["The throne of this Heaven Dou Empire truly is quite covetable!"]
[After hearing this, Tang Chuan also sneered and gave the order directly.]
["Elder Bai He, immediately summon the other Elders and Grand Elder Ling Zhantian. Also, relay my orders to Deacon Qin Ming to gather all elite Disciples above the Spirit Emperor level within the Sect and assemble them at once."]
["As for Grand Elder Poison Douluo, he will remain at the Sect to guard our rear."]
["Yes!"]
[Bai He cupped his fists in acknowledgment and shot out of the meditation room like a bolt of lightning.]
[Before long, figures bustled on the plaza in front of the Qingdi Sect's main gate, and a murderous Aura filled the air.]
[Over three hundred Spirit Masters stood in neat ranks. The lowest among them was at the Spirit Emperor level, with more than a hundred experts at or above the Spirit Saint level.]
[Dressed in matching azure combat suits, their eyes were sharp and their Auras condensed; they were clearly the elite of the Sect, handpicked from among thousands.]
[Dugu Yan's beautiful eyes were filled with anticipation and pride as she stood beside Tang Chuan in a long purple dress.]
[The seven Elders—Bai He, Yang Wudi, Niu Gao, Huo Xiaotian, Ye Zhilan, Ling Zhantian, and Shui Wuhen—stood before the ranks, each possessing a heavy and profound Aura.]
[Tang Chuan's gaze swept over this elite army. Without any unnecessary words, he simply waved his hand.]
["Depart for the Heaven Dou Imperial City!"]
["By your command!"]
[Over three hundred people responded in unison, their voices shaking the clouds.]
[In the next moment, led by Tang Chuan and the seven Elders, more than three hundred Qingdi Sect Spirit Masters transformed into streaks of light, taking to the air and speeding toward the Heaven Dou Imperial City.]
[On the other side, outside the Heaven Dou Imperial City.]
[After discovering that Xue Ke had yet to send anyone from within the Heaven Dou Imperial City to respond...]
[...Xue Hansong and the others could wait no longer.]
[With the help of the Unrivaled Dragon and Snake, they forced their way into the Heaven Dou Imperial City.]
[Xue Hansong, along with a group of princes and dukes eligible for the throne and princes sent from several other kingdoms and duchies, broke directly into the Heaven Dou Imperial City.]
[Leading a massive entourage, the group prepared to head to the imperial palace to force a confrontation!]
[Upon receiving the news, Chief Committee Member Meng Shenji was also furious. He immediately led the imperial Palace Guards to intercept them at the palace gates.]
[When Xue Hansong arrived before the palace with his forces...]
[...he saw that in front of the palace gates...]
[...led by Chief Committee Member Meng Shenji, the three Education Committee Members of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and over a thousand elite Palace Guards had formed a battle formation, blocking the way.]
[Meng Shenji stood at the very front, his hair and beard bristling and his spirit power surging. He glared at the intruding Xue Hansong and the others, his voice booming like a clap of thunder.]
["Xue Hansong! How dare you! His Majesty's remains are barely cold, yet instead of thinking about stabilizing the Empire and reassuring the people, you collude with foreign officials to trespass into the Imperial City and threaten the palace with soldiers!"]
["What do you intend to do? Rebel?!"]
[Facing Meng Shenji's roar...]
[...Xue Hansong, protected by the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, gave a disdainful smile and stepped to the front of his lines.]
["Meng Shenji! Stop trying to pin labels on this Prince!"]
["This Prince has come precisely for the stability of the Empire and for the sake of the Xue family's domain!"]
[Having said that, Xue Hansong looked around, specifically at the imperial relatives behind him with their flickering gazes and the royal representatives from other kingdoms and duchies, and raised his voice.]
["You all know the truth! My brother, Emperor Xue Ye, has unfortunately passed away. Crown Prince Xue Qinghe was an impostor from Spirit Hall, and both Prince Xue Xing and the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, have met with misfortune one after another!"]
["Now, the only surviving direct Bloodline of the late Emperor is the girl, Xue Ke!"]
["According to the ancestral laws of our Heaven Dou Imperial Family, the throne passes to the legitimate heir; if there is no legitimate heir, it goes to the eldest. If the direct line is severed, it is inherited by the closest collateral branch!"]
["Xue Ke is but a mere woman; how can she inherit the throne and rule the Empire?"]
["I, Prince Xue Hansong, am the late Emperor's younger brother and his closest blood relation. By reason, by ancestral law, and by national law, I should be the one to inherit the throne and continue the Xue family's reign!"]
