Chapter 30: Heaven Dou Imperial Academy

"The Holy Son of the Spirit Hall!" Ye Shuyun stroked his beard, looking at Ling Xiao as he spoke.

"Yes." Ling Xiao looked back at Ye Shuyun, unsure of what he intended to say.

"Ahem, I know you have a close relationship with Qianqian and the others, so I hope you will treat them well and not hurt them!" Ye Shuyun took a deep breath, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Aunt Qianqian and Sister Lingling are both very kind to me; why would I ever want to hurt them?" Ling Xiao was confused.

"I hope the Holy Son will always feel this way! Qianqian, Lingling, why don't you take the Holy Son to explore the Ye family estate properly?" Having said this, Ye Shuyun turned and left.

Ye Qianqian and Ye Lingling were puzzled by Ye Shuyun's sudden change in demeanor, especially since he had been perfectly fine just moments before.

"Xiao'er, let us show you around the Ye residence," Ye Qianqian said.

"Alright, that sounds good!" Ling Xiao did not refuse.

Ye Shuyun turned back to watch the three of them walk away, the sorrow in his eyes lingering for a long time.

"Sigh, with this Holy Son's existence, given the ambition and power of the Spirit Hall, a war may break out between the two great empires in the future. Countless families might vanish in the flames of such a conflict."

"The Ye family is far too weak to withstand such a battle. For now, I can only hope that Qianqian and the others can maintain a good relationship with him to ensure the survival of the Ye family in the future," Ye Shuyun sighed softly to himself.

...

"Aunt Qianqian, I have heard that your Nine-Heart Begonia spirit has the power to bring the dead back to life. Is that true?" Ling Xiao asked.

"That is indeed possible, but it requires us to reach the level of a Title Douluo. Currently, my father is the only one in our family who has achieved that rank."

"Moreover, there can only ever be three Nine-Heart Begonia spirits in existence at once, and it is passed down through a single lineage. For a long time, my father has been the only one capable of reaching the Title Douluo realm," Ye Qianqian explained.

It was precisely because of Ye Shuyun's existence that the Ye family held such a high status in the Heaven Dou Empire; even the Upper Three Sects showed them a degree of respect.

"I see! Still, that is already incredibly impressive. After all, we are talking about resurrection! It is effectively like having an extra life. Calling it a divine skill is no exaggeration, so some limitations are to be expected," Ling Xiao nodded.

"That goes without saying. Because of my spirit, I hold a very important position at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. If it weren't for the fact that my spirit lacks offensive capabilities, I would be the leader of the Heaven Dou team!" Ye Lingling said with a hint of pride.

"Xiao'er, would you like to visit the Heaven Dou Royal Academy?" Ye Lingling suddenly asked.

Upon hearing this, Ye Qianqian’s expression tightened slightly. After all, Ling Xiao was the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall; going to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy might inevitably lead to him being targeted.

"Sure, why not!" Ling Xiao nodded; he had nothing better to do anyway.

Ye Qianqian thought for a moment, then leaned down and whispered to Ye Lingling, "Lingling, remember, do not reveal Xiao'er's background at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Do not even mention his name. If anyone asks, just tell them he is your younger brother named Ye Yuntian."

The Heaven Dou imperial family did not know the specifics of the Ye family’s circumstances; they only knew about their Title Douluo and their inherited spirit. Therefore, Ling Xiao having this identity would not be surprising, nor would it arouse suspicion from the royal family.

"Aunt Qianqian, there is no need for that. I have already been to the Heaven Dou imperial court and met the Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire," Ling Xiao said, having overheard her concerns.

"What?" Ye Qianqian was stunned.

"Xiao'er, how did you manage to enter the imperial court and meet His Majesty?"

"Because I have another identity: the Young Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!" Ling Xiao shrugged, but his words gave Ye Qianqian a shock.

"Xiao'er, aren't you the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall?"

"The Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have formed a partnership, so I am both the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall and the Young Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect," Ling Xiao explained.

Ye Qianqian gasped. This secret seemed vital; if it were exposed, it could potentially lead to the destruction of the Ye family. This matter had to be kept strictly confidential.

Ye Qianqian took a deep breath and said, "Since you have that status, Xiao'er, then there is no issue. Lingling, remember, Xiao'er's identity is the Young Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Forget about his position as the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall!"

"I understand, Mother," Ye Lingling replied solemnly.

"Good, you two go and have fun," Ye Qianqian nodded and sent them to the carriage, where the driver took them toward the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

They arrived at their destination shortly. Ye Lingling took Ling Xiao by the hand and they began walking through the grounds of the academy.

