"The Crown Prince?"
Salas's eyes flickered, and his gray-white brows lifted slightly.
Xue Qinghe?
Why had His Highness the Crown Prince left Heaven Dou City and come all the way to Fasnuo Province instead of staying put?
The relationship between Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family was delicate, like a taut string.
During his years in Heaven Dou City, Salas had always walked on thin ice.
Unless it was the Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament or another important celebration, he would never set foot in the imperial palace.
Likewise, the imperial family rarely entered the Spirit Hall sanctuary.
Salas turned his gaze toward Yu Cheng, a thought rising in his mind.
"Could the Crown Prince have come for Yu Cheng?"
A group of people entered the venue.
The young man at the front was around twenty, handsome and refined. He wore a simple white robe, with a light gold belt around his waist.
He moved with a natural breeze in his stride, a gentle smile on his lips and an unhurried air about him.
He was Xue Qinghe, Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Two people followed at his side.
On the left stood a tall, thin old man. His silver hair was combed flawlessly, and his sharp gaze gave off an invisible pressure.
Salas's gaze lingered on the man for a moment, but he detected nothing unusual.
Yu Cheng also examined the group. He even recognized the person on the far right.
This was Bai Lin, the dean of Fasnuo Intermediate Academy.
"Archbishop Salas."
Xue Qinghe smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, his voice clear and bright.
"Qinghe has come uninvited. I hope Archbishop will forgive me."
Salas showed little expression, merely giving a slight nod.
"Your Highness has come in person. What important matter brings you here?"
He did not bother with empty pleasantries and questioned him directly.
As Spirit Hall's Platinum Archbishop, he had no need to be excessively courteous toward a crown prince.
Besides, he had never had a particularly good impression of this crown prince.
Xue Qinghe was easygoing, but Salas always felt that something was hidden beneath that smiling face.
People like him were far harder to deal with than those spoiled young wastrels.
Xue Qinghe simply smiled, unconcerned, and turned his gaze toward Yu Cheng.
"This must be Master Yu Cheng, whose name has recently shaken the continent."
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Yu Cheng stepped forward and cupped his hands.
"No need for such formalities."
Xue Qinghe raised a hand in a gesture of support and carefully examined the boy before him.
"Whale Rubber was originally an ordinary thing, yet Master Yu Cheng found a new approach and uncovered its mysteries. You are indeed an outstanding talent of the Heaven Dou Empire!"
"Your Highness flatters me."
Yu Cheng hurriedly waved his hands.
"I was merely fortunate. I do not deserve to be called an outstanding talent."
"I am not saying this lightly. Even Xue Ye has spoken highly of your theory."
Xue Qinghe's smile deepened.
The next moment, he took out a scroll of imperial-yellow decree from his robes and raised it over his head.
The smile on Xue Qinghe's face vanished, replaced by a solemn expression.
"Yu Cheng, receive your investiture."
As the words fell, the air throughout the venue seemed to freeze.
Yu Cheng was stunned for half a second before reacting. He placed his right hand over his chest and bowed.
The people in the hall reacted in different ways.
The Soul Masters present all followed Yu Cheng's example and performed the hand-over-heart salute. The servants without Soul Power fell to their knees and prostrated themselves on the ground.
Even Archbishop Salas solemnly pressed his right hand to his chest.
Xue Qinghe unfurled the decree, his clear voice echoing through the venue:
"I, Xue Ye, Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, hereby proclaim to all subjects: In recognition of Yu Cheng's discovery of the theory behind Whale Rubber and his outstanding contributions to the development of Soul Masters, I hereby confer upon him the title of Viscount."
He paused, then continued reading:
"I grant him Nuoding City in Fasnuo Province as his fief. Its annual tribute shall be halved, and the title shall be hereditary in perpetuity."
After finishing, Xue Qinghe closed the decree, and a smile returned to his face.
"Congratulations, my Lord Viscount of Nuoding."
Yu Cheng accepted the decree, feeling dazed for a moment.
A viscount?
He had actually become a viscount?
After Xiao Dachuan, Nuoding City's former city lord, had died, the empire had never sent a new city lord to take over.
Who would have thought that this place would become his fief?
The next moment, whispers broke out across the venue. Even several high-ranking members of Spirit Hall could not help lowering their heads to discuss it.
In the Heaven Dou Empire, once Soul Masters broke through to Soul Elder, those with exceptional talent could generally receive the lowest noble title of baron, along with privileges such as tax exemption.
But a viscount was entirely different.
