Rich Second-Gen Day Thirty-One

Xue Ling knew better than anyone how much longer they could hold out. As his Soul Power ran increasingly dry, he understood that they could not drag this out any longer.

"Use the backup plan." His icy voice fit the Ice Snow Domain perfectly.

The backup plan was, in truth, their final move—the worst-case scenario. All his teammates' Soul Power would be gathered into him, and he would unleash the final attack.

That was right. He, a Support Spirit Master, would deliver the final blow.

The Ice Fox and Xue Yan Spirit Masters, who had pushed deep into enemy territory and become entangled with the opposing defense-type Spirit Masters, also withdrew. The Ice Bull and Ice Turtle Spirit Masters hid deep within the domain. Heaven Dou Team One could no longer find any opponents.

Xue Ling felt abundant Soul Power once more. That Soul Power also fed back into the Ice Sky Snow Land Domain. The falling snow grew fiercer, and Heaven Dou Team One could not find a single target, leaving them no choice but to retreat.

Xue Qinghe's healing aura enveloped his teammates. Looking at the swirling snow before him, an inexplicable irritation rose in his heart, as though something had slipped out of his control.

He could not help but calculate. Xue Ling was his cousin, and they both possessed the Swan Spirit. Their spirit rings and spirit skills were not too different. The only difference was Xue Ling's innate Talent Domain. But that domain consumed a tremendous amount of Soul Power, especially after the Ice Bear Spirit Master had been eliminated. He could not possibly sustain it for long. By now, he was likely already at the end of his rope.

But why was the domain's control growing stronger and stronger? Was this a final desperate outburst?

Xue Qinghe's expression darkened further. "Everyone, stay alert." The others answered in acknowledgment.

At this point, all the Soul Power of Team Two's other Spirit Masters had already been poured into Xue Ling. He remained calm, glanced at his teammates, then looked toward the Ice Bear below the arena. An unreadable gleam appeared in his eyes.

"You all go down. Let Skybreaker Douluo send you out." His voice seemed to be suppressing something.

His teammates looked at him worriedly, then obediently crushed the armbands on their sleeves and left the arena. Only the Ice Fox Spirit Master did not move. "Captain, you..."

"Go down, Ah Huan." Xue Ling spoke before she could finish.

The Ice Fox Spirit Master looked deeply at him before leaving the arena.

Now, Xue Ling was the only one left on Heaven Dou Team Two. Yet the blizzard on the arena did not weaken in the slightest. Instead, it grew even more violent.

"Xue Qinghe, do you know why the Xue Clan has been able to stand firm in the Heaven Dou Empire with the Swan Spirit?" A strange smile appeared on Xue Ling's face.

The unease in Xue Qinghe's heart deepened, but his voice remained as gentle and considerate as ever. "Ah Ling, we are brothers. This is only a qualifier. Why take it so seriously?"

"Don't worry. In my domain, no one else can hear us even if we speak," Xue Ling said, his voice carrying a trace of mockery. "Let me tell you. During the founding war of the Heaven Dou Empire, an ancestor of the Xue Clan once used a secret art. Its name was Soul Split, and it is an innate ability of the Swan Spirit."

As Xue Ling's words fell, the blizzard on the arena abruptly stopped. The domain dissipated, and nothing on the arena remained concealed.

The audience erupted in uproar. The Emperor gripped the armrest of his chair, while Prince Xue Xing rose directly to his feet and shouted, "Your Excellency Skybreaker, stop him!"

It was too late to stop him.

The Swan Spirit behind Xue Ling had already transformed into specks of starlight and merged into his body. A larger swan phantom appeared behind him. Unlike the Swan Spirit from before, this swan was sturdier, more regal, and its wings were more powerful.

The swan phantom raised its long neck like a true king, beat its wings, and took flight. Calm, elegant, and resolute, it crashed toward its opponent. It did not seem to be attacking at all, but rather embarking upon a pilgrimage.

Skybreaker Douluo activated the arena's protective mechanism in time. The barrier stood in front of the swan phantom and absorbed most of the attack, letting out a teeth-grating cracking sound. The residual force that broke through the barrier then slammed viciously toward Heaven Dou Team One.

The Emperor, Salas, the members of the Heaven Dou Royal Family, Ning Fengzhi—every single one of them rose to their feet. When the shockwaves faded, only Xue Qinghe and Xue Ling remained standing on the arena.

The members of Heaven Dou Team Two who had left the arena also sensed that something was wrong. Their captain did not look like someone who could recover after resting for a few days. With such terrifying power, he must have gambled with his own life!

The Ice Fox Spirit Master, Ah Huan, could no longer hold back her tears. She cried as she shouted, "You lied to me! Liar! Liar! No, come back!"

After using Soul Split, Xue Ling actually looked to be in better condition than Xue Qinghe. At some point, he had grasped a Jade Swan pendant in his hand. Looking at the disheveled Xue Qinghe, he asked in a voice audible from the VIP stands, "Brother Ah Qing, you once gave this secret art a name. You called it Swan's Elegy."

Xue Ling forced himself to savor the sudden change in Xue Qinghe's expression. Then he released the strength keeping himself upright and fell backward. Noisy voices filled his surroundings, along with Ah Huan's cries calling him a liar. He wanted to turn his head and look at her, but he could no longer do so. A tear melted from his ice-and-snow-like eyes. By his ears, he seemed to hear once more the song Brother Ah Qing had sung to him as a child—the little tune every child who awakened a Swan Spirit knew.

The meaning of my existence

Is to seek out thorns

For this, I will cross mountains and ridges

Forever searching along the road

When I find the most beautiful thorn

I will offer myself without hesitation

My □□ will nourish the earth

And my soul

Will remain forever by your side

My most beloved thorn

Xue Ling had fallen, but the royal clan had not. This was simply the royal family's greatest disgrace!

