"Yes, yes, thank you for your mercy, esteemed sir."
The manager kowtowed furiously, his forehead pressed against the bluestone pavement. His shiny bald head was covered in dust, and the fatty folds on his neck quivered with each bow.
His pathetic demeanor elicited a wave of laughter from the crowd, their attention subtly shifting elsewhere.
However, Gu La inwardly cursed—perhaps he had overdone it a bit. But it shouldn't matter; he could still gloss over it.
"Make way! Everyone, step aside!"
Hasty footsteps echoed from the far end of the street. Behind Flender, the faint silhouette of a purple cat-eagle flickered as he lightly tapped his feet between rooftops.
Since flying high was forbidden in Tian Dou City, he moved close to the ground, dashing at full speed until he reached Vermilion Bird Street just in time.
When the charred signboard of the Yongsheng Trading House came into view, Flender's footing faltered slightly, nearly colliding with a beam blackened by fire.
The lingering scent of agarwood mixed with the acrid smell of burnt herbs assaulted his nostrils. Recalling what Zhu Zhuqing had said earlier, Flender's heart trembled violently. Looking at his detained disciple, his eyes brimmed with frustration and disappointment.
Such extensive damage would require selling off everything he'd accumulated over the years just to cover the losses—not to mention that committing such an offense on the eve of Emperor Xue Ye's title-bestowing ceremony would surely result in harsher punishment.
"I am Flender of Lanba Academy." He brushed the soot from his sleeves as seven soul rings slowly rose beneath his feet.
While telepathically asking Gu La about the situation, he bowed respectfully to the officer. "This disciple of mine is reckless and has caused you trouble, General."
"I am willing to compensate for all damages on behalf of my disciple. Please show leniency."
Just as Gu La was about to manipulate the officer into agreeing, a commotion arose from the outer edge of the crowd, which automatically parted to make way.
"Hold on!"
A young man dressed in luxurious attire appeared, his expression serious. Whispers of "Fourth Prince" rippled through the crowd as he nodded calmly, exuding royal dignity.
After Emperor Xue Ye broke through to become a Title Douluo, his once-frail appearance vanished entirely. With the extended lifespan of a Title Douluo, it was uncertain whether he or his sons would pass away first.
Thus, though Xue Beng was no longer eligible to inherit the throne, he no longer needed to feign being a spoiled brat to ensure his survival. After consulting with his closest ally, Prince Xue Xing, they decided to seize this opportunity to redeem his tarnished reputation.
"What happened here?"
Xue Beng played his role as a spoiled prince convincingly, having earned quite a notorious reputation in Tian Dou City. The officer recognized him, leaving Gu La no choice but to manipulate him into stepping forward and recounting the events.
After hearing the full story, Xue Beng's mind raced.
'Father entrusted the Tian Dou Imperial Academy to the crown prince, and even Uncle Xue Xing couldn't oppose it. Now that Father is revitalized and focused on governance, I cannot afford to slack off. I must be cautious of potential plots against me.'
'If I can gain control of a civilian academy as a talent reserve, it might give me some leverage against the crown prince.'
The Tian Dou Imperial Family promoted the idea of harmony with the common people, yet they lacked dedicated protectors. In truth, those not personally cultivated by the imperial family often felt little loyalty toward it.
Otherwise, Prince Xue Xing wouldn't have allied with Xue Beng for self-preservation.
Xue Beng's thoughts churned as he feigned a troubled expression. "How careless to burn Uncle Xue Xing's birthday gift."
Flender's heart sank. He had heard of Xue Beng's infamous reputation as a spoiled prince and assumed he intended to exploit the situation for extortion.
Such things weren't unheard of from Xue Beng, though they were usually directed at soul masters who aligned themselves with the crown prince.
"Your Highness, my disciple truly acted carelessly. However, I believe we should first investigate whether the Yongsheng Trading House sold counterfeit medicines. If they did, my disciple's actions could be justified. I am willing to compensate for Prince Xue Xing's birthday gift."
Flender's heart bled at the thought. If worse came to worst, he would have to seek help from his younger sister, hoping to find suitable compensation.
"Principal Flender makes a valid point."
Xue Beng deliberately paused, surprising the crowd who expected the spoiled prince to act out of character. Then, his tone shifted. "However, since it involves Uncle Xue Xing's birthday gift, the final decision must rest with him."
He didn't want to directly suggest taking over Lanba Academy. Instead, he planned to play good cop, bad cop with Prince Xue Xing.
Flender was unaware of Xue Beng's ulterior motives, but his instincts made him reluctant to deal with nobles—especially when a notoriously spoiled prince displayed unusual behavior, further fueling his desire to refuse.
But seeing Ma Hongjun's pitiful state nearby, Flender couldn't bring himself to decline.
Gritting his teeth, he feigned indifference. "Your Highness, might I ask for your favorable words on my behalf?"
Xue Beng noticed Flender's dissatisfaction but paid it no mind. What could a Soul Sage do to him, after all?
As negotiations reached an impasse, Gu La sighed inwardly. It seemed he still had to take charge.
With Xue Ye's breakthrough, all sorts of schemers had emerged. Perhaps he should have left Xue Ye with some lingering injuries.
Regret was futile. Gu La shifted positions and hypnotized Xue Beng.
Despite being a prince, Xue Beng lacked any means of self-protection and fell under Gu La's influence instantly. His attitude changed abruptly.
"Principal Flender's deep bond with his disciple is truly touching. In light of this, I will take charge. If you compensate for all damages, I will pardon him of his crimes."
Xue Beng's resolution mirrored Gu La's hypnotic approach—simple and brutal. But this was how the empire operated. Nobles wielded corresponding privileges, let alone a prince.
In a country where slavery still existed, the so-called legal system was nothing more than a set of rules easily manipulated by the elite.
Tang San arrived, standing beside Dai Mubai, and remarked, "This prince seems unexpectedly reasonable. Fatty should be fine now."
Gu La orchestrated the three "actors" to continue their performance and approached Tang San. "Xiao San, do you really think so?"
Tang San hesitated. "Is something wrong? He indeed showed leniency toward Fatty. Otherwise, arsonists nearby could face the death penalty."
"Haha."
Gu La chuckled, wiping away a tear squeezed from the corner of his eye.
"Naive thinking. First, the prince only pardoned Fatty because I hypnotized him. Why would he help us otherwise, given we have no connection to him?"
Tang San's expression changed as he turned to glance at the surrounding crowd.
"Don't worry—they can't hear us."
Gu La continued, "Second, if a prince can pardon someone from a death sentence with a single word, what recourse would you have if you offended them? Would you rely on their mercy or a sudden awakening of conscience?"
"A fair legal system is the face of a nation. If even this cannot be achieved, it shows that personal connections dominate. Over time, the nobility indulges in pleasure, neglects progress, and the system inevitably decays."
"For example, do you think without the Spirit Hall, we in Holy Spirit Village could awaken our martial souls? Could we receive soul master subsidies? Would the nobility care whether commoners can cultivate?"
"Given your father's personality, the most likely scenario is that you'd remain a blacksmith in Holy Spirit Village for life."
Tang San's expression shifted repeatedly as he recalled the change in Tang Hao's attitude before and after his martial soul awakening. Clenching his fists, he muttered, "I was too naive."
"No need to blame yourself. The nobility is the world's largest interest group. Unconsciously, your thoughts may gravitate toward admiration and longing for them, eventually making you one of them."
"But I hope you remember, once you achieve cultivation success, don't forget the days of hunger in Holy Spirit Village."
"Fame and fortune are but fleeting clouds. Remember your original intentions and goals."
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