It was the fourth rank of nobility, and it came with a fief!
Under normal circumstances, only experts at Soul Ancestor rank or above, or those who had made outstanding contributions to the empire, could possibly be granted a viscountcy.
"Master Yu Cheng's Soul Power seems to be only around ten-odd levels, right?"
"Most importantly, he is only ten this year!"
"Has there ever been a ten-year-old viscount since the founding of the empire?"
"No. He is absolutely the first."
"And he earned it through his own ability, not by inheriting the family estate..."
On the platform, Salas's expression became somewhat grim.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Family had made quite a grand gesture!
In peacetime, a viscountcy was practically the highest honor a commoner could receive.
As for the next rank, count, it was basically monopolized by great aristocratic families and was rarely granted to outsiders.
It could be said that Yu Cheng had already stepped halfway into the uppermost ranks of the empire's nobility.
A complicated emotion rose in Salas's heart.
As a Soul Douluo, he held high status and great authority in Spirit Hall, yet he held no noble title within the empire's system, much less a fief.
He was certainly not jealous. He merely felt somewhat emotional.
Yu Cheng was only ten!
With his intelligence, if he made further contributions to the empire in the future, becoming a marquis or even a king would not be impossible.
"Wait!"
Salas suddenly woke from his thoughts.
This was bad!
The imperial family was here to steal him away!
Once he was granted a title, Yu Cheng would become a legitimate noble and one of the imperial family's people.
No matter what he achieved in the future, this single title would bind him firmly to the Heaven Dou Empire's chariot.
"Well played, Xue Ye!"
"What a cunning old fox!"
"No..."
Salas stared at Xue Qinghe, his gaze sharp.
Xue Ye's health had been poor these past few years, and most government affairs were handled by Xue Qinghe.
This matter was absolutely Xue Qinghe's doing!
Salas's expression turned icy, and the hand within his sleeve slowly clenched.
What was Pope's Palace doing?
What was Bibi Dong doing!
For such an important talent, Pope's Palace had not even offered any substantial reward?
Even an honorary archbishop title could have tied Yu Cheng to Spirit Hall's system first.
Yet the imperial family had seized the initiative!
If the occasion had not been inappropriate, Salas would have wanted to fling his sleeve and leave.
"Archbishop, you seem to have something on your mind?"
Xue Qinghe's voice pulled him back to reality.
"Hmph."
Salas snorted coldly and did not respond.
Xue Qinghe did not mind. He turned to Yu Cheng and continued, "Viscount Yu Cheng, I heard that you enrolled at Fasnuo Intermediate Academy?"
Yu Cheng nodded. "Yes."
"Then that works out perfectly."
Xue Qinghe smiled. "I have already had your records transferred and arranged for you to enter Heaven Dou Royal Academy directly. But do not rush to refuse—"
He raised a hand to stop Yu Cheng and continued:
"Royal Academy gathers the empire's finest young Soul Masters, including quite a few children of noble families. These connections will be greatly beneficial to your future development."
"Furthermore, the academy has the finest mimic cultivation environment, and its library contains countless books. It will certainly help with your theoretical research as well."
Xue Qinghe's tone was sincere.
Yu Cheng frowned. "This... isn't this backdoor arrangement a little too obvious?"
"Lord Viscount is far too modest."
Dean Bai beside him spoke at the right moment, his face full of smiles.
"Every year, Fasnuo Academy recommends a group of outstanding students to Royal Academy. With your talent, advancing there is only natural."
"Is this... really appropriate?"
Salas finally could not hold back any longer.
"Master Yu Cheng still has some theories to research. A sudden change of environment may affect his progress."
"Archbishop worries too much."
Xue Qinghe's smile remained unchanged.
"If Master Yu Cheng needs it, he may invite the entire research team to Royal Academy. The imperial family is willing to specially allocate funds to build a new laboratory within the academy."
Salas stared at Xue Qinghe, nearly laughing in anger.
This man was not only taking Yu Cheng; he even wanted to poach Spirit Hall's research team?
Xue Qinghe appeared gentle and refined on the surface, but he showed no mercy when he acted.
He truly was a smiling tiger.
"Heh."
In the end, Salas merely sneered and said nothing further.
Things had reached this point. He knew he could not keep Yu Cheng.
The empire's decree of nobility had already been issued. This was an open scheme, righteous and aboveboard, and Spirit Hall had no way to stop it.
Bibi Dong really is still too young.
Salas sighed inwardly.
Let the elders worry over this problem.
Before you continue