Chapter 47

Xue Qinghe shook his head with a wry smile.

"You're being far too idealistic. It's also far too difficult. The world is vast, with billions of people. How could you possibly ensure that everyone had enough to live on?"

Xuan Qing shrugged, looking unconcerned.

"It's not difficult. What do we need an emperor for, if not that? Does he really just sit there and live off the people? Besides, you only asked what I thought. Is there anything wrong with what I said?"

"Uh..."

Xue Qinghe was at a loss for words.

Well, he did have a point.

After all, that was exactly what he'd asked. He hadn't asked how to do it.

Xuan Qing couldn't be bothered to dwell on the topic any longer. The team battles were starting.

That said, Xuan Qing was reaching the age where his hidden lecherous side was beginning to show.

The first team match was between Skywater Academy and Blazing Fire Academy, and he watched with rapt attention.

His body was only ten years old, but his mental age was anything but. He was developing fast, too. You knew the rest.

Especially when he saw Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er's stunning figures—his eyes went wide.

Dugu Bo leaned over and lowered his voice, chuckling.

"Kid, which one caught your eye? Want this old man to play matchmaker? Or you could marry them all. With your background, you'll have no shortage of women around you in the future."

"Bring all those girls home. Shui Bing'er is cool and aloof, while Shui Yue'er is lively. They'd make for a lively household. If that's not enough, you could take Ning Rongrong too."

"Sect Master Ning would be delighted. He's been wanting to climb aboard your big ship for ages."

Ning Fengzhi had sharp ears. He caught that and his eyes lit up as he immediately joined in.

"Is that so, Dugu? If young Xuan Qing is willing, I have no objection to betrothing Rongrong to him."

"Rongrong may be mischievous, but she's good at heart. She's worthy of young Xuan Qing."

Xuan Qing rolled his eyes.

"You old lechers. I'm only ten, and you're already thinking of marrying me off? Have you lost your minds?"

"Besides, I'm not interested in little girls. We can talk about it when they've grown up."

Dugu Bo curled his lip.

"What's wrong with being ten? Plenty of people on the continent get married at twelve or thirteen. With your looks, you could pass for twenty... Heh, never mind."

He saw Zi JI glance his way and promptly shut his mouth.

That big shot was still here. He didn't dare say anything reckless, or Xuan Qing would be begging him not to die after one slap.

Xuan Qing couldn't be bothered with him either, and focused on the matches.

Water naturally countered fire, and Shui Bing'er's instant Ice Seal was a powerful counter to Blazing Fire Academy.

Repulsion Light had a similar effect to Repulsion Fire Ring. Both were control-type Soul Skills, but Huo Wu was still a step below Shui Bing'er.

In the end, Skywater Academy won.

Shui Bing'er's control was too powerful. Blazing Fire Academy was certainly fierce in a head-on assault, but they couldn't do much when they kept getting frozen every so often.

The second match was between Heaven Dou Royal Academy and Thunder Academy. Dugu Yan was a human-shaped tyrannosaurus.

With Soul Power at level forty-four, she completely overpowered Thunder Academy's fighters, who were only in the thirties.

She sprayed out a cloud of Jade Phosphorous Poison Dragon poison, and Thunder Academy went down in a heap. Yu Tianxin fought with everything he had, but the gap was just too great. He lost in less than three minutes.

In the third match, Skywater Academy faced Divine Wind Academy. No matter how fast Feng Xiaotian was, he couldn't match the speed of Shui Bing'er's Ice Seal.

He couldn't get close at all. That was the dirty trick of lock-on Soul Skills. Even Xuan Qing would be held up if he activated his Azure Dragon Sacred Body and Azure Dragon Undying Body, and Feng Xiaotian had it even worse.

With Dugu Yan on their team, Heaven Dou Royal Academy unsurprisingly took the championship. Emperor Xue Ye personally awarded them a Thousand Year Soul Bone, though it was only a thousand years old.

But when Dugu Bo received the Soul Bone, he grinned from ear to ear. A Thousand Year Soul Bone meant little to him. The fact that his granddaughter had won it herself made it worth something else entirely.

