Could he really be into that?

Flender hurried forward to smooth things over, afraid Sunday had come to settle a score.

Sunday did not respond to Flender. Instead, he stepped aside to reveal Xue Qinghe and Ning Rongrong behind him.

Understanding Sunday's gesture, Xue Qinghe stepped forward and smiled at Flender and the other two.

"Dean Flender, hello."

Seeing that it was Xue Qinghe, Flender hurriedly bowed. He was on someone else's turf, after all.

"Your Highness, you are too kind. May I ask what brings you here?"

"Naturally, it concerns tomorrow's Public Hearing..."

"What? Have you come to pressure us in advance?"

Before Xue Qinghe could finish, Liu Erlong interrupted him.

Xue Qinghe frowned at Liu Erlong's mocking remark but said nothing.

Sunday hardly knew what to say about Liu Erlong's lack of brains.

Before meeting Yu Xiaogang, she had been hot-tempered, but she had managed to run Blue Tyrant Academy properly. At the very least, she had possessed some ability.

But after meeting Yu Xiaogang? She had tossed her brain away entirely.

Her brazen provocation of Bibi Dong during the finals in Spirit City alone showed just how stupid Liu Erlong was.

That was Spirit City, Spirit Hall's headquarters. Even its openly acknowledged forces included several Titled Douluos.

Yet she had actually dared to challenge Bibi Dong outright. If Bibi Dong had not been an idiot herself, she could have dealt with Liu Erlong on the spot for showing contempt for the Supreme Pontiff and colluding with Soul Beasts.

Forget leaving afterward-the entire Shrek party would probably have been chopped into mincemeat, and outsiders would still have praised Spirit Hall for its mercy.

At that thought, Sunday could not help sighing inwardly.

Sure enough, how clever could someone who falls in love with an idiot possibly be? Creatures flock with their own kind, and people gather with their own sort.

"Erlong!"

Flender turned and glared at Liu Erlong. A Titled Douluo was standing right there. If she offended him, she might not even know how she had died.

Xue Qinghe cast a discreet glance at Liu Erlong and sneered inwardly.

What a stupid woman.

Outwardly, Xue Qinghe waved a hand at Flender.

"Oh, Dean Flender, there's no need for that. Auntie Liu is simply getting on in years and speaks her mind."

As he spoke, he raised his eyebrows at Liu Erlong.

Hearing him call her "Auntie," Liu Erlong nearly unleashed her Martial Soul Avatar on the spot.

"Enough, Erlong. Xiaogang, take her outside and see how recruitment is going."

Yu Xiaogang had not wanted to see Sunday in the first place. Naturally, he agreed to Flender's suggestion and pulled Liu Erlong out of the office.

"Dean Flender, I came to tell you that tomorrow's Public Hearing will be attended not only by the various academies, but also by certain nobles.

"I heard you invited Senior Tai Tan, patriarch of the Strength Clan, so I thought I should give you a heads-up."

Flender nodded gravely at Xue Qinghe's words.

He had never wanted Tai Tan to attend, either. Unfortunately, he was saddled with a brother like Yu Xiaogang.

To save face before the other academies, Yu Xiaogang had insisted that Tang San bring Tai Tan along.

"I understand. Your Highness, Your Excellency Sunday, rest assured. I know where things stand."

After chatting for a while, Xue Qinghe took his leave.

Once the three of them returned to the carriage, Xue Qinghe let out a long breath.

"Ah, who knows what tomorrow will bring?"

Flender had agreed readily enough, but who knew what he would do tomorrow? Neither Tai Tan nor Liu Erlong had agreed to anything.

"It's all right. I'll be there, too."

Early the next morning, squads of Imperial Knights had surrounded the normally bustling Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.

Many citizens watched the cordoned-off Soul Fighting Arena and discussed the Public Hearing.

The matter had stirred towering waves throughout the Heaven Dou Empire. After all, Heaven Dou Royal Academy was the empire's public face.

Now that very public face had revealed problems in its teacher selection process, delivering a vicious slap to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

It had also plunged the Heaven Dou Empire's education system into crisis. A public hearing was therefore necessary to reestablish its authority over education.

One luxurious carriage after another entered the designated area, and powerful figures who carried great weight at court filed into the Soul Fighting Arena.

When the Shrek party reached the entrance to the Great Soul Arena, the Imperial Knights stopped them.

"Halt! Who are you? No one may approach the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena today."

Seeing someone bar her way, Liu Erlong's brows shot up, and she stepped forward to argue.

"They're from an academy as well. I know them."

Just then, a gentle, lilting voice came from behind the Shrek party.

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a beautiful woman in a blue qipao walking elegantly toward them.

The knights respectfully cupped their hands when they saw her.

"Greetings, Pavilion Mistress Yuehua."

Tai Tan also moved forward to pay his respects, but the woman stopped him with a glance.

After stopping Tai Tan, the woman gave the knights a gentle smile and spoke softly.

"No need for formalities. May we go inside?"

"Of course. Please, come in."

"Who's that?"

Standing in the Great Soul Arena's lounge, Sunday had seen the commotion at the entrance from above and asked Xue Qinghe beside him out of curiosity.

Xue Qinghe was rather surprised that Sunday had taken the initiative to ask about someone else.

But when he saw the woman's voluptuous figure and lovely face, his expression immediately turned a little strange.

"Her name is Tang Yuehua. She's the mistress of Moonlight Pavilion, the etiquette academy in the city. Why? Are you interested, sir?"

A sense of crisis rose in Xue Qinghe's heart. For all his countless calculations, he had failed to account for Sunday being a man.

Looking at Sunday's handsome face and tall, straight figure, Xue Qinghe felt troubled.

He couldn't be... into that, could he?

As he looked at Tang Yuehua's curvaceous figure, whose proportions far outstripped his own, Xue Qinghe felt a tightness in his chest.

What's so good about an older woman? She's not even as pretty as me. I'm plenty mature too, you know.

Sunday looked at Tang Yuehua, somewhat surprised by Xue Qinghe's explanation.

Tang Hao's younger sister? Even she came?

"What is she here for? Does an etiquette academy have to participate too?"

Sunday truly could not understand why Tang Yuehua had come to join the commotion.

Xue Qinghe shook the strange thoughts from his mind and explained to Sunday.

"The Clear Sky Sect stands behind Moonlight Pavilion. The Heaven Dou Imperial Family has long been weaker than the Star Luo Empire in military strength.

"To win over the Clear Sky Sect, my father has been showing goodwill toward Moonlight Pavilion all this time.

"But I don't know about this occasion. My father probably didn't invite her. She may have come on her own."

Hearing Xue Qinghe's explanation, Sunday immediately understood whom she had come for.

If Xue Ye had not invited her, there could be only one reason for her to come of her own accord: her "Brother Hao."

Disgusting. Why is the Douluo Continent full of freaks?

Sunday was thoroughly revolted. First there had been two women fighting over one fool, and now there was a younger sister in love with her own brother.

The Douluo Continent truly is a land polluted by sin. This place must be purified!