Don't Let Me Down

The soul body's eyes widened, and the soul fire in its sockets blazed fiercely. There was anger, resentment, and above all, despair.

He understood perfectly that he had brought a powerful enemy upon the White Tiger Legion.

The man roared,

"This was my decision alone. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Settle your grudges if you must, exact your revenge if you must—I have no objections."

"A man bears responsibility for his own actions."

"One death should settle all hatred. You should not have touched anyone else!"

"This is unjust!"

He understood clearly just how gifted the youth before him was. At such a young age, he had already become a Soul Ancestor and could even withstand the attacks of a Soul Emperor.

If he were equipped with Soul Tools, what a terrifying opponent would he become?

Precisely because he understood this, he had chosen to kill him.

Xu Tinglan's azure eyes were icy. He subconsciously touched his chin, a strange smile appearing on his face.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"I'm just a student. When you dragged innocent me into death, did you ever think about justice?"

"A man bears responsibility for his own actions?"

"Don't act so righteous. You're nothing but an assassin."

He was truly furious.

If his fourth Soul Ring had not been so powerful, he would most likely have truly died at this man's hands.

A Soul Emperor-level assassin, with poison smeared over his finger wolf claws.

How vicious his intentions had been.

What was more, this man had died by suicide, by what he believed was a noble sacrifice.

The rage in Xu Tinglan's heart, along with the deeper fear beneath it, had nowhere to go.

His life had only just begun, yet this man had nearly ruined it.

The soul body opened its mouth, its spiritual fluctuations violent.

"You are not innocent. You may truly be only a student now, but in the future, you will definitely become an executioner!"

Xu Tinglan heard those words.

He nodded in understanding, lightly clapped his hands, and praised him.

"What a good dog."

His expression returned to calm as he looked at the soul body with pity.

"At Sun Moon Academy, even a twelve-year-old commoner One-Ring Soul Master can enter the halls of knowledge."

"But in your Star Luo Empire, all you do is raise dogs that bite people."

The fury in the man's eyes grew ever fiercer.

He could understand the pity and mockery in the youth's eyes. That contemptuous expression pierced deep into his soul.

Xu Tinglan cupped his hands toward the crown prince beside him. "I've made Your Highness laugh by wasting so many words on a Star Luo dog."

But after saying that,

he did indeed feel much lighter inside.

Cursing was good for one's physical and mental health. Curse the filth out, and the heart became clean. There really was some truth to that saying.

Xu Tianran waved his hand, signaling that the youth need not mind it.

"When I'm in a bad mood, I also enjoy whipping mangy dogs."

He smiled.

"Some mangy dogs can't understand human speech, so they have to be whipped."

Xu Tianran looked at the man's soul body.

His voice rang out powerfully. "My uncle was so benevolent back then. Yet you people of Star Luo seized our territory and plundered our merchant caravans. Things have come to this because you brought it upon yourselves."

Xu Tianran was well versed in history.

He knew very clearly.

Four thousand years ago, the Star Luo Empire had held exactly the same attitude.

The Star Luo Emperor had eyed them like a tiger, harboring wolfish ambitions.

After determining that Sun Moon had no Super Douluo, he decided to launch a limited war. The result was a disastrous defeat, and he even dragged the other two nations into it, joining together to launch a siege.

Sun Moon lost terribly in that war.

The empire had been forced to cede territory and sign all manner of humiliating treaties.

There had even been an explicit decree that the Sun Moon Continent would no longer exist.

And the Star Luo Emperor who had made that decision was the ancestor of the current White Tiger Duke.

Xu Tianran shook his head.

"An empire built on slavery like yours should have perished long ago."

After leaving the Inquisition Court,

Xu Tianran sat in his wheelchair and sighed. "I never expected such a heinous incident to occur within Ming Capital."

"I will petition His Majesty to strengthen patrols and protection."

"We must provide the students with an environment where they can study in peace."

He looked at the youth, his expression serious.

"You need not concern yourself with the White Tiger Legion. A student's foremost task is to study diligently. There will be opportunities for you to show your talents in the future."

"I guarantee that nothing similar will happen again."

Xu Tinglan replied,

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

Xu Tianran nodded. "I have prepared some food to help settle your nerves."

"I heard about you from Ju Zi long ago, but I never had an opportunity to meet you."

The young man smiled.

"I'm ten years older than you, and you happen to share my surname. If you do not mind my crippled legs, how about we address each other as brothers in private from now on?"

Xu Tinglan was somewhat surprised.

They had only known each other for a moment. They were not Sun Bofu and Ziyi, so why were they acting as though they had become fast friends at first sight?

He said,

"You are the crown prince. I..."

Xu Tianran smiled and shook his head, speaking freely. "What kind of crown prince is a cripple like me? We would only associate privately. It's fine. If you are unwilling, I will not force you."

He sighed.

"Consider me presumptuous."

Xu Tinglan knew that after Xu Tianran had put it that way, it would be difficult to refuse.

Besides, Xu Tianran had helped him find the true culprit.

The two of them would most likely be in the same camp in the future, and this disabled crown prince would become the future emperor.

"Brother Xu, since you've said so, I can only respectfully accept."

"Ha ha ha, good!"

Xu Tianran's eyes lit up. He reached out and gripped the youth's right arm, his expression excited. "I have longed for a brother like drought-stricken seedlings long for sweet rain. Meeting you so late fills me with regret!"

After finishing their meal,

Xu Tinglan left the palace with Ju Zi and let out a breath.

What on earth was going on?

It was not as though he were some kind of succubus.

When Huo Gua first met He Caitou, he called him Brother He.

Why did he have to call Xu Tianran Brother Xu when he met him?

What a mess.

"Tinglan."

A familiar voice sounded beside him.

Xu Tinglan saw the silver-haired old man and quickly ran over.

"Godfather!"

Compared to Sun Moon Academy, the Offering Hall was very close to the imperial palace, less than a kilometer away.

Most of the elderly men within the Offering Hall also possessed imperial bloodlines.

There were even quite a few whose seniority exceeded that of the current emperor.

Xu Tinglan gestured to Ju Zi.

He told her to head back first, as his godfather had something to discuss with him.

Ju Zi nodded. She looked up at the old man, then quickly shifted her gaze away. Her slender figure disappeared into the alley.

Kong Deming's gaze swept over the youth's body.

Silver light flashed,

and the two of them had already appeared in the Zero Experimental Zone.

After spending this period of time together,

Xu Tinglan had become fairly familiar with the old man's personality.

His godfather might not care much about the resources poured into him. What truly cost him was the effort and attention he invested in him.

Inside the Experimental Zone,

Xu Tinglan recounted everything that had happened to Kong Deming in full detail, from the assassination attempt to the crown prince inexplicably seeking friendship with him.

The silver-haired old man stroked his beard.

"I looked into the information while I was at it."

"That brat Xu was merely protecting himself. I'm somewhat surprised he has survived until now."

"Perhaps some old fellow is backing him from behind the scenes."

Before people with real strength, imperial authority was nothing. Xu Tinglan even suspected that his godfather had tacitly approved of the previous emperor's entire family dying suddenly.

"So the crown prince approached me only to befriend you, Godfather?"

Kong Deming fiddled with the Soul Tool in his hand. "Yes and no."

"Forget about that."

"I only care about who can unify the continent. Whether that person is a marshal or an emperor does not matter."

He placed the Ninth-Grade Soul Tool on the table.

"Don't let me down."