After the banquet ended, Dai Mubai's expression gradually turned cold. Looking at Tang San, he said,
"They really are testing our bottom line."
Tang San didn't care about the gain or loss of that territory. What he wanted was to spread the name of the Tang Sect throughout the entire continent. At that time, as the sect master, he would also become famous throughout the world. This was for the God Test and also his obsession from two lives.
"It's a normal thing. The Zhu Family cut off their tail to survive under Heaven Dou's rule. Now that they have an opportunity to expand, how could they not take a bite of the fat?"
"None of this is important. Whether we face the Heaven Dou Empire's counterattack next or continue to expand outwards, we need the Zhu Family's help. This bit of profit is given out, and it's given out. If they didn't want anything, would you still dare to cooperate with the Zhu Family?"
Hearing this, Dai Mubai's smile returned.
"That's true. If they didn't want anything, then we would have trouble sleeping and eating."
A few days later, Zhu Xianye began to allocate some manpower to take over the territory belonging to the Zhu Family, while Dai Mubai also began traveling back and forth between major cities to investigate the local tax revenue and government affairs, and incidentally deal with some old nobles in the Nili Kingdom who were being ungrateful and using their local influence to cause trouble for him.
Several old noble families had jointly declared that they would not pay taxes, clearly showing a stance that Dai Mubai still needed to rely on them to support the kingdom's economy to face the upcoming Heaven Dou counterattack, acting with impunity.
An annoyed Dai Mubai directly asked Tang San for some Tang Sect experts, including several Soul Sage level powerhouses who went directly to the homes of several noble families and slaughtered them clean.
This action also served as a warning to others. The other smaller families, seeing that the leaders had all fallen, quickly restrained their little schemes. At least, what Dai Mubai showed was that he truly didn't need their support to resist the potential impending crisis.
Seeing the smaller families surrender and hand over several more portions of tax revenue, Dai Mubai nodded with satisfaction. While feeling proud, he also developed some other thoughts.
These past few years, he had either been staying in the deep mountains and old forests or fighting on the outside. It had been a long time since he had tasted meat. He knew that in the past, during his time in the Heaven Dou Empire, he never stopped for a single night. After asking merchants about several famous local pleasure houses, Dai Mubai slowly walked towards the direction of a hotel.
"Combining work and rest is what life is all about!"
Just as Dai Mubai was sighing, his peripheral vision caught a figure he could never have expected. His heterochromatic pupils suddenly constricted, and the ease in his eyes completely disappeared.
"Dai Weisi?"
The person watching him not far away was Dai Weisi, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. He had thought that the other party had also been buried in the Star Luo City Beast Tide with his parents. He hadn't expected that the two brothers would meet again today.
Meeting again, the eyes of the two brothers were very complicated. Dai Weisi's identity was undoubtedly a threat to Dai Mubai, while Dai Weisi felt a trace of reluctance for what he was about to do, but it was quickly suppressed by the grand plan of rebuilding the Dai Family.
"Long time no see, Mubai."
"Yes, long time no see, Dai Weisi. I didn't expect you to still be alive."
Dai Weisi gestured towards the restaurant not far away with his chin. The meaning of catching up was self-evident.
Dai Mubai frowned slightly. He always maintained a high degree of vigilance towards Dai Weisi, but after thinking about the several Soul Sages Tang San had sent to protect him who were hidden behind him, he cast that bit of apprehension aside. After all, there was no longer a throne for them to contend for in the Star Luo territory. On the contrary, the other party was his only living direct blood relative.
Following Dai Weisi into the second floor of the hotel, as soon as he entered the private room, he saw Zhu Zhuyun's smiling face.
Seeing that this woman was also there, a hint of envy flashed in Dai Mubai's heart. Dai Weisi no longer had his former glory, yet Zhu Zhuyun was still devoted. Thinking about his own fiancée, the envy in his heart slowly turned into bitterness.
"I didn't expect both of you to still be alive."
Dai Weisi took a bottle of wine from Zhu Zhuyun, poured a glass for Dai Mubai, and pushed it in front of him.
"I didn't expect that after we contended for so many years, this would be the result."
"Hmph, you were the one who was always contending, weren't you? I went to Heaven Dou to seek refuge a long time ago."
Putting aside his fear of Dai Weisi, Dai Mubai still had resentment towards these two in his heart and directly retorted.
Hearing this, Dai Weisi showed a wry smile.
"What could I do? This has been the rule in Star Luo since ancient times. Were we supposed to wait for you to grow up and deal with us?"
"But now everything has returned to dust. Star Luo no longer exists."
Dai Mubai's indignant expression eased. It was true as he said, as long as the other party didn't covet his current position, there was no longer any conflict of interest between them.
"Have you been hiding in Spirit Cat City all these years?"
"That's right. Thanks to my uncle's protection all these years, I managed to survive."
Dai Weisi nodded and didn't hide his struggles over the years. Anyway, all the grievances between the brothers would end today.
"Oh? Then you didn't stay in Spirit Cat City and came to Nili to find me. I don't think it's just to catch up, is it?"
Draining the wine in his glass, Dai Mubai's eyes became complicated again. He really didn't want to hear that answer, that the other party had come to contend for his position again.
"Sigh, I admire you very much. You actually had the courage to develop your own power from scratch. I'm not as good as you in this regard."
Hearing Dai Weisi's praise for the first time, a hint of smugness flashed in Dai Mubai's eyes, but Dai Weisi's next words completely darkened his face.
"However, your approach is undoubtedly foolish. Not only will it fail to continue the glory of the Star Luo royal family, but it will also bring disaster to both the Dai and Zhu families."
"Hmph, that's not for you to say. I just need to resist the Heaven Dou Empire's counterattack. We and the Zhu family will support each other. With the current military strength in the Star Luo territory, they can't do it in a short time."
"And by the time they spend time recruiting soldiers and buying horses again, our strength will also become stronger over time."
Flames flickered in Dai Mubai's eyes. He knew that Dai Weisi, who had always looked down on him, wouldn't simply be praising him.
Dai Weisi didn't speak, just stared straight at him. It was Zhu Zhuyun on the side who spoke first.
"Dai Mubai, you don't even know what kind of existence you've provoked. Instead of dreaming, you should worry about your own safety."
"Tch, just the two of you?"
A hint of disdain flashed in Dai Mubai's eyes. He didn't care who he had provoked. As things stood, he had no way back, and he no longer paid attention to the Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun in front of him. Not to mention the several Soul Sages hidden in the dark behind him, he himself was now a Soul Emperor. Even if he couldn't defeat the two, he could easily leave this place. Realizing this, Dai Mubai also became fearless.
"Heh, your reliance is those two Soul Sages?"
Zhu Zhuyun raised her eyebrows towards the door, her appearance of completely disregarding the other party instantly made Dai Mubai's heart pound.
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