Chapter 50: Dugu Bo and Haitang Join the Sect
"Alright!"
Upon hearing Xiao Yu's offer, Meng Shenji quickly nodded. The Heaven Dou imperial family lacked many things, but money was not one of them.
Xiao Yu turned to Dugu Bo and said, "Senior Dugu, please lift his petrification so he can go back and deliver a message."
Dugu Bo nodded and activated his soul bone skill. Two flashes of white light later, Meng Shenji had returned to his original state.
After lifting Meng Shenji's petrification, Dugu Bo looked at him seriously and said, "When you return, tell Prince Xue Xing that Dugu Bo owes him nothing now. From now on, I am no longer a guest elder of the Heaven Dou Empire. Oh, and Yan'er will also be withdrawing from the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. From now on, we have no more ties."
Dugu Bo wasn't foolish. This incident couldn't have happened without the approval of Xue Ye and Xue Xing.
Meng Shenji and his men wouldn't have dared to follow Yu Yuanzhen here otherwise. Moreover, there were two royal consecrates from the Heaven Dou Empire involved. Meng Shenji didn't have the authority to mobilize the consecrates on his own.
Meng Shenji, looking dejected and helpless, nodded. This was truly a case of trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it.
Not only did they gain nothing, but they also had to pay a large sum of money and even forced the only Title Douluo with the Heaven Dou Empire label to leave. It was all because of that old bastard Yu Yuanzhen!
"Chief Meng Shenji, Lingling isn't suitable to stay at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy either. Please handle her withdrawal as well," said Ye Renxin, seizing the opportunity to speak.
Having seen Xiao Yu's background and the emotional bond between his treasured granddaughter and him, Ye Renxin had long wanted Ye Lingling to leave the academy and follow Xiao Yu.
With Xiao Yu's background and talent, no girl on the continent could resist him. If Lingling wasn't by his side, someone else might steal him away.
However, proposing withdrawal rashly would displease the Heaven Dou royal family. He had been looking for the right opportunity, and now, with the Heaven Dou royal family attacking Xiao Yu without regard for his Nine Heart Begonia's reputation, he had a perfect excuse to sever ties.
Meng Shenji continued to nod. Ye Renxin's reaction was expected. If Yan'er was planning to withdraw, how much more so Ye Lingling.
Xiao Yu had been temporarily staying at the Nine Heart Begonia family's residence when he first arrived in Heaven Dou City. Meng Shenji knew this before he took action.
"Get lost and go gather the money!"
Seeing that everything had been settled, Xiao Yu waved dismissively at Meng Shenji. Although Meng Shenji was well-regarded in the original story, he had tried to kill Xiao Yu, so Xiao Yu had no reason to be courteous.
Although being rebuked by a junior, Meng Shenji dared not show any dissatisfaction, remembering the powerful Title Douluo with hundred thousand year soul rings backing Xiao Yu. He humbly took his leave.
After Meng Shenji walked away, Dugu Bo suddenly turned around and bowed deeply to Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu was genuinely taken aback by this and quickly dodged the grand gesture, asking, "Senior Dugu, what are you doing?"
"Young Brother Xiao, I, Dugu Bo, failed to recognize people clearly and almost caused a disaster. If it weren't for you today, my granddaughter and I would have been doomed!"
Dugu Bo wasn't wrong. If Xiao Yu hadn't valued the treasure land of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and decided to establish a branch there, Dugu Bo alone would have faced certain death against the combined attack of Yu Yuanzhen and the others.
And Dugu Yan would have been taken by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, who would stop at nothing to uncover the secrets of martial soul evolution from her.
"Now my granddaughter and I have no place to go. I wonder if the second condition you mentioned earlier still stands?"
"Of course it does!"
Xiao Yu stepped forward to help Dugu Bo up. "I've long admired Senior Dugu's reputation. Having you join our sect would be like adding wings to a tiger. From now on, you will be an elder of the Nine Star Palace, guarding the Heaven Dou City branch alongside Senior Yang Wudi."
"Little Xiao."
Ye Renxin also spoke up, "After today's events, it seems my Nine Heart Begonia family has no place in the Heaven Dou Empire either. I wonder if the Nine Star Palace can offer us a place as well?"
Ye Renxin didn't perform a grand gesture like Dugu Bo. After all, Xiao Yu was practically his future grandson-in-law. Bowing to his junior wasn't appropriate, and it wouldn't make sense to bow to his own granddaughter in the future.
"Of course, the healing abilities of the Nine Heart Begonia are unrivaled on the continent. I'm sure no sect would refuse."
Xiao Yu smiled. He suddenly felt grateful to Yu Yuanzhen. If it weren't for his interference, pushing the Heaven Dou royal family against the Nine Heart Begonia and Dugu Bo, Xiao Yu wouldn't have been able to recruit such powerful allies so easily.
---
Crash!
After listening to Meng Shenji's report, Emperor Xue Ye dropped his teacup, shattering it on the ground.
Fear, frustration, anger, and unwillingness intertwined on the emperor's face, his expressions shifting rapidly.
Beside him, Prince Xue Xing was filled with regret. Had he known earlier that the target of Yu Yuanzhen's attack, Xiao Yu, had such a powerful background, he would never have chosen to betray Dugu Bo for Yu Yuanzhen.
Two Title Douluo with hundred thousand year soul rings! What a terrifying force. And Dugu Bo was clearly on friendly terms with them. If he had maintained good relations with Dugu Bo, he might have gained an ally even more powerful than the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Standing opposite Prince Xue Xing, Qian Renxue, disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, was also in a daze.
If it were only two Title Douluo, she wouldn't have been so shocked. After all, the Spirit Hall had the highest number of Title Douluo on the continent, including the nine elders, six consecrates, her grandfather, and that woman she least wanted to mention.
What truly astonished her were the soul rings of these two Title Douluo—they were hundred thousand year soul rings! Among the Spirit Hall's Title Douluo, only her grandfather, the second elder Golden Crocodile Douluo, and that woman possessed hundred thousand year soul rings.
Where did this Nine Star Palace come from? What kind of foundation did their sect have? Could they threaten the Spirit Hall's plan to unify the continent? She needed to find out more about the Nine Star Palace.
"Qinghe, Qinghe?"
While Qian Renxue was lost in thought, Emperor Xue Ye's voice brought her back. She quickly came to her senses and knelt to apologize, "Father, I was shocked by what Lord Meng Shenji reported and lost my focus. Please forgive me!"
"No matter!"
Emperor Xue Ye waved his hand dismissively. He himself was disturbed by the news, so it was understandable that his son, with less experience, would be too. "Qinghe, what do you think we should do? They are demanding twenty-five million gold soul coins. The empire can gather this amount, but it's not something that can be easily replaced!"
(End of the Chapter)
🌟 Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers and supporters!
I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon community, you'll unlock a treasure trove of benefits, including:
📚 Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore new chapters, experiencing the twists and turns of our tales well ahead of regular readers. Your journey through our stories doesn't have to wait!
💬 Connect with the Community: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage in exciting discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.
👏 Support the Creator: Your patronage directly contributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the content you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!
Patreon.com/anish_44