Douluo Jueshi: Picking up Firefly at the Beginning

For many years, Xuanji Douluo has always been very caring towards the White Tiger Duke's Mansion. Before Dai Hao was promoted to Title Douluo, Xuanji Douluo was undoubtedly the White Tiger Duke's Mansion's strongest support.

He steadfastly supported the White Tiger Duke, and there were many military personnel like him who were completely inclined towards the White Tiger Duke's mansion. Together, they formed a powerful support force for the White Tiger Duke in the military.

Golden Spear Douluo, on the other hand, has a completely different style. He dislikes the intricate and scheming conflicts between the court and the nobility, so he chooses to stay out of it and remain neutral.

For this reason, he has been stationed in White Tiger City for many years, focusing on preventing the invasion of the Sun Moon Empire and never participating in the various open and covert struggles between the Star Luo royal family and the White Tiger Duke.

Fortunately, with the Sun Moon Empire posing a common threat, all factions within the Star Luo Empire understood that the nation needed powerful Title Douluos like the Golden Spear Douluo who could always maintain neutrality.

Only with him stationed at the border can all forces feel at ease, without worrying that internal conflicts will create chaos that could give external enemies an opportunity to exploit.

In reality, although Golden Spear Douluo chose to remain neutral, deep down he, like Xuanji Douluo, greatly admired Duke Dai Hao of the White Tiger.

However, he acted more rationally and was well aware of the complexities of power struggles, so he deliberately maintained an appropriate distance from Dai Hao to avoid getting involved in unnecessary disputes.

For Duke Dai Hao of the White Tiger Clan, reclaiming the throne that once belonged to the White Tiger lineage was not his true pursuit.

After all, the throne was voluntarily relinquished by their ancestors based on the circumstances at the time, and was not forcibly seized by the Star Crown lineage. Both sides made their choices based on considerations of the overall interests of the Star Luo Empire, and each got what they needed.

Moreover, he and the current Xingluo Emperor Xu Jiawei were close friends who could talk about anything when they were young, and this deep friendship made him even less inclined to vie for the throne.

However, reality often leaves us powerless. As the Duke of White Tiger, Dai Hao represents not only himself, but also a huge interest group behind him.

Within this interest group, there are many who yearn for the White Tiger Duke's Mansion to regain its former glory.

Dai Hao initially joined the military simply to hone his skills, improve his abilities, serve his country, protect his homeland, and make the Star Luo Empire stronger.

But unknowingly, with his outstanding military talent and leadership charisma, he gradually gained control of most of the Star Luo Empire's military forces. Now, he is deeply entangled in the vortex of power, and it will be difficult for him to extricate himself unscathed.

Given his current high prestige and enormous influence within the Star Luo Empire's military, it would be absolutely impossible for him to retire, even if he wanted to.

Of course, he never hesitated to back down. This was not because he wanted to pursue the throne or covet power, but purely out of a deep sense of responsibility for the fate of the Star Luo Empire.

He knew that if he chose to withdraw, the military of the Star Luo Empire would suffer a huge blow, and the stability and unity of the army would be seriously affected.

Given the current dire situation where the Sun Moon Empire is watching with predatory eyes and could launch an attack at any moment, doing so would undoubtedly be tantamount to cutting off one's own arm, plunging the Star Luo Empire into an abyss of no return.

Fortunately, Emperor Xu Jiawei of Xingluo placed full trust in Dai Hao. He did not become suspicious of Dai Hao because of his high achievements and great power, nor did he take action against him.

At least on the surface, the two still maintained their old brotherhood, and the relationship between the Star Crown lineage and the White Tiger lineage seemed to remain harmonious. Although Dai Hao knew in his heart that the brotherhood of the past, without any reservations, was gone forever, this situation was enough for the current circumstances.

As long as he sticks to his principles and doesn't harbor any rebellious thoughts, Xu Jiawei won't easily make things difficult for him. In this way, a subtle and tacit understanding was reached between the two sides.

At this moment, in a military camp within White Tiger City, Duke Dai Hao of White Tiger, Xuanji Douluo, and Golden Spear Douluo were gathered in front of a huge map of the Ming Dou Mountain Range, their expressions solemn, the atmosphere so oppressive it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it.

Xuanji Douluo appears to be a slender old man with a kind face and a peaceful aura. If one did not know his background, it would be hard to imagine that he was actually a soldier who came from the military, experienced countless brutal battlefield battles, and emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Time seems to have left its mark on him, concealing his battlefield ferocity beneath a calm exterior.

The Golden Spear Douluo was different. Having been stationed in White Tiger City for many years, he had a military aura as strong as strong liquor.

The man before me was tall and strong, like a majestic mountain peak; he was a robust man in his prime.

He naturally exuded an aura of iron-blooded ruthlessness, and his seasoned battlefield prowess inspired awe in all who beheld him.

In the entire Star Luo Empire army, in terms of military bearing, only Dai Hao, as the Grand Marshal of the Empire, could outshine him in terms of imposing presence.

"Marshal, have you noticed something amiss?" Xuanji Douluo frowned slightly, his eyes revealing worry.

Although he was an elder, he was nominally Dai Hao's subordinate in the army, so they couldn't use intimate terms of address in private.

As a senior figure in the military, he knew the Sun Moon Empire, his arch-enemy, inside and out. Recently, he also keenly sensed an unusual aura permeating the Mingdou Mountains. Based on his years of experience and intuition, he had a premonition that something was amiss.

Golden Spear Douluo also had a solemn expression and a stern look. He had been stationed in White Tiger City for decades. Long before Dai Hao joined the army, he had already shouldered heavy responsibilities in this place.

At that time, the city was not called White Tiger City. It was only after Dai Hao became the commander-in-chief of the Star Luo Empire's three armies with his outstanding military talent and leadership style that it was officially renamed White Tiger City.

For many years, Golden Spear Douluo has been very familiar with the Sun Moon Empire's army on the other side of the Mingdou Mountains.

Although the two sides have not engaged in a large-scale, all-out war over the long years, small-scale conflicts have never ceased.

In the complex terrain of the Mingdou Mountains, the two sides fought back and forth countless times, and every inch of land seemed to have witnessed the baptism of war.

In terms of familiarity with the Sun Moon Empire's army, even some of the Sun Moon Empire's own generals might not be able to match Golden Spear Douluo.

Recently, the Sun Moon Empire's army on the other side of the mountain has been unusually quiet. According to past practice, after each small-scale conflict, both sides enter a relatively peaceful period to rest and replenish supplies, so this should be normal. (End of Chapter)