...
"Thump!"
The sound of knees slamming heavily onto the floor was particularly jarring in the deathly silent lobby.
Avalanche knelt on the ground, his body trembling slightly with humiliation and fear.
He lowered his head, facing the bewildered little girl, Na'er, his voice hoarse:
"I'm sorry... I was wrong."
After he finished speaking, he bent down and gently touched the ground with his forehead.
He kowtowed.
The surrounding onlookers gasped in shock.
The prince... he really knelt down!
However, Xuan Hao merely glanced at him indifferently, his face expressionless, even showing a hint of disdain:
"Haven't you eaten?"
"Speaking so softly and moving so gently, are you bowing to a mosquito?"
Xuan Hao stepped forward, looking down at the avalanche, his tone chilling:
"How about... I lend you a hand?
I can help you kowtow more loudly?"
"you--!"
Xue Beng suddenly raised his head, about to lash out, but when he met Xuan Hao's emotionless golden eyes, all his anger instantly turned into a bone-chilling cold.
He had no doubt that if he dared to utter another word of nonsense, that foot would really step on his head and smash a hole through the floor for him!
"well!"
Xue Beng gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment, yet he had no choice but to submit.
He suddenly closed his eyes and, with all his might, slammed his head against the hard floor!
"Thump—!!"
A dull, loud bang.
Blood splattered out instantly.
Avalanche's forehead was visibly red, swollen, and broken, with blood flowing down his nose, blurring his vision and making his once handsome face look ferocious and terrifying.
"I'm sorry!!
I was wrong!!
I shouldn't have scared you!!
Please forgive me!!"
The avalanche roared, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between its teeth.
The more miserable and pathetic he is, the greater Xue Qinghe's sins will be when the reckoning comes!
"Thump!!"
Another loud bang.
Even Ning Fengzhi, who was used to seeing big scenes, couldn't help but frown slightly at this moment.
This kid... has ruthless methods and a deep mind.
Even he was almost misjudged.
But Qinghe, can you tell?
Xuan Hao, however, seemed not to notice. He turned his head and looked at Na'er, who was still tightly clutching the hem of his clothes.
His originally cold eyes softened instantly.
He reached out and gently tidied Na'er's slightly messy bangs, asking softly:
Are you calm now?
Na'er looked at the prince on the ground, his face covered in blood and still frantically kowtowing, her little face filled with helplessness and fear.
"Brother…" Na'er held Xuan Hao's hand, her voice trembling slightly, "That's enough… let's go."
"As long as I'm here, no one can bully you."
Xuan Hao didn't agree immediately, but looked at her seriously.
"If you've been wronged, you have to make them pay for it.
If you're not satisfied and don't want to forgive him, then he can keep kowtowing."
"Even if he dies here, he deserves it."
"Thump!!"
As if to confirm Xuan Hao's words, Xue Beng slammed his head heavily on the ground again, this time leaving a shallow bloodstain on the floor.
"Enough! Enough is enough!"
Na'er couldn't bear to watch any longer. She pulled Xuan Hao's hand forcefully, "I'm not angry anymore... Brother, make him stop."
Xuan Hao looked into Na'er's clear purple eyes, remained silent for a moment, and finally sighed.
"Since my Na'er is kind-hearted, then you're lucky."
He turned his head, looked at the avalanche on the ground, its head bleeding profusely, looking like it might faint at any moment, and coldly uttered a single word:
"roll."
The avalanche was like a pardon.
He didn't speak again, nor did he utter any more harsh words.
He just gave Xuan Hao a deep look, his eyes filled with resentment and scheming.
Then, supported by Prince Xuexing's attendants, he staggered to his feet, not even bothering to wipe the blood from his face, and fled the hotel lobby as if escaping.
Prince Xuexing glared at Xue Qinghe one last time before turning and leaving.
The farce has finally come to an end.
"call..."
Seeing that the eyesore had finally disappeared, Xuan Hao then restrained his aura, and the gold in his eyes completely faded.
He turned around, looked at Xue Qinghe and Ning Fengzhi who hadn't said a word, and his harmless smile returned to his face.
"I apologize for the embarrassing incident involving Your Highness the Crown Prince and Sect Leader Ning."
Xuan Hao cupped his hands in greeting, "The child is a bit immature and has a short temper.
