You are the strongest person Imperial We has ever seen

Xue Qinghe stood there, feeling like a completely forgotten backdrop, awkwardly rooted to the spot.

She cast a resentful look at Ye Feiyang, muttering inwardly: This dog of a man—was he really planning to cut ties with her completely and never interact again?

Suppressing the fury in her heart, Xue Qinghe said coldly, "Since Dean Ye has nothing else, This Lonely One will take [my] leave."

With that, she flicked her sleeve sharply and turned to go, deliberately striking a resolute pose.

Ye Feiyang watched her retreating figure and couldn't help a bitter smile. He knew full well that Xue Qinghe had come specifically because she'd heard Dugu Bo was causing trouble, worried about his safety. He saw that concern clearly.

But with so many people around, what could he say? He couldn't just call her out and make her lose face, could he?

"Your Highness, please wait." Ye Feiyang called out in time, softening his tone. "Since you're here, why not sit down for a cup of tea before leaving?"

He glanced up at the sun; after all this commotion, it was nearly past noon. If he let Xue Qinghe storm off in a huff like this, the rift between them would only grow wider, making it even harder to mend later.

Sooner or later, he'd have to make Xue Qinghe understand that in their relationship, the reins were in his hands alone. But there was no need to drive things to the point of no return, hurting the bond they shared.

Xue Qinghe's steps halted abruptly, the frost on her face melting slightly. Heaven knew how long she'd been waiting for Ye Feiyang to say those words!

These past few days, she'd forced herself not to come see him, and every moment felt like an eternity. She couldn't even figure out what was so good about this dog of a man. He kept making her lose control, stealing her tears, and even haunting her dreams.

So infuriating! Yet, deep down, she still wanted to stay, unwilling to leave just like that.

Xue Qinghe deliberately kept up her princely air, her tone laced with probing. "Is Dean Ye planning to keep This Lonely One for a meal?"

Ye Feiyang paused—he was sure he'd said tea, but this woman had skipped straight to dinner. He didn't call her out on it, though, and went along. "Uh, if Your Highness doesn't mind, how about staying for a simple meal before you go?"

Seeing Xue Qinghe still pretending to hesitate without agreeing, Ye Feiyang instantly understood—he'd need to lay down a longer stepping stone, give her enough face to save hers.

"Your Highness came all this way today; I'm well aware of your intentions. Please do me the honor of staying for a meal. This time, I'll cook for you myself—how about it?" Ye Feiyang emphasized his words, his tone unusually sincere.

Xue Qinghe finally cracked, and the grievance in her heart vanished in an instant. She cursed inwardly: This dog of a man—he was deliberately provoking her! He knew exactly how to soothe her, yet he'd put on that cold act before.

"Then This Lonely One will impose on you," Xue Qinghe said, her voice softening, no longer as icy as before.

Nearby, Dugu Bo stood rooted to the spot, unsure whether to leave or stay, so awkward he could've dug a hole in the ground with his toes. Why wasn't anyone asking for his opinion? He was a Titled Douluo, after all, a figure of some standing in the soul master world!

Fortunately, his silent protest was soon answered. Ye Feiyang turned to Dugu Bo and said, "Would Poison Douluo like to stay as well?"

"Hahaha~ Good! I was just thinking I'd like to chat more with Dean Ye and pick up some cultivation insights!" Dugu Bo's face lit up with a grin, his demeanor as eager as if he were a different person from the one who'd arrived, with none of his earlier hostility left.

Ye Feiyang called toward the house, "Disciples, come out and greet the guests."

As soon as the words left his mouth, five little heads popped out from behind the door, grinning as they surrounded Xue Qinghe and Dugu Bo, warmly ushering them into the reception room.

Dugu Bo swept his gaze over the five girls, and when his eyes landed on Xiao Wu, a thoughtful expression crossed his face, his look turning more probing.

Xiao Wu keenly noticed Dugu Bo's stare and felt a slight tightness in her chest. She said softly to Ye Feiyang, "Teacher, I'll go help prepare the dishes."

"Alright." Ye Feiyang nodded without asking further.

Soon, the kitchen buzzed with activity—the sounds of chopping and washing vegetables mingling into a lively symphony.

In the living room, Huo Wu quietly slipped her arm around Ning Rongrong's and lowered her voice. "Rongrong, how strong do you think Teacher really is? He handled that Titled Douluo like he was disciplining a grandson—way too easy!"

Though Huo Wu's voice wasn't loud, Dugu Bo, sitting not far away, caught every word. His face instantly darkened like the bottom of a pot, but he could only turn away awkwardly, pretending not to hear—after all, he had lost that badly.

