Chapter 122: Entering the Imperial Palace, Gathering of Various Factions
Sunlight spilled over the steadily moving carriage, accentuating its magnificence and elegance. A soft halo of light slipped through the car window, bringing a hint of warmth to the body.
Leaning back against the sofa covered in soft fur, Tang Shan gazed at the scenery passing by outside the window.
"Tang Shan, School Master Ning might try to win you over this time. Remember to accept all the benefits when the time comes and don't refuse."
Xue Qinghe wore his signature gentle smile on his face, holding some documents in his hands and speaking casually while browsing through them.
Tang Shan straightened his body, feeling a bit curious.
"Your Highness, aren't you afraid that I might be won over by School Master Ning? If that happens, your investment during this period will completely go down the drain."
"Not at all. I believe in your character, my own contributions, and School Master Ning's brains. I have given you such a massive investment. If School Master Ning can win you over, it only means the price he paid would be even greater than mine, which would be a question of my vision and investment. If School Master Ning could wholeheartedly trust someone who can be won over just by paying a sufficient price, wouldn't he have wasted all these years as a sect master?"
"Your Highness sees things very thoroughly."
"It's not about seeing things thoroughly, but rather that your talent is right here. Being recruited by other factions is only a matter of time."
Xue Qinghe put down the documents, his tone calm and voice devoid of any worry.
Yesterday, Grandfather Gold Crocodile had already told him the true origin of that Soul Bone. He simply didn't believe that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School still had the strength to pull out an External Soul Bone, let alone one produced by a Soul Beast comparable to the ancient exotic beast Tai Tan. That wasn't realistic, alright?
"Rest assured, I haven't finished repaying Your Highness's heavy investment yet. If one day I finish repaying the investment, I might just switch to another family."
Xue Qinghe was just about to say "Then you better prepare to work for me for the rest of your life," when he suddenly remembered that Tang Shan might help Gold Crocodile Douluo break through his limit. Given this rate of return, there really wouldn't be much left to repay in the end, which left him somewhat silent. It seemed he had to increase his investment and couldn't let Tang Shan slip through his hands.
As for destroying what he couldn't get, Xue Qinghe ignored that option. What a joke, the other party had Grandmaster standing behind him, whose strength was unfathomable. The Internal Martial Arts he created had a chance to help Gold Crocodile Douluo break through his limit, so who knew how strong he himself was? Harming his Disciple, wouldn't that just be looking for trouble for oneself?
This was Xue Qinghe's explanation to himself. As for what his true thoughts actually were, perhaps even he himself wasn't clear.
Tang Shan didn't know that he was just making a joke, so why did Xue Qinghe wear such a pensive look? No way, an External Soul Bone of supreme quality in this world, is that something an ordinary Great Soul Master with two Soul Rings like him could ever repay?
Miss Angel wouldn't still think I can really finish repaying it, right?
"Your Highness, the Imperial Palace has arrived."
The voice of the driving Snake Lance Douluo interrupted Tang Shan's soaring thoughts and Xue Qinghe's deep contemplation. The two instinctively raised their heads to look at each other, and Xue Qinghe instinctively avoided Tang Shan's gaze.
Tang Shan was a bit baffled, but business came first: "Your Highness, let's get off."
Xue Qinghe, who had already readjusted his emotions to be steady, nodded, then took the lead to pull open the carriage door and step down. Tang Shan closely followed behind him as they stepped into the Imperial Palace together.
The Imperial Palace of the Heaven Dou Empire didn't differ much from what Tang Shan had imagined. Glazed tiles refracted a gilded luster under the sunlight, magnificent pavilions and palaces undulated continuously, dragon and phoenix reliefs on carved beams looked lifelike, bizarre plants of all shapes and forms dotted the bizarre rockeries, and cascading springs flowed murmuringly, thoroughly showing Tang Shan what luxury and imperial power truly were.
Dense crowds of soldiers patrolled within the Imperial Palace, standing guard every three steps and every five steps, clad in heavy armor and overflowing with Killing Intent.
