Beating Xue Beng on a Whim, Reading Memories

Xue Beng stared at the token in Shi Yueyi's hand in terror.

At the instant he was shoved away, he had not even seen how Shi Yueyi moved. All he felt was an immense force slam into his chest.

And now, it seemed he was hallucinating again. He saw that figure who made him instinctively shrink his neck, saw flashes of blades and blood.

In that instant, he could not help recalling how, when he was only nine years old, he had watched one of his older brothers being buried in a coffin, his eyes wide open. All expectations for the future had become something forever beyond reach.

Later, Prince Xue Xing told him that he had to beware of his eldest brother. So he began avoiding Xue Qinghe. Even when paying respects and greeting his parents, he wished he could stagger the times.

A scene formed in his mind: if he had not acted like a wastrel, what sort of fate would await him? Xue Qinghe would surely seize him, and then...

Wait, why was he remembering all this? It was like his life was flashing before his eyes.

No, after enduring humiliation and biding his time, after Uncle Xue Xing uncovered Xue Qinghe's true nature, with Poison Douluo's help, he would ascend to the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire. Then he would replace Xue Qinghe as Ning Fengzhi's disciple, marry the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, wipe out the Star Luo Empire with thunderous methods, make Spirit Hall bow in submission, and sit upon the supreme throne of the continent.

That was how it should be!

Second Soul Skill, Floating Light Haze.

Two purple soul rings spiraled around Shi Yueyi. She had just activated her second soul skill, using her Spiritual Power to drag Xue Beng into a dream, read a portion of his memories, and glimpse his expectations for the future.

The process did not take long, only about a minute. Most of Xue Beng's memories were worthless dross that could simply be skipped over.

The violet-like pupils in Shi Yueyi's eyes stopped spinning.

She had already obtained the most important information. She could sort through the rest later.

"Ah—!"

Xue Beng awoke from his dazed, entranced state.

"Come on! Glare at me! Glare at me again, why don't you?!" Shi Yueyi recovered as well and continued holding up the Crown Prince's Token.

The token was practically pressed against Xue Beng's face, yet he did not dare say a word, trembling all over.

His other lackeys huddled beside Xue Beng, shaking in fear.

"You! Were you the one who told me to kneel to him just now?" Shi Yueyi looked at a two-ring Soul Grandmaster.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The Soul Grandmaster broke into tears. He was the strongest among Xue Beng's lackeys and the one who had charged in front first, only to be sent flying by Shi Yueyi.

"Come. Kneel!" Shi Yueyi glared at him.

"In your dreams!" The Soul Grandmaster wiped the mud and sand from his face. "My father is the captain of a special operations squad under the Second Division of the Third Army of the Heaven Dou Empire!"

"You're not kneeling to me. You're kneeling to pay respects to the Crown Prince!" Shi Yueyi pointed at the token in her hand. "How dare you disrespect the Crown Prince?"

An invisible pressure flowed from Shi Yueyi's body, and the son of some squad captain could not withstand it.

Who cared whose son he was? Since he got along so well with Xue Beng, he counted as Qian Renxue's enemy.

Bang—

The Soul Grandmaster dropped to his knees. "Greetings, Crown Prince!"

"Kids these days really don't listen. I have to help you personally." Shi Yueyi gave him a contemptuous glance.

If she had not been strong enough, and if she had not possessed this token, these people probably would not have backed down so easily.

She had not done anything excessive since arriving. She only wanted to enroll in school, perhaps ask them for directions at most, yet these people had latched onto her.

And they were the ones who struck first.

Who knew how many girls in the Heaven Dou Empire Xue Beng had ruined? From the memories she had explored, this fellow's wastrel behavior might not have been an act at all. It might simply have been his nature.

Limited by her current cultivation, Shi Yueyi was not yet particularly skilled at manipulating and reading memories. Therefore, after reading them, she could only conveniently conceal the fact that "I read your memories" within Xue Beng's consciousness—though with this fellow's abilities, he probably would not discover it even in a lifetime.

Still, this was already remarkable. Even Shi Nian of Canghui Academy had no way to read or observe another person's memories or dreams before becoming Titled Douluo.

After finishing all this, she withdrew her soul rings.

"What are you doing?" At that moment, a teacher flashed out from the forest.

"Teacher Sun!" Xue Beng hurriedly called out upon seeing him.

"Xue Beng, what kind of state are you in?" Teacher Sun frowned as he approached the group. "And this young lady is...?"

"Sun Buyu pays respects to the Crown Prince!" Seeing the token in Shi Yueyi's hand, Teacher Sun promptly bowed.

Xue Qinghe had an excellent reputation in the Heaven Dou Empire. A large part of that was because he was not overly formal, and because he especially valued soul masters. He had specifically declared that soul masters who reached Soul King rank did not need to kneel before him.

Teacher Sun was a Soul King.

"Hello, Teacher Sun." Shi Yueyi let him finish his salute before putting away the token.

"You're the child the Crown Prince mentioned before?" Teacher Sun looked curiously at Shi Yueyi. "I trust the Crown Prince's character. Tell me, what happened just now?"

Shi Yueyi nodded and explained what had just occurred.

After hearing her out, Teacher Sun frowned at Xue Beng. "Student Shi Yueyi, after you return, please relay this matter to the Crown Prince."

Shi Yueyi nodded. "Teacher Sun, I understand. I won't cause trouble for the academy."

Teacher Sun smiled bitterly to himself. This was not a matter of causing trouble for the academy. Although Xue Ye nominally served as the dean of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Prince Xue Xing was the one who truly controlled it.

This was also Xue Ye's way of slightly keeping Xue Qinghe in check. Though he knew the throne would be passed to this Crown Prince in the future unless something unexpected happened, at least for now, he was still alive.

"Xue Beng, you and your friends go to the infirmary yourselves." Teacher Sun waved a hand. "The students of Heaven Dou Royal Academy are all of noble birth, yet your actions showed none of a noble's bearing. Think it over carefully."

"Yes..." Xue Beng replied timidly, then left with his lackeys, full of resentment.

Under Teacher Sun's guidance, Shi Yueyi arrived at one of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's classes. This was the "Genius Class" Qian Renxue had mentioned before.

Little Shiyue's cultivation was at level twenty-seven. By rights, she should have been assigned to a "Heavenly Grade" class, but the Crown Prince had insisted on placing her in a "Heaven Dou Grade" class for students above level thirty.

This Genius Class was the very class of the team that had gone out to compete previously.

They had returned to Heaven Dou City yesterday, so Qian Renxue had Little Shiyue come enroll today.

Another reason was that Heaven Dou Royal Academy had a lightning-element mimicry cultivation ground, which was also one of Qian Renxue's considerations in having her enroll.

Shi Yueyi thought it over and agreed.

She also felt this arrangement was quite good.

During the day, she could cultivate in the mimicry cultivation ground.

After returning at night, she could also cultivate directly in the moonlight at the Eastern Palace, while keeping Qian Renxue company as she handled government affairs late into the night.

The Heaven Dou Academy arc would not be too long; it was mainly meant to resolve a few necessary matters.