Ning Rongrong puffed out her chest with pride. "Of course! Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, Teacher took on a whole group by himself..."

She vividly recounted Ye Feiyang's past glorious feats, and even Shui Bing'er listened with stars in her eyes, her gaze sparkling.

To sum up Ning Rongrong's words in one sentence: Teacher wasn't just ridiculously strong—he was unbearably handsome! The only downside was that he was too principled, insisting on waiting until they grew up before accepting their feelings.

Huo Wu felt a secret thrill: she was already fifteen, older than Ning Rongrong and the others—she had a huge advantage!

Ning Rongrong saw right through Huo Wu's thoughts and raised an eyebrow, deliberately reminding her, "Hey, we were here first. You latecomers need to get in line!"

She could give way on anything else, but not this—no way!

Huo Wu's face flushed red, and she retorted stubbornly, "Hehe~ Senior Sister, you're overthinking it. I didn't mean anything like that..."

Ning Rongrong looked at her with a knowing smirk, mercilessly calling her out. "Don't pretend. Every time you talk to Teacher, your legs clamp together tighter than Zhu Zhuqing using Hell Stab. Who can't tell?"

"You!..." Huo Wu, humiliated and furious, stomped her foot and ran off, afraid of being teased further.

Shui Bing'er's eyes darted nervously as Ning Rongrong's gaze turned to her. She quickly waved her hands, flustered. "I-I'm only a year older than you! Don't look at me—I don't have any other ideas!"

Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but snicker. "That's called a self-own~"

Ning Rongrong nodded in agreement. "That's actually a pretty accurate choice of words."

Shui Bing'er's face turned bright red. Covering her cheeks, she too ran off, afraid of being teased any further.

Once Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er were gone, Ning Rongrong winked at Zhu Zhuqing and whispered, "Good teamwork!"

They'd long since formed a secret alliance, deciding to combine their strengths, present a united front, and take the initiative—no way were they letting Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er steal a march on them.

After all, Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er's intentions were impossible to hide. And their biggest disadvantage was their youth—they couldn't compete with Huo Wu's age.

Besides, hadn't Teacher just mentioned taking in Poison Douluo's granddaughter? That meant another rival. Sigh, winning Teacher's heart was going to be a long, hard road.

Xue Qinghe naturally overheard the girls' chatter and sighed inwardly: Sure enough, none of Ye Feiyang's disciples are normal—every single one of them has designs on their own teacher!

After lunch, Ye Feiyang saw Xue Qinghe out of the academy. The meal had finally eased the tension between them. Ye Feiyang had rarely given Xue Qinghe so much face, lifting her spirits so high that she even temporarily dropped the "dog of a man" label for him.

"Feiyang, are you all heading out? Where to?" Xue Qinghe asked curiously, having noticed the disciples packing up—clearly a trip was in the works.

"To the Falling Moon Forest. Dugu Bo has a medicinal garden there with something I need." Ye Feiyang didn't hide it, answering frankly.

"What's that? Do we need to bring the disciples along too?" Xue Qinghe pressed further, a faint glimmer of anticipation stirring in his heart.

Ye Feiyang had no intention of hiding it from her and answered truthfully, "There's a Yin Yang Well there, a very unique environment covered in all kinds of Immortal Herbs. Not only can it boost cultivation speed, but the ice and fire springs within can also be used for body tempering. It'll be very beneficial for their training."

Watching Ye Feiyang's strength soar day by day, and even his disciples advancing at such a rapid pace, Xue Qinghe felt a pang of unease—if she fell too far behind them, wouldn't her chances slip away for good?

She stammered slightly as she asked, "Is there really such a place? I've been bogged down with trivial matters all these years, and my cultivation has been slow. Among those Immortal Herbs you mentioned, is there one that could help me break through a bottleneck?"

"Of course there is." Ye Feiyang answered without hesitation, then looked at Xue Qinghe seriously and said, "Brother Qinghe, in my opinion, with your talent, if you were willing to spend more time on cultivation, you'd make great strides in the future—no worse than anyone else."

Xue Qinghe grumbled inwardly at that: Great strides in the future? Strides where? Her mind wasn't entirely on cultivation these days.

"Alas, I'm not my own master..." Xue Qinghe let out a soft sigh, a hint of helplessness coloring her face. She had been scheming for so many years, and with her grand plan still unfinished, how could she easily give it up and pour all her time into cultivation?

Ye Feiyang understood Xue Qinghe's predicament and didn't call her out on it. Instead, he teased with a smile, "Brother Qinghe, what do you think of my strength?"

