Soon after, Xu Jiujiu and Jing Hongchen each returned to their respective nations. Due to the other party's obstruction, the goals of both factions obviously could not be achieved so easily. The current situation was that the Star Luo Empire held the advantage of the Heavenly Soul Emperor's bias, while the Sun Moon Empire held the advantage of having come first.
Thus, under Emperor Xuedan's suggestion, Yuwen Tuo became a commodity. From this moment until one year later, both sides would make their bids, and ultimately, whichever side bid higher would get Yuwen Tuo.
The Sun Moon Empire had already offered three Grade 9 soul tools, so Star Luo had to offer something worth more than three Grade 9 soul tools. Ordinary 10,000-year soul bones might not be enough.
They would either need to find 100,000-year soul bones, or if the quality wasn't enough, make up for it with quantity. It all depended on how strong Star Luo's determination was to get Yuwen Tuo back.
Xuedan didn't plan to keep anything for himself; most of the treasures he obtained would be given to Yuwen Tuo personally. One more thing: the final interpretation right of the treasure's value belonged to the Heavenly Soul Empire.
This last sentence was very subtle. In other words, even if Star Luo offered a 100,000-year soul bone, if Xuedan said he still preferred Grade 9 soul tools, then the Sun Moon Empire would win.
Conversely, even if Star Luo offered only ordinary 10,000-year soul bones, but Xuedan simply preferred those soul bones, then Star Luo would still win. Anyway, the outcome would be decided in a year.
This statement immediately angered Jing Hongchen, because he felt that Xuedan would definitely favor Star Luo. However, Star Luo felt much more relaxed, believing they had already won. In reality, they all underestimated this old fox; their assumptions were completely wrong. Jing Hongchen was destined to win.
Because after actually conversing with Yuwen Tuo, Emperor Xuedan understood a principle. Yuwen Tuo, once he went to the Sun Moon Empire, would forever remain Yuwen Tuo of the Heavenly Soul.
But Yuwen Tuo, if he went to Star Luo, who knew if he would one day become Yuwen Tuo of Star Luo? Star Luo abandoning him was true, but Star Luo only failed to raise him. Aside from that, there was nothing harmful done to him so far.
If he went there, and Xu Yueran truly repented and treated him sincerely, coupled with Princess Xu Jiujiu and Xu Jiawei's all-out compensation, he worried whether Yuwen Tuo could truly remain unwavering forever? After all, blood is thicker than water!
But the Sun Moon Empire was different. His village was destroyed, and the Sun Moon Empire was inextricably linked to it. Given his regard for his village, he would surely turn that place upside down. Yuwen Tuo making a trip to the Sun Moon Empire first would also be beneficial to his future plans.
As both sides departed, the court finally returned to temporary stability. Now in court, Tremor Douluo Jiang Yuan had openly declared his support for Weina. If not for the Body Sect not yet openly supporting the Heavenly Soul Empire,
their previous visit was also under the guise of supporting their sect disciple Yuwen Tuo. Otherwise, they would have directly sided with Weina, and the other imperial princes wouldn't even need to contend for anything.
The secret of the Body Sect secretly becoming the Heavenly Soul Empire's protector sect was still unknown to many in court. Several imperial princes eligible for succession knew this. They were originally most worried about this,
but just as they were about to give up, people from the Body Sect approached them, stating that they would not intervene in the succession struggle, nor would they openly support anyone. Whoever ultimately gained the throne, they would all acknowledge.
This scene surprised the imperial princes. The Body Sect actually wouldn't support Weina? Their lost confidence immediately returned. Not only that, but soon after, someone else brought a Titled Douluo to them,
stating that they absolutely would not accept a woman like Weina becoming the Heavenly Soul's heir, and were willing to openly support the imperial princes. This person was the current Sect Master of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Sect, Ning Tian's father, and the Titled Douluo he brought was Wufeng's grandfather, Red Dragon Douluo.
This generation's Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Sect only had one Super Douluo, whose rank was only at 95. However, with the assistance of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, his combat power was not inferior to a Rank 96 Super Douluo. This was enough to overpower Tremor Douluo Jiang Yuan, who supported Weina.
In reality, the Body Sect's non-intervention in the succession, and even the support of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Sect, were all arranged by Xuedan. This was actually very strange, because Emperor Xuedan had long ago removed those imperial princes from his list of potential successors.
The throne could only belong to Weina, but he deliberately gave those imperial princes hope, all for four words: "Chaos, chaos, and then rebirth!" Xuedan played with the chess pieces in his hand, playing a grand game before him. "Nana, Imperial Father will definitely give you a court that is stable and peaceful internally, and fearless of external enemies."
As he spoke, he placed down each chess piece, as if guarding the most important piece in the center. "Yuwen Tuo, Long Aotian, Jiang Peng, Xiaoxiao... Heh heh, with so many prodigies, our nation has hope!"
"Um, Your Majesty." The eunuch beside him asked, "Are you playing Go? Your way of playing leaves the middle pieces with no 'breath'."
"..." Xuedan looked awkward. "Mind your business. Is it wrong for me to play Gobang?"
The moon set, the sun rose, day after day. Spring passed into summer, autumn into winter, and spring returned. Unknowingly, a whole year had passed.
Yuwen Tuo and Xiaoxiao had been in seclusion for a year. Xiaoxiao focused on cultivating her soul power. Although she spent every day with Yuwen Tuo, she did not neglect her cultivation due to being in love. On the contrary, because Yuwen Tuo cultivated so diligently, she also worked extremely hard to catch up with her beloved, not wanting to one day be unable to even see Yuwen Tuo's back.
Now, her rank had reached 48. With her innate full soul power and the String Sound Without Form, her progress speed was truly astonishing. It usually took three to five years for an ordinary genius to advance from Soul Ancestor to Soul King. But at her current speed, just over a year would be enough. This was the marvel of a superior cultivation method.
Innately full soul power in this world might not be as valuable as a superior cultivation method. For example, Tang San, Yuwen Tuo suspected he might not have truly innately full soul power, otherwise he should have hit a bottleneck when he first started cultivating. The reason he could cultivate so quickly later was definitely largely due to his Mysterious Heaven Technique.
Xiaoxiao now was also a good example. Innately full soul power, plus a top-tier cultivation method, her cultivation speed was probably not inferior to Qian Renxue, who had innate rank 20 back then.
Yuwen Tuo's progress in soul power this year was not as great as hers. He was currently at rank 58, because what he cultivated more diligently was the Yin-Yang Demonic Eyes and the Secret of the Body.
The Yin-Yang Demonic Eyes was the top-tier mental cultivation method. His Body Martial Soul was his soul. As long as his mental power was strong, his Xuanyuan Sword Soul would be stronger. If he could cultivate the Yin-Yang Demonic Eyes to the second stage, and then use the secret technique of the Secret of the Body, his second awakening might be more perfect than ever before.
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).