Jade Phosphor, Begonia Join the Sect

"Fine!"

Hearing Xiao Yu's price, Meng Shenji hurriedly nodded. The Tian Dou Royal Family lacked everything but money.

Xiao Yu turned to Dugu Bo. "Senior Dugu, please undo his petrification and let him go back to deliver the message."

Dugu Bo nodded and activated his Soul Bone skill. Two flashes of white light later, Meng Shenji had returned to normal.

After releasing Meng Shenji from petrification, Dugu Bo looked at him solemnly. "When you return, help me tell Snow Star Prince that Dugu Bo no longer owes him anything. From now on, I will no longer serve as a guest of the Heaven Dou Empire. Oh, and Yan Zi will also withdraw from Heaven Dou Royal Academy. From this day forward, we have no further ties."

Dugu Bo was no fool. If Xue Ye and Xue Xing had not approved of this, how would Meng Shenji and the others have dared to join Yu Yuanzhen in coming to attack him? Not to mention the two royal enshrinements of the Heaven Dou Empire—Meng Shenji did not possess the authority to mobilize enshrinements.

Meng Shenji looked dejected and nodded helplessly. This was truly a case of trying to steal a chicken and losing the rice instead. Not only had they gained nothing, they now had to pay an enormous sum of money, and they had even driven away the only Titled Douluo bearing the Heaven Dou Empire's name. It was all that old bastard Yu Yuanzhen's fault!

"Education Committee Meng Shenji, Ling Ling is no longer suited to remain at Heaven Dou Royal Academy either. Please handle the arrangements for her withdrawal."

Ye Renxin took the opportunity to speak as well. After witnessing Xiao Yu's background and the emotional bond between him and his precious granddaughter, he had long wanted Ye Lingling to withdraw from the academy and leave with Xiao Yu. Given Xiao Yu's background and talent, there was probably no young woman on the continent who would not be moved by him. If Ling Ling did not stay by his side, someone else might seize the opportunity first.

However, if he had rashly proposed withdrawal, the Tian Dou Royal Family would inevitably have been displeased, so he had been waiting for a suitable opportunity. Now that the Tian Dou Royal Family had acted against Xiao Yu without the slightest regard for the Nine Hearted Begonia Family's standing, it gave him the perfect chance to sever ties.

Meng Shenji continued nodding. Ye Renxin's reaction was within his expectations. Even Dugu Yan was preparing to withdraw, let alone Ye Lingling. Before taking action, he had already known that Xiao Yu was temporarily staying at the Nine Hearted Begonia Family residence when he first arrived in Heaven Dou City.

"Get lost. Hurry back and raise the money!"

With everything settled, Xiao Yu waved Meng Shenji away indifferently. Although Meng Shenji had received a fairly positive evaluation in the original work, he had tried to kill him, so there was no need for Xiao Yu to be polite.

Though he was being barked at by a junior, when Meng Shenji thought of the two powerful Titled Douluo behind Xiao Yu, both with Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings, he did not dare reveal even a trace of dissatisfaction. He meekly took his leave.

Once Meng Shenji had gone far away, Dugu Bo suddenly turned and bowed deeply to Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu was genuinely startled by Dugu Bo this time. He quickly sidestepped to avoid the bow and asked, "Senior Dugu, what are you doing?"

"Brother Xiao, I, Dugu Bo, misjudged people and nearly caused a great disaster. If not for you all today, my granddaughter and I would surely have been doomed!"

Dugu Bo was not wrong. If Xiao Yu had not been unwilling to give up the treasured land of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and decided to establish a branch here, Dugu Bo alone would likely have faced only death against Yu Yuanzhen and the others. Dugu Yan would also have been abducted by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, who would have used every possible method to uncover the secret of Martial Soul Evolution from her.

"Now, my granddaughter and I have nowhere to go. I wonder whether Brother Xiao's second condition from that day still stands?"

"Of course it stands!"

Xiao Yu stepped forward and helped Dugu Bo up. "This junior has long admired Senior Dugu's great reputation. Your joining the sect would truly be like adding wings to a tiger. From now on, Senior Dugu will be an elder of Nine Stars Hall and oversee the Heaven Dou City branch together with Senior Yang Wudi."

"Little Xiao."

Ye Renxin spoke as well. "After what happened today, I fear that the Nine Hearted Begonia Family will no longer have a place in the Heaven Dou Empire. I wonder if Nine Stars Hall could also grant this old man a place?"

Ye Renxin did not offer a grand bow like Dugu Bo. In a sense, Xiao Yu was also his future grandson-in-law. How could he bow and kowtow to his own junior? Would he have to offer the same grand bow to his granddaughter in the future?

"Of course. The healing abilities of the Nine Hearted Begonia are unmatched across the continent. I doubt any sect would refuse."

Xiao Yu smiled faintly. He suddenly felt somewhat grateful to Yu Yuanzhen. If not for his disturbance, which had pushed the Tian Dou Royal Family into opposition against the Nine Hearted Begonia Family and Dugu Bo, it would not have been so easy for him to win over these two powerful allies.

Meanwhile, after leaving Sunset Forest, Meng Shenji rushed back to Heaven Dou City without stopping and headed straight for the imperial palace.

Smash!

After hearing Meng Shenji's report, the teacup in Xue Ye's hand immediately fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

Fear, regret, fury, resentment—countless complicated emotions intertwined. The emperor's expression changed again and again, making for quite a sight.

At Xue Ye's side, Snow Star Prince regretted his decision so deeply his guts were turning green. If he had known earlier that the brat named Xiao Yu, whom Yu Yuanzhen intended to deal with, possessed such a background, how could he possibly have chosen to betray Dugu Bo and side with Yu Yuanzhen?

Two Titled Douluo with Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings! What a terrifying force that was. Dugu Bo was clearly on good terms with them. If he had remained friendly with Dugu Bo, then with the right maneuvering, he could have latched onto a backer that might be even more powerful than the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Standing opposite Snow Star Prince, Qian Renxue, disguised as the Tian Dou Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, also looked somewhat dazed. If they had merely been two Titled Douluo, she would not have lost her composure. After all, Spirit Hall possessed the greatest number of Titled Douluo on the continent: the nine elders, the Six Great Enshrinements, her grandfather, and that woman were all Titled Douluo powerhouses.

What truly shocked her was the Spirit Ring configuration of those two Titled Douluo. Those were Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings! Among Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo, only her grandfather, the Second Elder Golden Crocodile Douluo, and that woman whom she was most unwilling to mention possessed Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings.

Where had this mysterious force known as Nine Stars Hall emerged from? Just what kind of foundation did their sect possess? Would they affect Spirit Hall's plan to unify the continent? She had to find a way to learn more about Nine Stars Hall!

"Qinghe, Qinghe?"

As Qian Renxue was deep in thought, Xue Ye's voice rang out beside her. Qian Renxue hurriedly came back to her senses, fell to the ground, and pleaded guilty. "Your son was so shocked by Lord Meng Shenji's report that he lost focus for a moment. I beg Father Emperor's forgiveness!"

"No matter!"

Xue Ye waved his hand carelessly. Even he had been thrown into turmoil upon suddenly receiving this news, let alone Xue Qinghe, whose experience was still lacking compared to his. "Qinghe, in your opinion, how should this matter be handled? They have demanded twenty-five million Gold Soul Coins. Though the empire can gather the money after some effort, it did not fall from the sky!"