Chapter 85: Battle Against Star Luo
Due to this arrangement, Xu Jiawei and Dai Hao shared a complex relationship they were ruler and subject, sworn brothers, and also father in law and son in law.
Hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Xu Jiawei felt somewhat helpless.
He thought to himself, If Huo Yuhao was chosen as a competitor for Sun Moon, his talent must be exceptional. If I could win him over, Star Luo would gain another powerhouse in the future.
But unfortunately, Huo Yuhao had refused his offer.
Then again, it wasn't surprising. Growing up under the oppression of Xu Jiawei's own daughter, suffering at the hands of the White Tiger Duke's household, and harboring resentment toward Star Luo it was only natural that Huo Yuhao wouldn't want to return.
Xu Jiawei understood.
Of course, understanding didn't mean acceptance.
The moment Huo Yuhao rejected him, a hint of killing intent flickered in Xu Jiawei's mind.
On a personal level, he had no grudge against Huo Yuhao. But as an emperor, he had to think ahead if someone like Huo Yuhao were to appear on the battlefield as an enemy of Star Luo, it would undoubtedly affect Dai Hao.
Dai Hao was still Huo Yuhao's biological father, and he clearly felt guilty toward him. If Huo Yuhao were ever in danger on the battlefield, who was to say Dai Hao wouldn't hesitate? He might even try to save him.
However, after some thought, Xu Jiawei decided against taking action. He still vividly remembered the overwhelming pressure the Sun Moon powerhouses had exerted at the Starlight Auction House.
Moreover, if Dai Hao ever found out he had tried to harm Huo Yuhao, their relationship would deteriorate instantly.
"By the way, Your Majesty, from my observation, the Duchess's health doesn't seem well. I hope you can send the Medical Immortal Douluo to check on her condition and assign extra protection for her."
Huo Yuhao thought to himself, I can't have the Duchess dying just yet how else am I supposed to get my revenge?
Of course, the Duchess's very existence was a massive plot hole.
Logically speaking, she was a Soul Master, and Soul Masters had far superior physical constitutions compared to ordinary people. Furthermore, the original novel stated that she was the Star Luo Emperor's most beloved daughter. With those two advantages, unless she had some extreme condition like Yu Xiaogang, she could easily reach Soul Saint just by consuming enough cultivation resources.
So, the odds of the Duchess suddenly dying were extremely low.
The novel never actually explained how she died.
Thus, Huo Yuhao decided to kindly remind Xu Jiawei whether she died of illness or assassination, he needed to ensure the Duchess lived long enough for him to personally finish her off.
After saying his piece, Huo Yuhao turned and left, rejoining his team. He looked over at the Star Luo Team, quietly waiting for the match to begin.
Beating Star Luo wasn't difficult as long as they took out Xu Jiujiu, victory was theirs.
Xu Jiujiu's Star Crown martial soul was incredibly rare, making her the core of Star Luo's team. Before this match, Huo Yuhao had already shared all the information he had gathered on her with his teammates.
As for his source? He simply attributed it to the Eye of Destiny his martial soul, which connected to the fate of divine beasts.
Looking up, he saw Xu Jiawei still smiling warmly, while Dai Hao watched him, tears streaming down his face.
To be honest, Huo Yuhao had expected Dai Hao to cry. In the original novel, Dai Hao had also wept in front of Huo Yun'er's grave.
Now that Huo Yuhao had personally confronted him, making their "father son reunion" a public spectacle, it was only natural for Dai Hao to break down.
Did Dai Hao truly love Huo Yun'er? Probably, to some extent otherwise, he wouldn't have given her the White Tiger Dagger.
But even if he had feelings for her, they weren't strong enough.
On the imperial city walls, the murmuring among the officials grew louder.
Xu Jiawei coughed deliberately, and the ministers immediately stopped their discussion, turning their attention back to the tournament stage.
He approached Dai Hao and patted his shoulder. "Dai Hao, do you want me to warn Jiujiu to go easy on Yuhao?"
Dai Hao shook his head. "No need, Your Majesty. Have the Skyfiend Douluo announce the start of the match. This is a Soul Master Tournament Star Luo's victory takes precedence. If I let personal matters interfere with our chances of winning, I wouldn't be worthy of my position."
"…Very well." Xu Jiawei didn't press further.
The Star Luo Team took formation.
With Xu Jiujiu as their core, the other six arranged themselves in a triangular formation one at the front, two in the middle, and three at the rear.
Xu Jiujiu stood at the very back. A golden radiance filled her eyes, and from a distance, she truly exuded the aura of a commander.
The Sun Moon Team, in contrast, immediately activated their soul tools. They spread out in a formation with Huo Yuhao at the center, making him look like their true leader.
The Skyfiend Douluo surveyed the contestants and declared, "Begin!"
Both teams released their martial souls simultaneously.
Huo Yuhao activated Spiritual Detection Sharing.
At the same time, a golden glow appeared on his forehead an eye, radiating strange and mesmerizing brilliance.
The Eye of Destiny.
Huo Yuhao called out, "Fate, Judgment!"
A peculiar energy spread outward from his body, enveloping the entire Star Luo Team.
In that instant, all of them involuntarily trembled. A ghostly, pale white light flickered above their heads, forming the projection of a skull an ominous sight.
Xu Jiujiu had already activated her Star Crown martial soul, but under the influence of this eerie glow, she felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness, as if something vital had been taken from her.
Meanwhile, golden projections appeared around the Sun Moon Team, mirroring their figures but without any soul tools equipped.
Through Spiritual Detection Sharing, Huo Yuhao transmitted a message to his teammates:
"If they attack us now, their attacks will miss. Focus on offense rather than defense."
Those bathed in golden light were blessed by fate, meaning their luck would be significantly better.
Conversely, the Star Luo Team, cloaked in pale white shadows, had been abandoned by fate, ensuring misfortune in their actions.
"Attack!"
Xu Jiujiu felt uneasy. She couldn't explain why, but Huo Yuhao's words "Fate, Judgment" had shaken her deeply.
Huo Yuhao, however, looked somewhat pale. His second spiritual sea was completely drained from activating Fate, Judgment. The power gap between him and the Star Luo Team was simply too great, making the ability far more taxing than usual.
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