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Late into the night, the chaos in the dungeon gradually subsided. Dai Weisi immediately returned to the palace to report the situation to Dai Tianfeng.
"Father, most of the prisoners involved in the uprising have been killed, and the remaining ones have been recaptured and thrown back into the dungeon."
"Thirty men from the Forbidden Zone were lost, and over two hundred casualties occurred among the Tiger Roar Camp during their suppression of the rebellion."
"Regrettably, Third Uncle was unfortunately killed by the rebels during the chaos."
Dai Weisi's third uncle was also one of Dai Tianfeng's brothers.
During the chaos in the dungeon, to prevent unforeseen events, the person who killed Dai Qinghua had been acting under Dai Tianfeng's orders.
"However, Mubai escaped."
"The Tang Sect Leader, Tang San, came to raid the dungeon, sparking the chaos and rescuing Dai Mubai."
"But their companion, Yu Tianxin, has already been executed on the spot by your humble servant!"
Next, he used this opportunity to commend the Elephant Armor Sect and the Sacred Dragon Sect for their efforts.
The White Tiger Camp had already seen the leaders and disciples of the two sects, so there was no point in hiding their involvement.
As for why the lower four sects were here, Dai Weisi explained that the two sects had decided to relocate their bases to within the Star Luo Empire and had come to report to him, coincidentally encountering the chaos in the dungeon and spontaneously offering their support.
Dai Tianfeng paid no mind to this.
From tonight's events, he could now confirm that Dai Mubai was merely a puppet of the Tang Sect.
In the future, if Dai Weisi wanted to stand against the Tang Sect, he would undoubtedly need assistance.
The Elephant Armor Sect and the Sacred Dragon Sect were natural choices.
"The Tang Sect has dared to challenge the dignity of the empire—they no longer have any reason to exist. Weisi, you handle this matter. Don't disappoint me."
Eliminating the Tang Sect's influence from the Star Luo Empire would effectively cut off Dai Mubai's eyes and ears. If he still wished to compete for the throne in the future, he would need to carefully consider whether he could even survive long enough to reach Star Luo City!
…
The next day, the horizon began to lighten with the first hints of dawn.
After a night of fleeing, Tang San and his group had escaped the borders of the Star Luo Province.
Seeing no pursuers behind them, they briefly rested in a desolate wilderness.
Yu Tianheng, worried about Yu Tianxin's safety, repeatedly attempted to return and rescue him.
Tang San stopped him and scolded, "Tianheng, we've already lost Tai Long. Do you want to increase our losses further?"
Yu Tianheng urgently replied, "But if we don't save Tianxin, he'll surely be killed!"
Tang San confidently stated, "Tianxin won't die. We've already escaped. Dai Weisi will capture him to use as leverage against us in the future—how could he possibly kill Tianxin?"
On this point, Tang San was completely mistaken.
Dai Weisi had indeed considered using Yu Tianxin as leverage to force the Tang Sect and Dai Mubai into submission.
But as the crown prince, and with Dai Tianfeng showing no intention of exterminating Dai Mubai, if Dai Weisi acted too aggressively, it might arouse suspicion.
Killing Yu Tianxin demonstrated that he had no concerns about his own position.
After all, his position as crown prince had been personally confirmed by Dai Tianfeng. Taking unnecessary actions at this point, to some extent, revealed his insecurities.
However, the Star Luo Empire wouldn't publicly announce Yu Tianxin's death.
Believing Tang San's lie, Yu Tianheng spent a long time fantasizing about rescuing his elder brother.
Dai Mubai sighed, "Tianxin's actions are admirable. But Xiao San is right—when we strike back at Star Luo City in the future, we can rescue Tianxin."
Though Tang San was displeased with Dai Mubai, he still needed to understand why Dai Mubai had been imprisoned.
The intelligence gathered by the Tang Sect was too vague, lacking key details. He wanted to ask the person involved what exactly had happened that day.
Dai Mubai didn't dare hesitate and recounted everything that had happened on the day of his imprisonment in meticulous detail.
Tang San's expression darkened. "I warned you repeatedly not to have such deep contact with your supporters—why didn't you listen?"
Faced with the accusation, Dai Mubai looked utterly wronged.
It wasn't intentional, and at the time, the situation had been far from optimistic for him.
The plan left by Tang San had only been implemented for just over a day before everything changed when Dai Tianfeng returned to the palace.
Without Duke Xi Lu providing advice from behind the scenes, his situation might have been even worse than it was now.
Yu Tianheng chimed in, "Tang San, Duke Xi Lu's strategy was very effective. We were forced into the dungeon so suddenly—we didn't even have time to react."
Tang San had heard that after Dai Mubai's imprisonment, Duke Xi Lu had also pleaded on his behalf.
The specifics hadn't been disclosed from within the palace, so it was unclear whether it had been effective.
Dai Mubai recounted the conditions inside the dungeon.
While imprisoned, he hadn't been subjected to any interrogations or torture.
He believed this was the result of Duke Xi Lu's efforts.
