"Courting death? That's not certain."
With a tone filled with disdain, Lu Yunzhou replied dismissively as his fist collided with Tang Hao's.
The clash between two such powerful figures inevitably caused a tremendous commotion. Meanwhile, Qian Renxue—disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe and currently only a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator—knew full well that such a battle was beyond her reach, let alone something she could intervene in.
To avoid being injured by the residual shockwaves and to ensure she didn't cause any unnecessary trouble for Lu Yunzhou, Qian Renxue dragged Tang Yuehua, the helpless master of Yue Pavilion, far away to a safer location.
With a deafening explosion, an immense shockwave rippled outward, shattering the floor tiles in its path and filling the air with thick dust and debris. The sheer overwhelming force contained within it was suffocating, leaving anyone nearby with a sense of despair.
Struggling fiercely, Tang Yuehua cried out anxiously, "Qinghe, let me go! Otherwise... when Brother Hao defeats that man, he won't spare you!"
Hearing this, "Xue Qinghe" smirked, an unmistakable trace of mockery playing at his lips. His expression brimmed with arrogance and delight as he replied, "Master of Yue Pavilion, you'd best think carefully before you speak. Are you so certain Tang Hao can defeat Mr. Lu? And not the other way around?"
The moment "Xue Qinghe" finished speaking, Tang Yuehua's pupils shrank in disbelief. Her expression betrayed utter shock as she stammered internally: Mr. Lu? The one fighting is Mr. Lu? Is this true or false?
If the one taking action was indeed Lu Yunzhou, Tang Yuehua was utterly convinced—without a shred of doubt—that the one destined to fall would be her second brother, Tang Hao.
After all, who was Lu Yunzhou? He was the powerhouse who single-handedly defeated both Yu Yuanzhen and Chenxin. He subdued the Nine Elders of the Spirit Hall with his strength alone. He established the Ethereal Sanctuary, forcing even the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan into submission.
Was Tang Hao someone who could afford to provoke such a figure? The answer was simple: absolutely not.
In that instant, despair overwhelmed Tang Yuehua. Upon realizing that her brother's opponent was Lu Yunzhou, her heart and soul sank entirely into hopelessness.
When Tang Yuehua finally regained her composure, she asked, "Your Highness, I just want to know... why? Why have you plotted against us?"
Tang Yuehua was no fool, and given how events had unfolded, it was obvious to her that everything was orchestrated by the "Xue Qinghe" standing before her.
Faced with her question, the jubilant Qian Renxue readily answered, fulfilling her curiosity. "Why? Naturally, to avenge a blood feud."
"Years ago, Tang Hao killed my father. Today, I kill him to settle the score—an eye for an eye, blood for blood. Surely, that's not excessive?"
Tang Yuehua trembled at Qian Renxue's words. After repeatedly confirming she hadn't misheard, she cautiously probed, "You... you're not the Crown Prince, are you? Then... who are you? Could it be... you're a descendant of Qian Xunji?"
"You've already said it, haven't you?"
With a faint smile, Qian Renxue replied. She then formally introduced herself, "My name is Qian Renxue. I am the daughter of the former Spirit Hall Supreme Pontiff, Qian Xunji, and the current Supreme Pontiff, Bibi Dong. Additionally, I am the granddaughter of Elder Consecration Qian Daoliu."
Having said her piece, Qian Renxue wasted no further time. With a swift hand chop, she rendered Tang Yuehua unconscious.
Tang Yuehua could never have imagined that the Crown Prince, who had appeared so refined and amiable for nearly twenty years, was actually a Spirit Hall operative in disguise—and one with an irreconcilable blood feud with Tang Hao.
All of this could only be described as... unpredictable twists of fate.
Meanwhile, the battle between Tang Hao and Lu Yunzhou reached its conclusion.
It took just one round—merely a single exchange—for Tang Hao, who prided himself on his unparalleled strength, to be utterly defeated by Lu Yunzhou.
Staring at his irreparably destroyed right hand, Tang Hao's wide eyes were filled with despair, the emotion etched clearly onto his face.
"Who... who are you?" Tang Hao managed to ask, his voice filled with confusion and disbelief.
Defeating Tang Hao in a single exchange—such individuals were exceedingly rare across the entire Douluo Continent, numbering no more than three. This made Tang Hao desperate to know the identity of this young man.
"Lu Yunzhou."
Looking down at Tang Hao, who lay sprawled on the ground like a broken dog stripped of its spine, Lu Yunzhou uttered these three words. He then cast a spell, immobilizing Tang Hao entirely and stripping him of any ability to resist.
Leaving Tang Hao incapacitated, Lu Yunzhou turned to the wounded Emperor Xue Ye. Without hesitation, he immediately began healing the emperor with his spells, stabilizing his injuries and preventing his death.
Emperor Xue Ye absolutely could not die. His survival was crucial not only to secure "Xue Qinghe's" position but also to provide leverage against the Clear Sky Clan.
Indeed, Lu Yunzhou's plan was to use Emperor Xue Ye as a bargaining chip to pressure the Clear Sky Clan. With Tang San killed and Tang Hao captured, the clan itself could not be spared. After all, as the saying goes, "When the spring breeze blows, weeds grow again—one must remove the roots to destroy the grass entirely."
As Lu Yunzhou healed Emperor Xue Ye, the imperial guards of the Heaven Dou Palace arrived en masse. The assassination attempt on Emperor Xue Ye was an event of such gravity that it could shake the entire Douluo Continent, leaving the guards no room for negligence.
Seeing the tidal wave of guards approaching, "Xue Qinghe" knew it was his turn to act, per Lu Yunzhou's instructions.
Standing before the gathered crowd, "Xue Qinghe" spoke with a cold fury glinting in his eyes. "What were you worthless fools doing? Don't you know that Tang Hao and Tang Yuehua came to assassinate His Majesty? Let me tell you this—if Mr. Lu hadn't been here today, you'd all be facing dire consequences!"
After reprimanding the guards, "Xue Qinghe" shifted his gaze to Emperor Xue Ye, who was slowly regaining consciousness.
Now, the true test of acting began.
A performance executed flawlessly would spell doom for the Clear Sky Clan. Anything less, and the result... would still be the same.
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