Chapter 586: The End of Imperial Power
In times of strength, one can act freely; in times of weakness, one fears defeat. For decades, the Sun Moon Empire had dominated the Douluo Continent, but now it found itself in an unprecedentedly vulnerable position. Fueled by whispers from educated citizens, panic soon took root among the populace.
Many Sun Moon citizens began to worry: could the Douluo Continent now strike back?
While the common people could only voice their concerns, the Sun Moon Empire's high ranking officials argued intensely in court, all seeking an answer from Empress Dowager Juzi on how to prevent a counterattack from the Douluo forces.
Juzi sat behind the curtain, her graceful silhouette faintly visible through the sheer drapes. Her significance was clear, as she was known to have close ties with Hua Yu'er and the other powerful figures. The ministers hoped she could use her influence to maintain peace, as the Sun Moon Empire was in no condition to wage another war.
But as Juzi remained silent, the officials gradually quieted down, shifting their anxious gazes toward the curtain.
Three year old Xu Yunhan, intelligent beyond his years, wasn't like other children. Though still lively, he was already more composed than most children his age.
"Mother," he called softly, "perhaps I should be the one to address this."
His clear, youthful voice echoed through the hall, leaving the officials slightly bewildered as they turned to look at their young emperor.
Juzi, gazing fondly at Xu Yunhan, slowly rose from her seat and walked out from behind the curtain, gently placing her hand on her son's head.
From an early age, Juzi had noticed her son's unique brilliance. By one, he was already running, jumping, and reading. By three, he had the intelligence of a teenager, capable of critical thinking and problem solving.
Though Xu Tianran had been pleased with this prodigy of a "son," his exceptional intellect also made Xu Tianran feel uneasy, leading him to leave Juzi and Yunhan alone most of the time. Seeing her child's potential, Juzi had treated him more as an adult, revealing Ye Wen's plan to him.
She vividly recalled the day when her son had listened thoughtfully, his expression one of understanding, before eagerly sharing his own insights on the plan.
Despite feeling pride in her son's maturity, Juzi had no wish for him to bear too many burdens.
In an uncharacteristic move, Juzi stepped forward from her place in the court, addressing the assembled officials.
"Everyone here knows the current state of our empire. The Sun Moon Empire cannot withstand a full scale war," she stated plainly.
Her frankness made the officials lower their heads in shame. She continued, her expression calm but resolute.
"Our soul tool technology is no longer the most advanced in the world, so we have lost the leverage we once held against the Douluo Continent."
As she revealed this painful truth, the officials had no choice but to remain silent, bracing themselves for her next words.
"His Majesty Tianxing is unparalleled in talent, unmatched by anyone in this era. And he has given soul armor with the power of a Peerless Douluo to his disciples on the Douluo Continent, while we possess none of it."
Though she feigned dismay, she continued with her deception, for she knew it would solidify her position.
"Though Tianxing himself remains neutral, we cannot risk the future based on his disciples' goodwill, as even Peerless Douluos eventually die. We must be proactive."
Then, lowering her voice, Juzi added, "That is why I plan to visit Tianxing Academy to see my teacher."
The room fell silent, stunned by her audacious suggestion.
Juzi elaborated, "While Tianxing is still alive, I will propose that he unify the entire continent. By abolishing the division between empires, we can all become one people. This would not only end the wars that have plagued us for thousands of years but also grant Sun Moon citizens access to the education of Tianxing Academy."
The proposition was so shocking that the officials were momentarily stunned before erupting in protests.
"Empress Dowager, please reconsider! The Sun Moon Empire's legacy cannot simply "
Before the minister could finish, four powerful soul power auras filled the hall. Each soul master, their presence distinct, exuded an intense force: one cold as frost, another as solid as a mountain, a third full of vibrant life, and the last dangerously alluring. Four noble, powerful figures emerged from the shadows the four Valkyries of the Tianxing Knights.
With a serene voice, Juzi addressed the court.
