly impossible to restore it. But this kid... why does she keep saying such foolish things?"
You call that supervision?Don't supervise yourself into the grave!
He had some goodwill toward Xu Cheng—after all, it was thanks to Xu Cheng's reminder that they had discovered the hidden soul fragment within the Auspicious Beast and thwarted Tang San's scheme.
However, if Xu Cheng's goal was the Auspicious Beast herself… then he and Xu Cheng would have to have a little talk.
"The human world has no place for soul beasts." Ditian spoke sternly. "Everything about you is a treasure in their eyes. They would skin you alive, suck the marrow from your bones, drain every last bit of value from you, and then discard you like garbage. Do you still want to go?"
"I…" The Auspicious Beast hesitated. However, after years of Ditian's teachings, she had developed a certain level of resistance to his words.
But… the Lord was also here. Right now, Ditian wasn't invincible.
"I recently read a human fairy tale called Rapunzel," the Auspicious Beast raised her head, full of defiance.
"Hm?" Ditian looked confused.
"It's about a long-haired princess who was taken in by a witch and locked away in a tower. Because the princess's long hair had magical properties that kept the witch eternally youthful, the witch kept telling her the outside world was dangerous and forbade her from leaving. But then a prince appeared and rescued—HEY! What are you doing?!"
One moment, the Auspicious Beast was immersed in the joy of the prince's arrival. The next, she found herself suddenly engulfed in a shadow. Looking up in alarm, she saw Ditian slowly approaching with an unreadable expression. Instinctively, she backed away.
"You mean to say… I am the witch?!" Ditian's face was blank, but his voice was icy.
"I-I was just making an analogy! An analogy, you understand? But it does kind of fit, doesn't it?" The Auspicious Beast shrank back, mumbling softly.
"Chi Wang, is this how you raise children?" Ditian turned his gaze to the three-headed Scarlet King, who was trying to sneak away. His tone was cold.
"Ahem, well… the kid's grown up now. Some things, I can't really interfere in anymore…" The Scarlet King stopped awkwardly.
Ditian ignored him and instead shot a look at Bi Ji.
"Hit her instead, and you won't have to hit me!" One of the Scarlet King's heads stretched forward in panic, trying to bargain.
Seeing that she was about to get caught in a mixed-gender beatdown, and realizing that her so-called "nanny" was utterly unreliable, the Auspicious Beast quickly leaped toward the water's edge, seeking refuge with the Silver Dragon King.
"Hah!"
"Stop!"
The lake surface rippled gently.
Ditian froze. But since the Lord had spoken, he had no choice but to stay his hand.
"Lord, this child is becoming more and more—"
"Let her go," the Silver Dragon King said softly.
"But—" Ditian's pupils shrank, his expression growing anxious.
"No need to worry," the Silver Dragon King interrupted. She spoke slowly, as if lost in thought. "What have we soul beasts been striving for all this time? To wait for me to recover? Even if my brother and I were both at full strength, we still could not break through the current God Realm. Even if I do recover, what would it change? And my recovery… would take tens of thousands of years. At the rate humans are destroying the world and soul beasts are disappearing, can we really hold out until that day?"
"It wasn't until that young man appeared that I realized… we have been heading in the wrong direction all along."
"If artificial soul rings can truly be created, then the main conflict between humans and soul beasts will disappear. Territorial disputes will seem trivial by comparison."
The Silver Dragon King sighed.
"The Auspicious Beast is over ten thousand years old. Stop treating her like a child. If she doubts the outside world, then let her go and see it for herself. In fact, she can act as our envoy, monitoring how that young man uses the soul beasts and resources he takes from our Star Dou Forest."
"But what about her safety?" Ditian's face was filled with concern.
"This is a Silver Dragon Scale. Keep it with you. If you're ever in danger, just grip it tightly, and I will sense it immediately…"
The tranquil lake surface rippled again.
Under the dazzling sunlight, a shimmering silver scale floated up, then drifted gently to the Auspicious Beast's side.
"Take it with you. It will protect you in moments of mortal peril."
"Yes!" The Auspicious Beast's voice trembled with excitement.
"Go." The Silver Dragon King's voice was warm.
All soul beasts were her kin. Her entire life had been dedicated to their survival.
