Chapter 145 - 145: [DD2]: 145

Credits: Quellec Xu Jiawei directed his resentment toward Dai Hao. After all, it was Dai Hao who had initially suggested he go after Wang Dong. At this moment, Xu Jiawei felt that Dai Hao was orchestrating a plot, using the Clear Sky Sect as a tool to suppress the royal family, thereby undermining the royal family's authority and disrupting its control over the empire. It wasn't unreasonable for Xu Jiawei to think this way, especially given how deeply he had suffered this time. When people suffer a major setback, they often look for someone to blame. He couldn't target the mighty Clear Sky Sect, but could he not handle the White Tiger Duke's Mansion? Moreover, the White Tiger Duke's Mansion had always had an awkward position. After all, it was the Xu family that had usurped the Dai family's throne back then. Was it possible that the Dai family harbored no grievances at all? Xu Jiawei believed that the White Tiger lineage had likely never given up the idea of reclaiming the throne. While he and Dai Hao had always appeared to be sworn brothers, seemingly in perfect harmony, in truth, Xu Jiawei had always been wary of Dai Hao. However, with the threat of the Sun and Moon Empire looming, he had no choice but to rely on Dai Hao. Within the Star Luo Empire, there was no one better than Dai Hao at leading troops, and only Dai Hao could effectively defend against the Sun and Moon Empire's advances. However, this recent incident escalated Xu Jiawei's dissatisfaction with Dai Hao to a new level. He started to wonder if Dai Hao had known all along about the immense strength of the Clear Sky Sect. Did Dai Hao know that the people of the Clear Sky Sect were different in both character and conduct from other factions? Given that the Dai family was the descendant of the legendary Dai Mubai from ten thousand years ago — and considering Dai Mubai's close relationship with the Sea God Tang San — it was reasonable to assume that the Dai family might know more about the Clear Sky Sect than the royal family did. It was even possible that Dai Hao knew much more than he, the emperor, did. Could it be that the White Tiger Duke's Mansion had always maintained some sort of secret connection with certain figures within the Clear Sky Sect? They might not have been particularly close allies, but occasional contact wasn't beyond the realm of possibility. Perhaps it was through this channel that Dai Hao learned of the Clear Sky Sect's power and temperament. If that were the case, did Dai Hao deliberately allow the royal family to offend the Clear Sky Sect? Xu Jiawei's imagination ran wild. That's just how emperors were — there was no one they could fully trust. Once the seed of doubt was planted, they would craft entire stories to justify their suspicions. Even if these thoughts weren't objective or rational, the mere existence of doubt was enough to turn speculation into truth in an emperor's mind. The more Xu Jiawei thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that Dai Hao was harboring ulterior motives. Dai Hao was plotting rebellion! His heart deserved to be condemned! As Xu Jiawei's expression shifted back and forth, Xu Jiujiu's pale face filled with confusion. She had no idea what her brother was thinking at a time like this, but she did know one thing — the Star Luo royal family had been utterly humiliated this time. Even the Elders from the Temple of Worship had been easily defeated. Now, with two Clear Sky Sect powerhouses present, the current situation is extremely unfavorable. Xu Jiujiu bit her lip. If sacrificing one of her legs was the only way to make the Clear Sky Sect retreat, then she was willing to endure it. After all, it was her actions that had brought about this crisis. If someone had to be punished, then let it be her. Her eyes grew firm with resolve. Above, Niu Tian, having dealt with all the opposition, slowly descended. Tai Tan retracted his Martial Soul True Form and flew to Niu Tian's side. "Big Brother, why are you here?" Tai Tan scratched his head, clearly puzzled. Why had his elder brother come at this moment? He hadn't even had his fill of fighting yet! Niu Tian responded calmly, "After hearing about Dong'er's situation, I was worried she might be bullied. I also didn't fully trust you to keep your temper in check, so I came to see for myself." "Big Brother, I'm being good! I didn't do anything reckless!" Tai Tan protested. He felt wronged. Was he not following the rules properly? Niu Tian shot Tai Tan a glare. If he hadn't come, who knew how this mess would have ended? When Tai Tan got into the thick of things, he might not have stopped until all the Titled Douluo lay dead. There was no need for unnecessary slaughter. "Did Dong'er suffer any harm?" Niu Tian asked. "No, not really. They just blocked her path and asked some questions," Tai Tan replied truthfully. Niu Tian's frown eased a bit. If that was all, then he could let it slide. No need to wipe out everyone in the palace. His thoughts settled, and Niu Tian slowly