The Conflict Comes to an End

"I'll explain things to His Majesty personally," Prince Xue Xing answered.

"Then..." The three Education Committee members looked at Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan.

"Why are you looking at me?" Dugu Bo's eyelids twitched. Though he did not fully understand what had happened, he could roughly guess it was another one of those convoluted schemes.

"Yan Yan and I know nothing. I only came to see my granddaughter."

Thus, all parties tacitly brought this matter, which could have been either serious or trivial, to a close.

Ning Rongrong left together with the three Education Committee members.

Prince Xue Xing also let out a long breath.

"Prince Xue Xing, I won't interfere in your affairs from now on. Consider my previous help as repayment for your favor."

"Yan Yan, let's go."

"Mr. Dugu," Prince Xue Xing tried to salvage the situation, but Dugu Bo did not even look back.

After everyone had left, Prince Xue Xing sighed helplessly.

"Xue Beng! Stop provoking Xue Qinghe. You can't outplay him, so focus on staying alive first."

What a loss. An utterly devastating loss.

A Soul Bone over ten thousand years old, plus a favor from a Titled Douluo.

Prince Xue Xing understood Dugu Bo's actions very well. The man simply did not want to get involved with the Royal Family.

Moreover, he did not want to casually choose a side. Whether Xue Beng was truly a wastrel or merely pretending to be one, the Poison Douluo had no intention of getting involved.

"Uncle, will Ning Rongrong really do as you said?"

"Hmph, Xue Beng, do you think someone who could become the Young Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect at such a young age is an easy target?"

Prince Xue Xing said coldly.

"Although I don't know how she did it, she most likely knew there was a Soul Bone inside the Jade Box the moment she got it."

"She was also putting on a show for us, warning us not to spout nonsense."

"Then what do we do next..."

"Lie low for now. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will not pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince. They are merchants; they only cooperate with those who succeed."

"Remember this: as long as you can become the emperor of Heaven Dou in the future, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will definitely cast aside Xue Qinghe and turn to you instead."

"Ning Fengzhi is like that, and that Ning Rongrong just now is the same!"

"I'll go to His Majesty shortly to wrap up some matters. Don't go making trouble for me again."

"Xue Ye has plenty of time left to live. We still have time as well."

After parting ways with the three Education Committee members, Ning Rongrong headed to the sparsely populated back mountain.

Not long afterward, a streak of Black Light descended nearby. It was Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo.

The night before, Ning Rongrong had instructed the guards in the shadows to inform Ning Fengzhi and have him come with Bone Douluo that morning.

Once Ning Fengzhi learned that Ning Rongrong intended to meet the Poison Douluo, neither of them had been able to sleep that night.

Bone Douluo had directly carried Ning Fengzhi over mountains and rivers to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

The two had hidden in a tree all night. Although Ning Rongrong had said in her letter that there would be no problems and no accidents, their opponent was a Titled Douluo!

And a Titled Douluo with an eccentric temperament at that. If anything happened to his daughter, Ning Fengzhi would not even have a place to cry. How could he possibly stay away?

Thus, they had watched from the shadows the entire time, from Xue Beng stirring up trouble to Ning Rongrong settling the matter.

Because Ning Rongrong had stated in her letter that they were not to act unless there was danger.

Ning Rongrong was not surprised in the slightest by the appearance of Bone Douluo and Ning Fengzhi.

She cherished her life very much!

She was coming to meet Prince Xue Xing, and might even run into Dugu Bo. How could she not arrange for bodyguards?

You only had one life. Once it was gone, it was truly gone.

There was most likely no danger.

But what if there was?

Don't give me that nonsense about how one could not break through without experiencing the limits of life and death.

What bullshit!

You weren't the protagonist. Did you dare play like that? The grass on your grave would be several meters tall.

"Dad, Grandpa Bone, look at the spoils of war I brought back for you!"

Ning Rongrong took the Jade Box from her Storage Soul Tool, her face beaming with delight.

"Rongrong, stop doing dangerous things. Just cultivate properly. Don't concern yourself with anything else!"

"No, no, no. This is something extremely important. Even Grandpa Bone will be tempted!"

"Even Bone Elder... Wait." Ning Fengzhi suddenly realized something. "What's inside the Jade Box?"

"Ta-da!"

Ning Rongrong slowly opened the Jade Box.

"A... a Soul Bone!?"

"And a Soul Bone that's at least thirty thousand years old, not merely ten thousand."

Disbelief filled Ning Fengzhi's eyes. Prince Xue Xing had actually managed to obtain a Soul Bone.

"Rongrong, could this Soul Bone be..." Bone Douluo could clearly sense how compatible this Soul Bone was with him.

"That's right, a thirty-thousand-year Dark-element right leg bone. It's very suitable for Grandpa Bone."

"Its skill can increase the corrosive power of Soul Skills, though its age is a little low."

Ning Rongrong placed the Jade Box in Bone Douluo's hands.

It took Ning Fengzhi a long while to calm down.

"Let's go back first. Absorb it after we return."

Gu Rong and Ning Rongrong nodded. Gu Rong transformed his Soul Power into Black Light, wrapping Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong within it as they flew toward Heaven Dou City.

After Ning Rongrong left, Meng Shenji and the other two Education Committee members discussed matters in the office.

"Should we submit a report?" Zhi Lin looked at Meng Shenji and Bai Baoshan, his tone full of helplessness.

"I don't think it's necessary. Didn't Prince Xue Xing say he would see His Majesty himself?" Bai Baoshan said. "We are outsiders in the end. Getting involved would only bring trouble upon ourselves."

"Then we'll pretend we know nothing." Meng Shenji sighed. Though they leaned toward Xue Qinghe, the one they served was still Xue Ye.

This matter involved the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Royal Family. If it was not handled properly, it could become troublesome.

"That's all we can do." Zhi Lin rubbed his hair helplessly. "Fortunately, Ning Rongrong knows when to advance and when to retreat. Otherwise, the Apprenticeship Ceremony might have run into trouble."

"I just wonder what Prince Xue Xing gave as an apology gift."

"Perhaps some precious medicinal herbs? Hasn't the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect been collecting them all these years?"

"According to the Crown Prince, they seem to be for conditioning Ning Rongrong's body."

Meng Shenji picked up the teacup on the table, filled it with tea from the pot, and gently took two sips before setting it down. He looked toward the two vice chairmen and said,

"The Royal Family's affairs have nothing to do with us. There is no need to reach our hands too far."

"We are merely ordinary educators. Our responsibility is to nurture the soul masters of the Heaven Dou Empire into outstanding talents."

"Leave everything else to the Crown Prince!"

"True enough." Bai Baoshan shrugged, the fat around his belly trembling slightly.

"The Crown Prince's position is completely secure. Even if Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing are plotting something, they won't be able to stir up any real trouble."

Xue Beng was nothing but a wastrel, bullying men and women and committing every kind of evil. He did not even have a respectable force under his command.

This guy wanted to overturn Xue Qinghe's position? Who gave him the confidence?

At that moment, the office doors burst open with a bang.

Dugu Bo strode inside, his pupils an eerie green and his body radiating a chilling aura, one hand still holding onto his granddaughter Dugu Yan.

"Tell me, where is Ning Rongrong staying now?"

Happy New Year!!! ^_^

Wishing everyone good health, happiness and peace for the whole family, academic success, smooth work, and abundant wealth in the new year.