The tournament had ended, and the Soul Masters who had come from all over to spectate now began to leave one by one.
As time passed, the old Emperor lay critically ill, his life hanging by a thread. The flame of his existence flickered weakly on his sickbed, as if it could be snuffed out at any moment.
A heavy, unseen pall seemed to descend over all of Heaven Dou City. The bustling streets and alleyways had grown quiet. People moved quickly, their expressions filled with unease and anxiety—as if they could sense that something terrible was on the horizon.
Unfamiliar faces began to appear throughout the city, and they had quietly surrounded the imperial palace from all sides.
Prince Xue Ye, having grown up amidst the treacherous whirlpool of court politics, was especially sensitive to such changes. He had already noticed the shift in atmosphere, and his unease was growing by the second.
"Your Highness, recently we've discovered several Spirit Masters slipping into Heaven Dou City. I fear their intentions are anything but good."
Ge Long's eyes were sharp and serious—his tone heavier than ever before.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Xue Ye replied at once, "Let's go. We're heading to the palace."
His heart was racing with urgency. He didn't know why, but an overwhelming sense of foreboding had taken hold of him. He had to see the Emperor immediately.
But when he arrived at the Emperor's bedchamber in haste, he was met with a wall of imperial guards. They blocked his path like an immovable steel wall. At the front knelt Captain Ye, who spoke firmly and without room for argument:
"Your Highness, by order of His Majesty, no one is permitted to enter."
Xue Ye's brow furrowed instantly. He raised a hand to stop Ge Long from reacting and forced down the growing alarm in his chest. His gaze turned icy as he stared at Captain Ye and demanded:
"Not even me?"
"My father lies critically ill, and as the Crown Prince, I have no right to visit him?"
Captain Ye didn't dare meet his eyes. Keeping his head bowed, he replied, "Your Highness, I'm simply following orders."
"Hmph! How dare you. It's clear to me now—you're the one plotting treason!"
Ge Long growled in anger, drawing his sword and pointing it at Captain Ye. "Step aside, or don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
Clang! Clang!
In an instant, the imperial guards formed a battle formation. Their combined aura surged, perfectly matching Ge Long's intensity.
Captain Ye's gaze was sharp as he asked gravely, "Your Highness, are you saying you intend to defy a royal decree?"
"Ge Long, that's enough."
Xue Ye barked sharply, reaching out to push down Ge Long's sword, signaling him not to act rashly.
Ge Long snorted and sheathed his blade, though the imperial guards didn't break formation—their weapons remained angled and ready.
Xue Ye's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Captain Ye. When the latter continued to avoid eye contact, Xue Ye's suspicions deepened.
"In that case, I won't disturb His Majesty's rest."
With that, Xue Ye turned and walked away with Ge Long.
From the shadows, Xue Xing stepped out, watching his elder brother's retreating figure with a sly, amused smile.
"Everything is going according to plan. Big Brother, let's see how long you can hold out."
Atop the palace roof stood Gu Rong. Beside him were Ning Fengzhi, Gu Han, and Bibi Dong.
"Junior Brother, doesn't it feel like we're the villains now?" Bibi Dong asked with a faint smile.
Gu Han chuckled. "Be confident, Senior Sister. Remove the 'like.' We are the villains."
"Haha, Brother Gu, you truly have a sense of humor," Ning Fengzhi said lightly.
Gu Han merely smiled and didn't respond.
After a moment of silence, he finally said, "Xue Ye has already sensed the presence of Soul Masters within the city. With his cautious nature, he'll surely dispatch forces to surround the palace. But Senior Lingyuan and Bishop She Long are already lying in wait at the city's main roads. No one's getting through."
"Aren't you afraid Xue Ye won't take the bait?" Ning Fengzhi asked, his tone unreadable as he gazed into the distance.
"He will," Gu Han replied, eyes deep and unfathomable. "As long as the old Emperor remains in our hands, Xue Ye won't stay idle. If he's unable to get in, he'll eventually storm the palace with force."
"Unless, of course, he's willing to give up the throne."
Ning Fengzhi said nothing more, only closed his eyes and rested in silence.
"Your Highness, there's no way His Majesty would issue such a decree. Something's clearly wrong."
After leaving the palace, Ge Long walked briskly behind Xue Ye, unable to conceal his concern.
"I know."
Xue Ye clenched his fists, struggling to suppress the fury in his chest. A familiar face flashed in his mind—his younger brother, Xue Xing.
That imperial sibling of his had long harbored ambitions for the throne. Now that their father was gravely ill, it was the perfect—and final—opportunity for him to make his move.
The sudden influx of Soul Masters into the capital could only mean one thing: Xue Xing had aligned with an outside force, seized control of their father's chambers, and issued a false imperial decree to block his entry.
This thought caused a deeper darkness to settle over Xue Ye's heart. Without delay, he sent men to investigate Xue Xing's residence.
Soon, the scouts returned in haste.
"Your Highness, the Fourth Prince is not in his manor. No one there knows his whereabouts."
The report hit Xue Ye like a stone hurled into a stormy sea—his already uneasy heart was thrown into complete chaos.
At that moment, he abandoned all wishful thinking. His suspicions were confirmed.
"So it's already begun… Could it have started during the tournament?"
Despite the countless informants he had placed throughout the palace, Xue Xing had still managed to take over the Emperor's quarters without his knowledge.
He could only assume that during the tournament—when his attention had been elsewhere—Xue Xing had put this entire scheme into motion.
Returning to his residence, Xue Ye paced back and forth in the courtyard, his mind racing with calculations and considerations.
Previously, he had secretly ordered Ge Long to bring in three thousand elite troops. They were now hidden throughout Heaven Dou City, awaiting his command.
In addition to that, he still held command over five thousand imperial guards stationed in the capital. It was a formidable force.
With this military strength, he had the means to force his way into the Emperor's bedchamber and expose Xue Xing's conspiracy.
But what gave him pause was the unknown number of high-level Soul Masters under Xue Xing's control.
Soul Masters possessed power far beyond ordinary soldiers. A single powerful Soul Master could be worth hundreds, even thousands of troops.
If he acted rashly and walked into a trap set by Xue Xing, all eight thousand of his men could be annihilated.
In that case, not only would he fail to save his father, but he would also doom himself beyond redemption.
On one side was the throne and the duty to rescue the Emperor. On the other—a deep fear of an unknown enemy's strength.
For a moment, Xue Ye stood at a crossroads.
His brow was tightly knit, eyes full of conflict and struggle. Each time he paused, he would resume pacing again. The scales in his heart refused to settle.
Ge Long stood quietly to the side, watching his master pace in distress, his own heart filled with worry.
He understood Xue Ye's turmoil better than anyone. And he knew—the situation allowed for no further hesitation.
After a brief pause, Ge Long stepped forward, dropped to one knee, and bowed solemnly.
"Your Highness, the situation is critical. There's no more time to hesitate. Prince Xue Xing has falsified imperial orders to bar Your Highness from seeing His Majesty. His treacherous intentions are clear as day."
"With elite troops at your command, if you don't act now, and Xue Xing completes his coup, the consequences will be unimaginable."
~~~
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