Prince's Avalanche

The blond youth raised his voice, ensuring everyone in the front hall could hear him clearly, and a wave of murmurs instantly erupted around them.

"So it's the Fourth Prince..."

"Prince Xue Beng? That's no surprise then."

"He's a notorious imperial wastrel; that kid is in for it now!"

"Hiss, how is this boy so good-looking? He's practically a natural-born boy toy. If only... hehehe!"

At this moment, several people in the hall who had been preparing to leave stopped in their tracks, adopting the attitude of spectators ready for a good show.

The earlier comments were fine, but how did a villainous monologue get mixed in there?

Tang Yin's expression darkened. He scanned his surroundings but failed to locate the person who had let out that sinister chuckle.

From the whispers of the crowd, he had already deduced the identity of the youth before him.

The Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, was a household name in Heaven Dou City as an utterly hopeless wastrel.

Of course, this was all a facade. On the surface, he was arrogant, domineering, and dismissive of everyone, but his true nature was one of extreme restraint and deep-seated cunning.

As for why this Fourth Prince was targeting him, it was nothing more than using their conflict to put on a show for certain people, thereby perfecting his reputation as a wastrel.

It could be said that Xue Beng was a smart man, but he was certainly not a good one.

In Tang Yin's view, this man was the classic example of someone who played the pig so well that he eventually became the pig.

Though, he was likely enjoying every moment of it!

Xue Beng's intent was clear: it was one thing for Moonlight Pavilion to neglect him, but why should a kid from nowhere receive such courteous treatment?

The maid nearby felt the weight of the surrounding gazes. Thinking of the Prince's usual behavior, her face paled. She bit her lip and whispered:

"Your Highness, Moonlight Pavilion has its own protocols for receiving guests. This young master is an honored guest whom the Pavilion Master personally ordered to be served tea."

The maid played a small trick; although it was the doorman who had given the order, she attributed it to the Pavilion Master, Tang Yuehua.

Yet, in a sense, she wasn't wrong.

After all, those who greeted guests at the door were certainly valued by the Pavilion Master, and at times, their attitude toward guests reflected the importance the Pavilion Master placed upon them.

"An honored guest? I, Xue Beng, am the Fourth Prince of the dignified Heaven Dou Empire. In terms of status, aside from my Imperial Father and the Crown Prince, who is more honored than I?"

Xue Beng sneered, stood up, and paced over with an arrogant gait, looking Tang Yin up and down.

"This outfit is nothing but a few Gold Soul Coin rags from a street stall; I wouldn't even use them to wipe my feet. Still, this face isn't bad. How about coming to serve in my manor?"

When Xue Beng said "serve," he deliberately drew out the tone, his eyes sweeping over Tang Yin's face with a lewdness that left the implication unspoken.

The scattered guests nearby were mostly noble scions or refined scholars. While they felt the remark was inappropriate, no one stepped forward to stop him.

They merely shook their heads or whispered, casting looks of either disdain or anticipation for the coming spectacle.

Occasionally, someone would even remark that if the boy really went to serve at the Prince's manor, they would personally pay him a visit.

The Moonlight Pavilion maid turned pale, looking at Tang Yin nervously, yet she dared not intervene rashly.

Tang Yin remained seated, as if those filthy words were nothing more than a breeze brushing past his ears.

He even picked up the teapot and poured himself another half-cup.

There was no anger, no fear; he looked at Xue Beng with nothing but a gaze of near-indifferent scrutiny.

"Your Highness, the Fourth Prince," he began. His voice was not loud, yet it was clear enough to silence the surrounding whispers. "Do you wish to engage in a Soul Duel with me?"

Whether Xue Beng wanted to play the pig had nothing to do with Tang Yin, but this man had chosen to use him as a stepping stone.

If he had to, he would beat this "pig-playing" prince into a real pig's head today.

The original work rarely mentioned Xue Beng's level, but at thirty-one, he was roughly a level fifty Soul King.

At present, Xue Beng appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen.

To maintain his cover, he had barely cultivated over the years, reaching at most level thirty. Coupled with the fact that the royal Swan Spirit was not known for combat, Tang Yin was truly not afraid.

