The Hunt Hits True

As soon as they stepped through the city gates, Lang Lei and Ice Empress seemed to have swapped roles. Ice Empress was like a curious child, excitedly looking left and right, filled with a desire to explore everything around her. In stark contrast, Lang Lei, who should have been equally curious, stayed unusually quiet at her side, as if he had little interest in the city.

Snow Empress noticed Lang Lei's reaction. Watching this composed child before her, a flicker of disappointment stirred in her heart. After all, she had personally raised Lang Lei for six years, and she had expected him to be like any other child his age—full of curiosity and excitement about a new environment. But Lang Lei's steadiness made Snow Empress feel that her efforts in raising him hadn't yielded the emotional return she'd hoped for. She even began to doubt whether she had truly brought him up at all.

"Lang Lei, don't you want to look around? There are plenty of interesting things here," Snow Empress couldn't help asking, hoping to spark his interest.

Lang Lei looked up at Snow Empress, gave a faint smile, and shook his head. "No need. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly worth seeing here. I'm more interested in the Advanced Soul Master Academy I'll be attending next."

Hearing Lang Lei's words, Snow Empress's disappointment deepened. She couldn't help thinking that Lang Lei had shown unusual steadiness and maturity since he was very young. While that was certainly a strength, it sometimes made him seem overly mature, lacking the innocence and curiosity a child should have.

What Snow Empress didn't know, however, was that Lang Lei's lack of interest in the city wasn't because he truly found it boring, but because his experiences far surpassed those of his peers. With his identities as a Sea Ranger and a Nameless Traveler, he had left footprints across the entire universe. Whether it was the Sea Ranger's principle of meeting violence with violence or the Nameless Traveler's mission of helping others, Lang Lei had been through countless adventures and challenges, meeting all kinds of people and witnessing all sorts of things.

In other words, Lang Lei's horizons and knowledge had long exceeded the ordinary. In his eyes, this city was just one of many places he had visited, with nothing particularly special about it. In contrast, he was full of anticipation for the Advanced Soul Master Academy he was about to attend, because it might bring him new challenges and opportunities for growth.

"Bing'er, calm down. Look at Lang Lei."

Ice Empress, who had been staring at a jewelry stall, pointed incredulously at Lang Lei, then at herself, her face full of disbelief.

"Are you laughing at me?" Ice Empress didn't dare accuse Snow Empress, so she redirected her fire at Lang Lei, who was struggling to hold back his laughter.

"Huh? Not at all," Lang Lei said, awkwardly averting his gaze from Ice Empress's face.

"Alright, stop messing around. Let's head to Heaven Dou Royal Academy first," Snow Empress said, blocking Lang Lei and Ice Empress as they were about to start roughhousing.

"Right now? Not going to look around a bit more?" Ice Empress started to say, but when she saw Lang Lei's expression, she immediately changed her tune. "Lang Lei, what are you laughing at! I was just thinking about letting you explore more!"

"Fine, fine, I'll take it as Sister Bing looking out for me~" Lang Lei's words unconsciously carried a hint of Elysia's unique tone, leaving Ice Empress momentarily speechless.

In the end, on Lang Lei's suggestion, the three of them strolled around Heaven Dou City for a while before heading to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

But along the way, Lang Lei's teasing glances drove Ice Empress to the brink of madness more than once...

Finally, after Ice Empress was satisfied, the three of them made their way directly to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Just as Lang Lei thought they wouldn't run into any fools, a clown still jumped out.

Lang Lei crossed his arms and looked at the group blocking their path, a helpless expression on his face.

Did he need to show a bit of his edge? Otherwise, every Tom, Dick, and Harry would try to step on him.

"So, what's the meaning of stopping us?" Seeing that Ice Empress and Snow Empress had no intention of speaking, Lang Lei had no choice but to take on the role of negotiator.

"Scram, scram. Adults are talking, kids shouldn't interrupt," the leading brat said impatiently, waving his hand, then turning his gaze to Snow Empress. "Miss, does this Imperial Prince have the honor of beholding your beauty?"

The surrounding students murmured among themselves, but none dared to provoke Xue Beng.

No reason other than that Xue Beng had deliberately emphasized the word "Imperial Prince" when he spoke, not only threatening Lang Lei's group but also reminding the onlookers.

Snow Empress frowned. While they didn't want to cause trouble, that didn't mean anyone could just come and mess with them. The extravagantly dressed man before her clearly had ill intentions—anyone could see that.

Just as Snow Empress was about to make a move to drive the man away, Lang Lei took the initiative to grab her hand.

Snow Empress's body stiffened, and the soul power she had just gathered instantly dissipated.

"Sister Xue, let me handle it." Lang Lei stared coldly at Xue Beng. Snow Empress and Ice Empress were his family, and he wouldn't allow anyone to speak rudely to them.

Snow Empress and Ice Empress exchanged a glance and agreed. After all, they had his back in the end, and they wanted to see what other cards this little guy, who was always hiding so much, had up his sleeve.

"Oh ho, a little brat putting on airs. This Imperial Prince is standing right here—do you dare lay a hand on me?" Xue Beng sneered, his nostrils flaring with disdain.

Lang Lei sensed a hint of dissonance, but why bother with that? Just go for it.

A blue bow appeared in Lang Lei's hand, instantly causing Snow Empress, Ice Empress, and an old man hidden in the shadows to change expression.

Xue Beng felt a sense of being locked onto and started to lose his nerve, but thinking that the other party was just a child, he mustered his courage and continued blustering, "Kid, I'm a member of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family. This Imperial Prince is standing right here—let's see if you dare make a move!"

Xue Beng had already planned it out: once the little brat attacked him, he would turn the tables on those two stunning beauties. Then...

"I'll allow you to block or dodge, but don't die on me..." Lang Lei pulled back the bowstring, and a spiraling arrow of condensed air instantly formed, whistling forth.

The old man in the shadows changed expression and in the blink of an eye appeared before Xue Beng, blocking the arrow flying toward him.

Xue Beng hadn't expected the child to actually attack him. Staring at the formidable strike so close to him, his face turned pale with fear.

Just as everyone thought Xue Beng was safe, Lang Lei smiled.

The next moment, the arrow vanished. Dugu Bo shook his hand, his expression one of shock.

A six-year-old brat had actually made him feel a sense of crisis?

But before Dugu Bo could say anything, a scream came from Xue Beng behind him.