After hearing Yang Ziyuan's analysis, Yang Wuhui suddenly understood.
"So that's why! No wonder Prince Xue Xing was so generous. He wanted to use me to interfere in the royal family's struggle for power! But since you knew what he was after, why did you still tell me to accept that Soul Bone?"
"Grandpa, this is an open scheme! Whether you accept it or not, you'll be labeled as one of Prince Xue Xing's people. Besides, it's free, so why not take it? If he wants to borrow our influence, let him. We'll be leaving in a few days anyway. By then, all his little tricks will fall apart on their own! Besides, this Soul Bone is a rare treasure for you."
"No wonder you're my grandson. You see things more clearly than your grandpa!"
With that, Yang Wuhui burst into laughter.
Ten days later, in Nuoding City.
Looking at the city walls, which were no more than a tenth as tall as those of Vast Sea City, Yang Ziyuan thought to himself, Tang San, I'm here. Are you ready?
At that moment, Tang San, who was working at the blacksmith's shop, seemed to sense something and suddenly stopped.
"Strange. Why do I keep feeling like something bad is about to happen?"
"Ziyuan, what are we doing here?"
Five days ago, Yang Ziyuan had suddenly changed their itinerary and insisted on coming to Nuoding City. Yang Wuhui hadn't known what to say, so he could only accompany him here.
"Grandpa, if I remember correctly, Second Uncle is already Level 84, right?"
Hearing Yang Wuhui's question, Yang Ziyuan didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned to ask about Yang Wudi.
"Of course it matters! Grandpa, what would you do if I told you there was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in this city?"
"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?! Ziyuan, are you sure there's one here?"
Although he no longer needed Soul Rings himself, that didn't mean the other members of the Breaking Clan didn't need them!
Once the Breaking Clan had two Titled Douluo with Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings, he'd like to see who would dare lay a hand on Yang Ziyuan!
But if he knew the Spirit Hall's true strength, he probably wouldn't be making such bold claims.
"Wait, that doesn't make sense! Ziyuan, if there's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast here, why hasn't anyone found it? Would it really dare come into a human city?"
Halfway through speaking, Yang Wuhui suddenly realized he might have overlooked something.
After reaching a hundred thousand years, a Soul Beast could choose to take human form!
Could the Soul Beast in Nuoding City have done just that?
Perhaps this was another special favor that the Godly Mansion had arranged for Ziyuan!
At the thought, Yang Wuhui eagerly asked, "Ziyuan, where is that Soul Beast?"
"Grandpa, don't get excited! With her current strength, she can't get away."
"That's true! After taking human form, she has to start cultivating all over again. I don't know how far she's cultivated by now, but judging by the size of Nuoding City, her cultivation definitely can't be very high!"
As a Titled Douluo, he knew full well that a city's prosperity often depended on the protection of powerful people.
And the reverse was true as well!
If a city couldn't even provide the resources that powerful people needed to cultivate, why would they stay there?
So, based on that alone, he guessed that Xiao Wu's current strength wasn't great!
After asking around along the way, Yang Ziyuan and his grandfather finally arrived at Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy.
"Well, this Soul Beast knows how to have fun. She actually ran off to a school!"
"Grandpa, this is probably the best choice she could have made. If she wanted to fit into human society, she had to learn how humans behaved. The academy isn't very big, but it suits her well. Unfortunately, some commoner's child paid the price!"
"What do you mean?"
"To study at the academy, this Soul Beast needed a certificate issued by the Spirit Hall. But how could a Soul Beast get one? She must have taken a commoner child's certificate somewhere along the way! And since she's managed to stay hidden for so long, that person must be dead!"
Yang Wuhui fell silent.
Yang Ziyuan was right!
For the Soul Beast to enter Notting Academy, she needed a certificate issued by the Spirit Hall.
Noble children were protected by guards, and she wouldn't dare target them.
So commoner children were her first choice!
But for a commoner child, the chance to become a Soul Master was more precious than life itself. Why would they willingly hand their certificate over to a Soul Beast?
That Soul Beast must have killed them and stolen it!
At the thought, anger rose in Yang Wuhui's heart.
"The ancients said, 'Those who are not of our kind will have different hearts.' It seems they were right! Ziyuan, let's go. That Soul Beast has to die!"
"Yes!"
However, before Yang Ziyuan and his grandfather could enter, the gatekeeper stopped them.
"Stop! What are you doing here?"
Yang Wuhui glanced at him.
At the sight of his gaze, one of the gatekeepers' legs went weak, and he nearly fell to his knees.
"M-My lord, you... who are you?"
"Move. You're in the way!"
At that, both gatekeepers scrambled aside.
Watching Yang Ziyuan and his grandfather walk away, one gatekeeper muttered, "Who were those two? They looked like important people!"
Hearing him, the other guard snorted. "Hmph. Why worry about that? Just mind your own business!"
He still remembered the last time Wang Mazi had tried to extort a work-study student and been caught red-handed by one of the academy's teachers.
Wang Mazi hadn't been punished at the time, but three days later, he'd died unexpectedly at home.
According to the people from the Spirit Hall, Wang Mazi had died of poisoning!
But the guard knew that the work-study student had definitely killed him.
On the night Wang Mazi died, he'd happened to see that student go to his house!
Afterward, afraid the student might come after him, he hadn't reported what he'd seen.
Now he'd run into another dangerous pair. How could he dare stop them?
Losing his job was one thing. Losing his life would mean losing everything!
That was why he'd let Yang Ziyuan and his grandfather enter the academy.
Still, he felt a little relieved. Fortunately, he hadn't insulted them just now, or else...
At the thought, he couldn't help shuddering!
Meanwhile, Yang Ziyuan and his grandfather finally found Xiao Wu in the dormitory.
"Who are you?"
Looking at the two men before her, Xiao Wu seemed to sense danger.
At that moment, the other students in the dormitory gathered around.
"Sister Xiao Wu, who are they?"
"Sister Xiao Wu, is that one a new work-study student?"
Seeing Xiao Wu on guard, Yang Wuhui sneered. "Little girl, stop pretending! You've been disguising yourself as a human every day, even though you're a Soul Beast. It can't have been easy!"
Xiao Wu's expression changed slightly.
"Who are you people?"
"Titled Douluo?!"
When she saw that the other man wasn't only a Titled Douluo but also had a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, she knew she was in grave danger!
But she wasn't the type to sit back and wait to die.
From the start, she'd noticed that the child beside him was the one in charge.
If she could catch him by surprise and seize the boy, she might still have a chance to escape!
At the thought, she immediately raised her arm and aimed it at Yang Wuhui.
Yang Wuhui was puzzled.
But the next second, he understood what was happening.
Three little arrows shot from Xiao Wu's sleeve in a triangular formation.
The arrows arced through the air and sped toward Yang Wuhui!
Yang Wuhui's pupils contracted. He quickly formed a wall of Soul Power in front of himself.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The three little arrows struck the wall of Soul Power, each making a crisp, ringing sound.
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