At the secret stronghold of the White Tiger Duke's Estate within Shrek City.
Dai Yueheng frowned as he looked at the two people walking in. "Why are there only two of you?"
The leading Soul Emperor said with some embarrassment, "Young Master, that kid is a tough nut to crack, and he had outside help. We even lost four brothers in battle. It took a lot of effort to capture him, and we didn't dare delay; we barely made it back here."
"Outside help? It must have been that crazy woman Ma Xiaotao..."
Hearing this, Dai Yueheng actually breathed a sigh of relief. If it had been too smooth, he would have suspected a trap. He pressed further: "Did you succeed?"
"We did!" The Soul Emperor nodded excitedly and waved his hand. The Soul King behind him carried over a burlap sack and threw it onto the floor.
The Soul Emperor added, "Young Master, to keep the kid from screaming, we ruined his throat."
Dai Yueheng waved his hand, signaling he didn't care. The Soul Emperor then untied the mouth of the bag.
Inside was indeed Huo Yuhao. His eyes were tightly shut, and his lips trembled; his face was deathly pale, seemingly from excessive blood loss.
"Heh... strictly speaking by bloodline, you could be considered my younger brother..." Dai Yueheng strode up to him. As he spoke, he suddenly reached out, grabbed "Huo Yuhao" by the neck, and lifted him bodily into the air.
"Huo Yuhao" opened his eyes in distress. Seeing Dai Yueheng before him, he began to beat frantically against Dai Yueheng's sturdy arm, his mouth opening in muffled grunts as if trying to say something.
Dai Yueheng sneered, increasing the pressure in his grip. "You're nothing but a lowly bastard. Since you're a bastard, you should have stayed in the gutters like a rat! Why did you have to come out?"
"To be honest, the ones with a grudge against you are my mother and my useless younger brother. I have no personal interest in you—really, none at all. But unfortunately, as the eldest son, I must shoulder my responsibilities."
"Sooner or later, I will become the White Tiger Duke. That path isn't easy; not only do I need the family's support, but even my own brothers and kin are my enemies. However, once both you and Dai Huabin are dead, my path will become much easier..."
Dai Yueheng rattled on, delivering his victory speech. Beside him, the Soul King watched with a dazed expression, as if seeing Dai Yueheng for the first time.
The usually modest and polite vice-captain, the White Tiger Battle Soul Emperor, was gone...
Was he only revealing his true colors now?
With a powerful swing, Dai Yueheng hurled "Huo Yuhao" against the wall and barked an order: "Take him back to the Duke's Estate overnight. Then notify Huabin to ask for leave and come home the day after tomorrow. We're going to have a proper 'chat' with this little brother of ours."
The Soul Emperor and the Soul King said nothing. They simply stood there silently. The Soul King lowered his head, seemingly unwilling to look at him, while the Soul Emperor looked as if he were stifling a laugh.
Dai Yueheng, being socially experienced, instinctively felt something was wrong.
"You... you guys..."
Ripples of light like water shimmered over the two of them. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into a man and a woman.
It was Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao.
"!!!"
Dai Yueheng felt his head spin. Then, he saw Huo Yuhao playing with a square, box-like device in his hand.
"Thank you for that wonderful speech just now, Young Master Dai." Huo Yuhao gave him a bright, sunny smile and shook the box. "This is a recording soul tool with a video function. I don't need to explain what it's for, do I?"
Dai Yueheng became incoherent. He lunged forward as if to grab Huo Yuhao, explaining desperately, "No... no, Xiaotao, you misunderstand. I... I was joking..."
If what Huo Yuhao said was true, that so-called recording soul tool was enough to make Dai Yueheng lose his reputation entirely within the Star Net Empire.
He couldn't fathom the gargantuan impact it would have on the Duke's Estate if this went out. All the titles of "brotherly love," "filial piety," and "honorable family" would be stripped from the White Tiger Dai Family. One must remember that within the Star Net Empire, the factions hostile to the White Tiger Duke's lineage were far from few! Would they ever pass up an opportunity to kick them while they were down?
"There is nothing to misunderstand!"
A more majestic female voice rang out. Powerful moonlight descended like a pillar of light, obliterating the entire secret stronghold of the White Tiger Duke's Estate. Dai Yueheng was sent flying by the massive explosive force, tumbling several times across the ground.
Long black hair billowed behind her. Clad in moon-white martial attire, the moonlight traced her perfect figure with exquisite detail. Her stunningly beautiful face was covered in a layer of frost.
It was Dai Yueheng's dream girl, the Eldest Senior Sister of the Shrek Inner Courtyard, Zhang Lexuan.
Struggling to lift his head from the ground, Dai Yueheng's lips trembled. "Eldest... Senior Sister."
Zhang Lexuan stepped forward and gripped Huo Yuhao's hand tightly. The usual gentle and friendly smile was gone from her face. Eight soul rings—far exceeding the optimal configuration—lit up. The sheer pressure of her soul power forced Dai Yueheng to his knees in a comical, face-down crawl.
"Ugh..." Dai Yueheng gritted his teeth, trying desperately to lift his head, but the gap of two entire major ranks made it impossible for him to move.
Most male students in the Inner Courtyard had feelings for this gentle Senior Sister; he was naturally no exception.
Once upon a time, he had fantasized that when his cultivation surpassed hers, he would pursue her. But now...
This little brat! Dai Yueheng's eyes were filled with ferocity. Mother should have just killed him and his wench of a mother back then!
Given Zhang Lexuan's temperament, if Dai Yueheng dared to harm her precious disciple, she would have killed him long ago!
An Inner Courtyard classmate? Sorry, was she even close to this guy?
However, Huo Yuhao had warned them repeatedly that he wanted to settle his accounts with the White Tiger Duke's Estate piece by piece himself. Now was not the time to kill them.
Zhang Lexuan opened her red lips, but the words that came out were bone-chilling.
"I don't think I need to say anything more. In my capacity as the Chief Disciple and Teaching Assistant of the Inner Courtyard, I declare: Dai Yueheng, you are expelled! Pack your things and get out of Shrek Academy right now!"
Dai Yueheng's arms shook. Zhang Lexuan's words had completely shattered his last shred of hope.
Though they were both Inner Courtyard disciples, the higher-status Zhang Lexuan truly had the authority to decide the status of students!
Next year, he was supposed to represent Shrek Academy in the Continental Elite Young Soul Master Tournament... next year, he was supposed to return home as a top graduate of the Inner Courtyard to inherit the family business...
"And take this brother of yours and get lost together!"
Zhang Lexuan didn't give Dai Yueheng much time to think. She kicked Dai Huabin onto Dai Yueheng, and the two of them rolled a long distance away.