Emperor Xue Ye stared at Xue Xing, his gaze dark and the emotions in his eyes unreadable.
Huo Yuhao continued fanning the flames. "I once heard my teacher and Sword Douluo speak of Poison Douluo. Sword Douluo said that Poison Douluo might not be considered strong among Titled Douluo, but against those below that rank, his killing power could be said to surpass everyone else on the continent. Poison Douluo's poison kills without a trace. Often, his victims die without ever knowing he was the one who struck."
Cold sweat poured down Prince Xue Xing's face.
All warmth had vanished from Xue Ye's eyes.
For an emperor, right and wrong were unimportant. What mattered was whether someone had the means to threaten him.
Poison was an even greater taboo for the imperial family.
And there was also the chain of suspicion Huo Yuhao had planted earlier through Xue Beng.
Even though Xue Ye knew Xue Xing was utterly loyal to him, he still became more wary of him.
Xue Xing hurriedly explained, "Imperial Brother, please see the truth! The only reason I opposed the marriage was my concern about Poison Douluo. He has an eccentric temperament. If we propose the match, we may very well offend him. Then not only will he refuse the marriage, but it will also create a rift between both sides for no reason."
Huo Yuhao countered, "We would only be proposing a match, not forcing him. How could that offend Poison Douluo? Is Poison Douluo really such an unreasonable person?"
"Just what are your intentions, Imperial Uncle?"
"I've been wronged!"
Xue Xing scrambled and crawled over to Xue Ye.
Xue Ye's gaze sharpened slightly, and he made a decision. He rebuked Xue Xing, then turned to Huo Yuhao.
"Since you have taken a liking to Miss Dugu, I agree to the match. I will prepare a generous betrothal gift. As for how you persuade Poison Douluo to let you marry his granddaughter, that will depend on your own abilities."
Huo Yuhao smiled as he looked down at Prince Xue Xing on the floor. "I hear Poison Douluo owes you his life, Imperial Uncle. Since you're so concerned about my marriage today, why don't you act as matchmaker and propose the match to Poison Douluo for me?"
Xue Xing was taken aback, and a flicker of surprise crossed Xue Ye's eyes as well.
The crown prince knew full well that Xue Xing would sabotage the marriage, so why was he asking him to act as matchmaker? Was it merely to humiliate Xue Xing and win a momentary victory?
Unable to think of another reason, Xue Ye shook his head inwardly.
The crown prince was young after all, unable to keep his composure and determined to pay back the slightest slight.
Xue Xing practically ground his teeth to pieces, forcing an ugly smile onto his face.
"Since you trust me so much, Crown Prince, I'll make sure this matter is handled perfectly!"
"Then thank you, Imperial Uncle. You mustn't disappoint me!"
Huo Yuhao's smile was full of meaning.
Prince Xue Xing nodded slightly, malice brewing in his eyes.
Hmph, since you dare entrust this matter to me, I'll give you a surprise!
Not only will I ruin the match, I'll make Poison Douluo come storming into the crown prince's residence to hold you accountable. Let's see how you save face after that!
By the time Huo Yuhao left the palace, it was already afternoon.
Snake Lance Douluo, disguised as a coachman, waited quietly outside the palace.
Huo Yuhao climbed into the carriage and cheerfully instructed him, "Uncle Snake Lance, take me to Heaven Dou Royal Academy. I have business with the three education committee members, and I'll pay my future crown princess a visit while I'm there."
Snake Lance Douluo raised his whip, then suddenly registered what he had heard. His movement froze.
"Hm?"
"What did you say, Young Master?" He suspected he had misheard.
Huo Yuhao said cheerfully:
"Xue Ye was preparing to arrange a marriage for me, so I chose Poison Douluo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan."
Snake Lance Douluo raised his whip, then lowered it. He raised it again, then lowered it again. After a long while, he finally spoke incoherently. "Young Master, you're getting married? This, if the Great Enshrined finds out-"
Huo Yuhao waved a hand and said confidently, "She's only a granddaughter-in-law. Grandfather will get used to it eventually."
If I bring a few more granddaughters-in-law home in the future and open Qian Daoliu's eyes, won't he get used to it?
Snake Lance Douluo's brows knitted together, and the corners of his eyes twitched.
Granddaughter-in-law. What a novel term. He recognized every word, yet when they were put together, he couldn't understand them.
