Plant Knowledge, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe

Two days later.

Since joining Heaven Dou Royal Academy as a registered student, Xia Liang had received the same treatment as the other students and could use any facility provided by the academy, including the Heaven Dou Library, which contained the entirety of the Heaven Dou Empire's accumulated knowledge.

These past few days, aside from using resources such as medicinal baths and Whale Rubber to aid his cultivation, Xia Liang had spent nearly all his remaining time in the Heaven Dou Library.

The handover of his work as a cook had already begun. Many dishes beloved by the academy's teachers and students had been passed on to the Head Chef in the form of recipes, which the Head Chef would then teach to the other cooks.

That way, when he resigned and went out to train in the future, the Academy Kitchen would not lose those dishes and suffer a major drop in income.

Besides, recipes were not some secret cultivation arts. Passing them on to others was no great matter; he considered it repayment for the Head Chef's care over the past two years.

After receiving the Head Chef's permission, Xia Liang left the kitchen early in the morning and arrived at the Heaven Dou Library. The place was enormous and divided into three floors.

The first floor contained knowledge related to Soul Beasts.

The books on the second floor concerned Soul Masters.

The third floor contained summaries of the connections between Soul Masters and Soul Beasts.

Over the past few days, Xia Liang had been reading extensive materials in the Plant Soul Beast section on the first floor of the Heaven Dou Library, and he had already accumulated considerable knowledge about Plant Soul Beasts.

At the same time, he had also gained a great deal of knowledge about Plant Martial Souls from the Plant Martial Soul section on the second floor.

In the original work, Chrysanthemum Douluo's Martial Soul was an immortal-grade plant called the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

Although the Heaven Dou Library had no records concerning Immortal Herbs, it did contain information on top-tier Plant Martial Souls similar to the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

Thus, learning about top-tier Plant Martial Souls could indirectly teach him some knowledge of Immortal Herbs. At the very least, he had seen illustrations of Immortal Herb Martial Souls, which would greatly help him identify Immortal Herbs.

So far, Xia Liang had discovered that, besides Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, there had also been several Soul Masters throughout history who had awakened Immortal Herb Martial Souls.

One book on Plant Martial Souls recorded that two hundred years ago, a Level 96 Titled Douluo known as "Earth Dragon" had appeared in the Heaven Dou Empire. His Martial Soul was the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd, a top-tier earth-element Plant Martial Soul.

According to the original work's description, the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd was an immortal-grade plant containing the Earth Dragon Bloodline. It clearly belonged to the category of Immortal Herbs.

After that Earth Dragon Douluo died in battle, his outstanding merits and Level 96 strength earned him the highest honor for a Soul Master: burial within the sacred Douluo Hall.

In addition, three hundred years ago, there had been a Level 98 Titled Douluo known as "Blood Dragon." It was said that this mighty expert's Plant Martial Soul was the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, a Super Martial Soul that surpassed even top-tier Martial Souls.

Since that Titled Douluo had been an enshrined elder of Spirit Hall, detailed records could only be found within Spirit Hall.

However, the book contained an illustration of the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng Martial Soul. The Immortal Herb known as Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng should therefore look like this.

The history of the Heaven Dou Empire had also seen an Ink Jade Douluo, whose Martial Soul was called the Ink Jade Divine Bamboo. It was a top-tier Assault System Plant Martial Soul and was likely another kind of Immortal Herb.

Even the Sky Azure Vine Martial Soul of Committee Member Zhilin, one of the Three Great Committee Members, had once produced a Sky Azure Douluo. Unfortunately, a hundred years ago, that Titled Douluo had been killed by the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Sky Azure Bull Python, because of his own greed.

Being able to cultivate to the realm of a Titled Douluo proved that Azure Vine, even if it was not immortal-grade among plants, was certainly one of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

On the third day of browsing the book sections on Plant Soul Beasts and Plant Martial Souls, Xia Liang discovered that Ye Lingling of the Imperial Fighting Team was also reading books related to plants.

The two were not familiar with each other, though they had met a few times because of Dugu Yan's cross-rank Soul Battles. After learning that Xia Liang had nominally become an academy student, Ye Lingling simply said, "Welcome to the academy," and then had nothing more to say.

Xia Liang did not disturb her further. After learning the plant knowledge he needed, he went to the section containing Soul Master books and began studying techniques related to Ring Fusion.

Another two days passed.

While Xia Liang was practicing Ring Fusion techniques on the Academy Back Mountain, Qin Ming suddenly summoned him to the Principal's Building.

The Three Education Commissioners and Prince Xue Xing had long since agreed to let him join the academy as a registered student. The person summoning him this time was said to be the principal of Heaven Dou Royal Academy—the emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Ye.

However, Xue Ye was busy with state affairs. The position of principal at Heaven Dou Royal Academy had always been held by the Crown Prince.

The current Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire was the eldest prince, Xue Qinghe.

While helping handle state affairs in the Imperial Palace, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe delegated his duties as acting principal to the Three Education Commissioners. Only after finishing his political work would he find time to come to the academy and approve various matters. Only in major affairs would he personally appear and make decisions alongside the emperor and Prince Xue Xing.

This summons for Xia Liang was precisely because registered enrollment was unprecedented, and there had never before been a commoner admitted into Heaven Dou Royal Academy. As a result, the matter had reached the royal family.

Principal's Building, office.

The Three Education Commissioners, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, and Prince Xue Xing were holding a meeting. Their topic was how the academy should nurture Master Xia from the Academy Kitchen, an unusual talent who had cultivated from Innate Level Five Soul Power to become a Quasi-Soul Elder at the age of thirteen.

"Three Education Commissioners, Master Xia and I have arrived. May we enter now?"

Hearing Qin Ming's voice from outside the office, Meng Shenji immediately rose and opened the door. "Teacher Qin, you arrived at just the right time. Please, come in."

Qin Ming respectfully greeted Meng Shenji. After entering the office, he bowed respectfully to Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, Prince Xue Xing, and the other two Education Commissioners in turn. Xia Liang, following behind him, copied Qin Ming's actions.

After the door closed, discussion resumed within the office.

"Master Xia, this is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. We three old men and Prince Xue Xing already know about your situation. It was the Crown Prince's idea to summon you here." Committee Member Meng Shenji looked toward Xue Qinghe beside him.

Xia Liang rose and cupped his hands toward Xue Qinghe across from him. "Greetings, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"Master Xia, there is no need for such formality. Please sit. Let us discuss business. I already know some things about you. The Three Education Commissioners and Imperial Uncle agreed to let you join the academy as a registered student, and I strongly approve of that decision."

Xue Qinghe swept his gaze over the Three Education Commissioners and Prince Xue Xing before continuing, "After discussion, we have decided that we will not force you to participate in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament three years from now. After all, your growth is far too astonishing. If you perform too brilliantly in the Elite Tournament, you will inevitably attract the attention of other sects and factions."

"Though our Heaven Dou Empire is confident that we can contend against every faction, we still understand that a tall tree catches the wind. To give you a safer environment in which to grow, we need to keep you hidden. That is why the academy agreed to your request to refuse participation in the Elite Tournament. We do not wish for you to end up trapped because of the academy's honor."

"Master Xia, I hope you will not be affected by outside factors. With this extraordinary cultivation speed of yours, become strong as soon as possible and become a pillar of the empire."

Xia Liang, who had only just sat down, could not help feeling surprised after hearing this. This Crown Prince Xue Qinghe was quite reasonable.