At first, Tang Shan was still a bit puzzled. This was already the Douluo Continent, wouldn't it be inappropriate to have ordinary soldiers patrol and keep watch? But upon second thought, even Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong, who stood almost at the pinnacle of the continent's strength, needed Temple Knights to guard her, so it seemed quite reasonable for Emperor Xue Ye of Heaven Dou to need soldiers for protection.
Facing the luxurious Imperial Palace, other than being a bit surprised, Tang Shan wasn't particularly astonished, which made Xue Qinghe, who was secretly sizing him up, extremely satisfied: As expected of the Genius I fancied, he remains calm and steady in the face of the palace's opulence and splendor. His will is indeed steadfast and will not be disturbed by external objects.
The layout of the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace was extremely complex with many twists and turns, and many buildings were stereotyped, making one feel bored after looking at them for long. Tang Shan, who was still a bit curious at first, later simply lowered his head and followed closely behind Xue Qinghe, walking without stopping.
Truly didn't know why they built the Imperial Palace so huge. If it's said to prevent enemies, let's hope that by the time assassins reach the emperor's doorstep, the imperial guards aren't still lost inside this palace.
"We have arrived."
Xue Qinghe stopped in his steps. Before him was a huge garden, surrounded tightly by neat imperial guards. The entrance was even more heavily defended, and some of the imperial guards faintly emitted a faint fluctuation of Soul Power.
"Please report to His Majesty, Qinghe has brought Tang Shan to seek an audience."
The guard captain at the door nodded and turned to go inside to report.
Another captain lowered his voice to remind him: "Your Highness, Poison Douluo and his granddaughter are also inside."
Xue Qinghe's expression remained unchanged: "Thanks for letting me know."
It seemed Xue Qinghe was very popular among the people. Understanding these situations in advance would be of great benefit to his performance inside later.
It was just unexpected that Poison Douluo Dugu Bo was actually inside today as well.
Thoughts flashed through Tang Shan's mind like lightning, and he couldn't help but look forward to what would happen later.
As for the danger inside, Tang Shan stated that the Titled Douluo of Spirit Hall was far inferior in strength to Gluttonous, completely unable to perform long-distance rescue and could only hide in the dark to protect him. Judging by the possibility of Titled Douluo following beside Ning Fengzhi this time, combined with the existing forces around Xue Qinghe, the one protecting him this time was most likely Gold Crocodile Douluo. Full of a sense of security, alright?
Gold Crocodile Douluo leisurely leaped and moved across various rooftops of the Imperial Palace without making a single sound. Majestic spiritual power enveloped his entire body, so even if someone saw him, they would instinctively ignore him.
"It's really lively today. The Dugu family, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and that should be a Soul Douluo from the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Rex Sect, right? Why did they all gather together?"
Gold Crocodile Douluo grew somewhat interested and simply quickened his pace. Originally, he had planned to just protect the perimeter of the garden; with his strength, reaching those two little fellows would only take an instant. But now that various factions had gathered, he developed an interest and wanted to see what they were plotting.
"Your Highness, please enter."
The guard captain who went to report quickly returned, bowed to open the gate, and invited Tang Shan and Xue Qinghe inside.
Xue Qinghe nodded in acknowledgment, then walked into the garden. A maid, obviously specially sent to welcome the two of them, slightly bowed and led the way in front.
Entering the garden, a refreshing floral fragrance mixed with the freshness of vegetation hit them head-on. It was mingled with unique flowers of the Douluo Continent such as Dew-Condensing Flowers and Purple Rhyme Grass, instantly refreshing one's Martial Soul.
Flowers of various colors spread out under the sunlight—red like blazing flames, pink like rosy clouds, white like congealed frost. The dew-drops on the petals refracted colorful halos, competing in beauty and dazzling the eyes.
