Fury Beyond Measure

At dawn, the sky gradually brightened.

Huangfu Ji woke from his sleep, got dressed, and went to the rear garden to train.

After practicing his swordsmanship for a while, he noticed that something was off, so he began wandering around the Duke's Mansion.

Sure enough, he found that there were many more guards in the residence. Nearly every entrance was guarded, there were even patrols, and several more Soul Masters had appeared as well.

At the sight of them, Huangfu Ji's heart sank.

"They moved fast."

He had not expected Yuan Hao to make a move against him after just one night. The entire Duke's Mansion had been completely sealed off.

He cautiously approached the mansion gate, but before he could leave, the guards stopped him.

"The Prime Minister has ordered that, for the Grand Duke's safety, you may not leave without his permission."

After sweeping his gaze around, Huangfu Ji silently turned and headed back, his expression calm.

There were far more guards at the mansion gates as well. After making a full circuit, he counted at least a hundred additional guards throughout the Duke's Mansion. Clearly, they intended to completely cut off his contact with the outside world.

After returning to his room and drawing the curtains, two attendants appeared outside shortly after he shut the door.

Looking at the tightly closed door, Huangfu Ji's mind raced. He had to find a way out, or he would be trapped here for the rest of his life.

Before long, he summoned the steward and had him relay to Yuan Hao his desire to hunt a Soul Beast and obtain his First Soul Ring.

The steward was also one of Yuan Hao's men, and he quickly reported the news to Yuan Hao.

Yuan Hao, who was handling official business, let out a mocking laugh when he heard it.

"He still wants a Soul Ring? Keep dreaming."

"Tell the Grand Duke that I am busy with official matters and have no time to help him hunt a Soul Beast for now. Tell him to wait awhile."

The steward soon delivered Yuan Hao's response to Huangfu Ji.

Huangfu Ji was not surprised by Yuan Hao's refusal. He had even expected it. Since Yuan Hao had completely sealed off the Duke's Mansion, it meant that he would not allow Huangfu Ji to obtain his First Soul Ring.

But he refused to give up. Over the next few days, aside from training his body and cultivating, he repeatedly sent people to tell Yuan Hao that he wanted to hunt a Soul Beast and obtain his First Soul Ring.

Yet every request was rejected by Yuan Hao without exception. The reason was simple: he was too busy and had no time.

Over the past few days, some people loyal to the Huangfu Family asked about Martial Soul Awakening, but Yuan Hao had prepared for that already. He claimed that Huangfu Ji had awakened his Martial Soul and possessed level five Innate Soul Power.

The Dean of Qingyang City's Junior Soul Master Academy proposed admitting Huangfu Ji once the school term began, but Yuan Hao refused. He claimed that he had already arranged a teacher for Huangfu Ji. How could the dignified Grand Duke Qingyang attend a Soul Master Academy? Wouldn't that demean his status?

In the days that followed, Huangfu Ji requested a Soul Ring every day, annoying Yuan Hao to no end. So, he arranged for someone to capture a ten-year Nether Wolf, lock it in a cage, and secretly deliver it to the Duke's Mansion.

Huangfu Ji's expression turned extremely ugly as he watched the Nether Wolf struggle constantly inside the cage.

"A ten-year Soul Beast?"

The captain responsible for delivering the Soul Beast said blandly, "The Prime Minister said that the Grand Duke's status is special, and your safety concerns the entire Duchy. Hunting in the Soul Beast Forest personally would be too dangerous."

"That is why he ordered his subordinates to deliver this ten-year Nether Wolf."

"I need a hundred-year Soul Beast," Huangfu Ji said.

The captain sneered.

"Hundred-year Soul Beasts are too dangerous. The Prime Minister said that ten-year Soul Beasts are safe to absorb. You can absorb a hundred-year Soul Beast when you obtain your Third Soul Ring."

"Many Soul Masters in the Soul Master world do the same."

