The Impoverished Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

Xuan Qing sat in the courtyard, staring into space and wondering what to do next.

He couldn't just keep mooching off Dugu Manor forever, could he?

Just then, a servant came to report that Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had come to visit.

Xuan Qing froze. What was this guy here for? They'd only just met yesterday. Did he need something again?

"Show him in."

Soon, Xue Qinghe walked into the courtyard, still looking as gentle and refined as ever.

Xuan Qing saw her and went straight to the point.

"Your Highness, Crown Prince, we've only known each other a few days. If you don't have anything to do, why not go see how the people are doing? Or you could invite me out."

"I'm just staying at Old Poison's place for a while. With you coming here like this... it feels like the world's turned upside down."

Dugu Bo sat nearby, his expression just as strange.

He'd been close to Prince Xue Xing before, but his relationship with Xue Qinghe, the crown prince, was hardly close.

This was the first time Xue Qinghe had come to his manor, and he, too, wondered what the crown prince was doing here.

Xue Qinghe looked a little awkward. He'd considered this problem, but this time, he really had no choice.

"Heh, Brother Xuan Qing, you certainly don't mince words. I won't beat around the bush either. In one week, the Heaven Dou Empire will hold its Advanced Soul Master Academy Exchange Tournament."

"I'd like you to compete on behalf of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Just two matches, so it won't take up much of your time. And you'll be paid."

Xuan Qing clearly looked stunned.

"What? An academy tournament?"

Dugu Bo explained from the side.

"I know about that. Simply put, the higher-level Soul Master Academies within the Heaven Dou Empire hold an exchange event from time to time."

"For example, the Four Elements Academies bring out their younger generation to show them off. There are rewards for winning, but the most important thing is... losing is humiliating."

"Heaven Dou Royal Academy represents the empire, but it's come in last the past few times. It's a real embarrassment."

Xue Qinghe nodded.

"Exactly. That's why I'd like you to step in and win back our pride. With your strength, you could take on seven opponents at once. A tournament like this would be child's play."

Xuan Qing remembered that in the original story, Shrek had a two-month break after fighting the Imperial Fighting Team.

During that time, Tang San finished making the Godly Zhuge Crossbow and Flying God Claw, and only then did they arrive at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Could an exchange tournament really have happened during that period?

After all, this was a real world, not an anime or a novel.

Those two could only serve as a reference. They couldn't be treated as reality.

"So what? Even without that uncle, Yu Tianheng, Yanzi could handle it on her own as team captain. If I remember right, everyone on that team is below level forty."

Xue Qinghe smiled, looking a little sly.

"That's not the same. Dugu Yan is Mr. Dugu's granddaughter, and she's several years older than them."

"Just having someone your age stand there would be a blow to them."

"Think about it: not even ten years old, level thirty-seven, with a ten-thousand-year third ring. If word of that got out, how could the other students compete?"

Xuan Qing understood. They were going to use him as a banner, a nuclear weapon to deter the other academies.

To win without fighting—that was a clever move. But he wasn't stupid. The Heaven Dou Empire would reap the benefits, while he got nothing. Why should he do it?

"So basically, you want to use me as your poster boy. If we win, you get the benefits. If we lose, I get nothing, and my reputation takes a hit."

"If that's the deal, I'm not doing it."

Xue Qinghe had prepared for this.

"That's easy. In the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, you can take anything you like, as long as it doesn't harm the empire's foundations. I can make that decision."

Xuan Qing thought it over. Since he'd run into Tang San, he couldn't leave that item for him.

Once he got it, he'd put it straight into his Portable Space. He refused to believe that thing could break through the barrier between spaces.

"I want the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud."

Xue Qinghe froze.

"What do you want that thing for? Although it's a national treasure, no one knows what it does. You could say it's completely useless."

Xuan Qing's reply was perfectly righteous.

"The main thing is, there's nothing else of yours I want. Soul Bones? Do you have any Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones? I wouldn't mind one if you did."

"As for money? I won Tang San's Gold Bricks in a bet. I've got over two hundred of them, so the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud is the only thing I find interesting. At least it's a national treasure."

Xue Qinghe was left speechless. It was harsh, but it was true.

Xuan Qing really didn't lack anything.

Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones? They didn't have any. Their other treasures were nothing special either.

The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was a national treasure, but no one knew what it was for. It had just been gathering dust in the storeroom.

"Fine! Let's seal the deal with a clap of the hands. I'll come get you in a week. You'll get the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud when the tournament's over."

Seeing him hold out his hand, Xuan Qing held out his own.

"Smack!"

"Deal. But I'm only fighting two matches. I won't do any more. It's tiring."

Xue Qinghe nodded.

"Two matches will be enough. With you in those two matches, the other students won't dare make trouble. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is sure to win this Exchange Tournament."

He left, satisfied. He'd accomplished what he'd come for. Though he'd given up the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, it was worth it.

After Xue Qinghe left, Dugu Bo looked at Xuan Qing with an indescribably strange expression.

"You really are going to fight in that tournament? They're all kids. Go easy on them. Don't actually kill anyone."

Xuan Qing shrugged.

"Rainy days are for beating children. I've got nothing else to do. It's a national treasure, at least. If it really is useless, I'll bring it back and use it as a night pearl."

Dugu Bo rolled his eyes.

"Don't go overboard. Those students may be weak, but they have connections. Injuring them is fine, but killing them would be a problem."

Xuan Qing took a sip of tea and replied.

"I'm not some demon who kills without batting an eye. As long as they don't go looking for death, I won't go too hard on them."

Dugu Bo curled his lip.

"After seeing how viciously you beat Tang San, I'll be honest: even as a Titled Douluo, I've never ground someone's face into the dirt like that. It looked painful."

Xuan Qing's reply was perfectly righteous.

"He was trying to kill me. The fact I didn't kill him outright was already kind of me. If someone tried to kill you, would you go easy on them?"

Dugu Bo shook his head without hesitation.

"Fine. Just make sure you know what you're doing."

Meanwhile, after returning to the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Xue Qinghe immediately reported what had happened to Emperor Xue Ye.

After hearing him out, Xue Ye wore a decidedly strange expression.

"He only wanted that broken shroud? Nothing else? Soul Bones? Soul Tools? Gold Soul Coins?"

Xue Qinghe nodded.

"He said there was nothing here that he wanted. We don't have Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, and our other treasures are nothing special. The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud is the only thing he finds interesting. At least it counts as a national treasure."

Xue Ye's face turned green. Was the Heaven Dou Imperial Family really that poor?

After thinking it over, he realized: well, yes!

They really didn't have any Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, and in Xuan Qing's eyes, their other treasures were nothing special either.

The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was a national treasure, but no one had been able to use it in the hundreds of years they'd had it. It wouldn't hurt to trade it away.

"Fine, give it to him. It's just sitting around anyway. But are you sure he can win? The Four Elements Academies have come prepared for this tournament."

Xue Qinghe smiled.

"Father, you can rest assured about that. You know Xuan Qing's strength. He took on seven people at once and finished the fight in two minutes. Against students, that's just bullying."

"With him there, Heaven Dou Royal Academy is sure to win this Exchange Tournament. We've been embarrassed several times. This time, we'll win back our pride."

Xue Ye nodded.

"Good. You handle this. Remember to maintain a good relationship with Xuan Qing."

"I understand, Father."