...
"I..." The teacher was speechless, cold sweat streaming down his face.
"This is a personal feud between me and Dugu Bo."
Xuan Hao nudged Dugu Yan on his shoulder, his eyes instantly turning sharp, and the lingering dragon's might pressed down on the teacher once more.
"If you don't want to die, get out of here."
"Or... do you also want to lie there and sunbathe like Yu Tianheng?"
The teacher glanced at Yu Tianheng, who was still unconscious in the distance, then at Xuan Hao's emotionless golden vertical pupils, and finally thought of the terrifying dragon roar from earlier.
"Gulp."
He swallowed hard, the longsword in his hand slowly lowered, and he involuntarily took a step to the side to make way.
My life is more important than my duties.
"That's right."
Xuan Hao smiled with satisfaction, carried Dugu Yan on his back, and led Na'er away amidst the awe and fear in the eyes of the teachers and students.
"Oh, right, if Dugu Bo comes looking for someone, tell him to come to the Tiandou Royal Hotel to find me. I'll be waiting there."
...
Tian Dou Royal Academy, Teaching Committee.
"What?!"
Chief Dream God suddenly jumped up from his chair, his usually well-maintained old face now filled with astonishment and disbelief, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground.
"You're saying Dugu Yan was kidnapped?
Right here in the academy?
And carried away in broad daylight?"
"Yes...yes, Chief."
The teacher, with a mournful face, recounted what had just happened in detail:
"That boy named Xuan Hao said that he had a personal grudge against Dugu Bo, and that he knocked Yu Tianheng unconscious, and then... then he carried Dugu Yan away."
"Xuan Hao..."
Meng Shenji frowned, feeling his blood pressure soaring.
Where did this little devil come from?
Yesterday he beat up Prince Xue Beng in the streets of Tian Dou City, and today he comes to the academy to kidnap Dugu Bo's granddaughter?!
Second-in-command Bai Baoshan's face was very ugly.
"No matter what personal grudges there are, Dugu Yan is still a student of our Tiandou Royal Academy!
She was kidnapped on our territory!
If that old poisoner Dugu Bo finds out, won't he tear the academy down?!"
"Chase them! Chase them!!"
Meng Shenji waved his hand and ordered, "Pass down the order!
All teachers at the school, mobilize! You must bring that person back to me!!"
"And another thing! Immediately send someone to the palace to report to His Majesty!
This matter is too serious for us to handle!"
"No! I will go to see His Majesty in person!"
...
Outside the academy, in the dense forest beside the official road.
Xuan Hao carried the unconscious Dugu Yan on his back and held Na'er's hand as they slowly walked towards Tian Dou City.
"Whoosh—"
A dark figure emerged from the shadows of the trees like a ghost, blocking the way.
"Hey little rascal, haven't you had enough?"
The ghost, dressed in black robes, looked at Dugu Yan on Xuan Hao's shoulder.
Even his eternally unchanging zombie face couldn't help but show a hint of helplessness.
"Forcing the prince to kneel this morning was one thing, but now you've actually come to someone's academy and openly kidnapped him?
Do you really think Tian Dou City is your backyard?"
"Yo, Elder Ghost, you've finally decided to come out?"
Xuan Hao wasn't surprised and greeted him with a grin.
"This isn't kidnapping, it's... treating you to a meal."
"Treat someone to a meal?"
Ghostly's lips twitched.
"Knock them out, carry them back, and treat them to a meal?"
"Oh, the details aren't important."
Xuan Hao waved his hand, saying matter-of-factly, "That old poisoner has come knocking on our door.
Although he hasn't made a move yet, his killing intent is real.
If I don't do something, wouldn't it make me look like I'm easy to bully?"
"Besides, I've already thoroughly offended that old bastard.
With his vindictive nature, he'll definitely find an opportunity to sabotage me.
You can't be a thief for a thousand days without taking precautions."
"That old man is good at using poison.
If he takes advantage of your inattention one day and does something underhanded to me or Na'er, I'll have nowhere to cry."
"Since that's the case, let's strike first and use his granddaughter as leverage.
If he dares to do anything reckless, I'll make sure he has no descendants."
The ghost's eyelids twitched as it listened.
Although I think this kid's methods are a bit thuggish, I have to admit that the logic is sound.
"Fine, you're right."
Ghost shook his head helplessly, "However, with your outburst, those old guys at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy are definitely in an uproar.
Those three Soul Douluo instructors are no pushovers; they're probably already on their way."
"With those short legs of yours, you'll probably be caught before you even reach Tiandou City."
"But what about you, Elder?
Xuan Hao chuckled and approached him familiarly.
"Elder Gui, I know you're fast.
Can you give us a ride?
If those three old men catch up with us, we'll have to argue with them, which is such a hassle."
