Dai Hao finally understood what Du Busi meant.
Considering that Xuan Zi was even more familiar with the words "Dragon Core" than they were, Dai Hao concluded that the Dragon Core was very likely in the hands of Dragon God Douluo Mu En.
But...
Given the White Tiger Duke's Mansion's current strength, they were in no position to stand on equal footing with a Super Douluo like Xuan Zi.
He took a deep breath and looked at Huo Yuhao, pleading, "Yuhao, can you really bear to...?"
Before Dai Hao could finish, Huo Yuhao interrupted him without hesitation. "I can."
Those words caught the rest of what Dai Hao had been about to say in his throat.
Huo Yuhao said coldly, "This is what your White Tiger Duke's Mansion owes me. And Dai Hao, you're not allowed to call me Yuhao. Are we that close?!"
Dai Hao's heart went ice-cold.
He had never imagined that Huo Yuhao would be so resolute.
Wasn't it just that he hadn't taken the slightest care of Huo Yuhao over the past eleven years?!
Yet Huo Yuhao showed no regard for his status as his father or his face, leaving him no room to negotiate.
Dai Hao instinctively looked at Du Busi, who merely stared coldly back at him.
He instantly understood what that look meant: Fuck off.
Dai Hao clenched his teeth, his nails digging deep into his flesh.
Since that's the case, Dai Huabin, my wife, I can only make you suffer.
Who told you to offend someone you shouldn't have?
Dai Hao took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty Body, all the White Tiger Duke's Mansion's sources of income have now been destroyed by your hand."
"In the short term, there's no way we can produce a supreme treasure like the Dragon Core."
Du Busi raised an eyebrow and said, "Don't beat around the bush with me. Speak!"
Dai Hao said in a low voice, "Although we don't have a supreme treasure like the Dragon Core, I can seal the Martial Souls and Soul Power of those who offended Huo Yuhao, including Dai Huabin and my wife, and give them to Huo Yuhao as servants to command as he pleases."
"Whatever your Body Sect wants them to do, they can do."
When he finished, Xu Jiawei opened his mouth and stared at Dai Hao in shock.
Dai Hao had really made a ruthless move.
He had actually offered his own legitimate son and wife to Huo Yuhao as servants.
Xuan Zi looked at Dai Hao with a strange expression.
Well, well, Dai Hao has really put on a splendid show of a loving father, a dutiful son, and deep affection between husband and wife!
No, I must report what happened today to Mu En when I get back.
Du Busi was silent for a moment, then turned to Huo Yuhao and asked, "What do you think?"
Huo Yuhao looked calmly at Dai Hao. He could tell that Xu Jiawei had all but abandoned Dai Hao now.
Then again, Xu Jiawei had even invited Xuan Zi to back him up.
Yet Dai Hao had gone and said nothing, letting things turn out like this and presenting Xu Jiawei with a fine gift.
Xu Jiawei was probably a little disappointed in Dai Hao, but he still wouldn't abandon the White Tiger bloodline.
And Xuan Zi, for the sake of the Dragon Core, had also set aside his ten-thousand-year friendship with the White Tiger bloodline for the time being.
Huo Yuhao said mildly, "Then let's leave it at that for now."
Hearing this, Dai Hao felt much of the pressure in his heart vanish at once.
Thank goodness, thank goodness, thank goodness!
Xue Mingshan, who had taken everything in, breathed a sigh of relief.
In his view, a peaceful resolution to the matter was naturally best.
If the Body Sect, Shrek Academy, and the Star Luo Empire clashed in the imperial palace, his home would be gone!
Xue Mingshan gave Xu Jiawei a meaningful look.
As if sensing something, Xu Jiawei raised his head, and his eyes happened to meet Xue Mingshan's.
Neither emperor spoke, but both understood what the other meant.
Xue Mingshan said, "Since none of the three parties has any objections, let's put today's matter to rest here."
He then clapped his hands.
Two soldiers of the Heavenly Soul Empire, under immense pressure, carefully walked in from outside.
Each carried several sheets of paper, which they placed on the wooden table.
Xue Mingshan picked up one of the sheets and said, "To prevent certain people from breaking their word in the future, we'd better sign a contract."
Xu Jiawei and Dai Hao naturally had no objections. It wasn't that they didn't want to break the agreement, but that they didn't dare.
Du Busi and the Snow Empress were sitting across from them, one a Super Douluo and the other a Limit Douluo.
If they dared refuse to sign, Xu Jiawei might fare better, but as the ruler of a nation, if anything happened to him here, the consequences would be unthinkable.
As for Dai Hao, tsk, tsk, tsk.
There was no one left behind him.
Dai Hao picked up a pen, wrote the terms of compensation on the contract, and left his name and thumbprint.
Xuan Zi stared at the paper in his hand and its contents, his face turning alternately pale and livid. Clearly, he didn't want to sign.
Xuan Zi looked at Xue Mingshan in displeasure. "Old emperor, what do you mean by this?"
"Could it be that you doubt me, that you doubt the reputation of our Shrek Academy, the number one academy under heaven?"
To Xuan Zi's surprise, everyone except him said in unison, "Of course we doubt you!"
Xuan Zi's face instantly turned the color of pig's liver.
The people present knew Shrek's way of doing things all too well.
A lousy academy actually dared meddle in the affairs of their nobility and imperial families.
Where the fuck did you get the nerve to interfere?!
Du Busi and the Snow Empress both turned their gazes on Xuan Zi, a chill washing over him like a tide.
Du Busi said coldly, "Old glutton, you're not thinking of breaking the agreement, are you?"
"Fine, I'll write it and sign it!" Xuan Zi ground his teeth in anger. He snatched up the pen, wrote down his name and what he owed, then slammed the pen onto the table.
Xuan Zi stormed out of the conference hall.
He had come today to meddle in the affairs of the two imperial families, intending to show off his might and establish and strengthen Shrek's image.
But he hadn't expected to get himself caught up in it.
Du Busi watched Xuan Zi's departing figure and laughed. "That old thing, tsk, tsk, tsk."
After Xuan Zi left, Dai Hao and Xu Jiawei departed the conference hall one after another.
Xue Mingshan slumped limply against his chair, as if his whole body had been wrung dry.
It's finally over.
If those people had really fought in his Heaven Dou imperial palace, it would probably have become a second White Tiger Duke's Mansion.
"Let's go."
Du Busi rose, preparing to leave with Huo Yuhao, the Snow Empress, and the others.
Xue Mingshan suddenly called out to them, "Wait a moment."
Xue Mingshan hurriedly sat up straight and came before Du Busi. "Sect Master Du, you should still remember my daughter Vina, right?"
"She has twin Martial Souls, and her second Martial Soul is the brain, a Body Martial Soul."
"I have some recollection." Du Busi thought back and recalled that there had indeed been such a thing.
At the time, he had wanted to invite Vina back to the sect.
Xue Mingshan had agreed, but because he doted on his daughter, she spent little time living at the sect and mostly lived in the Heaven Dou imperial palace.
As time passed, Du Busi stopped insisting. Her parents didn't want their daughter to go too far away, so how could he have the nerve to go to their door and take her by force?
At least her name was on the Body Sect's rolls.