Tang Yu stood where he was without even lifting an eyelid.
He took in the deep-seated urgency hidden in Emperor Xue Ye's eyes.
He knew exactly what the old fox was plotting: he wanted to hurry up and drive this threat out of the imperial city.
When Emperor Xue Ye saw that Tang Yu still wasn't responding, his heart skipped a beat.
Their gazes happened to meet in midair.
The supreme ruler of the Heaven Dou Empire suddenly found his breathing growing strained.
Cold sweat seeped from the hand resting on the arm of the dragon throne. He feared his opponent might turn hostile on the spot.
The entire great hall was terrifyingly silent; one could hear a pin drop.
After a brief silence, Tang Yu lifted his head slightly, his expression calm.
"Sure."
The two short syllables echoed lightly through the empty hall.
Emperor Xue Ye let out a long breath of relief, his previously tense shoulders slumping at once.
The smile on his face grew much more genuine.
"Excellent! Prince Wuyang truly understands the greater good and cares deeply for the empire!"
"Since the day is as good as any, when the army sets out for your fief, I shall personally see you off outside the city!"
Half an hour later, the court session ended.
Emperor Xue Ye sat on the soft couch in his imperial study, gazing out the window in the direction Tang Yu had left.
The enormous stone lodged in his throat had finally fallen away completely.
He let out a long sigh and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
At last, he'd sent that plague god away.
Ever since Tang Yu had been enfeoffed, his peerless strength and arrogant conduct had been like a sharp sword hanging over everyone's heads.
"That divine spear in the boy's hands could stop even the million-strong army of the Star Luo Empire."
"I heard the battlefield was a river of blood, and the Star Luo Empire's Guardian Douluo was killed with a single strike."
Keeping an uncontrollable beast like that in the imperial city had made him uneasy even in his sleep.
He feared that one day he might displease Tang Yu, and the man would turn the imperial palace upside down.
Now, though, he had sent him off to the Northwest Three Provinces.
That place was within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's sphere of influence. Ning Fengzhi, that old fox, was no pushover.
Let Tang Yu and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect fight it out.
When two tigers fought, one was bound to be wounded.
No matter who won or lost, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family would be more than happy with the outcome.
Deep in the rear courtyard of Prince Wuyang Mansion.
Tang Yu pushed open the door, and a faint, alluring fragrance wafted toward him.
The room was lavishly furnished, and the dim candlelight flickered, bathing everything in a bewitching, sensual glow.
Zhu Zhuqing sat upright on the edge of the broad bed.
The once-cool and aloof noble girl from the Star Luo Empire had changed into an outfit that was impossible to ignore.
A short black dress of sheer gauze did little to conceal her astonishingly voluptuous figure.
A layer of black stockings, as fine as cicada wings, wrapped around her long, straight legs.
In the candlelight, they exuded a fatal allure.
Her delicate, dainty feet were bare, resting casually on the edge of the bed. Her toes were painted red, leaving much to the imagination.
At the sound of the door opening, Zhu Zhuqing lifted her head.
Her usually cool eyes now rippled with warmth, brimming with alluring charm.
"Master, you're back."
Her voice was soft and lilting, tinged with a hint of deliberate ingratiation.
Tang Yu sat down by the bed and casually pinched her beautifully shaped chin.
He admired her perfect figure from above.
"Why are you dressed like this today?"
Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face flushed, but she didn't shrink back at all. Instead, she leaned toward him of her own accord.
Her hands settled deftly on Tang Yu's shoulders, kneading them with just the right amount of pressure.
"Big Sister said you'll be heading to your fief soon, and the journey will surely be tiring."
"Zhuqing wants to serve you properly while she still has time here in the mansion."
Her soft, sweet voice, paired with the astonishing sensation of their skin touching, would have stirred any man's blood.
She picked up a jade plate from the nearby table, took a peeled, glistening grape between her slender fingers, and gently brought it to Tang Yu's lips.
"The Northwest Three Provinces aren't exactly a safe place. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has been entrenched there for years."
Zhu Zhuqing parted her red lips, speaking softly as she massaged him.