Xue Ling had been a good child whom the royal family had watched grow up. Though he had become less soft and adorable as he grew older, and had recently insisted on earning a place in the Elite Competition, forcing them to arrange this qualifying match, compared to Xue Qinghe, who had lived deep within the palace and was not close to the royal relatives, they naturally favored Xue Ling more.

Moreover, could His Highness the Crown Prince really force a royal relative to use Soul Split? It was not as though they could not see what had happened on the arena. Did Xue Ling not know the consequences of Soul Split? If Xue Qinghe had not forced him, would he have foolishly taken this step himself?

The Emperor's face was grim. At this point, even if he wanted to suppress the matter, he could not. This match had been public. The audience would carry this scandal out of the Spirit Fighting Arena and to every corner of the continent!

Some of the more hardline members of the royal family flicked their sleeves and left the venue outright. Prince Xue Xing was no exception. He looked toward Ning Fengzhi, wanting to lash out, but upon recalling that his son's fate was still unknown, he restrained himself and dragged Ning Fengzhi straight toward Xue Ling, who lay on the arena.

Skybreaker Douluo moved even faster than Xue Xing. She swiftly announced Heaven Dou Team One's victory, then opened the barrier. Politely ushering Xue Qinghe down to rest, she immediately went to check on Xue Xing's condition. However, she was not a Support Spirit Master, and she did not dare rashly inject Soul Power to treat injuries caused by a secret art. She could only gently lift Xue Ling with her Soul Power first, preparing to take him to the rest area for treatment.

Bone Douluo had accompanied Ning Fengzhi today. The moment Xue Xing grabbed Ning Fengzhi, he had been about to act, but Ning Fengzhi stopped him with a shake of his head. He had immediately determined that Xue Qinghe was fine, but this matter was far too strange. He needed to first confirm Xue Ling's condition, or they would only become more passive.

Skybreaker Douluo, carrying Xue Ling, met Xue Xing, who was dragging Ning Fengzhi, beneath the arena. Seeing that no one was nearby, Ning Fengzhi quietly said to Xue Xing, "Your Highness, please come with me."

Skybreaker Douluo looked at Xue Xing. Seeing him agree, she followed Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo.

Time returned to before Xue Ling used Soul Split.

Although Ming Zhen in the private room had never seen a Swan Spirit Master use Soul Split, all methods stem from the same origin. Judging by the commotion, he had already anticipated what was about to happen. Once Xue Ling began spouting those ambiguous words, he became even more certain that Xue Ling might know something.

"Dean Flander, Master, Sect Master Ning and the others will probably bring Xue Ling here. What do you think?"

Flander understood Ming Zhen's unspoken meaning. He had no desire to get involved in this imperial secret, so he immediately decided to take the children away.

After a brief pause, Ming Zhen said, "If any of the children want to stay and watch, they may. Sui Sui, Nian Nian, wait here."

To Flander's surprise, everyone stayed.

Ming Sui stayed to help. Tang San stayed because Ming Sui was staying. Ning Rongrong did not leave because Ning Fengzhi was coming. Xiao Wu stayed because Nian Nian was not leaving. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing needed firsthand information. As for Oscar and Ma Hongjun, their reasoning was even simpler: no one else was leaving, so neither were they.

Fine, fine. In the end, only Flander and Master left. The two exchanged wry smiles and departed before the trouble arrived.

Not long afterward, Ning Fengzhi pushed open the door. Behind him came Bone Douluo, Xue Xing, and Skybreaker Douluo carrying Xue Ling.

Other than Xue Xing and Xue Ling, none of them were strangers. There was no need to mention Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo. Skybreaker Douluo was Tang Yunhua's close friend, but it was inconvenient for him to visit, so he had not met Ming Sui often.

The moment Xue Xing saw Ming Zhen, it was as though he had seized his last lifeline. "Saint Light Your Excellency, please save my son." By the end, his voice was choked with sobs.

Prince Xue Xing had never had a good reputation. Rumor had it that he never did anything proper all day. Yet seeing this man weeping his heart out for his son, Ming Sui could not help feeling a little sorrowful as well.

For many present, this was their first time seeing Ming Zhen release his Spirit Rings. The Holy Light Scepter, accompanied by nine Spirit Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—was especially awe-inspiring. The Second Spirit Ring lit up, and pale golden light seeped into Xue Ling's body. This was Ming Zhen's Second Spirit Skill, Detection. Once Soul Power permeated the body, it projected the body's internal condition into Ming Zhen's Sea of Consciousness, allowing him to assess injuries and aid in treatment.

Seeing that Ming Zhen was still assessing the injury, everyone fell silent without prior agreement. At times, Xue Xing looked at Xue Ling with tears streaming down his aged face; at other times, he stared at Ming Zhen with hope in his eyes.

As the golden light faded, Ming Zhen unconsciously turned the scepter once. After thinking for a while, he said, "Your Highness Xue Xing, I would first like to know about this Soul Split of your Swan Spirit."

Xue Xing hurriedly replied, "Soul Split is a secret technique of the Swan Spirit. Put simply, it absorbs a massive amount of Soul Power in a short time, then mobilizes that Soul Power to shatter the Spirit, merging the Spirit's power into it as well. It summons an ancestor to attack the opponent. Soul Split only has the power for one strike, and those who split their Spirit have a nine-in-ten chance of dying."

Ming Zhen nodded. "He knew all this, correct?"

"This is the first lesson for every child who awakens a Swan Spirit."

Ming Zhen grew curious. What kind of deep-seated hatred could make Xue Ling willing to die just to drag Xue Qinghe through the mud?

"One piece of good news and one piece of bad news." Ming Zhen looked at Xue Xing. "Which would you like to hear first?"