Douluo 2: This Dragon God has too much martial virtue

Chapter 562: The picture shows the dagger
Reclaim lost territory? Long Xiaoyao pondered that Di Tian had simply not shown up, not that he was dead. Given the Beast God's style, once territory was swallowed up, there was no possibility of it being returned.

To reclaim lost territory, one must inevitably confront the heavens. Long Xiaoyao understands better than anyone how his martial soul evolved from the dark attribute to the ultimate darkness. The drop of golden-eyed black dragon king's essence blood that he fused with in his early years not only endowed him with the ultimate dark attribute but also made him a true dragon descendant. This is the key to his ability to break through to the Limit Douluo realm first among his peers.

Is it true that he attacked Di Tian? It's one thing to help Mu En raise his great-grandson, but he has no intention of rushing to rekindle his past relationship with Mu En!

"In case, I mean in case, if the Beast God were to fight... let me put it this way, even if all the Title Douluos of our Dragon Pavilion joined forces, they would have no chance of winning against him." Long Xiaoyao shook his head with a wry smile. "I also feel heartbroken that such a big thing happened to the Heavenly Soul Empire, but since the beast tide has stopped, I think it's best not to start any more conflicts."

Princess Vina was on the verge of tears. "Senior Dragon Emperor, the Lima Plain we lost... that's two-thirds of the Heavenly Soul Empire's grain production area! If this continues, the empire will face a food crisis within a few months."

"Hmph!" Poisonous Undying sneered, his soul power surging. "Long Xiaoyao, when did you become so timid? Or is it that your Dragon Pavilion has already colluded with Xingdou..."

"Brother Poison, watch your words!" Long Xiaoyao's face darkened. "Dragon Pavilion and Star Dou did indeed cooperate on soul spirits. If you can't distinguish between a conflict of interest and a personal grudge, then I can tell you that the former is negotiable, but the latter is not! But you should at least know that this beast tide was instigated by Shrek Academy, and the conflict of interest and personal grudges have long been intertwined! You should be glad that Beast God Di Tian didn't intervene from beginning to end, otherwise the capital of the Heavenly Soul Empire would have suffered the same fate as Shrek City back then!"

Princess Vina raised her tearful eyes, her voice unconsciously carrying a hint of accusation: "Senior Dragon Emperor, there's still something I don't understand. Why did you order our Heavenly Soul Empire to withdraw its reinforcements to support the Star Luo Western Frontier? In her letter to me, Jiu Jiu said that because the Dragon Pavilion's experts killed four Title Douluos of the Star Luo Empire, including a Super Douluo, and because the Heavenly Soul Empire suddenly withdrew its troops, the entire western front of Star Luo fell. She's still blaming me for breaking my promise! She's almost..." She was practically accusing her of colluding with the Sun Moon Empire!
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it. But once the matter was brought up, Long Xiaoyao instantly gained confidence, and his eyes suddenly turned cold. "That brat Dai Hao spoke rudely and insulted my colleague. Based on just a few rumors, he dared to publicly accuse me of treason! My colleague only said something in anger, telling him that if it was true, then she would order the Heavenly Soul forces to withdraw. After all, the Heavenly Soul reinforcements brought a lot of soul tools provided by the Dragon Pavilion. But that brat directly had those four titled warriors gang up on him. He deserved to die."

Did you think you could start a dragon-slaying party just by gathering five titled Douluos? How naive! Even if you gathered all the titled Douluos in the Star Luo Empire, the outcome would still be certain death!

Vina then realized that such a grudge was hidden behind the order to withdraw troops. Poison Undying, who had initially intended to support Vina, was speechless upon hearing this; conflicts between powerful individuals could sometimes be resolved with just a word. Thinking about it now, if Dai Hao had dared to treat him like that, given the Body Sect's style, he probably would have turned on him on the spot, disregarding any sense of national duty.
Thinking of this, Du Busi even felt a little sorry for Long Xiaoyao. He knew, of course, that the Dragon Pavilion had dealings with the high-ranking officials of the Sun Moon Empire. It was Long Xiaoyao who had obtained the Silver Moon Token from Kong Deming, enabling him to rescue the contestants from various academies, including the Star Luo Empire's team, from being imprisoned by Xu Tianran and the Holy Spirit Cult without bloodshed. The Star Luo Empire had probably long forgotten this favor.

"As for the fall of the western front of Xingluo, since Dai Hao dared to do it, he should dare to take responsibility. What, has the princess come here today specifically to question my Dragon Pavilion?"

Long Xiaoyao's words were spoken neither lightly nor heavily, but they instantly turned Vina's face pale. She realized with a start how reckless her actions had been in front of a Limit Douluo. She and Xu Jiujiu were indeed close friends, but their friendship had always been built on the interests of their two nations. Vina bitterly understood that when national interests were truly at stake, their friendship ultimately had to give way to political realities.

Seeing this, Poison Immortal immediately smoothed things over: "Brother Long, you're too kind. Vina was merely relaying what Xingluo said; she didn't mean it..."