"This is my decision. For both the Sun Moon Empire and the Douluo Continent, unification is inevitable."
One of the grand nobles, his face contorted in fury, stepped forward, about to claim that Hua Yu'er only intended for Juzi to control the Sun Moon Empire, not to take over all of it. But before he could speak, Hua Yu'er glanced at him, instantly turning him into a block of ice.
"Agree or die," Hua Yu'er declared coldly. "The choice is yours."
Confronted with such an ultimatum, the officials, now trembling, voiced their genuine support for the proposal. Juzi's coup was no longer a secret, but no one dared to raise the issue now. Their main concern was protecting their families during this new era.
After this, Juzi and Xu Yunhan went through the formalities of visiting Ye Wen. Soon after, word spread that Ye Wen had summoned Empresses Wei Na and Xu JiuJiu to his academy.
By the afternoon, news had spread everywhere through a special edition of the continent's newspapers.
"This can't be real! How could this happen?"
"Finally! We don't have to suffer from war anymore."
"Only the continent's strongest could unite three empires to form a federation! What incredible courage!"
"Yes, truly incredible courage. Why didn't the so called 'number one Peerless Douluo' of Shrek ever do this? We could have avoided so much bloodshed. When I think of all those years we spent fighting, I feel sick. What was it all for?"
Such conversations were heard everywhere across the continent.
But people were most intrigued by the new federation's name:
The Tianxing Federation
The Douluo Continent no longer had three empires; instead, it now had the Star Luo District, the Sun Moon District, and the Heavenly Soul District.
At last, Douluo Continent had achieved true peace.
The border armies were withdrawn, and regional divisions gradually faded, allowing old grudges to dissipate with time. Though the districts continued to vie for the title of "largest region," the situation was far better than before.
The only ones left unsatisfied, perhaps, were the few with ambitions of their own.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 587: The Avengers, Part 1
Although the Tianxing Federation had abolished the old imperial feudal system, the royal families of the former three empires still held significant power at its core. However, these powers were now concentrated among just three people, and the remaining members of the royal families no longer enjoyed the prestige and privileges they once held. Instead, a large number of representatives convened to discuss the federation's affairs, with the influential elite no longer based solely on birthright.
In a world of extraordinary powers, it was inevitable that the most influential officials in government would also be powerful soul masters. While many of them lacked political skills, their strength alone contributed significantly to the stability of the Tianxing Federation. However, this was recognized as unsustainable in the long term, so the "Three Emperors" created a new system allowing for the election of civilian representatives positions that common people could attain through their talents and wisdom. Though these representatives lacked the soul power of their stronger colleagues, they contributed as much, if not more, in substance.
Initially, the powerful soul master representatives were dissatisfied. But under the immense power of the Three Emperors, they were forced to lower their proud heads and work alongside these "ordinary" representatives. After some time, they began to genuinely accept the civilian representatives, with some even seeking alliances or marriage ties an idea the Three Emperors soon stepped in to curb.
After all, true talent would shine no matter where it was.
This was an era of soul tools and explosive technological progress. Every civilian representative elected was a talented individual whose potential had been limited only by their soul master aptitude. Integrating these civilians into soul master families didn't necessarily strengthen the family's combat power, but it undeniably boosted their soul tool technology.
The intense interest of the soul master representatives in these talented civilians was also spurred by another new policy introduced by the Three Emperors: the Guild System.
In the past, establishing a sect required at least the power of a Soul Douluo. But times had changed, and now anyone and everyone could establish a sect, which led to chaos across the continent. The Guild System aimed to end this disorder, introducing an official registration process for all guilds.
Unregistered sects were subject to total eradication. Registration wasn't merely a formality; it required guilds to disclose their field of operation and purpose in detail. Without this, they risked being labeled as "evil soul master" sects yes, evil soul masters. Times had changed; anyone awakening even a slightly suspicious martial soul would immediately face arrest. It was a time of tension and caution.
