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"Hehe, there's no need to be so formal, Senior!" With a light chuckle, Dai Weisi turned toward Bai He and Bai Chenxiang and asked, feigning ignorance, "Senior, who might these two be?"
Bai He stepped forward voluntarily and bowed. "I am Bai He, patriarch of the Min Clan, and this is my granddaughter, Bai Chenxiang. We pay our respects to Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
Dai Weisi smiled and said, "So it is the Min Clan's patriarch, Bai He. I've heard much about you—your reputation precedes you."
While this exchange took place, Bai He was also secretly observing Dai Weisi. Just as Yang Wudi had described, Dai Weisi truly was exceptional—like a dragon among men. Simply standing beside him made one feel an overwhelming and intimidating aura.
Moreover, Bai He could sense his own martial spirit—the Sharp-tailed Swift—trembling intensely in Dai Weisi's presence. That tremor was not excitement, but fear. Clearly, Dai Weisi's martial spirit was powerful enough to incite such dread in his own.
And his strength was no less impressive. Bai He could tell that the man before him was a Soul King, and not a low-ranked one at that.
As Bai He was sizing up Dai Weisi, the prince was likewise observing both Bai He and Bai Chenxiang. At present, Bai He was not yet a Soul Douluo; his spirit power was only at level seventy-five, slightly weaker than Yang Wudi.
As for Bai Chenxiang, her spirit power was a mere sixteen. Compared to Zhu Zhuqing, let alone even Anna, she lagged far behind.
"So, what brings the two of you to see me?" Dai Weisi inquired.
"Well..." Bai He hesitated, carefully considering how to phrase his words.
But seeing him falter, Yang Wudi stepped in, knowing that Bai He found it hard to lower his pride.
"It's like this, Your Highness. Old White Bird originally came to check on me after hearing of the assassination attempt by the Spirit Hall. Upon learning of it, he decided to stay and assist me.
His Min Clan is exceptionally fast and skilled at gathering intelligence—they're born scouts. With tensions between the Empire and the Spirit Hall growing more strained by the day, it's entirely possible this might escalate into full-blown war.
Right now, the Empire needs talented individuals. That's why I brought him here—hoping they can offer you some assistance. Isn't that right, Old White Bird?"
Bai He was momentarily surprised but quickly followed Yang Wudi's lead and smiled. "Haha, indeed. Upon hearing that Your Highness once saved Old Goat's life and showed him great favor, I could not stand idly by. The one who helped Old Goat is a benefactor to me as well.
Now that he serves as a general of the Empire and faces challenges, I naturally wish to support him with all I have. Therefore, I humbly ask that Your Highness allow us to stay and help. I am willing to serve you loyally, even at the cost of my life."
"Hehe, as expected, Senior Bai He understands the greater good! Very well, you may stay. The Min Clan is also welcome to move to Star Luo City and train diligently."
"How about this—once my father returns from the Star Dou Forest, I'll take you to meet him personally. I'm sure he'll be quite pleased to know you've pledged allegiance."
"Oh? His Majesty went to the Star Dou Forest?" Yang Wudi asked in surprise. "No wonder he hasn't attended court lately."
"That's right. After his battle with Chrysanthemum Douluo, my father gained new insights. Just last week, he successfully broke through to level ninety..."
Boom!
Both Yang Wudi and Bai He were visibly shocked upon hearing this, their expressions full of disbelief.
The Emperor of the Star Luo Empire had actually broken through to level ninety? That meant... the Empire was about to gain another Titled Douluo!
Bai He hadn't expected to receive such monumental news upon first meeting Dai Weisi. He nodded in satisfaction—joining the Star Luo Empire was clearly a wise decision.
The two men quickly cupped their hands and congratulated him. "Congratulations, Your Highness! The Star Luo Empire shall soon welcome another Titled Douluo!"
"With His Majesty's breakthrough, the Empire is destined to reach new heights!"
"Haha, thank you both for your kind words!" Dai Weisi laughed, then turned to Bai He with a slight frown. "Senior Bai He, if I recall correctly, the Sharp-tailed Swift of the Min Clan isn't exactly known for its offensive capabilities, is it?"
At that, Bai He sighed and nodded. "Yes, our Min Clan consists entirely of agility-type soul masters. While we're incredibly fast, we have little to no offensive power."
"Hehe, Senior, you underestimate yourself. Every existence has its own value. Even pure agility-type soul masters have their role. Please, take a look at this."
With that, Dai Weisi produced a rapid-fire flintlock and a hand grenade, offering them to Bai He.
Bai He's arrival had sparked a new idea in Dai Weisi's mind—one of forming a powerful airborne force capable of striking swiftly and vanishing without a trace, one that would be unstoppable in battle.
Agility-type soul masters, with their peerless speed at equivalent levels, combined with grenades and other firearms, would become natural bombers.
Just imagine it—hundreds of Sharp-tailed Swift soul masters circling through the skies, hurling grenades like they were free. As long as the numbers are sufficient, even the magnificent, golden city of Spirit Hall could be razed to the ground!
Bai He took the flintlock rifle and grenade, examining them with curiosity. "Your Highness, what are these?"
"Here, allow me to demonstrate for the two of you!" Dai Weisi said with a grin. He led them into the courtyard and aimed the rifle at a massive stone block situated within.
Bang—!
A deafening gunshot rang out. The bullet burst from the barrel and slammed into the five-meter-thick boulder, punching a deep hole straight through it. Cracks spiderwebbed across the stone's surface, as if it might shatter at any moment.
Bai He only heard the shot—he hadn't even processed what had happened yet. But Yang Wudi had already moved forward, inspecting the hole. When he saw the damage, he couldn't help but exclaim in shock.
"Your Highness, what kind of weapon is this? Its power is terrifying!"
"This is a weapon crafted by Master Lou Gao of the Blacksmith Association," Dai Weisi explained. "It's called a repeating flintlock. A single shot carries enough power to kill a Soul Emperor head-on."
Hearing this, both Yang Wudi and Bai He were stunned. Even they realized that if caught off guard, they could easily be killed by a single shot.
Dai Weisi continued, "And the item in Senior Bai He's hand is called a grenade. Simply pull the fuse and throw it—it'll do the rest.
The explosive force is powerful enough to wound a Soul Sage. With enough of them, even a Soul Douluo could be seriously injured."
The two were even more astonished. A single grenade had the potential to kill both of them.
Bai He, however, was inwardly ecstatic. If the entire Min Clan could be equipped with repeating flintlocks and grenades, their combat capability would increase tenfold—at the very least!
With this thought, Bai He quickly asked, "Your Highness, may I ask the cost of producing these repeating flintlocks and grenades?"
"They're quite affordable," Dai Weisi replied. "A single grenade costs only five gold soul coins. The repeating flintlock is a bit more expensive, but still under ten gold soul coins."
Seeing the eager light in Bai He's eyes, Dai Weisi smiled knowingly. "Senior Bai He, I intend to use these firearms to arm your Min Clan. With this firepower, your people will finally possess true combat strength."
"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you so much!" Bai He was moved to the point of tears. He bowed deeply to Dai Weisi, nearly kneeling in gratitude.
With the help of firearms, the Min Clan finally had the means to protect themselves. But Dai Weisi's generosity didn't end there.
"Hehe, there's no need to be so formal, Senior. In addition to the flintlocks and grenades, I have another great gift for you."
As he spoke, a vibrant, blood-red plant appeared in his hand. Its leaf tips resembled a rooster's comb, and fiery golden veins ran through it, radiating intense heat.
Seeing the herb, Yang Wudi couldn't help but cry out, "That's the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower!"
(End of Chapter)