The Earth Dragon Gate

After Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao introduced themselves, Yu Tianlong explained why he had come to visit the Earth Dragon Gate.

"I'm not particularly interested in the marriage my father proposed to Sect Master Nan, but rumors are running rampant in Dragon City, claiming that the Heavenly Dragon Gate intends to use the marriage to swallow up the Earth Dragon Gate.

"I've come to put those rumors to rest." Yu Tianlong stood five foot six in a white aristocratic suit. He straightened his cuff and spoke to the two with easy confidence.

"Seeing how confident you are, Brother Tianlong, I take it you have a good plan?" Xue Yuheng asked, taking the opportunity to go along with him.

"Of course. I'll fight Nan Qiuqiu and defeat her head-on, making it clear that I never intended to marry her. Then her Earth Dragon Gate won't have another chance to spread rumors." Yu Tianlong invited them, "Your Highness, Prince Gan, you've traveled so far to visit my Heavenly Dragon Gate. Why not come with me to the Earth Dragon Gate? Once this is settled, I'll take my younger brother Yuheng back to the Heavenly Dragon Gate. What do you say?"

Yu Tianlong had come to pick a fight with the Earth Dragon Gate behind his father's back, and he needed a witness.

As Crown Prince of Douling, Xue Yuheng had just the right standing. And as a third party, he presumably wouldn't interfere.

"Brother Tianlong, do you believe the Earth Dragon Gate is spreading these rumors throughout the city?" Xue Yuheng asked.

"The Earth Dragon Gate stands to gain the most from whoever's spreading them. Whether they're true or not no longer matters," Yu Tianlong replied with a smile.

Just as the three headed toward the Earth Dragon Gate, a well-dressed woman who looked to be in her late twenties appeared at the end of the narrow alley.

Her moon-white brocade robe accentuated her voluptuous figure, and several jade hairpins gleamed in her hair. Her features were gentle yet composed. She approached at an unhurried pace, her presence restrained, but it was clear at a glance that she was someone of importance.

Suppressing his feelings, Yu Tianlong smiled and introduced himself to Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao. "This junior is Yu Tianlong of the Heavenly Dragon Gate. Greetings, Sect Master Nan."

How strange. Why had this woman come out? Had she been nearby from the start?

Beneath Nan Shuishui's white skirt, black stockings shimmered above red high heels. She walked with poise, ignoring Yu Tianlong, who had just been making grand claims, and first bowed to Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao.

"Greetings, Your Highness, Prince Gan, and Princess Consort. You've traveled a long way and must be weary. Please come with me."

Nan Shuishui acted like a gentle older sister as she guided Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao. Yu Tianlong seemed to want to say something, but couldn't get a word out, so he could only follow behind the three.

The four passed through the side entrance and were met by a massive stone gate, two zhang high.

Two rows of disciples in dark green uniforms stood at the entrance, ramrod straight. The moment they saw Nan Shuishui, they bowed respectfully, not saying a word.

Beyond the gate lay a smooth flagstone path, flanked by wooden buildings with sweeping, upturned eaves. Dragon patterns of all kinds were carved into the walls.

Now and then, a few disciples hurried past with quiet steps. The Earth Dragon Gate seemed peaceful, yet its discipline and reserve left Xue Yuheng with a deep impression.

It was entirely different from the imposing Xuanming Sect. Would a place like this really spread rumors?

Xue Yuheng didn't believe it.

Outside the Earth Dragon Gate's reception hall

Nan Shuishui glanced at Yu Tianlong, her voice naturally alluring. "Young Sect Master Yu, please wait here for a moment. His Highness and I need some time."

She meant to leave Yu Tianlong waiting here. The young man had even wanted to use the challenge as an excuse to slip away and return another day, but the shrewd Nan Shuishui had kept him there with a single remark: Qiuqiu could fight Young Master Yu today.

With the girl's own mother accepting the challenge on her behalf, Yu Tianlong, the young master of the Heavenly Dragon Gate, couldn't back down now.

"I wonder where Younger Sister Qiuqiu is. I can go see her right now," Yu Tianlong said. He didn't want to wait around here. If Nan Shuishui left him cooling his heels, he'd become famous throughout Dragon City.

Yu Tianlong's proud nature made it impossible for him to tolerate the slightest indignity.

Nan Shuishui replied coolly, "You think you can call her 'Younger Sister Qiuqiu'? You're only a nine-year-old Soul Grandmaster, yet you dare come to my Earth Dragon Gate and act so brazenly. Tell your father to come..."

She continued, "Until I'm done speaking with His Highness, Young Master Yu would do well to stay here and behave. If anything happens... I'm afraid it would be difficult for me to answer to Sect Master Yu."

After she finished speaking, she paid no attention to Yu Tianlong's changing expression. She led Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao into the reception hall.