"You..."
Ghost sighed, his black robe billowing out, and a gentle surge of soul power enveloped the three of them.
The next second, he transformed into a black phantom and vanished from the spot in an instant.
...
The Imperial Palace of Heavenly Dou, Imperial Study.
The atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.
The ground was littered with shattered pieces of exquisite porcelain, and several servants knelt in a corner, trembling and not daring to utter a sound.
"Damn it! Absolutely damn it!!"
Emperor Xueye paced back and forth in his study with his hands behind his back, his chest heaving violently, his majestic face now filled with a livid rage.
"That's a prince!
He's my son!
He represents the face of the Heavenly Dou Empire!"
Xue Ye abruptly stopped, pointing at Xue Qinghe, who stood below with his head bowed, his finger trembling:
"I can accept being beaten up and being outmatched! But you're telling me to kneel? To kowtow?!"
"In broad daylight, in the lobby of the Tiandou Royal Hotel! In front of so many people, kneeling and kowtowing to a mere brat?!"
"Avalanche may be shameless, but I still have face! The Heavenly Dou Royal Family still has face!!"
"He has utterly disgraced the royal family!
How can I hold my head high before my subjects now?
How can the Tiandou royal family stand between the two great empires?!"
Xue Qinghe lowered his head. Although he felt disdain for Xue Ye's rage, he still looked terrified and heartbroken.
"Father, please calm your anger."
After Xue Ye vented his anger, Xue Qinghe slowly spoke, "Although Fourth Brother acted recklessly and lost face, the situation at the time... truly left him no choice but to kneel.
That boy's origins are truly mysterious and unpredictable, and his personality is extremely extreme."
"Sect Master Ning and Sword Douluo were also present at the time.
Even Sword Douluo said frankly that the young man had an extraordinary temperament and that there might be a reclusive Title Douluo backing him up."
"If I had insisted on stepping forward back then, and angered the other party, triggering a battle at the level of Title Douluo... the consequences would probably be far more serious than losing face."
"It would be unwise to invite a powerful enemy like Haotian Douluo into the Empire's territory."
Upon hearing the words "Haotian Douluo," the anger in Emperor Xueye's eyes paused slightly.
He took a deep breath.
Although reason told him that Xue Qinghe was right, he couldn't swallow the feeling of humiliation.
"Is this all there is to it—my prince was forced to kneel?!"
Xueye slammed his hand on the dragon throne, "If word gets out, where will the dignity of my Heavenly Dou Empire be?!"
While the Snow Night Emperor was still agonizing over the issue of "face".
"Report—!!"
A series of hurried, somewhat flustered footsteps broke the solemn atmosphere in the imperial study.
A eunuch stumbled in, his face ashen.
"Your Majesty! Chief Scientist Meng Shenji of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy requests an audience!
He has... he has an extremely urgent matter to report!"
"Dream Machine?"
Emperor Xueye frowned.
"Why isn't he staying at the academy?
What's he doing here?
Let him in!"
A moment later.
Sweating profusely and looking flustered, Meng Shenji hurried into the imperial study, not even bothering to perform the full curtsy, and said urgently:
"Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!"
"Just now! That...that boy Xuan Hao who injured the Fourth Prince has broken into the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy!"
"What?!"
Xue Ye and Xue Qinghe were both startled.
A hint of surprise flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes.
This kid... moved so fast?
He just finished eating and he's already causing trouble?
"What is he going to do?"
Emperor Xueye asked in a deep voice.
"Does he feel that the fight wasn't enough and wants to cause trouble at the academy?"
"No...it's not just causing trouble..."
Meng Shenji swallowed hard and said in a trembling voice, "He first killed Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in one move, and then... then in front of the entire school, he forcibly kidnapped Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan!"
Emperor Xueye felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, his body swayed, and he almost fell headfirst onto the dragon throne.
"What did you say?!"
Xueye's voice shrilled and changed tone, "Kidnapping...kidnapping?!
At the Heaven Dou Royal Academy?!
Kidnapping Dugu Bo's granddaughter?!"
"Yes...yes!"
Meng Shenji nodded bitterly, "The young man said... he had a personal grudge against His Majesty Dugu Bo, and left a message saying that if he wanted his granddaughter, he should go to... go to the Tiandou Royal Hotel to find him."
The Imperial Study fell into a deathly silence.
Xue Qinghe lowered his head, seemingly in shock, but in reality, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Goodness.
This goes beyond being described as "outrageously audacious".
In the morning, she forced the prince to kneel and kowtow, and in the afternoon she went to kidnap the granddaughter of a titled Douluo.
Is this kid trying to stir up trouble in Tiandou City because it's too quiet?
Is this the disciple that woman taught?
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