"Thank you, my Lord!" The Auspicious Beast bowed respectfully, then skipped away joyfully, calling out as she ran:
"The long-haired princess is finally escaping from the evil witch! She's free!"
Ditian's face turned black. His fists clenched.
If the Lord weren't present, he definitely would have given that brat a proper lesson.
But…
"Chi Wang, where do you think you're going?" Ditian slowly turned his head toward the Scarlet King.
"I… Last night I dreamed of my great-grandmother. She told me I must go burn offerings for her today, not a moment later!" The Scarlet King's eyes were wide with terror. In Ditian's eyes, his looming anger seemed to take physical form, towering over him like a giant. The Scarlet King felt himself shrink in comparison, trembling violently.
"Aaaaooowwooohohohoho~" (Tom and Jerry-style scream)
Xiong Jun's mouth twitched as he turned away.
Bi Ji covered her face. Why didn't you run earlier?
Silver Dragon King said nothing. Though all soul beasts were her children, she doted on the Auspicious Beast. As for the Scarlet King… as long as he lived, that was enough.
White Tiger Duke's Mansion
"What… what are you doing?!"
A noblewoman dressed in luxurious clothing screamed in terror. The courtyard was filled with towering red humanoid mechas. Even the rooftops and the air above were swarming with them.
The ground was littered with charred corpses. The former head steward, now reduced to a half-body, writhed in agony.
"Madam, run…!"
The White Tiger Duke had trusted his steward's loyalty, but not his intelligence.
Run? Where to?
Mechas filled the sky. Their soul power fluctuations rivaled even the strongest person in the Duke's household (a mere Soul Emperor). How could she possibly escape?
For nearly a century, the White Tiger Dai Clan had been in decline. The Zhu Clan's situation was even worse.
The entire area was swarming with mechas, each exuding soul power fluctuations that were no weaker than the strongest person in the Duke's Mansion (the steward, a Soul Emperor). How could she, merely a Soul King, possibly escape?
For nearly a hundred years, the White Tiger Dai Clan had been in decline, but the decline of the Zhu Clan was even more severe.
The one who had married Dai Hao was already the most talented individual of the younger generation in the Zhu Clan—namely, the current Duchess of the White Tiger. However, even with her talent, she was now nearly forty years old and had only just reached the Soul King level. If not for this, she wouldn't have spent her days focusing on "palace intrigue," thinking only of how to bully and target the concubines of the White Tiger Duke.
The two clans flourished and suffered together.
As soon as Dai Hao rose to power, the Zhu Clan immediately received a significant amount of resources. With these resources, they barely managed to select a promising individual from among those of the same age as the White Tiger Duke's second son—Zhu Lu.
As for the Duke's eldest son, Dai Yueheng, he outright refused a political marriage because he looked down on the remaining subpar candidates from the Zhu Clan.
—
"Commander, aside from some direct bloodline members of the White Tiger Duke, we've essentially wiped out everyone else in the mansion," a red-haired woman clad in mecha, with only her head exposed, reported respectfully.
Naturally, in the process of seizing the Duke's residence, there had been resistance.
As seasoned veterans of the battlefield, they did not hesitate—anyone who resisted was killed.
"What about them…" The woman, whose eye bore a scar, cast a cold gaze at the duchess, who was sitting limp on the ground, as well as the gathered concubines and children who had been driven together.
"It's not time yet," Juzi took a deep breath.
She would not extend the calamity to the innocent.
Besides, if they were going to wreak havoc in the Star Luo Empire, they needed to exercise some restraint. If they went too far, the Star Luo Empire—an empire that had lasted over ten thousand years—certainly had deep-rooted power…
And she would personally lead the army to capture Dai Hao's head and avenge her parents!
"The White Tiger Duke's residence isn't far from the Star Luo imperial capital. If we linger too long, we might be detected. Once we get bogged down, it could be troublesome," Juzi muttered.
She turned to the trembling duchess and spoke in an icy tone, "So… tell me, where is the ancestral burial site of the White Tiger Duke's lineage?"
"You—Dai Hao won't let you get away with this!" The duchess immediately understood her intention. Her face turned pale, and her legs trembled.
Destroying one's ancestral grave was considered an extremely heinous act.
In the world of Douluo, such an act was almost always reserved for the most irreconcilable of grudges—it meant a blood feud that would not end until one side was utterly exterminated.
