Douluo Dalu 2: You are an Evil Soul Master, but also a good person ?

Mingde Hall

Inside the duty room.

Lin Jiayi suddenly slammed the table and stood up, his face filled with anger.

"You're saying His Highness was taken away by people claiming to be from the Royal Inspection Squad?"

"Yes! I was hiding nearby at the time, and they didn't seem to notice my presence. Brother Cheng told me to come back and inform Elder Cheng and Hall Master Jing."

Nana spoke anxiously.

"Alright, I'll go immediately!"

Lin Jiayi also realized the gravity of the situation—it was highly likely to be tied to the imperial struggle for succession.

Especially since his superior had recently shown signs of leaning toward Xu Cheng's side. Even if he set aside all other considerations, the fact that these bold individuals had taken someone from within the academy meant that this situation was bound to affect him!

His figure flickered as he sped toward Mingde Hall.

Standing in place, Nana's beautiful eyes were filled with worry.

Even though she had already contacted the Holy Spirit Cult headquarters for reinforcements, the sudden turn of events still left her uneasy.

After all, everyone knew that those people would stop at nothing for the throne, for power.

Holy Spirit Cult Headquarters

Deep underground.

The air was frigid, and four massive pillars towered up to support the vast underground cavern.

At the very bottom of the chamber sat a stone platform.

Atop it lay a colossal, jet-black bone dragon, its massive frame entirely covering the stone platform. Its eerie black skeleton exuded an ancient dragon's lingering might.

Atop the dragon's skull.

A figure shrouded entirely in black robes sat cross-legged.

A thick black mist swirled around him, obscuring his form and adding to his air of mystery.

Suddenly—

A pair of eyes opened beneath the hood, flashing with fury.

At the same time, an eerie blue flame ignited within the bone dragon's hollow eye sockets.

The dragon's enormous body began to tremble, then slowly lifted off the platform, soaring through the underground cavern.

A terrifying aura spread through the entire space.

Across the various levels of the cavern, countless Holy Spirit Cult disciples dropped to their knees, struggling to breathe under the suffocating pressure.

"They dare imprison my Holy Spirit Cult's Saint Son? How bold!"

Zhongli Wu's voice was cold and filled with boundless rage.

Xu Cheng was his key piece in controlling the Sun-Moon Empire—an unparalleled genius and the designated successor of the Holy Spirit Cult. If Xu Cheng died, then the cult's grand ambitions would be completely ruined!

"Send word—summon the Grand Worshiper, the Fourth Worshiper, the Sixth Worshiper, the Seventh Worshiper, and the Eleventh Worshiper. They will accompany me to Mingdu! Let's see what these pests are plotting!"

Zhongli Wu's voice was icy.

"Yes!"

His command echoed through the entire cavern.

One by one, streaks of black light shot out, disappearing in all directions.

Zhongli Wu's gaze was ominous.

"Xu Jiran, I want to see how you plan to handle this!"

Mingdu - A Lavish Estate

On both sides of the estate's banks, lotus ponds stretched out, filled with lush green leaves and blooming pink flowers. It was the height of summer, and the sight of the lotus blossoms only made the scenery more breathtaking.

Inside a small pavilion.

Xu Tianran sat in a wheelchair, his eyes slowly opening.

He looked toward a subordinate who had just delivered a message.

"You're saying… Fourth Brother's men took him?"

"I wouldn't mistake it, Your Highness. It happened right in front of the Sun-Moon Imperial Academy. Several men in the distinctive armor of the Royal Inspection Squad forced the Eleventh Prince into a soul car and took him away."

"Hahahaha! How interesting, truly fascinating!"

Xu Tianran burst into laughter.

It was as if the humiliation he suffered a few days ago at the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineering Corps had been avenged.

"Indeed, Your Highness. That day, he was so arrogant—now, he must be absolutely miserable. The Royal Inspection Squad is infamous for its brutality. In their hands, he'll be begging for death!"

A servant beside him sneered with resentment.

"Silence."

Xu Tianran's smile vanished abruptly as he coldly glanced at the speaker.

"I… I misspoke!"

The servant's face paled in fear as he immediately knelt and began slapping himself.

"Enough." Xu Tianran waved a hand, feeling exhausted.

Why were all his subordinates so stupid? Couldn't he get a single clever aide to share his burdens?

If Xu Cheng survived, he could serve as a counterbalance to Fourth Brother, creating a three-way power struggle. Xu Tianran could then sit back and reap the benefits.

But if Xu Cheng died, then he was the one who should be worried!

Once Fourth Brother consolidated his power, he would turn all his forces against him, and that would be the real crisis!

Xu Tianran thought for a moment.

"Prepare the carriage—we're going to the Royal Inspection Squad."

The Royal Inspection Squad Headquarters

Located within the Imperial City, though positioned in a corner, the squad's headquarters was still grand in scale.

Those who served in the Royal Inspection Squad were mostly members of the imperial family, though very few were direct descendants.

After all, who wanted a job that only made enemies? Most preferred to maintain harmony.

They only flexed their authority when dealing with lesser nobles or commoners. So while they were called the Royal Inspection Squad, it would be more accurate to call them the Royal Protection Squad.

Someone like Xu Cheng—a high-ranking imperial prince—had never been arrested in the squad's history.

But this was the critical moment of the succession struggle. If Xu Cheng's bid for the throne failed, his status as a prince would be meaningless—he would likely be killed even faster.

That was the only reason they dared to act against him now…

Within this small realm, Xu Mochen's lineage was the most distinguished. He held dominion over this squad.

"Take him inside."

A Soul King-ranked officer shoved Xu Cheng forward.

Xu Cheng remained silent, calmly observing his surroundings.

The headquarters was lavishly decorated, resembling a palace. But beneath the gilded surface, it was rotten to the core.

Xu Mochen gestured to his men.

"Take him to the interrogation chamber. Let's hear his justification for harming a fellow royal."

"Understood, Captain!"

A subordinate of Xu Mochen eagerly cracked his knuckles and led the way, dragging Xu Cheng toward the rear of the compound.

The interrogation chamber was a simple-looking building. But the moment the doors opened, a faint stench of blood filled the air.

Xu Cheng was shoved inside.

The room was filled with torture devices—tiger benches, chili water, and many other medieval instruments of pain, some so twisted they didn't even have names.

And then there was the infamous Flaying Dragon Pillar.

Xu Cheng's gaze fell upon a metal rack shaped like a cross, its surface riddled with tiny holes.

According to old records, razor-sharp spikes would slowly emerge from these holes, piercing into the victim's limbs at an agonizing pace.

These spikes would twist and rotate once inside, shredding flesh apart…

Even a Soul Sage would be powerless against it, forced to watch as their own body was peeled apart piece by piece.

"Strap him onto the Flaying Dragon Pillar."

Another Soul Emperor officer waved his hand, and two Soul Kings immediately moved to bind Xu Cheng to the iron frame.

Xu Cheng's mouth twitched slightly.

They're actually doing this?

(End of Chapter)