Chapter 524 The Changes at the Star Luo Imperial Palace (Part 1)
It turned out that it was only two months ago.
Since Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing had rushed back to the Star Luo Empire due to the Spirit Hall's Soul Hunting Operation, they received a notification upon their return. It was said that evil spirit masters had reappeared within the Star Luo Empire's borders and had massacred the civilians of a town.
Therefore, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing did not return to the Star Luo Imperial Palace, but instead led a legion of five hundred spirit masters and a group of imperial elites to suppress them. A full month passed before they returned.
"Mubai, I have a feeling something's amiss this time," Zhu Zhuqing, dressed in military attire, said solemnly as she rode her horse, looking at Dai Mubai beside her, who was clad in battle robes and had a fierce expression.
"Zhu Qing, you're right."
Dai Mubai, holding the reins and gazing ahead, a hint of worry flashed in his eyes. "Before we left, Father Emperor dispatched troops, ordering my elder brother and me to lead separate forces to wipe out those evil spirit masters. But how could they have resurfaced?"
"No, it's far more than that."
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, then pointed out a key point in their previous operation. "Did you notice that when we went to hunt down the evil spirit masters, they never gave us a chance? They seemed to know we were completely out of the loop, constantly kiting us. Although they publicly declared that they had annihilated them all, you know we failed."
"I understand that." Dai Mubai tightened the reins, looking at the city of Xingluo before him, a hint of worry in his eyes. "But I fear they have some unspeakable secret."
"Then what do you plan to do?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Dai Mubai and asked.
"What else can we do?" Dai Mubai led the army into Xingluo City. "We can only take it one step at a time."
Soon, the moment Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing led their troops into Xingluo City, they instinctively sensed something was amiss!
At this moment, Xingluo City was shrouded in the glow of a bright moon hanging high in the sky as night fell, but this cold moonlight rendered the entire city a scene of grim desolation.
"Mubai, this is very different from a month ago!"
Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly, surveying the entire city.
Although Xingluo City did indeed have a city-wide curfew at night, the current atmosphere was clearly something was wrong.
"Mubai, if something major has happened and we haven't received any news, there's probably something fishy going on..."
"Phew!" Dai Mubai let out a long sigh, his gaze sharpening as he looked towards the Xingluo Imperial Palace. Then, turning to the two legion commanders, he said, "You two prepare to garrison. The Crown Princess and I will go ahead to the palace to see what's going on!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Zhu Qing, let's go!"
"Who goes there!?"
To speed things up, the two not only abandoned their warhorses but also activated their Martial Souls. Dai Mubai, accompanied by Zhu Zhuqing, whose form glowed with black light, galloped from afar. As the Crown Prince of the Star Luo Empire, he had no intention of concealing himself. However, when the two arrived at the gates of the Star Luo Imperial Palace, they heard a loud shout from above.
"Dai Mubai!"
Upon hearing this, Dai Mubai immediately felt inexplicably displeased and roared back.
How could he, the dignified Third Prince of the Empire, be blocked at the city gate and questioned after returning from battle?
Even so, after a while, a voice slowly came from above that instantly enraged Dai Mubai.
"Third Prince? Excuse me, but there's a curfew in effect. Please show me your pass before I can let you pass."
A head popped out from above, and the speaker was clearly a Soul Master, and judging from his aura, even a Soul Grandmaster. He stood on the city wall and shouted in Dai Mubai's direction.
"Pass!? You want a pass from me?!"
Upon hearing this, Dai Mubai's tiger-like eyes blazed with fury, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and he gritted his teeth as he shouted.
The Soul Master's next words only fueled Dai Mubai's anger. "I'm sorry, the First Prince has decreed that everyone needs a pass. So, Third Prince, you are no exception."
"The First Prince!? What right does he have to make that rule? I'm still the Crown Prince!"
Dai Mubai suddenly realized something was wrong. If Zhu Zhuqing hadn't been holding him back, he would have already forced his way in.
"I'm asking you, where is Father Emperor?!"
Unexpectedly, the Soul Master had already given his answer, "His Majesty has been unwell recently, and Third Prince, you've been out suppressing bandits, so the First Prince is temporarily acting as regent and in charge of all affairs. Third Prince, if you can't produce a pass, you won't be able to pass."
"You're talking nonsense!" Dai Mubai had never been treated like this before, and his face flushed red with anger, his black and white tiger-like hair whipping wildly.
"Father Emperor, a dignified Soul Douluo, you're telling me you're unwell! You're trying to fool me!"
"Get out!"
Dai Mubai roared, and in an instant, six dazzling soul rings—yellow, purple, and black—appeared.
The next second, the second soul ring suddenly lit up. Immediately, a "White Tiger Blazing Light Wave" blasted towards the gate in front of the palace.
"Concealing your true intentions, harboring ulterior motives!"
This time, Zhu Zhuqing didn't continue to stop Dai Mubai from unleashing his power. Even she let out a delicate cry, then transformed into a deep black light like the night sky, rushing forward.
"Boom!"
With a deafening roar, as expected, the center of the gate was shattered by Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's combined attack. The gate frame was also blasted apart by the powerful energy, sending debris flying everywhere in a continuous cacophony.
When the booming finally subsided, the entire gate had collapsed, leaving only occasional soft thuds. The Soul Masters guarding the gate and the city walls, mostly at the Great Soul Master level, were terrified and fled in panic. At this moment, the Soul Master who had previously rebuked Dai Mubai on the city wall was speechless with fear. His face ashen as he watched Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing approach, he collapsed to the ground.
"Didn't you want the pass? Say it! Do you still want it?"
Dai Mubai's face was ashen, his eyes flashing with ferocity. The domineering power of his White Tiger Martial Soul and the aura of a Soul Emperor surged forth. His burly body trembled, clearly enraged to the extreme.
"No...no...more..."
The Soul Master's earlier arrogance had vanished completely. His upper teeth chattered incessantly against his lower teeth, and he stammered for a long time without managing to finish the three words.
"Hmph!" With a cold snort, the hot-tempered Dai Mubai, his anger surging, smashed the man's head apart with a single blow.
"Mubai, what do we do now?"
Dai Mubai looked towards the palace, his face so dark it seemed like ink was dripping from it. "Let's go! Let's go to the palace and see what my older brother is up to!"
(End of Chapter)