đź’– If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
Dugu Bo quickly finished reading the letter. His eyes immediately shifted toward Yang Wudi and Niu Gao. He spoke in a deep, serious voice that showed the weight of the situation. He told them that he had finished reading the message from Tang Chen. He explained that the situation was very urgent and there was no time to wait. He asked both Clan Chiefs to come with him to the imperial palace right away.
Even though Yang Wudi and Niu Gao had just recovered from their previous injuries, they did not hesitate for a second. They nodded their heads in agreement. They had already decided to follow Tang Chen and be part of his faction. Now was the time for them to do their part and show their loyalty.
As the three of them started moving toward their destination, Dugu Bo suddenly remembered an important detail. He moved quickly, his feet blurring against the ground, while he spoke in a low and fast voice. He told them that there was something they needed to know.
He mentioned that not long ago, School Master Ning had asked him to visit the palace. His task was to check on the health of Emperor Xue Ye. During his visit, he found out that the Emperor was not just sick. In reality, the ruler of the Heaven Dou Empire had been poisoned.
Niu Gao pulled his thick eyebrows together. He looked at Dugu Bo with a face full of shock. He asked if the Emperor had really been poisoned, clearly finding it hard to believe that someone could pull off such a move inside the royal palace.
Dugu Bo continued to explain, and his voice became even more serious. He said it was a very complex mixed poison. He told them it was made from at least seven different kinds of rare and exotic poisons. These poisons were all connected to each other in a clever way. The poison had already gone deep into the Emperor's lungs and even reached his bone marrow. It was all tangled together, making it very hard to get rid of.
Yang Wudi frowned when he heard this. As an expert in herbs and chemicals, he felt an instinctive curiosity. He asked Dugu Bo if even he, the famous Poison Douluo, had no way to fix it.
Dugu Bo shook his head honestly. He said he felt ashamed. He explained that the way this poison was made was very sneaky. Every part of the poison was linked to the next part. If you touched one part, it would affect everything else.
He admitted that while he was a Titled Douluo who specialized in poison, he was stuck. He could see how dangerous it was, but he could not stop it. He warned them that without a special antidote or a much better medical skill, Emperor Xue Ye did not have much time left to live.
When Yang Wudi heard the phrase "seven types of mixed poison," a bright light appeared in his eyes. This was the look of a man who had spent his whole life studying medicine and poison. As the head of the Breaking Clan, he had a lot of confidence in this area. He did not slow down his pace, but he began to think out loud. He said that a mix of seven poisons was indeed complex.
However, he mentioned that his clan had some very old secrets and methods. He thought he might be able to take the poison apart and neutralize it. He told Dugu Bo that he could not promise success, but he believed there was a small chance they could save the Emperor.
Dugu Bo looked surprised. He knew that the Breaking Clan was famous for their skills with medicine and detoxification. If Yang Wudi said there was a chance, then it was probably true. He asked Yang Wudi if he could really get rid of the poison. He knew that saving the Emperor would be great for the Empire. It would help them stand against Spirit Hall and keep the country stable.
However, just as Yang Wudi was about to explain his plan and Niu Gao was looking happy about the news, Dugu Bo stopped them. He raised his hand in a sharp motion. His face became very calm and cold. He told them that they should not save Emperor Xue Ye right now. Even if Yang Wudi had the cure, Dugu Bo insisted that they should not use it yet.
Yang Wudi and Niu Gao were confused. They stopped and looked at him, wondering why he would say such a thing. Dugu Bo looked toward the far-off buildings of the imperial palace. He explained that he had been thinking about Tang Chen's letter. Specifically, he was thinking about the idea of holding the Emperor to control the others.
He said that if the Emperor stayed alive and healthy, he would still be a king with his own plans. A living Emperor might be thankful at first, but later he would worry about how much power Tang Chen's group had. He might even become their enemy to protect his throne.
Dugu Bo's eyes flashed with a cold and smart light. He suggested that a dead Emperor might actually be better for their goals. He explained that if the Emperor died from the poison, they could blame Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
They could tell everyone that the prince killed his own father to take the crown. In that moment of chaos, the Empire would have no leader and everyone would be scared. That would be the perfect time for them to step in.
He continued his explanation by saying they could support a different person from the royal family. While they were fighting off the people from Spirit Hall, they would look like heroes who were saving the country from a traitor. This way, the new Emperor they put on the throne would listen to them. He told them he finally understood what Tang Chen really meant.
Tang Chen did not want an old king who might turn on them. He wanted a new king who would follow their orders. That was the only way to make sure all the resources of the Heaven Dou Empire were used to fight Spirit Hall.
Dugu Bo finished by saying that they must let the poison stay for now. He even suggested that they might need to make sure the Emperor died at the right time. Yang Wudi and Niu Gao were shocked by how cold this plan was. But they were men who had seen a lot of the world.
They understood the logic behind the choice. They realized that saving a king or letting him die was just a matter of strategy. Tang Chen had chosen the path that was more dangerous but offered a bigger reward.
After a moment of silence, Yang Wudi nodded his head. He no longer felt unsure. He agreed with the plan. He told Dugu Bo that the Breaking Clan would follow the orders. Niu Gao took a deep breath and said they would follow Tang Chen's plan all the way. The three men stopped talking and moved even faster. They disappeared into the shadows of the setting sun, heading for the palace.
At the same time, deep inside the Star Dou Great Forest, things were very quiet. The Lake of Life was peaceful, and the water reflected the stars in the sky. But this peace was broken when Xiao Rui'er suddenly jumped up from a rock. Her golden eyes were wide with shock.
She could not believe what she had just heard. She asked Tang Chen if it was really true that the Crown Prince was an impostor from Spirit Hall. She repeated the name Qian Renxue in a surprised voice.
Tang Chen had just told her the big secret. He explained that the person everyone thought was the prince was actually a girl named Qian Renxue. She was working for Spirit Hall to take over the Heaven Dou Empire. Xiao Rui'er took a moment to process this huge secret. She looked at Tang Chen and noticed his power felt even stronger than before. She asked him if he was going to go back to the city right away.
Tang Chen nodded. He said that the trouble in the city had probably already started. He felt he had to get back before Spirit Hall took complete control. He told Xiao Rui'er that the trip would be very dangerous. He suggested that she should stay at the Lake of Life because it was the safest place. He told her that with Di Tian and the other powerful beasts there, Spirit Hall could not hurt her. He promised to come back for her after everything was finished.
Xiao Rui'er shook her head immediately. She grabbed his hand and looked at him with worried eyes. She told him that she would not stay behind. She said the city was too dangerous for him to go alone. She wanted to go so they could use their Martial Soul Fusion Skill if they got into a fight. Then she mentioned that since Tang Chen and Qian Renxue used to be on okay terms, maybe things wouldn't be so bad. She wondered if Spirit Hall would really try to destroy Shrek Academy if they won, since Tang Chen knew her.