Slap!
A resounding slap landed squarely on Xue Beng's face.
"Xue Beng, oh Xue Beng! You're truly living up to your name—'Collapsing Snow'!" Prince Xue Xing nearly choked on his fury after hearing Xue Beng's account of events.
"Daring to provoke Ning Rongrong? You've got nerves of steel!"
He had rushed to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy at dawn, fearing Xue Beng would pull some reckless stunt. Yet despite his haste, he'd arrived too late.
The previous night, Emperor Xue Ye had summoned him to discuss matters related to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School—specifically, their young mistress Ning Rongrong temporarily residing at the academy under Crown Prince Xue Qinghe's escort.
The meeting ran so late that Prince Xue Xing decided to warn Xue Beng first thing in the morning:
Don't cause trouble. If Ning Rongrong gets harmed here, even I can't shield you.
"You claim you didn't know her identity? She came with Xue Qinghe—you saw it yourself!"
"With Xue Qinghe's apprenticeship ceremony approaching, everyone in the capital is either nobility or royalty. And you picked the one person we can't afford to offend!"
"Even if she's Ning Fengzhi's daughter, couldn't you at least have schemed to make Ning Fengzhi reject Xue Qinghe as a disciple? Was that too hard?"
Xue Beng stubbornly refused to admit fault. He genuinely hadn't recognized her earlier—he'd only wanted to vent his frustrations.
Hadn't he shown restraint? He'd merely demanded she leave, avoiding harsh words or physical contact.
Besides, she'd thoroughly outmaneuvered him.
"You—!" Prince Xue Xing clutched his chest, on the verge of needing emergency heart pills.
"Listen well, Xue Beng. Before Ning Fengzhi even considers rejecting Xue Qinghe, you'll be the one 'collapsing'—stripped of your title completely!"
"Thank your lucky stars you hesitated before applying your usual... habits to Ning Rongrong. Otherwise, we'd both be doomed!"
"That girl isn't just Ning Fengzhi's beloved daughter—she's his chosen successor!"
"A support-type soul master born with full innate soul power. In just two years since awakening her martial soul, she's reached Level 21!"
"His Majesty suspects the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has pinned their hopes of breaking the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's limits entirely on her!"
"You—! You—!"
Veins throbbed visibly across Prince Xue Xing's forehead, his entire body trembling.
"Then... what do we do now?"
Xue Beng's eyes darted about nervously. The prince's severity finally made him grasp the gravity of his blunder.
Whether this hindered Xue Qinghe's apprenticeship mattered little now—his own position as fourth prince hung by a thread.
"Apologize. Grovel until she forgives you."
Scolding Xue Beng further was pointless. Had Xue Qinghe not proven so ruthless, Prince Xue Xing wouldn't have sided with Xue Beng in the first place.
Moreover...
Xue Qinghe's ambiguous stance toward nobles and commoners—even influencing Princess Xue Ke—left Prince Xue Xing both disapproving and fearful.
"Just... like that?" Xue Beng's voice quivered.
"Now you're scared?" Prince Xue Xing grimaced. "I have a ten-thousand-year soul bone that should settle this."
"A ten-thousand-year soul bone?!" Xue Beng gasped.
"Hmph. This was meant to recruit Dugu Bo. With a Title Douluo's support, you might've had a future."
"Isn't that too—"
"Survive this first! Do you truly think your elder brother won't kill you?" Prince Xue Xing sighed.
"Gifts create obligations. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School accepts this, they'll speak for you. Otherwise... prepare your coffin."
Did the fool not realize?
Thwarting Xue Qinghe's apprenticeship wasn't just opposing the crown prince—it defied Emperor Xue Ye's own wishes!
"Ignorance" wouldn't spare him. Only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's forgiveness could mitigate the consequences—exile at best, "disappearance" at worst.
"Follow my lead exactly. Understood?"
"Yes, Uncle."
Xue Beng nodded earnestly, abandoning all pretenses of cleverness.
Prince Xue Xing retrieved the soul bone acquired at great cost, his expression pained.
Yet like meat thrown to dogs, it had to be sacrificed.
As they exited the villa to seek the deans and locate Ning Rongrong, they instead encountered the furious trio approaching—with a deceptively sweet-looking chestnut-haired girl in tow.
Ning Rongrong didn't recognize Prince Xue Xing personally, but her father's descriptions and the original novel's accounts matched the man perfectly.
Well, well.
Here to retaliate?
But before Dean Meng Shenji could unleash his prepared tirade—
Thud!
Xue Beng's knees struck the ground violently.
Ning Rongrong: "?"
Seizing the initiative?
Kneeling with tearful eyes, Xue Beng's display stunned not just Ning Rongrong but the three deans mid-indignation.
"Your Highness, you—?" Meng Shenji's eyelid twitched as all three deans hastily sidestepped.
A prince's bow—even to a disfavored one—was beyond their station to accept.
Though as Soul Douluos they'd face no real consequences, they still served the Empire.
Having their employer's son kneel? Unthinkable!
"Young Mistress Ning, my earlier rudeness was inexcusable. I offer my sincerest apologies."
Ning Rongrong sidestepped the bow before he finished.
She'd anticipated Xue Beng returning with reinforcements—even Dugu Bo. But this theatrical surrender? Unimagined.
Nobility valued face more than life—especially royalty.
How troublesome!
Her thoughts darkened: Every schemer here is filthier than the last.
No wonder Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing survived under Qian Renxue's nose for so long.
"Rise, Your Highness. Such gestures are beyond me."
"Should Father learn I accepted a prince's kneeling apology, the repercussions would be... severe."
Xue Beng glanced subtly at Prince Xue Xing, only rising after receiving a nearly imperceptible nod.
As expected...
Ning Rongrong knew Xue Beng lacked the wit for this performance alone.
Then—footsteps.
A faint pressure permeated the air.
"Prince Xue Xing, are we having... troublemakers?"
Emerging from the distance came an elderly man with jade-green hair and eyes, accompanied by a girl of fifteen or sixteen.