Just then—
A cold, disdainful voice cut through the room.
"Meng Shenji."
The sudden interruption shattered the atmosphere.
"I received news that you allowed a beggar academy to enter our Heaven Dou Imperial Academy."
Everyone turned and saw a man strode in with measured steps.
His grizzled hair was neatly combed back, his figure of medium height and solid build, and his posture carried the weight of long-standing authority. His eyes were sharp, and his voice resonant—filled with confidence, but utterly devoid of courtesy.
It was Xue Xing, the younger brother of Emperor Xue Ye.
Behind him stood Dugu Bo.
His complexion was healthy, his aura restrained yet oppressive, his eyes calm and indifferent.
Zhi Lin immediately withdrew his Soul Power.
The pressure vanished like mist.
Tang San exhaled slowly, his gaze flickering briefly toward Dugu Bo before lowering his head slightly.
Meng Shengji frowned.
"Prince Xue Xing," he said calmly,
"These students were personally recommended by Qin Ming."
Xue Xing let out a cold laugh.
"Recommended? Or favored?"
His gaze swept disdainfully across the Shrek students.
"A bunch of children from a rundown academy," he scoffed.
"You truly believe they are worthy of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's resources?"
Dugu Bo looked at the drama in front of him with little interest.
He had been at Duke Xue Xing's mansion, discussing certain political arrangements, when hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor.
"Uncle! Uncle—!"
Xue Beng came running in a fluster, his clothes disheveled, face flushed red with anger and grievance. The usual swagger and arrogance he maintained in public had vanished, replaced by exaggerated indignation.
"I was beaten!" Xue Beng cried out. "By some uncultured soul master academy! They dared to lay hands on a prince of the Heaven Dou Empire!"
Duke Xue Xing's brows furrowed slightly. He turned his gaze toward the Dugu Bo standing calmly beside him.
The Poison Douluo's expression did not change in the slightest. His pupils swept over Xue Beng once, filled with unconcealed disdain. In his eyes, this so-called prince was nothing more than a loud, useless dandy—pampered, arrogant, and utterly lacking in backbone.
If not for appearances and working undercover as an elder of Spirit Hall …Dugu Bo would not even bother acknowledging his existence.
Still, as an enshrined elder of the Heaven Dou Empire in public, and with his poison long since removed, he had no reason to openly contradict Xue Xing in public.
For former's sake, he gave a faint nod.
Xue Xing's face darkened.
As the younger brother of Emperor Xue Ye, he had long been accustomed to commanding respect. More importantly, Xue Beng was his niece—someone who represented his faction. Whether the boy deserved it or not was irrelevant.
What mattered was face.
And face had been lost.
"Interesting," Xue Xing said coldly. "A nameless academy dares to injure imperial blood?"
He stood up, robes swaying.
"I will personally see who gave them the courage."
Thus, Duke Xue Xing departed for the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy—Dugu Bo following closely behind, his aura restrained yet unfathomably deep, like a poisonous abyss concealed beneath calm waters.
-----
Inside the academy hall, Tang San's started to think the moment he saw Dugu Bo.
But in the next instant, confusion surged through him.
'Something is not right…'
Tang San stared at the old man standing behind Xue Xing. The sickly aura of poison that should have clung to Dugu Bo like a curse was gone—completely gone. His complexion was ruddy and it did not seem like he was suffering from chronic poison.
This was not the Poison Douluo he remembered.
'This isn't the same as in the past…'
His thoughts accelerated rapidly, countless possibilities flashing through his mind like lightning.
'His poison seems to have been cured. But by who?'
In Tang San's memories, Dugu Bo's gratitude had been the cornerstone of many future opportunities—the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well most of all.
But now—since Dugu Yan was not present in the Heaven Dou Academy Team when he defeated them led to many deviations
'That means he won't kidnap me in anger. And he won't owe me any favour for curing his poisoning.'
And this was Tang San's delusionas even in the original story he had never cured Dugu Bo's Poison just taught him a way to suppress the poison in a soul bone and for that favour he took all the immortal herbs of the Ice Fire Yin yang well.
Tang San clenched his fists slightly.
'…Doesn't matter.'
His eyes hardened.
'I already know the location of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. I'll take Father with me.'
'Dugu Bo is nothing more than a Titled Douluo at level 91.'
His lips curled faintly, filled with confidence born of foreknowledge.
'Without my grace, he won't willingly hand it over.'
'Then I'll take it by force.'
By the time Tang San finished sorting his thoughts, Duke Xue Xing had already unleashed a barrage of cutting insults, each sharper than the last—mocking Shrek Academy's origins.
The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense.
Finally, Meng Shenji stepped forward, his expression solemn.
"Duke Xue Xing, this is inappropriate," he said firmly.
"Shrek Academy possesses genuine talent. They are not to be humiliated."
Zhi Lin and Bai Baoshan followed suit, their auras subtly flaring in support.
"Moreover," Meng Shengji continued, "the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy falls under the jurisdiction of Prince Xue Qinghe."
For a brief moment, silence descended.
Then—
Xue Xing let out a cold laugh.
"Does it matter?" he replied arrogantly.
"I am a Duke of the Empire."
His eyes narrowed.
"And these people dared to beat Prince Xue Beng."
The three elders frowned simultaneously.
They all knew—far too well—what kind of person Xue Beng truly was.
Someone who brought trouble upon himself at every turn.
Yet in the world of nobles, truth mattered far less than status.