However, just at this seemingly calm moment, a burst of hurried footsteps shattered the quiet of the room. A butler walked in from outside, his expression flustered and his gait hurried. His slightly disheveled steps and nervous demeanor could not help but stir suspicion.
"My Lord!" the butler called out, panting.
Mo Chen looked up at the sound, his gaze falling on the butler. Seeing the butler’s hesitant, tongue-tied appearance, he frowned slightly, then waved his hand and said in a calm tone, "Speak your mind directly; there is no need to be so stuttering."
Hearing Mo Chen's words, the butler hesitated for a moment, then cast a quick, fleeting glance at Qian Renxue, who was standing to the side. When his gaze touched upon Qian Renxue’s exquisite face, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly. But he quickly regained his composure, lowered his head, and said in a low voice, "Answering my Lord, His Majesty has just sent someone with an imperial decree, ordering you to enter the palace immediately to see the Emperor."
Mo Chen's brows knit tightly together the moment he heard this. He had never expected that Great Emperor Xueye would summon him at such a time; for a moment, countless questions flooded his mind.
"I understand," Mo Chen said after a moment of deep thought. He then turned to Qian Renxue at his side, a hint of apology in his eyes. "This lady is a distinguished guest of mine; treat her well."
The butler nodded and agreed hastily. He then turned to Qian Renxue and briefly explained the situation. Once that was done, Mo Chen walked out of the room, into the courtyard, and mounted his horse. He raised his whip and drove the horse, galloping toward the imperial palace. As the sound of the horse's hooves faded into the distance, the entire courtyard returned to silence.
At this time, the smile that had been on Qian Renxue’s face slowly faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
"Ning Rongrong..." Qian Renxue whispered the name, the sound so low that only she could hear it.
The moment Mo Chen stepped into the imperial palace, his eyes were immediately drawn to the extra guards stationed there. These guards were tall and straight, their expressions solemn. Clad in ornate armor and holding sharp weapons, they lined both sides of the road, forming an unbreakable line of defense. However, despite the spectacle, Mo Chen did not pay much attention to it. After all, he had more important business to attend to. He gave the guards a hurried glance before quickening his pace toward the depths of the palace. Unbeknownst to him, as he left, every soldier turned their gaze toward the spot where he had just stood.
As he neared the main hall, two guards at the entrance suddenly reached out their hands, blocking his path.
"General Mo, please remove your armor," one of the guards said expressionlessly.
Mo Chen frowned upon hearing this. However, after a brief hesitation, he decided to comply with the guards' instructions, slowly unbuckling his heavy armor and the sword hanging at his waist, placing them neatly to the side.
When Mo Chen stepped into the throne room, a strange atmosphere washed over him. With his keen intuition, honed on the battlefield for years, he sensed the presence of those hidden in the shadows in an instant. Looking up, he saw Great Emperor Xueye seated at the head of the room. He was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, wearing a purple-gold crown, exuding an imposing aura without even needing to speak. To his left and right stood Prince Xue Xing, Dugu Bo, and various civil and military officials. Additionally, a small, hunched-over eunuch hung his head, not daring to even glance at Mo Chen.
Seeing this, Mo Chen bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Hearing Mo Chen’s greeting, Great Emperor Xueye coughed twice, then asked in a voice that was slightly thin yet filled with authority, "Ahem, Minister Mo, I recall you should be twenty-one years old this year, should you not?"
"Your Majesty, please speak plainly," Mo Chen's voice was calm and firm, devoid of any cowardice or servility.
However, his unyielding attitude caused Great Emperor Xueye, seated on the dragon throne, to frown slightly, a flash of dissatisfaction rising in his heart. Great Emperor Xueye leaned forward, staring intently at Mo Chen, and said slowly, "Minister Mo, you are now twenty-one; it is time to settle down and start a family. Have you considered marriage? To be honest, I have a beloved daughter, named Xue Ke, who is in the bloom of youth, just sixteen years old this year."
As he spoke, Great Emperor Xueye squinted slightly, focusing all his attention on Mo Chen, seemingly trying to peer into his inner thoughts through his calm face.
