Chapter 82: The Horns of War
After Ye Lingling finished absorbing her spirit ring, the matter was settled, and Xiao Yu returned to the headquarters of the Nine Stars Palace.
This journey, especially the confrontation in the Star Dou Forest with the Titan Giant Ape, made Xiao Yu realize his shortcomings.
Although Xiao Yu's spirit power had been rapidly increasing over the years, he had become overly focused on raising his spirit power, neglecting his mastery over his own spirit abilities.
When facing the Shrek Seven Devils, he could completely suppress them with his spirit power, which far exceeded level thirty, so the problem wasn't apparent. However, when he faced the Titan Giant Ape, who was stronger than him, his shortcomings became glaringly obvious.
During the battle with the Titan Giant Ape, every time he released a spirit ability, there was a brief pause before he could use the next one. This lack of combat experience was even more evident in Qian Renxue than in him.
True masters have honed their spirit abilities to perfection, not only eliminating any pauses but also, for those with exceptional understanding, seamlessly switching between multiple spirit abilities.
In the future, Xiao Yu wouldn't be able to rely solely on his spirit power to overpower others. He would inevitably face opponents at the same level or even higher.
Not to mention that lunatic, the Spirit Hall's Pope, Bibi Dong, who would undoubtedly confront him one day.
Although this Pope was known for her irrational, love-stricken, and antisocial personality, her talent was undeniable. Unlike her daughter, who spent twenty years undercover in the Heaven Dou Palace, stalling her spirit power progress and having almost no combat experience, Bibi Dong was a formidable killer who had survived hundreds of battles in the City of Slaughter.
Her combat experience was rich, and she could switch between her twin martial spirits without any pause. If Xiao Yu couldn't correct his issues, he would undoubtedly be defeated in the future!
After returning from the Sunset Forest, Xiao Yu began a period of seclusion, temporarily setting aside the advancement of his spirit power to focus on mastering his spirit abilities.
This time, Xiao Yu wasn't completely isolated. Having tasted the forbidden fruit, he found himself craving more. Naturally, every now and then, he would seek out Ye Lingling for some... deeper discussions.
At first, the somewhat oblivious Huo Wu didn't notice anything, and Xiao Yu and Ye Lingling were discreet. But as time went on, the two became bolder, and it wasn't long before Huo Wu found out.
Upon learning that the two had gone behind her back and taken things to the final step, Huo Wu was furious, gritting her teeth in anger.
She had thought that after they had confessed their feelings for each other in the stone chamber at Holy Soul Village, they were on equal footing.
Who would have guessed that Ye Lingling would go off to obtain a spirit ring and end up sealing the deal?
With her daring nature, Huo Wu immediately had the idea of turning uncooked rice into cooked rice. However, Xiao Yu was spending most of his time in seclusion. When he did come out to spend time with her, it was often just for half a day, and Ye Lingling was usually around.
As for the nights, he was certainly in Ye Lingling's room. No matter how bold Huo Wu was, she couldn't just barge into Ye Lingling's room to catch them.
As the days passed, Xiao Yu continued to familiarize himself with various spirit abilities, integrating and perfecting them.
"Hu!"
One day, after executing a complex series of spirit abilities, Xiao Yu sat down, trying to gain some insight from his recent moves.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door from outside. "Brother Xiao Yu, are you available?"
Ye Lingling had actually arrived some time ago, but she sensed the strong fluctuations of spirit power inside, so she waited outside until they dissipated before knocking.
Hearing her, Xiao Yu immediately got up and opened the door. Seeing Ye Lingling standing outside, looking as delicate as a young bride, he couldn't resist and immediately pulled her into the room. With a mischievous grin, he kicked the door shut with his foot and said, "Lingling, you're practically throwing yourself into the lion's den!"
With that, he lowered his head and kissed Ye Lingling's red lips without any hesitation.
"No, I... there's something... mmph."
Ye Lingling tried to speak, but Xiao Yu cut her off with a kiss. Being kissed by the man she loved, Ye Lingling initially resisted slightly but soon started responding passionately.
The two kissed for a long time, and it wasn't until Xiao Yu's hands started to roam and tug at her dress that Ye Lingling snapped back to reality. She pushed him away and stopped him, saying, "No, really, there's something important! Qian Renxue is here!"
"Why is that woman here?"
Xiao Yu was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. His hands stopped moving as confusion washed over him. Why was that woman not in Heaven Dou City, where she was supposed to be acting as the Crown Prince? What was she doing coming all the way here?
"Ow!"
A sudden pain in his waist brought Xiao Yu back to his senses. He saw that Ye Lingling had used a woman's ultimate move—pinching the soft flesh of his waist with her delicate hand in a rather tricky maneuver. Her once shy lips now pouted as she said, irritated, "Why did she come? Of course, she came to see you. She asked for you by name as soon as she entered the sect. What, are your thoughts already flying away just because she's here?"
"Calm down, Lingling. Let go first. I swear on my honor, up until today, there has been absolutely nothing ambiguous between me and her!"
Up until today, at least. Who knows what might happen in the future? To be honest, Qian Renxue was really beautiful. Any man who didn't feel something would hardly be a man.
Xiao Yu first comforted the jealous Ye Lingling with kind words, gently stroking her hair. Then, he explained, "What I'm curious about is why this woman would come all the way here instead of staying in Heaven Dou City. Given her status and position, something must be going on with the Heaven Dou Empire or Spirit Hall. By the way, did she come as herself or in her Xue Qinghe persona?"
Ye Lingling wasn't one to be unreasonable. She released him and replied, "She came as Xue Qinghe, and she brought a few royal guards with her. One of them was a senior from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, so I recognized him."
"Then it seems something is going on with the Heaven Dou Empire!"
Xiao Yu nodded. "Alright, Lingling, let's go meet her and see what this is about."
A short while later, Xiao Yu and Ye Lingling arrived at the reception hall. There, Xue Qinghe was seated as a guest, leisurely sipping tea.
"Greetings, Your Highness. I apologize for not welcoming you sooner."
Xiao Yu entered and respectfully bowed to Xue Qinghe, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor.
Seeing Xiao Yu arrive, Xue Qinghe set down the teacup, stood up, and greeted him with a smile. "Young Master Xiao is too courteous. It is I who should apologize for disturbing your cultivation."
After exchanging pleasantries, they sat down, with Xiao Yu taking the lead.
Once seated, Xiao Yu got straight to the point. "Your Highness, with all your responsibilities, may I ask what brings you all the way to Seal City today?"
Xue Qinghe sighed and replied, "To be honest, I'm here to quell a rebellion. The city lord of Hamos City, under the jurisdiction of the Sylvia Kingdom, has plotted an uprising. The rebellion has now spread to six or seven surrounding cities."
"So that's what it is. Well, I wish Your Highness a swift victory and success in your campaign!"
So, it's just that, Xiao Yu thought, secretly relieved. He had feared it was something more serious. Although the Heaven Dou Empire had been declining year by year, a dying camel is still bigger than a horse. Quelling a small-scale rebellion like this should be a piece of cake.
(End of this chapter)
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