"Very strong. At your age, you're the strongest person I've ever seen, bar none." Xue Qinghe answered without a moment's hesitation, a trace of barely perceptible admiration flickering in her eyes.

A glint of mischief flashed in Ye Feiyang's eyes as he said with a faint smile, "Then, what if I said I wanted to take you as my disciple? Would you be willing?"

Xue Qinghe froze on the spot, her vermilion lips slightly parted, her face full of disbelief. She had never imagined that Ye Feiyang would come up with such an idea—he wanted to take her as his disciple?

It was far too unexpected! Yet, inexplicably, her heart stirred with a hint of temptation—what was this?

She already had a teacher, Ning Fengzhi, but Ye Feiyang was younger, better-looking, and had a higher cultivation level. Thinking it over carefully, becoming Ye Feiyang's disciple didn't seem so bad...

But if a master-disciple bond was forged between them, that stubborn reluctance in her heart reared its head again—what she wanted wasn't just a master-disciple relationship.

Should she find a chance to be completely open with Ye Feiyang, reveal her true identity and feelings?

Xue Qinghe couldn't figure out what kind of magic Ye Feiyang possessed that made her so unable to extricate herself. It wasn't just her—she had already confirmed that all five of Ye Feiyang's disciples harbored impure intentions toward him...

If she didn't think of something soon, even Tang Yuehua might end up "devoured" by Ye Feiyang. And if her information was correct, Ye Feiyang had already taken Liu Erlong.

Was she really going to have to share a man with so many women?

Though Xue Qinghe knew all this, she didn't dare speak it aloud now. If she did, the fragile harmony they had rebuilt might shatter again, or even end completely.

"Feiyang, you, you just said you wanted to take me as your disciple?" Xue Qinghe still couldn't believe it and asked again for confirmation.

"Of course it's true. Do I look like I'm joking?" Ye Feiyang looked at Xue Qinghe, his gaze earnest, not like he was fooling around.

"No, that's not it..." Xue Qinghe's heartbeat quickened, and a blush crept onto her face. "It's just too sudden—I've never thought about this before."

"So, are you in or not? I can promise you, once you're under my tutelage, I'll make you feel so good you'll soar, and your cultivation speed will far surpass what it is now." Ye Feiyang continued his temptation.

Xue Qinghe's face grew even hotter at his words—couldn't this guy be clearer about what kind of "good" he meant? It made her mind wander uncontrollably.

Seeing Ye Feiyang's serious expression and having witnessed the transformation of his five disciples firsthand, Xue Qinghe was indeed wavering. She knew deep down that becoming his disciple wasn't the goal—using this chance to get closer to him was what truly mattered.

She had once sneered at those girls for their "master-charging" antics, but now, with such an opportunity before her... maybe she should try "charging the master" too?

"Hey, what are you spacing out for? Give me a straight answer..." Ye Feiyang urged, seeing Xue Qinghe silent for so long.

Xue Qinghe snapped back to reality, took a deep breath, and said as if she had made up her mind, "Take me to see that Yin Yang Well first. If what you said is true, I'll tell you a secret."

Ye Feiyang raised an eyebrow—a secret? Was Xue Qinghe about to come clean and reveal her true identity? No way, had this woman really come to trust him that much?

"Fine, I'll take you. But do you need to go back to the palace first and arrange your affairs? Wouldn't want to neglect your important duties." Ye Feiyang asked, thinking ahead quite thoroughly.

"Give me half an hour, and I'll be back soon." Xue Qinghe said, already starting to plan in her mind.

"Alright, I'll wait for you at the academy. Oh, and remember to prepare a carriage—there are a lot of us, and walking would take too long." Ye Feiyang reminded her.

Xue Qinghe nodded, turned, and left, her figure quickly swallowed by the shadows at the street corner.

She didn't go far. Instead, she found Ci Xue in the shadows, briefly instructing him on palace matters and letting him handle things. The two Titled Douluo assigned to protect her wanted to follow her to Falling Moon Forest, but Xue Qinghe waved them off.

With Ye Feiyang by her side, what was there to worry about? Even if danger arose, Ye Feiyang would surely protect her.

After settling her affairs, Xue Qinghe didn't forget Ye Feiyang's request and specially ordered two spacious carriages.

Before long, the group had assembled. The two carriages drove out of Supreme Academy one after the other, heading toward Falling Moon Forest.

With the change in plans, Ye Feiyang decided not to make his five disciples exert themselves with movement techniques. Besides, Dugu Bo's injuries hadn't fully healed, the backlash from his soul power depletion hadn't been restored, and his old ailments were far from cleansed—he couldn't handle a long journey.

