Prince Xue Xing

She Long fell silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Rest assured, Young Master. No matter who they are or what their purpose is, I swear to protect you with my life!"

"Besides, Pufferfish is providing support from the shadows. With your own strength and planning, we may not be unable to deal with them."

Xue Qinghe nodded, but the concern in his eyes had not completely faded.

He walked to the window and pushed it open a crack. The cold night wind rushed in, stirring a few strands of hair before his forehead.

He gazed at the heavy night and the towering palace halls outside, his voice carrying a trace of gravity.

"Deal with them... I hope so."

"But before absolute power, any scheme may seem feeble."

"Pass down the order. Tell our people to keep a lower profile lately, especially those near Sunset Forest."

"Everything... can wait until we see the true faces of those three 'uninvited guests.'"

"Yes, Young Master!" She Long bowed to accept the order, his figure merging with the shadows once more.

Only Xue Qinghe remained standing before the window in the bedchamber.

The night wind flickered the candlelight, casting his shadow in shifting light and darkness.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the boundless night sky, falling upon the distant valley where a brutal stripping had seemingly just taken place—or perhaps upon somewhere those three unfathomable Super Douluo might be.

Morning.

Heaven Dou City, Prince's Mansion.

Dugu Bo stood outside Prince Xue Xing's luxurious study. The bone-chilling, sinister aura belonging to a Titled Douluo spread around him without the slightest concealment.

Deep within his emerald snake eyes lingered the aftermath of the earth-shaking upheaval in Sunset Forest, along with a sense of mission that could not afford failure as he served an even more exalted existence.

That Young Master needed a foothold at the heart of Heaven Dou City, and he, Dugu Bo, was the one laying its foundation—though the Young Master had yet to reveal exactly what it would be called.

The study's heavy wooden doors were silently pushed open by a gentle yet overwhelming force.

Dugu Bo's figure appeared in the doorway like a ghost.

Prince Xue Xing, who had been bent over his desk handling documents, jolted in surprise. When he looked up and saw Dugu Bo, the anger on his face instantly turned into utmost respect and alarm. He practically sprang from his broad chair at once, hurried around the desk to greet him, and lowered his posture to the extreme.

"Your Excellency!"

Prince Xue Xing bowed deeply, his tone filled with the utmost respect. "I did not know Your Excellency was coming and failed to welcome you from afar!"

"Please, take a seat!" He personally pulled out the most distinguished guest chair beside the main seat.

Dugu Bo remained expressionless and merely gave a slight nod. He calmly walked over and sat down, his posture casual yet carrying an innate sense of oppression.

Prince Xue Xing did not dare sit in the main seat. He cautiously sat opposite Dugu Bo in a slightly lower position and personally poured him hot tea, his manner humble.

"Prince." Dugu Bo's voice was hoarse and low as he went straight to the point, his tone direct and unquestionable. "I have something I need you to handle today."

Prince Xue Xing's heart tightened. Anything that could make Poison Douluo use the words "need you to," and even come in person, was certainly no trivial matter.

He immediately straightened his back, his expression solemn. "Please speak, Your Excellency!"

"As long as it is within my power, I will brave fire and water without hesitation!" His tone was resolute.

Dugu Bo was fairly satisfied with his attitude and directly stated his demand. "I want a piece of land within Heaven Dou City."

"It must be central, spacious, and quiet."

"As for the exact location..." He seemingly casually tapped the smooth rosewood tabletop with one finger. A faint glimmer of Soul Power precisely imprinted the location of a prime area in the city center, near the imperial palace and beside a main road. "This place, along with all the abandoned warehouses and old residences connected behind it—I want all of it."

"Level it and build a... place to stay."

"A place to stay?" Prince Xue Xing froze, and stormy waves immediately rose in his heart!

Poison Douluo Dugu Bo had always traveled alone and was known throughout the world for his eccentric temperament!

Why would he suddenly want to claim such a large plot of land in the most central district of Heaven Dou City?

And even demolish and rebuild it?

This was completely unlike his usual style!

Such a grand gesture, such blatant publicity... How could this possibly be a mere "place to stay"?

An incredibly bold thought, one that made even his soul tremble, instantly surged into his mind!

The words nearly burst from his mouth, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "Your Excellency... could this... be an order from... those three lords in Sunset Forest...?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Prince Xue Xing regretted them so deeply that he wanted to slap himself!

He felt an icy killing intent, sharp enough to freeze his soul, instantly lock onto him completely!

The temperature in the entire study plummeted, and even the air seemed to solidify!

Dugu Bo's emerald snake eyes narrowed into slits, their cold gleam like tangible venomous needles!

He leaned forward slightly, and the terrifying pressure of a Titled Douluo crashed down like a ten-thousand-foot glacier!

Prince Xue Xing felt every bone in his body groaning. His Soul Power was instantly suppressed and could no longer circulate. His breathing stopped, his face turned as pale as paper, and the shadow of death hung clearly over him!

"Xue Xing!" Dugu Bo's voice was like a freezing spring from the depths of hell, every word carrying soul-freezing coldness and a fierce warning.

"I will say this one last time: do not ask about things you should not know!"

"Do not think about things you should not meddle in!"

"Your task is to handle what I have instructed you to do!"

"Do you understand?!"

The final three words exploded beside Prince Xue Xing's ears like thunder!

"U-Understood!"

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency!"

"I... I had lost my mind!"

"I deserve punishment!"

"I deserve punishment!" Prince Xue Xing was so terrified that his soul nearly fled his body, and even his voice changed pitch. He hurriedly stood up and bowed deeply, smashing his forehead heavily against the edge of the rosewood desk with a dull thud, his body trembling like chaff.

"Rest assured! That piece of land! Leave it to me!"

"Two days!"

"No!"

"Within a day and a half!"

"All the procedures and land deeds will definitely be delivered cleanly into your hands!"

"The demolition and reconstruction will begin immediately!"

"There will not be the slightest mistake! Y-Your Excellency... what do you think?" He only wanted to complete this task as quickly as possible and escape this suffocating subject.

Seeing Prince Xue Xing nearly collapse from fright, Dugu Bo slowly withdrew his killing intent, and the pressure dissipated with it.

He leaned back in his chair again as though nothing had happened, picked up the untouched cup of tea, and lightly stirred the floating foam with its lid. His tone returned to calmness, yet carried an even deeper oppression.

"Mm. Remember your words. A day and a half."

He paused, raised his eyes, and glanced at Prince Xue Xing, who was still shaken and had a swollen red forehead. His tone carried a meaningful warning.

"Prince, handling this matter well will only benefit you."

"But if you fail... heh heh, the consequences will be far beyond what you can bear. Even I may not be able to cover for you."

The words "even I may not be able to cover for you" became the heaviest shackle, instantly locking around Prince Xue Xing's heart!

How could he dare entertain even the slightest thought of probing further?

Only boundless fear remained, along with the determination to complete the task as quickly as possible!