Unlawful sects, though lacking true evil soul masters, were often engaged in corrupt or shady dealings. Now, these sects were swept away along with actual evil soul masters, leading to a rapid purge of the continent's criminal underworld. Ordinary citizens rejoiced, finally free from the daily fear of extortion or being exploited by evil soul masters for sinister purposes.
Yet not everyone was pleased.
Duke White Tiger Mansion
In his study, Dai Hao sat with a dark expression, his clothes smelling of alcohol. It was clear he was in a terrible mood. The unification of the Sun Moon and Star Luo empires meant he no longer held immense military power. If he wanted to stir up trouble, as he had in the past by conspiring against Juzi's father, it was now impossible. Any attempt would see him labeled as an "evil soul master."
The term "evil soul master" had now become a catch all accusation, almost laughably overused. But his greatest frustration wasn't this; it was that his noble privileges had been stripped away.
Yes, the aristocratic privileges had been mostly revoked.
Officially, the nobility still existed, but many of their most extreme privileges like killing with impunity as long as they paid a fine had been rescinded. Dai Hao was still the exalted White Tiger Duke, but he had lost his military power and most of his governmental influence, now reduced to a mere honorary title. An honorary duke was no more than a fancy title.
As a Title Douluo, Dai Hao had even sought to run for representative. But despite his standing as a 94th ranked Title Douluo, the strongest below a Super Douluo, he hadn't been elected. It seemed as though an invisible hand was blocking his path, leaving him bitter and frustrated.
"Why... why has everything turned against me?" Dai Hao muttered in despair.
He had already been troubled by his exclusion from the council, knowing it made the goal of restoring his family's glory even more distant. Recently, the Guild System had further crushed his black market networks, adding to his misery.
Outside his study, he heard soft footsteps approaching footsteps he knew well.
"Husband " began his wife, the Duchess.
"Bang!"
Before she could finish, Dai Hao threw his wine flask at the door, where it shattered with a piercing crash.
"Ah!" came the startled yelp of the Duchess, who hesitated just outside the door.
Dai Hao glared darkly at her.
Love? That was long gone.
He had once dreamed of the two of them performing martial soul fusion. But separated by great distance, that vision had come to nothing. If not for the son she bore him, whom he considered halfway decent, he wouldn't even want to look at her.
"What do you want here?" he asked coldly.
The Duchess was hurt. She hadn't needed to marry Dai Hao her own Zhu family, also a noble family, had been free to choose. But back then, she had been charmed by his radiance and had gone to great lengths to marry him.
Marrying the man of her dreams should have been a woman's greatest happiness. But when two people finally began to live together, the spark of infatuation slowly revealed itself to be the farthest thing from true understanding.
Despite this, Dai Hao's strength had always kept her from letting go. She had developed a twisted jealousy toward any woman who approached him, thinking, This man is mine. He belongs to me, and no one else.
But the Dai family's legacy was one of men who disregarded their wives, and her possessiveness only served to push Dai Hao further away. Over time, they lived almost entirely apart.
With the empires unified, the wars ended, and Dai Hao lost his position as general, he was forced to return to a family he had once dreamed of reviving but now had no power over.
The Duchess, though her husband's recent hostility had caused her to spill the soup she brought him, carefully approached.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 588: The Avengers, Part 2
The Duchess of the White Tiger Mansion carefully addressed her husband.
"Husband, I noticed you've been in a bad mood since you returned, so I personally made you this ginseng chicken soup. Would you like to try some?"
Dai Hao paused, momentarily caught off guard. In the military, he'd had access to certain...amenities, but he'd always found them unsatisfactory, even preferring to occasionally find his own outlets in town.
This domestic scene before him, however his wife acting so much like a gentle, loving partner made the hardened war veteran feel something stir within him. Maybe…this is what home is supposed to be, he thought.
In his youth, Dai Hao had rarely considered such things, but as he entered middle age, he began to long for something more enduring.
