A Giant Cake Spanning Ten Thousand Years

After breakfast, Fang Xuan dropped Ye Lingling off at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy as per his usual routine.

After a parting kiss, he turned and headed toward the imperial palace.

Someone had been waiting for him there for quite some time.

The palace grounds were vast, and it took Fang Xuan about half an hour to reach the area where Xue Qinghe resided.

Outside the main hall, a familiar figure stood waiting.

Upon closer inspection, it was his "cheap" master who had been missing for several days: Dugu Bo.

"You brat, you didn't even give me a heads-up about such a big decision."

Dugu Bo was somewhat surprised that Fang Xuan had chosen to side with the Crown Prince.

But it was only surprise; after all, the current Crown Prince was essentially the predetermined next Emperor of Heaven Dou.

Choosing a side early meant reaping the benefits early, though given Fang Xuan's talent and his status as his own disciple, it didn't seem strictly necessary.

Of course, he wouldn't interfere with Fang Xuan's decision. Young people had their own ideas, just as he hadn't interfered with Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan.

"I wanted to tell you, but you've been nowhere to be found these past few days. How was I supposed to say anything?"

It was absurd. Even though he could see why Dugu Bo had acted that way, the sheer audacity of poking someone in the chest like that was truly impressive.

He wondered how the man had managed to walk out of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in one piece.

Looking at Dugu Bo now, he didn't seem to have been injured at all. Was Yu Yuanzhen's temper really that good?

"Haha, just a minor accident."

A minor accident, indeed—it was practically enough to anger the man to death.

"Let's not talk about that. Have you decided what you're going to pick yet?"

"Do you need your master to lend you a hand?"

In Dugu Bo's mind, Fang Xuan came from an ordinary background with limited horizons; he didn't want the boy to miss out on something good because he didn't know its value.

There were plenty of treasures in the Imperial Treasury, and the boy was quite the negotiator to have come up with such a tricky method.

"We'll see when we get there."

Dugu Bo's plan was optimistic, but Emperor Xue Ye wasn't a fool; there was zero chance he would agree to it.

Letting a Title Douluo into the treasury was no different from letting a thief into one's own home.

If Dugu Bo happened to take a liking to some treasure, would the Emperor give it to him or not?

Dugu Bo didn't press the matter, simply leading Fang Xuan toward the building.

Xue Qinghe was already waiting there, and Emperor Xue Ye was present as well.

Looking at the tall, upright figure of Xue Ye, who nevertheless showed signs of aging, Fang Xuan sighed inwardly.

Truly, no matter the world, being an emperor is a life of toil.

Standing together, Xue Ye and Xue Qinghe looked like grandfather and grandson to the uninitiated.

"Commoner Fang Xuan greets Your Majesty and Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Fang Xuan bowed, but he did not kneel as ordinary people would before a monarch.

As the saying went, one only kneels to heaven, earth, and parents. He didn't even kneel to heaven and earth, let alone a mortal emperor.

As Dugu Bo's disciple, he had the right not to kneel to a monarch, especially with his master standing right there.

"So, you are Fang Xuan. You are indeed as talented and handsome as the rumors suggest."

This was Xue Ye's first time meeting Fang Xuan, and he immediately sensed something different about the young man.

As a ruler, he had seen countless people from all walks of life.

Fang Xuan gave him a very unique feeling; it was as if, in the boy's eyes, he wasn't a high-and-mighty emperor, but merely an ordinary elder.

This feeling was distinct and piqued his interest in Fang Xuan even further.

"Your Majesty is too kind. I am but an ordinary person, fortunate enough to have caught the Crown Prince's eye, which is why I am here today."

Since he had already decided to accept Qian Renxue's invitation, it was time to make his stance clear.

Xue Qinghe, standing beside Xue Ye, revealed a faint smile at these words but remained silent.

After a few brief pleasantries, they got down to business.

"I heard from the Crown Prince that you wish to enter the Imperial Treasury to select an item yourself. I am curious—what kind of treasure are you looking for?"

"Of course, I mean no offense. It is simply that the treasury contains a vast array of items, and selecting one can be troublesome. Narrowing it down to a general category might make it easier for you."

Xue Ye was truly a man who had been an emperor for many years; he had his reservations about Fang Xuan's sudden request to enter the treasury for a major treasure.

Had it been anyone else, he would never have agreed to this.

Even if Dugu Bo had asked, it wouldn't have worked. After all, their relationship was merely one of cooperation, and the imperial family had no way to restrain him. Even if he was the Protector Douluo, the Emperor had to guard against him.

But Fang Xuan was different. His background was clean, and he could be groomed as a trusted confidant.

It could even be used to bind Dugu Bo more securely to the royal family.

Furthermore, there was Fang Xuan's own talent; reaching the Spirit King realm at eighteen meant his future prospects were limitless.

Becoming a Titled Douluo was already a certainty, so spending a few treasures to befriend him was a very worthwhile investment.

If not for the fact that he hadn't agreed to a marriage alliance with the royal family, Xue Ye would have gladly given him ten treasures instead of just letting him pick one from the vault.

It was just a pity that the young man had no such intentions, which left Xue Ye feeling somewhat regretful.

"If possible, I would like to choose a treasure related to Soul Tools."

Fang Xuan didn't bother to beat around the bush; since the other party had asked, he might as well be direct.

In any case, the man didn't know the true value of his collection. He seemed to regard the Heart of the Sea God as nothing more than a slightly rare Soul Tool.

That was an item passed down by a deity, after all; if he had known its true nature, he never would have given it to Tang San.

The only reason he hadn't asked for it directly before was the fear of being discovered by Qian Renxue.

After all, that woman was a genuine inheritor of a deity's legacy; asking for it outright might have tipped her off to something.

To be safe, he had to keep his guard up against her.

"Soul Tools? You're interested in those things?"

Dugu Bo was puzzled. He hadn't expected his opportunistic disciple to take a fancy to such items.

One had to know that most of the manufacturing methods for Soul Tools had been lost on the Douluo Continent; the only remaining techniques were for storage-type Soul Tools.

The Wish-Fulfilling Treasure Pouch he had given Fang Xuan was that type, albeit a high-end version, as ordinary Soul Tools could not store living things.

As for the rest, they were mostly ancient relics, and few were of any real use.

"A little. Come to think of it, it was because of you, Teacher, that I had this thought."

"Me?"

Dugu Bo was bewildered. How did this have anything to do with him?

"Teacher, don't you think Soul Tools are quite similar to a kind of Artificial Spirit Bone?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the other three people present were all startled.

"Artificial Spirit Bone?!"