"Xiao'er, this is the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Not bad, right?" Ye Lingling said, gesturing to the scenery.

"It is quite beautiful," Ling Xiao nodded.

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy was worthy of its royal status, looking incredibly luxurious, though it still paled in comparison to the estate he possessed within the Spirit Hall.

Just as they were strolling, three people approached them.

"Lingling, are you here to visit the academy?"

The leading young man, who was quite handsome, saw Ye Lingling and his eyes lit up. He hurried over, completely ignoring Ling Xiao.

"Captain, we are not on such familiar terms. I would prefer it if you called me by my full name," Ye Lingling said, her expression unchanging and distant.

"Lingling, don't be so cold! I am the captain of our team, after all!" The man’s expression stiffened, but he persisted.

"This person is Yu Tianheng, the captain of the Heaven Dou Empire team I am on. The other man is Oslo, and that girl is Dugu Yan; they are also my teammates," Ye Lingling said, ignoring Yu Tianheng and introducing the trio to Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao nodded, casting a glance at Dugu Yan.

"The granddaughter of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo. She is deeply cherished by him. Although Dugu Bo is considered the weakest of the Title Douluo, no one dares to underestimate him on the battlefield, because in group combat, no one below the rank of Title Douluo can withstand him, no matter how many there are!"

Information about Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo surfaced in Ling Xiao's mind. Because of Dugu Bo, few dared to provoke her at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, even members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, who also possessed a Title Douluo.

However, he quickly lost interest, as it was of no use to him.

"Lingling, who is this child? I haven't seen him before!" Dugu Yan asked with curiosity.

"This is the Young Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. I have known him since I was a child," Ye Lingling replied.

Her words made Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan’s expressions tighten. Both of them were well aware of the power of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Dugu Bo was considered the weakest Title Douluo, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon sect only had one Title Douluo, while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect boasted two powerful ones. Among the Upper Three Sects, only the now-secluded Clear Sky Sect could compare. Since the Clear Sky Sect had withdrawn from the world, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was the strongest in the Heaven Dou Empire.

This revelation made them hesitant to underestimate Ling Xiao, yet while they would not look down on him, they were not the type to fawn over him either.

"Lingling, since when did the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have a Young Master?" Dugu Yan asked.

She knew they had a little princess, but she had never heard of a Young Master.

"I am not sure; that is a private matter for the sect," Ye Lingling replied.

"Fair enough, it is not our business how they run their sect," Dugu Yan nodded.

"Let's go, Lingling. My grandfather is at the academy today; come with me to see him," Dugu Yan said, tugging at Ye Lingling's arm.

"Alright," Ye Lingling looked at Ling Xiao, and seeing him nod, she agreed.

Dugu Yan pulled Ye Lingling away, and Ye Lingling kept a hold of Ling Xiao’s hand. As for Yu Tianheng and the other boy, none of them paid them any mind.

Yu Tianheng felt a flash of anger, but he suppressed it; after all, Ye Lingling’s grandfather was not someone to be trifled with, and his own family had urged him to get closer to her, though she had never responded to his advances.

Oslo, standing to the side, said nothing. He did not have a powerful background; one wrong move and he would be in serious trouble.

"Lingling, what do you think of Yu Tianheng?" Dugu Yan asked curiously on their way.

"What do I think? I don't like him!" Ye Lingling frowned slightly.

"If you don't like him, then you don't! Yu Tianheng relies on his family status and looks down on everyone. People who don't know him would think he was a Title Douluo himself!" Dugu Yan said dismissively.

"That is normal, I suppose. He possesses the top-tier beast spirit, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and is a genius within his family. His pride is understandable," Ye Lingling noted. She herself was gifted and came from a powerful family, so she understood the nature of such pride.

"Forget it, let's not talk about him." Dugu Yan nodded and looked at Ye Lingling. "Lingling, has your soul power increased again?"

"Yes, a little bit," Ye Lingling nodded. She did not specify how much; after all, increasing by six levels of soul power in such a short time would seem suspicious to anyone with a discerning eye.

"That is truly amazing!" Dugu Yan said with envy.

Ye Lingling’s soul power rank was definitely the highest on the team. If it weren't for the nature of her spirit, Yu Tianheng certainly wouldn't be the captain.

The three of them walked into the academy committee room, where they saw three committee members seated alongside an old man wearing green armor, his hair also a striking green, who was sitting and sipping tea.

When Dugu Yan saw him, she ran over happily and called out sweetly, "Grandfather..."