Juzi lifted her mecha-clad leg and stomped down on the duchess's right thigh. The pain sent the woman's body into convulsions, curling up instantly. She tried to channel her soul power to resist, but against the sheer power of the mecha, it was futile.
Juzi sneered. "Dai Hao won't let me get away with this? Heh… he would have to be capable of that first."
She slowly leaned forward.
The towering five-meter-tall mecha cast a shadow over the duchess, an oppressive force bearing down on her.
Her red lips parted slightly—
"Speak!"
Elsewhere…
Zhang Lexuan lay in Xu Cheng's arms, her delicate hands cupping his face, eyes hazy.
"Do we have to attend the banquet?"
Xu Cheng exhaled deeply. "Yes. It's time to meet your family—especially your brother."
Zhang Lexuan hesitated. She had always been alone. The thought of meeting these blood relatives made her uneasy.
"Don't worry. I'll be with you." Xu Cheng held her soft hands gently.
"Mm…"
"Your Highness, your clothes."
The door opened.
Nana entered the room silently.
Dressed in a maid's uniform, her tall stature and sun-kissed skin gave her an exotic charm.
She bent down, gathering the scattered clothes, pants, and… other items from the floor before placing fresh attire on the bedside.
"Thanks." Xu Cheng smiled.
Then he gave her a light slap on her perky rear.
Nana let out a playful yelp, turned around, and glared at him before sashaying away with a catlike grace.
Zhang Lexuan, still buried in Xu Cheng's embrace, only lifted her flushed face after Nana left. She murmured, "She…"
"My head maid. She also oversees most of my forces within the Holy Spirit Cult. A Soul King. Double D. Stands at 1.8 meters tall. Weighs…" Xu Cheng rattled off without hesitation.
"Is that what I was asking?!" Zhang Lexuan huffed in embarrassment. She reached out her delicate hand, placing it on Xu Cheng's waist. Yet, afraid of hurting him, she merely kneaded his soft flesh instead of pinching.
"Wasn't it?"
"You're such an expert at playing dumb…" Zhang Lexuan pouted.
"Jealous?" Xu Cheng chuckled.
"Hmph…" Zhang Lexuan buried her head against him, refusing to answer.
"Alright, put on a dress. Time to get ready for the banquet." Xu Cheng flipped the covers off, an impulsive action that earned him two small, clenched fists pounding against him.
A Few Minutes Later
Zhang Lexuan took small, careful steps as she emerged from the bathroom.
She gently tugged at the long dress and nervously looked at Xu Cheng. "How is it? Does it look good? This is my first time wearing such a formal gown. Before, I always..."
Xu Cheng's eyes lit up. "Good? It looks fucking amazing."
She was dressed in an elegant black gown, its sheer fabric as light as clouds, flowing ethereally. The hem of the dress swayed gently with her every step. Her brows were like willow leaves, and her eyes, deep as autumn waters, radiated her unique gentleness and beauty.
Her jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, draping over her fragrant shoulders, with a few rebellious strands brushing against her fair cheeks, adding a hint of lazy charm. Every movement exuded an air of nobility and grace, like a peony blooming deep within the palace—gorgeous yet dignified.
Zhang Lexuan had always dressed plainly, wearing no makeup, her clothing the simplest of styles, never picky. But now, with a little effort in dressing up, she looked even more stunning—like a jade-like beauty come to life.
"What are you staring at..."
Walking in high heels, Zhang Lexuan was slightly unsteady as she moved closer to Xu Cheng. Her slender, jade-like fingers tapped against his chest, her gaze shifting left and right. A faint blush crept up her cheeks as she leaned into his embrace. Her pale arms, as flawless as porcelain, wrapped around Xu Cheng's neck. She exhaled softly beside his ear.
"Xiao Cheng, you're definitely not thinking about anything proper."
"Phew..."
Xu Cheng let out a long breath, his legs feeling weak.
His expression turned from serious to mischievous.
"Let's go!"
Sun-Moon Empire Imperial Palace
Inside a grand hall, luxurious guests filled the space, moving back and forth. Servants bustled through the crowd, carrying trays of food and wine.
The Sun-Moon Empire's royal family had a tradition—every year at this time, they gathered together. The original purpose was likely to strengthen the unity of the Xu clan and remind them of their familial bonds.
