Xu Tianran clenched his fists. He swore that his killing intent towards Yuwen Tuo at this moment was greater than that towards the person who had crippled his legs.
Currently, he was just the Crown Prince, unable to command the Consecrated Hall or the Mingde Hall. Shadow Douluo Xue Chen was arguably the only Titled Douluo and Rank 9 Soul Engineer he could command.
"Shadow Douluo Xue Chen? Prince Yan, did you kill him?" Xu Tianyuan asked in shock. Although Shadow Douluo Xue Chen hadn't directly joined the Sun and Moon imperial court, he was still considered a Titled Douluo of their Sun and Moon Empire, so Xu Tianyuan couldn't possibly not recognize him.
"Yes, he suddenly ambushed me on my way back to the city. I don't know which eunuch ordered it. Oh, Crown Prince, I'm not talking about you this time. I'm cursing the eunuch who sent him to kill me," Yuwen Tuo shrugged. "I just didn't expect a dignified Titled Douluo and Rank 9 Soul Engineer to be weaker than I imagined, actually being solo-killed by me."
"I don't believe a word of it!" the Emperor, Xu Tianyuan, and Xu Tianran secretly scoffed in their minds.
In their view, it must have been someone from the Body Sect who secretly protected Yuwen Tuo. Xue Chen tried to assassinate Yuwen Tuo but was counter-killed by a Body Sect expert.
Especially Xu Tianran, he knew that not long ago, Yuwen Tuo and Meng Hongchen left the city and then met up with a certain Body Sect expert.
He had therefore ordered Xue Chen that if Yuwen Tuo returned under the escort of a Body Sect expert, he should not act, but merely continue to monitor his movements.
That good-for-nothing must have ignored his instructions, overly confident in his assassination skills, and ended up falling into Yuwen Tuo's trap, finally being slain on the spot by a Titled Douluo from the Body Sect.
Otherwise, it couldn't possibly be Yuwen Tuo, a mere Soul King, who killed Xue Chen, a Titled Douluo.
"Prince Yan, Shadow Douluo is after all a Titled Douluo of our nation, a vital combat force. No matter what, you should not have killed him so casually. This loss is a weakening of our national power," Xu Tianyuan said.
Although their nation had Titled Douluo, most of them were of very low rank, far inferior to the three nations of the Douluo Continent.
Therefore, if a real fight broke out, besides relying on the advantage of soul tools, they also had to rely on sheer numbers. This was why the Sun Moon Empire resorted to forcibly creating Titled Douluo through "growth-accelerating" pills.
Xue Chen was a rare Titled Douluo who broke through on his own. Such a combat force was just gone like that. Not only Xu Tianyuan, but even the Emperor felt heartbroken, and Xu Tianran was practically bleeding internally.
"Hmph, a Titled Douluo who can't even defeat a Soul King like me, what kind of combat power is that?" Yuwen Tuo scoffed. "It seems, Crown Prince, you don't really like this gift of mine, so I'll just take it back."
With that, Yuwen Tuo stepped forward, nudged the head with his toe like kicking a soccer ball, then grabbed its white hair and lifted it with one hand.
This bloody scene, however, did not make people feel disgusted, because the gazes of the three men were unconsciously drawn to Yuwen Tuo, who had an extremely strong presence, rather than to Xue Chen's head.
Yuwen Tuo seemed to enjoy taking the heads of Titled Douluo. The previous one was the Gluttonous Douluo, Xuan Zi. Xue Chen was the second, but probably not the last. Did he perhaps feel this was very cool?
Yuwen Tuo smiled and looked at the Emperor, "Your Majesty, His Eminence just now was right. Although this guy is too weak to compare to a Soul King, he is still a Titled Douluo after all. It was wrong of me to kill him so rashly. Plus, I just 'spread rumors' about the Crown Prince like that, I should admit my mistake. How about this: tomorrow, in court, I will personally attend and request an opportunity to atone for my mistakes."
"Hmm, that's the demeanor of a virtuous prince," the Emperor nodded in satisfaction.
