A Perfect Punching Bag?

Jiang Shengyu naturally understood Xu Tianran's intentions.

Compared to most Nobles of the Sun Moon Empire, who were now immersed in pleasure and lacked the lofty ambition to unite the world, Xu Tianran could be called an exception.

His past experiences had gradually made his thoughts deep and twisted. He desperately yearned to establish a great achievement surpassing every previous emperor of the Sun Moon Empire. Unifying the Douluo Continent was undoubtedly the opportunity to leave his name in history!

However, the emperor included, the other Nobles and most court ministers had little interest in the matter. Thus, Xu Tianran had always been seeking like-minded allies. He had found some, but not many.

Jiang Shengyu was clearly the next target in his sights. As Kong Deming's disciple and the master of Soul Hall, Xu Tianran could naturally see what Soul Hall's future would be like!

Jiang Shengyu was still so young, and his future would be even more brilliant! Most importantly, Jiang Shengyu was not an Evil Soul Master.

At the thought of Evil Soul Masters, Xu Tianran's expression darkened.

"Looks like I'll have to find another way." Xu Tianran murmured softly, turning his wheelchair around and leaving.

As Kong Deming led Jiang Shengyu out of the Imperial Palace, he said, "Shengyu, the royal family's affairs run deep. Try not to get involved."

"I understand, Master." Jiang Shengyu nodded. Unless necessary, he did not want to involve himself in the Sun Moon Empire's royal affairs either. Compared to the other three nations, the Sun Moon Empire's royal family was far too dangerous.

Setting aside all the struggles for power and profit, Ye Xishui alone—the Limit Douluo Evil Soul Master secretly pulling the strings—was not someone he could afford to provoke yet. She would not make a bet with him. If he truly angered her, she would simply swat him aside.

But while Jiang Shengyu did not want to go looking for trouble, someone came looking for him.

One day, just as he stepped out of Soul Hall headquarters, he ran into two people dressed as ordinary citizens. After blocking his path, they bowed and said, "Young Master Jiang, our master wishes to see you."

"Who is your master?" Jiang Shengyu asked as he looked at them.

One of them shook his head. "Our master's identity is special, so it would be inconvenient to say more here. Please come with us, Young Master Jiang. Rest assured, we mean you no harm."

Harm him? He had seven Rank Nine Soul Tools on him. Without several Titled Douluo making a move, who could possibly harm him?

Hearing that, Jiang Shengyu smiled and shook his head. Pointing to the side, he said, "Sorry, someone's here to see me. I don't have time."

The two followed the direction Jiang Shengyu pointed and saw the siblings Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen approaching from afar. Meng Hongchen raised a hand and called out in greeting from a distance, "Shengyu!"

When they saw the two approaching, the expressions of the men blocking Jiang Shengyu's path changed slightly.

"Who are they?" Xiao Hongchen asked after walking over. He gave the two men a puzzled glance before looking at Jiang Shengyu.

Jiang Shengyu smiled, walked over, slung an arm around Xiao Hongchen's shoulders, and started walking forward. "No one important."

Xiao Hongchen looked strange, but he did not think much of it. Meng Hongchen stared at the two men with a frown, seemingly deep in thought, before turning to follow Xiao Hongchen and Jiang Shengyu.

"What do we do?" one of the two remaining men asked.

"They're descendants of Hongchen Douluo. The Crown Prince ordered that no one else can know about this matter. We can only go back for now," the other said after pondering for a moment.

The two watched the three figures recede into the distance, sighed helplessly, and left.

Following behind Jiang Shengyu and Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen asked, "Shengyu, who exactly were those two? They couldn't have been unimportant people, right?"

"Who else could they be? They work for Crown Prince Xu Tianran." Jiang Shengyu sighed and told them.

Xiao Hongchen asked, "The Crown Prince sent them to recruit you?"

Jiang Shengyu brushed back his hair and said, "For a genius like me, isn't it perfectly normal for the Crown Prince to recruit me?"

"Jiang Shengyu, just keep showing off. Haven't you heard the saying, 'If you can't have it, destroy it'? You dared to embarrass the Crown Prince. One day, you'll walk outside, fall into a ditch, stub your little toe, and die because it can't be treated." Xiao Hongchen sneered.

Jiang Shengyu fell silent for a moment after hearing him. Then he said, "That curse is really..."

"Really good?"

"Really childish."

After taking a jab at him, Jiang Shengyu turned to Meng Hongchen. "Sister Meng, it must be tough having him as your brother."

Meng Hongchen held back her laughter as she watched Xiao Hongchen's face gradually darken. She patted his shoulder and said, "Brother, calm down."

"Heh..." Xiao Hongchen sneered.

Just as Jiang Shengyu had been approached by Crown Prince Xu Tianran, Jiang Qingtong had also been approached by Ma Xiaotao. Ever since Ma Xiaotao woke up after being knocked unconscious by the backlash of the Rank Nine Soul Tool Seven Leaf Mirror Lotus several months ago, there had hardly been a day when she did not come looking for Jiang Qingtong.

At first, she had been curious about how Jiang Qingtong, a Two Rings Soul Grandmaster, had managed to knock her unconscious. When she learned that Jiang Qingtong possessed a Rank Nine Soul Tool, and that her first and second Soul Rings were both thousand-year rings far beyond theoretical limits, she developed the urge to fight her.

Under the banner of a sparring match between fellow senior and junior disciples.

No matter how talented Jiang Qingtong was, there was no way she could fight someone with two rings against someone with six. Though she was not worried about Ma Xiaotao hurting her with a Rank Nine Soul Tool protecting her, it was incredibly annoying!

So much so that when Jiang Qingtong later saw Ma Xiaotao waiting outside the dormitory again, she immediately grabbed Jiang Nannan's clothes and said, "Senior Sister! Let's get out of here!"

"Uh... Qingtong, she's still your senior sister. Is she really that scary?" Jiang Nannan rarely went out with Jiang Qingtong. They were not in the same year, and their class schedules were different.

Therefore, she did not know much about what had happened between Ma Xiaotao and Jiang Qingtong.

Jiang Qingtong sighed helplessly upon hearing that and said to Jiang Nannan, "Senior Sister, you don't understand. She's really annoying. I..."

As she spoke, Ma Xiaotao noticed them and ran over. Before Jiang Qingtong could turn and flee, Ma Xiaotao had already arrived before her and Jiang Nannan. "Run? You still want to run?"

"Greetings, Senior Sister." Jiang Nannan bowed to Ma Xiaotao.

Ma Xiaotao gave a hum, looked at Jiang Qingtong, and asked, "You dislike me that much?"

"Senior Sister Xiaotao, if you want to fight, there are so many senior brothers and sisters in the Inner Court you can find! Why do you have to come after me?" Jiang Qingtong looked at Ma Xiaotao helplessly.

"You have a Rank Nine Soul Tool protecting you, so I can go all out." Ma Xiaotao's reason was simple.

When Inner Court students fought Ma Xiaotao, she never went all out. If the Evil Fire Phoenix erupted at full power, even Inner Court students would struggle to escape unscathed.

Therefore, to Ma Xiaotao, Jiang Qingtong—with a Rank Nine Soul Tool protecting her—was undoubtedly the perfect punching bag.

Happy New Year!

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