"Eight hundred," Snake Lance Douluo said.
Most one-ring Soul Grandmasters seeking their second Soul Ring did not possess a physique like this. What in the world!
"Eight hundred?!" Xue Qinghe froze.
"Are you... serious?"
"I wish I were joking." Beneath his cloak, Snake Lance Douluo wore quite an expression.
No wonder he could blast that rock apart with a thrust of his blood spear through brute force alone, without adding a Soul Ring. This boy's body was downright monstrous!
A Martial Soul Mutation that caused such extensive physical changes-he probably could not find another example even if he scoured all of Spirit Hall's records!
If this boy became a Titled Douluo, his physical body would probably be even more terrifying than that of the Second Worship, Golden Crocodile!
After getting the answer he wanted, Xue Qinghe brought Xuan Ming back to the main group.
"Don't tell anyone about what just happened," Xue Qinghe said.
"Mm," Xuan Ming answered.
"Aren't you going to ask why?" Xue Qinghe asked.
"I don't ask what I shouldn't ask, or know what I shouldn't know," Xuan Ming said.
"Since you intend to help me, First Prince, you'll naturally tell me whatever I ought to know. Since you don't want everyone to see, then naturally, I shouldn't know anything either."
Xue Qinghe raised his eyebrows. "You really are clever."
"I'm growing more and more curious about just what you've seen and experienced to develop a mind like this."
"You'd be better off not knowing, First Prince," Xuan Ming said.
"It wasn't a glorious past. I don't want to remember it or bring it up."
Xue Qinghe paused. "That was thoughtless of me."
Whatever gave someone such a mind at an age when they should still be innocent certainly could not have been anything good.
"What I promised you will happen tonight," Xue Qinghe said.
"Then thank you in advance, First Prince," Xuan Ming said.
"Aren't you going to ask about the details?" Xue Qinghe asked helplessly.
"I imagine you want to create chaos so I can fish in muddy waters," Xuan Ming said.
"This is Sunset Forest. I assume you hope to use Soul Beasts to bury all of this, First Prince?"
The corner of Xue Qinghe's eye twitched. "I'm starting to be a little afraid of you."
Xuan Ming gave Xue Qinghe a puzzled look. "What is there about me for you to fear?"
Xue Qinghe paused.
True, the boy was clever, but there were many things in this world where cleverness meant nothing.
However clever Xuan Ming was, he could only see his situation clearly; he could not change anything.
With such an absolute disparity in strength, she truly had nothing to fear.
The cheerful autumn hunt continued throughout the day, and toward evening, everyone returned to camp with their spoils.
The young princes only dared target Soul Beasts like rabbits and fawns, which were less aggressive and posed little danger, but quite a few bolder princes set their sights on fierce Soul Beasts like tigers, leopards, and snakes.
Despite having guards beside them, quite a few people still suffered injuries.
Those who successfully brought fierce beasts back naturally received even greater admiration.
That night's banquet would also use these catches as its ingredients.
"Imperial brother! Look, I caught a white tiger."
Dragging a tiger over two meters long, the Third Prince excitedly crossed the camp and came up to Xue Qinghe's group.
"How valiant you are, Third Brother. You truly are the pride of our Heaven Dou Imperial Family." Xue Qinghe obligingly began lavishing him with praise.
"This white tiger should be a Hundred-Year Soul Beast, right?" Dugu Yan observed.
"It's at least five hundred years old," the Third Prince said rather proudly.
"A five-hundred-year-old white tiger. You really are impressive, Third Prince," Dugu Yan praised.
Tiger Soul Beasts were exceptionally fierce. She, at least, could not face a five-hundred-year-old tiger alone.
"Lingling, what do you think?" Dugu Yan looked toward Ye Lingling and Xuan Ming, who had remained silent beside her.
Give him some kind of response!
"This is a tigress that gave birth not long ago," Ye Lingling said.
Dugu Yan paused. "How do you know?"
"Look at its belly. It's clearly just given birth and is very weak," Ye Lingling said.
"And the clotted blood flowing from its mouth clearly shows that it suffered severe internal injuries."
"It probably encountered the Soul Masters who entered the forest to drive out the Soul Beasts right after giving birth, and was badly injured while drawing their attacks to protect its cubs."
Xuan Ming tossed a branch into the fire. "What good luck."
"..."
The scene grew extremely awkward, and the exposed Third Prince's expression turned exceedingly ugly.
He had wanted to show off, only to have his face slapped swollen!
Xuan Ming's finishing blow in particular had severely wounded the Third Prince's pride.
"If that was luck, then I'll just hunt another one!" the Third Prince said, rather angry from embarrassment.
"Third Brother, it's getting late. Even if you want to hunt, wait until tomorrow. Besides, most of today's prey has scattered or fled. You'd have to enter Sunset Forest to hunt, and that's far too dangerous," Xue Qinghe advised.
"Then I'll go into the forest and see whether there really is a litter of newborn tiger cubs," the Third Prince said.
"If there is, I can bring them back as a gift for Imperial Father."
"Third Brother, don't be rash!" Xue Qinghe said gravely.
"Never mind me-even General Ge Long and the others won't agree to let you enter Sunset Forest now."
"Then we simply won't let them know," the Third Prince said.
