Chapter 313: A New Era and a Fatal Misstep
"The Soul Hall now has a Pope… and no one in the Sun Moon Empire opposed it?"
Xiao Qiang raised a brow. Even without knowing the details, he sensed there had to be some resistance.
The Spirit Hall had once been the mortal enemy of the Douluo Three Kingdoms. When Bibi Dong became Pope and declared herself Empress, the Spirit Hall evolved into the Spirit Empire. Xiao Qiang had deliberately avoided the term "Pope" to prevent unwanted associations. Yet now, the Soul Hall had revived that very title.
Xiao Sheng nodded slowly.
"There was indeed some opposition at first… mostly from the Royal Worship Hall."
Xiao Qiang's eyes narrowed. "So… did we crush them in a war?"
"No," Xiao Sheng said with a faint smirk. "No war was necessary."
He continued calmly, "Thanks to Crown Prince Xu Tianran's previous tyranny, the only two high-end combatants truly loyal to the royal family were Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen. But Jing Hongchen joined us, the Soul Hall. So those who remained had no real power—they could only grumble."
Xiao Sheng leaned forward, voice lowering slightly.
"But what really changed everything… was what happened next."
"Go on."
Xiao Qiang's tone turned serious.
"After Xu Tianran's death, a full-blown succession struggle broke out. The fourth, sixth, and seventh princes were almost equally matched—no one could dominate the others. They clashed repeatedly, but the stalemate held."
"Meanwhile, in the shadows… the ninth prince, Xu Tianqing, son of a lowly palace maid, was overlooked by everyone."
Xiao Qiang's eyes narrowed further.
"You're saying…"
"Yes," Xiao Sheng confirmed. "Xu Tianqing secretly joined the Soul Hall. A year ago, using our full support, he ascended the throne. And when he took power, he knelt at Pope Xiaolan's feet and was crowned emperor by her own hand."
Xiao Qiang let out a quiet chuckle.
"…This really is a return to the Spirit Hall era. We've reached the point where the throne is ordained by the Church again."
He couldn't help but recall scenes from medieval Europe in his past life, where popes crowned emperors. Spirit Hall had clearly modeled itself on that legacy—and now, Soul Hall had inherited it in full.
"Whatever. As long as it doesn't interfere with the development of soul guidance technology, I'm fine with it. What about the military? Any major conflicts during my retreat?"
Xiao Sheng shook his head.
"No large-scale wars. Thanks to your earlier handling of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Guidance Academy bombing—blaming it on a Shrek plot rather than any Douluo royal family—there was no united retaliation."
Xiao Qiang nodded with satisfaction. "Good… but you said no large-scale wars. That implies there were small ones?"
"There were," Xiao Sheng confirmed. "The White Tiger Duke of the Xingluo Empire launched a campaign against the Sun Moon Empire."
"…And?"
"He got his army beaten to a pulp and barely escaped with his life," Xiao Sheng said disdainfully. "To be honest, I have no idea how someone like him got labeled a 'God of War.'"
Xiao Qiang chuckled.
"With Evil Eyes and White Tiger bloodlines, and as the Emperor's son-in-law, he could probably take a vacation during a battle and still be remembered as a war hero."
The two shared a smirk.
"But enough about that. We can't let petty wars drag on any longer. It's time to bring order."
Xingluo Empire — Capital City
Having emerged from seclusion, Xiao Qiang led a powerful delegation to the Xingluo Empire's capital. With him were Xiao Sheng, Xiao Lan, Xue Di, Mu Qingxue, Ling Luochen, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, and other top Soul Hall elites.
Xiao Qiang, in his ever-gracious manner, extended a diplomatic offer to Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Xingluo Empire.
And while Xu Jiawei wasn't exactly moved by Xiao Qiang's virtue… he was certainly overwhelmed by it.
Moved to tears, one of his own sons offered himself as a new candidate for emperor—hoping that the Pope of the Soul Hall would crown him.
Xiao Qiang had no objections. The coronation ceremony was set.
Soon, Pope Xiao Lan would preside over yet another imperial enthronement.
But elsewhere… in the shadows of the same imperial capital…
A storm was about to break.
In a dim alley, Huang Mu, a known figure in Xingluo's underground human trafficking trade, stared at his men with suspicion.
"You're sure… she's alone?" he asked grimly.
"Yes, boss. I've been watching for a long time. No guards, no entourage. Just a beautiful young woman walking freely. When do we move?"
Huang Mu hesitated.
The target was Xiao Lan—a breathtaking beauty, appearing to be around seventeen or eighteen years old. Her noble aura and elegance made her an irresistible commodity in Huang Mu's corrupt eyes.
In other situations, he would've made his move instantly.
A high-level beauty, likely a soul master? Even better—the black market would pay a fortune.
And in Xingluo's imperial capital, the underground auctions were ruthlessly efficient. As long as you didn't touch the daughters of major nobles—and made sure to pay off the right people—no one would stop you.
His own strength as a five-ring Soul King, combined with the backing of influential figures, made Huang Mu a rising power in the city's underworld.
But today… something felt off.
"…Wait a bit longer," he muttered. "I have a bad feeling."
"Boss, what could possibly go wrong?" one of his Soul Sect lackeys scoffed. "We've scouted every powerful clan in the area. No noble has a daughter like her. Even if trouble comes, our backers will protect us. And you're a Soul King."
"…Still. Something's wrong. I feel it."
"Boss, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! I've never seen such high-quality goods before!"
Huang Mu remained silent for a long time.
Then, eyes darkening with greed, he gave the order.
"…You're right. Let's move."