Ghost Leopard Douluo and the others moved quickly, welcoming the army into the palace to seize control of every strategic point. Simultaneously, the four of them swept through the entire palace grounds to ensure no stragglers escaped the net. They were currently eager to prove their worth, hoping to secure the antidote for the Fragrant Marrow Refinement Liquid as soon as possible, so they were as professional as they could be.
The movement of the army entering the palace was massive. Combined with the arrival of dawn, the citizens of Heaven Dou City were drawn to the commotion. Most people, seeing the swarms of soldiers in the streets, kept their doors tightly shut, fearing they might get caught up in the trouble.
However, the high-ranking officials of the empire brought their own guards and began to gather toward the palace. Although they didn't know exactly what had happened, any person with eyes could see that something significant had occurred within the imperial walls. They all wanted to rush to the palace as quickly as possible to show their faces and demonstrate their loyalty.
Among them were two of Gu Xuan's acquaintances: the Marquis Black Leopard and the Marquis Wind Chime. These two marquises represented the families of Osler and Yu Feng; their families were influential court officials with significant power. Discovering that something had happened at the palace, they couldn't resist the urge to get involved, hoping for the merit of saving the sovereign.
But when they reached the palace interior, everyone was terrified. The air was thick with the scent of blood, and as soon as they entered, they were intercepted and controlled by Ghost Leopard Douluo and his men. The reason given was that Prince Gu Xuan had come to the rescue and was currently securing the palace. To prevent any officials from conspiring with the rebels, they were to be detained temporarily pending judgment.
This detention included Osler and Yu Feng. Both were now beginning to inherit their family positions, so they had accompanied the marquises to the palace, hoping to appear before the Emperor and secure more benefits. They were now only a step away from the Soul Emperor level. In terms of both strength and talent, they were among the elite of the Heaven Dou Empire and even the entire continent.
After all, they were only twenty-five or twenty-six years old. To be near the Soul Emperor level at such an age meant their talent surpassed even that of Qin Ming from the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy! Since Qin Ming had been hailed as a genius with Titled Douluo potential, the two of them, possessing even greater talent, naturally wanted to vie for more influence.
To their surprise, before they could even show their faces, they were placed under control. And the leader was actually a Titled Douluo? Since when had the Captain's clan become so powerful?
On the other side, Gu Xuan looked at the contents of the imperial decree in his hand and then at Li Nuo, who held the imperial seal out to him. He let out a soft laugh. "Do you think I care about this object? To the victor go the spoils. Some things require nothing more than a single word from me."
"However, you did find a good excuse for me, and you've done the job well. Where are the bodies of Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng?"
The contents of the decree were actually simple. In short, Li Nuo had fabricated a narrative stating that Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng intended to rebel and had poisoned Emperor Xue Ye. He, "Xue Qinghe," had been too trusting of Xue Beng and discovered it too late, only managing to quell the rebellion with the help of Spirit Hall Elders. This provided Gu Xuan with a perfect pretext; he just needed to alter the details.
He would change the narrative to state that Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had been replaced by an imposter from Spirit Hall. Last night, the imposter led Spirit Hall Elders and a group of rebels in an insurrection. Prince Xue Xing and the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, discovered the plot and managed to send a message to Gu Xuan. However, their strength was limited; while leading the Imperial Guards to resist, both were killed by the enemy, dying as martyrs for the nation.
Finally, when Gu Xuan arrived with the forces of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng were already dead. Emperor Xue Ye had also been poisoned by the fake Crown Prince, who had forged a decree to steal the country. Fortunately, Gu Xuan, by his own strength, cleared out the traitors and successfully defended the palace, preventing Spirit Hall's scheme from succeeding.
There was still one problem. Prince Xue Xing had no heirs, nor did Xue Beng. The Crown Prince was an imposter. The direct imperial line was effectively dead. Although an imperial clan existed, it was mostly made up of incompetent people. Furthermore, the members of that generation were not close to Emperor Xue Ye, which meant the empire would have no successor.
Fortunately, the "kind-hearted" Gu Xuan had already thought of a solution. As the prince-consort, having a child with Xue Ke would be enough. The empire would be temporarily governed by Gu Xuan as Prince-Regent, and he could simply toss the administrative duties to Ning Fengzhi.
Once Gu Xuan unified the Heaven Dou Empire on the surface, he could take full control, appoint his confidants, and then send Titled Douluos to take down the Star Luo imperial family and its officials, using the army to secure the cities. Finally, by gathering the power of the two empires and the soul beasts, he would root out every hidden sect and remnant on the continent, achieving total unification. Then, Gu Xuan could ascend the throne.
As for Spirit Hall, the Elder Hall was on his side. Gu Rong had already led people to Spirit City to capture Bibi Dong. Spirit Hall was no longer a threat; its personnel had been absorbed into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and Bibi Dong was now a lonely soul. Gu Rong wasn't acting alone; he would go to the Elder Hall and bring Golden Crocodile Douluo and the other priests. How could they fail to take Spirit Hall?
Gu Xuan felt safe letting Gu Rong lead the team because, in this timeline, Bibi Dong had not yet achieved Godhood and was therefore not to be feared. With Gu Rong at Rank 97 Peak, plus the priests and Yu Yuanzhen, suppressing Bibi Dong would be no problem. Gu Xuan didn't have to worry at all.
At that moment, Gu Xuan took the imperial seal. Just as a sliver of a smile appeared on Li Nuo's face, Gu Xuan threw the seal to the floor, shattering it.
"Since when is the fate of a nation decided by a piece of broken stone? To the victor go the spoils; the rules are written by the winners," Gu Xuan said with a cold sneer at Li Nuo. "You are still a bit too green."
Two dragon swords suddenly flew from behind Gu Xuan, shrinking in size before piercing through Li Nuo's collarbones. The moment the blades struck, Li Nuo let out a wail like a slaughtered pig.
"Argh! No! It hurts!"
"You are still useful alive, so I will spare your life for now." Gu Xuan turned and led Dugu Yan toward the exit. "However... you are too noisy."
Another dragon sword appeared from behind him and flew out, directly severing Li Nuo's tongue. Li Nuo's voice stopped abruptly; he could only emit muffled groans of agony as blood poured from his mouth. Two dragon swords pinned Li Nuo's collarbones while a third pierced through the back of his clothes at the neck, lifting him into the air to dangle behind Gu Xuan as they walked.
Stepping outside, Gu Xuan spoke to Spirit Kite Douluo, who was standing by. "Prepare the Emperor's body for burial. Simultaneously, gather everyone in the palace in the main hall. I wish to make Spirit Hall's conspiracy public."
"Yes." Spirit Kite Douluo responded respectfully.
Just as she was about to leave to execute her task, Gu Xuan asked. "It has been some time. Has anyone from Heaven Dou City entered the palace?"
Spirit Kite Douluo replied. "Young Master, the officials have entered. They are currently under Elder Ghost Leopard's control. Most ordinary citizens in the city are staying indoors, not daring to move."
Gu Xuan waved a hand. "You may go."
Gu Xuan then led Dugu Yan toward the imperial grand hall—the place where the officials usually gathered for court. He intended to requisition it now.
(End of Chapter)
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