Chapter 241: The Hidden Hand and the Rising Power
Massacring the officials of the peace faction and their relatives on a large scale—this wasn't something ordinary people could achieve. But this was the Tang Family Continent.
Xiao Qiang remembered it clearly. In the original story, after Huo Yuhao detonated his explosive in Mingdu, both the peace and war factions ended up merging under the banner of the war faction.
Supporting Xu Tianran—an advocate of war—in ascending the throne had allowed many evil soul masters to break through their bottlenecks. It was no wonder that Xu Tianran had placed the blame for the explosion squarely on the heads of the former Douluo Three Kingdoms. Huo Yuhao's actions had, in truth, brought more benefit than harm to Xu Tianran.
By eliminating internal dissent and unifying the political front, the empire could now direct its weapons outward. On top of that, the explosion had indirectly enabled Xu Tianran's coronation. Compared to these gains, the destruction left behind was practically insignificant.
"Huh? You broke through?"
Mu Qingxue approached while Xiao Qiang and Jing Hongchen were speaking. Her aura, once that of a rank-93 Titled Douluo, now felt even stronger than Jing Hongchen's despite being in her normal state.
"Thanks to this battle—and the two hundred-thousand-year soul bones—I was lucky enough to break through from level ninety-three to ninety-five."
"Super Douluo already? You young people…" Jing Hongchen chuckled bitterly and held his forehead. He had once thought his grandson's talent was extraordinary, but now, Xiao Qiang was level eighty-five before twenty, and Mu Qingxue had reached level ninety-five before thirty. In comparison, his grandson might not even reach Title Douluo before hitting thirty.
The difference was brutal. More painful still was that Jing Hongchen himself had only broken through to ninety-five two years ago—relying heavily on the heavenly treasure Xiao Qiang had given him.
Not only was his grandson being left behind, but he too now felt like a relic of the past.
"Super Douluo… Looks like Shrek's no longer a real threat," Xiao Qiang mused. "Even with the Body Sect's support, Xuan Zi can't match me now. Even if he tries to die together with me, I can ensure his plan fails. As for Du Bu Si or Mu En, they're not even qualified to try."
Facing Shrek again, Xiao Qiang was confident in securing a total victory. Now that Mu Qingxue had grown stronger as well, only two true threats remained: the Haotian Sect and the Holy Spirit Church.
Of these, the Haotian Sect posed less of an issue. This was still the second Douluo continent—not the third—so the ancient soul beasts likely couldn't roam freely. The Haotian Castle was probably their limit.
Given Tang Jia San Shao's penchant for power-scaling drama, the Titan Giant Ape's strength was likely between levels 98 and 99. As long as the Snow Empress didn't lose to the Sky Blue Bull Python, the pair wouldn't threaten Xiao Qiang.
The real issue was the Holy Spirit Church, which had two Extreme Douluos and an army of high-level fighters.
"Stay calm," Jing Hongchen advised. "The Holy Spirit Church isn't easy to fight. With the right matchups, it's manageable. If you, me, and Mu Qingxue go against Ye Xishui, we'll be fine. But if we're up against Long Xiaoyao instead, we'll need Elder Kong just to break even."
"Senior Jingliu could handle Ye Xishui, but then Zhongli Wu would run rampant. That man is stronger than me, without a doubt. Not to mention, the Holy Spirit Church has too many top-tier powerhouses."
"A direct clash isn't impossible," he continued, "but you and Mu Qingxue are too young. Now is not the time. If we do move, we must first cut off their wings. Otherwise, the war would just lead to unimaginable suffering."
"I know," Xiao Qiang nodded, "but cutting off those wings… is easier said than done."
Just then, the Snow Empress walked in. "Are these the 'wings' of the Holy Spirit Church you were referring to?"
She opened a storage-type soul guide and dropped several figures onto the floor. They were unconscious, but their identities were unmistakable.
"Evil soul masters! And not just any—some of them are Titled Douluo, even Super Douluo!" Mu Qingxue's eyes lit up.
She could feel it—at her current speed, she might hit level ninety-seven before thirty. Level ninety-eight was well within reach. As for level ninety-nine… it would take some doing, but if she could purify a level ninety-eight evil soul master at ninety-eight herself, it was possible. Otherwise, she'd just have to grind it out.
"Sister Jingliu, where did you get them? Evil soul masters of this level don't just show up out of nowhere."
"They've been watching you all along," Snow Empress replied. "But you were distracted by the fighting and didn't notice. Once I sensed them, I subdued them. Now that the old man is gone, I brought them here."
"They were spying on us?" Xiao Qiang narrowed his eyes. He crouched beside a woman on the ground, gently lifting her chin. His Sharingan flickered to life, locking her into eye contact.
"Who are you? Why were you following us?"
"I am Feng Ling, deputy leader of the Holy Spirit Church," she said with a blank stare. "Under Crown Prince Xu Tianran's orders, I was tasked with ensuring your deaths once your fight with Shrek concluded—regardless of the outcome."
"Xu Tianran?" Xiao Qiang blinked. "I don't think I've done anything to provoke him."
Jing Hongchen sighed. "No, you did. You struck his bottom line."
"Bottom line? What do you mean?"
"The Emperor's days were numbered. But after you crushed Shrek, the Emperor's health began improving—every day. The rise of the 'Soul' gave him new purpose, the hope of seeing the Sun Moon Empire reach its peak. He was given a reason to live. And who was hurt most by that?"
"…The Crown Prince."
"Exactly. Xu Tianran had everything lined up—his rise was inevitable. Until you, Xiao Qiang, gave his father a reason to keep living. And so long as the Emperor lives, Xu Tianran's ambitions are frozen in place."
"Fine. Xu Tianran, huh? I'll remember this," Xiao Qiang said coldly. "Let's see how long he can keep flapping his wings."
"Excuse me—can I have them?" Mu Qingxue pointed to the unconscious evil soul masters, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "With this many… I might just break through again."
Xiao Qiang: "…"