DD—Chapter 2: His Ambition Is as Great as a Tiger!
Star Luo Emperor Dai An stood in the palace, gazing out through the main gate. There, he observed his fourth prince, Dai Chengfeng, reveling in the rain, singing and laughing as if the world were his stage.
Dai An was left speechless, marveling silently at his son's exuberance.
"What a remarkable child!"
"I will surpass my ancestors!" Dai Chengfeng's voice rang out, booming with conviction. "If I become the White Emperor in the future, I will make peach blossoms bloom everywhere!"
At that moment, a woman dressed in flowing red emerged from the side hall. She looked thoughtfully at Dai Chengfeng's retreating figure and sighed softly, "Your Majesty should be happy to have such a child!"
With a weary shake of his head, Emperor Dai An replied, "How could I not know? His ambition is as vast as a tiger's appetite! This is the spirit that the emperor of the Star Luo Empire should possess!"
"But it is also a source of great concern for me. This could become my biggest headache..." He rubbed his temple, a gesture of frustration. "It is clear that following the ancestors' methods is the best path. With his innate full soul power, he should naturally become a Titled Douluo, perhaps even an Ultimate Douluo."
"But he..."
"Why must he be so whimsical and insist the ancestors are wrong? It's simply absurd!"
Dai An shot a helpless look at the woman in red. "High Priest, what do you think I should do?"
She smiled reassuringly. "Your Majesty, didn't you just announce the abolition of all titles and fiefs of the Fourth Prince and exile him to Wu'an City? Isn't it true that he cannot return to the capital without your permission?"
Hearing this, a flicker of embarrassment crossed Dai An's face. "High Priest, I only said that to scare him!"
"As long as he admits his mistakes to me and promises not to act willfully in the future, we can move past this."
"But who could have known that the brat would remain unfazed?"
The High Priest shook her head gently. "In truth, I believe you can turn this act into reality. The Fourth Prince is as determined as steel, but if he is too rigid, he may shatter easily. It would not be a bad thing to temper his spirit."
Dai An's eyes brightened, intrigued. "High Priest, you mean..."
She smiled and nodded. "Exactly! In a place like Wu'an City, blood often flows like a river. A six-year-old child wouldn't adapt easily there, much less ordinary Soul Elders or Soul Ancestors."
"Therefore..."
"As long as you send an expert to ensure his safety, allowing him to stay there for a few days, it might serve as an enlightening experience."
"By then, His Highness will likely come to understand the cruelty of the world."
"Certainly, he will no longer naively think he can surpass his ancestors with merely youthful insights into his martial soul."
Dai An's face lit up with understanding. "Brilliant!"
"Chengfeng's sharpness is indeed commendable, but it needs refining."
He turned toward the imperial guards standing within the palace. "Continue with my previous orders and spread the word accordingly..."
"Dai Chengfeng, the fourth prince of the Star Luo Empire, has acted frivolously, causing the first soul ring he absorbed to conflict with his White Tiger Martial Soul. He is now half-wasted, leading to his demotion to Wu'an City."
"Additionally, inform the head of the Zhu family to take Zhu Zhuqing back, stating that they disapprove of Chengfeng and willingly cancel the engagement."
"And my conversation with the High Priest must remain confidential—not a whisper should escape to anyone, including Weisi, Mubai, or their relatives."
"Should it happen, you know the consequences."
Instantly, the imperial guards knelt on one knee, responding dutifully, "Your Majesty, rest assured, we understand!"
Dai An nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction. After all, those who became his guards shared a bond of kinship with him, and the head of the Zhu family was astute enough to align with his schemes, ensuring the plan remained undisclosed.
As the guards departed to fulfill their orders, Dai An couldn't suppress a chuckle.
"A discarded prince with a broken engagement, haha..."
He glanced over at the High Priest with a smug smile. "This way, Chengfeng, as a discarded prince, will no longer capture too much attention."
"And I think this will be a powerful blow to his pride." He reveled in the thought.
"With this potent remedy, how many days do you think it will take for Chengfeng to come crawling back, admitting his mistakes and begging for my forgiveness?"
The High Priest thought for a moment, tapping her finger against her chin. "Given your son's strong will, it may take a week. But if I had to guess, I suspect he'll come to his senses within three days. Haha..."
Dai An swelled with pride at the idea of his rebellious son, who dared to challenge him, breaking down under the harsh realities of Wu'an City. "I still don't believe I can't handle you, you little rascal!"
...
One day later.
As a consequence of Emperor Dai An's decree, news rapidly spread after a brief night of turmoil:
Dai Chengfeng, the fourth prince who was previously anticipated to ascend the throne, was now rendered disabled due to a mishap involving his martial soul. The Zhu family had also stepped forward to cancel his engagement, and this news rippled through the streets of the imperial capital.
Everyone buzzed with excitement at the unexpected turn of events that led to the once-mighty prince's downfall.
In front of the gates of Star Luo's imperial capital, the usual crowds bustled about, yet a new spectacle drew their attention.
A simple, dilapidated carriage rolled slowly past, the sound of its wheels muted against the cobblestones, eliciting murmurs from the onlookers.
"Look! That is the carriage of the abolished fourth prince, Dai Chengfeng!" someone remarked, lowering their voice yet unable to hide their glee.
"Not long ago, he was held in high regard as the next emperor of the Star Luo Empire. But just one night—he's gone from pride to pitiful—a disabled person cast out by the Zhu family... What a turn of fate!"
The crowd laughed, their voices brimming with delight at the fall of a once-mighty prince.
From atop a tower, the eldest prince, Dai Weisi, surveyed the scene with a sneer.
"My dear brother, how the tables have turned!" he mocked. "Such a prime opportunity to claim the throne—yet you threw it away!"
"As I take the crown and become the next Star Luo Emperor, I hope you do not lament the abyss of your arrogance and foolishness!"
Nearby, Dai Mubai could only watch with a mixture of pleasure and anticipation. Young and still ambitious, he had not abandoned his aspirations for the throne.
"Can you believe it?" Dai Mubai chuckled to himself. "I was robbed of my fiancée by such a fool?"
Shaking his head, he scoffed, "It's clear that adherence to the ancestral rules of absorbing soul rings would have alleviated the White Tiger Martial Soul's shortcomings. Yet here he is, seeking to prove the ancestors wrong."
"How could the ancestors be wrong?"
His confidence shone brightly as he felt the essence of his first soul skill, the White Tiger Shield Body Barrier, envelop him.
"Haha, wait! The next time we meet..."
"My dear brother, I will bring Zhu Zhuqing with me, and you will discover the vast gap between you and me!"
Elsewhere, Zhu Fan, the one tasked with driving the carriage, listened to the mocking comments from the crowd with growing frustration.
He gritted his teeth and turned to the interior of the carriage, despair evident in his expression. "This is truly disheartening... A dragon trapped in shallow waters, played by crabs; a tiger in a flatland, bullied by dogs!"
"Chengfeng, if you would only admit your mistakes to His Majesty, I'm certain he would pardon you. They'd soon realize who the true jumping clown is..."
"Enough, Uncle!" interrupted Dai Chengfeng, his voice calm but firm from within the carriage. "One day, the world will recognize my value."
"And as for what they're saying out there?" He peered through the curtain, observing the villagers' excited chatter and mockery outside. "It's merely a chill of wind and frost."
With determination, he lowered the curtain. "Let's go."
"Wu'an City, the battlefield—perhaps that is where I will truly rise!"
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(End of this chapter)