Hearing this, Mo Chen’s heart jolted, and he instantly fell into deep thought. Various ideas flooded his mind, making it difficult for him to grasp what Great Emperor Xueye intended by bringing this up now. After a moment of silence, Mo Chen took a deep breath, steadied himself, and cupped his hands in a salute: "Your Majesty, your servant is but a common warrior. Since returning from guarding the borders, I have only wished to serve the country with loyalty, and have never once considered the trivial matters of taking a wife or having children. Moreover, the lady in question is Your Majesty’s beloved daughter, the Empire’s princess."
However, Mo Chen’s reply was like a flame that ignited the anger of Great Emperor Xueye. With a loud "bang," Great Emperor Xueye slammed his hand onto the table, stood up abruptly, and roared, "Insolence! Do you mean to say that my daughter is not worthy of you!"
As this shout echoed, the entire hall fell into a dead silence. All eyes turned to Mo Chen, the atmosphere becoming exceptionally tense. Facing the furious Emperor, Mo Chen instinctively wanted to lower his head to admit his mistake and argue his case. But just as he was about to act, he caught a glimpse of the surrounding officials, all of whom looked at him with malice and open hostility. In this situation, Mo Chen swallowed his words back down.
His previously slightly hunched body suddenly stood as straight as a pine. His deep, sharp eyes scanned everyone in the room, finally locking onto Great Emperor Xueye on the high seat. He said in a cold, steady voice, "Your Majesty, if you have something to say, pray speak plainly; there is no need for such circumlocution."
Just as Mo Chen’s voice fell, an official in ornate robes stepped out from the crowd. He walked up with his head held high, pointed at Mo Chen, and shouted, "General Mo! You are currently within the imperial city, yet you hold command over four hundred thousand troops. If you refuse to return to the borders, we, your humble servants, can hardly find peace of mind!"
Hearing this, Mo Chen frowned slightly, his gaze shifting to this official who had stepped forward. Great Emperor Xueye, however, remained silent on the throne, though his tacit approval suggested he agreed with the questioning and accusations leveled against Mo Chen by the officials. Seeing this, the hall erupted into a clamor.
"General Mo Chen, hand over your military seal at once!"
"Stop stalling for time!"
The wave of accusations echoed throughout the hall, rising one after another. Yet, facing this surging tide of blame, Mo Chen stood as steady as an immovable mountain, remaining silent. As time passed, the officials perhaps grew thirsty and tired from their shouting, and gradually quieted down.
Only then did Mo Chen raise his head again, fixing his gaze once more on Great Emperor Xueye. He took a deep breath and said in a low, powerful voice, "What does Your Majesty intend to do? If you wish to reclaim the military seal, a single imperial decree would suffice. Why go to such lengths?"
Twenty-five Spirit Kings, ten Spirit Emperors, seven Soul Saints, two Soul Douluo, and one Titled Douluo.
In just a moment, Mo Chen’s gaze had silently swept every corner of the hall. The layout of the room, the positioning of the people, and the potentially hidden traps were all clear to him in an instant. Clearly, this lineup was not meant for a friendly conversation. Those present looked cold and solemn, each exuding a disturbing aura. Prince Xue Xing, standing in a high position, wore a particularly sinister expression, playing with his long fingers while staring at Mo Chen with a threatening gaze.
Suddenly, Prince Xue Xing opened his mouth and said coldly, "Mo Chen, you are, after all, too young and impetuous, and far too naive. The complexities of the court and the power struggles within are not things a green boy like you could ever fathom."
Hearing this, Mo Chen’s heart sank, but his face remained fearless. He met Prince Xue Xing’s vicious gaze without flinching and asked calmly, "What? Are you here today to take my life?" At the same time, he secretly channeled the massive Soul Power within his body, and a powerful wave of energy began to swirl around him.
Just then, the small eunuch serving at the side of Great Emperor Xueye saw this, a glint of cunning in his eyes, and he stretched his throat to shout, "The audacious traitor Mo Chen dares to openly rebel! Guards, hear my order, seize this villain at once!"
As this shout went out, the civil and military officials who had been crowding the hall retreated rapidly to the sides, clearing a wide path in the center. Immediately after, a sound of uniform, heavy footsteps approached from a distance, and a group of soldiers clad in heavy armor, holding sharp spears, marched in aggressively.
"Mo Chen, surrender now! Today is the day you die!" the leader shouted, his eyes wide, his voice like a bell. This man was named Canasang, a powerful Soul Douluo with a Black Tortoise Martial Soul.