I hope he didn't frighten you two?"
Xue Qinghe: "..."
Ning Fengzhi: "..."
The two exchanged a glance, and their lips twitched simultaneously.
Are children too young to understand?
You call this being ignorant?
You've really created a huge mess!
"Young man... you are indeed a man of strong character."
Ning Fengzhi chuckled twice, breaking the awkward silence, "What happened today, although somewhat...excessive, can be considered as Xue Fan's own fault."
"but..."
Ning Fengzhi changed the subject, "Young brother, with such talent and such skills, may I ask where you learned your master?
Are your elders still in Tiandou City?"
"Me?" Xuan Hao blinked, looking completely innocent.
"I'm just a homeless vagrant, taking my sister around to make a living."
"As for learning from elders..."
Xuan Hao sighed, his face filled with melancholy:
"I've gotten into big trouble. My older sister is furious. I have no choice but to come out and hide for a while."
"Alright, Na'er, let's go."
Xuan Hao didn't give Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe a chance to continue questioning him.
After casually tossing out that ambiguous statement, he took Na'er's hand and swaggered out of the hotel, quickly disappearing into the bustling crowd.
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, the once bustling lobby fell into an eerie silence.
Ning Fengzhi withdrew his gaze, looked at Xue Qinghe beside him with his brows furrowed, and sighed softly:
"Qinghe, today's matter... is probably going to be a bit troublesome."
"Teacher is referring to Father Emperor, right?"
Xue Qinghe smiled bitterly and rubbed his throbbing temples.
"No matter how useless the fourth prince is, he is still a prince.
Today, kneeling and kowtowing in public is not only a disgrace to him, but also a complete loss of face for the royal family."
"If Father finds out, he will be furious. I was there but did not stop it, and even let the perpetrator leave... I can't escape this scolding."
A beating is just youthful spirit, a friendly sparring match between soul masters.
Kneeling down and kowtowing is to trample on dignity and insult the national system.
The two are completely different in nature.
"But this is already the best outcome."
Ning Fengzhi's eyes gleamed with wisdom as he gently tapped the ground with his scepter.
"Qinghe, your restraint just now was the right thing to do.
If you had acted impulsively and actually let the Imperial Guards take action, or let Uncle Jian forcibly detain you… the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"Teacher, are you referring to... that boy's background?"
Xue Qinghe asked.
"That boy named Xuan Hao was too calm from beginning to end."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, his voice low and deep, "Faced with Dugu Bo's threat, he showed no fear; faced with the power of the royal family, he regarded it as nothing.
This kind of confidence cannot be faked."
Ning Fengzhi nodded and continued, "That's right. The most terrifying thing on this continent is not our three upper sects, not the Spirit Hall, and not the two great empires, but those reclusive madmen."
"Just like Tang Hao, the Haotian Douluo back then."
Mentioning this name made the expressions of the people present become more serious.
"Those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose."
Ning Fengzhi analyzed, "Those of us who are in the public eye always have to be mindful of our actions. We have to consider our sect, our country, and our reputation.
But those reclusive powerhouses are different.
They have no ties. If you really anger them, even the imperial palace is just a place they can come and go as they please."
"That boy is not even ten years old and he has such cultivation.
He probably comes from a reclusive family.
Perhaps, his family even has a titled Douluo who lives in seclusion."
"An army may be able to stop thousands of troops, but it cannot stop a titled Douluo who has gone mad."
"If we were to risk the reputation of a spoiled prince and invite a titled Douluo like Tang Hao, who would disregard all consequences, into the Heaven Dou Empire's fold..."
Ning Fengzhi looked at Xue Qinghe and said earnestly:
"That would be unwise."
"Compared to the wrath of a titled Douluo hidden in the shadows, what does losing face and being scolded by His Majesty matter?"
Xue Qinghe took a deep breath and bowed to Ning Fengzhi, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, teacher. I understand now.
I will explain the situation to my father when I return."
"Hmm." Ning Fengzhi nodded with relief.
"Don't worry too much.
Although His Majesty values his reputation, he is also the ruler of a country and can distinguish between what is important and what is urgent.
As long as we exaggerate the young man's talent and background a little, His Majesty will understand."
"Alright, let's go."
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