descended from the sky, with Tai Tan following right behind him. As the two figures descended from the heavens, a terrifying pressure swept over the area. Xu Jiujiu was instantly pressed to the ground, and Xu Jiawei trembled uncontrollably under the weight of that immense force. "You are the emperor of Star Luo?" Niu Tian asked coldly as he gazed down at Xu Jiawei. His tone was calm, but his presence was suffocating. The mighty emperor of a nation now looked no more significant than a lowly subject. Xu Jiawei hurriedly said, "Yes, I am Xu Jiawei, the emperor of Star Luo. Greetings to the two Sect Masters." "So, you're the one who ordered people to bully our Dong'er?" Tai Tan glared, his eyes wide like copper bells, sending a chill down Xu Jiawei's spine. Xu Jiawei felt as if one wrong word would get him killed. "Respected Sect Masters, this is all a misunderstanding! We did not harm Wang Dong in any way," Xu Jiawei said quickly. "If you had, you'd already be a corpse," Niu Tian said coldly. Xu Jiawei's heart quivered, and he felt a lingering sense of fear. Did these people have the nerve to kill a king? Based on their expressions, it seemed entirely possible. "Dong'er is the sole successor of our Clear Sky Sect," Niu Tian continued. "You should understand what that means." Xu Jiawei's heart shuddered. The sole successor? He knew all too well what that meant — it meant she was the future of the entire Clear Sky Sect. No wonder they had reacted so fiercely. Wang Dong's status was far higher than he'd ever imagined. Xu Jiawei quickly said, "Sect Masters, please be merciful! We had no idea about Wang Dong's status. If we had known, we would never have dared to offend her." "I am deeply sorry for the trouble caused to Wang Dong, and I am willing to offer compensation." "Compensation? Do you think our Clear Sky Sect needs your petty handouts?" Tai Tan snorted. Xu Jiawei immediately bowed his head and replied, "Yes, yes, of course." When two figures capable of taking your life at any moment stood before you, it was only wise to lower your head. Xu Jiawei was well aware of this principle. "Enough, Second Brother," Niu Tian said, raising his hand to stop Tai Tan. "I understand what Star Luo is thinking," Niu Tian continued. "You're worried we'll side with the Sun and Moon Empire. But let me tell you now — that will never happen." "We, the Clear Sky Sect, will not interfere in any conflicts between empires. No matter how fiercely you fight, it has nothing to do with us." "Dong;er is the young master of our Haotian Sect — she is the apple of our eye." "If you had come directly to us to ask questions, we wouldn't have been angry. But if you dare lay a hand on Dong'er, that is unacceptable. Do you understand?" "I understand. It was my negligence. I overthought things." "It was also Brother Dai Hao who suggested that I go have a chat with Wang Dong. I just… lost my composure. I apologize. This is all my mistake." Xu Jiawei deliberately mentioned Dai Hao's name as if by accident. Realizing he had misspoken, he quickly changed his words. With a look of sincere remorse, Xu Jiawei had completely set aside the dignity of an emperor. "Dai Hao?" "Who's that punk?" Tai Tan's temper flared instantly, his anger surging like a volcano. Niu Tian squinted his eyes slightly and scrutinized Xu Jiawei. A shiver ran down Xu Jiawei's spine as if Niu Tian had seen through his very soul. "You can't even manage your subordinates. That just makes you incompetent." "Handle your affairs yourself." "Compensation doesn't matter. Handle that however you see fit. But an apology — that is non-negotiable." "Whoever bullied Dong'er must present a formal apology, wearing sackcloth and with a thorned branch in hand as a show of penance. If Dong'er is not satisfied, I promise you, none of you will be happy either. Got it?" Niu Tian's voice boomed like thunder, shaking Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu to their cores. Who bullied Wang Dong'er? Of course, it was Xu Jiujiu. This meant Xu Jiujui had to personally visit and offer an apology. Naturally, neither Xu Jiawei nor Xu Jiujui would dare to refuse. This was a trivial matter compared to the larger danger hanging over them. "I understand. I will make the arrangements." "Jiujui knows she was wrong and will personally apologize to Wang Dong." Xu Jiujui lowered her head, her eyes welling with tears. She was feeling aggrieved — and understandably so. After all, she was a princess of the empire. Now she was being forced to prostrate herself in apology. Who wouldn't feel wrong? But she had no choice. If the royal family wanted to quell the wrath of the Clear Sky Sect, it had to be done. "An apology is not enough, Big Brother! Let me break one of her legs!" Tai Tan was still stubbornly fixated on breaking Xu Jiujui's leg. How could bullying Dong'er be settled so easily? There had to be interest on top of it! Hearing this, Xu Jiujui's face went deathly pale. If it was for the sake of the royal family, she was willing to bear the burden alone. Just as she