"Chen Ming said his poison comes from a fortuitous encounter, and it seems that's indeed true. The world is vast, full of countless opportunities. Every year, many soul masters undergo a complete transformation due to various fortuitous events. Throughout history, many Title Douluo encountered such opportunities in their youth. Who would have thought that this year, Heaven Dou Imperial Academy would welcome such a fortunate individual?"
Bai Baoshan was the first to speak, his gaze carrying a hint of envy, but no trace of negativity.
"The world is full of extraordinary people and events; it's just that most choose to keep their stories to themselves. The three of us, having come this far, have also had experiences that some would call fortuitous. But haven't we mostly relied on our hard work to reach where we are today?" Zhilin said as he stroked his beard, nodding in agreement.
The exploration of the Douluo Continent is but a fraction of its potential, and the study of martial souls continues to advance.
When humanity first awakened martial souls, they didn't even know how to cultivate soul power. Only geniuses with innate full soul power could absorb soul rings. It was only after methods of cultivating soul power were developed that the profession of the soul master truly came into existence.
Ten thousand years ago, it was common for the third and fourth rings of a soul master to be yellow, and having a purple fifth ring was already exceptional. Back then, a soul master who could absorb a purple fourth ring was considered a genius.
But through generations of research and experimentation, modern soul masters now understand that a third ring can absorb a thousand-year soul ring, and talented soul masters can attempt a ten-thousand-year soul ring as their fifth ring.
How much of this progress over the millennia was due to fortuitous encounters? No one can say for sure.
Throughout history, countless soul masters have risen through extraordinary opportunities. To become a high-ranking soul master, one must have their secrets.
There are, of course, some envious teachers on the continent who feel unbalanced when their students receive such opportunities and would stop at nothing to claim their students' fortunes for themselves. But the three academy elders of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy were not such people.
Even within the soul master world, these three were widely respected. Over their decades as academy elders, they had nurtured countless students and earned the admiration of many. They could truly be said to have spread their teachings far and wide.
Upon learning of Chen Ming's fortuitous encounter, their first thought was to protect him and ensure he could cultivate properly, hoping he would one day become a high-ranking soul master.
If anyone dared to probe Chen Ming or overreach their bounds, the three of them wouldn't hesitate to flex their muscles and break those unwelcome hands.
After a discussion, the three elders came to a consensus regarding Chen Ming.
Though it was late, they showed no intention of resting. Instead, under the cover of night, they got to work.
Meng Shenji organized Chen Ming's files, Bai Baoshan went to the palace to meet with Xue Ye, and Zhilin inspected the academy, coordinating and delegating tasks among the faculty.
Half an hour later, Chen Ming's file was delivered to Xue Ye's desk. Learning that a remarkable new student had enrolled, Xue Ye, who should have been relaxing in his chambers, was instead seated in his study, reviewing Chen Ming's file under the light of a soul tool lamp excavated from an ancient ruin.
Xue Ye lightly tapped the table with his finger, pondering the details about Chen Ming. Various expressions flickered in his eyes before he finally placed the file down gently.
"Biluochen City, the Chen family… That barren backwater can produce a genius? Unbelievable. But the potency of that poison… Could this be the next Poison Douluo?"
"A genius, a fortuitous encounter… The world is full of countless events, countless geniuses, and countless fortuitous opportunities. But how many of them can truly fall under the banner of my Heaven Dou Empire… no, under my royal family, the Xue clan?"
"In the past century, over twenty people have been born with innate full soul power, yet how many have truly become Title Douluo? The potential for greatness is seen often enough, but how many have fulfilled it... Forget it, forget it."
"Absorbing a thousand-year second soul ring beyond one's level, with a martial soul evolving to a king-class level. I hope you truly have the potential to become a Title Douluo, and not just the appearance of it."
Simulating Chen Ming's poison in his mind, Xue Ye's gaze sharpened.
Although Dugu Bo had never demonstrated his poison on the battlefield, Xue Ye and Xue Xing had conducted countless theoretical simulations in secret, gaining a clear understanding of its potential lethality.
If an average Title Douluo could influence the battlefield as much as 10,000 elite, fully armed soldiers, then Poison Douluo's contribution would equate to at least ten Title Douluo or 200,000 elite troops.
While poison might be less effective against high-level soul masters, its devastating impact on ordinary soldiers made it a formidable weapon. The battlefield power of Poison Douluo alone could rival that of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
However, despite Dugu Bo's nominal position as a supporter of the Heaven Dou Empire and his close relationship with Prince Xue Xing, as an emperor, Xue Ye could never fully trust him.
Rather than relying on Dugu Bo, Xue Ye preferred that the Heaven Dou Empire cultivate its own Poison Douluo.
"Tang Gonggong, ensure Chen Ming's files are properly secured, and send a team of shadow guards to Biluochen City. Do not alert the locals or reveal that the royal family is investigating them."
"Understood," the elderly eunuch replied respectfully, bowing low before Xue Ye.
"One more thing..."
Xue Ye squinted, as if weighing his thoughts, before sighing reluctantly.
"Send a copy of Chen Ming's file to Qinghe. As the crown prince, he should understand my intentions."
Xue Ye was well aware of rumors suggesting that Xue Qinghe had schemed against his siblings to secure the position of crown prince. Unlike others who merely suspected, Xue Ye was certain of Qinghe's involvement, even if the exact methods remained unclear.
However, since becoming crown prince, Xue Qinghe has performed exceptionally, handling matters with both skill and grace. To Xue Ye, Qinghe's only fault was his immaturity—his tendency to offend nobles over trivial matters concerning commoners. Otherwise, Qinghe appeared flawless.
Despite personal dislike, Xue Ye reasoned that Qinghe could surpass him and lead the Heaven Dou Empire into a prosperous future.
As for Xue Beng...
Xue Ye doubted his wayward child could measure up to Qinghe. Although Xue Beng might possess some minor cunning and seemed to hide his true nature deliberately, his efforts paled in comparison to Qinghe's brilliance.
Moreover, as a prince, Xue Beng was far too close to Prince Xue Xing. Rather than behaving like the emperor's son, he seemed more like Xue Xing's child, even showing greater affection for Xue Xing than for Xue Ye.
Xue Ye resented this dynamic. His closeness to Xue Xing was a matter of imperial strategy, but for his son to align so closely with the prince...
Leaning back in his chair, Xue Ye gazed at the ceiling and sighed softly.
He trusted Xue Qinghe deeply, confident that Qinghe would grasp his intentions as emperor.
Yet he couldn't shake a lingering unease. Qinghe's growing influence as crown prince presented a delicate challenge—how should he, as emperor, position himself in the face of Qinghe's expanding power?
At his current age, Xue Ye expected at least another twenty years of rule, perhaps even thirty or fifty. But if the crown prince's influence continued to grow unchecked over the next two decades...
Xue Ye could only hope that the decisions he made today would not lead to regrets tomorrow.