Feeling Meng Shenji's sharp gaze fixed on him, Xue Tianxing quickly calculated in his heart, though his face showed an innocent, harmless expression as he bowed to the old man.
"Hello, Grandpa Education Committee Member. We didn't mean to trespass. We came to find our sister, but the academy was too big. We looked for ages and couldn't find her, so we accidentally wandered around inside."
Xue Tianxing deliberately softened his tone and quietly tugged at Oscar's sleeve beside him, signaling him to cooperate.
After all, they were still young. Pretending to be "little brothers who had gotten lost while looking for their sister" would at least reduce some suspicion.
Meng Shenji's brows furrowed even deeper. Clearly, he was not so easily convinced.
He had lived most of his life. What sort of lies had he not heard before?
Though the eyes of these two children appeared innocent, the Soul Power fluctuations around them were far steadier than those of ordinary Soul Masters their age. They definitely did not seem like children from ordinary families.
Meng Shenji asked in a low voice:
"Oh? You came to find your sister? Then tell me, what is your sister's name? Which class is she in?"
The moment those words came out, Xue Tianxing's heart skipped a beat.
He had originally planned to make up some common name to fool him, then slip away when Meng Shenji went to verify it.
But before he could speak, Oscar behind him beat him to it and blurted out:
"We came to find our sister, Dugu Yan!"
Xue Tianxing nearly lost his footing.
He wailed inwardly:
Oscar, this kid is way too innocent!
Dugu Yan was the granddaughter of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo. Her identity was special; how could an Education Committee Member of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy of Soul Masters not know her background?
Would someone as influential as Meng Shenji in the Heaven Dou Empire not know whether she had younger brothers?
Wasn't this walking straight into a trap?
Sure enough, when Meng Shenji heard the name "Dugu Yan," his gaze instantly became even sharper, and his tone gained several degrees of scrutiny.
"Dugu Yan? Poison Douluo's granddaughter? I've been in the Heaven Dou Empire for so many years, yet I've never heard that Poison Douluo had two grandsons. Besides, Poison Douluo's granddaughter has never joined our Heaven Dou Royal Academy of Soul Masters."
"What?"
Xue Tianxing was completely dumbfounded.
Xue Tianxing had not expected that Dugu Yan had yet to join the Heaven Dou Royal Academy of Soul Masters. He had assumed she had enrolled long ago.
Xue Tianxing froze on the spot, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
But things had come to this, so he could only keep making things up.
Xue Tianxing steadied himself, put on a suddenly enlightened look, and scratched his head.
"Huh? She isn't here? Maybe we remembered wrong. We're Dugu Yan's distant younger brothers. We heard from our family that she was in Heaven Dou City, so we thought she studied here. We didn't expect to get it wrong. Since she isn't here, we'll go look for her at her home instead. We won't disturb you any longer, Grandpa Education Committee Member."
With that, he grabbed Oscar and turned to leave.
"You think you can leave?"
Meng Shenji snorted coldly. How could he let them go so easily?
He had seen at a glance that these two children were lying. Perhaps they truly had some unspeakable purpose.
If he let them leave and they brought trouble to the academy, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Soul Power suddenly surged around Meng Shenji. Clearly, he intended to stop them himself.
Xue Tianxing and Oscar's expressions changed when they felt the Soul Power pressure Meng Shenji released.
Xue Tianxing knew they could never defeat him head-on. They could only find a way to escape first.
He swiftly gave Oscar a look, and the two of them circulated their Soul Power at the same time—ice phoenix wings spread from Xue Tianxing's back, while Oscar summoned his own Martial Soul, ready to use a soul skill and flee at any moment.
"Grandpa Education Committee Member, we really just came to the wrong place. There's no need to fight, is there?"
Xue Tianxing warily watched Meng Shenji while trying to stall for time.
"If you don't believe us, you can investigate our identities. We absolutely aren't bad people!"
But Meng Shenji remained unmoved and advanced toward them step by step.
"Whether you're bad people or not, come with me. We'll know once we investigate."
Seeing that the two sides were about to fight, the atmosphere instantly grew tense.
Xue Tianxing stared at the crowd approaching behind Meng Shenji, and his eyes suddenly lit up—whether that girl was Dugu Yan or not, he had to get through this first! He immediately raised his voice and called toward them.
"Big Sister Dugu Yan! We finally found you! We've been looking for you so hard!"
Hearing this, Meng Shenji instinctively turned around to see whether Dugu Yan had truly arrived.
Seizing that fleeting opportunity, Xue Tianxing grabbed the still-dazed Oscar and ran toward the academy gates—Soul Power surged beneath his feet, dragging Oscar along so forcefully that he staggered. Their figures flashed past the flower beds and charged for the entrance.
"You little brat, you still dare to trick me!"
Meng Shenji came to his senses, so angry that his beard trembled and his eyes widened.
Soul Power condensed beneath his feet, and he shot after them like an arrow. How could two little children compare with the speed of a Soul Douluo?
In mere seconds, the distance rapidly closed.
Xue Tianxing dragged Oscar forward desperately. Wind whistled past their ears, and the academy gates drew closer and closer, but the pressure behind them also grew stronger.
He could even feel Meng Shenji's Soul Power locking onto him. If he slowed for even one more step, he would be caught.
"Faster! Hurry!"
Xue Tianxing gritted his teeth and accelerated again.
But just as they were only a few steps from the gates, a powerful hand suddenly seized Xue Tianxing by the back of his collar, followed by another hand lifting Oscar up.
The two struggled and turned back, only to see Meng Shenji glaring at them in anger, his breathing somewhat heavy—clearly, these two little brats had infuriated him.
"Run, then! Why did you stop?"
Meng Shenji snorted coldly, tightening his grip further.
Xue Tianxing and Oscar struggled with all their might, but before the power of a Soul Douluo, their resistance was as futile as ants trying to shake a tree.
In his desperation, Xue Tianxing had another idea and began defending himself again.
"Sir, we really are Dugu Yan's younger brothers! We came from Barak City just to find her. We truly have no other intentions! If you don't believe us, once we find Big Sister Dugu Yan, you'll know as soon as you ask her!"
"Hmph, still lying!"
Meng Shenji did not believe them at all and continued speaking to the two of them.
"There is no one named Dugu Yan in this academy! Once I send someone to Dugu Manor to ask and find out the truth, let's see how you keep making excuses!"
Just then, a clear female voice suddenly rang out:
"Who said they're my younger brothers? I don't have such little brothers."
Xue Tianxing, Oscar, and Meng Shenji all turned to look—three people stood not far away.
At the center was a green-haired old man in a dark green robe. A faint poisonous aura lingered around him, and his presence was so powerful it made people struggle to breathe;
Beside him stood a plump old man, none other than Bai Baoshan, another Education Committee Member of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy of Soul Masters;
And the girl who had spoken stood beside the green-haired old man—dressed in a light green gown, with a pretty face and a hint of mischief in her eyes, she was the Dugu Yan Xue Tianxing had been searching for!
Before you continue