Seeing her husband's distracted expression, the Duchess felt a surge of hope. She took a step closer, trying to reestablish the connection with him that had been lost over years of separation. Dai Hao observed her closely, noting her composed, dignified demeanor. Unlike the flamboyant women he sometimes saw, her natural elegance and grace were subtly appealing.
A sly smile began to play on Dai Hao's lips. He felt an urge to assert his dominance, to see his Duchess vulnerable before him.
The Duchess, for her part, showed no fear and even seemed pleased by his intent. After all, her devotion had never wavered, and her own desire had only grown with time. Socially restricted, with a fiercely possessive husband, she had refrained from engaging in the indulgences common among other noblewomen. Now, seeing her husband's dark gaze, she felt her own heart race with anticipation.
But just as they reached a point of mutual understanding, a terrifying soul force suddenly surged around them, and their expressions darkened.
"Who's there?" Dai Hao barked, his voice full of commanding authority as he quickly activated his martial soul, scanning in the direction the force had come from.
When he saw the figure, his eyes widened in shock.
"It's…you!"
Hovering silently above the rooftop was Huo Yu'er, her entire form encased in the four word battle armor that countless soul masters coveted. Though she was still young, her overwhelming strength left Dai Hao no choice but to bow in submission.
Huo Yu'er cast a cold glance at Dai Hao but said nothing. A moment later, four crimson beams of light shot into the sky, forming a massive red barrier that completely enclosed the White Tiger Mansion.
[Barrier Technique: Sixfold Seal of Desolation]
The display of power was so grand that even the battle hardened Dai Hao instinctively swallowed in dread. This is no friendly visit, he thought.
Still, clinging to a sliver of hope, he asked in a trembling voice, "Commander Huo, what do you mean by this? My White Tiger Mansion has no quarrel with you."
Given Huo Yu'er's incredible strength, she was more than qualified to join the federation's council as a representative. Yet, neither she nor her three closest allies had any interest in the political games of power, choosing instead to roam the continent as the Tianxing Knights. Known for upholding justice, they had gained the respect and admiration of countless people across the federation.
The truth, however, was that Huo Yu'er had her own path to follow. As Ye Wen's disciple, she understood that all beings were ultimately insignificant without reaching godhood. Thus, attaining godhood was her ultimate goal.
Though she hadn't yet achieved the rank of titled Douluo, she had already discerned her divine path the path of the God of Reincarnation.
In another timeline, Snow Empress had grasped a lesser god's position as the God of Snow, but she had since attuned herself to the will of the Douluo plane, aligning with the elemental cycle of seasons. Learning this, Ye Wen had been momentarily stunned, but then recognized the immense destiny Huo Yu'er held. She was indeed extraordinary, a true child of fate.
In response, Ye Wen had modified Huo Yu'er's Ice Jade Empress Scorpion martial soul into a God King level martial soul, the Reincarnation Empress, to match the most powerful of the Dragon Kings.
As Dai Hao watched, he noticed Huo Yu'er's gaze shift toward the Duchess, who had cautiously emerged from the study, her expression full of confusion and fear. Detecting the murderous intent in Huo Yu'er's eyes, Dai Hao quickly offered her a solution.
"If it's my wife who's offended you, then do as you please. Take her life if that's your wish; I will not stand in your way, for I know Commander Huo would not kill without reason."
The Duchess, who had just moments ago been full of anticipation, now looked at Dai Hao in utter disbelief, her face drained of color.
Huo Yu'er sneered, ignoring his pathetic attempt to bargain. How pitiful, she thought. My poor mother actually loved a man like this.
Huo Yu'er knew she could kill Dai Hao in an instant, but that would be too lenient. To truly avenge her mother's suffering and her own torment, he had to experience fear, humiliation, and loss.
Without a word, Huo Yu'er's chilling gaze swept across the mansion grounds as members of the household began to realize the grave situation. They gathered around Dai Hao, sensing that fleeing was not an option.
