Xue Beng knew very well that the Heaven Dou Empire needed a Titled Douluo of its own.
Only then could it truly stand firm.
If he had had a Titled Douluo by his side earlier, things would never have ended the way they did when he faced Ning Fengzhi.
But of the Titled Douluos still alive, most had already pledged themselves to someone.
The only one he could win over was the former Heaven Dou Empire's retainer, Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.
In the battles against the Spirit Hall Empire, Dugu Bo had already demonstrated his power.
His individual attack power might have been relatively weak, but he could still bring a faction to the brink of annihilation, leaving only its Titled Douluo standing.
Xue Beng had intended to make a serious effort to win him over.
He had never expected his teacher's teacher to spread such slander about Poison Douluo.
For a time, Xue Beng was caught between a rock and a hard place.
Judging by the situation between Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang and Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, it was clear he could only maintain a relationship with one of them.
After much deliberation, Xue Beng chose Yu Xiaogang.
Indeed, Dugu Bo's deterrent power was formidable, but his grandteacher had the Sea God behind him, as well as the Clear Sky Sect, Sea God Island, and a whole host of other powerful forces.
So Xue Beng joined the ranks of those viciously smearing Dugu Bo.
As time passed, amid the outcry from all sides, Dugu Bo became a figure guilty of every imaginable crime.
Just then, someone suggested that the Heaven Dou Empire should take action and eliminate Dugu Bo.
They should rid the world once and for all of this fiend, this evil fallen one, for the sake of all living beings.
Once someone had taken the lead, the calls grew louder and louder.
The situation showed signs of spiraling out of control.
They had been pushed onto the stage and could no longer back down.
Faced with such a situation, Xue Beng truly had no idea what to do.
So he immediately summoned God Teacher Yu Xiaogang and Flender, the dean of the greatest Soul Master Academy in the world.
They had only one purpose: to discuss how to deal with Dugu Bo.
"Grandteacher, you were the one who orchestrated this from beginning to end. The situation has already reached the point you wanted. Why not withdraw your divine powers and let things settle down for now?"
Xue Beng looked first at Yu Xiaogang and pleaded with him sincerely.
"Xue Beng, what kind of thing is that to say?"
"How can you say I orchestrated all this? If so many people are cursing Dugu Bo, when all's said and done, isn't it because he sowed the seeds of slaughter and provoked public outrage?"
"Besides, everyone's calling for him to be punished. That's a good thing. Why should we interfere?"
Hearing Xue Beng's words, Yu Xiaogang's expression darkened at once.
He was now God Teacher. He had to maintain his lofty, spotless image at all times. How could he possibly do such a thing?
Even if he really had done it, he absolutely could not be connected to it in the slightest.
Though he appeared calm, Yu Xiaogang was actually starting to panic.
He had indeed sent people to fan the flames, but the uproar had grown far beyond anything he had planned.
Yu Xiaogang had looked into the matter and knew the details.
So many people had turned against Dugu Bo because of his massacre of a city.
How could the surviving relatives of those killed in that massacre not seize this opportunity to fan the flames?
With things as they were, the situation was already beyond his control.
But naturally, he would never let the outside world know that.
The reason he was so afraid was simple: deep down, he was terrified.
No matter what, Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo.
And he was a Titled Douluo with an eccentric nature and ruthless methods.
If Dugu Bo really came charging into Heaven Dou City in his fury and went after him, Yu Xiaogang would have every reason to be afraid.
That was why he had taken the initiative to contact Flender and mend their relationship.
With the Golden Iron Triangle together, even if Dugu Bo came after him, they would be able to hold him off.
"Grandteacher, I was wrong to say that."
"Please forgive me!"
Seeing Yu Xiaogang get angry, Xue Beng hurried to apologize.
Inwardly, though, he despised Yu Xiaogang even more.
If he had done it, then he had done it. There was no one else here. They were all on the same side, so what was wrong with speaking frankly?
But he naturally couldn't say what he really thought.
Why was he licking Yu Xiaogang's boots without the slightest dignity? Wasn't it because Yu Xiaogang had a fine disciple named Tang San?
"Xiaogang, since His Majesty is asking for your help, you should lend him a hand."
Yu Xiaogang had lowered his head and apologized to him, taking the initiative to mend their relationship. Flender was quite pleased.
As soon as he received the letter, he had rushed over as fast as he could.
He said this to praise his good brother Yu Xiaogang, and to help patch things up between the two of them.
In Flender's view, Yu Xiaogang was now God Teacher, and he really did have the ability to handle this.
But he had no idea that the growing uproar had completely slipped beyond Yu Xiaogang's control.
Otherwise, Yu Xiaogang wouldn't have humbled himself before him and sought his protection.
"Flender, the situation is complicated. It's not something you can understand."
Yu Xiaogang was much less polite with Flender. His tone carried a hint of arrogance and reproach.
He should have known better than to speak so carelessly in a place like this.
Flender fell silent at once.
He knew he had upset Xiaogang again.
"Your Majesty, something's wrong!"
Just then, one of Xue Beng's trusted subordinates arrived with a report.
"What are you in such a panic for? Can't you see God Teacher and Dean Flender are still here?"
Seeing his subordinate barge into such an important meeting, Xue Beng flew into a rage and rebuked him in a low voice.
"Your Majesty, we just received word that Poison Douluo and his granddaughter are both dead."
"There's a rumor that Poison Douluo was killed by a Titled Douluo from the Clear Sky Sect, at God Teacher's request, to deliver justice to the people of the continent."
"As for Dugu Yan, Yu Tianheng killed her."
The subordinate hurriedly relayed all the information as quickly as he could.
"Isn't that good news?"
"What's the problem?"
Hearing this, Xue Beng's eyes lit up.
He had already chosen Yu Xiaogang, so Dugu Bo's death was for the best.
Only then could he feel at ease, without worrying that he might provoke the eccentric Titled Douluo and be targeted for revenge.
Flender thought the same.
But Yu Xiaogang's face turned ashen.
He had indeed wanted these things to happen, but he hadn't actually succeeded.
Dugu Yan aside—he had sent people to kill her.
But Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo, and one who had made enormous contributions in battle. Even if Yu Xiaogang had asked the Clear Sky Sect to act, their Titled Douluos probably wouldn't have gotten involved.
So why was Dugu Bo dead?
And why had it happened at precisely this moment?
Soon afterward, all sorts of rumors began to spread.
Yu Xiaogang knew they had pinned Dugu Bo's death squarely on him.
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