"Say no more, Imperial Brother. I'm not going alone, either. I'll take everyone along so they can see whether I'm relying on luck!"
"Third Brother!" Xue Qinghe was about to keep persuading him, but the Third Prince had already turned away to gather the little followers he had gained that day.
"What are we going to do?" Xue Qinghe said anxiously.
This couldn't be better!
I'd been worrying about finding a reason to get these princes away from the main group, but now everything was settled!
You really are my dear third brother!
Chapter 29: Disclaimer
Under Xue Qinghe's provocation and guidance, the Third Prince soon gathered the companions who had joined him for the autumn hunt that day.
The Heaven Dou Empire was a feudal empire. Although the four great kingdoms and the duchies nominally belonged to the Heaven Dou Empire, they actually enjoyed a high degree of autonomy. They governed their own territories and people, and their ties with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family were relatively loose, unlike the Star Luo Empire, where the imperial family exercised tight control.
However, marriages between the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and the major kingdoms were frequent, so these princes were all related to the Heaven Dou imperial princes to some degree.
Heaven Dou's Second Prince had died unexpectedly at the beginning of the year. Now, the position of crown prince could essentially be said to rest over the heads of either the First Prince, Xue Qinghe, or the Third Prince, Xue Haizang.
However, the First Prince Xue Qinghe's birth mother, the former empress, had long since died of illness, while the current empress was the birth mother of the Second and Third Princes. Thus, after the Second Prince's death, everyone favored the Third Prince, Xue Haizang.
Now that they had an opportunity to build a good relationship with the Third Prince, these princes naturally would not pass it up.
After all, once the Third Prince ascended the throne, even if they could not secure their own kingdoms' thrones with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's support, they would at least have a fallback.
"Third Brother, this really is too dangerous," Xue Qinghe urged.
"Imperial Brother, there's no need to say any more. With so many of us, could we possibly be afraid of a few Soul Beasts?" the Third Prince said.
"Besides, there are only Hundred-Year Soul Beasts at most on the outskirts of Sunset Forest. Our strength is more than enough to handle them."
"But..." Xue Qinghe still seemed uneasy.
"First Prince, the Third Prince is right. With so many of us, never mind Hundred-Year Soul Beasts-we wouldn't have anything to worry about even if a Thousand-Year Soul Beast appeared," the third prince of the Balak Kingdom said.
"Besides, all the prey during the day had been dealt with beforehand. They were either rabbits and fawns or injured beasts with little ability to resist. There wasn't any challenge at all."
"Exactly. It's rare for all of us to join an autumn hunt together. Why make it so dull?"
"..."
With Barak's third prince taking the lead, the princes summoned by the Third Prince all voiced their support for that night's plan.
After all, they had been surrounded by guards during the day. It was called an autumn hunt, but in reality, they were mostly going through the motions. It was no fun at all.
They were all teenagers, at an age when they loved excitement. Now that they had a chance to escape supervision and venture into the forest, quite a few were looking forward to it.
Although quite a few of the more timid ones, or those injured during the day, worried about encountering danger, given the current situation, they could hardly speak up and spoil everyone's fun.
"Imperial Brother, if you don't dare go, you're welcome to stay in the main camp," the Third Prince said.
"But we're definitely going. Don't sell us out."
Whether it was General Ge Long, who commanded the imperial guards and was responsible for security during this autumn hunt, or the accompanying teachers from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, none of them would ever allow them to leave if they learned of this.
"Well..." Xue Qinghe sighed.
"All right, but you must be careful."
"Of course." The Third Prince turned toward Xuan Ming, who was sitting to one side.
"I heard from Imperial Brother that you haven't obtained your first Soul Ring yet. Why not come with us? If we encounter a suitable Soul Beast, we'll help you get it."
"No!" Xue Qinghe frowned.
"He isn't even a Soul Master. How could he possibly join you in this recklessness?"
"Imperial Brother, with so many of us, are you really worried that we can't even protect him?" the Third Prince said.
"Or are you worried that I'll harm him?"
Xue Qinghe looked surprised. "Third Brother, what are you saying?"
"If you aren't worried, then why not?" the Third Prince said.
"Well..." Xue Qinghe looked toward Xuan Ming with some difficulty.
"I'll go." Xuan Ming stood.
"Xuan..."
"As expected of a genius with Twin Martial Souls!" Before Xue Qinghe could stop him, the Third Prince stepped forward and clapped Xuan Ming on the shoulder.
"Since you have such courage, I'll definitely help you find the very best Soul Ring tonight!"
"Let's go!"
"Wait," Xue Qinghe interrupted.
The Third Prince turned back. "Are you going back on your word, Imperial Brother?"
Xue Qinghe sighed. "For something this dangerous, I naturally have to come with you."
"Oh?" The Third Prince raised his eyebrows.
"It seems you value this genius with Twin Martial Souls a great deal, Imperial Brother."
Normally, he practically wanted the imperial guards tied to his back whenever he went out, yet now he was willing to venture into danger with them for this person.
"Then we'll come too." Dugu Yan pulled Ye Lingling to her feet.
"As expected of Miss Dugu. Truly a heroine among women." Before Xue Qinghe could object, the Third Prince interrupted again.
"Then let's set off while General Ge Long and the others are still away."