Blackmailing Xue Xing, the Enthusiastic Fourth Prince

The next day, Dean's Office

"This is too outrageous! Simply lawless!"

Prince Xue Xing trembled with anger, slapping the note onto the desk.

"Xue Beng, a living person, was actually kidnapped within the academy, right under everyone's noses. If this gets out, where will Heaven Dou Royal Academy's reputation stand!"

Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin, the three commissioners, stood by with solemn expressions.

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"Your Highness, please calm down. The priority now is how to handle this matter."

Meng Shenji appeased him.

"Handle it? How do we handle it?!"

Xue Xing glared at him, "Chief Meng Shenji! Is this the academy you manage? A dignified prince is kidnapped in the academy, and you cannot escape responsibility!"

"Your Highness is joking. We are just three old geezers, only responsible for teaching and leadership. The academy's management is thanks to the Dean's effective leadership."

Meng Shenji refused to take the blame.

"Indeed, Your Highness. Before the Dean returned, the academy had been peaceful. How has it become like this recently?"

Bai Baoshan interjected indifferently, then turned to the side:

"Zhi Lin, what do you think?"

Zhi Lin hurriedly waved his hands: "Don't ask me, I don't know. Anyway, it's definitely not the Dean's problem, definitely not!"

"You!"

Xue Xing's face turned ashen.

Who was the Dean? Wasn't it Prince Xue Xing himself?

This was clearly a roundabout insult!

In fact, the three commissioners were not fond of Prince Xue Beng.

After all, there was the wise and popular Crown Prince Xue Qinghe above him. Whether the arrogant Fourth Prince existed or not was inconsequential.

If this incident hadn't happened within the school and gotten out, affecting the academy's reputation, they might have even applauded.

"Your Highness, there are two most important things right now: First, find the Fourth Prince and rescue him; Second, prepare the ransom to avoid him being killed."

Meng Shenji interrupted the argument.

"I've already asked Mister Dugu to search for traces. As for the ransom..."

Xue Xing suppressed his anger: "Fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins can be quickly gathered with gritted teeth, but the whale rubber and Soul Tools that can hold living creatures can't be obtained in a short time."

He frowned: "I can understand the kidnappers demanding fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins, but why do they want so much whale rubber? And they specifically requested Soul Tools that can hold living creatures..."

Zhi Lin coughed: "According to ancient records, whale rubber has some special effects in that regard. The kidnappers might have a large demand."

"What worries me more are the kidnappers' descriptions of the Fourth Prince."

Meng Shenji pointed to the first two characters on the note, his expression grave:

"If the kidnappers have other hobbies besides robbery... if the Fourth Prince isn't rescued soon, I fear his [censored] might not be safe."

"No! Absolutely not!"

Xue Xing shouted in distress.

Xue Beng's kidnapping had taken a special turn. If this news got out, his already slim chances of competing for the throne would be halved again!

His already poor reputation would become even more notorious!

Just then, Dugu Bo pushed the door open and entered.

"Mister Dugu, are there any clues?"

Xue Xing asked anxiously.

Dugu Bo shook his head: "The kidnappers have the ability to conceal their presence. I didn't sense any special aura."

"Even you can't find him..."

Xue Xing's face turned ashen.

Although Dugu Bo was famous for his poison, his Sense of Smell was extremely keen after the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor possessed him. If even he couldn't find him, perhaps no one could!

"However, I'm not entirely without results."

Dugu Bo changed the subject: "Judging from the traces at the scene, the kidnappers should be proficient in the art of earth-elemental evasion."

Xue Xing: "Then what should we do?"

Dugu Bo: "While sending people to search for the Fourth Prince everywhere and preparing the ransom, we should also summon Spirit Masters who are skilled in perception and earth manipulation. At the same time... we wait for the kidnappers' next instructions."

Three days later, a new note was found at the academy entrance:

[Are the things ready? If they are, go to the third jar under the west alley in Heaven Dou City to get the clue.

