Three Conditions (I)

Three Conditions (I)

Ye Qingcang's scheming was indeed contemptible.

But if such a scheme truly produced results, and if Ye Qingcang openly admitted it after learning those results, then it would be another matter. Though it still was not an honorable method, as long as everyone else was sufficiently sinister and cunning, Ye Qingcang would seem sufficiently great and righteous. It was all about being elevated by comparison with his peers.

"A strategist enters the game himself..." Zhu Zhuqing murmured instinctively as she watched Ye Qingcang's still-upright back. "Half a move ahead of heaven..."

In such a short amount of time—

From the moment Heaven Dou Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had invited them into the carriage—

To the warning when they got out—

With the unexpected incident of Xiao Wu's identity being exposed in between—

He had improvised an almost flawless plan.

Such meticulous calculation, such decisive ruthlessness, such wildly imaginative and counterintuitive traps—let alone someone like Flender, who had never experienced the scheming within the imperial court, even someone like her, who had seen such court intrigues, felt a chill run down her spine and could not help admiring him.

Ning Rongrong felt the same.

Behind every seemingly reasonable action Ye Qingcang took, there had been corresponding doubts. When she gathered those doubts together and verified them one by one against the scheme Ye Qingcang had laid bare, the result was not that Ye Qingcang was sinister or cunning. Rather, all she could see was Ye Qingcang's sincere heart!

The Shrek group reacted differently.

But Ye Qingcang did not pay them much attention.

To him, they were all supporting characters.

Had anyone ever heard of a protagonist deliberately paying attention to supporting characters?

Besides, who said his scheme was over?

This was only the beginning...

"If this Grandmaster did not go looking for my mother, I might actually have thought more highly of him. A man may be incompetent, but he must never be spineless..." Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ye Qingcang spoke of Yu Xiaogang without even sparing him a glance. As his eyes opened and closed, pale light appeared in the void. He slowly turned around and made an action that no one understood—he clasped his left fist in his right hand toward the forest behind him to the left, bowing from afar in a gesture of respectful greeting. His sigh was full of helplessness and disdain. "This is why I do not want you to join Blue Tyrant Academy. Blue Tyrant Academy used to keep a low profile, neither flaunting itself nor revealing itself, blending into the world. It could be the beginning of any storm, or the end of any storm, but it would never stand at the center of one... Blue Tyrant Academy has seven hundred and thirty-four school rules. These seven hundred and thirty-four rules have been summarized into ten general principles, which are also known as the Ten Major School Rules. The tenth school rule is a disclaimer: regardless of what Blue Tyrant Academy students do, whether they are right or wrong, Blue Tyrant Academy shall bear all related responsibility on their behalf. The third school rule: Soul Masters without Blue Tyrant Academy's permission are forbidden from entering or leaving the academy grounds at will. Violators will be killed without exception, and no related responsibility need be assumed. If Senior leaves now, I can make the decision to waive all responsibility for this matter and treat it as though it never happened. What do you say?"

Flender and the others only half understood.

"It seems..." Just in case, Flender still summoned his martial soul. Seven Soul Rings rose around him as he uncertainly asked Liu Erlong, "There's an enemy?"

"Not 'it seems'..." Liu Erlong looked at Flender as if he were an idiot. Eight Soul Rings rose around her, making the Shrek group stare wide-eyed. They had not expected this young auntie to be a Soul Douluo. "It should be: there is an enemy. However, I haven't sensed anything unusual. If Little Eagle isn't wrong, that only proves this enemy is far stronger than we imagined!"

Ye Qingcang hesitated before lowering his hand.

He turned back and glared at the few people who had activated their martial souls.

He waved downward, signaling them not to be so nervous.

I'm speaking politely to them up front, while you're standing behind me looking ready for battle. Are you really so eager to be useless teammates?

Flender and the others understood what Ye Qingcang meant as well.

They awkwardly put away their martial souls.

Half shocked and half doubtful, they looked at Ye Qingcang.

Their entire group of Soul Sages had not sensed anything unusual, yet Ye Qingcang, a mere Quasi Soul Grandmaster, had?

It was not that they did not believe him.

They simply could not imagine or understand it.

Yet Ye Qingcang did not need anyone's trust.

Looking at the still-quiet forest ahead, he narrowed his eyes and once again clasped his left fist in his right hand, expressing respect and admiration. "What happened just now was only a small misunderstanding. Senior need not come out to meet us. Blue Tyrant Academy does not reject Senior's visit either. However, without rules, there can be no order. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. If Senior truly wishes to visit Blue Tyrant Academy, you may follow the proper procedures."

The distant forest remained quiet.

So quiet that one could not help wondering whether Ye Qingcang had imagined it all—whether he was talking to thin air, pretending to be mysterious, or putting on a show.

But Ye Qingcang had no need to put on a show!

Just as the Shrek group was confused, puzzled, and doubtful, Ye Qingcang changed his left-fist clasp into a right-fist clasp and bowed again. A right-fist clasp was a hostile gesture, carrying the meaning of warning and threat. Thus, when Ye Qingcang spoke this time, he lost the politeness of the previous two times, and his voice carried a trace of killing intent:

"I believe in never giving more than three chances."

"I am not particularly particular about matters outside my principles."

"But for matters that violate my principles, I grant tolerance only three times."

"I know what Senior is thinking, but I ask that Senior stop thinking it. Do not cling to that ridiculous hope that I have not seen you, or suspect that I am merely trying to trick you."

"I would not speak without complete confidence. And since I have spoken, I have complete confidence."

"A 100,000-Year Transformed Soul Beast is indeed precious."

"A 100,000-Year Soul Ring and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone are treasures that even Titled Douluo would covet. However, no matter what identity this 100,000-Year Transformed Soul Beast may have, one identity is certain at this moment—she is already a student of Blue Tyrant Academy!"

"If Senior leaves now and does not covet her Soul Ring or Soul Bone, then if fate brings us together again in the future, we may yet part on good terms. But if Senior does not intend to leave and still covets her Soul Ring and Soul Bone, then I believe... parting on good terms will certainly be impossible. As for whether Senior will still be able to leave, I am afraid that will be impossible as well!"

The wind swept through the treetops.

It carried away several leaves.

Yet there was still no response.

That silence seemed to be mocking Ye Qingcang.

Mocking him for being nothing.

Mocking him for not being worthy of an answer.

"Since that is the case, then do not blame me for being rude. Some people simply cannot understand human speech..." Ye Qingcang rubbed the red vertical sword mark between his brows, his tone helpless. "What kind of world is this... Beasts can understand beast speech, and they can understand human speech too. It would be one thing if humans could not understand beast speech, but they cannot even understand human speech!"

"Who are you calling a brat!"

Dugu Bo had been able to endure the first three warnings while hiding in the forest and spying on them.

He treated Ye Qingcang's words as meaningless nonsense.

After all, Ye Qingcang was only a tiny Soul Elder.

Even Liu Erlong, a Soul Douluo, was nothing special in his eyes.

But Ye Qingcang's later remarks, especially that part about humans and beasts, truly made him unable to endure any longer. Ye Qingcang was practically pointing at his nose and calling him a beast. He could overlook all the earlier words with magnanimity, but for those last words, he had to make this brat pay the price and let him know—

A Titled Douluo could not be insulted!

(:з"∠)