Huangfu Ji clenched his fists tightly. What did he mean, many Soul Masters did the same? They were treating him like an idiot. He was a Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power—how could his First Soul Ring come from a ten-year Soul Beast? Wouldn't that ruin him?

"Take this Soul Beast back and release it."

After saying that in a low voice, he turned and left.

Back in his room, he grabbed a piece of porcelain from the table and smashed it heavily onto the floor. The exquisite porcelain shattered into pieces.

"Asshole!"

Huangfu Ji was furious beyond measure. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pick up a sword and kill Yuan Hao.

A ten-year Soul Beast—Yuan Hao wanted to turn him into a complete and utter cripple. Huangfu Ji believed that if he lived for several decades and cultivated to the rank of Titled Douluo, Yuan Hao would find him nine ten-year Soul Beasts for him to absorb.

Yuan Hao absolutely did not want to see a powerful Grand Duke emerge.

If Huangfu Ji became strong enough, he would no longer be a Puppet. Once his cultivation reached a certain level, power would naturally return to his hands.

That was why Yuan Hao would never allow him to become stronger.

For some reason, he suddenly envied Tang San. They had both been reborn, yet Tang San had the Mysterious Heaven Skill, Tang Sect hidden weapons to protect himself, a Titled Douluo father, and a teacher from one of the Upper Three Sects.

Meanwhile, aside from his Puppet identity as Grand Duke Qingyang, he had nothing.

Innate Full Soul Power felt like a joke.

Soul Masters with Innate Full Soul Power from other families were fought over by every major faction. Yet here, he was an animal locked in a cage, just like that Nether Wolf.

That night, he had a nightmare. In the dream, he cultivated to the realm of Titled Douluo, and everyone around him fawned over him. But when he displayed his Soul Rings, nine white Soul Rings appeared, and he instantly became the laughingstock of everyone.

When he awoke from the nightmare, he was drenched in sweat.

He slapped his own face, but he had no idea what to do.

He could not leave, nor could he meet anyone.

For the next three days, he wandered aimlessly around the mansion every day. Wherever he went, others followed, leaving him utterly frustrated.

One morning, while using the toilet, he suddenly heard vendors calling out their wares outside.

An idea flashed through his mind.

He looked at the window overhead. From there, he could see the street outside the Duke's Mansion, and it was bustling outside. He immediately came up with a plan.

The window was rather high, but he could reach it if he stood on the toilet and jumped. As long as he found a rope, he could escape the Duke's Mansion from there.

But he quickly rejected the idea. Even if he managed to escape and reach people loyal to the Huangfu Family, what then? He was only a six-year-old child.

Yuan Hao's influence was immense. If he could escape, Yuan Hao could naturally capture him again. If Yuan Hao decided to directly make a move against him then, it would all be over. He might even drag others down with him.

So he could not escape. Not only could he not escape, he had to make Yuan Hao agree to let him enter the Junior Soul Master Academy. That way, he could openly leave the Duke's Mansion through the front gate and enter a relatively safe place.

As for leaving Qingyang Duchy, he was not considering it for now. This place was a wolf's den, while outside lay a tiger's maw. Given his current situation, he would be at others' mercy wherever he went.

Just as he was pondering how to send a message outside, someone knocked on the toilet door.

The people outside were becoming anxious.

Just as they were preparing to kick down the door, it opened, and the stench of excrement hit them in the face.

Huangfu Ji looked at the people outside.

"What, do you want to see whether my ass is white?"

"I can't even take a shit in peace."

The few men were somewhat embarrassed, but after Huangfu Ji left, they still went inside to inspect the place. Only after confirming that nothing was amiss did they breathe a sigh of relief.

One guard looked up at the window and suddenly said, "Do you think the Grand Duke might escape from here?"

The others looked up as well.

"Come on. To escape through that window, he'd have to stand on the toilet and jump."

"That jump would make noise. Wouldn't we hear it?"

"Besides, even if he managed to reach the window, it's several meters above the ground, and the outside of the mansion is another two meters away. A six-year-old kid wants to jump out?"

After confirming that Huangfu Ji could not escape from there, they left.