...
"Xuanhao, what's going on?"
Xue Qinghe stepped forward, adopting a businesslike demeanor:
"You led a group to surround Blue Tyrant Academy and beat up the academy's dean... You need to give me an explanation."
"explain?"
Xuan Hao turned around.
"Does Your Highness wish to explain?"
Xuan Hao shrugged, pointing to the group of Blue Tyrant Academy students still lying dead on the ground:
"It's very simple."
"Their men beat up my underling, and I'm here to get revenge for him."
"Dean Liu was not convinced and insisted on making a bet with me."
"As for the result..."
Xuan Hao pointed to the large pit and shrugged:
"You saw it too, she lost."
"You have to accept the consequences of your bet."
"Now, this Blue Tyrant Academy... belongs to me."
Xue Qinghe: "..."
Looking at Xuan Hao's self-righteous demeanor, she felt a headache coming on.
This kid... not only is he strong, but he's also a master at causing trouble!
They beat up Liu Erlong and then tried to seize her academy?
If that old fellow Yu Luomian found out, wouldn't he be so angry he'd vomit blood?
"Nonsense!"
Xue Qinghe frowned and rebuked, "The academy is a place for teaching and nurturing people, how can it be used as a gamble?
It's utterly absurd!"
"absurd?"
Xuan Hao sneered, not only refusing to back down but also stepping forward, looking directly into Xue Qinghe's eyes, his tone aggressive:
"Your Highness, I don't like hearing you say that."
"Since it's a bet, we have to accept it."
"If you want to take sides..."
Xuan Hao narrowed his eyes, his voice low:
"Then I must wonder, does Your Highness look down on our Heaven Dou Royal Academy?
Does Your Highness look down on us noble scions who serve you?"
Upon hearing this, the hundreds of noble students standing behind Xuan Hao immediately turned to look at Xue Qinghe.
In those eyes, there was not only expectation, but also a hint of scrutiny.
Xue Qinghe was startled.
Good lad!
This is a coup attempt!
Using the entire noble class of the Heaven Dou Empire to pressure her?
Forcing her to choose sides?
Just when Xue Qinghe was in a dilemma, not knowing how to respond to Xuan Hao's hurtful words.
"Buzz—"
In mid-air, a dark and deep spatial rift suddenly tore open.
A chilling aura, both menacing and imposing, emanated from the crack.
Immediately afterward, three figures stepped out from the crevice.
The leader, dressed in a spotless white robe, possessed a refined and gentle demeanor and held a scepter inlaid with various gemstones.
He was none other than Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Beside him stood an old man with a withered face and sunken eyes, holding a beautiful little girl in his arms.
Bone Douluo Ancient Banyan, and... Ning Rongrong.
"Brother Xuanhao!!"
As soon as she landed, Ning Rongrong seemed to have springs inside her, jumping directly off Gu Rong's arms.
With her short legs, she rushed towards Xuan Hao like a gust of wind.
Before Xuan Hao could react, she clung to him like a koala.
"You scoundrel! Where have you been for the past two weeks?!"
Ning Rongrong buried her head in Xuan Hao's arms, "I missed you so much!
I went to the academy to look for you but you weren't there, I went to the hotel but you weren't there either!"
"Ahem, alright, alright, there are so many people watching."
Xuan Hao patted the little devil's back helplessly, "Didn't I go into seclusion to cultivate?"
"Sect Leader Ning, what brings you here as well?" Xuan Hao greeted Ning Fengzhi with a smile.
"Hmph, how could I not come?"
Ning Rongrong said first.
"A message came back to the sect in the middle of the night last night, saying that you had returned to the Tiandou Royal Hotel.
I originally wanted to come see you last night, but Dad insisted that it was too late to go out, and he had to postpone it until today."
"Cough cough cough..."
Ning Fengzhi, who was maintaining a refined smile, almost choked on his saliva upon hearing this.
This silly girl! Why does she blurt out all the truths?!
What you're saying is tantamount to telling people that our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has been secretly monitoring his movements.
"Um… young friend Xuanhao."
Ning Fengzhi awkwardly covered it up, saying, "Rongrong is a straightforward girl, don't mind her.
It's just that she's worried about you so much that the sect has been paying special attention to your news."
"I understand, I understand."
Xuan Hao waved his hand, "After all, I'm very charming, so it's normal for people to be so attached to me."
