What Is This Thing?

Seeing Xue Qinghe leave.

Tang Xuan let out a long sigh. Putting on an act was truly exhausting.

"Tian Heng, did His Highness the Crown Prince just mention my grandpa?" Dugu Yan asked blankly.

The conversation between Tang Xuan and Xue Qinghe had contained far too much information.

It had left Dugu Yan struggling to process it all.

"Yes, Senior Dugu was indeed mentioned. It seemed Prince Xue Xing had called him in over a favor to hold Tang Xuan accountable," Yu Tianheng said with a serious expression.

Dugu Yan flew into a rage. "That stinky grandpa of mine is always hanging around with shady people. He actually dared to bully the young with his age? When he gets here, I'll pluck every last hair from his beard!"

In her eyes, no one in the imperial family was any good.

Xue Beng was like that, and so were Xue Qinghe and Xue Xing.

Now, even Dugu Bo, who was associating with Xue Xing, had been placed in the same category.

"Don't be afraid, Tang Xuan. With me here, Grandpa won't dare Act Ruthlessly against you. So what if you beat up Xue Beng? You did well. I've wanted to beat him up for ages," Dugu Yan snorted coldly.

Apparently, Xue Beng had offended her before as well.

Still, it had to be said.

Dugu Yan looked rather like a big sister boss as she shielded Tang Xuan behind her.

"No, Yan'er, you can't step in," Yu Tianheng said, stepping forward as well. "Senior Dugu owes someone a favor. If you show up, you'll only make things difficult for him."

"This..." Dugu Yan's voice caught at once. She truly had not considered things from that angle. "Then what should we do? We can't just stand here and watch Tang Xuan get bullied, can we?"

Yu Tianheng thought for a moment. "I'll do it. Whether it's Prince Xue Xing or Senior Dugu, I believe they'll be willing to give my grandpa some face. He only beat up Xue Beng. It's no great matter."

The two spoke one after another, neither treating Tang Xuan beating up Xue Beng as anything serious.

It left Tang Xuan unable to tell whether Xue Beng was simply that hated.

Or whether they were just that good at acting.

Still.

Tang Xuan had not expected Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan to be so loyal.

Especially Yu Tianheng, who was even willing to call in a favor to protect him.

Tang Xuan could not help feeling touched. "Don't worry. Neither of you needs to do anything. I have my own way of dealing with this."

One of his reasons for beating up Xue Beng had been Dugu Bo.

If Dugu Bo did not "bully" him first,

how could he justifiably demand ownership of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?

Dugu Yan grew anxious. "Tang Xuan, you don't understand. Neither Xue Beng nor Xue Xing is any good. My grandpa can be really ruthless too. You'll definitely suffer when the time comes."

Tang Xuan's mouth twitched at her words.

She really was Dugu Bo's good granddaughter.

She truly did not treat anyone here like an outsider.

"Don't worry. I have my own methods. Senior Dugu can't possibly kill me for real, can he?"

"Uh, with me here, he definitely won't dare kill you. But how are you going to deal with Prince Xue Xing?" Dugu Yan asked in confusion.

In her view, Tang Xuan might have an impressive background.

But even Xue Qinghe could not interfere in this matter.

So what gave Tang Xuan's background the right to contend with Xue Xing?

Could there really be a Titled Douluo standing behind Tang Xuan?

Tang Xuan exchanged a glance with Ning Rongrong and chuckled. "I have my own backing. You'll find out soon enough. Leave this to Rongrong and me. You two can just watch the show from the side."

As soon as those words were spoken.

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan suddenly realized that they had perhaps never truly seen through these two little children...

"Where is Tang Xuan? Get out here!"

Just then.

An arrogant, shrill voice rang out.

Tang Xuan followed the sound and looked over.

The one speaking was a Fatty Fish with a huge round head and Mung Bean Eyes.

It had to be Xue Xing.

Yet Tang Xuan did not linger overlong on Xue Xing.

Instead, his gaze focused entirely on the withered old man standing on the Right Side.