The five girls shared one carriage, while Ye Feiyang, Xue Qinghe, and Dugu Bo rode together in the other.

Among the three, Dugu Bo had the highest apparent cultivation level, yet in the carriage, he was the most tense, sitting ramrod straight and barely daring to breathe.

Xue Qinghe maintained her usual princely reserve and courtesy, mostly keeping her eyes closed in rest, speaking little and remaining unusually quiet.

Noticing the stifling atmosphere in the carriage, Ye Feiyang took the initiative to tease Dugu Bo, "Dugu Bo, I've been waiting for you for days. Why did you only come to cause trouble at my academy today? Just got back from the Yin Yang Well and haven't recovered yet?"

Dugu Bo's mouth twitched. Ye Feiyang's words made his old face burn with embarrassment. Even his plan to pick a fight at Supreme Academy had been predicted by Ye Feiyang—it seemed the guy had never taken his provocation seriously at all.

Was he really that weak, that pathetic? Dugu Bo silently asked himself, recalling his past experiences... it seemed he was!

"Ahem, I did just return from Falling Moon Forest not long ago. I never thought I'd have to go back again after just one day." Dugu Bo coughed awkwardly to cover his embarrassment.

Ye Feiyang chuckled lightly and said, "There are plenty of things you never expected. For instance, did you also not expect that I have a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in my academy?"

Dugu Bo's heart jolted violently, and he instinctively glanced at Xue Qinghe beside him—did His Highness the Crown Prince know about this too?

Xue Qinghe's eyes snapped open at the remark, full of questions, clearly unaware of the matter.

Before Xue Qinghe could ask, Ye Feiyang spoke first, "She's my disciple, Xiao Wu. Don't you two get any crooked ideas about her, understand?"

His tone was light and casual, yet carried an undeniable authority, instantly suppressing both Dugu Bo and Xue Qinghe.

Dugu Bo didn't dare entertain any crooked thoughts now. He quickly waved his hand and said, "This old man indeed already knows Xiao Wu's identity, but I have no designs on her. Dean Ye, please don't misunderstand me!"

He had been beaten so badly by Ye Feiyang before that even knowing Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, he didn't have the guts to covet her.

Xue Qinghe, on the other hand, was in a rather good mood—Ye Feiyang was willing to share such a secret with her without deliberately keeping her out of the loop, which showed she still had a place in his heart.

"Feiyang, who exactly is this Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast you two were talking about?" Xue Qinghe asked curiously, having not quite followed the conversation earlier.

Since Xue Qinghe had already shown signs of being forthcoming, Ye Feiyang decided not to hide it from her any longer. He said frankly, "It's Xiao Wu."

He looked at Xue Qinghe and asked with a smile, "His Highness the Crown Prince wouldn't want to be my enemy and make a move on my disciple, would he?"

Xue Qinghe let out a soft sigh, stared into Ye Feiyang's eyes, and said seriously, "Feiyang, what kind of person do you take me for? Am I the type to strike at a junior?"

She thought to herself: If I really do become Ye Feiyang's disciple, wouldn't I have to call Xiao Wu 'senior sister'? The mere thought made her chest feel tight and deeply uncomfortable.

"That's for the best." Ye Feiyang smiled, then, as if remembering something, deliberately twisted the knife. "Who knows, you two might even become fellow disciples in the future~"

Xue Qinghe's eyes narrowed slightly, and the corner of her mouth twitched—this damn man, here he goes again! Couldn't he survive without teasing her?

Dugu Bo, listening nearby, had his eyes shining bright, inwardly exclaiming: This gossip is huge! From the way they were talking, was the Crown Prince also planning to become Ye Feiyang's disciple? That would mean his granddaughter, Dugu Yan, had another powerful competitor.

He quickly asked, "Dean Ye, you mentioned earlier that you wanted to take my granddaughter as a disciple—does that offer still stand? Are you truly willing to accept her and guide her cultivation?"

Ye Feiyang didn't answer directly. Instead, he said, "Taking on a disciple depends on mutual willingness. I haven't even met your granddaughter yet, so it's too early to say. I'll wait until I see her in person and ask her thoughts."

Suddenly recalling something, he turned the question back on Dugu Bo. "By the way, Dugu Bo, your herb garden has so many rare flowers and plants—how many of them can you actually identify?"

At this, Dugu Bo's old face instantly reddened. He said somewhat sheepishly, "To be honest, this old man... doesn't recognize most of them. I only know a few are poisonous."

Ye Feiyang chuckled inwardly: Even saying "I recognize most of them" would sound better than "I don't recognize most of them"—at least it wouldn't be so embarrassing.

