Slowly, he rose from his seat and began pacing toward the door, his mind already calculating the next move.
'Fortunately, Poison Douluo is currently residing in the royal palace…'
'If I ask him for assistance, a display of strength will be enough to suppress these restless elements.'
His gaze sharpened slightly.
'Inviting Poison Douluo to stay here when Eros Douluo was causing chaos… that was a wise decision.'
Behind him, Xue Qinghe remained silent, watching.
Xue Ye reached the door, one hand resting on it as he spoke.
"Qinghe, I need to show—"
The sentence was cut short.
—Cough!
A violent cough erupted from his throat.
Before he could react, a metallic chill spread through his chest.
His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked down.
A sword had pierced straight through him… its blade emerging from his chest, stained red.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Xue Ye's gaze trembled as he slowly turned his head, trying to comprehend in shock and confusion what had just happened.
Xue Qinghe did not loosen his grip on the sword. Instead, he stepped closer, his movements calm and deliberate, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. He leaned down, bringing his lips near Emperor Xue Ye's ear, his voice dropping to a quiet whisper.
"You always believed everything was moving according to your will," he said softly. "But you never realized… I was the one guiding it all from the shadows."
His tone carried no haste, no agitation—only a chilling certainty.
"From Poison Douluo being invited into the royal palace… to the ministers gathering to impeach Xue Beng… every step was arranged by me."
Xue Ye's pupils shrank violently, his body trembling as the strength rapidly drained from him. He tried to speak, but only a faint gurgle escaped his lips as blood filled his throat.
Xue Qinghe's expression remained composed, almost indifferent, as he continued.
"Do not worry. After this, Poison Douluo will serve as the perfect witness. He will testify that it was Xue Xing who assassinated you."
The final thread snapped.
Emperor Xue Ye's body collapsed heavily onto the ground, blood spreading beneath him, staining the floor in dark crimson. His lifeless eyes remained wide open, frozen in disbelief.
For a brief moment, the room fell silent.
Then, as if nothing of significance had occurred, Xue Qinghe straightened his posture.
"Ah…" he let out a quiet breath, almost like a sigh of relief. "I have wanted to deal with Uncle Xue Xing and Brother Xue Beng for a long time. Their very existence has always been… irritating."
A faint, unsettling smile appeared on his face.
His eyes flickered with a strange purple glow—subtle, yet ominous—though he himself seemed unaware of it.
He cast a cold glance at Xue Ye's corpse.
"It was you, Father, who taught me… that a qualified king must seize every advantage for himself."
With unhurried movements, he wiped the blood from his fingers, restoring his appearance to its usual neatness. Then, without another look back, he stepped out of the room.
The moment he crossed the threshold, a figure in black silently appeared beside him, as if emerging from the shadows themselves.
Xue Qinghe did not pause.
"You know how to handle the evidence," he said in a low, steady voice.
The subordinate bowed slightly. "Understood."
After a brief pause, the figure added, "Lord… they have sent the device for testing."
Xue Qinghe's steps slowed ever so slightly, a hint of interest flickering in his gaze.
"Hmm?" Xue Qinghe paused mid-step, his gaze shifting toward the subordinate.
The man in black stepped forward and respectfully presented a strange object. It was a long, rod-like device, metallic in sheen, with a narrow barrel extending forward. Its structure was unfamiliar—neither a traditional weapon nor a common soul tool.
"Lord," the subordinate said, lowering his voice, "this is how it is used. You only need to supply your own soul power…"
He demonstrated briefly, guiding Xue Qinghe's hand placement and the flow of energy.
Xue Qinghe observed carefully, then raised the weapon himself. A faint stream of soul power flowed from his palm into the device.
Boom!
A deafening sound echoed through the corridor as a burst of energy shot forward, leaving behind a faint trail of smoke and residual force.
Xue Qinghe's eyes widened slightly, genuine surprise surfacing for the first time.
"The power of this…" he murmured, lowering the weapon as he examined it again, "is far superior to the hidden weapons sold by the Tang Sect."
The subordinate continued, "According to the information provided, this is merely a Level 5 soul guide. They are capable of producing devices up to Level 7."
For a brief moment, a glimmer of anticipation flickered in Xue Qinghe's eyes.
He exhaled softly, with a trace of disappointment.
"A shipment of hidden weapons was purchased just last week…from the Tang Sect" he said, almost to himself. "A waste of resources."
His fingers tightened slightly around the weapon. Then, a dangerous gleam appeared in his eyes.
'I have not forgotten that humiliation from two years ago.'
His expression turned cold.
"Announce it," he said, his voice steady but carrying unmistakable authority. "The Tang Sect is to be designated as a terrorist organization."
"They have outlived their usefulness."
The subordinate bowed deeply. "Understood, my lord."
Without another word, his figure blurred and vanished, disappearing with astonishing speed into the depths of the palace.