Although his long-lost son was quite mad, he still knew when to advance and retreat in front of his imperial father.
Xu Tianyuan pondered in his heart. He also felt at this moment that this Prince Yan must have ambitions for the throne.
Directly confronting Xu Tianran was unavoidable. After all, the Emperor's health had been deteriorating over the years. If someone with ambition for the throne still harbored patience, it would be tantamount to handing the throne over to Xu Tianran.
And today, Yuwen Tuo first exposed Xu Tianran's weakness, shaking his position as Crown Prince.
Then, by cooperating with the Body Sect to kill Shadow Douluo Xue Chen, he demonstrated his profound talent and background.
Third, by humbly admitting his mistake to the Emperor, he displayed his virtuous demeanor of acknowledging and correcting errors.
As long as he diligently studied more administrative solutions in the future, he would definitely be a strong contender for the throne.
"Then I shall take my leave now," Yuwen Tuo said, bowing to the Emperor and Xu Tianyuan before departing.
From beginning to end, Xu Tianran hadn't said a word.
Because he had nothing to say. Everything Yuwen Tuo said was true.
And the truth was the hardest thing in this world to refute.
The Emperor didn't stop Yuwen Tuo. Instead, he coldly glanced at Xu Tianran, "You, come in with朕. Tianyuan, summon the imperial physicians, then order the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion to seal off the Eastern Palace. No one is allowed to enter without permission."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Xu Tianyuan understood that the Emperor wanted to confirm the truth about Xu Tianran.
Xu Tianran's face was ashen, but he was powerless to resist at this moment. Because the Emperor was the Emperor, and the Crown Prince was the Crown Prince.
Leaving aside everything else, just here, Xu Tianyuan was more loyal to the Emperor than he was.
Yuwen Tuo returned to the Mingde Hall. Upon seeing him, Meng Hongchen happily rushed forward, "Your Highness, you're finally back! I've been worried sick this whole time."
"Your Highness, you were truly too reckless today. How could you directly barge into the Eastern Palace?" Jing Hongchen said. "What exactly happened?"
Because Yuwen Tuo didn't hide his tracks at first, and then yelled with full soul power inside the Eastern Palace.
The news of his rampage in the Eastern Palace had already spread throughout Bright City. Xu Tianran, the Crown Prince, was inexplicably cursed as an eunuch by his own brother. Although no one dared to speak of it openly, secretly, he had already become the laughingstock of countless people.
However, after the Emperor and Xu Tianyuan arrived, and the Soul Engineer Legion sealed off the Eastern Palace, they didn't know what happened next.
"Oh, just some minor matters. If Hall Master wants to know, I will naturally tell you everything," Yuwen Tuo said with a smile, recounting every detail of what happened in the Eastern Palace to the two.
Although he had promised the Emperor he wouldn't speak of it, what did the so-called Emperor mean to him?
"You... you killed Shadow Douluo Xue Chen?" Meng Hongchen covered her mouth in surprise. Although she had never seen Xue Chen, she had certainly heard of him. This was an old veteran who had been famous for many years. His days of fame were much longer than her grandfather's.
"Yes, it's just a small matter. I'm tired and going back to my room to sleep. Good night, Hall Master, little Meng!" Yuwen Tuo yawned, waving at the two. He was indeed a bit tired during this period.
"Alas, Your Highness..." Meng Hongchen was about to stop Yuwen Tuo but was held back by her grandfather on the shoulder.
Jing Hongchen shook his head at her, "Don't worry, Your Highness has his own plans."
Evidently, the Hall Master had gone off track again, just like Xu Tianyuan earlier, subconsciously guessing Yuwen Tuo's motives for doing this.
It must be in preparation for the succession struggle.
Now that Xu Tianran's secret as an eunuch was exposed, and Yuwen Tuo's own power and background had been displayed.
If Jing Hongchen wasn't mistaken, Yuwen Tuo would surely request an imperial decree in court tomorrow, hoping the Emperor would assign him some missions to allow him to accumulate more merits and prestige.
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