"The match is over. The winners of this round are—the Spirit Hall Team."
Thunderous applause erupted. While the battle was just as thrilling as ever, Spirit Hall's victory came as no surprise to anyone.
What did surprise the crowd, however, was how Skywater Academy nearly knocked out Spirit Hall's main forces right at the start. Those who had bet on Spirit Hall winning felt a brief moment of anxiety.
Fortunately, the rest of the team managed to break free from the ice in time and arrived to support their teammates.
"As expected, when it comes to ice attributes, Condensing Water Luan still falls short compared to the Ice Phoenix."
Gu Han reflected quietly. If Shui Bing'er and her Ice Phoenix Spirit had been here instead, the ice-sealing effect would have been significantly stronger.
If Shui Qingwu had been replaced by the future Shui Bing'er, the outcome might have been entirely different.
In that case, Dugu Xin might not have had the chance to break free from the control effect before being blasted off the stage.
But alas, there are no what-ifs in reality.
As for the lingering poison, healing-type Soul Masters would take care of that. Shui Qingwu and the others helped one another off the field, supporting each other as they went.
"We're sorry for letting you down, Senior Guang Ling," Shui Qingwu said, bowing her head in shame before him.
"No, you all performed admirably. With more training and higher cultivation levels, nothing will be out of reach."
Guang Ling raised his hand, showing no trace of blame. Instead, his tone was full of encouragement.
The final match on the next day concluded predictably—with Spirit Hall seizing the championship.
Yang Feng was undeniably strong, but the previous round had drained too much of his strength. He hadn't fully recovered by the finals, and coupled with the paralytic effects of Dugu Xin's Martial Soul, the Heaven Dou Team found themselves completely outmatched and lost the match in regret.
At the awards ceremony, the Spirit Hall team successfully claimed two 5,000-year-old Soul Bones. Every team member was granted the noble rank of Earl.
As for the other semifinalists, they also received commendations and were each awarded the rank of Viscount.
After the Ceremony — Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda
Everyone gathered together once more.
"Master."
"Uncle Sword, it's been a while."
Gu Han and Bibi Dong greeted Chen Xin with a respectful bow.
"Haha, no need for formalities."
Chen Xin's eyes were filled with gratification. His disciple's cultivation progress had been unbelievably rapid—clearly, he had endured plenty of hardship over the past three years.
"Alright, let's move on to serious matters."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lingyuan cut straight to the point.
All eyes turned toward Xue Xing.
"Your Highness Xue Xing, how many men can you mobilize?"
Xue Xing sighed helplessly. "To be frank, I only have a little over a hundred loyal deathsworn under my command."
Though he had many supporters in court, when it came to risking their lives at a crucial moment like this, very few were willing to take that step.
Still, he didn't complain much. Most of his subordinates were civil officials with little combat ability, so it was unrealistic to expect them to fight the Imperial Guards head-on.
"That won't be a problem. With our help, manpower isn't an issue."
Gu Rong waved it off. They'd only asked to gauge the situation and make necessary arrangements.
"I have a plan for this palace coup."
As Gu Han spoke, he stepped over to a map and pointed to the location of the Emperor's bedchamber.
"This is where the Emperor currently resides. Right now, righteousness is not on our side, so we need to establish legitimacy. The first step is to seize control of this area."
"Once we occupy it, issue an order in the Emperor's name to prohibit anyone from entering or leaving."
"After a while, Xue Ye will inevitably grow suspicious and demand entry."
"If we stop him once or twice, he'll grow restless and attempt to force his way into the palace with troops."
"As long as he brings soldiers, it'll confirm the narrative that the Crown Prince has instigated a rebellion."
"At that point, we'll leave the rest to Master's wife, Senior Guang Ling, and Uncle Bone."
"Senior Lingyuan, you and Bishop She Long, along with Bishops Salas and Lordia, each take a squad and seal off the four city gates."
"Once that's done, eliminate all key figures. That will bring the operation to a close."
A glint of cold resolve flashed in Gu Han's eyes. He knew this plan was ruthless, but since they had already chosen to help someone ascend the throne, they no longer had time for a morally sound, justified approach. Only decisive action would suffice.
"Not bad. I didn't expect Brother Gu to be skilled in matters like these."
A flicker of wariness crossed Ning Fengzhi's gaze, though he hid it well. Deep down, he felt a bit lucky that this person wasn't his enemy.
For Gu Han to speak such a merciless plan so calmly—as if he were merely talking about dinner or water—was chilling.
Clearly, this young man wasn't just gifted in cultivation. His mind was sharp, and his heart, merciless. Not someone to be underestimated.
"Wipe them all out, huh… It's harsh, but in a power struggle like this, someone must be completely eliminated before anyone else can rest easy."
Gu Rong didn't object. He nodded slightly, agreeing with Gu Han's logic.
"It's a pity Elder Dugu isn't in Heaven Dou City. Things would've been much easier if he were."
Gu Han sighed in disappointment. Not having Dugu Bo—their best option for large-scale enemy clearing—would make things more troublesome.
Though he was just a Soul Douluo with eight rings, Dugu Bo's poison techniques made him terrifying against conventional armies. One wide-range poison attack could clear out a vast area instantly.
Even if the Imperial Guards had a hundred or so Soul Masters, facing multiple Titled Douluo meant they were nothing more than ants trying to shake a tree.
"Heh. Brat, did you forget about me?"
Guang Ling chuckled softly.
"What, you think I can't handle a few wide-range attacks? You think your Master's wife and I are inferior to Dugu Bo?"
"Uh…"
Gu Han blinked, then shook his head. "Of course not. Both you and Senior Lingyuan are incredibly powerful."
Indeed, both Guang Ling with his ice attributes and Lingyuan with her fire attributes possessed devastating area-of-effect Soul Skills—likely more potent than Dugu Bo's.
However, in Gu Han's mind, while their overall strength was greater, when it came to battlefield clearing, Dugu Bo's venom still reigned supreme.
After all, he was the future Poison Douluo. While he might lose in a direct fight against another Titled Douluo, he could render the entire enemy army useless, leaving only the Titled Douluo standing.
Unfortunately, no one knew where Dugu Bo had wandered off to.
Still, it didn't really matter. At worst, Guang Ling and Lingyuan would just have to cast a few more skills.
"Brat, what about me?"
Gu Rong looked slightly offended at being forgotten. Was Gu Han underestimating him?
"Uncle Bone, your Martial Soul is the most unpredictable. You'll be in charge of taking down Xue Ye himself—and eliminating anyone else necessary within the palace before they can escape."
"Haha, easy. Leave it to me."
Gu Rong grinned confidently. With him on the job, no one who learned the truth would make it out of the palace alive.
A sharp glint flashed in Xue Xing's eyes.
Big Brother… This time, let's see how you handle the inescapable net your dear royal brother has prepared for you.
~~~
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