The old man wore green robes, with long green hair like dried grass. His eye sockets and cheeks were deeply sunken, and a faint fishy Stinky odor emanated from him.

He barely looked human.

If anyone caught sight of him in the middle of the night, even a Ghost would be frightened.

The old man was naturally the Old Monster, Dugu Bo.

While Tang Xuan observed him.

He was also sizing Tang Xuan up, unable to help feeling a few traces of admiration.

His talent was remarkable enough, but he was also so handsome.

And judging by the fearless look in his eyes as he met his gaze,

he was clearly no ordinary person.

When the time came to act, perhaps he could go a little easier on him...

"You're Tang Xuan? Do you know your crime?" Xue Xing asked coldly, staring hard at Tang Xuan.

Tang Xuan gave him a casual glance. "I am Tang Xuan, but what crime have I committed? And who exactly are you, you old Fatty Fish?"

"Pfft!"

At Tang Xuan's words, "Fatty Fish,"

everyone present burst out laughing.

Even Dugu Bo could not help the amusement flickering in his eyes.

Ning Rongrong laughed the loudest, her eyes curving into crescents.

Xue Xing was short, pot-bellied, round-headed, and small-eyed.

Fatty Fish truly was an apt description.

Xue Xing instantly turned red with rage, his Mung Bean Eyes filled with chilling menace. "Brat, you're courting death. I am Xue Xing, a prince of the Heaven Dou Empire!"

In all his life, no one had ever called him a Fatty Fish.

"Oh? A prince?" Tang Xuan stared at him with interest. "Even Your Highness cannot slander an innocent man without cause, can you? Aren't you afraid I'll go to His Highness the Crown Prince and report you before His Majesty?"

Seeing this.

Xue Xing's anger instead completely subsided.

In his eyes.

Tang Xuan was merely an ignorant brat relying on Xue Qinghe's support.

Little did he know that after today, his patron would cease to exist entirely.

"You want evidence? Then I'll give you evidence. Men!" Xue Xing flicked his sleeve.

Two attendants suddenly appeared from nowhere, carrying a stretcher and placing it before everyone.

Lying on the stretcher was a strange creature covered entirely in white.

Tang Xuan frowned tightly. He looked it over from every angle but could not make heads or tails of it. "Your Highness, what is this thing?"

"Wuu, wuu, wuu..." The white creature let out two weak, pained whimpers.

It struggled as though trying to sit up.

But the agonizing pain shooting through every bone in its body forced it to remain frozen in place.

Only then did Tang Xuan finally spot something familiar, and he cried out in surprise, "Could this be a person?"

"Your Highness, who is this? How did he end up in such a state? Tsk, tsk, tsk. How miserable..."

"Wuu wuu wuu wuu wuu." The white creature struggled even more violently.

The pair of eyes exposed beneath the bandages seemed ready to spit fire and devour someone.

This white creature was none other than Xue Beng, whom Xue Xing had beaten up again.

Originally, Xue Beng had expected Xue Xing to break no more than his arms or legs.

At most, perhaps add a few ribs.

But whether Xue Xing had been too ruthless or Xue Beng had been too fragile,

it was now difficult to find even a single intact bone anywhere on Xue Beng's body, let alone his limbs.

With injuries like these, if Xue Beng had not been a Spirit Master, he would never have survived.

Naturally, Xue Beng did not dare blame his dear Imperial Uncle.

Thus, he placed every bit of suffering he had endured on Xue Qinghe and Tang Xuan.

Xue Xing was also quite the Old Actor. With tears in his eyes, he brazenly spun lies. "This is Fourth Prince Xue Beng, whom you nearly beat to death!"

"Yesterday, he blocked your doorway only because he wanted to befriend you. Yet who would have thought that, relying on the Crown Prince's support, you would attack him without a word?"

"Xue Beng used to be such a fine young man. How could you be so vicious..."

By the end, Xue Xing even squeezed out a few fake tears.

Everyone present could not help twitching at the corners of their mouths.

If Xue Beng counted as a fine young man, then every young man in the world might as well be dead.