Anyone who could reach the level of Soul Douluo was naturally unaffiliated with the royal family. Although Dugu Bo did not like to interact with others, he at least had some connections in the Spirit Master world. Seeing the encirclement, Mo Chen smiled bitterly, shook his head helplessly, and said slowly, "It seems you are truly determined to take my life..."
Before he could finish, a vast, unmatched aura erupted from his body. In an instant, a pressure as heavy as a mountain swept over the room like a surging tsunami, pinning everyone present so firmly that even breathing became incredibly difficult.
"Level 95!" Dugu Bo, watching from the side, couldn't help but gasp. He widened his eyes, full of disbelief, as if he had seen the most incredible thing in the world. Because just half a month ago, Mo Chen had clearly been only a level 81 Soul Douluo; to improve by 14 levels in such a short time was beyond imagination!
Once this was said, those who had been approaching aggressively and menacingly wilted like frosted eggplants. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with deep fear and reluctance. After all, the power of a level 95 Titled Douluo was enough to easily crush an army of a hundred thousand; how could they, mere pawns, hope to contend with it?
Great Emperor Xueye felt a chill creep up his spine, making his scalp tingle. To tell the truth, he had never intended to actually kill Mo Chen. After all, Mo Chen had reached the level of a Soul Douluo at twenty. With such astonishing talent and strength, his future promotion to Titled Douluo was all but guaranteed. This event was intended only as a small lesson, a way to knock this impetuous genius down a peg.
However, amidst the shocked gazes of all present, an astonishing change occurred in Mo Chen. His hair, originally short and black, grew longer and changed color at a visible rate, instantly becoming a mass of dazzling golden hair that danced in the wind. At the same time, the mysterious Golden Crow mark on his forehead, which had been hidden, appeared once again, emitting a brilliant light.
"Since you are so determined to see me dead, then today, I will no longer hold back. I will let you see the true power of my second Martial Soul!" Mo Chen said coldly. As his voice fell, an intensely hot aura erupted from his body, as if the very air were about to be set ablaze. In an instant, the temperature within the palace hall skyrocketed, making everyone feel as if they were trapped in a raging fire.
"Protect His Majesty!" Prince Xue Xing, seeing this, turned pale. He reacted immediately, grabbing Great Emperor Xueye and turning to run frantically toward the exit.
"Third Spirit Skill: Solar Golden Sands!"
Soul Power surged wildly. The floor, which had been as hard as steel, suddenly began to tremble as if a mysterious and powerful force were waking up from beneath the earth. In the blink of an eye, the tremors became more violent, and the ground began to flow like liquid. Within moments, the entire floor of the hall had vanished, replaced by a scorching sea of golden sand. These sands shone with a dazzling light, as bright as the golden glow cast by the sun. More alarmingly, this ordinary-looking sand carried with it properties of deceleration, sluggishness, and weakening. Anyone who stepped into this sea of sand immediately felt their movements grow sluggish, as if dragged down by invisible hands, while their own strength was greatly suppressed and weakened, making it impossible to perform at their full capacity.
Just as everyone was shocked by this terrifying third spirit skill, Mo Chen did not pause at all.
"First Spirit Skill: Solar Fire Feathers!" As the words left his lips, a crisp phoenix cry resounded through the sky, and behind Mo Chen, a burst of gorgeous, dazzling flames erupted. Within the flames, a pair of huge, magnificent, golden wings quickly grew. These wings resembled burning fire, each feather shining with raging flames, emitting endless majesty and scorching heat.
As Mo Chen gently flapped those huge wings, countless golden feathers drifted down like rain. These feathers drew beautiful arcs in the air, like dancing immortals, both beautiful and deadly. Those who had been caught in the scorching sea of sand struggled desperately to escape, but with their legs buried deep and the negative effects of the sand taking hold, they were unable to make any effective move. They could only watch helplessly as the golden feathers flying across the sky shot toward them rapidly.
These drifting golden feathers were like bullets exiting a chamber, piercing through their bodies with sharp, unmatched force. In an instant, blood splashed and screams rang out. However, this was only the beginning. The feathers that fell to the ground did not stop there; the moment they made contact with the floor, they erupted with a series of earth-shattering explosions. Each feather transformed into a bomb of astonishing power, detonating instantly.
For a time, flames shot into the sky and smoke filled the air. The entire imperial palace hall was reduced to a mess, with broken walls and debris everywhere, as if the end of the world had arrived.