A Lesson

Xuan Qing thought it over and decided he needed some identification. He immediately set off for the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

In her room, Zi JI sensed his presence moving away and followed him out.

The guards on the outskirts of the palace clearly recognized Xuan Qing. Yesterday, Dugu Bo and the others had personally escorted Xue Qinghe back.

A guard stepped forward, about to bow.

"Forget the formalities. Please announce me. I'm here to see His Highness the Crown Prince."

The guard didn't dare delay and hurried off to report.

Before long, Xue Qinghe came hurrying out, a puzzled look on his face.

"Brother Xuan Qing, what brings you here so suddenly? Is something the matter?"

"I'd like to invite His Highness the Crown Prince to watch a grand show. Zi JI, take us to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Zi JI nodded, then used Soul Power to carry Xuan Qing and Xue Qinghe skyward. The three moved swiftly, reaching the Heaven Dou Royal Academy in the blink of an eye.

Dugu Bo was already hiding nearby. When he saw Xuan Qing arrive with Xue Qinghe, he paused, but didn't ask questions.

"Old Poison, come out. Let's wait in the VIP room and have some tea."

When they reached the VIP room, Xue Qinghe still looked completely bewildered.

"Brother Xuan Qing, what exactly happened? What show did you bring me here to see?"

Xuan Qing took a sip of tea and answered without a hint of hurry.

"Someone wants to harm us."

Xue Qinghe frowned.

"You're not joking, are you? You can sense something like that in advance?"

Dugu Bo also looked at Xuan Qing with suspicion. He trusted him, but this sounded far-fetched.

Xuan Qing glanced at Xue Qinghe.

"His Highness should know that killing the Fallen Ones raises the cultivation of a Six-Winged Angel, right? Then guess—does my Azure Dragon Martial Soul have a similar ability?"

Qian Renxue's heart jolted. How could she not know the ability of the Angel Martial Soul? The Spirit Hall's slaughter of the Fallen Ones was inseparable from that power.

"My Azure Dragon is born with the ability to commune with spirits, ward off evil, and sense malice. Just now, the Azure Dragon inside me sounded a warning. Someone has taken malicious intent toward us, and it's intense."

"Though Zi JI is with me, few people know about her."

"Old Poison is a Titled Douluo. How many people would dare harbor malicious intent toward him right now?"

"That leaves me and Dugu Yan. So why not bring us together and see who shows up?"

After hearing him out, Xue Qinghe's expression turned grave.

If Xuan Qing was telling the truth, this was serious.

Anyone bold enough to make a move against Xuan Qing was no minor player.

Dugu Bo believed him too.

He knew Xuan Qing wasn't one to make baseless claims, and the Azure Dragon Martial Soul was indeed mysterious. It wouldn't be strange if it had this ability.

They waited in the VIP room.

They waited from morning until noon, then from noon until afternoon.

Dugu Bo began to grow restless.

"Kid, could your senses be wrong? It's been two whole hours, and there isn't a soul in sight."

Xue Qinghe chimed in. "Yeah. Could we have gotten it wrong?"

Just as the two began to doubt him, one of Xue Qinghe's trusted aides hurried in and reported in a low voice.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Venerable Dugu, someone from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has arrived. They're at the academy plaza, saying they've come to take Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen's grandson's fiancée home."

"There are a lot of them. Yu Luomian is leading the group, with twenty guards, four Soul Saints, and the rest at Soul Emperor level or above. It's quite a force, and they've clearly come prepared."

Their expressions changed.

Yu Luomian was Yu Yuanzhen's younger brother, an eighty-eighth-level Soul Douluo who held a high position in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

He'd brought a force this imposing in person. They surely hadn't come just to take someone home.

"Look, here they are. Let's go meet Elder Yu."

They left the VIP room and headed to the academy plaza.

Yu Luomian gave Xue Qinghe a slight bow when he saw him.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Elder Yu, you're too kind. May I ask what brings you to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"

Yu Luomian smiled.

"I've come on the Sect Master's orders to take my grandnephew's fiancée home. Tian Heng and Dugu Yan are in love, and our two families have agreed to settle the marriage first."

He turned to Dugu Bo.

"Venerable Dugu is here too. That's perfect—you must know about this already, right?"

Dugu Bo trembled with rage.

"Know my ass! That good-for-nothing Yu Tianheng thinks he's worthy of my granddaughter? You people should take a piss and look at yourselves!"

Yu Luomian's expression chilled.

"Dugu Bo, I respect you as a Titled Douluo, but don't push your luck. You'll agree to this marriage whether you like it or not."

Xuan Qing spoke with a grin.

"Old Poison, since when did you start trading insults? Just turn them into human stumps and send them back to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. You're a Titled Douluo—even a weak one is still a Titled Douluo."

The words were arrogant, but they hit the mark with Dugu Bo. He'd been so furious he'd forgotten he was stronger than them.

Yu Luomian looked at Xuan Qing, his eyes lighting up.

The intelligence said this boy was Xuan Qing, wielder of the Azure Dragon Martial Soul. Perfect—they could take them all in one fell swoop.

"You must be young friend Xuan Qing. You're every bit as impressive as the rumors say. My Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has always valued talent. If you're willing to join us, we'll welcome you as an elder."

"As for Dugu Yan, marrying Tian Heng wouldn't be an insult to her. Though she has the Jade Phosphorous Poison Dragon, she is still only a lesser dragon. Marrying into the direct line of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would be an honor."

"What do you think, young friend? Join my clan, and your future will be limitless. Otherwise..."

He paused, his voice turning cold.

"Though Heaven Dou City is vast, I doubt there'll be anywhere for you to stay. Dugu Bo can't protect you."

"The person my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wants is always ours for the taking. You're a smart young man. You know what to choose."

That was an outright threat: join them or die.

Xuan Qing could barely hold back his laughter.

"Old Poison, they're threatening your granddaughter, and you're still hesitating? If something happens to her, you'll be left all alone. What are you afraid of?"

Only then did Dugu Bo snap out of it. That was right—he had only one granddaughter to protect. Why should he fear them?

The phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor appeared behind him. Two yellow, two purple, and five black Soul Rings lit beneath his feet as he launched himself at Yu Luomian, unleashing his full force.

Yu Luomian's expression changed dramatically.

"Stop him! Quickly!"

The twenty fighters surged forward, the four Soul Saints in front and the sixteen Soul Emperors behind them. They couldn't defeat a Titled Douluo, but they could certainly hold him off for a while.

Yu Luomian himself turned toward Xuan Qing and Dugu Yan. If he captured them, Dugu Bo would have no choice but to stop.

Just as he was about to attack, Xuan Qing called out softly.

"Zi JI, you can show them the results of your practice now."

Zi JI stepped forward, placing herself between Xuan Qing and Dugu Yan.

Her gaze was icy, and the Hell Demon Dragon King's pressure instantly blanketed the entire academy.

Xuan Qing had been having her practice using Simulation to pass as a Soul Master. Now, no one could tell she was a Soul Beast unless a Peerless Douluo examined her at point-blank range.

As everyone stared at her as if they'd seen a ghost, one yellow, two purple, four black, and two red Soul Rings rose beneath her feet.

The two red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings at the end unleashed a terrifying aura that swept over everyone present, leaving them unable to catch their breath.