Meanwhile!
Inside the Heaven Dou Empire's palace, Emperor Xue Ye sat upon his magnificent golden throne, his face so dark it seemed to drip ink.
His once majestic eyes now burned with raging fury, his brows furrowed into deep frowns, and his knuckles, gripping the armrests tightly, were pale from the force, the veins bulging like dragons.
The atmosphere in the entire hall was suffocatingly heavy.
Ministers stood on either side, each one silent as a cicada in winter, not daring to even breathe. A heavy pressure permeated the air, seemingly materializing, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Emperor Xueye's gaze swept across the crowd like a sharp sword, his voice low and suppressed, yet carrying an undeniable authority:
"These heartless madmen of the Spirit Hall dare to so brazenly declare themselves a nation!
They even dare to try and force my Heaven Dou Empire to destroy the Spirit Pagoda and assist them in capturing Qian Renshang—it's utterly delusional!"
Indeed, the tense atmosphere in the entire palace stemmed from the Spirit Hall's sudden declaration of independence!
They even installed a girl as Empress!
Former Pope Bibi Dong, seemingly recovering from injuries, temporarily abdicated, and Grand Elder Qian Daoliu absorbed all the power of the Spirit Hall.
Upon taking the stage, he instantly became powerful, his spearhead aimed directly at the Heaven Dou Empire!
A white-haired nobleman stepped shakily out of the ranks, bowed, and said,
"Your Majesty, the Spirit Hall has spread the news that Qian Renshang is the Child of Darkness throughout the continent, causing widespread discussion and panic.
They have used this as an excuse to openly declare war on our country; their arrogance is outrageous."
"But the Child of Darkness… Qian Renshang… is it really true?"
The nobleman's expression was worried.
After all, what Qian Daoliu said seemed too real, and it happened at one of the continent's advanced spirit master academies.
Qian Renshang's power was indeed somewhat evil!
Emperor Xueye snorted coldly, his voice as chilling as a winter wind:
"Child of Darkness?
That's nothing but slander from the Spirit Hall!
I've spoken with Qian Renshang, and from his words, actions, and demeanor, I can see the kindness and integrity in his bones.
The Spirit Hall's unscrupulous framing reveals their sinister intentions.
They simply want to use this to suppress us and realize their ambition to dominate the entire continent."
He didn't care whether Qian Renshang was a Child of Darkness or not.
Even if he was, so what?
The Spirit Hall was the biggest threat now.
Even if Qian Renshang wasn't a Child of Darkness, he would find an excuse to wage war against the Heaven Dou Empire later!
Another minister, dressed in heavy armor and looking like a majestic general, clasped his hands and said,
"Your Majesty, but we must admit that the Spirit Hall is powerful.
They have many Title Douluo powerhouses, a large number of Soul Masters, and they are well-trained.
If this war breaks out, our country will probably face a huge crisis."
Emperor Xueye suddenly stood up, his royal robes fluttering in the wind, and roared,
"Crisis? Does that mean our Heaven Dou Empire is going to kneel and surrender to them?
The Spirit Pagoda is an important pillar of our country's strength.
It was built at a great cost. How can we just give it up?
Qian Renshang has been framed innocently.
If we back down now, how will we face our people in the future!"
The ministers all knelt down and shouted in unison, "Your Majesty, please calm down!"
Emperor Xueye took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions, and slowly said:
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Since Qian Renshang is seen as a thorn in the side by the Spirit Hall, then we will fight alongside him.
This war concerns the dignity and future of our Heaven Dou Empire, and we must go all out!
Although the Spirit Hall is strong, they are too arrogant.
This rash attack will surely arouse the vigilance and resistance of all forces.
We must seize the opportunity, unite all forces that can be united, and use wisdom and strategy to fight against them."
"Your Majesty is wise! We are willing to go through fire and water for the Empire, even unto death!"
The ministers responded in unison, their voices echoing in the hall, yet unable to conceal the solemnity and worry in their hearts.
However, Emperor Xueye's gaze was firm.
He knew that the upcoming war would be a bloodbath, but he was prepared to meet the challenge.
The Spirit Pagoda must be preserved; this is their Heaven Dou Empire's chance to turn the tide!
As for Qian Renshang...
"Could this blow have directly caused that child to become completely despondent... Qian Renshang... are you really the so-called Child of Darkness?"
Emperor Xueye's expression was conflicted!
The great battle began!
No one expected that this would trigger an epoch-making war, and a tense atmosphere permeated the entire Heaven Dou Empire.
But in the following days, Emperor Xue Ye learned the gap between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Empire.
Battle reports from the front lines came one after another, each one like a heavy hammer blow to Emperor Xue Ye's heart.
Their front lines were almost completely overrun.
The Spirit Empire had deployed more than ten Title Douluos, their terrifying power like an unstoppable torrent, instantly shattering the Heaven Dou Empire's defenses.
Emperor Xue Ye sat in his study, a mountain of battle reports piled before him.
His face was ashen, his eyes filled with shock and despair.
"How could this be?"
He murmured, his voice trembling.
He recalled his resolve and ambition before the war, believing he could still put up a fight, but now it all seemed like a pipe dream.
Faced with the Spirit Empire's overwhelming power, they were no match.
"Was I really wrong? Was going to war with the Spirit Empire a reckless decision?"
Emperor Xue Ye began to doubt his choice.
His heart was filled with extreme pain and struggle.
He gazed at the sky outside the window, his mind filled with worry.
If they continued fighting, the Heaven Dou Empire would face annihilation; but if they chose to sue for peace, they would lose their dignity and sovereignty.
Emperor Xueye clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, yet he felt no pain.
He knew that he had to make a difficult choice, a choice that would determine the life and death of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Just as Emperor Xueye hesitated, another battle report arrived from the front.
The messenger stumbled into the study, his voice trembling as he shouted:
"Your Majesty, a sudden and drastic change has occurred at the front!
A large army of soul beasts has appeared, and the soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest have gone berserk.
They are heading towards the Heaven Dou Empire's front lines; to be precise, they are attacking the Martial Soul Empire's army!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xueye stood up abruptly, his face filled with astonishment:
"A soul beast army? What's going on?"
The messenger gasped for breath:
"Your Majesty, the specifics are still unclear, but the soul beasts are coming on strong, and the Martial Soul Empire's army is in chaos."
Emperor Xueye was shocked. What was happening?
A beast tide?
He was first shocked, then burst into laughter, his heart filled with exhilaration:
"The Spirit Empire is going to be in trouble now!"
His tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, his eyes flashing with thoughtful light.
"I remember Qian Renshang had a good relationship with those beast kings, so is this Qian Renshang's revenge?"
This thought flashed through his mind.
If that were the case, it might be a turning point for the Heaven Dou Empire.
But Emperor Xueye dared not draw any conclusions easily, after all, the actions of spirit beasts were often unpredictable.
"Guards, quickly find out the true intentions of the spirit beasts' actions," Emperor Xueye ordered.
The atmosphere in the palace instantly became tense, everyone waiting for further news from the front.
Emperor Xueye paced back and forth in his study, secretly calculating the possible developments in the situation.
"If it really is Qian Renshang's doing, then his power should not be underestimated,"
Emperor Xueye muttered to himself.
(End of this chapter)
Read 30+ chapters ahead at Patreon
patreon.com/TaroYamato
patreon.com/TaroYamato