In a quiet room of the Tian Dou Royal Academy, a golden-haired man, dressed in luxurious clothing and carrying himself with elegance, sat calmly on a sofa. Beside him stood a tall, thin man shrouded entirely in darkness.
These two were none other than Xue Qinghe, actually Qian Renxue in disguise, and the Serpent Spear Douluo, Yu Long.
A few days ago, spies that Qian Renxue had placed near Prince Xuexing brought news: the Poison Douluo, Du Gu Bo, seemed to be preparing to establish an academy. The purpose was unclear, but Qian Renxue knew that the old Du Gu Bo hated trouble; for him to personally oversee an academy was completely impossible.
According to information relayed by the Porcupine Douluo, Cheng Xiao appeared to have an unusually close relationship with Du Gu Bo. Even the Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan, went to the Sunset Forest, where Du Gu Bo resided. Thus, Qian Renxue came to Tian Dou Royal Academy, intending to extract some intelligence from Cheng Xiao.
"Why is he taking so long?" Qian Renxue said impatiently, sipping a cup of warm tea.
The Serpent Spear Douluo said nothing. Ever since Cheng Xiao had left the Prince's mansion, their normally composed young master had been acting somewhat off. To avoid trouble, the Serpent Spear Douluo had cultivated the skill of remaining silent.
After a short while, the Serpent Spear Douluo, hidden in the shadows, heard footsteps. He whispered a few words to Qian Renxue and then vanished from the room.
With the departure of the Serpent Spear Douluo, the door of the quiet room slowly opened. Cheng Xiao and Sun Buyu entered together. Cheng Xiao already knew who the visitor was, so he displayed no nervousness.
"Your Highness the Prince, Cheng Xiao has arrived," Sun Buyu respectfully said as he approached Xue Qinghe.
"Mm, thank you for your trouble," Xue Qinghe smiled.
Sun Buyu felt honored and immediately smiled back at Xue Qinghe, then left the room without hesitation.
Once Sun Buyu departed, the quiet room fell silent. Cheng Xiao glanced at Xue Qinghe's smiling face and casually chose a sofa to sit on. He didn't speak, merely watching.
"Don't you have anything to say?" Xue Qinghe frowned, slightly annoyed. "My cousin praised you so highly, yet… you're not that impressive."
"Not impressive?" Cheng Xiao smiled faintly, his deep purple eyes meeting Xue Qinghe's flickering gaze, amused.
"You…" Xue Qinghe's eyes averted, then sheaved a deep sigh: "Brother Cheng Xiao, I won't hide it. My cousin has some affection for you. I'm not here for anything else; I just want to see what kind of young man could win the favor of someone as beautiful as my cousin."
"Nothing else on your mind?" Cheng Xiao gazed at Xue Qinghe, a small smile curling his lips: "Your Highness the Prince comes, so naturally I feel honored. But I am more interested in your cousin. After all, chatting with such a beautiful lady seems to improve one's mood."
"Hehe, Brother Cheng Xiao really knows how to joke," Xue Qinghe smiled, but inwardly she was extremely annoyed. Knowing Cheng Xiao preferred softness over force, her attempt to disguise as Xue Qinghe had backfired.
"Haha, Your Highness, you truly are kind-hearted," Cheng Xiao said, touching his nose and smiling. "May I ask what brings Your Highness here? It's not about your cousin not being able to marry, right? If so, I could help…"
"Don't worry. With her beauty and skill, my cousin will have no shortage of men," Xue Qinghe glanced at Cheng Xiao, saying lightly. "I heard that you have a good relationship with the Poison Douluo. I want to know if the rumors about Senior Du Gu wanting to create a high-level Douluo academy are true. That's why I came to ask you, Brother Cheng Xiao, to give me an answer."
"Your Highness, this is indeed true. I also advised Senior Du Gu against it, but he refused. He insists on establishing an academy for commoners. You know that the better academies only accept nobles; commoners can't access a good training environment. Just like me, I only came to Tian Dou Royal Academy with Sister Qianxue's help," Cheng Xiao said, spreading his hands helplessly.
"Oh? An academy only for commoners? That's a good idea. But founding an academy requires enormous funds. Can Du Gu Bo handle that?" Xue Qinghe thought for a moment, lowering his head in contemplation.
"If the money isn't enough, it can be borrowed. The main problem is the royal approval. Otherwise, even if it's founded, it won't have eligibility to participate in the All Continent Douluo Elite Competition," Cheng Xiao smiled.
"Brother Cheng Xiao, you really are straightforward," Xue Qinghe felt a bit embarrassed, then curiously asked: "From what you say, is the purpose of the Poison Douluo merely to participate in the All Continent High-Level Douluo Elite Competition?"
"I don't know. For more specific information, you'll have to ask Du Gu Bo," Cheng Xiao spread his hands again, showing helplessness.
"Hiss… Brother Cheng Xiao, actually, founding an academy is feasible," Xue Qinghe took a deep breath, rubbing her hands. "However, you must let me invest. I should at least have a one-third stake in the academy, something like the dean's rights."
"That's it?" Cheng Xiao asked in surprise. "Will your cousin participate? I think her ability is not bad; she should manage in a competition."
Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe's face darkened: "Brother Cheng Xiao, why are you always thinking about my cousin? Fine, I'll ask her. If she participates, I'll tell you. Is that okay?"
"Sure," Cheng Xiao readily agreed. After all, it was casually said. If Qian Renxue decided to come, that would be even better, preventing any crazy woman from causing trouble.
Currently, Cheng Xiao hadn't formally joined the Martial Soul Hall. He knew Chrysanthemum Douluo had been holding him back, but the truth cannot remain hidden forever. If Bibi Dong forced him to join, he would have no choice. He could use this opportunity to have Qian Renxue on his side, preventing Bibi Dong from doing anything.
"Your agreement is quite decisive," Xue Qinghe shook his head, then extended his hand. With a flick of her fingers, a purple-golden card appeared, shimmering with nine distinct ripples.
"This is the Nine-Ripple Purple-Gold Card. It contains plenty of Soul Coins. Consider this my investment in the academy; no need to borrow money," Xue Qinghe said, handing the card to Cheng Xiao.
"Thank you very much, Your Highness," Cheng Xiao took the card without hesitation, storing it in his Soul Guide device.
"By the way, have you and Du Gu Bo decided on the academy's name?"
"As for the academy's name… let's call it Seven-Star Academy," Cheng Xiao said slowly, under Xue Qinghe's curious gaze.
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(End of Chapter)