Xue Qinghe's Notice, Ning Fengzhi's Regret

Jiang Zhu had already breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet Tailong's sudden move made her heart squeeze again.

She had no time to react.

Before the referee could officially declare it, Tailong roared, forcing his body to drive forward as he charged at Yu Mingfei.

A large number of cracks appeared across his charred skin, and his scorched, boiling blood flowed out.

Yu Mingfei chuckled softly.

He relaxed his tightly hooked right index finger.

The flame arrow turned into a streak of crimson, fiercely slamming into Tailong's chest.

Boom—

The flames scattered, and the shockwave rose once more.

The impact of the fire split Tailong's chest open, and his sturdy body flew backward, soaring over Jiang Zhu's head and far out of the soul fighting platform.

Bang—

The soul masters around the soul fighting platform had long since scattered.

Tailong's body crashed into the ground, kicking up a flurry of dust.

Jiang Zhu stood in a daze, watching Yu Mingfei wave away the remaining flames.

Xiao Mingfei...

She murmured softly.

Without looking back, Yu Mingfei walked straight off the soul fighting platform.

In midair, the referee flew around in excitement, announcing the result of the soul fight.

At the edge of the rest area, the four members of the Imperial Dou Team stood rigidly, watching the end of this crushing soul fight in utter shock.

Osler and Yu Feng had originally wanted to leave the Great Soul Arena, but just as they reached the edge of the rest area, a few people stopped them, forcing them to return to their teammates' side.

Yu Tianheng still stood frozen in place.

His four teammates no longer had the leisure to pay attention to him.

The people who had blocked Osler and Yu Feng were standing right beside them.

At the lead was a youth, lavishly dressed and bearing an expression that should have originally been arrogant.

Right, originally.

"Your Highness Xue Beng?" a nearby attendant called out softly.

Xue Beng shuddered all over.

His half-arrogant face froze completely, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"The fuck, this is level thirty?" he lowered his voice, looking at the four Imperial Dou Team members beside him.

Yet the only response he received was four pairs of blank eyes.

Xue Beng stared at the figure with dragon horns walking down from the soul fighting platform.

The more he looked, the more familiar the figure felt.

Until Yu Mingfei noticed his gaze and glanced over in this direction.

The seemingly burning golden eyes brought back Xue Beng's memories.

The dragon horns were unfamiliar, the golden eyes were unfamiliar, and that ridiculously powerful flame soul skill was unfamiliar as well.

Yet he had an impression of that face.

A few days ago, he had gone to visit the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

He had seen a soul master taming a century-old Phoenix-tailed Cockscomb Snake in the woods.

Xue Beng had instantly grown interested.

Among the empire's nobility, quite a few people captured weak soul beasts to keep as pets.

Those plans, however, were always for soul beast cubs under ten years old, or docile soul beasts without any combat capability.

They fell far short of the prestige brought by a century-old Phoenix-tailed Cockscomb Snake.

Not to mention that the Phoenix-tailed Cockscomb Snake beat those soul beast pets by eight streets in terms of rarity.

Thus, after finding out the information of the snake owner, Xue Beng had immediately bought the Phoenix-tailed Cockscomb Snake by force and brought it back to his mansion to show off.

As for the owner of the snake, it was precisely Yu Mingfei, who was stepping down from the soul fighting platform at this very moment.

"Fuck it, are the people of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect blind? With a ruthless character like this, they don't know to notify me?

"He's even connected to Dugu Yan that snake woman, and that little girl Ye Lingling is close with Dugu Yan too?

"I'm a prince, not an idiot!

"Eldest brother is already dangerous enough, and a soul master with terrifying strength at such a young age is even more dangerous!

"Anyone who gets hot-headed dares to fight.

"No, I have to return the snake."

Xue Beng cursed inwardly, instantly lowering his head to avoid Yu Mingfei's gaze.

"Your Highness Xue Beng, what's wrong with you?" A subordinate stepped forward with concern, only to be kicked away by Xue Beng.

"Get away from me! I've never been here! I don't want to join the Imperial Dou Team, and I especially don't want to find Ye Lingling!"

Xue Beng grabbed two other attendants beside him, completely shielding his body.

Under the cover of his attendants, he lowered his head and left the soul fighting zone.