Dai Yaoheng, the eldest son, a Soul Sage on the verge of becoming a Soul Douluo, arrived first, determined to shield his mother despite his private frustrations with her. He took a defiant stance, refusing to back down before his father.
Dai Hao's face contorted in frustration. This son of mine is utterly useless, he thought bitterly. Meanwhile, Dai Huabin, who had once caused his family great shame, kept his distance, hiding among the servants. After all, no one knew better than him what sort of foolish deeds he had committed.
Seeing that everyone was assembled, Huo Yu'er's lips curved into a humorless smile.
"Dai Hao, you wanted to know my purpose today? Well, now that your whole family is here, it's time for your trial."
At her words, an icy chill engulfed everyone present.
Today, it seemed, the Dai family would face their reckoning.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 589: The Avengers, Part 3
Dai Hao's face darkened as he struggled to maintain his composure. He knew all too well what sins he had committed in secret. His entire life had been spent carefully crafting the image of a righteous and noble White Tiger General. No one could know the truth.
"Commander Huo, I'm not sure what you're implying," he said, his voice steady despite the panic creeping into his mind. "I have served the Xingluo Empire for over 20 years on the battlefield. I abandoned my personal life to serve. I have never wronged anyone."
"Is that so?" Huo Yu'er's gaze bore into Dai Hao as she slowly pulled a small booklet from her storage soul tool.
At the sight of the booklet, a chill ran down Dai Hao's spine. When Huo Yu'er opened the book to begin reading, he thrust his hands out, pleading.
"Wait! Commander Huo, let's not be hasty. I admit I'm not sure how I have offended the Tianxing Knights, but please, for the sake of my family's generations of service to this land, grant us a chance to correct any wrongdoing."
Huo Yu'er studied him with a look of disdain. His willingness to throw away his pride to beg for his family's life caught her off guard for a moment. But forgiveness was never an option.
Did this despicable family really think they were above justice? That she would be swayed by pleas when no one had saved her or her mother from years of suffering?
In another life, someone else might have allowed this family to escape unpunished. Ye Wen had taught her otherwise. She would not repeat the weak hearted mistake of sparing those who had wronged her.
Years ago, her mother had been nothing more than a slave in the White Tiger Mansion. Though called a "personal attendant," she'd been treated as property. Her mere existence had been a source of resentment for the Duchess, who had made her life a daily torment. When Huo Yu'er was born, they had been pushed to the breaking point, forced to take on demeaning work and denied even basic respect.
In the original timeline, Huo Yuhao had been a boy, which may have justified the Duchess's cruelty he posed a threat to her family line. But here, Huo Yu'er was a girl, without even the White Tiger martial spirit. How could this family have so viciously despised her?
She had borne years of pain, but she would not let them escape justice. Today was the day she would exact her revenge.
Huo Yu'er's cold gaze swept over them as she spoke, her voice steady and commanding.
"The Tianxing Federation follows the law, sparing the innocent and holding the guilty accountable. So, righteous and honorable White Tiger Duke what exactly are you so afraid of?"
From the moment she arrived, Huo Yu'er had given no indication of her true purpose. And yet, Dai Hao's instincts told him she was here for him. Though he knew he couldn't win, he refused to go down without a fight. In a flash, he pulled out a ninth level soul cannon!
It was a weapon of absolute destruction, capable of matching the power of an Ultimate Douluo.
But before Dai Hao could activate it, Huo Yu'er froze him where he stood, her breath releasing a deadly frost that encased him in ice.
"What made you think you could be faster than me?" she said, her voice cutting through the air like ice. "Was it because you assumed my power relied on artificial enhancements?"
Her eight soul rings appeared one by one, all glowing blood red. Seven of them bore golden patterns, signaling that each was a 100,000 year soul ring. The mere sight made those around her instinctively recoil in terror.
