Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

After all, their lives and deaths were none of their concern.

……

The undercurrents within Tiandou City caused by the Geduo Pill had not yet subsided when this whirlwind, at an astonishing speed, crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, sweeping towards the imperial city of the Star Luo Empire, renowned for its iron-bloodedness, ruthlessness, and powerful military strength.

The Star Luo Empire is a nation whose extravagant artistic style is completely opposite to that of the heavens.

This place reveres absolute force and believes in the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak. Especially within the royal family, a cruel succession system, akin to raising poisonous insects, is practiced.

From the moment the princes awaken their martial spirits, they find themselves in an invisible arena, where they compete, suppress, and even fight to the death to determine the final victor.

The loser loses not only the throne, but often also their life and the complete annihilation of the forces that support them.

In such an extreme environment, any means that can enhance strength or increase the chances of winning will trigger the most primal and frenzied pursuit.

Absorbing a spirit ring of a higher level! What does this mean?

This means that in battles of the same level, they will have an overwhelming advantage in soul skills.

It means that one can break through the constraints of one's own potential and reach a higher realm.

This means that at every critical juncture in the competition, there will be an extra trump card that can turn the tide.

This urgent report, sent back by a spy planted in Tiandou City, was immediately presented to Emperor Dai Tianfeng of the Star Luo Dynasty.

Inside the empty and cold hall, Dai Tianfeng sat upright on the throne.

He carefully read every word of the secret report. When he saw words such as "significantly improves the success rate of absorption" and "possibly exceeds the theoretical limit of absorbing soul rings," his fingers tapping on the armrest suddenly stopped, and a burning light shone in his deep eyes.

"Is the message confirmed?" His voice was deep and hoarse, yet carried an undeniable authority and a sense of oppression, echoing in the hall, causing the kneeling leader of the secret agents below to bury his head even lower.

"Your Majesty!" The head of the secret agents' voice trembled slightly.

"After verification by spies planted within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, the Blue Lightning Tyrant School, and several noble families of the Heaven Dou Empire, the information is confirmed. There have been several successful cases where those who took the pills successfully absorbed spirit rings beyond their original limits, greatly increasing their strength. The pills originated from a mysterious female Title Douluo who suddenly appeared and called herself Ge Duo, and currently has a close relationship with Queen Eva of the Heaven Dou Empire."

“Eva, the Heavenly Dou Royal Family…” Dai Tianfeng slowly repeated these names, his eyes flashing with cold light, his fingertips unconsciously tracing heavily across the parts of the report closely related to the Heavenly Dou Royal Family.

The strengthening of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family is something the Star Luo Empire is definitely not happy to see.

The Star Luo Empire was powerful, and its military strength far surpassed that of the Heavenly Dou Empire. Every emperor in history harbored the ambition to unify the continent.

If it weren't for the colossal Spirit Hall standing between the two nations, maintaining a delicate balance with its overwhelming power and even subtly restraining Star Luo's expansion, Star Luo's iron cavalry would probably have already breached the Heavenly Dou's defenses.

Now, it seems that the Heaven Dou royal family has made contact with a Title Douluo who can refine such heaven-defying pills?

If these weapons were to be mass-equipped to the Heaven Dou Soul Master Legion, or if a group of elites with Soul Rings of higher levels were to be cultivated, in the long run, it would have an immeasurable impact on the balance of power between the two countries.

With this shift in power, Xingluo's advantage will be gradually eroded, something Dai Tianfeng absolutely cannot tolerate.

We must get it! Both the elixir itself and the person who refined it!

Robbery? Theft? These thoughts flashed through Dai Tianfeng's mind for a moment, but he quickly suppressed them.

The opponent is a Title Douluo, located in the core of the Heaven Dou Imperial City, and has close ties with the Heaven Dou royal family. A hardline approach has a very low success rate and could easily trigger diplomatic disputes or even direct conflict. Given the Spirit Hall's covetous gaze, this is by no means a wise move.

So, there's only one option left.

A glint flashed in Dai Tianfeng's eyes, and he had already made his decision.

He raised his head, his gaze sharp as he looked down at a high-ranking official standing below him: "Issue an order to form a delegation to travel to Tiandou City immediately, under the pretext of congratulating Crown Prince Xue Qinghe of Tiandou on his progress in cultivation and promoting exchanges between the soul masters of the two countries."

