The national ceremony was not to be disturbed. After retracting his martial soul Tang Wulin was taken away. Wu Zhangkong followed along as well.
“What? You fell asleep and had a dream?” When the royal household butler learned of Tang Wulin’s excuse, he almost whipped the lad. This was a national ceremony. It would have been an act of great disrespect if Tang Wulin was from the Star Luo Empire.
Tang Wulin lowered his head. He was unsure how to explain himself right now. If he were to intentionally insist that someone by his side shouted those words, then the only people beside him at the time were Gu Yue and Xu Lizhi. He would need to bring Gu Yue into this matter as well.
The butler was similarly lost for words upon seeing that Tang Wulin appeared to be compliant.
How was he supposed to manage this matter when there was no precedent for such an occurrence?!
Wu Zhangkong stood at the side. He had also been rendered speechless.
Meanwhile, a royal household servant dressed in elegant attire walked into the room and whispered something into the butler’s ear.
The butler nodded and his expression then relaxed.
“His Majesty is benevolent. He understood that your situation is unique and he appreciates the friendship between the two countries. Consider this situation forgotten. Be careful next time. All of you are to participate in the banquet.” The royal household butler announced the final judgment.
‘Forget the matter just like that?’ Tang Wulin exhaled a breath of relief. Standing by his side, Wu Zhangkong was slightly stunned.
It was a matter that involved the country’s prestige. He did not expect that the Star Luo Empire would be so amiable.
Meanwhile, in the Star Luo Empire’s palace…
“Trouble.” Dai Tianling looked at his daughter standing before him in an unpleasant manner. His face was filled with frustration.
“You are daring enough to start trouble no matter the situation. Nothing bad came about this time, but what would have happened if you caused a dispute? What if you ended up creating a conflict between two countries?”
“I was wrong, Father. I won’t do that again,” Dai Yun’er spoke obediently, lowering her head.
Dai Tianling had seventeen sons but only one daughter. He would go to the ends of the earth for her ever since she was young. Dai Yun’er’s eccentric and intellectual nature allowed her to get around her father. To him, this beloved daughter of his was truly akin to a pearl on his palm!
“I’ve been listening to these words of yours since you were young until my ears are growing calluses. You won’t do that again? Who gave the imperial concubine Zhen a yin and yang haircut last month? Also, the month before that… No, I will not just let it go this time.”
Dai Yun’er pouted. Her eyes reddened immediately. “Father, don’t you love me anymore?”
Dai Tianling was reputed to be an emperor of great talent and bold vision ever since he ascended the throne. He made great efforts to build a strong nation and lead his empire into developing at full speed. He went through the decades when his country was being choked by the Green Skeleton Rebel Organization until it could barely breathe. The country had already begun to gradually decline. Yet, no matter how powerful he was in political situations, he could never show an emperor or a father’s dominance before his only daughter.
Just like the trick Dai Yun’er was playing before his eyes, the end result was inevitable every time.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry.” Dai Tianling patted on her forehead. “I really can’t help it when I’m with you, little girl. You are simply my jinx that was gifted by the heavens. Alright, alright, I won’t punish you. But, you must promise not to make any more mischief from now on, especially mischief that could ruin the country’s reputation. Otherwise, Father is going to have to place you in confinement.”
“Father is the best!” Dai Yun’er pounced forward abruptly and hugged her father’s neck. She energetically kissed Dai Tianling on the face twice. What happened to the tearful girl from earlier?
Dai Tianling’s face was filled with helplessness, yet he could not be angry with her.
“Father, that fellow today is fun to play with.” Dai Yun’er chuckled softly.
Dai Tianling’s expression stiffened. “What was fun to play with?”
Dai Yun’er answered, “You can’t really blame me for playing tricks on him! He was sleeping during such an important ceremony. It was disrespectful to our Star Luo Empire. He deserved to be embarrassed, am I right? Though it was really impressive that he could even fall asleep while standing. I wish to try it sometime too.”
“That’s enough. Even if it was wrong for him to fall asleep, he’s still our guest who came from afar. With you playing a trick on him like that, how is the Douluo Continent’s diplomatic corps going to regain their dignity?” Dai Tianling spoke sternly.
Dai Yun’er said, “I met him before on the streets. I didn’t expect that he came from the Douluo Continent. But, Father, he seemed like an incisive person. What was the martial soul he released that time? Did you manage to see? I took a close look, but I could not recognize it.”
Dai Yun’er was indeed mischievous, but she was blessed with natural talents as well. She was gifted with an extraordinarily retentive memory ever since she was young. Moreover, she was extremely intelligent. She was filled with soul power when her martial soul awakened at six years old. Today, her soul power cultivation base had already reached four soul rings despite being less than fifteen years old. She was the most outstanding genius in the royal household, and this was why Dai Tianling loved her the most.
