Chapter 351: Sidelining the Royal Family, Complete Control over the Empire!
Looking at those six ice sculptures flickering with a cold, metallic light amidst the ruins—lifelike yet filled with deathly despair—Prince Xue Xing felt a surge of cold air rush from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
Immediately after, he could no longer restrain himself. He scrambled on all fours to the edge of the ice pit and raised a finger toward Tang Chuan in mid-air, his voice sharp and distorted with fury as he said:
"Tang... Tang Chuan! How... how dare you?! How could you lay such a cruel hand?!"
"This is the Clear Sky Sect! They are the firm allies of my Heaven Dou Empire and an important pillar in resisting the Spirit Hall! You... you actually ice-sealed them all... all here?! Do you still have the Empire in your eyes? Do you still have... the Legacy of the Late Emperor?!"
He spoke incoherently, attempting to use the name of righteousness to suppress the other.
Marshal Ge Long followed closely behind. His hand was on the hilt of his sword and his face was ashen, but when he looked at those six ice sculptures and Tang Chuan's indifferent gaze, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he did not dare to make the slightest move.
Hearing this, Tang Chuan slowly turned around. His calm gaze fell upon the slightly agitated Prince Xue Xing. At this moment, his gaze held no Killing Intent, yet it made Prince Xue Xing feel as if ice water had been splashed on his face; his subsequent words came to an abrupt halt, and his throat felt as if it were being throttled by an invisible hand.
"Allies?"
"Just now, when these old dogs of the Clear Sky Sect were using their numbers to bully the few and besieging those belonging to my Soul Hall, where were you, Prince Xue Xing? Why didn't you come out to stop them? Where was your righteousness for your allies then?"
As he spoke, he took a small step forward.
Prince Xue Xing subconsciously took a step back, even stumbling slightly.
"At that time, you remained silent and watched coldly."
"Now that I have cleared away these old dogs who have no regard for the big picture and only know how to bite each other in internal strife at critical moments, you actually run out and bark at me?"
"Don't you think... it's too ridiculous, Your Highness?"
Every one of Tang Chuan's words was like a slap across Prince Xue Xing's face.
Hearing this, Prince Xue Xing's face turned purple. He wanted to retort but found himself speechless.
At that time, hadn't he also harbored a sliver of hope, even darkly wishing to use the hands of the Clear Sky Sect to eliminate the difficult-to-control Tang Chuan and his Soul Hall forces?
Tang Chuan stopped looking at him and instead turned his gaze toward the devastated imperial palace. He swept his eyes over the trembling members of the royal family and the complex expression of Marshal Ge Long, finally fixing his gaze on the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, who was being supported by several eunuchs, his face as pale as paper and barely able to stand.
"The Late Emperor suffered at the hands of the Spirit Hall and has passed away. The Empire has suddenly lost its pillar, and the land is in turmoil."
"At this moment of life and death, the priority is that we should immediately crown a New Monarch to unite the people's hearts and reorganize our forces to resist the foreign enemy."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the field like something tangible, especially over Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng.
"However, a nation depends on a mature monarch, and even more so on strong support. Without strong troops within to deter the wicked, and without a sharp blade without to resist strong enemies, empty talk of allies and righteousness is nothing more than a castle in the air that will collapse in an instant."
"The Clear Sky Sect, relying on their martial power to incite internal strife, is of no benefit to the nation and is no longer useful. Today, since my Soul Hall has already stepped in and quelled this internal rebellion, then..."
Tang Chuan's gaze fell back onto Xue Beng, his voice peaceful yet carrying a weight of a thousand pounds.
"This heavy responsibility of purging the palace, stabilizing the court, protecting the New Monarch's succession, and resisting the Spirit Hall should naturally be undertaken solely by my Soul Hall."
"From today onward, everyone in the Heaven Dou Empire must strictly obey orders and resist the enemy with one heart. Anyone who feigns compliance while acting in opposition, colludes with foreign enemies, or like these few old dogs, lacks a sense of the big picture and causes internal chaos..."
He did not finish his sentence, but the chilling intent to kill within his body, along with the extreme cold emanating from the six crystal-clear ice sculptures nearby, was already the best explanation.
Hearing these words, Prince Xue Xing felt cold all over, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
He understood. This was not a discussion at all; it was a notification.