"Brother Poison, there's no need to explain." Long Xiaoyao waved his hand. "I naturally understand the princess's difficulties. But there are some things that the Dragon Pavilion will not do, nor can it do." Who would willingly give up a good life to court death?
Long Xiaoyao was unwilling to help the Heavenly Soul Empire reclaim the territory swallowed by the beast tide, and Du Busi was helpless. The Dragon Pavilion and the Heavenly Soul Royal Family were ultimately just partners, while their Body Sect was the true guardian sect of the Heavenly Soul Empire. This heavy responsibility was now pressing down on him so much that he could hardly breathe.

After a moment of silence, Du Busi finally sighed and bowed to Long Xiaoyao, saying, "Brother Long, in your opinion, what should we do?"

"Recovering lost territory is indeed unrealistic, so why not consider expansion?"

"Expansion?" Both Poison Immortal and Vina were taken aback.

Long Xiaoyao smiled meaningfully: "Have you two forgotten that ten thousand years ago, the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Fighting Spirit Empire were one, called the Heavenly Dou Empire? Today, the Heavenly Soul Empire is being invaded by the beast tide, and the Star Luo Empire is fighting a bitter battle with the Sun Moon Empire, but the Fighting Spirit Empire remains unscathed..."

Poison Undying suddenly opened his eyes wide, while Princess Vina seemed to be deep in thought, her eyes gleaming with a sharp light.

"Of course, this matter needs to be handled gradually." Long Xiaoyao said meaningfully, "Although it is inconvenient for the Dragon Pavilion to directly intervene in the recovery of lost territory, we will certainly serve the country if there are other needs!"

Princess Vina was caught in a dilemma. The three kingdoms that originally belonged to the Douluo Continent and the Sun Moon Empire were already in a state of hostility. If the Heavenly Soul Empire took the opportunity to attack the Douling Empire, the Douling Empire, which was in the midst of internal strife, would definitely recall its troops to stabilize the domestic situation. After all, there was nothing more important than quelling internal strife.

However, such a move would cause the Star Luo Empire to lose an important ally, allowing the Sun Moon Empire to concentrate its full strength on attacking Star Luo. More seriously, this would inevitably lead people who originally belonged to the Douluo Three Kingdoms to believe that the Heavenly Soul Empire had betrayed the alliance, and even suspect that it had reached some kind of secret agreement with the Sun Moon Empire.

Vina's fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her dress. She knew all too well that such political risks could cause irreparable damage to the reputation of the Heavenly Soul Empire. As a member of the royal family, she had to weigh the potential chain reactions of every decision.

“Senior Dragon Emperor,” Vina’s voice trembled slightly, “if we attack Dou Ling now, how will the world view Tian Hun? At a time when the Sun Moon Empire is launching a massive attack, the three kingdoms of Douluo should be united. If we go against the grain…”

"Old Dragon, isn't this a bit too unethical?" Poison Immortal frowned upon hearing this. Although the Body Sect was the guardian sect of the Heavenly Soul Empire, it was well aware of the consequences. If the Heavenly Soul attacked Dou Ling, it would not only be branded as a traitor, but could also plunge the Star Luo Empire into dire straits. At that time, the entire continent's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or landscape) would be completely altered.

"Either come over and cook me a couple of dishes, or shut up!" Long Xiaoyao sneered inwardly at Vina and the others' hesitant expressions, but maintained a facade of "I'm doing this for your own good," earnestly advising, "Your Highness just mentioned that the Heavenly Soul Empire's granaries have been occupied by Xingdou. While we in the Northern Territory can temporarily provide food aid, this is not a long-term solution. Although the Douling Empire has the smallest land area among the four kingdoms, it is rich in resources, possessing vast plains and the East Sea, abundant in various rare medicinal herbs, and its terrain is easy to attack but difficult to defend..." He didn't understand what Vina had to hesitate about. This wasn't invasion; this was unification! Heavenly Soul and Douling were one country ten thousand years ago!
Poison Undying fell into deep thought. As the sect leader of the Body Sect, he still had reservations about attacking the Douling Empire. If it were an enemy of the Sun Moon Empire or a soul beast of the Star Dou Great Forest, he would not hesitate at all, but Douling had been an ally after all, which filled him with inner conflict.

Princess Vina also seemed to be struggling. She understood that Long Xiaoyao's suggestion could indeed solve Tianhun's predicament, but such a decision would completely change the landscape between the three kingdoms.

Looking at Du Busi's conflicted expression, Long Xiaoyao understood his true thoughts. In the end, he still wanted to reclaim the homeland that had been taken away by the beast tide.

Why can't these people understand? Why care so much about empty titles? The weapon of criticism cannot replace the criticism of weapons! Moreover, Long Xiaoyao, the apparent leader of the Dragon Pavilion, has already made it clear that if the Heavenly Soul Empire intends to expand into the Douling Empire, the Dragon Pavilion will provide money, manpower, and resources. With the Dragon Pavilion's endorsement, what is there to worry about?
What a bunch of idiots who deserve to be in a museum! They keep talking about granaries. Your Heavenly Soul Empire has Limit Douluo if you want strong people, and Level 9 fixed-position soul guidance shells if you want high-level soul guidance devices. The Douling Empire next door is your granary. Do you really need to write such a simple and easy-to-understand truth down in black and white?

