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From four directions, four voices rang out simultaneously, booming and resounding. Along with them came four towering columns of soul power that pierced the heavens.
In just a few moments, a massive white cube formed from soul power sealed off the entire Tian Dou Imperial City, spanning hundreds of miles.
This awe-inspiring transformation was immediately noticed by those within the city, leaving everyone stunned as they gazed at the shocking scene.
Night turned to day, darkness flipped to light—such was the terror of this phenomenon.
After undergoing Ye Wen's divine trials and years of cultivation, all seven former Shrine Elders had broken through to level 99. Moreover, Ye Wen had provided each of them with a component of their exclusive five-character battle armor, elevating them to the rank of divine officials.
This barrier technique was an improved version of the one used in the Soul Arena to prevent spectators from being injured. It was initiated by four divine official-level experts working together, and no one below a Level 3 god could escape it.
This time, the technique was jointly performed by four elders who were relatively weaker among the group: Qian Jun, Jiang Mo, Guang Ling, and Qing Luan.
In truth, Ye Wen could have executed the technique alone.
But as a rule-abiding individual, wasn't it forbidden for gods to interfere directly in mortal affairs?
If that was the case, why not let his subordinates handle it? After all, they were only at level 99.
"What's going on! Send someone to investigate immediately!"
At this moment, Emperor Xue Ye in the Tian Dou Palace was thrown into chaos. He had been about to spend some quality time with his concubines, hoping to produce more heirs, when this sudden upheaval occurred.
As elite assassins trained by the Tian Dou Royal Family, several loyal guards appeared around Xue Ye the instant the anomaly occurred, protecting his safety. After all, Xue Ye himself was merely a mediocre four-ring soul master.
Among them, a 78th-level soul sage with a flying-type martial soul wasted no time and soared into the sky to investigate the white light barrier.
But the next second, a chilling sight unfolded before Xue Ye's eyes.
The moment the assassin touched the barrier, he was engulfed in roaring flames, reduced to charred ash. His body plummeted to the ground, crumbling into dust.
"This... this..."
Because of Ye Wen's intervention, the Tian Dou Empire currently didn't even have a single Title Douluo. Emperor Xue Ye, who had lived a life of luxury within the empire and never witnessed the power of a Title Douluo firsthand, still believed their strength was equivalent to countering tens of thousands of soldiers.
Now, faced with this incomprehensible display of power, he was utterly bewildered. After all, that assassin was capable of exchanging dozens of blows with a Soul Douluo.
Confronted with such overwhelming unknown terror, Xue Ye lost his composure.
But outside the city, Ye Wen and his forces weren't about to waste this opportunity.
Of the thousand-strong army Ye Wen brought, only 100 were his disciples. Even the weakest among them had reached the Soul Emperor level, and equipped with the two-character battle armor Ye Wen provided—Crimson Red—their average strength had reached the Soul Douluo level.
Such power was rare even among the top-tier clan leaders and elders of the Tian Dou Empire.
At this moment, Ye Wen waved his hand and coldly ordered, "First squad, begin your operation."
Upon his command, eighty percent of the army surged forward like ravenous wolves, rushing toward the chaotic Tian Dou Imperial City.
Though their movements seemed chaotic, each soldier had a specific target. Over the past two years, Ye Wen's subordinates had thoroughly mapped out the details of the Tian Dou Imperial City.
Ye Wen glanced at Ning Fengzhi and Yu Yuanzhen beside him and said, "The rest is up to you."
"Yes," they replied, bowing before leading the remaining second squad toward the Tian Dou Palace.
As Ye Wen had stated earlier, he was a man who followed the rules.
Mortals fighting mortals—it wasn't something he wanted to meddle in. The Tian Dou Royal Family was nothing more than a minor obstacle.
Deploying over five divine official-level fighters along with other powerful individuals was akin to using a cannon to swat a mosquito.
If not for the fear of people escaping and causing chaos, potentially harming innocent civilians, Ye Wen would have simply sent one elder to flatten the area outright.
(Tian Dou: I'm so grateful for your consideration -_-||)
Although Ye Wen's army numbered only a thousand, countless insiders had already been planted within the city. If you counted the total number of participants, it easily exceeded ten thousand—a massive undertaking.
Currently, the total number of soul masters across the entire Douluo Continent didn't exceed 150,000—a bold move indeed.
Soon, with the help of inside collaborators, the outer perimeter of the Tian Dou Imperial City was swiftly subdued.
However, Ye Wen did not order a massacre of the nobles.
In this era, soul masters were precious resources. These nobles represented rare talents, and killing them outright would be a waste. They could still serve as laborers or expendable pawns.
Furthermore, Ye Wen strictly prohibited any harassment of women. An unrestrained army was both terrifying and repulsive.
"It's truly difficult to cultivate an army with faith and conviction in this era. In the end, I'm just an ordinary person—I can't compare to the martyrs of my past life," Ye Wen lamented.
But this was characteristic of the Douluo Continent's era.
After all, once someone became a soul master, they were essentially half-noble, enjoying numerous privileges. How could they genuinely speak out for or protect the oppressed commoners who lacked soul power? Such individuals might exist, but they were pitifully rare compared to the vast number of soul masters.
Inside the Tian Dou Palace—
Emperor Xue Ye glared furiously at the group of soul masters surrounding the palace walls.
Especially their leader.
"Ning Fengzhi, how dare you attempt to usurp the throne!" Xue Ye roared angrily.
But Ning Fengzhi remained calm and unbothered as he stared at Xue Ye.
By now, Ning Fengzhi had not only overcome the limitations of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda but also advanced to the level of a Title Douluo. Though only a beginner-level Title Douluo, with the four-character battle armor Crimson Storm {T/N: Reminder that the Chinese name has 4 characters - Chi Hong Feng Bao} bestowed upon him by Ye Wen, Ning Fengzhi now possessed demi-god-level strength. A mere mortal emperor like Xue Ye no longer held any significance in his eyes.
Ning Fengzhi scanned the people beside Xue Ye.
After all, the Tian Dou Empire controlled a quarter of the Douluo Continent's territory. At this moment, at least three Soul Douluo-level assassins stood guard around Xue Ye, ensuring his safety.
Regarding the fate of the Tian Dou Royal Family, Ye Wen hadn't ordered their complete extermination.
Ning Fengzhi spoke softly, "Surrender, Xue Ye. Your resistance is meaningless at this point. Lord Ye Wen has decreed that if you submit now, your life and the lives of the Xue family behind you will be spared."
As the ruler of a nation, Xue Ye was no fool—he was quite shrewd.
Such a massive operation, yet Ning Fengzhi wasn't even the mastermind behind it.
"Who? Who is plotting against my family's thousand-year legacy?"
At this moment, Xue Ye felt utterly powerless, even with three Soul Douluos protecting him.
Though these three Soul Douluos might be able to hold their own against Yu Yuanzhen standing beside Ning Fengzhi, what difference would it make in the end?
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