Xuan Qing reminded him from the side,

"Don't let her absorb it. A Thousand Year Soul Bone is decent, but it'll limit her potential. Wait until Yanzi reaches Soul King, then find her a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone. That'll be much better."

Dugu Bo nodded.

"I know. I'll put it away when we get back and wait until Yan Yan reaches level fifty. With her talent, I'd never let her absorb a Soul Bone under twenty thousand years old. If she's going to absorb one, we'll pick the best."

Xuan Qing looked at Xue Qinghe.

"Now that it's over, let's go. We still have to head to the palace banquet and collect my reward. Don't forget."

Xue Qinghe smiled.

"I won't. I never go back on my word. But, Brother Xuan Qing, aside from Feng Xiaotian, what do you think of the others? Are any of them worth cultivating?"

Xuan Qing thought it over.

"They all showed what they're capable of. Huo Wu has a fiery temper, but her talent is good. Huo Wushuang is mature and steady—a promising prospect."

"Yu Tianxin lost, but he has a good character. He has a bright future ahead of him."

"As for Shui Bing'er, she's the one with the biggest problem, but you can't blame her. She was born with a defect."

Xue Qinghe grew interested.

"A defect she was born with? What do you mean?"

"With an Ice Phoenix Martial Soul, you'll have a defect unless you have an Ultimate Attribute and Innate Full Soul Power."

"The Ice Phoenix is purely a Power Attack System Martial Soul, but she took the control route. That means her attribute isn't naturally ultimate, and she'll suffer a series of side effects."

Xue Qinghe furrowed his brow.

"Ultimate Attribute? What's that?"

Ning Fengzhi grew interested as well.

"Could you explain? This is the first time we've heard that term."

Xuan Qing raised his right hand and condensed a small sphere of energy. It was tiny, but radiated a terrifying aura of life and thunder.

He tossed it casually to the ground. Crackling thunder burst from the sphere.

"How is this different from the thunder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon?"

Everyone looked over. The thunder was small, but stronger, more domineering, and more concentrated. It also carried a trace of vitality that lifted the spirits.

Xue Qinghe spoke hesitantly.

"It's stronger, more domineering, and more concentrated. And... it seems to carry a trace of vitality?"

Xuan Qing nodded.

"My Azure Dragon Martial Soul has the dual Ultimate Attributes of thunder and wood, so I can tell what's going on with her."

"Every Ultimate Attribute can be said to be a darling of heaven and earth. As long as there are no defects, fighting above your level is as easy as eating and drinking."

"But if the defect can't be dealt with, there's no telling whether you'll live to forty or break through level seventy."

"That's Shui Bing'er's situation. Her Ice Phoenix was born with a defect. She took the control route to make up for it, but that only treats the symptoms, not the root cause."

Xue Qinghe immediately grew anxious.

"Is there a way to deal with this defect? If there is, Shui Bing'er could definitely become a Titled Douluo. We can't waste a talent like her."

Xuan Qing glanced at him.

"There's definitely a way, but any treasure of that level would make its owner a candidate for Titled Douluo."

"Its value could even surpass a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone. Do you think you can get your hands on one?"

"So don't set your sights on her. There's no point. Ultimate Attributes can't be inherited. Even if both parents have Ultimate Attributes, the chance of their child inheriting one is less than thirty percent."

"Besides, she was born incomplete. Unless you can produce a rare treasure that can resolve her defect or a Soul Bone with the Ultimate Ice Attribute, there's no chance."

Xue Qinghe fell silent.

Treasures with the Ultimate Ice Attribute were hard to find anywhere on the continent. Even if one existed, it wouldn't go to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. The Upper Three Sects and Spirit Hall would be watching it too.

As the young master of Spirit Hall, could she really produce one and give it to an outsider?

"All right, I understand. We'll just let things take their course."

Xuan Qing stood and stretched.

"That's enough. The matches are over, so it's time to collect my reward. Let's go to the palace. I'm starving. There should be plenty of good food at the banquet, right?"

Xue Qinghe laughed and scolded him.

"You only ever think about food. The imperial chefs' cooking is sure to satisfy you."

The group left the academy and headed for the palace.