As he spoke, he put Ning Rongrong back on the ground.
Upon landing, Ning Rongrong was surprised to find that she only reached Xuan Hao's chest.
"Huh?"
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened, and she held up her hand to compare their heights.
"Brother Xuanhao, how... how did you suddenly grow so tall?"
"It's only been less than a month!
You've grown almost ten centimeters taller?!
You're almost 1.6 meters now!"
"What's the big deal?" Xuan Hao shrugged.
"They're just growing."
"In addition, I stewed and ate the blood-ganoderma lucidum I took from the old emperor's treasury, as well as a few highly nourishing herbs.
With excess nutrition, it's reasonable for it to grow faster, right?"
Ning Fengzhi's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this.
As the wealthiest sect leader on the entire continent, he naturally knew the value of that ten-thousand-year-old Blood Spirit Mushroom.
It was a sacred object for strengthening the foundation, nourishing the vital energy, and enhancing blood and qi.
only...
Ning Fengzhi's gaze fell on Xuan Hao, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
He hadn't noticed it before because the scene was too chaotic, but now that he was closer, he could clearly sense the lingering soul power fluctuations on Xuan Hao's body.
That is...
"Level 40 or above?!"
Ning Fengzhi's pupils contracted sharply, and a storm raged in his heart.
A month ago, this kid was only level 35!
Such a significant improvement in less than a month?
A Soul Master who's not even ten years old?!
This kind of cultivation speed is probably beyond the reach of even the legendary Six-Winged Angel Clan of the Spirit Hall.
Just as Ning Fengzhi was still immersed in the shock and was about to ask Xuan Hao what "good stuff" he had eaten,
Xuan Hao had already turned around and turned his gaze back to Xue Qinghe, who had a complicated expression.
"We can catch up later."
Xuan Hao said calmly, "Let's take care of the important matters first."
"Your Highness, you haven't answered me yet."
"Since it's a bet, you have to accept the loss.
This Blue Tyrant Academy is now my spoils.
Are you going to renege on their debt, or do you look down on us noble scions who fought for you?"
This tactic of "shifting the blame" and "moral blackmail" once again puts the ball in Xue Qinghe's court.
Xue Qinghe took a deep breath, looked at the hundreds of eyes staring at him, and then at Ning Fengzhi who was standing aside watching the show.
He knew that if he didn't handle this matter well today, he would not only chill the hearts of the nobles, but also make Ning Fengzhi look down on him.
"Xuanhao, you've misunderstood."
Xue Qinghe sighed, a helpless yet dignified bitter smile appearing on his face:
"As the Crown Prince, I will naturally not take sides, nor will I look down on the junior students of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
They are the future of our empire, and I cherish them more than I can."
"but..."
Xue Qinghe changed the subject, pointing to the densely packed student formation behind Xuan Hao, his tone becoming serious:
"Xuanhao, do you know what you've done today?"
"You brought nearly five hundred soul masters from the Heaven Dou Royal Academy to the streets of Heaven Dou City in a grand manner, and even rushed all the way here."
"Five hundred Soul Masters! And most of them are Great Soul Masters and Soul Venerables!"
Do you know what this means?
Xue Qinghe stepped forward, her gaze fixed intently on Xuan Hao:
"On the battlefield, if these five hundred Soul Masters coordinate properly, they are enough to crush a regular army of ten thousand men head-on!"
"This is the Heavenly Dou Imperial City!
Right under the Emperor's feet!"
"You led a force comparable to an army of ten thousand, assembling and marching so grandly within the imperial city, and even intending to cause trouble..."
"Xuanhao, what am I supposed to think?
What am I supposed to think?
What are the officials supposed to think?"
"Anyone who didn't know better would think you were going to lead troops to force the emperor into rebellion!"
"Rebellion?" Xuan Hao raised an eyebrow, not only unfazed by Xue Qinghe's accusation, but also innocently retorted:
"What?
Your Highness, is this... another attempt to exterminate my entire family?"
"..."
Xue Qinghe was so taken aback by those words that his breath caught in his throat, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Why does this kid still remember this?
He's still not tired of the "extermination of nine generations" joke from the last avalanche, is he?
Read 20+ chapters ahead at Patreon
patreon.com/TaroYamato
patreon.com/TaroYamato