Tang San sneered, "Duke Xi Lu can help you countless times, but just one betrayal will leave you beyond redemption!"
"How do you know that inviting you to the teahouse wasn't a trap set up in advance by him and Dai Weisi?"
This point left both Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng speechless.
After all, shortly after their meeting with Duke Xi Lu, that palace official had suddenly appeared, forcing them into imprisonment.
However, their itinerary that day hadn't been concealed, so based solely on this, it was impossible to definitively conclude that Duke Xi Lu was one of the masterminds behind their downfall.
"Regardless, from now on, cease all contact with those supporters," Tang San said gravely. "Mubai, your chances of ascending the throne are now extremely slim."
"Going forward, we can only lie low and wait for the right opportunity. Remember this—if I'm not around, you mustn't take any action. Otherwise, that position will never be yours."
"Yes, yes," Dai Mubai quickly agreed.
Without the backing of the Tang Sect, he was nothing—how could he dare defy the wishes of Tang San, the sect leader?
…
The Tang Sect.
Dai Weisi had already issued an edict, preparing to move against the Tang Sect.
First, Governor Waltz was transferred away from the An'nan Province, followed by a complete overhaul of officials throughout the province.
Tang Xiao had already sensed something unusual in the air.
However, upon hearing that Tang San had rescued Dai Mubai, he decided to wait for Tang San's return before making any decisions.
That afternoon, the three members of Shrek's fearsome figures had just returned to the sect when they were summoned to the main hall by Tang Xiao.
Inside the hall, Tang Xiao, Yu Xiaogang, and others had been waiting for some time.
Seeing Tang San return, everyone finally felt a weight lift from their hearts.
Not seeing Yu Tianxin, Yu Xiaogang curiously asked, "Xiao San, where's Tianxin?"
At the mention of Yu Tianxin, the three lowered their heads.
Escaping the pursuit of the Elephant Armor Sect and the Sacred Dragon Sect wouldn't have been possible without Yu Tianxin's efforts, but it was precisely because of this that he had fallen into captivity.
"Has the Spirit Hall also gotten involved?" Tang Xiao exclaimed in shock.
The Tang Sect's primary focus for intelligence gathering had been in Star Luo City, so they knew little about the changes occurring in Spirit City. They were unaware that the Spirit Hall had already severed ties with the lower four sects.
Yu Xiaogang was instantly overwhelmed with anxiety.
With the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family annihilated, Yu Tianxin was one of the few surviving relatives he had left in the world.
If Yu Tianxin were to die at the hands of the Spirit Hall, how could he face Yu Yuanzhen in the afterlife?
Tang Xiao sighed deeply and consoled him, "Master, I believe Xiao San's analysis is correct. Yu Tianxin being alive holds significant value for both Dai Weisi and the Spirit Hall."
"Therefore, there's no need to worry about his safety for now. Let's focus on other matters."
With that, he asked, "By the way, Xiao San, where's Tai Long?"
After learning that Tai Long had been imprisoned, Tai Tan frequently inquired about his situation.
At this moment, with Tai Long not following behind Tang San, he assumed the former had gone to report his safety.
He wanted confirmation on the matter to facilitate future arrangements.
When the topic turned to Tai Long, Tang San fell silent. With a light swipe of his fingers across the "Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlight" at his waist, Tai Long's corpse appeared in the center of the hall.
"What?!" Tang Xiao's brows furrowed tightly.
With Tai Long dead, Tai Tan was bound to harbor second thoughts.
If things escalated, the Tang Sect would inevitably fall apart.
Thinking of this, Tang Xiao decided to temporarily conceal the truth. "Xiao San, store Tai Long's body properly. Before the situation stabilizes, do not mention this to anyone."
To stabilize Tai Tan was to stabilize the foundation of the Tang Sect—he had no choice but to do this.
Since Tai Long had no familial ties to anyone present, no one raised objections.
With the matter settled, Tang San immediately stored the body back into his soul-guided artifact.
Externally, they announced that Tai Long and Yu Tianxin had willingly stayed behind to cover their retreat and were now captured by the Star Luo Empire.
Without seeing the body, Tai Tan would cling to hope.
Once the Tang Sect stabilized completely, they could reveal the truth to him.
Next, Tang San and the others analyzed why the Elephant Armor Sect and the Sacred Dragon Sect had assisted the Star Luo Empire.
It was worth noting that upon learning of Yu Tianxin's capture, Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang became distracted and offered no opinions on the matter.
Tang Xiao remarked, "We need to carefully consider whether these two sects were recruited by Dai Weisi or by Dai Tianfeng."
If Dai Weisi's contact with the Spirit Hall was aimed at seizing the throne, they might have an opportunity to take advantage of the chaos later.
But if Dai Tianfeng had actively sent signals to the Spirit Hall, the future situation on the continent would become even tenser.
The collusion between the Star Luo Empire and the Spirit Hall would inevitably set their sights on the entire continent. In that case, the Tang Sect would be in grave danger.
They might even be forced to flee back to the Heavenly Fighting Empire and rely on its strength to achieve their revenge.
All of this was mere speculation, and with no room for error, they couldn't afford to gamble recklessly.
