Emperor Xue Ye cast a stern gaze down at Prince Xue Xing. "Second Brother, are you satisfied with this punishment for the Crown Prince?"
Prince Xue Xing's expression remained unchanged as he offered a perfunctory compliment. "Your Majesty's wisdom shines brightly!"
A chorus of sycophantic officials echoed, "Your Majesty's wisdom shines brightly!"
Emperor Xue Ye snorted coldly, his displeasure evident, and shifted his gaze to "Xue Qinghe."
"Imperial Son, do you accept this punishment?"
Seeing Emperor Xue Ye address him directly, "Xue Qinghe" hastily clasped his hands in a respectful bow, lowering his head.
"Father, I was at fault in this matter. I have betrayed the trust the Empire and you placed in me. I willingly accept this punishment without complaint. From this day forward, I shall confine myself to the Crown Prince's Residence for three months of reflection."
"Xue Qinghe"'s submissive demeanor aroused suspicion in both Prince Xue Xing and Prince Xue Beng. It was too easy, too smooth, without the slightest resistance. They couldn't fathom what scheme "Xue Qinghe" was plotting.
Had his fangs truly been removed, leaving him a toothless tiger?
The uncle and nephew exchanged skeptical glances. If Xue Qinghe had indeed lost his ability to retaliate, now was undoubtedly their moment to strike back.
Seizing the opportunity while "Xue Qinghe's" wings were still clipped, they planned to eliminate him completely.
With no further worries, the two of them could finally drop their pretense.
However, they couldn't be certain whether "Xue Qinghe" had truly become a toothless tiger or was merely pretending to be one.
These two possibilities were worlds apart, and a wrong choice would mean a complete break with "Xue Qinghe," leaving them no chance for regret.
The uncle and nephew were now in a bind, unsure of which path to take.
As for "Xue Qinghe," she felt no resentment toward the punishment—a mere three-month confinement.
With the Heavenly Snow Mink as her companion, she wouldn't feel bored at all. In fact, the fifteen- or sixteen-year-old "Xue Qinghe" preferred staying within the Crown Prince's Residence to dealing with trivial matters.
As soon as the morning court session ended, "Xue Qinghe" bid farewell to Emperor Xue Ye and eagerly returned to the residence to obediently serve her punishment.
Watching "Xue Qinghe's" impatient demeanor, Prince Xue Xing and Prince Xue Beng exchanged bewildered glances.
"Uncle, why does it seem like my brother is actually happy about this punishment? Am I missing something?" Xue Beng asked, his youthful face filled with confusion as he looked at his uncle.
Prince Xue Xing shook his head, his face etched with a headache.
"Logically, he should hate us. Even if he doesn't hate us, he should at least hurl some harsh words our way.
But this sudden change... it feels so unnatural."
While they remained utterly bewildered, "Xue Qinghe" had already boarded his carriage and was heading toward the Crown Prince's Residence.
Originally, he had planned to visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, but now that he was confined to his residence, he had the perfect excuse to avoid the trip.
Upon returning to the Crown Prince's Residence, "Xue Qinghe" immediately began searching for Ling Yun.
The butler quickly informed her that Ling Yun had gone out for a stroll.
"Xue Qinghe" nodded in understanding. She knew that although Ling Yun was a soul beast, his intelligence rivaled that of humans.
She dismissed the matter, confident that Ling Yun would return on his own by nightfall. There was no need for anxiety.
With that thought, "Xue Qinghe" headed to her chambers, determined to use her three-month confinement to enhance her strength.
Her goal was to break through to level 40 during this period.
Once the confinement ended, she could venture into the Sunset Forest to hunt a suitable soul beast for her soul ring.
The camera pans back to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
After following Dugu Yan into the classroom, Ling Yun, perched on her palm, immediately captured the attention of the female students.
His overwhelming cuteness completely distracted the entire class, making it impossible for the teacher to continue the lesson.
The teacher was both furious and helpless, but he dared not vent his anger at Dugu Yan.
After all, Dugu Bo, that old monster, was immensely powerful and fiercely protective of his own.
Not even the three high-ranking officials of Heaven Dou Royal Academy would dare provoke him, let alone a mere instructor.
With a dark expression, the teacher forced himself to maintain a calm tone as he addressed Dugu Yan.
"Student Dugu Yan, could you please put your pet away? It's disrupting the lesson. Thank you."
Only then did Dugu Yan realize that all her classmates were staring at her with curiosity.
Especially a pair of eyes fixed on her from nearby, causing a faint blush to creep across her delicate face. She quickly tucked Ling Yun into her desk.
Seeing Dugu Yan's blush, Ling Yun guessed that the person she liked must be in the classroom.
Otherwise, her aloof personality would never allow her to blush so easily.
He wondered if this person was Ling Yun's first target for absorption.
Whatever, he thought. I'll find out after class.
Ling Yun yawned and promptly slumped over his desk, dozing off.
He wasn't sure how long he slept, but in his hazy state, he felt countless hands touching him.
For a moment, he thought he had fallen into the Avici Hell, swarmed by countless demons, and the terror jolted him awake.
When he opened his eyes, he realized class had ended. A group of elegantly dressed young girls were gathered around him, their eyes filled with curiosity and affection. This drew envious, jealous, and hateful glares from many male students, who seemed to wish they could throw Ling Yun out the window and take his place.
It was understandable, especially with a stunning girl like Dugu Yan gently stroking him, fueling their envy.
Just then, a young boy with sharp, sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, and Soul Power level 25 approached Dugu Yan.
"Yan, is this little guy your grandfather's pet? He has 2,000 years of cultivation, but he doesn't seem very strong."
Dugu Yan glanced at the young man and nodded gently.
"Yes, my grandfather gave him to me. He's not a combat-type pet, so his strength isn't great. But my grandfather said he could cheer me up, so I accepted him."
As they spoke, Ling Yun noticed that the young man was wearing gloves, just like Dugu Yan. This confirmed his suspicion that he was Yu Tianheng.
Yu Tianheng had been practicing his family's Dragon Transformation technique since childhood, causing his hands to develop claw-like mutations. To avoid frightening people, he always wore gloves. He and Dugu Yan were the only couple in the Douluo Continent who constantly wore gloves.
Ling Yun chuckled to himself. Now that he had his eyes on this kid, it was just his bad luck...
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