Douluo: I am the True Master

Though the Tian Xing Federation had abandoned the old feudal imperial system, the core of power still rested in the hands of the former royal families of the three great empires. However, this authority was now concentrated in just three individuals, with the lesser nobility and royal relatives no longer enjoying the prominence they once held.

The rest of the governing body consisted of a large number of elected senators who deliberated on national affairs. 

In this extraordinary world, the inherent flaws of the system dictated that these senators at the pinnacle of power were none other than formidable soul masters. 

Although most of them lacked political acumen, their sheer strength alone was one of the key factors stabilizing the Tian Xing Federation.

But this arrangement was far from a permanent solution. To address this, the Three Sovereigns introduced a new category of elected representatives—ordinary citizens who could rise to power through their own intelligence and merit. These civilian senators might not possess the overwhelming strength of their soul master counterparts, but their value was no less significant.

At first, the powerful soul master senators looked down on these "ordinary" individuals, unwilling to share power with them. But when faced with the even greater authority of the Three Sovereigns, they had no choice but to bow their proud heads and cooperate.

Over time, however, something unexpected happened. The powerful senators came to genuinely respect their civilian counterparts. Some even went so far as to try forcing awkward matchmaking attempts, though thankfully, the Three Sovereigns intervened before things got out of hand.

After all, talent shines brightly no matter where it is found.

This was an era dominated by soul-guided technology and unprecedented technological advancements.

The civilian senators chosen for these positions were nothing short of brilliant minds, each limited only by their lack of innate soul master potential. 

Once absorbed into a soul master family, their contributions—though not in raw combat strength—could significantly enhance the family's foundation in soul-guided technology.

The reason these powerful senators were so eager to recruit such talents stemmed from another system established by the Three Sovereigns:

The Corporate System.

Ten thousand years ago, founding a sect required at least the strength of a Soul Ancestor. 

But times had changed. In the present day, anyone—no matter how insignificant—could establish a sect, leading to chaos and disorder across the Douluo Continent. 

To put an end to this chaos, the officially registered Corporate System was introduced. 

Any unregistered sect would be branded as an illegal organization and targeted for eradication. Registration wasn't as simple as submitting a name; sects also had to disclose their operations in detail. Failure to comply would result in being labeled as evil soul masters preying on the common people.

Yes, evil soul masters.

This was no longer the era of ten thousand years ago. Nowadays, even awakening a slightly malevolent spirit would lead to immediate arrest. It was truly an age of paranoia.

While many of these unregistered sects weren't outright evil soul masters, their illicit activities made them equally despicable. Under the new laws, they were collectively condemned as evil soul masters and wiped out en masse. The entire Douluo Continent saw its underworld purged almost overnight. With the official forces acting so decisively, even mediocre sects didn't dare resist.

The happiest group, naturally, were the ordinary citizens of the Douluo Continent. With the Tian Xing Federation acting as their protector, life finally became livable. They no longer had to live in fear of extortion or being abducted for use as materials by evil soul masters.

But for every winner, there was a loser.

---

White Tiger Duke's Residence –

Dai Hao sat slumped in his study, his face dark with anger. The heavy stench of alcohol clung to him, betraying his foul mood.

The cessation of hostilities between the Star Luo and Sun Moon Empires meant he no longer commanded vast military power. His past actions—like orchestrating the downfall of Ju Zi's father to incite conflict—were now impossible to replicate. If he tried anything similar today, it would immediately be labeled as an evil soul master uprising.

In this era, any misstep could earn one the label of "evil soul master." It was both absurd and frustrating.

But this was only a minor issue.

What truly gnawed at Dai Hao was the revocation of his noble privileges!

Yes, his noble privileges had been stripped away.

Well, not entirely. Only the more egregious entitlements—such as paying off murder charges—had been abolished. 

Though he was still called the White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao had lost not only his military authority but also most of his official powers. All that remained was an honorary title—nothing more than a hollow accolade.

As a Title Douluo, Dai Hao considered running for a senatorial position.

But inexplicably, despite being a 94th-level Title Douluo—one of the strongest below Super Douluo—he failed to secure a seat! It felt as though some invisible hand was deliberately suppressing him, leaving him utterly disheartened.

"Why… why does everything go wrong?" Dai Hao muttered in anguish.

Failing to secure a place among the senators had already crushed his hopes of restoring the former glory of the Dai family. To make matters worse, the recent implementation of the Corporate System had decimated his network of shadowy operatives who had been quietly amassing wealth for him. This compounded his frustration.

Just then, faint footsteps approached his study—a sound Dai Hao recognized all too well.

"Husband—"

Bang!

Before the visitor could finish speaking, Dai Hao hurled the wine flask in his hand at the doorframe, creating a jarring crash.

"Ahh!" The White Tiger Duchess let out a startled cry.

Dai Hao glared at her darkly.

Love? There was none between them.

Once upon a time, he had fantasized about their spirit fusion techniques. But with their long separation, those dreams had long since faded.

If not for the fact that she had borne him a reasonably competent son, Dai Hao wouldn't have spared her a second glance.

"What do you want?" Dai Hao asked coldly.

The White Tiger Duchess felt utterly wronged.

In truth, she hadn't needed to marry Dai Hao. After all, the Dai family was no longer royalty and couldn't dictate terms to the Zhu family, another ducal household. But back then, she had been captivated by the dazzling Dai Hao and worked tirelessly to win his hand.

Marrying the man she loved should have been the ultimate happiness for any woman.

But love, as it turned out, was often an illusion born of distance. The closer they grew, the more cracks appeared in their relationship.

Yet even so, Dai Hao's brilliance made it impossible for her to let go. She became fiercely jealous of any woman who dared approach him, her possessiveness twisting into something ugly.

"This man belongs to me, mine alone! No one else can touch him!"

But the Dai family had a long history of heartbreakers. The more obsessive she became, the more annoyed Dai Hao grew.

Thus began over a decade of estrangement.

With the unification of the three kingdoms and the absence of war, Dai Hao had lost his position as a general. Stripped of his former glory, he returned to this house he so desperately wanted to revive but felt powerless to change.

Due to Dai Hao's earlier outburst, the soup the White Tiger Duchess had brought in spilled partially, but she still approached him cautiously, doing her best to avoid provoking further anger.

------------------------------------------------------

400+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow

There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)