Come on, let's fight!

"Father."

"Uncle is getting on in years."

"Why not let me investigate this matter?"

Qian Renxue spoke up before Xue Ye could make his decision.

The moment those words left her mouth,

Prince Xue Xing's expression darkened.

Why did he want to investigate this matter?

Because he strongly suspected that this crown prince was the one behind it.

Given the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's current situation,

the moment Xue Ye died, the crown prince would be the greatest beneficiary.

Xue Qinghe was probably too impatient to wait for the throne.

"Your Majesty!"

Prince Xue Xing was about to press his case. He absolutely could not let this assignment fall into Xue Qinghe's hands.

However...

Xue Ye waved his hand impatiently.

"The two of you will work together."

In the past,

Xue Ye might have been interested in listening to the two of them argue, but after encountering a Soul Master who could come and go freely through the palace today, he had no patience for that.

"Yes!"

Qian Renxue and Prince Xue Xing answered simultaneously.

Then they both looked at each other.

Work together?

Absolutely impossible!

Neither trusted the other.

Qian Renxue knew perfectly well that Prince Xue Xing must suspect she was behind this.

To be honest,

if it really had been her, Xue Ye would not have lived this long.

The main reason she had not acted was that the time was not yet ripe. Spirit Hall had not finished its preparations.

Still...

She was also puzzled about who could come and go freely through the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

The next day.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

"Lin Ye's back?"

"Yes!"

"He's been away for a year. Why did he suddenly come back?"

"He must have gotten homesick."

"Chief Meng Shenji took Lin Ye in. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is his home."

"What level do you think Lin Ye is now?"

"The last time I saw him, he was already a level fifty-eight Soul King. I reckon he's a Soul Emperor by now."

"A Soul Emperor?"

"Surely he can't be that ridiculous."

"Hold on!"

"Who's Lin Ye?"

"What?"

"You don't even know Lin Ye?"

"You must be a freshman who just enrolled this year."

"Then I can't blame you."

"Let me put it as plainly as possible: Lin Ye is the most badass student our academy has ever had."

"That guy's a monster!"

"If you're lucky enough to meet him, you'll understand just how awesome he is."

"..."

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Education Committee.

Lin Ye was now standing before the three committee members.

"Hmph—"

"So you still remembered to come back?"

The moment Meng Shenji saw Lin Ye, he felt both joy and anger.

He was happy to see the little brat again after a year, but furious that Lin Ye had left without saying goodbye last time.

"Chief."

"Don't be angry."

"Haven't I come back to see you?"

Lin Ye chuckled.

Just then,

Zhi Lin stepped in to smooth things over. "We're all glad you came back. The chief was just talking about you a couple of days ago."

"What did he say about me?" Lin Ye joked. "He wasn't cursing me behind my back, was he?"

"Of course not."

"We only had good things to say."

"The chief said that with your current abilities, you probably wouldn't be interested in the Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament next year."

"After discussing it, we decided."

"When you return, you can become a teacher at Heaven Dou Royal Academy and eventually take over from us."

At those words,

Lin Ye instantly lost his composure.

"You want me to be a teacher?"

"No way!"

He, Lin Ye, was a man destined to reach level one hundred and become a god. How could he stay at Heaven Dou Royal Academy teaching those greenhorns?

"I told you." Meng Shenji glared. "This brat would never agree."

Meng Shenji had anticipated this long ago.

When it came to understanding Lin Ye, no one in the entire Heaven Dou Royal Academy could compare to him.

After all, he had watched the boy grow up.

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Keep wandering around out there?"

He knew Lin Ye did not want to join any sect or clan and live under someone else's roof.

But...

The boy could not keep roaming around forever.

A position on the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Education Committee was the best post he could arrange for Lin Ye.

Lin Ye said, "Whatever happens, I'm not staying at Heaven Dou Royal Academy to be a teacher."

Well...

Meng Shenji was right.

He really had no intention of participating in the Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament next year.

With his current cultivation, entering the Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament would no longer help him improve at all.

As for the three Soul Bones offered as the championship prize...

He figured they were gone!

In the original story, Bibi Dong had intended to give those three Soul Rings to the Spirit Hall Golden Generation.

That much was clear from the Soul Bones' attributes.

But Bibi Dong had never dreamed that Shrek Academy would snatch those three championship-prize Soul Bones away from under her nose.

Now,

he had already beaten up the Golden Generation before the Soul Master Academy tournament.

Oh... no.

Twice!

Would Bibi Dong still offer three Soul Bones as the championship prize for the Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament?

He was certain she would not.

"I only came back to see you this time. As for staying here to teach, forget about it."

"I won't stay here as a teacher, but if the day comes when you can no longer walk, I, Lin Ye, will definitely look after you."

"I'll go take a walk around the academy first."

"Let's have dinner together tonight!"

With that, Lin Ye turned and left.

Just then,

Meng Shenji suddenly attacked from behind.

The wind from his palm carried a faint black mist as he struck straight at Lin Ye's back.

Of course,

he was not doing this out of anger.

He wanted to test how much Lin Ye's cultivation had improved after a year of training out in the world.

Lin Ye's spiritual power was now a far cry from what it had once been.

The instant Meng Shenji attacked, he sensed the surge of soul power behind him.

He did not turn around.

His back gave a slight tremor.

Dense soul power surged out of his body, forming a barrier behind him.

Bang!

A muffled impact erupted.

Meng Shenji felt his palm collide with soul power as turbulent as the sea. The rebound traveled up his arm, leaving it slightly numb.

"Hiss..."

Meng Shenji was utterly astounded.

Although he had used only thirty percent of his strength,

he had never expected Lin Ye's cultivation to have improved so much.

Good!

Excellent!

This boy truly was a genius Soul Master seen only once in a century.

"Chief."

"Save your strength."

"You can't beat me anymore."

Meng Shenji had been about to praise Lin Ye some more.

However...

Hearing those words, he immediately bristled with anger, his beard puffing and his eyes glaring.

"I can't beat you?"

"You think blocking one palm strike gives you the right to forget who you are?"

"Come on!"

"Let this old man see just how capable you are."

"..."

Meng Shenji rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight.

Even if the king of heaven himself showed up today, he would still teach Lin Ye exactly who he was dealing with.

Well...

If he did not give Lin Ye a taste of discipline today,

the boy would surely suffer badly when he ventured across the Douluo Continent in the future.

"Forget it," Lin Ye said. "Can't I just admit you're stronger?"

"Hmph—"

"Do I need you to spare my pride?"

"Come on!"

"We're having this fight today."