Chapter 235: Emperor Xue Ye's Righteous Betrayal
Luo Ling quietly watched Emperor Xue Ye bathed in the holy light, noting the hidden strain on his face.
Not every Titled Douluo required a Spirit Hall ceremony to receive their title. Many of those from the Clear Sky Sect, for example, inherited theirs through internal lineage. The same went for the other two of the Upper Three Sects.
But Emperor Xue Ye was different. As ruler of an empire, until he possessed the power to openly defy the Spirit Hall, he could only accept their formal recognition.
An empire and a sect were two very different entities.
Inside the hall, the solemn prayers came to an end.
Platinum Bishop Salas turned to Emperor Xue Ye and asked seriously,
"Your Majesty Xue Ye, would you be willing to join the Spirit Hall and serve as one of its new Elders?"
This was the critical moment. Everyone's attention focused entirely on Xue Ye.
The coronation ceremony was superficial—the real matter was his stance toward Spirit Hall.
Emperor Xue Ye raised his head, and under the gazes of the gathered powerhouses, he smiled calmly.
"I'm sorry, Bishop Salas," he said pleasantly.
"I am the Emperor of Heaven Dou, and only the Emperor of Heaven Dou. I will not join the Spirit Hall."
"Xue Ye, do you intend to renounce the glory of the Angel God?" Salas demanded in outrage.
Xue Ye shook his head slowly. "I have not renounced the Angel God. On the contrary, I intend to offer His Holiness a gift."
His eyes turned sharply toward a certain figure below—Prince Xue Xing.
Under his brother's gaze, Prince Xue Xing felt a chill creep up his spine.
He glared back, uncertain what the emperor planned to do.
With a wave of Xue Ye's hand, royal knights suddenly surrounded the prince.
"What are you doing?" Xue Xing shouted furiously. "You dare defy your own prince? I am of royal blood!"
He looked up at Xue Ye's calm smile.
"Xue Ye! Did you command this? What are you trying to do? Even if you're a Titled Douluo now, you have no right to treat me this way!"
The guests exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what was unfolding.
Emperor Xue Ye's expression hardened. He turned to Salas and said, "Bishop Salas, you've surely heard of the soul master disappearances throughout my empire over the past years…"
"And of the cult—the so-called Primordial God Sect—that appeared during the last tournament."
He stepped closer to the prince, his tone deliberate.
"I have discovered the one responsible for spreading that evil!"
"Yes—it is Prince Xue Xing!"
"My son, Xue Beng, was close with him and was also lured into the cult. He took part in the prison raid under Xue Xing's influence!"
Every word from Emperor Xue Ye carried righteous despair. As he mentioned his son, even tears glistened in his eyes.
The hall erupted in murmurs of shock.
Even Luo Ling's expression turned strange.
As the very person who had spread the Blood Demon Ritual, he knew better than anyone—Prince Xue Xing had never performed it. In fact, he bore none of the signs of an evil soul master.
By contrast, Emperor Xue Ye's faint reddish glow in the eyes was a textbook sign of the ritual.
Pinning his own crimes on his brother… Luo Ling could only smirk in disdain.
Turning on one's own blood for public favor—such noble betrayal indeed.
"Xue Ye, don't you dare slander me!" Prince Xue Xing shouted. "I have nothing to do with that cult! Xue Beng joined it of his own choice!"
Xue Ye's expression didn't waver. He looked down coldly. "Enough lies, Xue Xing. We found the corpses of missing soul masters within your estate, along with bizarre ritual arrays. How do you explain that if you aren't one of them?"
His tone was firm, each word carefully calculated.
Prince Xue Xing stared at him in disbelief, realization dawning.
It no longer mattered what the truth was—his estate's fate was already sealed. Xue Ye had set him up from the beginning.
Suddenly, Xue Xing laughed—a harsh, manic laugh. "Hahaha! So that's it! I finally understand!"
"Xue Xing," Xue Ye said weakly, "confess your guilt. I will not expose your deeds. You shall remain a prince of Heaven Dou. I'm sure all present would grant me this small mercy to preserve your name."
"Save your hypocrisy!" Xue Xing roared.
"Bishop Salas, everyone! Don't be deceived! The real cultist is Xue Ye himself!"
"How do you think he broke through to Titled Douluo so quickly? The missing soul masters in the capital—it was him! He devoured their corpses to gain power!"
"It was—"
A violent crack split the air—
Prince Xue Xing's words cut off abruptly.
Emperor Xue Ye glared coldly down, holding his brother's severed head in his hand.
He had killed him on the spot.
The hall fell into utter silence.
Xue Xing's accusations still echoed faintly in everyone's ears.
If what he said was true, then Emperor Xue Ye's rapid breakthrough suddenly made sense.
After all, Prince Xue Xing's strength had stagnated for years. He could hardly have been part of a powerful cult. But Emperor Xue Ye's rise to Titled Douluo in just a few years? That defied reason.
The nobles' expressions shifted—suspicious and yet fervent.
A cult that could grant such power would tempt anyone.
To become a Titled Douluo—the pinnacle of the continent—was worth any price.
In the guest seats, Luo Ling watched the scene unfold with an amused smirk.
To him, Emperor Xue Ye's ploy was pure folly. Trying to frame and eliminate his brother while maintaining face had only exposed his own corruption.
A ruler with such a narrow vision didn't deserve his throne.
"Everyone," Xue Ye finally declared, forcing steadiness into his voice, "Prince Xue Xing was indeed a cult member. I can take you all to his estate to confirm my words."
"Your Majesty," Salas replied smoothly, ignoring the strain tightening Xue Ye's face, "the Spirit Hall will of course investigate the prince's involvement thoroughly. However, we will also need to inspect the imperial palace itself."
Emperor Xue Ye's smile faltered completely.
(END CHAPTER)
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