Huo Yu'er's body transformed, entering the Reincarnation Empress state. The despair in Dai Hao's eyes deepened as he recognized her overwhelming strength.
Dai Hao was a 94th level Titled Douluo with the White Tiger martial spirit, a power that would usually intimidate most opponents. But none of his abilities could compare to Huo Yu'er's immense power. Her soul rings alone, the product of Snow Empress's 700,000 years and Ye Wen's enhancements, would give even the mightiest 100,000 year soul beasts pause.
Huo Yu'er floated to his side and casually plucked the soul cannon from his frozen grasp. Her voice was firm as she addressed those present.
"Since the founding of the Tianxing Federation, all strategic level soul tools have been banned. You not only possess one, but you attempted to use it. This alone warrants the highest penalty."
Having announced Dai Hao's first crime, she then lifted the booklet and began reading aloud, naming each sin.
Though the Federation's new system had ended the imperial era, remnants of the feudal class structure lingered. Many of the White Tiger Mansion's staff had stayed on, remaining loyal despite their master's actions.
"Extortion. Bribery. Smuggling contraband. Pocketing funds. Human trafficking. Collaborating with dark soul masters for murder."
Each time she listed an offense, Huo Yu'er executed a member of the White Tiger Mansion's staff, freezing them with her Ice Domain. With a mere touch, they shattered into icy fragments, scattered across the ground.
A sense of dread settled over the mansion. Some tried to flee, but the massive red barrier had sealed off any chance of escape.
Dai Hao's eyes burned with rage as he watched, powerless, while his servants were systematically executed. With his mouth frozen shut, he could do nothing but suffer in silence.
One by one, everyone in the mansion was eliminated until only four remained the Duchess, who trembled in terror, and Dai Yaoheng and Dai Huabin, whose faces were ashen.
Finally, Huo Yu'er closed the booklet and looked at the three survivors. Her voice was as cold as the frost surrounding them.
"What remains between us now," she declared, "is a matter of family of personal vengeance."
This unexpected statement left the remaining four people stunned.
Family? Dai Hao's mind raced, attempting to make sense of her words.
What could possibly connect us?
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 590: The Avenger, Part 4
The White Tiger Duke's mansion was not entirely filled with sinners. Before setting up the barrier, Huo Yu'er had carefully screened the inhabitants, evacuating the innocent and uninvolved. Even Dai Hao's concubine and Huo Yu'er's half brother, Dai Luolei, who had the Blood Tiger martial spirit, were removed.
Had Dai Hao been more vigilant, he might have discovered her preparations earlier. But by the time Huo Yu'er made her move, he was clueless.
Now, Huo Yu'er calmly removed her helmet, revealing the face that countless men across the Douluo Continent adored. Then, she placed Dai Hao alongside Dai Huabin and his mother, forming a wretched trio before her.
Looking at their expressions of hatred, fear, and resentment yet without any sign of recognition Huo Yu'er sighed, as though lamenting to herself.
"Though I resemble my mother by seven points, none of you seemed able to recognize the connection. Was my mother really that worthless to you?"
Dai Hao, struggling to comprehend, looked dazed as memories flickered in his mind. It had been over twenty years since he'd last seen that woman's face, and it was blurred in his memory. Frozen and unable to speak, he couldn't even feign concern or regret.
The Duchess of the White Tiger looked confused at first, and even though she had targeted Huo Yun'er, she'd only sent her subordinates to handle it. She hardly had any face to face encounters with that "lowly" woman. But hearing Huo Yu'er's tone, she connected the dots there weren't many women in the mansion who had been oppressed.
Then there was the surname: Huo.
In a sudden moment of horrifying clarity, the Duchess remembered that despised, insignificant woman. Realizing the connection, her face shifted from confusion to abject terror.
"You! You're that little wretch born from that despicable wench!" she shrieked.
But the instant she spoke, the Duchess regretted it.
Huo Yu'er was no longer the weak, defenseless girl she could easily control.
