Soul Stripping! A Black Kitten?

Bing Jiu hurriedly coughed a few times.

"It's fine, Zhuqing. We really did play for a little too long this time. Go back with them first; we can play again another day."

"Humph!" Zhu Zhuqing tore off the strip of cloth over her face and turned around, slapping it onto Dai Mubai's face with a smack.

"It's all your fault! I didn't win a single round against her! I'm furious! Get lost!"

With that, she stormed off in anger, leaving Dai Mubai standing there with a bewildered expression.

"Hahaha, so it was just a misunderstanding."

Xue Qinghe stepped forward to smooth things over. He put an arm around Bing Jiu's shoulders, scraped her nose with a finger, and naturally wrapped an arm around her slender waist.

"You really do love causing trouble for me, don't you? Should you accept this Crown Prince's punishment too?"

"You little rascal, when did I ever?"

Bing Jiu lightly scolded him and punched his chest. "We were just playing cards together. It wasn't anything like what you were imagining."

"That's true."

Xue Qinghe bent down and kissed Bing Jiu on the forehead.

Everyone in the room immediately began jeering at the sight.

Tang San watched the scene before him, his eyes reddening as his fists clenched tightly. Still, he forced a smile onto his lips.

"Brother Xue, congratulations on your happy union with the Saintess..."

The matter was quickly settled. Other than Dai Mubai needing to coax someone for a long time, there were no other apparent consequences.

Yet beneath the surface, undercurrents had long begun to surge.

Back at the Crown Prince Palace, Xue Qinghe crooked a finger at Bing Jiu.

"Time to show me what you truly gained today."

"Of course."

The corners of Bing Jiu's lips slowly lifted. With a flick of her hand, the Clear Sky Pagoda appeared.

"Come closer, or you won't be able to see clearly."

"Oh?"

Xue Qinghe leaned in. Bing Jiu pointed at the first level of the Clear Sky Pagoda, where a small cat with glossy jet-black fur and purple eyes was clearly visible.

Chuan held a cat teaser wand and continuously played with the little cat. The two went back and forth, and cheerful laughter occasionally rang out.

Xue Qinghe frowned slightly. "Did you imprison her soul, or did you really turn her into a cat?"

"It is indeed a soul, but not a complete one. The rules of the Clear Sky Pagoda are: one pagoda level suppresses one beast, forged into a prison for eternity."

Bing Jiu reached out and patted Chuan on the head, thoughtfully handing her a bag of cat food.

The moment Chuan saw the cat food, she nearly couldn't resist sneaking a bite. Bing Jiu was so angered that she smacked her backside several times before she finally settled down.

Bing Jiu rolled her shoulders and continued, "Ordinarily, only one beast can exist on each level. But if the other part is merely an incomplete soul, it can be perfectly accommodated without changing the rules."

"So..."

"That's right, just as you're thinking."

A chilling smile curved across Bing Jiu's lips. "This little kitty's Martial Soul happens to be a Beast Martial Soul. Without my permission, that part of her soul will remain imprisoned here forever."

"And with it here, I'll be able to control all of Zhu Zhuqing's memories. I can make her forget whatever I want her to forget and remember whatever I want her to remember. Even fabricated memories can be woven in beforehand. Controlling memories—fun, isn't it?"

"It certainly is fun, but you must have made a deal with her, right? What did she want?" Xue Qinghe looked at Bing Jiu with great interest.

"Tch."

Bing Jiu rolled her eyes, clearly displeased that Xue Qinghe had seen through her scheme at a glance.

"Nothing more than sparing the Star Luo Imperial Family and the Zhu Clan when Star Luo is destroyed later. Besides the Star Luo Emperor, the rest are all useless anyway."

"I didn't expect this girl to be so devoted. Oh, right, I'm publicly a man. If she wanted to sabotage this marriage alliance, why didn't she come to me instead of you?"

Xue Qinghe asked irritably.

Bing Jiu smiled as she hooked her arms around his neck and tapped his red lips.

"Because I'm prettier than you."

Xue Qinghe: ...

"Baby." Xue Qinghe wrapped an arm around Bing Jiu's waist and lifted her into his arms.

"Today, I'll show you which of us is prettier."

It was another night of playful mischief...

The next day

Today was the second day since the Pan-continental Advanced Soul Master Competition began, and it was also the day Bing Jiu encountered the first team to challenge them.

Canghui Academy.

This advanced Soul Master Academy from the Heaven Dou competition region had always been notorious. In the previous tournament, it had been eliminated in the very first round. Just like Shrek Academy this time, it had been utterly humiliated.

"Sect Master Tuoba, it's been a long time."

In the stands, Canghui Academy's headmaster, Shi Nian, approached Tuoba Xi and was just about to sit down.

Tilting his head, Tuoba Xi could not even be bothered to look at him. His aura shook, blasting Shi Nian away on the spot.

Shi Nian staggered in shock, nearly falling over. "You... a Titled Douluo? When did you become a Titled Douluo?"

"This isn't a place for dogs to sit."

Tuoba Xi did not answer his question. He looked at him coldly. "Shi Nian, do you really think Spirit Hall doesn't know about your slaughter of tournament contestants this time?"

Cold sweat immediately poured down Shi Nian's face. He turned to leave, but Tuoba Xi pressed a hand onto his shoulder.

"Sit."

The overwhelming force forced Shi Nian into his seat. Tuoba Xi then pointed at the arena. "Watch carefully. Once they're gone, you'll be next."

"What if they win?" Shi Nian still clung to a sliver of hope.

"Win? Hehe." Tuoba Xi looked as though he had heard a joke.

"If they win, then you won't have to die either."

"Really?"

Tuoba Xi smiled. "I don't lie to idiots."

At this point, Shi Nian no longer cared what Tuoba Xi said. He sent a message to his team members.

The Canghui Academy contestants broke out in cold sweats the moment they saw Shi Nian's message.

"Have us use the Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Skill against the Saintess?"

Their Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Skill was incredibly powerful. They had originally saved it for revenge against Shrek Academy, but who could have expected those fools to be eliminated in the very first round?

Yet now, they were actually supposed to use this move against Bing Jiu. Wouldn't Spirit Hall retaliate?

In the end, intimidated by Shi Nian, they could only take the field with gritted teeth.

Seeing all seven of his team members enter the arena, Shi Nian could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Great. Although this will offend Spirit Hall, as long as we don't kill the Saintess, Spirit Hall probably won't get angry.

Wasn't that why Tuoba Xi called him an idiot...

He could not even tell which was worse: hurting Bing Jiu or secretly killing the tournament contestants.

He was stupid beyond saving.

Because of Bing Jiu's special status, this match was reserved as the finale.

Sure enough, the moment she entered the arena, wave after wave of applause erupted throughout the Great Spirit Arena.

"Wow! It's Her Highness the Crown Princess! I'm so honored! To think that I'd get to see Her Highness the Crown Princess personally fight in a spirit battle during my lifetime—I can't take it anymore!"

Someone was so excited that they fainted on the spot, and such incidents were far from uncommon.

Xue Ye watched her with a broad smile. "My daughter-in-law is the Spirit Hall Saintess, representing the strongest combat power of the current younger generation! Though there are only three of them, the other two are support-type Soul Masters."

"That means she'll be taking on seven people by herself!"

Xue Ye could not have sounded more proud when he said it.

In truth, he had already made up his mind. Once Bing Jiu officially became the Empress of the Heaven Dou Empire, he would have Qinghe lead the combined forces of Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou!

They would completely conquer Star Luo! Then, Douluo Continent would be called the Heaven Dou Continent!

Xue Qinghe merely smiled and said nothing.