In private, Dai Tianling had remarked more than once about how good it would be if Yun’er was a boy.
This was also one of the most important reasons he tolerated his daughter’s eccentric and intellectual nature.
Dai Tianling squinted his eyes. “I hadn’t managed to get a close look before I was blocked by the guards at the time. What was the martial soul of that young man from the Douluo Continent?”
Dai Yun’er answered, “It appeared to be a dark blue dragon, but there was no head, and it was a little similar to vines, but there seemed to be a vertebrae-like structure in the vines. It was so very peculiar that I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before. I saw his soul rings clearly, though. He had four soul rings, three purple, and one black.”
Dai Tianling looked at his daughter in astonishment and said, “Isn’t that the same as yours?”
Dai Yun’er spoke, “He looks to be about my age too. Are all the people from Douluo Continent that superb?”
Dai Tianling spoke as if he was deep in thought. “It seems like it’s highly possible that the young fellow came from Shrek Academy.”
Dai Yun’er’s eyes brightened. “Shrek Academy? Is that the Shrek Academy that holds the most power in modern times? The one that you mentioned plays a decisive role on the Douluo Continent? The Shrek Academy whose foundational theory was based on our Monster Academy?”
Dai Tianling nodded. “We specifically invited the elites of Shrek Academy to be part of the diplomatic corps from Douluo Continent this time. Moreover, Sima Lanxiao had already made an agreement with Shrek Academy for them to participate in the upcoming Continental Young High-Ranking Soul Masters Elite Competition. That will let us have a look at the Douluo Continent’s ability. The average age of the elite members sent by Douluo Continent this time is fifteen years old, and the oldest is only sixteen. Our competition authorizes that the oldest age for participants is twenty years old. Hence, this is a good opportunity for the young generation of Soul Masters in our country to thoroughly test themselves.”
Dai Yun’er exclaimed excitedly, “That’s awesome! I shall test them there as well. I bet our Monster Academy is a worthy match for Shrek Academy.”
Dai Tianling rubbed his daughter’s head affectionately. “Don’t get careless. Shrek Academy has been famous for millennia. The unspoken truth is that on the three great continents, they have no equal. We have a good knowledge of Shrek Academy. We know that for generations past the Sea God’s Pavilion has been a gathering place for all the strongest from across the entire continent. The Shrek Seven Monsters in days gone by were also ever present in the Douluo Continent’s world of Soul Masters.”
Dai Yun’er laughed and said, “Father, don’t you go praising the strength of others and forgetting your own.”
Dai Tianling spoke, “Alright, we won’t discuss this anymore. Have you given any thought to your betrothal?”
Dai Yun’er pursed her little lips at once upon hearing this. “No, I won’t be betrothed. I’m still young. How can one be betrothed at this age?”
Dai Tianling explained in frustration, “It is the royal household’s law that you must be betrothed at the age of fifteen. Father does not want to lose you either, but the law cannot be broken. You may get married later if you want.”
“No, no, no!” Dai Yun’er shook her head vigorously.
Dai Tianling was about to say something when Dai Yun’er ran away like a gust of wind.
“That girl!” Dai Tianling shook his head helplessly.
“Your Majesty.” A young woman dressed in palace attire walked in and looked at Dai Tianling with slight frustration in her eyes. She said, “The little lady Yun’er still refused?”
Dai Tianling gave a forced laugh and answered, “Don’t you understand the daughter that you gave birth to?”
The young woman replied, “So what do you think?”
Dai Tianling’s gaze fixated for a moment as his emperor’s overbearing aura was emitted. “She is still a member of the royal household no matter how much I love her. The royal household’s law must not be broken. How else can I maintain control of society? Just make the arrangements as planned. The day the competition ends is the day the princess chooses her prince.”
“Alright.”
Dai Tianling looked toward his wife. “Keep a close eye on our daughter in the upcoming days. The girl has a wild temperament. She won’t yield easily once she finds out that we’ve arranged her marriage. Perhaps she will even come up with a good show of running away for me. Please watch her well.”
“Hmm.”
Tang Wulin looked at Wu Zhangkong’s back complacently as they walked into the royal household’s welcoming banquet hall. He hastily found a corner to hide after he entered through the door. Today’s turn of events was truly mortifying, and he still had yet to figure out what happened. He had been sleeping soundly. How did he suddenly hear such a loud shout?
He would not have humiliated himself so much if it had not been for that shout! This was just great! Now, everyone including the Star Luo Empire’s government and the Douluo Continent’s diplomatic corps knew him at once.
Tang Wulin grabbed two pieces of dessert quietly and started eating in the corner. At least now, everything would pass as planned after tonight’s banquet.