was about to grit her teeth and accept her fate, Niu Tian's words echoed like heavenly music in her ears. "Forget it. After all, she's just a little girl. Besides, Dong'er wasn't hurt in the end. Let's spare her this time." "But the apology is non-negotiable. If Dong'er does not forgive you, this matter will not be over." Niu Tian's calm but firm words made both Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujui perk up. It was clear now that this apology had to be sincere. They had to secure Wang Dong'er's forgiveness. Otherwise, there would be no peaceful resolution to this incident. "Rest assured, both of you. We will sincerely apologize and seek Wang Dong's forgiveness." "Good. That will do." Niu Tian nodded. Then, his gaze shifted toward a seemingly empty spot in the distance. "Friend, you've been watching for quite a while. Aren't you going to come out and say hello?" Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujui were stunned. There's someone else here?! Tai Tan was also taken aback. He carefully scanned the surroundings — and his face darkened instantly. "Mu Wu, you old thief! Get out here!" Tai Tan's voice echoed like thunderclaps, rattling everyone's eardrums. "Watch your foul mouth, old monkey." A ripple of energy surged through the air and a biting chill spread throughout the area. From the distant void, a figure in a white robe emerged. Every step he took exuded a domineering, all-encompassing pressure. "Half-step Ultimate Douluo… Such pure and overwhelming Ice power." Niu Tian's eyes narrowed. He could see that Mu Wu was no ordinary figure. In terms of raw foundation, Mu Wu was even steadier than Tai Tan by a margin. In Niu Tian's estimation, this man was fully capable of breaking through to become an Ultimate Douluo. The only mystery was why he remained at the half-step Ultimate level instead of pushing forward. "You're too kind, Sect Master Niu Tian," Mu Wu said with a humble bow. As someone with self-awareness, he had a deep respect for someone like Niu Tian, a legendary Soul Master. S~eaʀᴄh the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Mu Wu, you old thief, stop with the polite talk. Were you spying on us in the shadows?" With Niu Tian at his side, Tai Tan's confidence surged once more. Mu Wu rolled his eyes, not bothering to argue with this fool. "The Young Master sensed fighting within the Star Luo imperial palace and sent me to investigate." "I wasn't spying' I didn't even bother to conceal my presence. You're just too dull to notice." His words were calm, but his meaning was clear — you're too dull to notice me. "You… What did you say?! You think I'm incompetent?!" Tai Tan's eyes flared with rage as he glared at Mu Wu. "I never said that. You're the one who came to that conclusion on your own." Mu Wu smiled faintly, spreading his hands as if to say, "Don't blame me for your insecurities." "You…!" Tai Tan was so angry that he turned to Niu Tian like a child tattling to a parent. "Big Brother, he's bullying me!" Niu Tian: "…" Xu Jiawei: "…" Xu Jiujui: "…" The many Titled Douluo who were lying low pretending to be dead: "…" No one had expected this. A towering, two-meter-tall, muscle-bound warrior was actually… tattling? It was beyond ridiculous. "Second Brother, stop messing around!" Niu Tian pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling embarrassed. You're a grown man. A Titled Douluo. Have some self-respect. The subtle, judgmental gazes from everyone present made him feel the secondhand embarrassment even more intensely. "But, Big Brother…!" Tai Tan looked wronged. "Enough!" Niu Tian's gaze sharpened as he shot a glare at Tai Tan. Then, he turned toward Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujui. "Remember what you said. I'll be staying in Star Luo City for a few days, so I'll be watching every move you make." With that, Niu Tian glanced toward Mu Wu. "Send my regards to your High Priest." "Understood," Mu Wu said with a polite nod. Only then did Niu Tian grab Tai Tan by the arm and prepare to leave. Tai Tan was unhappy but didn't resist. With Niu Tian's strength, he wouldn't be able to resist anyway. "Mu Wu, you old thief! Just wait — I'll fight you for 300 rounds next time!" Even as he was being dragged away, Tai Tan couldn't resist shouting a final challenge. Mu Wu smiled faintly, showing no interest in the challenge. If they fought, Tai Tan wouldn't win. While Tai Tan had strength, Mu Wu had both strength and intelligence. Their realms were similar, but Mu Wu's Ice Baxia martial soul had greater potential than Titan's Titan Giant Ape. Even if Tai Tan had trump cards, did Mu Wu not have his own? To Mu Wu, Tai Tan was a formidable rival — but not a dangerous threat. But as for Niu Tian, that was a different story. The sheer pressure Niu Tian exuded was no less than that of the High Priest. "If I want to face him, I must become an Ultimate Douluo soon," Mu Wu thought to himself. He glanced one last time at Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujui, then vanished without a word.