On the Douluo Continent, Soul Duels between soul masters were considered highly sacred, so using the pretext of a duel to beat him up meant there was no need to worry about royal retaliation afterward.

As for Xue Beng's revenge?

Sorry, but playing the pig meant having no factions to rely on, and the Emperor would not grant power to a wastrel prince. To a soul master, a powerless, influence-less wastrel prince was nothing more than a stray dog on the side of the road.

A flash of amusement flickered in the depths of Xue Beng's eyes; this was already part of his plan. Causing a scene at Moonlight Pavilion would surely create a stir and further solidify his persona.

Moreover, if he lost the duel, it would only prove he was a good-for-nothing, and if he won, it didn't matter—after all, a level twenty-nine fighting a level twenty-three wouldn't raise any suspicions from Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.

Thinking this, Xue Beng first feigned shock and anger, then, with a hint of bluster, retorted: "A duel it is! Do you think I, a dignified level twenty-nine Soul Grand Master, am afraid of you?"

"That's good!"

A faint arc tugged at the corner of Tang Yin's mouth. Before the words had even faded, his figure vanished from the spot like a ghost.

Xue Beng only felt a blur before his eyes and a gust of wind hit his face. Before he could even react, a slender, powerful hand had clamped onto his collar like an iron vice!

The next moment, his entire body was pinned down by immense force, and a dense, rain-like barrage of punches began to greet his face.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

By the time the onlookers reacted, they saw the usually arrogant and domineering Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, beaten into a pig's head under the assault of the young man.

The hall fell into a deathly silence; everyone stared with wide eyes, unable to believe what they were witnessing.

That was the Fourth Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire! Usually, they would only dare to make a few jokes about him behind his back.

The tray in the maid's hands clattered to the floor as she instinctively retreated.

She had not expected the youth before her to be not only handsome but also so remarkably skilled.

However, she knew that things had escalated, so she took advantage of the crowd's focus on the two men to sneak toward the inner chambers.

"Your Highness, the soul duel appears to have concluded."

Looking down at Xue Beng, who was pinned beneath his foot, Tang Yin let out a long breath, feeling much better.

"You shameless cur, you ambushed me!" Xue Beng's lips were swollen, making his speech slurred.

He had not expected the person before him to be so lacking in martial virtue as to launch a sneak attack.

Was a soul duel not supposed to involve both parties announcing their names and soul power ranks, followed by summoning their martial souls for a fair and open contest?

"An ambush?" Tang Yin feigned surprise. "Didn't you already agree to the soul duel? Did you actually think I would summon my martial soul first?"

"To deal with a piece of trash like you, who only reached this level by stuffing yourself with precious herbs, I don't even need to summon my martial soul!"

The victor should ruthlessly humiliate the defeated! Tang Yin firmly believed in this principle.

"This isn't over!" A look of venomous resentment flashed in Xue Beng's eyes. He was truly furious this time; he had considered the possibility of losing, but not a defeat that felt like such a humiliation.

"It certainly isn't over!" Seeing Xue Beng's reaction, Tang Yin smiled with disdain. If he could still talk, it meant the force he used earlier wasn't enough.

"Stop!"

Just as Tang Yin intended to turn up the intensity on Xue Beng, a shout came from the direction of the inner chambers, and the onlookers who had been watching the show immediately bowed upon seeing the newcomer.

"His Highness the Crown Prince."

"His Highness Qinghe."

Hearing the voices around him, Tang Yin's expression shifted slightly. He had not expected Xue Qinghe to be at the Moonlight Pavilion as well; did that mean Ning Rongrong and the others had missed him?

As the thought crossed his mind, Tang Yin released his foot from Xue Beng's chest and stepped back a few paces before looking toward the source of the voice.

Two figures were seen walking quickly out from the corridor leading to the inner chambers.

One of them was dressed in silver-white palace attire, with a well-proportioned, tall figure and a beautiful, graceful face.

The other young man looked to be in his early twenties, with golden hair draped over his shoulders and a handsome, gentle face; his overall presence was like warm jade, yet he remained difficult to approach.