Xue Yuheng had excellent self-control, but Xiao Xiao wasn't so good at holding back her laughter. She snorted, turning Yu Tianlong's face even more ashen.

Yu Tianlong couldn't bear losing face in front of a woman, especially in front of another man. But what could he do?

He hadn't expected Nan Shuishui to openly break with him.

This didn't make sense. This old woman had always believed in keeping the peace with the Heavenly Dragon Gate.

Inside the hall

At Xue Yuheng's subtle signal, Nan Shuishui first had her personal maid take Xiao Xiao on a tour of the Earth Dragon Gate. Then she chatted with the Prince of Gan about trivial family matters.

Xue Yuheng took a sip of the tea the beautiful woman had poured for him. His voice was cold as he asked,

"Sect Master Nan, what is your relationship with the Third Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult?

"Do you know what Evil Soul Masters mean for the continent?"

The question seemed to strike Nan Shuishui to the core. This strong woman, who had weathered countless storms, shuddered inwardly. She quickly composed herself, forcing a smile.

"Your Highness, Prince Gan, you have quite a reach."

Nan Shuishui had been able to set everything else aside and come to welcome Xue Yuheng because half an hour earlier, a woman who called herself one of Prince Gan's Female Guards had hinted at her connection to that Ming Lei Douluo.

It was almost impossible. Everyone on the continent who knew that she and Ming Lei Douluo had once been lovers was long dead.

Continent-wide, Soul Masters feared Evil Soul Masters like snakes and scorpions. If they learned that she, the leader of the Earth Dragon Gate, had ties to an elder of the Holy Spirit Cult...

Nan Shuishui would have no way to defend herself.

They would rather kill ten thousand innocents than let one guilty person go.

No, the Holy Spirit Cult's existence was itself highly secret. If she exposed them, those lunatics among the Evil Soul Masters would come after her too.

Did that mean the fate of the Earth Dragon Gate rested entirely on this boy's whim?

As for capturing Prince Gan?

Ha. The woman who had secretly slipped into her office earlier was already no weaker than she was. If Prince Gan had dared to come this far, he certainly wasn't afraid of her turning the tables.

Nan Shuishui found it hard to believe that, according to the information she had, Xue Yuheng, Prince Gan, was only six years old.

A natural-born emperor.

Nan Shuishui sighed. "What could my little Earth Dragon Gate have that Your Highness would want? Just name it."

Xue Yuheng tapped on the table. His teacup beside him was empty.

Nan Shuishui stood up helplessly, adopting a more deferential posture as she refilled it.

"Sect Master Nan, do you think I'm here to extort you?" Xue Yuheng blew on the scalding tea. A faint trace of a woman's perfume seemed to linger on its surface.

"Isn't that what you're doing?" Nan Shuishui replied with a flirtatious smile.

"I'm here to discuss a business proposition with you, Sect Master Nan."

"I'm listening."

"I recently came across an ancient method. With the help of certain rare treasures, it can make a Soul Master's Martial Soul evolve.

"After evolving, a Martial Soul can surpass the top tier and reach the Demi-God Level..."

Xue Yuheng explained slowly.

At first, Nan Shuishui hadn't paid much attention. As Xue Yuheng rambled on, she heard only four words.

Limit Douluo.

Nan Shuishui's throat bobbed. Her red lips parted as she stared in disbelief. "That's too astonishing to be true..."

"The Xuanming Sect and the Golden Crow Family have already succeeded," Xue Yuheng said, citing examples.

Nan Shuishui reconsidered. As Crown Prince of Douling, Xue Yuheng had no reason to lie.

Martial Soul Evolution was something obvious and tangible. It couldn't be faked.

"Then what price would my Earth Dragon Gate have to pay?" Nan Shuishui asked gravely.

The Earth Dragon Gate was no thousand-year-old clan like the Golden Crow Family, much less a wealthy power like the Xuanming Sect. She might not be able to afford the rare treasures needed to evolve a Martial Soul.

"You'll have to let me meet Nan Qiuqiu."

That was the truth. Nan Qiuqiu had no profile in the Wordless Heavenly Book, so Xue Yuheng didn't know what materials her Rouge Dragon would need to evolve into a Demi-God Level Martial Soul.

As for whether Nan Qiuqiu had Mediocre Talent, Xue Yuheng was fairly confident. Over the past month or so, he'd figured out some of the Wordless Heavenly Book's criteria.

Mediocre Talent meant someone who might one day break through to Titled Douluo.

D-Grade Talent meant Super Douluo.

C-Grade Talent was Xiao Xiao's initial talent, which meant Limit Douluo.

Of course, that was only in theory and didn't guarantee a breakthrough. Xiao Xiao in the original story, for example, had been ruined by poor upbringing.

"Why?"

"Would you let another Earth Dragon Gate disciple claim this chance to evolve her Martial Soul?" Xue Yuheng gave Nan Shuishui a cool glance.

He understood women better than anyone.