Chapter Eighty-Three: The Rules of the Xingluo Royal Family

Looking at Xiao Yu, who appeared completely unconcerned before him, Xue Qinghe felt somewhat helpless. In the face of these sects, a city uprising was hardly worth mentioning.

Searching through the annals of Douluo Continent’s history, regardless of the ruler, there had never been an emperor who dared to move against a sect. Even when the Heaven Dou Empire fell, its successors never sought to settle accounts with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, whose ties to the empire were deep. At most, they kept their distance and stripped the sect of its imperial privileges.

Of course, the Spirit Hall was founded as a soul master organization, so their methods differed from the others.

Xue Qinghe bit his lip and said, “Young Lord Xiao, I have come to request your assistance!”

“Oh?” Xiao Yu was genuinely surprised. Had the Heaven Dou Empire truly fallen so low? “Your Highness, surely you jest. It’s merely a minor rebellion—when the imperial army arrives, it will be easily suppressed!”

“If it were only Ferreira’s rebellion, it would indeed be no more than an itch to the empire. But behind Ferreira stands the support of the Star Luo Empire.”

Xue Qinghe sighed. “To support Ferreira, the Star Luo Empire has stationed heavy troops at the border, firmly tying down our main forces under Grand Marshal Ge Long.”

“In struggles between nations, our Nine Star Hall’s mere thousand soul masters can hardly tip the scales.”

Xiao Yu cast a doubtful glance at Qian Renxue, who, though sometimes absent-minded, was usually sensible enough not to expect the Nine Star Hall’s thousand soul masters to resolve a rebellion.

Fortunately, Qian Renxue did not disappoint: “Though the border legions are pinned down by Star Luo’s army, Heaven Dou still commands a million soldiers. My father has dispatched fifty thousand elite troops from the central guard to follow me in suppressing the uprising!”

After a pause, Xue Qinghe spoke with a hint of resignation: “Only when I entered the territory of the Kingdom of Sylvia did I receive secret intelligence. To support Ferreira’s rebellion, the Star Luo Emperor sent his uncle, Dai Heng, a seventy-eighth level Soul Sage, and Dai Heng’s wife Zhu Yun, possessing sixty-six levels of soul power. Together, they can unleash a martial soul fusion technique capable of briefly contending with a Soul Douluo. Heaven Dou’s strongest are either pinned down or occupied with vital affairs, so I ask Nine Star Hall to send one or two formidable soul masters to accompany me in quelling the rebellion.”

“An uncle? The Star Luo Emperor has an uncle?”

Compared to Qian Renxue’s request, Xiao Yu was more intrigued by the notion that the Star Luo Emperor could have an uncle: “If I recall correctly, the succession in Star Luo is extremely bloody—when princes turn twenty-five, all must fight to the death, leaving only the strongest to inherit the throne. How can the emperor have a biological uncle? Could he be an illegitimate child?”

“Where did you hear such an absurd tale?” Xue Qinghe rubbed his forehead in exasperation. “If things were as you say, Heaven Dou would only need to gather strong soul masters and, once each generation’s succession struggle ended, eliminate the final victor. With no one left to inherit, Star Luo would splinter, and Heaven Dou would conquer without a fight. Pure nonsense!”

“Perhaps my information was mistaken?” Xiao Yu questioned. “But the bloodiness of Star Luo’s royal succession is recognized throughout the soul master world!”

“Star Luo’s succession is indeed brutal, with fratricide a certainty. But it seems you only heard half the story.” Xue Qinghe explained, “Not every prince participates in the contest. Generally, only those within ten years of the eldest prince’s age are eligible.”

“Is that really so?” Xiao Yu still harbored doubts.

“Of course!” Xue Qinghe spoke with conviction. “Think about it—a prince who has just awakened his innate full soul power would have no hope against a brother whose innate power is only seven or eight but has reached twenty-five years old and possibly even Soul King rank. There’s no chance of victory.”

“That does make sense,” Xiao Yu nodded. Xue Qinghe’s reasoning was sound; it would simply waste a promising young soul master.

Xue Qinghe continued, “Those princes who are eliminated by age but have good talent are cultivated as royal guest elders, just like Dai Heng, who has been sent to Sylvia. Though he is the emperor’s uncle, he’s actually a few years younger than the emperor himself.”

Thus, Dai Mubai’s greatest misfortune was being born a few years too early; had he been born four or five years later, with his innate ninth-level talent, the royal family could have poured resources into him and possibly produced a Title Douluo.

“In addition, aside from age, another requirement is innate soul power above level six. Those who don’t meet the threshold receive a minor title and remain in the royal city as powerless nobles—essentially waiting idly, as you’d say—to ensure that if the chosen heir dies unexpectedly, the bloodline doesn’t break.”

A backup, Xiao Yu instantly understood.

Having clarified Star Luo’s inheritance rules, Xiao Yu finally recalled the purpose of Qian Renxue’s visit. He glanced at the guards beside her, none above the Soul Sect level, and confidently used soul power to transmit his voice: “Even if it’s a Soul Sage and a Soul Emperor who can, through martial soul fusion, rival a Soul Douluo, you are the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall. Any Platinum Bishop from your organization could suppress the scene. Why turn to me? And isn’t your master Ning Fengzhi? Surely the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has at least one Soul Douluo?”

“You think I haven’t tried?” Qian Renxue’s resentful voice sounded in Xiao Yu’s ear, likewise transmitted by soul power. “If I summon reinforcements from Spirit Hall, how would I explain it to the imperial family? Prince Xue Xing has always doubted my identity—wouldn’t that be admitting it? As for Ning Fengzhi, he’s the type who won’t act until he sees the prey, using the excuse that the sect doesn’t interfere in national affairs, pushing all responsibility onto me.”

Xiao Yu was helpless. The original story never mentioned this rebellion, and judging by Qian Renxue’s account, there were only two possible outcomes: either Heaven Dou failed to suppress the uprising in time, letting it escalate until Star Luo occupied much of Sylvia, or Qian Renxue risked mobilizing Spirit Hall’s forces and, by concealing it well, avoided suspicion from Prince Xue Xing and others.

Xiao Yu surmised the second outcome was more likely; a crown prince who failed in pacifying a rebellion and lost cities would hardly enjoy great prestige.