Qian Renxue looked utterly remorseful, but every word she said made it clear that the blame lay with Xue Beng.
That only made the softhearted Xue Ye feel more pained. What a good child! This had all happened because of Xue Beng, yet she was blaming herself.
Xue Ye hurried to his feet and helped Qian Renxue up. "Qinghe, you mustn't say that. This isn't your fault."
"But, Father..." Qian Renxue continued her act, looking as though everything had been her fault.
That put Xue Ye at ease. It seemed Xue Qinghe really had nothing to do with this, nor had she egged Xue Beng on. But that made sense. It was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, after all. How could Xue Qinghe have dared face it alone? He had simply been overthinking things.
Xue Ye waved a hand. "Forget it. This was all the doing of that rebellious son, Xue Beng. He even dragged the empire into it. Even if he hadn't died, I wouldn't have let him off."
After a pause, Xue Ye let out a long sigh and looked at Xue Qinghe. "Qinghe, you're the only child I have left. Please, don't let anything happen to you."
Qian Renxue felt a surge of joy. Things had gone somewhat out of control, but the outcome was in her favor. Now there was no one left to compete with her for the throne.
But outwardly, Qian Renxue still had to look sorrowful. She nodded at Xue Ye. "Don't worry, Father. I won't let anything happen to me again. I won't leave you alone."
On the surface, the two looked like a loving father and devoted child. But who knew what either of them was really thinking? Perhaps they truly were "a loving father and devoted child," after all.
Atop Giant Tree Peak, on the platform.
Blue-white light tore through the night as Xiao Yu and Yu Yi, along with the others, descended with a thunderous crash. The surging air swept fallen leaves and dust across the platform.
"Woo!" Yu Yi let out a low, powerful cry. Gone was its earlier weakness and grievance; now it was filled with the exhilaration of surviving disaster and avenging its great enemy.
It affectionately nuzzled Xiao Yu's feathers, its eyes filled with unreserved fervor and gratitude.
Yu Er, Yu San, Yu Si, and Yu Wu gathered around as well, letting out cheerful or low calls. Their auras had stabilized at the ten-thousand-year level. Having endured blood and fire in their quest for revenge, their gazes were sharper and their bearing more imposing.
Xiao Yu swept his gaze over his companions, and only when he had confirmed that they were all safe did the killing intent in his heart slowly subside.
"Xue Beng was beheaded, and Xue Xing was slain..." Xiao Yu felt no great turmoil. Only the calm of a matter settled.
He was no bloodthirsty beast, but anyone who harmed him or his kind would pay in blood.
Dugu Bo's ambush had also been within his expectations. That poisonous old man held grudges and had a personal relationship with Xue Xing. Of course he would strike.
What Xiao Yu hadn't expected was how ruthless he would be, unleashing his ninth Soul Skill right from the start.
If Xiao Yu hadn't been prepared, and if his newly acquired water-type ability, [Water Curtain Heaven Splendor], hadn't naturally countered and cleansed poison, then his control over the Wind Force in his Spirit Feather Divine Guard form might not have been enough to deflect that attack so easily.
"Dugu Bo... The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's poison really is as famous as they say."
Xiao Yu felt a trace of sinister, corrosive energy lingering along the edges of his wings. Though [Storm Eye] had forced Dugu Bo back and even left marks on his Martial Soul Avatar, it was still extremely difficult to stop a Titled Douluo who was determined to escape.
Still, Dugu Bo had surely suffered heavy losses in this battle. He wouldn't dare come looking for trouble again anytime soon.
More importantly, the name Xiao Yu—and the "Holy Wing King Clan" he represented—would be branded into the minds of every being who had witnessed or heard of tonight's events in the most shocking way imaginable—
"Though strong, they must be slain! Though far away, they must be hunted down!" Those eight words would become a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of all who harbored ill intentions.
Even so, there were still plenty of hidden dangers. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was one of them.
Xiao Yu considered the situation. Right now, the outside world only knew that he was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. That alone would attract countless powerful figures, and it seemed unlikely he'd have any peace from now on.
But he didn't regret it. Hadn't everything he'd done before been for this very moment?
Besides, he didn't care about that rabble. The only ones he needed to watch out for were the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, so close to Heaven Dou City, and... Spirit Hall.
Help from afar couldn't solve an immediate crisis, and Spirit Hall was still a long way off. He didn't need to worry about it for now. But the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was a giant.
It had two Super Douluo above level ninety-five, Ning Fengzhi, the greatest auxiliary Soul Master in the world, and an unknown number of other auxiliary Soul Masters. Together, that force loomed like a mountain in Xiao Yu's path.
They couldn't possibly ignore a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. They would probably come to hunt him within days, so he needed to prepare in advance.
But he had ways to counter them. After all, he never fought an unprepared battle.
A vibrant flower that gave off a faint glow appeared before Xiao Yu. He murmured, "Immortal Herb, Aromatic Silk Beauty."
In the original story, the Aromatic Silk Beauty was of tremendous importance to Soul Masters with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. The breakthrough method Ning Fengzhi had searched for over countless years now lay right in front of Xiao Yu.
Once a Soul Master with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda absorbed the Aromatic Silk Beauty, they would transcend the ordinary, and their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda would become the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, granting them the potential to become a Titled Douluo.
This was one of Xiao Yu's ways of dealing with Ning Fengzhi. But before that, he still had some preparations to make.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy
Thump!
Dugu Bo's battered figure crashed down in front of a building. No longer able to suppress the churning blood in his chest, he spat out a large mouthful of dark green poisonous blood, mixed with a few ice crystals and sparks.
His face was ashen, his aura utterly feeble. His luxurious robe had been torn in several places by wind blades, exposing wounds deep enough to show bone. A strange energy of ice and fire lingered around their edges, constantly corroding his Soul Power and vitality.
"Cough, cough... Damn it! Damn it!" Dugu Bo clutched his chest, looking utterly miserable.
He was the mighty Poison Douluo, who had roamed the continent for decades. When had he ever suffered such humiliation?
Not only had his ambush failed, but he'd also been forced to self-detonate some of the blood essence in his Martial Soul Avatar just to escape the other's attack!
But then he abruptly turned to look up, afraid Xiao Yu had caught up with him. Seeing the empty night sky behind him, he let out a long breath of relief.
Just then, someone inside the building seemed to hear the commotion and opened the door.
Seeing the familiar figure sprawled on the ground, the person covered her mouth, her heart filled with shock and sorrow.
"Grandpa, how did you end up like this?" It was none other than Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan.
"Yan Yan." Seeing Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo looked both embarrassed and anxious. He hurriedly said, "I'll explain later. Come with me, quickly! We have to leave!"
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