After walking for about two or three minutes, a spacious pavilion came into view, built entirely of white jade and exuding a warm halo under the sunlight. A massive white jade table was placed in the center of the pavilion, surrounded by maids serving tea and pouring water, with several figures seated in order.
Emperor Xue Ye, who naturally carried an air of majesty, was the first to notice Xue Qinghe and Tang Shan. He waved his hand: "Qinghe, come over."
The maid bowed and retreated. Xue Qinghe led Tang Shan to find the last two vacant seats, then slightly bowed. His gaze swept across everyone present, and he offered greetings one by one in a humble yet measured tone: "Greetings, Father; Greetings, School Master Ning; Greetings, Your Excellency Chen Xin; Greetings, Your Excellency Dugu. Is this Younger Sister Dugu Yan? It's been a while, and you have become even more pretty and lively. This Senior has such a poised demeanor, Qinghe has been impolite."
From beginning to end, first greeting the Emperor, then ranking according to factional status and closeness, Xue Qinghe's set of greetings was flawless and fully comprehensive, basically slighting no one.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, greetings, everyone, I am Tang Shan."
Tang Shan wasn't as complicated as Xue Qinghe. After all, they were in the Heaven Dou Empire; the Emperor had to be singled out for greetings, everyone older than him was uniformly addressed as Senior, those who looked around his age were directly ignored, and he finally concluded with a simple self-introduction.
Emperor Xue Ye wore a kindly smile: "You guys sit down."
Everyone present instinctively let their gazes fall upon the two. Most of the gazes still gathered on Tang Shan; after all, an imperial eldest prince ultimately wasn't as attractive to people's attention as a Genius Soul Master.
They were sizing up Tang Shan, and how could Tang Shan not be sizing them up in return?
Tang Shan had accidentally seen Ning Fengzhi before, so he directly ignored him and let his gaze first fall upon the old man sitting beside him.
Draped in a white robe with white hair, his posture was upright like a sword emerging from its sheath, his skin as delicate as an infant's, and sword light faintly flowed between the opening and closing of his eyes.
This must be Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
Thinking of his relationship with his Big Brother, it should be no problem for Yuntao to call him Grandmaster Martial Uncle.
Looking to his side again: on the left was Xue Qinghe, and on the right was a girl who looked to be around nine years old. Combined with the special Physique of the people of Douluo and the growth-promoting effects of Soul Rings, her age shouldn't be much different from his.
The girl had a head of dark purple long hair cascading naturally like a waterfall, with the tips of her hair adorned with a faint green halo. Her eyes were a deep purple, the corners of her eyes slightly upturned, and a snake-pupil-like thin light occasionally flashed in the depths of her pupils, carrying a naturally cold and exotic temperament. Her skin was white to the point of being translucent, like carved cold jade, and her waist was slender and flexible. Her skirt hem was embroidered with dark-patterned snake scales. Even though she was still young, that Charm and sense of alienation unique to the Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul had already begun to show, vaguely allowing a glimpse of her future peerless elegance.
Is that Dugu Yan? I don't know what her cultivation level is right now. In the original work, when she appeared, she was twenty-one years old and at rank thirty-eight, and her Innate Soul Power should be between rank seven and nine.
As he pondered, Tang Shan's gaze happened to meet the old man sitting beside the young girl.
The old man wore a plain gray robe, the hem of his garment stained with a faint mixture of herbs and toxins. A head of dark green long hair was withered and scattered over his shoulders. His figure was tall and thin like a javelin, with sunken cheeks and prominent cheekbones. His pair of deep emerald eyes were slender and long like a snake, revealing a bone-chilling sinister look when his pupils contracted. His fingertips shimmered with an illusory light green, and a trace of almost imperceptible poisonous mist lingered around his entire body. The whole person was like a highly venomous snake lurking in the dark, exuding a dangerous aura that kept strangers away.
Meeting the old man's ill-intentioned gaze, the corners of Tang Shan's mouth twitched: No way, I just sized up your granddaughter, and my gaze wasn't even presumptuous, is there any need to be so overly protective?
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