Serve Me as Master

"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? You're from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? No... no, this can't be real. It can't be real." Xue Xing shook his head repeatedly and staggered backward.

His guts were green with regret.

He should have realized it long ago.

Close to the Crown Prince, surnamed Ning—anyone could have connected her to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

But Tang Xuan's brilliance had been far too dazzling.

And Ning Rongrong had remained quietly by Tang Xuan's side, making her far too easy to overlook.

Yet the truth stood right before him, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda could not possibly be faked.

But he simply refused to accept it—or rather, he did not dare accept it.

With Tang Xuan's talent, coupled with Ning Rongrong's attitude toward him—

Even if Tang Xuan was not a direct descendant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he was absolutely destined to become its future Guardian Douluo.

Such a status was far greater than that of a mere prince like him.

Yet Xue Xing had repeatedly tried to Act Ruthlessly against Tang Xuan.

He had even entertained the thought of kidnapping Ning Rongrong and using her as a hostage.

If this reached Ning Fengzhi's ears—

Even Xue Ye himself would not be able to protect him. It might even bring catastrophic ruin upon the Heaven Dou Empire.

Because there was an unwritten rule among major powers.

If a genius from my family suffered an accident on your territory—

Whether or not you had anything to do with it—

I would place the blame on your head.

And Xue Xing had personally bullied Tang Xuan.

Even ten thousand deaths would not absolve him of his guilt.

The moment he thought of this—

Xue Xing ran outside like a madman, not even sparing Xue Beng a glance.

As for whether running would help, or where he could run to, he had no idea.

Under such extreme circumstances, this was merely the survival instinct engraved into his genes.

But heaven did not grant his wish.

Before he could take even two steps—

An icy killing intent pinned him to the spot.

Xue Xing was instantly blasted by that killing intent until blood sprayed from his nose and mouth. Every bone in his body shattered inch by inch, leaving him no different from his nephew Xue Beng.

At the same time—

An unusually calm voice, yet one brimming with fury, echoed above everyone's heads.

"Xue Xing, after bullying my Grandson for so long, you still want to run? Do you take me for dead?"

"This fellow finally couldn't hold himself back, huh?" Dugu Bo shifted his gaze toward the sky with a meaningful look.

Chen Xin stood proudly in midair, riding upon his sword.

"Grandpa?" Tang Xuan was immediately overjoyed.

He had not expected Grandpa to have been following him all along.

"S-Sword Dao Chen Xin..." Xue Xing was completely terrified.

How had he arrived so quickly?

Could he have been following Tang Xuan Duo the entire time?

Xue Xing had thought that Tang Xuan Duo had, at most, a few Soul Emperor-level attendants accompanying them.

Who would have thought that Chen Xin, the strongest expert in the Heaven Dou Empire, was personally following them?

Had he known this earlier, he would not have dared to run even if he had three times the courage.

And Tang Xuan called Chen Xin Grandpa. Didn't that mean he had nearly caused Chen Xin's line to end?

Chen Xin slowly descended from the sky on his sword. Ignoring Xue Xing's miserable state completely, he walked straight toward his Grandson. Seeing his Grandson's dislocated right arm, his eyes reddened. "Xiao Xuan, how are you? Are you badly hurt?"

Tang Xuan smiled brightly. "It's fine. Just a dislocation."

With that—

Tang Xuan gritted his teeth and stomped his foot.

With a crack, his dislocated right arm instantly snapped back into place.

But Chen Xin's eyes turned even redder at the sight. "Why didn't you just reveal your identity? Even if you had other plans, why did you have to risk your life?"

Given Chen Xin's insight and understanding of Tang Xuan—

He naturally knew that every move his Grandson had made against Xue Xing was intended to suppress Xue Xing and thereby bring him under control.

As for why, Chen Xin did not understand.

But he was willing to trust Tang Xuan.

That was precisely why he had endured until now before making a move.

Otherwise, Xue Xing would likely have died the instant he first met Tang Xuan.

"It was alright. It wasn't really risking my life. I was at least seventy percent confident," Tang Xuan said with a smile.

Chen Xin let out a heavy sigh.

His Grandson was good in every way.

He was just too capable of doing things beyond ordinary people's understanding.