“Brother Poison,” Long Xiaoyao suddenly spoke, his tone seemingly troubled, “Since you care more about the territories occupied by Xingdou, how about this? Our Dragon Pavilion does have some connections to Xingdou. I can arrange for someone to act as a go-between, so you can negotiate directly with Di Tian. Go and ask him what conditions he wants for the return of those lands.”

Long Xiaoyao's suggestion caused Du Busi's eyes to dim rapidly. What bargaining chips did he have to negotiate? What qualifications did he have to negotiate? In the end, it was just resentment. He would rather face the Sun Moon Empire's level nine fixed-position soul-guided cannon head-on than fight Di Tian. Could he possibly drag the Beast God into a self-destruction? If he failed to seriously injure Di Tian, ​​the capital of the Heavenly Soul Empire would be the one to suffer.

Long Xiaoyao had anticipated that Du Busi would think this way, but this was exactly the effect he wanted. By first proposing a seemingly feasible but actually hopeless plan, he could make it easier for the other party to accept his next proposal.

"Why be so pessimistic, Brother Poison?" Long Xiaoyao said, pretending to be relaxed. "But since you think the chances of negotiation are slim, let's think of other ways, such as the expansion I mentioned before."

Then he abruptly changed the subject and asked, "By the way, how is Shrek Academy doing? After all, this beast tide was brought about by Xuanzi."

Poison Undying snorted coldly, his fists clenching unconsciously: "Their high-ranking members have suffered many casualties, but so what? They couldn't stop the soul beasts from running rampant!"

“This is indeed an opportunity.” A glint of light flashed in Long Xiaoyao’s eyes. “Those high-ranking officials and inner court students who died in battle must all have family backgrounds, right? Especially those noble scions from the Heavenly Soul and Douling Empires, their families should be held responsible for this disaster.”

Princess Vina's eyes widened slightly, as if she understood Long Xiaoyao's intention.

“Princess, you might as well ask these nobles from the Heavenly Soul Empire to contribute funds to make up for the food shortage in the name of the royal family. As for the Douling Empire,” Long Xiaoyao paused meaningfully, “the Heavenly Soul Empire can use this as a pretext to ask them for compensation, which can be considered a legitimate reason.”

Poison Undying suddenly slapped his thigh, "You old dragon, I never expected that you, who always acted so righteous, would have so many tricks up your sleeve! But this idea is indeed brilliant!"

Princess Vina pondered this; it was indeed the safest method. After a moment, she raised her head and looked directly at Long Xiaoyao, confirming, "Senior Dragon Emperor, is the Dragon Pavilion willing to fully support the unification of the Empire?"

Long Xiaoyao's expression turned solemn. "Your Highness, rest assured, the entire Long Pavilion will serve the country. If necessary, I can also personally take action."

Upon hearing this, Vina finally showed a smile. Du Busi and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to facing Di Tian's Dragon God Claw head-on, it was safer to bully Dou Ling. Besides, even a "gentleman" like Long Xiaoyao had become an accomplice. What did they have to worry about?
"Hahaha!" Poison Undying suddenly burst into laughter, patting Long Xiaoyao's shoulder hard. "Old Long, Old Long, now we're in the same boat."

But soon, Poisonous Immortal frowned again, saying worriedly, "Old Dragon, I still think we need to find an opportunity to talk to Di Tian. Although those soul beasts haven't advanced further after occupying Sunset Forest, who knows if they might come back one day?" As someone who had personally experienced several beast tides, Poisonous Immortal knew all too well the destructive power of those soul beasts. Even with a new plan now, this hidden danger remained, preventing him from sleeping or eating in peace.

Long Xiaoyao thought to himself, "Then find an opportunity to talk to Di Tian's Dragon Claw!" Just then, a clear voice rang out: "What do you mean, 'making a comeback'? What has that guy done this time?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a short-haired girl leaning against the door. Her hair color gradually transitioned from a soft pinkish-blue to a deep dark purple, with the purple at the ends being the most intense, gleaming mysteriously under the light.

Poisonous Undying's pupils constricted slightly. Not long ago, Wang Dong had not only slain two evil soul masters but also severely injured the Holy Maiden of the Holy Spirit Cult, leaving her on the verge of death. Such strength and courage were truly rare among her peers. Yet now, standing before Poisonous Undying, she displayed absolutely no soul power fluctuations, as if she were just an ordinary person. He subconsciously glanced at Long Xiaoyao and noticed a hint of surprise flash in the eyes of this Limit Douluo as well.

Long Xiaoyao's tone suddenly turned cold, and he stared at Wang Dong with a warning look. "There's nothing to it, and this is none of your business. I heard you were injured in the far north, so you should rest and recuperate." At this crucial moment, he couldn't allow the plan to have any flaws.

The temperature in the banquet hall seemed to drop several degrees instantly. Princess Vina looked at Wang Dong uneasily; she had never seen Long Xiaoyao speak to a young person in such a tone. Du Busi also thoughtfully observed Wang Dong. His intuition told him that this girl was definitely not simple, given how wary Long Xiaoyao was.

(End of this chapter)