……

The news that the Star Luo Empire had sent an envoy to exchange ideas was like a boulder crashing down on Emperor Xueye's heart.

Inside the imperial study, Emperor Xueye, who had just finished listening to the report, was so angry that he almost smashed the glass cup in his hand on the ground.

His face was ashen, his chest heaving violently, and his body, already weakened by old age and the effects of the hidden toxins, trembled even more now.

"Damn it! That old scoundrel Dai Tianfeng! His nose is sharper than a dog's!" Emperor Xueye's voice was hoarse with anger.

"The news of the elixir has only been circulating for a few days, and their Star Luo delegation has already set off! Is this an exchange? This is blatant espionage and robbery! Do they really think Tian Dou has no one to rely on?"

Chapter 98 Infiltrating the Mission

The high-ranking officials standing below the emperor on this snowy night were silent and trembling, none daring to offend the emperor at this moment.

Emperor Xueye's anger was not without reason. He now regarded Geduo and her pills as important strategic resources to enhance the power of the Heaven Dou Kingdom and even to counter Star Luo and the Spirit Hall in the future.

He originally planned to proceed slowly and secretly accumulate strength, but he did not expect Xingluo to act so quickly upon hearing the news, and even put on a high-sounding posture, using the banner of friendly exchanges to directly penetrate the heart of Tiandou.

What alarmed him even more was that Dai Tianfeng had not sent any prince this time, but Zhu Tianlin, the head of the Zhu family, a family of great prestige in the Star Luo Empire, known for its iron-fisted methods and formidable strength.

At the same time, he is also the father of Crown Princess Zhu Zhuyun and one of the most powerful figures in the Star Luo Empire's military.

Sending the head of one of the empire's top clans and a military giant as the chief envoy carries far more weight than sending a prince.

This demonstrates Xingluo's extreme importance attached to this exchange, and the underlying strength and sense of pressure are self-evident.

This was a slap in the face to him, and a provocation against the majesty of the Heavenly Dou Empire!

However, after his outburst of rage, Emperor Xueye quickly forced himself to calm down.

Reason told him that refusing entry to the Star Luo delegation was absolutely impossible.

Although the two countries are constantly vying for power behind the scenes, they maintain a basic level of peace and diplomatic relations on the surface.

Xingluo, under the guise of a soul master exchange, was led by the Zhu family head himself. The reason was perfectly legitimate and the scale was extremely high. If Tiandou refused to participate or showed any negligence, it would not only be in the wrong but would also give Xingluo and even the Spirit Hall an excuse to make trouble.

"Hmph! Exchange? Fine! Since you want to exchange, then I will have a proper exchange with you!" A cold, sharp glint flashed in Emperor Xueye's eyes.

"In every previous so-called exchange, the students of my Heavenly Dou Royal Academy were always overwhelmed and humiliated by those war-loving guys from Star Luo. This time, I want to see if you, Zhu Tianlin, can still laugh when you personally lead the team!"

Thinking of this, Emperor Xueye suddenly felt a surge of confidence and anticipation.

Things are different now!

First, there was the batch of pills that had just flowed out of Ge Duo's hands.

Although each company is still in the cautious trial phase, success stories have already spread.

This means that, given time, the overall strength of the younger generation of Soul Masters in the Heaven Dou Empire will surely experience a significant leap forward.

As one side gains and the other loses, Xingluo's advantage will gradually be leveled out or even surpassed.

Secondly, and this is his greatest source of confidence at this moment, is Eva's cousin, Lin Wan!

He's now a Soul Master! And he even has a fourth Soul Ring that's been around for ten thousand years!

What an astonishing talent!

Emperor Xueye could almost imagine the immense shock that Lin Wan would bring to the Star Luo delegation when she appeared on the exchange field.

This is simply a perfect weapon to slap Xingluo in the face!

Emperor Xueye took a deep breath, suppressing his surging blood, and ordered in a deep voice, "Pass down the order to receive the Star Luo delegation with courtesy and without negligence, but also keep a close eye on them for me!"

"Furthermore, I urgently summon the three academic committee members and team leaders of the Royal Academy. This exchange with Xingluo is a must-win situation! Show me your full potential! In particular, make sure Lin Wan is prepared. I want to see him make a name for himself in the exchange competition and bring glory to our nation!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The eunuch quickly accepted the order and left.

