I Gave You a Chance, and You Blew It

In terms of scenery alone, Heaven Dou Royal Academy was even more impressive than Spirit Hall Academy. At a glance, its grounds were also larger than Spirit Hall Academy's.

Yet the students produced by such a Soul Master Academy were pitifully weak.

In the Soul Master Competition, apart from Yu Tianheng and the other seven, there was not a single Soul Ancestor.

"Fourth Prince!"

"Greetings, Fourth Prince!"

"..."

Everyone who saw Xue Beng promptly bowed to him.

Xue Beng could feel Ji Wushuang's gaze fixed on him. The prickling sensation at his back made his heart race, and he kept swallowing nervously as he forced himself to remain calm and nodded at those people.

"Strange. Isn't that Xue Beng? Why does he seem so odd?"

Not far away.

Several youths—five boys and two girls—were gathered together. They stood out sharply amid the crowd.

"Odd? What's odd about him? He looks perfectly normal."

"That's exactly why he seems odd. When has he ever been this well-behaved?"

"Huh? Now that you mention it, that's true."

"This guy usually has a whole crowd around him, causing trouble everywhere. Why is he being so quiet today?"

"Isn't there someone following behind him? There are just fewer of them."

Dugu Yan frowned. "Look at the young man behind Xue Beng. Those eyes of his... I've never seen such an aggressive gaze."

Yu Tianheng knitted his brows tightly. "That man probably isn't Xue Beng's guard. A guard couldn't possibly have that kind of bearing."

Yu Feng guessed, "Could Xue Beng have discovered some genius outside and be planning to recruit him into Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"

"Him? He's certainly good at eating, drinking, and having fun, but recruiting geniuses... Heh, forget it." Yu Tianheng sneered disdainfully.

Xue Beng noticed Dugu Yan, and a mature idea immediately surfaced in his mind. He wanted to head over to her.

"Don't move," Ji Wushuang said coldly.

Xue Beng halted, freezing in place. His eyes shifted as he hurriedly explained, "Don't be nervous. See that girl with the dark purple short hair ahead? She's Dugu Bo's only granddaughter. I just wanted to ask her whether Dugu Bo is in Heaven Dou City."

"You know, a figure like a Titled Douluo comes and goes without a trace. Even though my uncle is on good terms with him, he doesn't know his whereabouts."

"As Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan must know."

Ji Wushuang said blandly, "Even if they are grandfather and granddaughter, Dugu Bo can't possibly tell Dugu Yan everywhere he goes, can he?"

"Before we meet Prince Xue Xing, I don't want you getting close to irrelevant people or saying irrelevant things. Otherwise..."

Xue Beng shuddered. He glanced at Dugu Yan in the distance, gritted his teeth, and headed in another direction.

He only hoped that he would quickly run into Heaven Dou Royal Academy's three Soul Douluo-level Education Committee Members so he could get away. He did not want to spend another moment with Ji Wushuang.

"You'd better not try anything."

"I know Heaven Dou Royal Academy has three Soul Douluo-level Education Committee Members."

"If you dare play tricks and take me to see Meng Shenji and the other two instead of Prince Xue Xing, I'll make sure you learn how the word death is written."

Ji Wushuang's eyes were like swords as he spoke coldly.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy's three Education Committee Members—Meng Shenji, Zhi Lin, and Bai Baoshan—had all once been Red Cardinals of Spirit Hall. A few years ago, Xue Ye had recruited them to serve as Education Committee Members at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Xue Beng's pupils trembled. He clenched his back teeth and forced an awkward smile. "Don't worry, don't worry... That largest building up ahead is where my uncle usually works, though I can't guarantee that he's there right now."

Ji Wushuang looked toward the tallest building ahead. Its architectural style was very similar to Spirit Hall's, though it was extravagantly luxurious.

"Not much ability, but quite the airs."

There were visibly fewer students in this area, and the surroundings grew quieter.

As they entered the vast hall, joy gradually appeared in Xue Beng's eyes.

The instant three familiar figures entered his sight, he charged forward without hesitation and shouted:

"Three Education Committee Members, save me!

"Someone's trying to kill me!"

Meng Shenji, Zhi Lin, and Bai Baoshan looked at the sprinting Xue Beng in surprise.

