Chapter 187: Qian Renxue's Coronation
"This is completely unfair!"
"You could have finished this trial ages ago!"
The Spirit Shark King, Xiao Bai, was furious. She had spent all this time as their training partner when Su Mo could have completed the trial much sooner.
After passing the second trial, Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling each gained one rank in spirit power.
Ning Rongrong reached rank 64, while Ye Lingling advanced to rank 57.
Like with the first trial, Ning Rongrong received an additional reward - each of her spirit rings increased by 500 years. Now even her first spirit ring had turned purple, surpassing Su Mo's in quality.
Su Mo only gained a 5% increase in Sea God Affinity with no other rewards.
The next day, Bo Saixi led them to begin the third trial - Tidal Body Refinement.
This trial tested physical endurance. The challenge was simple: withstand the crushing force of ocean waves while chained to deep-sea silver pillars for a set time each day. After one year, they would pass.
For Su Mo, this was valuable training to further strengthen his body.
For Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling, the benefits would be greater - but so would the pain. Their weaker physiques made the trial far more difficult.
Crash!
Splash!
Chained to a pillar, Su Mo endured the relentless waves. Without using spirit skills, he could only rely on spirit power to resist. Each impact shook his entire body.
"The effects are good," Su Mo noted before checking on Ning Rongrong.
She struggled visibly, gritting her teeth against each wave. But Su Mo knew she would persevere. This was just the initial adjustment period.
Then he looked at Ye Lingling.
"Ah!"
Her situation was worse. Every wave forced a pained cry from her lips.
As a support-type spirit master without physical enhancements, the trial pushed her to her limits.
"Lingling, you can do it! Just hold on!"
Su Mo encouraged her, worried she might not last.
"I...I can do it..."
Ye Lingling met his eyes with determination. Seeing her resolve, Su Mo felt reassured. This trial tested willpower above all else.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai finally returned to the Star Luo Empire.
"Greetings Father. Greetings Crown Prince."
Dai Mubai bowed deeply, his obedience born of fear.
The punishment for a defeated prince depended entirely on the Crown Prince's mercy. Dai Mubai hoped only for exile rather than losing his spirit power.
"I thought you might not come back."
Crown Prince Dai Weisi smiled smugly. His victory had put him in excellent spirits.
"Brother, would you like to cripple your own spirit power, or shall I do it for you?"
Dai Mubai paled. Even after his submission, his brother still intended to strip his cultivation.
"Brother...please...spare my spirit power..."
He begged desperately.
"If you had won, would you have spared me?"
Dai Weisi's cold response left no room for mercy.
"Guards!"
Dai Mubai's agonized scream echoed as years of cultivation were erased in an instant.
Stripped of his power, he was exiled to a remote fiefdom - cut off forever from the world of spirit masters and the Star Luo Empire.
"Accelerate the plan?"
In the Heaven Dou Empire, Qian Renxue received a message from Pope Bibi Dong, instructing her to hasten her takeover rather than proceed cautiously.
The order didn't surprise her.
Having learned of future events, she knew her original twenty-year scheme had ended in failure—exposed by the discovery of her poisoning of Emperor Xue Ye, thwarted by Tang San's intervention.
"But the Poison Douluo has vanished."
"Tang San is already dead by Su Mo's hand."
"There's nothing left to worry about."
After murmuring to herself, Qian Renxue resolved to follow the Pope's directive—though with greater caution and thorough preparation.
"And those two, Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing..."
"They can't be left alive either. Better yet, pin Emperor Xue Ye's poisoning on them—frame them for treason."
Recalling how Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing had unraveled her plans in the original timeline, Qian Renxue's disdain deepened.
She had long considered eliminating them after Su Mo revealed their true cunning. Only concerns over instability had stayed her hand.
Now, the time had come.
Over the following days, Qian Renxue set her scheme in motion—first poisoning Emperor Xue Ye, then deliberately letting Xue Beng notice subtle irregularities.
As expected, Xue Beng grew suspicious and sneaked into the Emperor's chambers to investigate.
Qian Renxue, lying in wait, seized him immediately.
"Xue Beng! You poisoned Father!"
"Guards! Arrest him!"
She gave him no chance to explain, silencing his protests with a swift gag.
"Preposterous! As Crown Prince, why would I harm His Majesty?"
With a cold scoff, she dismissed his accusations and had him dragged away.
Next, she approached the unconscious Emperor.
"Father... this is the last time I'll call you that."
"After your passing, I will lead the Heaven Dou Empire to greater heights."
Her whisper was as much a vow to herself as a farewell.
Emperor Xue Ye wouldn't survive the day.
Since the blame would fall on Xue Beng, Qian Renxue had used a more potent, detectable poison.
Moments later, the Emperor convulsed—black blood trickling from his eyes, nose, and ears.
"Someone! Save His Majesty!"
Though physicians rushed in, nothing could be done.
With the Emperor dead and the throne vacant, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe—Qian Renxue's disguise—ascended without opposition.
Xue Beng, convicted of regicide, was swiftly executed.
Strangely, Prince Xue Xing remained silent, offering no defense for his nephew. After Xue Beng's death, he quietly retreated to his fiefdom.
But Qian Renxue, aware of his true cunning, ensured he never arrived.
"Bandits" ambushed and killed him en route.
Only Princess Xue Ke remained.
Qian Renxue spared her—over the years, she'd grown somewhat fond of the girl.
The upheaval in Heaven Dou shocked many, but most dismissed it as routine imperial succession.
None realized Qian Renxue's coronation would ignite war.
Under Pope Bibi Dong's orders, Qian Renxue began provoking conflicts along the Star Luo border—clashes that escalated rapidly without the usual intervention from the Spirit Hall.
"The Star Luo Empire goes too far!"
"From this day forth, Heaven Dou declares war!"
"None may insult our empire without consequence!"
When tensions peaked, Qian Renxue publicly announced hostilities, dispatching Grand Marshal Ge Long with the imperial army.
"War? Between the two empires?"
"Surely the Spirit Hall will intervene!"
"Right? They've always mediated before!"
The public waited anxiously for the Spirit Hall's response...
(End of Chapter)
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