Winning Xue Beng Over

Under that overwhelming killing intent, Aude nearly fell to his knees. Tang Yuehua had to unleash her domain again.

Only then did she erase the killing intent enveloping Aude.

"Sir, I'm sorry. I failed to make proper arrangements!"

The speaker was none other than Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo. To those present, all of noble birth, it was no surprise that Dugu Bo would speak up for Zhao Su.

But what Dugu Bo did next shocked everyone.

He leaped straight down from the third floor, came before Zhao Su, and bowed his head as he addressed him with utmost respect.

Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo, after all-the sole Titled Douluo serving as a retainer whom the Heaven Dou Empire had hired at enormous expense.

Even the princes of the Heaven Dou Empire and Xue Ye himself had to treat him with courtesy.

None dared offend him in the slightest.

Yet today, he lowered his head and admitted fault to a young man who looked barely twenty, adopting such a humble posture.

"Forget it. I don't feel like pursuing this any further."

"Yes. This way, sir!" Dugu Bo gestured for Zhao Su to go upstairs.

"Pavilion Mistress Tang, teach your servants properly from now on. If you can't even discipline your own servants, how can you teach etiquette to members of the imperial family?"

Although Zhao Su had said he would let the matter go, Dugu Bo still offered Tang Yuehua that warning as he passed her.

Then he said no more and caught up with Zhao Su, who was heading upstairs.

"Madam..."

"Enough. Remember not to act so rashly again. Since he said he was here to see someone, you should simply have informed me."

"Yes. This old servant failed to know his place. I will certainly be more mindful in the future!"

"Mm."

Tang Yuehua nodded without punishing Aude. She merely looked up at Zhao Su just as he entered the room.

For some reason, the moment Tang Yuehua saw Zhao Su, a strong interest in him stirred within her.

It was as though a voice in her mind were telling her, Get close to him. He can help you change your Martial Soul!

In truth, this was the effect of Zhao Su's immense spiritual power.

Zhao Su was in no mood to approach her gradually, as he had with Zhu Zhuqing.

For one thing, Tang Yuehua was not an inexperienced young girl like Zhu Zhuqing. She had spent years navigating noble society and official circles. Never mind young girls-even men might not match her wealth of experience.

The approach he had used on Zhu Zhuqing would be utterly useless on her.

Since that was the case, Zhao Su could only take a more direct approach.

After Zhao Su fused with the Right Arm Soul Bone of the Holy Angel Set, his spiritual power had received an extraordinary boost. It had surpassed the Spirit Domain Realm and reached the Divine Origin Realm, with a terrifying fifty-three thousand points.

Moreover, his spiritual power had already taken tangible form.

Even the spiritual power of someone who surpassed Titled Douluo and became a god would amount to no more than this.

Using it against Tang Yuehua, who was only rank nine, was effortless, even with her innate domain.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just then, someone knocked on the door of the room where Zhao Su and the others were gathered.

"Your Eminence Poison Douluo, I was rude and offended Mr. Zhao earlier. I hope Mr. Zhao will forgive me."

As Aude spoke, he had the people behind him carry several exquisite gifts into the room as an apology.

"Enough. Leave!"

Dugu Bo's gaze remained icy as he spoke.

Aude bowed slightly and said nothing more, withdrawing respectfully.

He had done everything he could. The outcome was now beyond his control; he could only leave it to fate.

"Sir, are you saying Crown Prince Xue Qinghe is someone from Spirit Hall in disguise?"

After Aude left, Xue Beng, who sat there with doubt and alarm in his eyes, asked Zhao Su for confirmation.

"That's right!"

Zhao Su leaned back in his chair, speaking casually but with certainty.

"So that's it. No wonder Xue Qinghe's way of doing things has changed so much over the years." Xue Beng rose, stepped forward, and knelt before Zhao Su. "Please save me, sir!"

On the surface, Xue Beng seemed to be a wastrel prince. In truth, it had all been an act over the years. Every day, he lived with his heart in his throat, guarding against assassination by Xue Qinghe.

Moreover, Xue Beng had personally witnessed Zhao Su thrashing Dugu Bo at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy that day.

Now Dugu Bo was treating Zhao Su with even greater respect, giving him a glimmer of hope.

"Get up. If you want me to save you, you must follow my arrangements. I can guarantee that you will become the next emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire!"

"I am willing to follow your guidance, sir. I will obey without exception!"

"First, keep playing your role as the wastrel prince. Don't let Xue Qinghe notice anything unusual. Wait for the right moment!"

"May I ask when that moment will come, sir?"

"Soon. You won't have to wait too long." Zhao Su beckoned Xue Beng closer. "Remember, until I tell you to act, you must hold your position no matter what happens. Understood?"

"Yes, I understand!" Xue Beng nodded and spoke solemnly.

"Good. As long as you understand. I'm leaving!"

"Sir, let me see you out!"

Seeing that Zhao Su was leaving, Dugu Bo hurriedly stood, but Zhao Su stopped him. "No need!"

By the time he finished speaking, Zhao Su had already left the room. Just as he turned to head downstairs,

A voice stopped him. "Mr. Zhao, would you care to come upstairs for a while?"

It was Tang Yuehua. She stood there looking at Zhao Su, clearly having waited there specifically for him.

The corners of Zhao Su's mouth lifted as he turned toward Tang Yuehua. "To receive a personal invitation from the mistress of the Moonlight Pavilion is truly an honor."

With that, Zhao Su headed toward the top floor.

That was Tang Yuehua's private space. Without her permission, even Aude, the steward, was forbidden to enter.

As he entered the room, a faint fragrance greeted him.

The fragrance also had an invigorating effect that cleared the mind.

"This fragrance is pleasant, but aren't you afraid that breathing too much of it will keep you awake at night, Pavilion Mistress?"

Zhao Su casually sat down on the sofa, a faint smile lingering on his face as he looked at Tang Yuehua.

Meeting Zhao Su's gaze, Tang Yuehua inexplicably felt her heartbeat begin to quicken.

Having weathered so many storms, Tang Yuehua should never have experienced an emotion that threatened her composure like this.

And the other party was merely a young man in his twenties.

"Sleeping is perhaps the greatest waste of time. I wish I never had to sleep!"

As Tang Yuehua said this, a trace of complicated emotion flashed through her eyes, as though she had remembered something.

"There's plenty of time. Why worry about wasting it?"

As Zhao Su spoke, he reached out and took Tang Yuehua's hand. She jolted at his sudden touch, then felt a warm current flow into her body.

Once the warm current entered Tang Yuehua's body, it suddenly dispersed and flowed through her meridians.

It left Tang Yuehua with an indescribable sense of comfort.

Her somewhat pale face gradually gained a rosy glow.

Tang Yuehua's Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul had mutated. Although it came with the innate domain, Noble Ring, in truth, it was utterly useless against genuinely powerful opponents.

Moreover, her Soul Power was only rank nine. Unlike other powerful soul masters, she could not preserve a youthful appearance through her strength.

Keeping her looks from aging came at a price.