As a result, every year at this time, many members of the Xu family traveled to the imperial capital to attend this grand banquet.
For the upper echelon of the Xu family (the Emperor, princes, and those in power), this was a place to consolidate authority and exchange interests. For the middle echelon, it was an opportunity to climb the social ladder, a chance to change their fate.
There were no lower-class attendees here. In the Sun-Moon Empire, if you bore the surname Xu, you were almost never part of the commoner class.
So, even though the sky had not yet darkened and the banquet was still three to four hours away, many people had already arrived early.
After all, opportunities to strengthen relationships and forge powerful alliances were rare on ordinary days.
The only ones who dared to arrive exactly on time were figures like the Emperor himself.
"Bang!"
Amidst the lively banquet, a sharp, jarring sound pierced through the hall.
A servant collapsed to the ground, clutching his abdomen in pain, his body curling up. The tray he was holding shattered, food spilling everywhere.
Someone gasped, "Blood!"
Only then did the crowd notice—blood was gushing from where the servant held his stomach, staining the once pristine, reflective porcelain floor a deep crimson.
"Boring. Xu Xiaofeng, you missed again. Your aim is terrible..."
A boy, around eleven years old, strutted into the hall, pushing through the crowd. He glanced down at the wounded servant's injury, shook his head in disappointment, and sighed. "Alright, I don't even need to take another shot. Just admit defeat and hand over the wager!"
Behind him, four or five other boys of the same age followed. One of them, dressed in an orange outfit and wearing a Soul Tool-enhanced monocle, frowned. "That won't do. You didn't shoot, so how do I know if you would have hit or not? You have to try again before I concede."
"How do we continue now..." The first boy spread his hands and glanced around.
But strangely, whenever his gaze met someone else's, their throats bobbed nervously, and they instinctively looked away.
As if, despite the huge commotion, no one dared to reprimand the boy.
After all, everyone present recognized these young men.
They were either sons of princes or grandsons of ministers—the absolute elite of the Sun-Moon Empire's younger generation.
Especially the two leading boys—Xu Xiaofeng, the beloved grandson of the Prime Minister and the Emperor's fourth prince's cousin—was practically untouchable in terms of power and influence. (Although most people knew about the intense struggle between Xu Cheng and Xu Jiran, they had no idea how the situation would ultimately unfold.)
The other, Xu Shi, was the legitimate grandson of Xu Jiangnian, the commander of the Royal Corps.
So, no matter how outrageous their actions were, the people in the hall merely stood frozen, unwilling to interfere.
After all, the only ones who had the authority to discipline them wouldn't arrive for another two or three hours…
"Boring." Xu Xiaofeng shrugged, not even bothering to check whether the servant was dead or alive, before leading his group back outside.
Only then did the hall's lively atmosphere slowly return.
As for the wounded servant, other attendants immediately stepped forward to treat and bandage him before carrying him out of the hall.
"This happened?"
Xu Cheng looked at Shi Xing in surprise.
"Your Highness, he was one of my men..." Shi Xing had a bitter expression.
The Jinyiwei (Embroidered Uniform Guard) operated in secrecy, with its members embedded in various professions and sectors.
Of course, even if the injured servant hadn't been one of their agents, Shi Xing would have been immediately informed of such an incident. However, dealing with the children of powerful nobles was always tricky, even for Xu Cheng.
"Make sure he's properly comforted," Xu Cheng said calmly, glancing at Shi Xing. "I will handle this matter."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Shi Xing beamed.
The car window rolled up as the Soul Tool-powered vehicle slowly moved forward.
Xu Cheng closed his eyes.
The noble class of the Sun-Moon Empire wasn't all that different from the ones in Star Luo and other nations. The only difference was that it appeared more "modernized."
To them, ordinary civilians weren't people—they were disposable playthings.
Just like today's incident.
In reality, even the Ming Dynasty, which was praised by later generations, had princes who indulged in massacring commoners for fun. And Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang? He merely scolded them lightly and brushed it off.
This was the inevitable sickness of feudal monarchies.
Xu Cheng had read through the intelligence reports from Shi Xing.
To be honest, they were shocking.
The noble system in Douluo Continent was even more unbreakable, simply because the absolute power disparity meant commoners could never easily resist.
That was why, once he took power…
Some people could be spared.
But some…
Would have to die.
(End of Chapter)