Emperor Xueye slowly sat back in his chair, his gaze passing through the window towards the Star Luo Empire, a cold yet expectant smile playing on his lips.

"Dai Tianfeng, you want to probe my strength and steal my opportunities? Fine, I'll show you just how powerful my Heavenly Battle is now! This time, I'll make sure your Star Luo geniuses suffer a crushing defeat!"

……

The massive delegation from the Star Luo Empire, led by Zhu Tianlin, marched in a grand procession along the official road toward Tian Dou City, accompanied by official ceremonies and overt protection.

However, hidden within this team are two individuals whose identities are extremely special and who are not on the official roster.

The Third Prince Dai Mubai, and the First Prince Davis.

Dai Mubai acted first. When he learned through his secret channels that a magical pill had appeared in Tiandou City that could help people absorb soul rings beyond their level, the flame of ambition that had never been extinguished beneath his indulgent exterior was instantly ignited.

Absorbing a spirit ring of a higher level! What does this mean?

This means that he can directly obtain more powerful soul skills without changing his soul power level, and that he can absorb soul rings of higher age with each breakthrough during his cultivation, thus making his soul power grow faster and his foundation more solid!

This is a golden opportunity for him to close the almost hopeless gap in strength between himself and Davis, and even to overtake him.

Without any hesitation, Dai Mubai immediately used all his hidden resources, meticulously planned, and acted first and reported later, quietly infiltrating the delegation's entourage.

He knew full well that this move was extremely risky, and that if Davis or his father found out, he would be severely punished.

But opportunities are fleeting, and he had to take a gamble. For survival and for that slim hope of turning things around, he was willing to take the risk.

However, Dai Mubai underestimated his good older brother's spies and methods.

Not long after he left Xingluo City, Davis received the news.

Inside the luxurious palace, Davis heard his confidant's report, and a cold, mocking smile appeared on his handsome face.

"Oh? My third brother, who only knows how to indulge in pleasure, actually has such audacity and meticulousness? For the sake of the elixir, he even dared to disobey Father's decree and secretly followed them?"

His long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the table, his eyes flashing with a cold light.

Dai Mubai's move took him by surprise, and made him feel a sense of displeasure at being provoked, as well as a deeper level of vigilance.

This younger brother, whom he always regarded as a good-for-nothing who only used alcohol and women to numb himself, seemed to be more complex than he appeared.

"The pills that allow one to absorb a spirit ring beyond their level are indeed tempting," Davis muttered to himself.

"How could such a thing fall into the hands of that good-for-nothing? It would only add unnecessary complications."

Without any hesitation, Davis immediately got up and went to the palace to meet his father, Emperor Xingluo Dai Tianfeng.

He did not embellish the story, but calmly and objectively stated the fact that Dai Mubai had left the city without permission and infiltrated the delegation. He also subtly expressed his concern about the matter of the elixir and his worry that Uncle Zhu Tianlin alone might not be able to fully control the situation. He was willing to go to Tiandou in person, partly to bring back his disobedient younger brother, and partly to assist Uncle Zhu Tianlin in securing the greatest possible benefit for the empire.

Dai Tianfeng sat upright on the throne, listening to Davis's account, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

Chapter 99 Two Soul Masters

Dai Tianfeng's deep gaze lingered on Davis for a moment; he was fully aware of the undercurrents between his two sons.

Dai Mubai's unauthorized actions displeased him, but Davis's request at this moment was not necessarily entirely out of public interest.

However, Dai Tianfeng finally nodded slowly: "Granted. Weiss, you will go to Tiandou under the pretext of patrolling the border and observing and exchanging ideas. Keep an eye on Mu Bai, and be sure to assist Zhu Qing in handling the matter of the elixir."

"Yes, Father! Your son will not fail you!" Davis was secretly pleased and respectfully withdrew.

So, not long after the delegation left Xingluo City, the eldest prince, Davis, also followed the delegation at full speed under a different official name, accompanied by his personal guards.

Inside the main tent of the delegation, Zhu Tianlin watched the two princes arrive one after the other, especially Dai Mubai, who had secretly infiltrated the group, and the pale face that appeared the moment Davis exposed his identity. The duke, known for his iron-bloodedness, had no expression on his face, but his mind was as clear as a mirror.