["This Prince has not come today to force a coup, but to set things right and take back what originally belonged to me!"]
[Xue Hansong spoke with high-sounding words, citing classics and precedents in an attempt to claim the moral high ground.]
[Many of the imperial relatives behind him nodded in agreement, shouting their support.]
[During the days they were blocked outside the city, Xue Hansong had already reached agreements with them; as long as they supported him in seizing the throne, they would all receive benefits.]
["Absurd!"]
[Meng Shenji snorted coldly and shouted.]
["Xue Hansong, cease your inflammatory delusions!"]
["Before His Majesty fell into his final coma, he learned the tragic news of Prince Xue Xing and the Fourth Prince. Knowing the direct Bloodline was in peril, he left behind a secret order explicitly passing the throne to Princess Xue Ke!"]
["This is His Majesty's dying wish, which we all heard with our own ears. How can you be allowed to twist the truth!"]
["A secret order?"]
[Xue Hansong snorted derisively, his face full of disbelief and mockery.]
["Meng Shenji, words are wind! You claim there's a secret order, but who knows if it's real or fake?"]
["You!"]
[Meng Shenji's face was full of rage, and he seemed to be shaking with anger, but he did indeed feel somewhat guilty in his heart.]
[This secret order was indeed a lie he had fabricated to support Xue Ke's ascension to the throne.]
[After Emperor Xue Ye collapsed from the poison, he had basically never regained consciousness; how could he have left a secret order!]
[However, to ensure Xue Ke ascended as Empress, Meng Shenji stuck to his story, saying angrily:]
["His Majesty's verbal command—we are the witnesses!"]
["Xue Hansong, your wild ambitions are as clear as day!"]
["Bringing so many soldiers and having the Unrivaled Dragon and Snake to assist you—is this what you call'setting things right'?"]
["Education Committee Member Meng."]
[At this point, the long-silent Dragon Duke Meng Shu slowly spoke, his voice deep.]
["The imperial succession concerns the foundation of the nation; it is not a matter to be taken lightly."]
["According to ancestral law, what His Highness Xue Hansong says is not false."]
["Although Princess Xue Ke is of the late Emperor's Bloodline, she is after all a woman. Her inheriting the throne might fail to convince the masses and could more likely lead to turmoil in the Empire."]
["His Highness Xue Hansong is the late Emperor's younger brother, possessing both virtue and talent. He is the best candidate to stabilize the situation."]
["My wife and I were entrusted by His Highness to come and uphold justice, ensuring a smooth transition of the throne and preventing the Empire from falling into internal strife."]
["If Education Committee Member Meng insists on obstructing us, then for the sake of the Empire's overall situation, I may have no choice but to offend you."]
[Hearing this, Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang also took a step forward, her Aura linking with the Dragon Duke's.]
[As their Auras blended, even without unleashing their Spirit Fusion Ability—Dragon-Snake Strike, the pressure they generated was not to be underestimated.]
[For a moment, the Palace Guards suddenly felt their breathing stifle, and their formation wavered slightly.]
[Meng Shenji's face turned ashen. He knew that relying solely on himself, the two other Education Committee Members, and these guards, it was absolutely impossible to stop the Dragon and Snake couple.]
[Not to mention the opponent had thousands of soldiers.]
[But as the Chief Committee Member of the Royal Academy, entrusted by the late Emperor to guard the palace and protect the Princess, he absolutely could not retreat now!]
[He took a deep breath, circulating his spirit power to the fullest, preparing to fight to the death.]
[The atmosphere on the plaza instantly dropped to the freezing point.]
[With swords drawn and bows bent, a great battle was on the verge of breaking out!]
[With the Unrivaled Dragon and Snake by his side, Xue Hansong was also incredibly smug, his words full of absolute confidence.]
["Meng Shenji, you are indeed loyal and devoted!"]
["But my brother has passed away, the Crown Prince was a fake, and both Xue Xing and Xue Beng are dead."]
["According to ancestral law, this throne should be inherited by me. How can a mere woman like Xue Ke shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"]
["Step aside immediately and welcome me into the palace, and I can let bygones be bygones!"]
[However, before Meng Shenji could respond...]
[...suddenly...]
[BOOM!]
[A majestic and vast Aura descended from the sky like a mountain.]
[Following that came a second, a third... a total of eight extremely powerful Auras, accompanied by over three hundred spirit power fluctuations that were equally not to be underestimated, swept in like a violent storm, instantly enveloping the entire palace plaza!]
