Early the next morning.
Outside Dugu Manor.
One carriage after another carried carefully packed gifts into Dugu Manor.
When the steward saw Dugu Bo appear, he hurriedly bowed and said,
"Greetings, Senior Dugu!"
"This is the First Prince's gift list. Please take a look."
As he spoke, he took a list from his pocket and respectfully handed it to Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo accepted the list and casually began reading it.
"Gold Soul Coins, Heaven Dou Herbal Encyclopedia (royal edition), Star Luo Herbal Encyclopedia (royal edition)..."
Seeing so many gifts, Dugu Bo nodded in satisfaction.
Just then, the steward leaned closer to Dugu Bo and whispered,
"Senior Dugu, the things Lord Tian Shuo specifically told us to bring are listed on the back. If you'd prefer, we can bring them in through the back gate."
Dugu Bo's expression turned strange.
Is that brat up to some kind of mischief again?
Thinking this, Dugu Bo turned the list over, feeling somewhat apprehensive.
At the very first glance, he slapped a hand over his forehead, his whole body trembling slightly.
Seeing Senior Dugu so moved, the steward was about to say a few more words.
But just as he was about to speak, Dugu Bo shot toward the rear courtyard like lightning.
The steward scratched his head, still rather at a loss.
"Chief, did you ask whether those things should come in through the front gate or the back?"
one of the porters asked.
Remembering how Senior Dugu had just trembled with emotion, the chief answered with absolute certainty,
"The front gate! Senior Dugu was so moved just now, of course they should come in through the front!
"No need to hide them away. Just carry them in openly!"
Meanwhile, what was Dugu Bo doing?
"Ahhh! Master! Master! Go easy! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!"
Yu Tianshuo was darting all over the place as Dugu Bo whipped him. It was clear that this time Dugu Bo was serious.
The commotion in the rear courtyard woke Dugu Yuan, who had just finished cultivating.
After forcing all the poison into his Soul Bone the night before, he had planned to get up the next day and thank his junior fellow apprentice.
But now, as soon as he opened the door, he saw his father whipping his junior fellow apprentice with even more terrifying force and speed than usual.
Though he had no idea what had happened, he hurried over and grabbed his father's leg, trying to talk him down.
"Dad! Calm down! Whatever happened, you can't whip Junior Brother like this! If you hit him any harder, something's really going to happen!"
Dugu Bo said nothing. He simply handed Dugu Yuan the list, then continued whipping Yu Tianshuo even faster.
"What's this? They're just gifts. Why are you whipping him so—"
"To Tian Shuo, from your elder brother. These tonics are treasures collected by my father. I hope your master and senior fellow apprentice will enjoy them."
"Star Luo White Tiger Penis, Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng Root, thousand-year Whale Rubber, Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber..."
After reading the list, Dugu Yuan fell silent too.
Without a word, he took out a whip identical to Dugu Bo's from his Soul Tool and joined in beating his junior fellow apprentice.
"Waaah! You've got to be kidding, Senior Brother! You too?"
In the end, with the two of them working together, Yu Tianshuo really was whipped around like a spinning top.
His master whipped him from one side, his senior fellow apprentice from the other.
Then a cough interrupted this "harmonious" scene.
"Ahem."
"Senior Dugu's way of teaching is certainly... unique."
Emperor Xue Ye walked into the rear courtyard with Xue Qinghe and Xue Beng.
Looking at the scene before him, he couldn't help but feel an indescribable sensation welling up inside.
He truly had no idea how to describe Senior Dugu's way of teaching. After turning it over in his mind, all he could come up with was "unique."
As soon as Xue Qinghe entered, he began observing Yu Tianshuo. Though Yu Tianshuo was being whipped the whole time, he only had a few red marks on his body.
His skin hadn't broken at all, and those red marks were already fading at a visible speed.
He really is like a monster.
Xue Qinghe couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Seeing the two newcomers, the pair finally stopped their "training" of Yu Tianshuo.
Emperor Xue Ye breathed a sigh of relief. These men would be pillars of the empire in the future.
He was genuinely afraid something might happen to Yu Tianshuo.
The brothers and Dugu Bo were all surprised to see Emperor Xue Ye come in person.
But they quickly recovered and bowed to him.
"Your Majesty."
Seeing this, Emperor Xue Ye smiled and nodded.
"There's no need for such formality, my esteemed subjects. I've come today simply to give you an explanation."
Then his voice turned cold.
"Xue Beng."
Xue Beng trembled all over. The moment he heard his father's voice, he dropped to his knees in front of them with a thud.
He kept banging his head against the ground, speaking without pause.
"I was wrong! Senior Dugu, Brother Tian Shuo, I shouldn't have run my mouth. I shouldn't have—"
They said nothing, merely watching as Xue Beng knocked his head until it bled.
Emperor Xue Ye broke the silence.
"Xue Beng, do it yourself."
At those words, Xue Beng trembled even harder. But he didn't dare disobey. In a shaking voice, he said,
"Yes... Father."
He took a short knife from his clothes, pulled out his tongue, and cut it off with a single stroke.
Even then, he didn't dare cry out. Clutching his mouth, he continued kowtowing in silence.
Yikes. That looks painful.
Yu Tianshuo couldn't help thinking.
"I wonder if this explanation satisfies you, young friend Tian Shuo."
Emperor Xue Ye asked Yu Tianshuo in a gentle tone once more.
"Mm, I'm very satisfied. Thank you, Your Highness, for standing up for me."
Hearing that, Emperor Xue Ye's smile grew even broader.
Thump. Xue Beng finally couldn't endure the pain and passed out.
Before Emperor Xue Ye could speak, someone came in, carried Xue Beng away, and cleaned up the scene.
"If that settles things, Qinghe, have a chat with young friend Tian Shuo. Senior Dugu and I have some matters to discuss."
With that, he nodded to Dugu Bo. Dugu Bo nodded back and led the way.
Once the two men had left, Dugu Yuan didn't want to interrupt his junior fellow apprentice's chance to bond with Xue Qinghe. He only gave his junior fellow apprentice a look that said, "Just you wait," before heading to the front hall to check the gifts.
Once even the people cleaning up had left, Yu Tianshuo gave Xue Qinghe a look that said, "Come with me," and led the way.
When the two reached Yu Tianshuo's room, he gestured for Xue Qinghe to sit while he went to prepare tea for him.
Before the tea was ready, Xue Qinghe spoke.
"What did you think of that spectacle, Brother Tian Shuo?"
Yu Tianshuo set the brewed tea in front of Xue Qinghe, took a sip of his own, and said,
"How else could I watch it? Sitting down, of course."
"But it's obvious your father is getting a little too anxious."
"If I'm not mistaken, there aren't any Titled Douluo left in the imperial palace now, are there?"
As soon as he said this, the atmosphere in the room turned solemn.
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