Chapter 237: Luo Ling's Plan
As Tang Hao continued his calm analysis, Tang San slowly pieced the details together.
The shadow of Luo Ling and that of the Enigmatic Sorcerer gradually aligned in his mind.
Emperor Xue Ye, Yu Yuanzhen, and Yu Xiaogang exchanged glances, each equally stunned. They had never imagined that Luo Ling was actually the Enigmatic Sorcerer.
Tang Hao looked at them without saying more. If Luo Ling hadn't released the aura of the Blue Silver Emperor soul bone during the Soul Master Tournament, even he wouldn't have realized the truth.
That man, who could battle Flander at the Spirit King level and whose abilities were so strange that even a Titled Douluo couldn't fully counter him—yes, there was no doubt now.
"Luo Ling is the Enigmatic Sorcerer, then why has the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect hidden this?" Yu Yuanzhen suddenly demanded.
Tang Hao sneered. "Clan Leader Yu, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is not as simple as you think. Perhaps slandering me was in their own best interest."
"If the Clear Sky Sect's reputation is ruined, the crown prince Xue Qinghe—who happens to be Ning Fengzhi's disciple—will ascend sooner or later. When that happens, do you think the Heaven Dou Empire or your Blue Lightning Clan will still have a place under the sun?"
Tang Hao's logic twisted like a blade. He pinned all of Luo Ling's actions on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without realizing that the clan had long been in deep cooperation with the Spirit Hall.
Yu Yuanzhen's face darkened. He had always thought of the Seven Treasure Sect as an ally among the Upper Three Sects, but Tang Hao's explanation made it sound as if they had been plotting against him all along.
The Blue Lightning patriarch said nothing more, while Emperor Xue Ye's thoughtful gaze flickered with quiet calculation.
A moment later, Xue Ye spoke. "Since we are agreed, then I'll leave the matter of Spirit Hall's investigation to the two of you."
Tang Hao nodded slowly. "Let Clan Leader Yu vouch for the royal household. I must return to the Clear Sky Sect to clarify our stance. Also—send me a complete copy of your Blood Demon Ritual."
Yu Yuanzhen hesitated. The Clear Sky Sect refusing to directly intervene worried him.
Tang Hao replied firmly, "There's no need to worry. Since all of us practice the ritual, we are already bound together. For now, only the Blue Lightning Clan must stand publicly against the Spirit Hall while my Sect remains in seclusion."
"Keeping our alliance hidden will serve us well. If we are forced to confront Spirit Hall, we can strike by surprise. Once our cooperation is exposed, they'll be on the alert."
Understanding his reasoning, Yu Yuanzhen eventually nodded.
Thus, the secret alliance of Heaven Dou's royal family, the Clear Sky Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan quietly took shape.
But what they didn't know was that everything—every plan, every word—was already known to Luo Ling.
In the Crown Prince's mansion, his scarlet eyes shimmered faintly, a subtle smile curving his lips.
Every conversation between Tang Hao and the others had reached his ears. Those who had practiced the Blood Demon Ritual bore the unseen mark of the Primordial power—under that mark, nothing they said or did could escape Luo Ling's notice.
"What are you smiling at?" Qian Renxue asked, giving him a curious glance.
Ever since Luo Ling's return from the Slaughter City, she had found him harder and harder to read.
He often smiled faintly, beautifully yet unsettlingly—an expression that made even her shiver.
Luo Ling turned to her, smiling lazily. "Xiaoxue, would you like to become the ruler of the Heaven Dou Empire?"
Qian Renxue blinked, then gave a wry smile. "Of course I would. I've been working for years toward that goal. But now that Emperor Xue Ye has broken through to Titled Douluo, what can I do?"
"So what if he's a Titled Douluo? He just needs to die," Luo Ling replied casually.
"Kill Emperor Xue Ye? That's easy enough. But how do we kill him reasonably?" Qian Renxue asked, resting her chin in thought.
"How about this?"
Luo Ling's lips curved into an amused, meaningful smile. "Yu Xiaogang, with the Blue Lightning Clan, and Tang San with the Clear Sky Sect, supposedly taught Emperor Xue Ye an evil technique. Together, they hunted Heaven Dou's soul masters and helped the emperor achieve Titled Douluo status."
"The two sects did this to seize control of the Heaven Dou Empire—Emperor Xue Ye would merely be their puppet."
"Then the crown prince, Xue Qinghe, discovers the truth. In order to save the empire, he allies with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Spirit Hall to 'purify the court,' launching a campaign to eliminate the Blue Lightning Clan and Clear Sky Sect.
"In the ensuing battle, Emperor Xue Ye dies."
Luo Ling's tone was soft, but his meaning struck Qian Renxue like lightning.
An alliance with the Seven Treasure Sect and the Spirit Hall to cleanse the empire, destroy two sects, and secure the throne in one sweeping motion—three birds with one stone.
Qian Renxue's eyes shimmered with excitement. Emperor Xue Ye's closeness to the Blue Lightning Clan was well known, and Yu Xiaogang being Yu Yuanzhen's son made the accusation perfectly plausible.
If framed by this narrative, Xue Qinghe could strike from the moral high ground—publicly righteous, secretly victorious.
The people would see a noble prince protecting the empire. The nobility and royal knights would rally behind him without hesitation.
As for the Blue Lightning Clan and Clear Sky Sect—Bibi Dong had long desired their destruction. Now, this plan would give her a perfect excuse to move openly.
Qian Renxue's excitement grew with each thought.
"Luo Ling, how did you come up with such a plan?" she asked, half in awe.
"It just came naturally." Luo Ling shrugged lightly.
Qian Renxue rolled her eyes, then pressed further. "And how will you connect the Blue Lightning Clan and Clear Sky Sect to Emperor Xue Ye? How do we expose him as an evil soul master?"
Luo Ling only chuckled faintly. "They'll reveal themselves soon enough. As for exposing Xue Ye's secret..."
He paused, then smiled lazily. "That's simple. We just need to spread the news. Proving someone's innocence is hard, but painting them as guilty—well, that's the easiest thing in the world."
"And we're not even lying. After all, he really did practice the Blood Demon Ritual."
He lifted a wine cup from the table and gazed toward the imperial palace in the distance.
Rumor moves faster than truth, he thought. Once spread, even a king cannot wash it away.
A single whispered word, and even the mighty Emperor Xue Ye would never escape the stain.
(END CHAPTER)
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