Monts later, the colorful light around Dugu Shuo dissipated.
"Your Majesty’s health is excellent, with no signs of poisoning whatsoever!" Dugu Shuo stated calmly.
This made Dugu Feng breathe a huge sigh of relief.
"Xue Xing, I told you you were being overly sensitive, bothering Clan Leader Dugu every few months like this. After the poisoning deaths of the Second and Third Princes, the palace has already heightened its vigilance. No matter who the enemy is, why would they continue using the sa thod? The palace’s food and drink undergo multiple layers of inspection, and maids and guards are rotated monthly. How could I possibly be poisoned?" Xue Ye the Great said with a smile.
"Exactly, Father. The enemy isn’t that foolish. Uncle, elder brother, if there’s nothing else, I’ll return to the academy. I still have cultivation to attend to!" Xue Beng said disdainfully, not waiting for Xue Ye the Great’s permission before turning to leave.
"This Xue Beng... Xue Xing, Qinghe, you two need to discipline him. I suspect he’s off causing trouble again. Many officials have complained to about Xue Beng’s misdeeds in Heaven Dou City—he often rides horses recklessly through the streets, injuring people!" Xue Ye the Great sighed helplessly.
"Father, younger brother is still young, and there are far worse troublemakers among the city’s noble youths than him. Once he enters the advanced Soul Master academy, Uncle and the three Education Commissioners will surely keep him in line!" Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, put on a protective elder brother act, displaying magnanimity and generosity.
It was truly a grand performance—brothers showing mutual respect, father and sons displaying affection.
Dugu Feng felt he had learned much from this spectacle.
"We’ve taken enough of Clan Leader Dugu’s ti. Qinghe, please see Clan Leader Dugu out on my behalf."
Shortly after, under Qian Renxue’s guidance, Dugu Shuo and Dugu Feng left Xue Ye the Great’s chambers.
The three walked slowly, with Qian Renxue saying amiably, "Brother Feng is about the sa age as my younger brother, both attending the Royal Elentary Academy. From now on, you can call Elder Brother Xue!"
At this ti, Qian Renxue should have been seventeen—in the bloom of youth—yet she was disguised as Xue Qinghe, unable to reveal her true appearance.
Dugu Feng nearly wanted to shout out loud: "Qian Renxue, daughter of the forr Pope of Spirit Hall, is right here!" just to see her reaction.
Her performance was simply too convincing.
"Mm, Elder Brother Xue, may I co visit you often?" Dugu Feng replied politely.
Qian Renxue was montarily taken aback. She had only been polite, yet this boy was quick to take advantage—truly embodying the essence of a snake.
"Of course. Here’s my Crown Prince Token. If you ever need anything, feel free to bring this to the Crown Prince’s residence to find !"
Qian Renxue smiled faintly, producing a golden token from her robes and handing it over.
Dugu Feng quickly accepted it. The token was engraved with the character for "Heaven." He clasped his hands in thanks and stored it in his Storage Soul Tool.
"Thank you, Elder Brother Xue. I’ll co find you when I have ti!"
Dugu Feng smiled, deciding to show so goodwill first to see if he could stabilize Qian Renxue’s attitude.
Qian Renxue personally escorted Dugu Shuo and Dugu Feng to their carriage, then stood with her hands behind her back.
Only when the carriage disappeared from sight did her expression return to calm.
"An innocent man gets into trouble because of his wealth. The Dugu family’s ti has co—who asked you to possess such formidable Poison Art and stand on Heaven Dou’s side? Pity about Dugu Feng’s talent... But compared to the grand sche of usurping the nation, what does he amount to?"
"Elephant Armor Sect, Yang Wushuang, I hope you won’t disappoint !"
Qian Renxue chuckled softly to herself before turning back toward the imperial palace.
At the Dugu Family estate.
Within a dimly lit underground cavern.
It was called a cavern due to its vast size and winding, cave-like structure, with irregular claw marks scarring the surrounding walls.
After leaving the palace and returning to the family compound, Dugu Shuo imdiately brought Dugu Feng to this subterranean chamber—its entrance hidden beneath the ancestral tablets in the family shrine.
Extrely well concealed.
Ssss.
A faint hissing sound drew Dugu Feng’s attention to a centipede crawling up and down the walls.
This instantly reminded him of Old Snake’s words—how their family had intermarried with Soul Masters possessing poison-type Martial Souls to breed stronger toxins.
The Dugu family possessed at least five different poison-type Martial Souls.
He later learned that the Nine Heavens Centipede was one of them.
There existed an extrely powerful Spirit Beast called the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede. Though differing by just one character from the Nine Heavens Centipede, it was still a formidable venomous Spirit Beast.
As they ventured deeper into the cavern, the number of centipedes around them multiplied.
The sight of their countless legs would make most people’s scalps crawl.
"Feng’er, the Nine Heavens Centipede Soul Masters are our family’s hidden force," Dugu Shuo explained calmly. "They won’t act unless the family faces dire crisis, and no one knows their whereabouts—not even Old Snake or Old Scorpion."
"Other factions only vaguely know our family possesses this hidden deterrent. This is the true foundation of why our family fears no other power!"
"Then why has Father brought here this ti?" Dugu Feng asked curiously.
Dugu Shuo smirked coldly. "Hmph! Soone’s been playing with poison on our turf. Do they really think their Poison Art can compare to our Dugu Family’s?"
Dugu Feng ventured a guess: "Could it be... has Xue Ye the Great been poisoned?"
Dugu Shuo nodded gravely—the emperor had indeed been poisoned.
When it ca to poison research, he had inherited the Dugu Family’s complete knowledge of Mixed Poisons.
Whereas Dugu Bo, who left ho to train independently, only received knowledge about Serpent Cultivation Spirit Ring combinations.
As the Dugu Family patriarch, there truly wasn’t any poison in this world that could escape his notice.
Dugu Shuo’s expression turned solemn. "The fact that the perpetrator keeps poisoning repeatedly shows they don’t respect our family. Either they’re arrogant, or... they’re incredibly powerful."
"Feng’er, which possibility do you think it is?"
So his father had also detected the poison in Xue Ye the Great’s system, but had remained silent out of consideration for the poisoner’s backing.
Dugu Feng felt genuine admiration for his father’s wisdom.
"Father, I believe they’re powerful—so powerful they might even attack our family directly," Dugu Feng said after so thought.
"Feng’er, you’re absolutely right. Our family faces true danger this ti!"
"Xue Ye the Great was poisoned with Mixed Poison—even I would need trendous effort to neutralize it. And this is with the poisoner holding back their full strength to remain undetected."
"We’re dealing with a poison-immune expert! Such individuals can be counted on one hand across the continent."
"Moreover, anyone daring to sche against the Heaven Dou Empire must either be from the Star Luo’s Dai Family... or the Spirit Hall."
Dugu Shuo analyzed coolly.
Dugu Feng was slightly surprised his father suspected the Dai Family.
Clearly, in his father’s eyes, the Star Luo Empire had long harbored ambitions against Heaven Dou, and he acknowledged Star Luo’s formidable strength.
From what Dugu Feng understood of those around him, most Heaven Dou citizens considered Star Luo their greatest enemy.
Border conflicts frequently occurred between the two nations.
Yet they harbored far less hostility toward Spirit Hall.
"Father is worried about the upcoming resolution of the Six Great Families, which also involves the Dai Family and Spirit Hall.
And since the resolution won’t take place in Heaven Dou City, if the other side sees us as enemies, they might seize the opportunity to strike!"
Dugu Feng added.
(End of Chapter)
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