Attention! Go only when you are ready, otherwise I can't guarantee the Fourth Prince's safety!]

Three days later, the guards moved the jar, and another note was found underneath:

[Congratulations, one step closer to finding the beloved Fourth Prince. Tomorrow, twenty miles north of the city, in a valley, there's a cave under a giant rock. Throw the stuff in and stay away.]

Xue Xing led his men to the location and immediately had the Spirit Masters track along the cave, but they only found another note:

[So many people are looking for me? How lively. Should we make it even livelier? Tomorrow, you alone go ten miles north again. There's a giant rock next to a giant tree. Put the stuff down there.]

The handwriting on the note was messy, the tone playful and full of mockery.

However, when Xue Xing went there, he received a new note once again.

After several more instances, there was still no sign of the kidnapper or Xue Beng.

[So many people coming to find me, it truly flatters me.]

When they received this note, Xue Xing and the others finally realized—the kidnapper knew their movements!

Even though the guards and Dugu Bo had stayed far away during these attempts, they were still discovered.

The last note appeared in Xue Xing's Dean's Office—

[Last chance. You alone, twenty miles west of the city. Throw the stuff under the rocks on the mountainside. Understand?]

"Damn it."

Xue Xing's face turned ashen, but he had no choice.

He couldn't hide the matter of Xue Beng for much longer!

The next day, he alone, carrying the Soul Tool filled with the ransom, arrived at the designated spot and threw it into the bottomless pit.

The pit was deep and dark, leading to an unknown destination.

A hundred meters underground, Zygarde had been waiting for a long time.

After a simple check confirmed there were no issues, it picked up the Soul Tool in its mouth and quietly left through another passage that had already been dug.

Almost simultaneously, in the woodshed of a courtyard somewhere in Heaven Dou City, the unconscious Xue Beng was successfully discovered by Dugu Bo.

His clothes were disheveled, he reeked, and he was covered in wounds. Written on his body were a few words:

[Item returned, thank you for your patronage.]

When Xue Xing rushed over upon hearing the news, Xue Beng had just woken up. His eyes were vacant, and he knew nothing. He only remembered being knocked unconscious and had no recollection of what happened afterward, only feeling pain all over his body.

Although examinations revealed that Xue Beng was otherwise unharmed, aside from his body being covered in bruises.

However, the Fourth Prince's enthusiastic nature was deeply imprinted in the hearts of all who knew the truth.

Sunset Forest's Edge

"Do you need me to help you escape quickly?"

Zygarde asked after returning.

"Escape? Why should I escape?"

"The one who kidnapped the Fourth Prince is a mysterious Sichuan Opera Master that even Dugu Bo can't Foresight. What does it have to do with a small Spirit Master like me?"

Bai Mu played with the Storage Soul Tool, a smile on his lips.

It was an inconspicuous black ring, with an internal volume of about 30 cubic meters, and it could hold living creatures.

Inside were piled golden coins and various kinds of Whale Rubber.

"What a pity... that Old Man left early. Otherwise, I could have caught them all in one go."

Bai Mu looked regretfully towards the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

After Dugu Bo found Xue Beng, he didn't linger and returned directly to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, foiling his plan to pack up all the Immortal Herbs there.

However, the good news was that through Z-Cell's monitoring, although Dugu Bo felt something was missing from the Medicinal Garden, he didn't suspect much due to his confidence in his Poison Array.

These Immortal Herbs would just be kept there for now.

When needed in the future, he could come and take them whenever Dugu Bo was not around.

"The interest has been collected."

Bai Mu put away the ring and looked into the distance, "Next... I'll find a place to properly digest these resources!"

As long as he could Absorb all the Whale Rubber to strengthen his physique, absorbing a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring later would be no problem!

"Xiao Ruan, let's go."

"Woof~"

One Person and One Dog disappeared from the Sunset Forest.