Chapter 289: The Ten-Thousand Soul Master Army Displays Its Might
Qian Renxue had been undercover in the Tiandou Empire for twenty years, mainly infiltrating various factions while strengthening the Crown Prince's mansion.
The Crown Prince's mansion continuously recruited guest officials and young Soul Masters. Though yearly increases seemed small, over more than a decade, they accumulated to three thousand.
Most of these Soul Masters were actually supported by Spirit Hall and completely loyal to Qian Renxue.
It was thanks to the Crown Prince's mansion's strength that she controlled the situation after Emperor Xue Ye fell ill.
These three thousand Soul Masters combined with the original four thousand in the Royal Soul Corps made seven thousand in total.
The remaining three thousand mainly came from two sources: one was the various factions led by the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, including partial support from the Dugu family, totalling nearly two thousand Soul Masters. Ning Fengzhi alone supported about eight hundred.
Another thousand were academy-trained Soul Masters. With the Soul Master Competition approaching, it was graduation season again.
Qian Renxue, having taken power early, immediately absorbed all graduating Soul Masters from the academies to bolster the royal corps.
Thus, pieced together from here and there, they assembled a ten-thousand Soul Master army.
At this moment, the ten-thousand Soul Master army steadily approached beneath the palace walls.
Their pace was slow and disorganized, but their imposing aura was unmatched by ordinary troops.
Those from Tiandou's factions and even Saraos, seeing the ten-thousand Soul Master army for the first time, paled.
The number of Soul Masters on the continent was not large, and mustering ten thousand was truly breathtaking.
"Release Martial Souls!"
Qian Renxue called softly.
Below, the soul masters' formation erupted with brilliant light.
Ten thousand Martial Souls unleashed simultaneously, their grand might piercing the sky.
Countless soul rings predominated in white, yellow, purple, and black, interweaving magnificently before everyone's eyes.
The lowest soul power among them was at the two-ring Great Soul Master level.
The highest bore six soul rings at the Soul Emperor level.
Excluding the highest and lowest, most ranged between three and five rings.
On average, each had four soul rings—that was forty thousand soul rings in total.
The overwhelming soul ring aura left everyone gasping.
Even Dugu Feng's eyes shone briefly.
The spectacle was astonishing.
After releasing their soul rings, the soul masters pressed on.
Only after they completely passed the palace gates did the spectators on the walls react—this was the ten-thousand Soul Master army.
It was the first time they had seen so many Soul Masters together.
Saraos was even more worried—Tiandou's foundation ran deep. The previous Emperor Xue Ye was incapable of uniting forces.
But Qian Renxue was different. With her strong background and power, once she united Tiandou's factions, she would likely threaten the pope.
No matter what, he must report the entire parade to Bibi Dong.
Qian Renxue naturally knew this well.
Her display of power mainly targeted Bibi Dong.
She wanted Bibi Dong to see her successful control over the Tiandou Empire, built with Spirit Hall's support but founded by her own efforts.
She alone built Tiandou's foundation.
What are you, Bibi Dong? Just inherited your father's position!
Just wait. As my power grows, I will reclaim the pope's seat.
Qian Renxue sneered inwardly.
The parade ended in this breathtaking scene.
Next came a grand court banquet prepared by Qian Renxue, hosting all guests for a gathering to discuss the future.
At this time, Dugu Feng quietly accompanied his father, Dugu Shuo, and Ning Fengzhi.
In reality, his two Jade Dragon Snakes were busy with a big task.
That was a theft.
Near the palace, beside Emperor Xue Ye's chamber, lay the royal treasure vault—the inner treasury.
It was now controlled by Qian Renxue and guarded tightly.
But after Emperor Xue Ye's death, Qian Renxue's focus was solely on coronation, ruling court, and army control.
She hadn't checked the treasury.
Moreover, with her status, few treasures would impress her—gold and silver held no allure.
She hadn't noticed a national treasure beyond all imagination in the Tiandou royal treasury.
That gave Dugu Feng an advantage.
One Jade Dragon Snake patrolled outside, while the other stealthily entered the treasury.
The treasury's walls contained steel plates a meter thick—almost an iron room, impervious even to flies.
But not to the Jade Dragon Snake.
From the roof, it released corrosive poison.
Corrosive poison erodes everything.
Dugu Feng's fourth soul skill, Ice Fire Corrosive Poison, had incredible penetration and corrosion, nearly ignoring defenses.
The Jade Dragon Snake's poison had evolved after fifty thousand years, becoming a powerful corrosive toxin.
Silently, the roof was corroded to a finger-sized hole.
The Jade Dragon Snake glided through like a fish.
Its green eyes darted, quickly locking on the vault's inner depths.
There stood a large rack.
On its top shelf was a brocade box wrapped in red silk.
The Jade Dragon Snake's eyes gleamed and flew over, flicking the silk with its tail.
Puff!
It sprayed corrosive poison again, burning a hole in the golden box.
Through the hole, a blue treasure light shone.
This light confirmed to the Jade Dragon Snake that this was the target.
It covered the box again with the silk and extended its body, coiling around the brocade box, returning the way it came.
Before leaving, it contacted the other Jade Dragon Snake. Together, they widened the hole to human size.
After corroding the hole, both snakes expanded their bodies and sharpened edges with hard teeth.
After a moment, the cut surface was smooth, looking like a neat blade cut.
Clearly a tool Martial Soul's work.
The two Jade Dragon Snakes exchanged glances.
Hisss
They sneered.
No one would suspect the hole was poisoned open.
They cleaned the scene expertly.
Both snakes soared up and vanished.
No one knew the national treasure of the Tiandou Empire had been stolen.
Dugu Feng guessed Qian Renxue would take time to discover the loss.
Though furious, she would take no action immediately.
Mainly because she didn't realize the treasure's value.
When Emperor Xue Ye lived, although Qian Renxue was crown princess, she never had access to the Vast Sea Universe Shield.
(END CHAPTER)
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