"Will you need Zhuqing and Big Sister to accompany you and attend to you?"
Tang Yu bit down on the fruit, then slipped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her into his embrace.
"It's only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. They aren't worthy of my attention."
"You two sisters just stay here obediently and wait for me to come back."
The skin beneath the gauze was smooth as silk, and the legs wrapped in black stockings obediently curled around him.
Her dainty feet brushed lightly against his thighs, sending a tingling sensation through him.
"Since that's the case, let me see how much you've improved."
Zhu Zhuqing let out a soft cry. In the next instant, she was pressed into the soft bedding.
Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy on the other side of Heaven Dou City.
Several young figures paced anxiously back and forth across the training ground.
Dai Mubai clenched both fists, irritation and frustration written all over his face.
Ever since Zhu Zhuqing had been forced to remain at Prince Wuyang Mansion, it had felt as if a thorn had been lodged in his heart, keeping him restless day and night.
Just then, a staggering figure slowly entered the academy gates.
Yu Xiaogang's hair was disheveled, his face deathly pale. He looked as if every last bit of life had been drained from him.
He trudged along the flagstone path, his legs unsteady. He didn't even notice when he stumbled and fell.
Dai Mubai spotted him first and rushed over, catching Yu Xiaogang just as he was about to collapse.
"Grandmaster! You're back!"
"How did it go? Did Teacher Erlong step in? Did that Tang Yu give Zhuqing back?"
At the mention of those two names, Yu Xiaogang shuddered violently.
Boundless fury and resentment welled up in his eyes. He shoved Dai Mubai away and roared hoarsely.
"That bastard Tang Yu! He's gone too far!"
"I didn't get her back, and I nearly lost my life at the mansion!"
Everyone was stunned and hurried over.
Yu Xiaogang's chest heaved violently as he recalled the utter disgust in Liu Erlong's eyes and the words with which she had severed their ties for good.
It felt as if someone had carved a piece out of his heart with a knife, leaving it bleeding and aching.
"That Tang Yu is relying on the powerful guards around him and acting like no one matters!"
"Erlong had already started to soften, but he drove a wedge between us with just a few words!"
Grinding his teeth, he pinned all the blame on Tang Yu, making no mention of his own cowardly flight.
Ma Hongjun clenched his chubby fists and cursed furiously from the side.
"Bah! What kind of Prince Wuyang is he? He's just a tyrant who kidnaps women!"
"Don't worry, Grandmaster. Once we've grown strong, we'll go to that mansion and demand justice!"
Ning Rongrong stood to one side with her hands on her hips, her young miss temper flaring at once.
"What an arrogant man!"
"He's only won a few battles. Does he really think he can do whatever he wants in Heaven Dou City?"
Oscar's eyes lit up, and he hurried over to Ning Rongrong with a broad smile.
"Rongrong, aren't you the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
"That Tang Yu's so overbearing. Can't you think of a way to teach him a lesson?"
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang also seemed to grasp his last lifeline. He abruptly lifted his head and looked at Ning Rongrong.
"Rongrong, you know Sword Douluo."
"Douluo Chen Xin's power is unmatched, and his name is renowned across the continent."
"If he steps in, he can make Tang Yu hand her over obediently and teach him a proper lesson!"
Under everyone's expectant gaze, Ning Rongrong proudly raised her fair chin.
"Don't worry."
"I'll return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect right now and tell Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone everything, just as it happened."
"He dared bully someone from Shrek. I'll make him pay!"
Hearing her confident promise, Oscar's face filled with a fawning smile.
He edged closer to the girl and reached out to put an arm around her shoulders.
"Great! We're counting on you this time, Rongrong."
"Smack!"
Ning Rongrong slapped Oscar's hand away without mercy and shot him a haughty glance.
"Don't get handsy."
"I haven't agreed to go out with you, so stop crowding me."
Oscar's hand froze in midair. He scratched his head awkwardly and could only laugh sheepishly to hide his embarrassment.
"Heh heh, I was just excited. Got a little carried away."
The members of Shrek Academy all had different thoughts, but every gaze was filled with hope as it turned toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.