The Balak Kingdom's Celebration
Within a few days, the rumor that cultivating near Lu Yang could increase cultivation speed spread throughout the Heaven Dou Academy. Many students came here because of the reputation, making the stands on the Heaven Dou Academy's training ground crowded every afternoon during cultivation time. In order to compete for a seat close to Lu Yang, many people even stood guard for Lu Yang from lunchtime, following him as soon as he made a move.
Lu Yang was also helpless about this. How peaceful it was when he was cultivating before! But now, it was teeming with people. However, since these people didn't bother him and even gave him some "bribes," he didn't drive the students away and just let things continue like this.
However, not everyone can enjoy this benefit, especially those students with weapon Martial Soul, who do not improve at all when cultivating next to Lu Yang. On the contrary, those with Beast Martial Soul, especially fire and light attribute Beast Martial Soul, show the most significant improvement when cultivating next to Lu Yang, far surpassing the academy's Mimicry Training Ground.
Meng Shenji and the others quickly learned of this matter. They wanted to go to Lu Yang to ask him about it, but they had just offended Lu Yang not long ago, and they didn't know if they would be directly humiliated if they went up to him now, so they had to give up.
Of course, the fact that Meng Shenji and his group didn't make a move didn't mean that others in the Heaven Dou Academy weren't. For example, Prince Xue Xing and his nephew Xue Beng had their eyes on Lu Yang. However, Xue Beng was playing the part of a spoiled brat, Prince Xue Xing didn't dare let him contact Lu Yang for the time being and could only observe for the time being.
Just as they were about to make contact with Lu Yang Lu Yang, he left the academy once again.
"An invitation from the Balak Kingdom, what does that have to do with me?" Lu Yang looked at She Long in front of him, puzzled.
"The kingdom's invitation was sent to the Young Mistress, Young Mistress specifically requested that you accompany him," She Long said.
"I see. I'll go back and prepare then." Lu Yang replied, then turned and went back to his courtyard.
After watching him leave, She Long reported the matter to Qian Renxue. She was slightly relieved to learn that Lu Yang had agreed and showed no dissatisfaction.
"It seems my control hasn't failed yet," Qian Renxue thought to herself.
As a vassal state of the Heaven Dou Empire, they would send invitations to the suzerain state for many important festivals, hoping that the suzerain state would send envoys to celebrate the festival together, thus demonstrating the relationship between the duchy and the suzerain state.
In the past, these invitations were delivered directly to Xue Ye, but now that Xue Ye is old and frail and his health is deteriorating day by day, these invitations have been gradually transferred to Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
This was also the duchy's support and gesture of goodwill towards the crown prince of the suzerain state, a politically motivated show of allegiance. Originally, Qian Renxue didn't particularly like this kind of thing, because it would waste her already limited cultivation time. But this time, Qian Renxue wanted to take this opportunity to push Lu Yang to the forefront, so she thought of bringing Lu Yang along to participate in this event.
Lu Yang didn't care about this. In his view, it was just going on a business trip with his boss. When the boss showed up, he would just stand by and be a background figure. Anyway, with the "Xue Qinghe" name on his sleeve, surely no one would be foolish enough to cause trouble?
Not to mention that when Qian Renxue travels, Yu Long and Ci Xue will definitely accompany her secretly. In terms of safety, there should be some guarantee.
Before setting off, Lu Yang went to say goodbye to Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.
"Tsk, it seems His Highness the Crown Prince sees you've been too idle lately and is preparing to find you something to do?" Dugu Yan naturally knew that Lu Yang was on the Crown Prince's side.
However, it was because of Lu Yang that Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan were able to resolve the problem of the poison's backlash. Therefore, even if Prince Xue Xing had ulterior motives, Dugu Bo didn't care. To him, no favor was as important as saving Dugu Yan.
"Who knows? Anyway, if the client tells me to go, I'll go," Lu Yang said nonchalantly.
"A sugar daddy? That's a really rude thing to say." Dugu Yan spat, "Others would kill for him, and you're complaining about him?"
"You're interfering with my cultivation!" Lu Yang's answer left Dugu Yan speechless.
A few days later, with the Royal Knights leading the way, the prince's carriage slowly drove out of Heaven Dou City.
Meanwhile, Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing stood on the city wall, watching the departing carriage, seemingly plotting something.
Inside the carriage, Lu Yang and Qian Renxue sat facing each other. However, Lu Yang began meditating as soon as he got in, showing no intention of chatting with Qian Renxue.
It's not entirely his fault. If Qian Renxue could maintain her original appearance, Lu Yang would at least find her pleasing to the eye. But now she can only appear as Xue Qinghe, and Lu Yang really has no interest in looking at that face and chatting with her.
Lu Yang's attitude, however, provoked Qian Renxue. She felt that being in the same carriage as Lu Yang would at least relieve her boredom. But Lu Yang's reaction was a huge blow to her.
When the caravan arrived at Barak City, the capital of the Balak Kingdom, the royal officials of the ducal family had been waiting for quite some time.
But when Qian Renxue got out of the carriage, the resentment emanating from her body nearly terrified everyone. One of the old ministers would have fallen to the ground if someone hadn't helped him up.
However, Qian Renxue quickly recovered, but when her peaceful smile returned, the ministers of the Balak Kingdom felt even colder inside. Fortunately, Qian Renxue did not retaliate against them, making them feel that they had escaped a calamity. However, at this moment, they had already cursed the person who had invited the crown prince of the suzerain state to the meeting from head to toe, including his ancestors for eighteen generations.
This festival in the Balak Kingdom is a celebration held at a specific time, following ancient Soul Master traditions. Many Dean of the Soul Master Academy within the Balak Kingdom have also been invited to Barak royal city to celebrate this day together.
Therefore, when Lu Yang attended the banquet with Qian Renxue, he saw the Dean of the Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy among the attendees.
The moment Lu Yang saw him, his brows furrowed. The feeling of helplessness he had felt back at the Nuoding Academy, when he was deliberately targeted, resurfaced in his mind.
Qian Renxue quickly noticed Lu Yang's change, and she took a moment to look at Lu Yang and ask, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, just saw an enemy," Lu Yang replied casually.
Hearing him say that, Qian Renxue curiously scanned the venue with her eyes. Although she knew that Lu Yang came from the Fanos Province of the Balak Kingdom, and that Lu Yang had encountered trouble at the Junior Soul Master Academy, which was why he sought refuge with the Spirit Hall, she had never met Nuoding Dean and naturally did not know what he looked like.
Nuoding Dean, on the other hand, felt a chill run down his spine as Lu Yang kept staring at him. He looked around before finally meeting Lu Yang's gaze.