After a pause, Tang Xiao brought up another matter. "Xiao San, the situation in the An'nan Province has changed drastically."
Even though Governor Waltz harbored some grievances against them, he was still a supporter of Dai Mubai.
Now that he had been transferred, the new governor was undoubtedly someone loyal to Dai Weisi.
From this point on, the Star Luo Empire would surely make significant moves against the Tang Sect.
Tang San didn't rush to respond but instead asked gravely, "Uncle, how much money does the sect currently have in its accounts?"
Over the past year, the Tang Sect hadn't earned much. Moreover, after Dai Mubai was thrown into the dungeon, the military's orders for hidden weapons had ceased.
Without any stable income, the Tang Sect had been living off its reserves.
Currently, the account balance was less than two million gold spirit coins.
Bear in mind, the Tang Sect had nearly three hundred members—this amount of money could sustain them for one or two years under normal circumstances.
However, given the current situation, it seemed the Tang Sect had no choice but to relocate entirely.
With such a large group, the cost of relocation would far exceed the two million gold spirit coins available.
Tang San sighed deeply and said weakly, "Our jailbreak to rescue Mubai and the others has certainly provoked Dai Weisi's wrath. Uncle, arrange for the sect's evacuation."
Dai Weisi already controlled most of the empire's power, and with the help of the Elephant Armor Sect and the Sacred Dragon Sect, destroying the Tang Sect would be effortless.
Tang Xiao also understood that to preserve their strength, the sect must evacuate and go into hiding to wait for the right moment.
However, compared to spending heavily to relocate the sect and then moving it back later, it would be better to disband the sect entirely where they stood.
"Disperse the sect's disciples throughout the An'nan Province and let them fend for themselves. When the sect returns in the future, we can regroup—all while avoiding the costs of relocation."
As long as Tai Long's death remained concealed, Tai Tan would remain fiercely loyal to the Tang family.
When the Tang Sect returned, the StrengthClan would undoubtedly answer the call and rejoin the sect.
As for the Dragon-Serpent Family, it would be even easier to handle.
Since Meng Shu was keen on arranging a marriage between Tang San and Meng Yiran, simply keeping Meng Yiran close would suffice.
When the time came to return, Meng Yiran could step forward to recruit the Dragon-Serpent Family again, and Meng Shu would surely respond to the call.
By doing this, the Tang Sect could save the nearly two million gold spirit coins they currently held!
The only concern was that if the sect's disciples were scattered and found by someone with ill intentions, they would be picked off one by one.
However, with the Star Luo Empire relentlessly pursuing them, a mass evacuation would also encounter trouble.
Rather than face that, it was better to take a gamble.
Three hundred disciples dispersed—it would be difficult for the enemy to pinpoint each person's location.
Moreover, upon hearing of a companion's death, the remaining disciples would naturally go into hiding with all their might.
They just needed to establish a code word for regrouping in the future, and they could gather all the disciples once more. Even if some disciples were lost in the process, it would still be an acceptable outcome.
After weighing the pros and cons, Tang San immediately issued a command to disband the entire sect.
…
Within the Sky Sword Sect.
Ning Tianchen was still tinkering with his divine artifact.
Every morning, disciples reported to him on the state of affairs across the continent.
Upon hearing the news of Dai Mubai's prison break, he set aside his divine artifact.
"Oh? It seems things are unfolding as I anticipated."
Dai Mubai's rescue likely served as a counterbalance to Dai Weisi's ambitions, as Dai Tianfeng had yet to publicly strip Dai Mubai of his royal status.
This planted a seed of trouble for Dai Weisi's future path.
The enmity between Tang San's group and the Spirit Hall was irreconcilable. To exact revenge, relying solely on their own strength wouldn't suffice—they would need to ally with a major power.
The news of Tang San's regicide had already spread throughout the Heavenly Fighting Empire, making it impossible for them to seek refuge there. Their only target could be the Star Luo Empire.
With Dai Mubai as their trump card, they wouldn't give up easily.
"Send for Elder Dugu."
Ning Tianchen's voice carried out of his seclusion chamber, and the disciple outside obeyed, quickly going to fetch Dugu Bo.
Once Dugu Bo arrived, Ning Tianchen made his arrangements.
"Have the Dragon Halberd Sect prepare to act. I will secretly push Dai Weisi to initiate a palace coup, while the Dragon Halberd Sect coordinates with the Tang Sect to storm the palace during the coup and seize the throne for Dai Mubai."
Dugu Bo asked, "Little monster, you've decided to make Dai Mubai the new emperor of the Star Luo Empire?"
Once Dai Mubai ascended the throne, the Tang Sect would undoubtedly control the government.
True, Dai Mubai might be incompetent, but Tang San and Tang Xiao were anything but.
"Old man, have you forgotten about Yu Xiaogang?" Ning Tianchen reminded him with a smile.
Yu Xiaogang was the biggest incompetent of them all, and given his close relationship with Tang San, once Dai Mubai ascended the throne, Yu Xiaogang would inevitably hold a high position.
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