Yu Tianheng said, "You don't need to concern yourself with that. Look into my eyes."
As soon as he finished speaking, a bottomless vortex suddenly appeared in Yu Tianheng's eyes.
Xiao Wu had no time to react. She fell under its effect at once, and her eyes went blank.
Soul Seizing!
It was a mental-type secret art, a high-grade martial skill that Yu Tianheng had exchanged a thousand Heavenly Mandate Points for at the System Shop before coming here.
Using this martial skill not only allowed him to probe all of a target's secrets, but also to plant a mental imprint in their soul and control their actions like a puppet. The controlled person's eyes would become vacant and lifeless, and they would completely lose their sense of self, acting mechanically according to the user's will and becoming a soulless shell.
In other words, Yu Tianheng had now planted a mental imprint in Xiao Wu, turning her into a puppet.
Although she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, with strength equivalent to a Titled Douluo among Soul Masters, she had to start over after taking human form. Right now, she was only a six-year-old girl, and so she had no ability to resist Yu Tianheng's Soul Seizing secret art.
Yu Tianheng looked at the little girl standing before him, her eyes vacant, and a glimmer of killing intent flashed in his eyes. But after some thought, he decided not to act immediately.
He could only obtain Heavenly Mandate Points by changing the fates of characters from the original work. The more an altered event deviated from the original, the more Heavenly Mandate Points he could reap.
Of course, killing a character who had originally survived also changed their fate and earned Heavenly Mandate Points. Conversely, using some means to prevent the death of someone originally destined to die would also earn Heavenly Mandate Points.
That made things simple: keep the original villains alive and have the entire protagonist group die.
As the original heroine, Xiao Wu was certain to survive in the end. Killing her would undoubtedly earn him a large number of Heavenly Mandate Points, but killing her now would hardly be worth the cost.
First, Xiao Wu was a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring that had taken human form. Killing her would yield a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.
Both were rare treasures. Unfortunately, with Yu Tianheng's current cultivation, he simply could not withstand a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. Even though he cultivated the Martial Dao and had an immensely powerful physique that allowed him to withstand Soul Rings far older than ordinary people could, he still could not absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring at his current realm.
As for the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, it had no such restrictions. Even an ordinary person could absorb it.
But he might not be able to keep it.
After all, Tang Hao was also hiding in the shadows right now. Who knew whether he might seize the Soul Bone outright for revenge, then kill him to silence him? That would be trouble.
Besides, Xiao Wu was not without backing. Two other Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts stood behind her, the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape. With the two Soul Beasts joining forces, even a Titled Douluo above level 95 would be unable to stop them, much less Yu Tianheng as he was now.
After weighing everything, Yu Tianheng decided not to kill Xiao Wu for the time being. He would keep her under his control first, then kill her and obtain her Soul Ring and Soul Bone once he was strong enough.
He could also use Xiao Wu as bait to fish out the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape at the right time and kill them together.
Yu Tianheng said, "Xiao Wu, from now on, you will act according to my orders."
"Yes. Please give me your orders!" Xiao Wu replied, her eyes still vacant.
"I want you to cultivate peacefully at Nuoding Academy. During that time, don't get too involved with someone named Tang San. I'll come and take you away in six years. Do you understand?"
"As you command!" Xiao Wu answered.
Yu Tianheng nodded in satisfaction and tossed Xiao Wu a cloth bag. "Don't worry. Since you're useful to me, I won't treat you badly. There are a thousand Gold Soul Coins in here. Take them and use them."
Snap! Yu Tianheng snapped his fingers, and Xiao Wu came to her senses. She had no memory of what had just happened, but she knew clearly what she was supposed to do.
After arranging everything, Yu Tianheng left Nuoding City and headed for Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Half a month later, Yu Tianheng arrived at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, located outside Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Dressed in fitted clothes, Yu Tianheng stood tall and strode steadily toward the gates of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. The exquisitely carved gates gleamed with an ancient luster in the sunlight. The guards standing watch wore stern expressions and carried themselves with the bearing of well-trained men.
As soon as Yu Tianheng approached, one of the guards stepped forward and raised a hand to stop him. His gaze was wary but polite. "Who goes there? This is Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Unauthorized persons are not allowed near."
Yu Tianheng remained composed. He lifted his head slightly, a glimmer of pride flashing in his eyes, and said in a clear voice, "I am Yu Tianheng, a disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. I have come here to study." His voice was not particularly loud, but it carried unquestionable confidence.
At those words, the wariness vanished from the guard's face, replaced by undisguised surprise and awe. His eyes widened as he quickly looked Yu Tianheng over, confirming that the person before him had an extraordinary bearing and was no impostor. He hurriedly turned and signaled to his companion, then rushed into the academy to report.
Moments later, a middle-aged teacher in a splendid robe strode out of the academy, his face wreathed in a warm smile. Before he had even drawn close, he stretched out both hands from a distance and called, "Oh, Young Master Yu, your distinguished presence truly brings glory to our humble academy! We have long heard that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's disciples are exceptionally gifted. It is our academy's honor to have you here! Please, come in, come in!" With that, he stepped aside and gestured for Yu Tianheng to enter, leading him into the academy.
Yu Tianheng was not surprised in the least by the middle-aged teacher's enthusiasm.
Who was he?
A direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects; the grandson of the Titled Douluo Thunder Douluo, Yu Yuanzhen; a Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power; a cultivation prodigy seen only once in a century who had reached the three-ring Soul Ancestor level before the age of twelve; and, not long ago, the sole candidate publicly announced as the successor to the position of clan leader.
His status was comparable to that of a prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Although Heaven Dou Royal Academy was a school for nobles, admitting only children of noble families descended from princes, marquises, generals, and ministers, it still had to treat Yu Tianheng with due importance, given his status.
Along the way, the middle-aged teacher explained the rules of Heaven Dou Royal Academy to Yu Tianheng:
"Young Master Tian Heng, the students of Heaven Dou Royal Academy are divided into three grades: Heavenly Jade Level, Heavenly Supreme Level, and Heaven Dou Grade. These correspond to Soul Master levels below 25, from 25 to 30, and above 30, respectively. Young Master Tian Heng, you are extraordinarily gifted and have already reached level 30 at such a young age. Naturally, you will be a Heaven Dou Grade student and receive special cultivation at the academy."
Yu Tianheng nodded slightly to show that he understood.
"By the way, are we going to hold the admission ceremony now?" Yu Tianheng suddenly asked.
The middle-aged teacher said, "Young Master Tian Heng, the admission ceremony will be held later. For now, I'm taking you to meet the three board members."