Xiao Yun's Scheme

The Study Room fell into a brief silence.

With her back to Xiao Yun, Xue Qinghe's gaze rested on a blooming begonia Outside the Window. As Qian Renxue, who had been undercover for many years, she instantly understood the fourth possibility Xiao Yun had left unspoken—killing with a borrowed knife.

Didn't Boss Xiao usually stay out of such matters? The Crown Prince suddenly changed the subject. Why had he personally come to report this matter to me today?

A resentful expression immediately appeared on Xiao Yun's face. Pointing at the wound on his face with one hand, he said, "Yesterday afternoon, I kindly received a group from Shrek Academy. I merely looked at a few of the little girls in their group a few more times. After they had walked some distance away, just as I was about to close up, Dai Mubai returned with two male students from Shrek Academy. I had just been about to greet them when the three of them started beating me up. In the end, they even cut my face with a small knife."

Xue Qinghe immediately understood why this normally mild-mannered, easygoing nice guy was targeting Shrek Academy. This was retaliation after suffering an undeserved disaster.

But she also understood Xiao Yun's feelings. After all, she cared about her appearance too. If someone had slashed her face for no reason, anyone with even a trace of spirit would surely find a way to retaliate.

Xue Qinghe suddenly thought of something and asked curiously, "Were those little girls from Shrek Academy very pretty? Pretty enough that even our Boss Xiao took several extra looks?"

Naturally aware of Xue Qinghe's identity, Xiao Yun immediately realized that this was likely Qian Renxue's slight competitive streak as a great beauty.

After considering it for a moment, he answered, "I can't really describe the feeling. I only felt that all three girls were extraordinary. From their conversation, I heard several names: Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing."

He then turned his gaze toward Xue Qinghe.

Upon hearing those three names, Xue Qinghe's clever little mind immediately connected the dots. She muttered, "Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing."

She naturally knew Ning Rongrong. She was the beloved daughter of Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, who was also one of her teachers. As for Zhu Zhuqing, she immediately thought of the Zhu Family, the foremost family of the Star Luo Empire, whose Martial Soul was the Hell Spirit Cat. She had never heard of the remaining Xiao Wu.

But the simultaneous appearance of Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing was enough to put Xue Qinghe on guard. She did not believe that Ning Fengzhi, as the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, had not investigated Shrek's members. Did their appearance together mean that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might possibly side with the Star Luo Empire? This was a major matter.

Seeing Xue Qinghe lost in thought, Xiao Yun immediately took his leave. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, I have delivered the information. How you handle the rest is up to you. If you intend to act, it would be best to invite Senior Poison Douluo to observe. You may gain an unexpected harvest."

Xue Qinghe suddenly turned around, a trace of surprise flashing through her eyes.

"I will carefully consider what Boss Xiao said today." Xue Qinghe took a Token from her sleeve and placed it on the desk. "At noon three days from now, bring this token to the Royal Academy's viewing platform."

Xiao Yun accepted the Token with both hands. It felt cold to the touch, and he knew that this token meant the plan had already succeeded halfway.

As he withdrew from the Study Room, he vaguely heard Xue Qinghe murmur, "I hope your intelligence is worth this price..."

After leaving the Crown Prince's Mansion, Xiao Yun did not return directly to the tavern. Instead, he circled three times around Vermillion Bird Street, the busiest street in Heaven Dou City. After confirming that no one was following him, he slipped into an inn called Drunken Immortal Inn.

"I want the elegant room on the top floor facing the street." Xiao Yun slapped ten Gold Soul Coins onto the counter. "For three days."

After closing the door, Xiao Yun immediately began considering what might happen next. He did not know how Qian Renxue would handle the intelligence he had just provided, but if the news that Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form were revealed, the group from Shrek Academy would certainly come to no good end. If Tang Hao did not intervene, then with Shrek Academy's strength alone, Xiao Wu would definitely be unable to escape Heaven Dou City.

That would achieve his goal of taking revenge on Tang San, but it would likely also harm Xiao Wu, who bore him no grudge. That went against the values instilled in him by nine years of compulsory education in his Previous Life. Unless he had the ability to rescue Xiao Wu from Heaven Dou City under those circumstances, in which case it would not matter even if Tang Hao did not act. Unfortunately, he did not have enough time—only three short days. So this plan could only be shelved for now. If, three days later, he had the ability to save Xiao Wu, then he would decide what to do.

His pen scratched softly across the paper. The scar on Xiao Yun's face suddenly began to ache faintly. He stopped writing and stroked the scar, Tang San's hypocritical face surfacing before his eyes. He still kept this plan, after all. Only this could push Shrek Academy into the eye of the storm and even create enormous internal rifts. He wondered whether Yu Xiaogang, that hypocrite stuck at the level 29 bottleneck, would develop certain special thoughts about Xiao Wu upon learning this news.

"Tang San, did you know..." Xiao Yun dipped his pen in ink and wrote the final line. "The path to death" was the phrase most fitting for you.

The setting sun Outside the Window dyed the direction of Heaven Dou Royal Academy blood-red.

What Xiao Yun did not know was that, at this moment, in a secret chamber within the Crown Prince's Mansion, Xue Qinghe—no, Qian Renxue—was reporting to Qian Daoliu on the other end of a crystal ball:

"Grandfather, an interesting chess piece has delivered himself to our door..."

Meanwhile, the group from Shrek Academy had finally arrived in Heaven Dou City. After all, they were traveling together in a large group and had been on the road for many days. Naturally, they could not travel as freely and comfortably as Xiao Yun alone.

By the time the Shrek Academy group arrived, it was already past noon. The afternoon was not suitable for paying a visit, so they could only find an inn to stay in and rest properly, replenishing their energy before heading to Heaven Dou Imperial Royal Academy the next day. They had to show their best side to the three education committee members of Heaven Dou Imperial Royal Academy.

As for the three Soul Douluo-level education committee members of Heaven Dou Imperial Royal Academy, they found it very strange. Xue Qinghe, who normally showed little interest in academy affairs, had suddenly sent them a message. She informed them that if they received a meeting request from an intermediate academy called Shrek Academy, they were not to agree immediately. They were to make them wait for three days before receiving them.

Although the three did not know the reason, since Xue Qinghe had spoken, they naturally had to give her some face. Besides, they were not refusing to meet them, merely delaying it for a few days. They could easily find any excuse.

Whether the other party would be unhappy was not something the three education committee members considered at all. It was merely an intermediate Soul Master Academy, and one with no reputation at that. The fact that the three of them were willing to receive them was already giving them plenty of face. If the other party could not even endure that, then they were not qualified to enter Heaven Dou Imperial Royal Academy.

After finishing the dinner sent up by the inn attendant, Xiao Yun shut the door and returned to the bed. Sitting cross-legged, he willed it and entered the Vast Wilderness World once more.

When Xiao Yun entered the Vast Wilderness World for the second time, he appeared in the Summoning Temple once again.