[Everyone present, including the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, changed expression and turned their heads in unison to look.]
[They saw hundreds of azure figures rapidly flying and rushing from the streets in the distance.]
[Among them, the eight rays of light of different colors at the front were the most dazzling.]
[Upon drawing near, the eight streaks of light revealed their figures.]
[Tang Chuan stood at the very front, dressed in a blue and gold formal robe. Dugu Yan stood beside him in a long purple dress.]
[Behind them, the seven Elders—Bai He, Yang Wudi, Niu Gao, Huo Xiaotian, Ye Zhilan, Ling Zhantian, and Shui Wuhen—were lined up.]
[Further back were over three hundred elite Qingdi Sect Spirit Masters, standing in neat formation and silent. Only their soaring murderous Aura was heart-stopping.]
["Where did these rebellious subjects come from, daring to force their way into the imperial palace!"]
[After arriving at the palace gates, Tang Chuan, with a sneer on his face, swept his gaze over Xue Hansong and the others and spoke coldly.]
[Dragon Duke Meng Shu's pupils contracted slightly; he recognized Tang Chuan.]
[Because during the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament back then, his granddaughter Meng Yiran had also participated.]
[Although Tang Chuan had not participated in the Qualifiers or the Promotion Matches, Meng Shu had seen this world-renowned Genius of the Heaven Dou Imperial City when he went to watch the matches!]
[As for Bai He, Niu Gao, and Yang Wudi behind Tang Chuan, as well as Huo Xiaotian, Shui Wuhen, Ling Zhantian, and Ye Zhilan, Meng Shu felt his heart skip a beat.]
[Every single one of them felt like their Aura was no weaker than his own!]
[Xue Hansong was startled at first, but upon seeing that the opponent's numbers were far fewer than his own, his shock turned to rage. He stepped forward and shouted:]
["Who are you? How dare you trespass into the Imperial City and interfere in the internal affairs of my Xue family!"]
[Meng Shenji also sneered and introduced him:]
["Xue Hansong, this is the Sect Master of the Qingdi Sect, His Excellency Tang Chuan!"]
["The Princess wrote a letter requesting aid, asking Sect Master Tang to come and stabilize the situation!"]
[But Tang Chuan ignored Xue Hansong entirely, his gaze falling directly on Dragon Duke Meng Shu as he said coldly:]
["Unrivaled Dragon and Snake? You two are getting involved in this as well?"]
[Dragon Duke Meng Shu felt a chill in his heart and said in a deep voice:]
["Sect Master Tang, this is an internal matter of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. My wife and I were entrusted by His Highness Xue Hansong to come and uphold justice."]
["I hope Sect Master Tang will not interfere."]
[Although he knew that over five years ago, Tang Chuan already possessed the strength to kill a Titled Douluo...]
[...which made Meng Shu feel somewhat fearful, he had accepted many benefits from Xue Hansong. To back down immediately was certainly out of the question.]
["Uphold justice?"]
[Tang Chuan sneered.]
["Leading troops to force your way into the palace and threatening the Princess—this is your 'justice'?"]
[Having said that, Tang Chuan wasted no more words. His voice turned cold as he declared:]
["Princess Xue Ke is His Majesty's only Bloodline. Her succession is only right and natural!"]
["You all have gathered to force a coup, which is equivalent to treason. Get out of the Imperial City immediately, and your lives may be spared."]
["Otherwise, none of you shall leave today!"]
["Arrogant!"]
[Xue Hansong was furious.]
["Tang Chuan! You are but a mere Sect Master; how dare you speak so arrogantly here!"]
["This Prince has the Unrivaled Dragon and Snake Seniors to assist me and thousands of elites here. I will not allow you to act wildly!"]
["Senior Dragon Duke, please take action!"]
[Hearing Xue Hansong's words, Meng Shu only felt himself breaking into a sweat, cursing inwardly.]
['You damn Xue Hansong!']
['Although I took your benefits, helping you fight an easy battle is one thing.']
['But making me fight this Tang Chuan, who has killed a Titled Douluo—don't you think you're overestimating me a bit much?']
['You didn't say beforehand that Tang Chuan and the Qingdi Sect were actually supporting this Xue Ke!']
['And under Tang Chuan, there are so many powerful Spirit Douluos. Even if our Unrivaled Dragon and Snake combination is said to rival a Titled Douluo, we still can't win this!']
(End of Chapter)
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