Nor did he dare to.
If the Great Enshrined heard this, wouldn't he come charging straight to Heaven Dou City?
If the young master really had been bent and the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul's inheritance was cut off, the Great Enshrined might even scatter Emperor Xue Ye's ashes.
Snake Lance Douluo tried to save the nation by a roundabout route, attempting to talk Huo Yuhao out of it.
"Young Master, if you marry, there's a strong chance our plan will be exposed."
Huo Yuhao waved a hand dismissively.
"We're about to draw the net closed on our plan. Within a year at most, I'll take control of the Heaven Dou Empire. The crown prince's marriage is no small matter. Even if this match is settled, it'll take half a year to a year to go through all the formalities. By then, it won't matter whether we're exposed."
"Oh, right, Uncle Snake Lance, go back to Spirit Hall tonight and pass the news to Bibi Dong and my grandfather. I'm going to marry Poison Douluo's granddaughter. Xue Xing will definitely interfere, and Poison Douluo certainly won't let the matter rest. He'll very likely come to the residence and raise a ruckus."
"When that happens, we'll invite him into our trap. You and Uncle Pufferfish, together with Chrysanthemum and Ghost and the help Grandfather sends me, will take down Poison Douluo in one fell swoop."
Snake Lance Douluo couldn't help mourning Dugu Bo in silence.
There was him and Pufferfish, as well as Chrysanthemum and Ghost, plus whoever the Great Enshrined sent from the Worship Hall.
This time, at least five Titled Douluo would be waiting for Dugu Bo. Even Tang Hao hadn't received such treatment back then.
Dugu Bo was in for a treat!
But before that, he himself was in for a treat.
Snake Lance Douluo looked up in the direction of Spirit Hall. Thinking of the task the young master had assigned him this time, he wanted to cry but had no tears.
On this trip back to Spirit Hall, he not only had to provoke and threaten Bibi Dong on the young master's behalf, but also tell the Great Enshrined that the young master intended to marry-
Was there any chance he'd make it back to Heaven Dou City alive?
Would Bibi Dong suck him dry, or would the Great Enshrined chop him into mincemeat?
Why don't I find a way to send Pufferfish back instead? That fellow has plenty of meat on him and can take a beating!
He would take Pufferfish's shift guarding the young master tomorrow.
During the time of the Peerless Tang Sect, at Shrek Academy.
As it was registration day at the continent's number one academy, the entrance to Shrek Academy was bustling with students and parents who had come to report in.
Qian Renxue and Jiang Nannan stood in line together.
As the number one beauty of Shrek Academy's outer court, Jiang Nannan's looks went without saying. In just this short while, she had already drawn the eyes of countless new students.
When these new students learned that Jiang Nannan was also their senior, their gazes grew much more resolute.
I have to get into Shrek Academy!
They might be timid if they actually met a senior in real life, but when fantasizing, who wouldn't want a wonderful encounter with a beautiful senior, getting all flustered in the process?
The only thing that was a little hard on the eyes was that there was actually a pretty boy beside the beautiful senior!
Damn it, he must just be her dear little brother!
The "pretty boy" Qian Renxue paid them no attention. She was simply observing what the Soul Masters of this era were like.
Compared with ten thousand years ago, there were indeed quite a few more "geniuses" in this era. There were several times as many Soul Masters around her who had reached level 20 Soul Power before the age of twelve as there had been in her days at Spirit Hall Academy.
I wonder what the senior students at Shrek Academy are like? Qian Renxue was very curious.
"Do you mean the cultivation of the seniors in the inner court? If I remember correctly, the eldest senior sister of the inner court was already a Soul Douluo at twenty-six."
Qian Renxue was shocked, then fell silent.
As a genius with Innate Level 20 Soul Power, she had always looked down on others and taken pride in herself. Hearing this, she felt that she had been dealt a considerable blow, and her mood sank.
Before coming to this era, she had been only a Soul King, at twenty-one years old.
Thinking of Spirit Hall's ending made her even more depressed.
What on earth was I doing in the past?
Useless old me!
Since I've brought my talent ten thousand years into the future, I have to live a life worthy of the name this time!
Qian Renxue performed a divine severance from her past self.
She was very good at that. The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul was the GOAT of the divine attribute!
A mere divine severance was no challenge at all.