His poor heart was going to suffer terribly.

"Sword Grandpa!" Ning Rongrong also threw herself into Chen Xin's arms, her little face streaked with tears. "Sword Grandpa, this Fatty Fish bullied Brother Xuan. Rong Rong wants him dead!"

It was hard to believe that such a tear-streaked little face could open her mouth and demand someone's death.

Little Girl looked delicate and weak.

But whenever Tang Xuan was involved, she showed no mercy at all.

"Uh, Rong Rong, he seems half-dead already," Tang Xuan said, pursing his lips.

At this moment, Xue Xing was taking in more air than he was breathing out.

All he could say was that Chen Xin had been quite ruthless as well.

"Then kill that Xue Beng too! This whole thing happened because of him!" Ning Rongrong said hatefully.

"Wuwuwu..." Mummy Xue Beng begged repeatedly, though his pleas were no longer within the realm of human comprehension.

"Xue Beng and his Uncle can't die yet. I still have uses for them." Tang Xuan rubbed Ning Rongrong's head, then turned to Dugu Yan. "Sister Yanzi, could I trouble you to call Miss Ling Ling over and have her treat the two of them?"

Dugu Yan was first stunned, then nodded.

Just as she turned to leave, she stepped back again.

"Hm? What is it, Sister Yanzi? Is there some difficulty?" Tang Xuan was thoroughly confused.

"I've been here. There's no need for Yanzi to call me." A voice so ethereal that it scarcely seemed human entered Tang Xuan's ears.

????

Tang Xuan abruptly turned around.

Ye Lingling was sitting silently in her seat.

From the looks of it, she had not moved from that spot from beginning to end.

Tang Xuan's face was filled with disbelief.

Why had he never noticed her?

Was Ye Lingling's presence really that faint?

In a noisy environment like a battlefield—

If no one actively checked on her, wouldn't she be overlooked the entire time?

It was practically a divine skill for a support-type Soul Master.

But now was not the time to dwell on such things.

If this dragged on any longer, Xue Xing would breathe his last.

"Senior Ling Ling, since you're here, that makes things easier. Could I trouble you to treat Xue Xing?" Tang Xuan asked softly.

Ye Lingling nodded without saying anything further.

She released specks of Begonia Petals, which drifted into Xue Xing's body.

The gap between their Soul Power was simply too great.

About a quarter of an hour later—

Xue Xing finally woke up, though only twenty to thirty percent of his injuries had healed.

Still, standing and walking posed no real problem.

"S-Sword Douluo, Tang Xuan, please spare me. I'm willing to pay any price." Snot, tears, and blood covered Xue Xing's entire face.

It made Tang Xuan sick just looking at him.

"Any price? Then if I told you to serve me as master, would you be willing?" Tang Xuan asked playfully.

Xue Xing's breathing stopped.

The words "I'm unwilling" reached his lips, but he could not force them out.

Serving a child as his master was truly humiliating.

But if it meant staying alive, what did a little humiliation matter?

Did they really think Xue Xing was some unyielding man?

"I... I'm willing." Xue Xing's tone was desolate.

He had completely lowered his proud head.

Seeing this, Tang Xuan's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Good. Prince Xue Xing truly knows the times. Since that is the case, then swear an oath."

"S-Swear an oath? I have to swear an oath too?" Xue Xing was dumbfounded.

Oaths on the Douluo Continent were not as casual as those in Tang Xuan's previous life.

If one broke an oath, death would be the least of it.

"Of course you have to swear an oath. Otherwise, how could I guarantee your sincerity?" Tang Xuan smiled mockingly, then a hint of danger appeared in his eyes. "Could it be... that Your Highness never intended to be loyal to me?"

"No, no, no. Loyal—I'm most loyal." Xue Xing shook his head repeatedly, then smiled bitterly as he prepared to invoke the oath.

"Wait. Recite this."

Tang Xuan handed over a sheet of paper covered in several thousand words.

Most of it consisted of oath clauses stating that Xue Xing could not disobey any of Tang Xuan's orders—

Nor could he harm Tang Xuan or anyone close to him by any means, leaving no loopholes to exploit.

As though resigned to his fate, Xue Xing shut his eyes tightly, raised three fingers, and began invoking the oath word by word...