Osler and Yu Feng watched Xue Beng leave in a flustered flurry.

Their expressions were numb, and they didn't want to say a single word.

The Imperial Dou Team had gathered today originally to celebrate Dugu Yan's return to the team.

Never had they expected to encounter situation after situation.

The captain had changed, and the team was practically falling apart.

From the looks of it now, Prince Xue Beng, the new teammate the captain wanted to pull in, wasn't planning on coming either.

What kind of future did a team like this still have?

There was no need to think about participating in the Soul Master Elite Tournament anymore.

They might as well just disband early on.

Within the Great Soul Arena, there were VIP rooms located above the spectator seating.

They were reserved for royalty, nobility, and powerful soul masters.

Compared to the spectator seats and viewing areas, the view was much better here.

In the number one VIP room, three people sat on the sofa, and none of them spoke.

Xue Qinghe gazed intently at Yu Mingfei, who had just stepped off the arena.

His gaze leaped ceaselessly between the dragon horns on Yu Mingfei's forehead and the dragon tail behind him.

"A mutated Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon?

"Could that be it?

"With merely two rings, he possesses such a powerful soul skill.

"The might of that flame, and its control—even a Soul Emperor wouldn't have this kind of ability, right?"

Xue Qinghe turned his head to look at the refined man beside him.

"Teacher, Junior Sister, what do you think?"

Who could be addressed as "Teacher" and "Junior Sister" by Xue Qinghe?

Aside from Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong, who else could it be?

Ning Fengzhi's expression was sluggish at the moment as well. He gave a bitter smile and offered an apology to Xue Qinghe.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, this Yu Mingfei truly exceeds my expectations.

"A few days ago, I arranged for him to stay in Seven Treasure City.

"We were indeed somewhat neglectful."

Ning Fengzhi let out a soft sigh of emotion, exhaled, and continued.

"Looking at it now, his unannounced departure that night must have been to find Poison Douluo to solve Dugu Yan's problem."

Xue Qinghe nodded, then asked curiously.

"The person Teacher mentioned before, the one rescued in the Star Dou Great Forest—was it Yu Mingfei?"

Ning Fengzhi glanced at his daughter, who was sitting quietly like a quail beside him, and nodded in confirmation.

"Father, what are you guys talking about?"

Ning Rongrong interrupted curiously, "What Star Dou Great Forest?"

Ning Fengzhi found an excuse to gloss it over.

"Nothing, the Crown Prince and I were discussing Yu Mingfei. Didn't you run into him in the Star Dou Great Forest before?

"He happened to encounter danger during a beast tide, and was rescued by Grandpa Sword, who brought him back to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."

Ning Rongrong came to a sudden realization, then puffed out her cheeks again, glaring resentfully at Ning Fengzhi.

"Father, you still have the nerve to say that! I told you to take good care of him!

"In the end, not only did you throw him outside the sect, but you didn't even tell me when he ran away!"

Pointing outside the window at Yu Mingfei, who was standing together with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, Ning Rongrong furrowed her brows as she spoke.

"It was Father's oversight, I apologize, Rongrong."

Ning Fengzhi smiled bitterly once more.

He turned his head to look at Yu Mingfei's location, and a thought suddenly arose in his heart.

*I heard that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect contacted Dugu Bo in order to solve the problem of martial soul mutation.

*Yet this Yu Mingfei underwent such massive changes after just a few days of not seeing him.

*Could it also be related to Dugu Bo?

Since his trash martial soul could mutate to become so powerful, could the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda also...

Another wave of sighs welled up inside Ning Fengzhi's heart.

It was already too late to say these things now. The lodging was arranged by him, and the person was alienated by him.

Now that the person had already left, what else was there to say?

"Father, when is Grandpa Sword coming out of seclusion?

"I want to go out and walk around in a few days."

Observing Ning Fengzhi's expression, Ning Rongrong spoke cautiously.

During these past few days, she had been taken by Ning Fengzhi to interact with the major nobles of Heaven Dou City.

She had already gradually begun to inherit Ning Fengzhi's network of connections.

Yet she still couldn't quite let go of her Shrek companions.

Hearing his daughter's question, a thought suddenly stirred in Ning Fengzhi's heart.

*That's right, Uncle Sword is still in seclusion!

Should I have him ask about it?