Tang Chuan was not seeking the royal family's opinion, but was announcing to everyone that from this moment on, the supreme power and substantive controller of the Heaven Dou Empire had changed hands.
The royal family, especially the soon-to-be-crowned New Monarch Xue Beng, would become the most legitimate banner and Puppet for the Soul Hall to control the entire Empire and command all parties.
Not far away, Sword Douluo's face was cold and his brow was furrowed. His lips did not move, yet his Soul Power was already quietly flowing, sending a condensed thread of Sound Transmission precisely into the ear of Ning Fengzhi beside him.
"Fengzhi, this boy's methods are ruthless and his ambition is clear! He wants to... completely grasp the Heaven Dou Empire in his palm and sideline the royal family! How should we conduct ourselves next?"
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi stood in place like a statue, his face even paler than usual. However, his gaze was exceptionally clear, even carrying a hint of decisiveness that saw through the ways of the world.
He was seen slowly and almost imperceptibly shaking his head, also responding via Sound Transmission:
"Uncle Jian, the Tiandou Royal Family's momentum is gone; it cannot be salvaged by human effort. After this great change, their prestige has been swept away and their actual power is completely lost. They are already an empty shell with no value left to rely on."
"If my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wants to rebuild the Sect and continue our Legacy under the watchful eyes of the Spirit Hall, relying on such a royal family would be no different from a fool's dream."
Chen Xin's heart shook slightly upon hearing this, and he already understood Ning Fengzhi's meaning.
He remained silent, looking at Ning Fengzhi with a complex gaze.
Ning Fengzhi did not transmit any more sound. He gently closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were filled with a calm stillness, even carrying a perfectly measured hint of admiration and approval.
In the next second, he took a step forward to a position where everyone could see him clearly. Then, toward Tang Chuan's direction, he bowed slightly, and his clear and steady voice rang out.
"What Tang Chuan has said is logical in every sentence and hits the mark on the current issues!"
"At this time of national crisis, with the Late Emperor newly deceased and the Spirit Hall's arrogance reaching the heavens, what the Empire needs most is definitely not internal friction and empty talk, but a strong leader and a united force! The various Elders of the Clear Sky Sect disregarded the big picture and recklessly resorted to arms, nearly causing an even greater disaster. Tang Chuan's decisive disposal of them to quell the internal strife was truly a last resort, and was done for the stability of the Empire's overall situation!"
"My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has been deeply graced by the Late Emperor and shares the Empire's joys and sorrows!"
"Today, I, Ning Fengzhi, in the name of the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, fully support all efforts made by the Soul Hall to stabilize the situation of the Empire! I believe that under the assistance of Tang Chuan and the various experts of the Soul Hall, the New Monarch will surely be able to succeed the throne smoothly, the court will be reorganized, and everyone in the Empire will surely be united against the common enemy to resist foreign aggression, avenge the Late Emperor, and protect our land!"
These words could be described as clear-cut and resounding!
He not only fully agreed with Tang Chuan's act of killing the members of the Clear Sky Sect, defining it as quelling internal strife for the sake of the big picture, but also directly expressed support for Tang Chuan and the Soul Hall's leading position in the future structure of the Empire, placing the hope of assisting the New Monarch and reorganizing the court upon the power of the Soul Hall.
This was equivalent to being in the vacuum period of imperial power.
The first and most heavyweight power had publicly handed over a pledge of loyalty to the Soul Hall.
Hearing this, Prince Xue Xing's body swayed, and the last trace of blood drained from his face. He knew that this statement from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had practically drawn a period on the era of the royal family... Half a month later, Heaven Dou City.
The city was draped in white, and spirit money swirled through the lonely long streets with the wind. The coronation ceremony for the New Emperor, Xue Beng, was extremely simple; rather than an enthronement, it was more like a transfer of power completed by the Soul Hall under the shadow of funeral banners.
In the west of the city, Shrek Academy.
Black gauze hung over the old main gate, and the courtyard was desolate. Since the news of the Palace Coup arrived, people had been in a state of panic; teachers and students had either returned home or gone into hiding, and the bustle of the past was no more.
"Creak—"
The heavy oak door was slowly pushed open. Four travel-worn figures draped in plain-colored cloaks stepped onto the fallen leaves of late autumn and entered the empty square of the academy.
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