Chapter 305: Dai Tianyu's Response
"Your Majesty, urgent news. A large number of soul beasts have suddenly emerged in the Megra Province, forming a beast tide that is heading toward Xing Luo City."
"What?"
Upon hearing the messenger's words, Dai Tianyu nearly threw the cup in his hand, his eyes wide in shock, his face filled with astonishment.
What kind of number of soul beasts could be called a beast tide? It had to be at least tens of thousands. An invasion of this magnitude had never occurred in Xing Luo since the founding of the empire.
All the officials, including the royal nobles, were silent, unsure of how to respond. If it were the Tiandou Empire invading the border, they could simply send an army and generals to suppress them. But against a beast tide, they had no battle experience!
Dai Tianyu's gaze flickered for a moment, forcing down the panic rising in his chest. He asked the messenger, "What is the size of the beast tide? Are there any ten-thousand-year soul beasts among them?"
He did not doubt the messenger's words; the messenger would never joke about something like this. He needed to confirm the scale and strength of the beast tide and quickly come up with a way to suppress or disperse it. If the beast tide reached Xing Luo City, the losses would be catastrophic, and his throne would no longer be secure.
"Report, Your Majesty. The officials from Megra Province report that the beast tide is made up of at least 30,000 soul beasts, with more than half of them being ten-thousand-year soul beasts, and there are even some over 50,000 years old."
Upon hearing this, Dai Tianyu stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. It was only thanks to the empress beside him that he was steadied.
"Your Majesty, you cannot falter now! Quickly issue the order to send troops! If we delay any further, the beast tide will be right at the gates of Xing Luo City!"
Megra Province was surrounded by the vast Megra Plains. The terrain was flat, and because it was located in the heart of Xing Luo, there were no significant checkpoints or fortifications along the way. Given the speed of ten-thousand-year soul beasts, it would take less than two days for them to reach Xing Luo City.
It wasn't entirely Dai Tianyu's fault for neglecting the defense of Megra Province. If the Tiandou Empire or Spirit Hall's army had managed to break through to this area, Xing Luo would be on the brink of destruction. Since the founding of the empire, no emperor had ever set up heavy defenses here.
Dai Tianyu took a deep breath, his face turning grim as he glanced at the officials around him. The flatterers from earlier now didn't even dare to breathe. In the end, he turned his gaze to a few of his attendants.
"Second Elder, Third Elder, this is an urgent matter. Take the Imperial Army to the Xilan River and stop the beast tide from advancing. I will continue to mobilize other troops for support. Remember, we must not let the soul beasts cross the Xilan River."
Upon hearing this, the two men with heterochromatic eyes stepped forward. After bowing and receiving their orders, they exited the inner hall.
It wasn't that they were eager to take on this task, but the situation had reached a point where they had no choice. If the soul beasts broke through to Xing Luo City, what position would they have left?
The Xilan River, which they were headed toward, was considered the lifeblood of Xing Luo. It passed through the entire empire, running from the border city of Gengjin City to the southern seas. It also split Xing Luo City from Megra Province, making it a natural barrier for the city.
They had just heard about the scale of the beast tide and the number of high-level soul beasts. To be honest, they were pessimistic about stopping the beast tide. They could only hope that soul beasts naturally feared rivers and wouldn't recklessly attempt to cross.
After the two left, Dai Tianyu turned to the other generals and attendants.
"Fourth Elder, go to Dadajar City to mobilize troops, and then quickly head to the Xilan River to support."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Xu Zhilu, go to the Eastern Hamor Province to mobilize troops as well, and head to the Xilan River for support immediately. Do not delay."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
"Everyone else can disperse."
"Your servant takes their leave."
"Your servant takes their leave."
The atmosphere at the birthday banquet abruptly halted. The pragmatic officials of Xing Luo now began to operate like a well-oiled machine. This was something the Tiandou Empire could never achieve. If the beast tide had struck during the Xue Ye period in Tiandou, due to the lack of centralized power in the royal family, it would have taken more than half a month just to mobilize the army. By then, it would be too late.
"Tianyu."
Once all the officials had left, only Dai Tianyu and the empress were left in the inner hall. The empress, the mother of Dai Weisi and Dai Mubai, looked at her husband with deep concern. On the happiest day, they were struck by this calamity. She could only imagine how distressed he must feel.
"It's alright. I, Dai Tianyu, am no stranger to setbacks and challenges. This matter, though troublesome, will not defeat me."
This moment also highlighted another advantage of the Xing Luo royal family's "raising wolves" strategy. The emperors who were eligible to inherit the throne were all capable and determined individuals, never prone to losing their composure in the face of adversity.
"Sigh, I still need to visit the ancestor. We need him to take action. Relying solely on the army might not be enough."
"Mm, I'll go with you."
"Alright, let's go!"
Together, the emperor and empress hurried to a courtyard deep within the palace, where Dai Tianyu's grandfather's generation, the royal pillars of Xing Luo, resided. This was also the only Title Douluo that the Xing Luo Empire could rely on.
"Ancestor, Tianyu and Xianwei have urgent matters to discuss."
"Come in."
Quickly receiving a response, Dai Tianyu sighed in relief and tightened his grip on his wife's hand before pushing open the gate to the residence.
Upon entering the inner hall, they were greeted by an elderly man with heterochromatic eyes—Dai Qianyuan, the only Title Douluo of the Xing Luo Dai family, with cultivation at the 95th level of Super Douluo.
"What is it? I remember today is your sixtieth birthday, right?"
Dai Qianyuan's eyes were full of confusion. He didn't understand why the emperor had come to him at such a time, claiming to have urgent matters to discuss.
Dai Tianyu took a deep breath and began to explain the current crisis.
"Ancestor, a super-large beast tide with over 30,000 soul beasts has appeared in the southern Star Dou Forest. It has already broken through Megra Province and is heading directly toward Xing Luo City."
"Hm? You should send the army to suppress it, right? Why come to me?"
Dai Qianyuan didn't know that over half of the soul beasts in the beast tide were ten-thousand-year beasts, which is why he asked this question.
"Ancestor, it's not that Tianyu is incapable, but the beast tide contains many ten-thousand-year soul beasts, and there are even some that are over 50,000 years old."
"Such a beast tide would be difficult to resist with just the army. As of now, Tianyu can only gather all available forces to face the beast tide at the Xilan River."
"I ask for the ancestor's assistance."
After hearing Dai Tianyu's explanation, even the usually indifferent Dai Qianyuan couldn't sit still. His body became stiff, and his face showed an expression of shock.
"What? How is it possible for so many ten-thousand-year soul beasts to gather?"
In their understanding, ten-thousand-year soul beasts were intelligent and rebellious beings who rarely shared territory with other soul beasts. This made it impossible for them to form a beast tide. What Dai Tianyu was saying shattered Dai Qianyuan's previous assumptions.
"Ancestor, I don't know either, but the beast tide has already arrived."
(END CHAPTER)
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