Planning

The Nine Heart Begonia was passed down through the direct bloodline.

The last time Ye Lingling and Han Tao met, no major conflict had erupted.

That was because the Nine Heart Begonia and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda merely belonged to different factions. This immense struggle over heritage had nothing to do with juniors like them.

However, Ye Lingling understood very clearly that, under the guidance of those with ulterior motives, the nature of things would change.

There were bound to be disputes between two enormous lineages. Given the immense power of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, it was easy to imagine what might happen.

Many of Ye Lingling's ancestors had died at the hands of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Verbal disputes and conflicts of interest were merely low-level clashes.

Only a struggle over heritage deserved to be called terrifying.

As her words fell, the atmosphere froze. At that moment, Han Tao's mind tightened.

Ye Lingling stared fixedly at Han Tao, wisps of faint light emanating from her Deep Blue pupils.

"The Crown Prince admired the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's profound research and became its disciple. I admired Heaven Dou Royal Academy's extensive theories and came here to further my studies. There is nothing wrong with that."

Using the Crown Prince Token to sit in on classes at Heaven Dou Royal Academy was, strictly speaking, against the rules.

So there was no point in sophistry when faced with an unexpected situation. Presenting the facts was instead the most appropriate choice.

One wave of attack had ended, only for another to rise.

"Heaven Dou Royal Academy has no record of Brother Han's enrollment, and I have never seen you before. How exactly did you get in?"

Han Tao paused slightly. Through Ye Lingling's eyes, he tried to see what lay hidden behind the curtain.

Ye Lingling's interrogation was ultimately still too immature.

Her purpose was exceedingly clear: to make him say "Crown Prince Token."

And if he said "Crown Prince Token," who would benefit? When one was uncertain of who the mastermind was, one could follow a principle: whoever was the vested beneficiary was the mastermind.

Obviously, Prince Xue Beng.

The political enemy of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.

Han Tao had used the "Crown Prince Token" and exploited an unspoken rule to enter Heaven Dou Royal Academy. For Prince Xue Beng, this was a perfect opportunity—an opportunity perfectly suited to attacking the Crown Prince's reputation.

As for Han Tao, a Soul Grandmaster who had only just broken through level 20, he had never even entered Prince Xue Beng's sight.

If Han Tao had been a level 40 Soul Ancestor, perhaps Xue Beng would have considered things somewhat more carefully. But he was barely level 20; using him as a pawn was nothing unexpected.

"Strength... strength."

Han Tao sighed softly.

Under Prince Xue Beng's secret instructions, the surrounding students had already gathered to watch, while the teachers and education committee members were hurrying over.

Unspoken rules could not be brought into the open. Once exposed to the light, there would be nowhere to hide and no way to avoid them.

No matter how unwilling he was, Han Tao could only take out the Crown Prince Token and truthfully explain how the incident had begun.

Although Han Tao's current strength was nothing special, he was still Ning Fengzhi's disciple and Xue Qinghe's junior brother.

His status carried the appropriate weight, and what he had done also conformed to the unspoken rules. Thus, the education committee and teachers did not make things difficult for Han Tao. After all, this was not a major matter.

"Your goal has been achieved."

Through the window, Han Tao seemed to see Prince Xue Beng's smug smile.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's reputation had been damaged, Xue Qinghe's reputation had been damaged, and Han Tao had lost all face. On the surface, their side appeared to have suffered a complete collapse.

But "tactical success cannot conceal strategic failure."

At a time when you should have been lying low, you chose to provoke me instead.

Holding a brush, Han Tao wrote on the letter: "This incident was planned by Prince Xue Beng." —To Senior Brother Xue Qinghe.

In the original story, Tang San's crucial Saving the Situation could cause Qian Renxue's decades of infiltration to go to waste.

And now, a single letter from Han Tao could likewise turn Xue Beng's years of pretense and performance into nothing.

A simple letter, an ordinary warning, could completely overturn the entire situation.

Of Emperor Xue Ye's four sons in the Heaven Dou Empire, two of the four had already died.

Only Xue Beng and Xue Qinghe remained as heirs, while Prince Xue Beng had deceived Crown Prince Xue Qinghe by playing the role of a spoiled wastrel.

Originally, after the Crown Prince's reputation was damaged, his anger would have been directed at Han Tao. But Han Tao's letter effortlessly redirected that anger toward Xue Beng.

Not only did it direct the attack toward the true mastermind, it also resolved the Crown Prince's anger. It was Killing Two Birds with One Stone.

Looking at a longer timescale, if Prince Xue Beng were eliminated by the Crown Prince, the Heaven Dou Empire would have no heirs left, leaving only Qian Renxue, the fake Crown Prince. A scheme to seize the state was nothing more than this.

But what did that have to do with Han Tao? Who told him to provoke me? Oh, the taxes of Holy Soul Village were paid to the Heaven Dou Empire, while Spirit Hall provided soul masters' subsidies. Who do you think Han Tao would favor?

After sending the letter, Han Tao remained in the Library Pavilion. "I've already lost face anyway, so it doesn't matter if I lose a little more."

Any normal person, after being caught sitting in on classes at someone else's academy, would be too ashamed to stay and would leave.

Han Tao was different. His skin was rather thick.

He had already lost face. If he did not learn a little more, wouldn't that be a loss?

He casually borrowed a book, then sat down and began reading.

"Human Body Meridian Diagram"

During class, Bai Baoshan had only explained the names of the meridians, offering no further description of their locations or characteristics. This portion was meant for students to study on their own in the Library Pavilion.

Soul Douluo Bai Baoshan had also provided a reading list. Following its order, Han Tao began studying each book in turn.

The difference between academies and sects was like the gap between Shaolin and Wudang. Academy-style learning progressed step by step, with a complete teaching structure that allowed even a dull person to slowly learn, think, and gradually grow into someone capable.

Sects, on the other hand, placed greater importance on talent. If your talent was insufficient, then you simply could not learn it. If you could not learn it, then you could not learn it—perhaps you would never understand it in your entire life.

Following the diagrams in the book, Han Tao summoned his Martial Soul and sensed the Twelve Principal Meridians within his body.

Meridians that had never been cultivated were clogged with impurities accumulated within the body and required Soul Power to clear them.

Since he had yet to master the Heaven Dou Meditation Method, Han Tao did not attempt to deal with his meridians. Instead, he waited for the next class.

This time, the one teaching was not Soul Douluo Bai Baoshan, but the teacher surnamed Xu.

Compared to Soul Douluo Bai Baoshan, his teaching attitude was far more modest, lacking that unbearably arrogant air of disdain.

"This lesson will cover the effects of medicinal materials on the meridians."

"The meridians of the human body are extremely fragile. Excessively powerful impacts can result in Meridian Damage."

"Therefore, meditation cultivation cannot be separated from the assistance of medicinal materials. Nettle Juice can harden the meridians, temporarily increasing the hardness of local meridians. It is usually applied at the turning points where Soul Power strikes."

"Pomelo Family can soften the meridians and increase their flexibility. It is usually consumed before cultivation."

"Meridian Cleansing Pills are refined from Fluorescent Grass, Seven Color Flower, and Six Leaf Vine. They can clear the impurities within the Twelve Principal Meridians."

Even though Han Tao still had not learned the Heaven Dou Meditation Method in the second lesson, that did not mean he had gained nothing.

"The connection between medicinal materials and meridians" was the second lesson at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Compared to the meridian theory of the first lesson, the content of this lesson was undoubtedly more profound. It presented a systematic, structured approach to learning.

First learn about meridians, then medicinal materials, then meditation methods—advancing little by little, step by step. That was the academy style.