As they stepped through the city gate, Lang Lei and Ice Empress acted as though their identities had been swapped. Ice Empress, like a child full of curiosity, excitedly looked left and right, filled with a sense of wonder and a desire to explore everything around her. Yet in sharp contrast to Ice Empress, Lang Lei—who should have shown equal curiosity—walked exceptionally quietly beside her, seemingly lacking much interest in the city at all.
Snow Empress noticed this reaction from Lang Lei. Looking at the steady child before her, a trace of disappointment couldn't help but well up in her heart. After all, she had personally raised Lang Lei for a full six years, and had naturally expected the child to be full of curiosity and excitement toward a new environment, just like any other peer. Yet Lang Lei's composure made Snow Empress feel as though her devotion during the child's upbringing hadn't received its proper emotional return, and she even began to doubt whether she had truly raised Lang Lei well.
"Lang Lei, don't you want to look around? There are a lot of interesting things here, you know," Snow Empress couldn't help asking, hoping to spark Lang Lei's interest.
Lang Lei raised his head, looked at Snow Empress, smiled faintly, then shook his head and said, "There's no need, is there? There doesn't seem to be anything particularly worth seeing here. I'm much more interested in the Advanced Soul Master Academy we're heading to next."
Hearing Lang Lei's words, the disappointment in Snow Empress's heart grew even stronger. She couldn't help thinking that Lang Lei had displayed an unusual composure and maturity from a young age; while this was certainly a merit, it sometimes also made him seem overly precocious, lacking the innocence and curiosity a child ought to have.
Yet what Snow Empress did not know was that Lang Lei's lack of interest in the city wasn't because he genuinely found it boring, but because his experiences were far richer than those of his peers. Lang Lei possessed the dual identities of Sea Ranger and Nameless, having left his footprints all across the universe. Whether as the Sea Ranger who used violence to counter violence or the Nameless who helped others, Lang Lei had experienced countless adventures and challenges, seeing all sorts of people and things.
It could be said that Lang Lei's horizons and knowledge already far exceeded the scope of ordinary people. In his eyes, this city was perhaps merely one of many places he had previously visited, holding nothing particularly special. By comparison, he was full of anticipation for the Advanced Soul Master Academy he was about to head to, because that might bring him new challenges and opportunities for growth.
"Bing'er, be a bit more steady. Look at Lang Lei."
Ice Empress, who was currently looking at a jewelry stall, incredulously pointed at Lang Lei and then at herself, her face full of disbelief.
"Are you laughing at me?" Not daring to talk back to Snow Empress, Ice Empress redirected her firepower onto Lang Lei, who was currently trying hard to hold back his laughter.
"Huh? No way?" Lang Lei unnaturally averted his gaze from Ice Empress's face.
"Alright, stop messing around. Let's head to Heaven Dou Royal Academy first," Snow Empress blocked Lang Lei and Ice Empress, who looked ready to start a scuffle.
"Right now? Not shopping a bit more?" Before she had even finished speaking, upon seeing Lang Lei's expression, Ice Empress immediately changed her tune: "What are you smiling at, Lang Lei! Weren't I just trying to let you look around more!"
"Fine, fine, let's just assume Sister Bing was thinking of me~" When Lang Lei spoke, he unconsciously carried a hint of Elysia's unique tone, leaving Ice Empress momentarily at a loss for words.
In the end, at Lang Lei's suggestion, the three of them still strolled around inside Heaven Dou City for a bit before heading toward Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Only, along the way, Lang Lei's teasing gaze drove Ice Empress to distraction more than once...
Finally, after Ice Empress was fully satisfied, the three of them went straight toward Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Just when Lang Lei thought they wouldn't encounter any fools, a clown still hopped out.
Lang Lei crossed his arms and looked at the group blocking their path, his face showing helplessness.
Should he display a bit of an edge after all? Otherwise, every Tom, Dick, and Harry would want to come over and step on them.
"So, what is everyone's intention in blocking us?" Seeing that Ice Empress and Snow Empress had no intention of speaking, Lang Lei could only take the initiative to handle this negotiation.
"Go on, go on, children shouldn't interrupt when adults are talking." The leading dissolute youth waved his hand impatiently and cast his gaze toward Snow Empress: "This young lady, I wonder if this imperial prince is fortunate enough to admire your peerless face?"
The surrounding students murmured among themselves, yet none of them stepped forward to provoke Xue Beng.
For no other reason than that Xue Beng had deliberately emphasized the word "imperial prince" when he spoke, using it not only to threaten Lang Lei's group, but also to remind the surrounding crowd.
Snow Empress frowned. Although they didn't want to cause trouble, that didn't mean just anyone could come and test them; the extravagantly dressed fellow in front of them clearly harbored malicious intent, something anyone could tell at a glance.
Just as Snow Empress prepared to make a move to drive the fellow away, Lang Lei beside her took the initiative to grab Snow Empress's hand.
Snow Empress's body stiffened, and the Soul Power she had just gathered instantly dissipated.
"Sister Xue, let me handle it." Lang Lei looked coldly at Xue Beng. Snow Empress and Ice Empress were his family; he naturally wouldn't allow anyone to speak rudely to them.
Snow Empress and Ice Empress exchanged a glance and agreed. Anyway, they would be there to back him up in the end, and they also wanted to see what other trump cards this little fellow who hid a bunch of things all day long might have.
"Yo-ho, you little brat are quite full of yourself. This imperial prince is standing right here, do you dare make a move against me?" Xue Beng's nose was turned up to the sky with utter disdain.
Lang Lei felt a trace of incongruity, but screw it—why overthink things when you can just fight?
A blue bow appeared in Lang Lei's hand, instantly causing Snow Empress, Ice Empress, and an old fellow hidden in the dark to change expression.
Feeling a sensation of being locked onto, Xue Beng panicked a little, but thinking that the opponent was merely a little child, he mustered his courage and continued to bluff: "Kid, I am a member of the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family! This imperial prince is standing right here—let's see if you dare make a move!"
Xue Beng had already made his plan: once this little brat attacked him, he would turn his wrath on these two peerless beauties, and by then...
"I'll allow you to block or dodge, but don't die..." Lang Lei pulled the bowstring, and a spiral vortex-like arrow instantly condensed and shrieked through the air.
The expression of the old man in the dark shifted. In the blink of an eye, he arrived in front of Xue Beng and blocked the arrow flying toward him.
Xue Beng hadn't expected that the little kid in front of him would actually dare to attack him. Looking at the imposing attack stopped just a short distance away from him, he was so frightened his face turned pale.
Just when everyone thought Xue Beng was fine, Lang Lei smiled.
The next moment, the arrow vanished, and Dugu Bo flicked his wrists, his face full of shock.
A six-year-old little brat was actually able to make him feel a sense of crisis?
Yet before Dugu Bo could say anything, a scream came from behind him, sent up by Xue Beng.
Before you continue