"Whoosh!"

A black streak carrying sharp sword qi tore through the air, shooting straight for Xue Beng's heart.

"Clang!"

Bai Baoshan flashed to Xue Beng's side. Despite his fat body, he was incredibly nimble, and he snatched the black streak from the air.

"Impudent!"

Zhi Lin shouted coldly and flicked out a vine with a raised hand, sending it coiling toward Ji Wushuang.

"Stop!"

Bai Baoshan moved again, blocking the vine Zhi Lin had unleashed. His eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the black token in his hand.

Zhi Lin frowned, sensing something amiss. He cast Ji Wushuang a cold glance before walking over to Bai Baoshan's side.

The moment he saw the black token, his body abruptly stiffened, his face full of disbelief. "The Pope's Token!"

At that, Meng Shenji helped the staggering Xue Beng to his feet and hurried to the other two. When he saw the token in Bai Baoshan's hand—a Pope's Token that only Titled Douluo-level Spirit Hall Elders could possess—his pupils suddenly contracted.

"Who are you? How do you possess the Pope's Token?" Bai Baoshan frowned deeply as he stared intently at Ji Wushuang.

"It's been a long time, you three. The last time we met seems to have been when you broke through to Soul Douluo and came to pay respects to my teacher." Ji Wushuang tore off the human-skin mask on his face, his expression indifferent.

"His Highness... Wushuang..." Bai Baoshan's mouth fell open as his pupils shook.

"The three of you are no longer members of Spirit Hall. I cannot accept that form of address." Ji Wushuang calmly stepped forward and took the Pope's Token from Bai Baoshan's hand.

At those words.

The three men all gave bitter smiles and fell silent.

"I told you."

"If you dared play tricks, I would kill you."

Ji Wushuang walked over to Xue Beng, his voice chilling.

The instant the Peerless Sword Casket appeared, five Spirit Rings of unprecedented brilliance emerged one after another.

"Whoosh!"

Finger-Twisting Softness flew from its sheath with a series of sword cries, its tip aimed directly at Xue Beng.

"Y-You can't kill me! I'm the Fourth Prince of Heaven Dou! I'm the Fourth Prince of Heaven Dou!"

"Three Education Committee Members, save me! Save me!"

Xue Beng screamed repeatedly, his eyes filled with terror of death.

"His Highness Wushuang, please stop!"

"Xue Beng is the Fourth Prince of Heaven Dou. You cannot kill him!"

Zhi Lin said urgently.

"Are you going to stop me?"

Ji Wushuang turned to look at the three, expressionless.

"Your Highness...!" Zhi Lin gritted his teeth.

Meng Shenji said gravely, "His Highness Wushuang, the three of us are now Education Committee Members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. We cannot stand by and watch Xue Beng be killed by you like this!"

"May I ask why His Highness Wushuang has come here? Although we are now Education Committee Members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, if you need anything, please tell us. The three of us will certainly do everything in our power to assist you," Bai Baoshan said solemnly.

"Swish—"

The moment Bai Baoshan finished speaking.

Ji Wushuang controlled Finger-Twisting Softness and drove it through Xue Beng's brow.

Drops of blood ran down the blade.

"His Highness Wushuang, you... you..." Meng Shenji beat his chest in anguish, his face full of regret.

Ji Wushuang sheathed his sword and said blandly, "I warned him several times to do his job properly and not play tricks with me, but he insisted on opposing me. If I didn't kill him, wouldn't it make me seem afraid of his status?"

"But now that you've killed him, what are we supposed to do?" Zhi Lin's face darkened.

Ji Wushuang said, "There are only four of us here. If I don't say anything and you don't say anything, who will know I killed him?"

Bai Baoshan said, "The urgent matter now is dealing with Xue Beng's corpse."

Zhi Lin sighed and temporarily stored Xue Beng's corpse, his eyes still open in death, in a Storage Soul Tool. They would deal with it later.

With a teasing smile, Ji Wushuang asked, "I wish to see Prince Xue Xing. Could the three Education Committee Members perhaps introduce me?"

The corners of their mouths twitched slightly.

He had killed Xue Beng, the Fourth Prince of Heaven Dou, yet remained so calm and composed. And now he wanted to meet Xue Beng's own uncle, an imperial prince...