A glint of cunning flashed in his eyes as he continued, "Then do you know that on the outskirts of the Yin Yang Well, there grows a 'Bilin Seven Absolute Flower'?"

Dugu Bo was a bit confused. He thought hard—there did seem to be a strangely shaped toxic plant growing there. So that flower was called the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower? He'd never known its name before.

"Dean Ye, if you have something to say, just say it plainly. Don't beat around the bush with this old man." Dugu Bo grew anxious, knowing that Ye Feiyang's questions must have a purpose.

A faint smile played on Ye Feiyang's lips as he said slowly, "This Bilin Seven Absolute Flower is a tremendous opportunity for your granddaughter, Dugu Yan. It would be a shame to miss it."

The word "Bilin" made Dugu Bo's spirits soar. He seemed to have an inkling, and his eyes suddenly turned eager. However, the entire Bilin Seven Absolute Flower plant was highly toxic, and it happened to grow on the periphery of the Yin Yang Well, blocking many soul beasts from straying into it, so he had never deliberately removed it.

Ye Feiyang had specifically mentioned this flower and called it his granddaughter's opportunity? Though he had some guesses, Dugu Bo still dared not be certain, afraid he might be wrong.

This matter concerned his granddaughter's future, so Dugu Bo took it very seriously. He quickly cupped his hands and said respectfully, "Please enlighten me, Dean Ye! This old man truly doesn't know what opportunity the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower could bring to Yanyan."

"The Bilin Seven Absolute Flower itself is extremely toxic. Even an ordinary Titled Douluo, if careless enough to touch it, would die instantly. But your Dugu family's constitution is the exact opposite—it can withstand this poison."

Ye Feiyang paused, then continued, "If your granddaughter consumes this Bilin Seven Absolute Flower, there's a high chance her Martial Soul will evolve into... the Azure Serpent Emperor. You should understand what that means for her, right?"

After hearing this, Dugu Bo was so excited he abruptly stood up, his head hitting the carriage roof with a "thump." He didn't even feel the pain, his voice trembling as he said, "What? Is this true? You're not lying to this old man?"

He had been guarding a garden full of treasures without knowing their worth. His current mood was like finding a gold nugget but treating it as an ordinary stone all along, only now realizing its value.

"Of course it's true. What would I gain from lying to you?" Ye Feiyang said with a smile. "It's a pity your granddaughter hasn't returned from her trip yet. Otherwise, on this trip to Falling Moon Forest, you could have witnessed her Martial Soul Evolution firsthand."

Dugu Bo was so thrilled his face flushed red, and he kept rubbing his hands together in excitement. "She should be back soon! If this works out, this old man, this old man owes you a huge favor! From now on, if you ever need my help, Dean Ye, just say the word!"

Ye Feiyang waved his hand dismissively. "No need for favors. I'll be satisfied if you just stop causing trouble for me and the academy. I'm not afraid of trouble, but my disciples are still young and might get scared."

Dugu Bo immediately caught on and laughed heartily. "Rest assured, Dean Ye! When I get back, I'll spread the word to everyone: anyone who dares to cause trouble for the Supreme Academy or Dean Ye will be crossing me, Dugu Bo! Let's see who has the nerve!"

His tone was unusually solemn, and his eyes were genuinely sincere—clearly, he meant to repay Ye Feiyang from the bottom of his heart.

Ye Feiyang snorted with amusement and deliberately teased him. "And if Prince Xue Xing still sends you after me? Whose side will you take then?"

Dugu Bo stammered, his eyes darting away. "Ah, well, that... I would naturally stand with Dean Ye! As for Prince Xue Xing, I'll find a way to brush him off. I will never be your enemy again!"

Xue Qinghe, who had been quietly listening to their exchange, felt a bit dazed. She had exhausted her efforts to recruit talent, yet here she was, watching Ye Feiyang win over a Titled Douluo with just a few words, without even offering any tangible benefits.

What kind of magic did this man possess? How could he charm everyone, men and women alike, making them willingly serve him?

"Feiyang," Xue Qinghe said softly, a hint of curiosity in her eyes, "I never knew you were so knowledgeable about herbs, even recognizing a rare poison like the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower."

Ye Feiyang chuckled, winked, and feigned modesty. "Not an expert, just a little knowledge, a little knowledge~"

He then shifted the topic. "Everyone has their strengths. Your Highness excels at governance and strategy—things that would leave others floundering like headless flies, not knowing where to start."

Xue Qinghe repeated Ye Feiyang's words thoughtfully, "Ex...cels?" A complex emotion flickered in her eyes, her mind wandering to unknown thoughts.