NOVEL WEB Chapter 222: The Siege Plan
Xu Chengzhi first exchanged pleasantries with the Douluo of Emotions and the Douluo of Soul Suppression for a moment, then turned his attention to Huo Yuhao.
"I've heard quite a few stories about Lord Huo Yuhao recently," Xu Chengzhi said with a gentle smile, though his eyes were subtly scrutinizing Huo Yuhao. As the emperor of the Star Luo Federation, he was well aware of the waves this young man had stirred in Star Luo City.
Having just arrived in Star Luo City, he had already caused such a stir. One could only say that he truly lived up to being the heir of the Spirit Pagoda.
"Your Majesty flatters me," Huo Yuhao replied with a calm nod, his ice-blue eyes showing no emotion. "They are merely trivial matters."
Xu Chengzhi smiled meaningfully, "Matters that have left the Dawn Society at a disadvantage are hardly trivial in Star Luo."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xu Chengzhi continued with official business.
Subsequently, a series of tedious ceremonies such as the submission of the national letter, the speech by the Speaker, the address by the Federal Representative, and the speech by Xu Chengzhi proceeded in an orderly manner. Inside the Star Luo Palace, the ceremonial music played gracefully as both sides completed the formal diplomatic engagement in a solemn atmosphere.
As Xie Xie put it, this ceremony was a waste of life, but it had to be done.
Xie Xie stood in an inconspicuous position at the back of the envoy team, suppressing the urge to yawn and discreetly nudging Tang Wulin beside him with his elbow, "Hey, how long are these speeches going to last? My legs are going numb."
Tang Wulin kept his gaze straight ahead, "Just hold on a little longer, and it'll be over."
"I never realized before that you could endure such occasions better than I can," Xie Xie muttered under his breath.
"Because the banquet phase is coming up," Tang Wulin replied with a smile.
Xie Xie: "..."
So that explains it.
As the two chatted intermittently, the speech segment finally drew to a close, and Xu Chengzhi announced the start of the banquet.
However, this time for the younger generation had nothing to do with the group led by the Douluo of Emotions, the Douluo of Soul Suppression, Huo Yuhao, and Gu Yuena.
After making a symbolic appearance at the banquet, they were invited by Star Luo to the depths of the palace for a secret discussion in the Star Luo Hall.
Since Xu Chengzhi, as the emperor, needed to remain in the banquet hall to oversee the event, Speaker Dai Tianling personally accompanied the group.
This made many young ladies who were curious about Huo Yuhao even more intrigued, yet they dared not approach him casually. They could only watch from afar as the tall, blue figure disappeared into the depths of the palace, their eyes filled with regret and imagination.
"Is he the next master of the Spirit Pagoda? He's even younger and more handsome than I imagined," a noble lady remarked, fanning herself with a feather fan, her face showing admiration. "Even walking alongside a Limit Douluo, he wasn't overshadowed but instead exuded his own aura. Truly a young prodigy."
"I heard that when he gets serious, he can defeat a Red-level Mech Master in one move. Among his peers, no one in Star Luo is his match," her companion nodded in agreement, her cheeks slightly flushed. "A few days ago, just one word from him shook half of Star Luo City. Such power. If only..."
"Don't even think about it. Even Miss Dai Yun'er, who threw herself into the fray, couldn't gain the slightest advantage in front of him," a young man nearby said realistically. "And the girl beside him is so radiant and captivating. Can you compare?"
The young ladies, upon hearing this, couldn't help but recall the glimpse they had of Gu Yuena's appearance, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall, her eyes like stars, and every movement exuding an otherworldly grace.
Indeed, they couldn't compare to such a girl.
But is that something you should say out loud? Don't you know that some truths are better left unsaid?
Not even giving them a chance to fantasize, it's downright criminal.
The girls glared at the young man who had spoken, only to realize that he wasn't a young noble from Star Luo but instead wore the badge of the Federal Envoy.
Such a mouth could only belong to Xie Xie.
For two months, Xie Xie had severely suppressed his natural tendencies. To avoid causing diplomatic issues between Star Luo and the Douluo Federation, he had been cautious with his words, rarely speaking out of turn to prevent major conflicts... but occasionally, he couldn't help but make a few sarcastic remarks like now.
With your level, you still want to compete with Sister Na? Take a look in the mirror first and see how much you're worth.
...
As Xie Xie provoked the crowd and began his "battle of wits," inside the Star Luo Hall.
The heavy gilded doors slowly closed behind the group, isolating the noise of the banquet.
Inside the Star Luo Hall, the soul-guided stars embedded in the dome emitted a soft light, illuminating the entire hall as if they were amidst a galaxy. Dai Tianling gestured for the attendants to leave, and when only the core members remained, the gentle smile on his face gradually faded.
Dai Tianling solemnly performed the highest-level salute of Star Luo:
"Here, on behalf of Star Luo, I thank you all for traveling thousands of miles from the Douluo Continent to assist us."
"The Holy Spirit Cult has been wreaking havoc in our Star Luo territory for years. Although we have repeatedly launched sieges, we have never been able to eradicate them. Instead, we have suffered losses, allowing the evil soul masters to become even more arrogant... If it weren't for the assistance of the Douluo Federation, we wouldn't know when we could launch a counterattack."
"The Speaker is too kind," the Douluo of Emotions said indifferently. "Evil soul masters are enemies of all. We are merely fulfilling our basic duties!"
For some reason, upon hearing the Douluo of Emotions' response, a chill ran down Dai Tianling's spine.
Fortunately, years of standing at the pinnacle of power on the continent prevented him from showing it, and he responded with a smile, "Regardless, Star Luo will remember this kindness."
The Douluo of Emotions glanced at the smile on Dai Tianling's face, suppressing the irritation in his heart, and calmly asked, "The Star Luo envoy mentioned that there is information about the Douluo of Kirin and the movements of the Holy Spirit Cult... Our envoy came specifically for this. Has Star Luo prepared a plan and made preparations for the siege against the Holy Spirit Cult?"
"Of course," Dai Tianling sat upright. "In the coming period, it will be the time for the Star Luo Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Competition. The attention of Star Luo City's citizens will be focused on this event."
"And we hope that your side can focus the core of the exchange competition on this, allowing your students to participate. This will attract the attention of the entire Star Luo Continent, diverting the attention of the evil soul masters and the rebel forces. They will mistakenly believe that Star Luo's energy will be focused on this competition."
"After all, the competition between the younger generations of two nations has always been the most stirring for the populace. Meanwhile, Star Luo will secretly mobilize its elite forces to cooperate with your strong experts in a surprise attack on the Holy Spirit Cult's strongholds."
"A feint to the east while attacking the west? Not a bad plan," the Douluo of Emotions nodded slightly, then suddenly changed his tone, "But are you sure the Holy Spirit Cult will let their guard down because of this?"
Dai Tianling pursed his lips, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.
Fortunately, a gentle voice from the side provided the reason.
"It's quite embarrassing to say. The Holy Spirit Cult is also paying close attention to the competition. They seem to be searching for young soul masters with specific talents. Several of our promising young soul masters have already gone missing. So we are certain that once the Soul Master Competition begins, their attention will be diverted."
An undeniable presence accompanied the voice as it came from outside the hall, causing the Douluo of Emotions and the others to frown.
Is this... Star Luo's Limit Douluo?