Huo Yu'er's smile held a faint edge of malice as she replied in a mocking tone.
"Oh, so the 'noble' Duchess remembers who I am now?"
Not retaliating immediately only heightened the dread of everyone present. Dai Yaoheng immediately stepped in front of his mother to protect her.
"Oh, so we have a devoted son here. More loyal than your brother, at least." Huo Yu'er's voice dripped with irony.
Dai Huabin looked deeply uncomfortable but, facing Huo Yu'er's overwhelming power, chose to remain silent.
Huo Yu'er shifted her gaze to Dai Hao, who still wore a confused expression, trying to piece things together. She released the ice restraining his mouth, and said coldly:
"I feel sorry for my mother. Even at her last breath, she was still thinking about you."
Dai Hao, now freed, thought he finally understood.
"So, you're my daughter, then," he said earnestly. "And it sounds like your mother loved me deeply. If that's true, why pursue vengeance? Why not return to the family? I can promise you the future title of White Tiger Duke and everything that comes with it."
But Huo Yu'er only felt disgust. Her gaze grew cold.
"How pathetic," she said, her voice filled with disdain. "I wonder what my mother ever saw in you."
Her tone darkened.
"I had long since given up any hope for you when I learned that you only recognized one wife publicly."
A chilling frost filled the room, radiating from Huo Yu'er as she spoke.
"When I was a child, my mother would tell me about your supposed greatness and the 'sweet' memories she shared with you. But I knew that was all a lie.
"If you had truly loved my mother, I would not have gone hungry so often. If you were truly a man of honor, you would not have hidden away on the battlefield, afraid to lose your power to the Xingluo royal family."
Her voice was like ice. "You were always just a cowardly clown. You never deserved to be a father."
Her words grew fierce, laced with sorrow and rage. "If I hadn't met my master, I would have likely died in the Star Dou Forest when I sought my first soul ring."
"The more I followed my master's path, the more I realized how weak and filthy you truly are."
Her gaze fell, and a terrifying killing intent surged from her slender frame. "So, I will erase this painful past from my life completely. And I will make you and your entire family suffer for the pain you inflicted on me and my mother.
"You take such pride in your White Tiger martial spirit? Then I will see every last White Tiger erased from this world! You see yourself as righteous? I'll make sure history remembers you as the villain forever stained with the shame of a dark soul master!"
Then her gaze turned to the Duchess.
"You think of yourself as noble, don't you? So jealous of any woman that took his attention? Then I'll turn you into the lowest of all a street harlot, experiencing all that you once despised."
Few things bring despair as deeply as destroying what someone holds dear. The Duchess, pale with terror, instinctively activated her martial spirit. Though not as powerful as Dai Hao, she was still a Soul Sage and an agility type one at that. She wanted nothing more than to escape and avoid that fate even if it meant dying first.
Yet just as Dai Hao had foolishly thought he could injure Huo Yu'er first, the Duchess believed she could somehow slip past Huo Yu'er.
Before the other members of the family could react, an ice spike shot through the Duchess's abdomen, hitting the vital center of her soul power. Without the power of a Titled Douluo, the damage was irreparable.
"Running away?" Huo Yu'er said with a mocking smile. "I don't intend to kill you."
She then turned her gaze to Dai Hao and his two sons. Her eyes burned with cold hatred.
"Consider this the first payment on your debt."
Huo Yu'er vanished in an instant. When Dai Hao finally realized what had happened, he saw his eldest son, Dai Yaoheng, collapse lifelessly to the ground, his head severed.
Though Dai Hao had been disappointed in his son's naivety, he couldn't deny Dai Yaoheng's talent. At his age, reaching Soul Sage rank was proof of his potential. He had been the heir apparent, the White Tiger Duke's future hope. Now, he lay dead, cut down without mercy.
Dai Hao's grief turned to fury as he glared at Huo Yu'er, seething with hatred.
"You wretch, how dare you "
(End of Chapter)
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