Douluo: Starting from the Nine-Curved Vine Dragon

Chapter 368 The Beginning of the Palace Coup
Tiandou Empire.

On the very night that Crown Prince Xue Qinghe returned to Tiandou City, a message, spread by those with ulterior motives, broke through the palace guards' blockade and reached the ears of all the high-ranking officials and nobles in Tiandou City overnight:
On a snowy night, the Emperor fell seriously ill and was bedridden.

It remains to be seen how much this news stirred in the hearts of high-ranking officials and nobles, but what is certain is that the Crown Prince Xue Qinghe has already seized power and immediately sealed off the palace, strictly prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving.

Even Xue Xing, the younger brother of Emperor Xue Ye, rushed to the palace in the dead of night to attend to the sick emperor after learning of this, but was stopped by the palace guards outside the palace gate.

Not only Prince Xuexing, but also Grand Tutor Ning Fengzhi, who wanted to visit Emperor Xueye, was blocked by the guards at the palace gate and could not enter.

If neither of them could enter, then Dugu Bo, the royal retainer, naturally couldn't enter either, not to mention the other officials and nobles in Tiandou City.

When this happened, Tang San, who was far away from home, had already parted ways with Tang Chen and was on his way back to Tiandou City.

Tang San thought that by waking up Tang Chen, his nominal great-grandfather, he would have a bodyguard with the strongest combat power in the world. However, after Tang Chen seized control of the Dark Gold Nine-Headed Bat King, he only gave Tang San a hammer token and asked him to seek protection from Poseidon and convey a message from her.

Seeking refuge with Poseidon? Forget about it!
If those things hadn't happened during the competition, perhaps things would have been different, but there are no "what ifs" in reality.

Actually, it would be one thing if it were just that match. Although Tang San hit hard, he didn't kill him. Given the relationship between Tang Chen and Poseidon, it's still possible.

However, when the night raid on the inn occurred later, Tang San knew he hadn't done it, but no one would believe him.

After all that, the great-grandfather's rescue was in vain, and Tang San, now alone and helpless, had no choice but to return to Heaven Dou City to continue seeking the protection of the Heaven Dou Empire.

On the way, Tang San used the Ghost Shadow Step to hurry along, when suddenly a light blue bamboo leaf mark appeared behind him, and then he disappeared from this space.

……

As night faded, a pale dawn broke over the eastern horizon.

Because news of Emperor Xue Ye's critical illness was leaked, Xue Qinghe was furious and immediately issued a strict order to guard the palace with double the guards, with three shifts working 24 hours a day, and not even a fly was allowed to get out.

Deep within the palace, in the emperor's sleeping quarters.

On the luxurious bed, Emperor Xueye lay there, his face dark and his breath weak. The erosion of his life force by the seven-colored light caused even the most noble person in the empire to show extreme pain on his face, even in a coma.

Inside the palace, besides the bedridden Emperor Xue Ye, there was only Xue Qinghe, dressed in the attire of the crown prince, and the two titled Douluo, Snake Spear and Porcupine, in disguise.

"What kind of forbidden poison? It's been a whole night, and this old thing's life force hasn't been completely eroded by the seven-colored variegation!"

With no outsiders in the palace, Xue Qinghe stopped pretending and revealed his true nature after his martial spirit had fallen.

"Young master, please wait patiently."

Beside him, Serpent Spear Douluo carefully explained:

"Although this Seven-Colored Poison is a forbidden poison of the Breaking Clan, its strength lies in the incurability of the poison and the concealment of the poisoning method. Its characteristic of corroding life force also means that the Seven-Colored Poison is not the kind of potent poison that kills on sight."

"Several birthdays have passed, and Xueye's life has come to an end under the corrosive influence of the seven colors. Judging from the appearance, she will probably pass away in about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

"Alright, then I'll wait a little longer..." Before Xue Qinghe could finish speaking, a light blue bamboo leaf mark flashed across the ceiling of the palace, and Tang San descended from the sky, sitting on Xue Qinghe's head and pressing him to the ground.

"How dare you, you petty scoundrel, attempt to assassinate the young master!"

Both the Serpent Spear and the Porcupine Douluo were stunned. Every corner of the palace was heavily guarded. Where did this man riding on the young master come from?
Just as they were about to rush forward and execute the thief on the spot, an incredibly powerful spatial force suddenly appeared beside them and swiftly sucked them in.

Space transformation.

Serpent Spear Douluo and Porcupine Douluo appeared in the garden not far from the palace.

"Oh dear, isn't this Little Snake and Little Piglet? Why aren't you enjoying your retirement at the Spirit Hall? What are you doing here?"

Under the big tree, Dugu Bo leaned against it, looking at the two of them with a playful gaze.

"Dugu Bo, and... who are you?"

The Serpent Spear Douluo and the Porcupine Douluo tensed up, looking at Dugu Bo and the arrogant, sinister old man with black hair beside him with wary expressions.

Dugu Bo was a retainer of the Heaven Dou royal family, and the two of them, having been lurking in Heaven Dou City for so long, naturally recognized each other. However, they did not recognize the black-haired old man, but upon closer inspection, he seemed somewhat familiar.

The black-haired old man's eyes flashed with a sinister light when he heard himself mentioned, and he said:
"You used the seven-colored splendor of my Broken Clan, yet you don't know who I am?"

"But that doesn't matter anymore. No matter how you obtained this seven-colored treasure from my brother, you will all die today!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Wudi unleashed a fierce and domineering aura, and the Soul-Breaking Spear appeared in his hands, with one soul ring after another emerging.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—nine spirit rings, a titled Douluo.

"Yang Wudi? Hmph, just a mere Contra Douluo..."

The Serpent Spear Douluo stopped mid-sentence abruptly, the bright red 100,000-year-old gem so dazzling it practically blinded him.

How is this possible? Back when the Spirit Hall besieged the Clear Sky Sect, Yang Wudi was only an 81st-level Soul Douluo. How could he, in his twilight years, break through to the Title Douluo level in less than 15 years and possess a 100,000-year Soul Ring that any Soul Master would dream of?

But now was not the time to be in a daze. Yang Wudi had already charged forward with the Soul-Breaking Spear in hand. The Serpent Spear Douluo had no time to think and hurriedly summoned his Serpent Spear Martial Soul to fight him.

The Soul-Breaking Spear is a powerful offensive martial soul, and the Breaking Clan follows a pure offensive path. This allowed Yang Wudi to have the attack power of a Title Douluo even in the Soul Douluo stage. After breaking through to the Title Douluo level, the attack power of the Soul-Breaking Spear far exceeded that of ordinary Title Douluos.

Of course, with a 100,000-year soul ring, Yang Wudi is no ordinary Title Douluo.

This 100,000-year-old spirit ring, which originated from a divinely bestowed spirit ring, allowed Yang Wudi's spirit power to soar to level 93 after absorbing the spirit ring.

Yang Wudi broke through to the Title Douluo level a year ago. In that year, with the Xuan Tian Gong, a cheat code from the Tang Sect, he broke through two levels of soul power and reached level ninety-five.

Although Serpent Spear Douluo returned to the Spirit Hall in this tournament and was rewarded with several spirit bones for his meritorious service in protecting Qian Renxue, his spirit power only broke through from level 92 to the peak of level 93. He was still a short distance away from level 94, and even further away from level 95.

(End of this chapter)