Chapter 138: Heaven Dou Storm, Reactions from All Sides
Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Teaching Committee.
The three council members, Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin, sat behind a long table, listening to Qin Ming, who stood below, report on the events of this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest.
However, when they learned from Qin Ming that Lin Mo had already reached the Spirit King Realm, the expressions of Meng Shenji and the other two froze at the same time.
"What did you say?"
Meng Shenji abruptly stood up from his seat.
"Lin Mo has broken through to Rank 50?"
Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin also looked up at the same time, three pairs of eyes staring intently at Qin Ming.
Qin Ming took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. "That's right."
A deathly silence fell over the Teaching Committee.
A twelve year old Spirit King.
These few words echoed continuously in their minds, yet they simply could not connect them with the image of the youth in their memories.
Half a year ago, when Lin Mo's cultivation broke through Level 40 and he became a four-ring Spirit Ancestor, they had already been astonished.
A twelve year old Spirit Ancestor was a rarity even across the entire history of the continent.
But now, a Spirit King?
Meng Shenji even began to wonder if there was something wrong with his ears.
"Are you sure?" Bai Baoshan's voice became dry. "Teacher Qin, this kind of matter is no joke."
Qin Ming smiled bitterly. "Three council members, how would I dare to speak falsely about such a thing? All members of the Fighting Team saw it with their own eyes."
"Beneath Lin Mo's Charizard, there were indeed five spirit rings. Two yellow, one purple, and two black."
"Two ten thousand year spirit rings..." Zhi Lin murmured.
Meng Shenji rubbed his brow forcefully, trying to calm himself down. He looked at Qin Ming and asked, "Where is Lin Mo now?"
"After returning to Heaven Dou City, he went with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling to the Ye Family Medical Hall," Qin Ming answered truthfully. "Afterward, Senior Poison Douluo seemed to have taken the three of them to the Dugu Manor together."
"It seems he intends to let Lin Mo take temporary refuge in the manor to avoid the limelight."
Meng Shenji nodded. This was a wise choice.
"Alright, you may leave now." Meng Shenji waved his hand. "You've worked hard leading the team this time. Go back and have a good rest."
Qin Ming bowed and turned to leave the Teaching Committee.
The moment the door closed, the atmosphere inside the Teaching Committee became solemn once again.
Bai Baoshan was the first to speak. "When Lin Mo last met the Crown Prince, what exactly was his cultivation level?"
"Could it be that he had already broken through to Level 40 long ago and was only stuck because he had not obtained a spirit ring, so in others' perception, he appeared to be at the Quasi Spirit Ancestor Realm?"
Meng Shenji pondered for a moment and slowly nodded. "That is highly possible."
He leaned back in his chair, his fingers continuing to tap the table. "Although we knew Lin Mo's cultivation speed was fast, we never expected it to be this fast."
"To go from Rank 30 to Rank 50 in just over two years... this is truly outrageous."
For the three of them, compared with the idea that Lin Mo had taken only half a year to break through from Level 40 to Rank 50, they were more willing to believe the former.
"A twelve year old Spirit King. Forget seeing one, I have never even heard of one. Even in Spirit Hall's records, this is likely the first since the dawn of time."
Meng Shenji took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "This matter must be kept strictly confidential. At least until Lin Mo has grown up, we cannot allow him to attract too much attention."
"I'm afraid it's already too late." Zhi Lin smiled bitterly. "The children in Qin Ming's class, which one of them doesn't come from a noble family? The news has likely already spread."
The three looked at each other, all seeing the helplessness in one another's eyes.
Among the members of the Fighting Team, the vast majority came from imperial noble families or Spirit Master families.
Yu Tianheng was from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Dugu Yan was Poison Douluo's granddaughter, Ye Lingling came from the Nine Heart Begonia Ye Family, and Yu Feng and the others also had their own backgrounds.
After returning to Heaven Dou Royal Academy and resting for a short while, they basically all returned to their respective families.
When reuniting with their families, they naturally shared what they had seen and heard during this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, especially the news of Lin Mo breaking through to Spirit King, with those close to them.
First, it was the high-level members within those families. Then, it was other friendly families. After that, various forces learned the news through different channels.
In just two short days, a new vortex of public opinion had already formed within Heaven Dou City.
And at the center of the vortex was none other than the youth who was only twelve years old but had already stepped into the Spirit King Realm, Lin Mo.
Restaurants, teahouses, various Spirit Master associations, almost everyone was talking about this name.
"Have you heard? A twelve year old Spirit King has appeared at Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"
"Are you kidding me? Twelve years old? When my son was twelve, his spirit power was only Rank 17!"
"It's absolutely true! My nephew is in the Fighting Team, and he saw it with his own eyes!"
"Two ten thousand year spirit rings. His fourth spirit ring is a ten thousand year one. How is that possible?"
"Poison Douluo's granddaughter is very close to him, and it's said that Poison Douluo himself thinks very highly of him."
"Such a genius will surely become a Titled Douluo in the future."
Among the discussions, there was amazement, envy, and jealousy. Of course, there were also hidden schemes stirring in the shadows.
However, at this moment, Lin Mo, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling had all been brought back to the Dugu Manor by Dugu Bo.
High walls and deep courtyards, shaded by green trees. It was a place few people visited on ordinary days, not because the environment was poor, but because Dugu Bo's title as Poison Douluo was far too terrifying.
Dugu Bo did this naturally for the safety of the three children.
Lin Mo did not object to Dugu Bo's arrangement. He was well aware of Dugu Bo's concerns.
In this current era, the attitude of those top powers toward geniuses who did not belong to their side could be summed up in two ways.
First, recruit them.
If recruitment failed, then strike and eliminate them.
This was the most naked law of the jungle, where the strong preyed on the weak. There was no logic to argue.
Three days later.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Prince Xue Xing's office.
Prince Xue Xing sat behind a large desk, observing the nephew standing before him, the Heaven Dou Empire's Fourth Prince, Xue Beng.
Xue Beng was dressed in a luxurious brocade robe, a jade pendant hung from his waist, and he toyed with a gold-inlaid folding fan in his hand.
His features were handsome, but his eyes carried the frivolous air unique to profligate sons.
At this moment, he was looking at his uncle with a grin, lacking any sense of decorum.
Prince Xue Xing sighed inwardly.
He knew the situation of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family over these years better than anyone.
Crown Prince Xue Qinghe's abilities were outstanding, earning him the deep trust of Emperor Xue Ye, while any other prince or princess who could pose even the slightest threat to Xue Qinghe's position would subsequently die an abrupt death due to various "accidents."
Among the princes still alive today, besides Xue Qinghe, only this Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, remained.
In order to protect himself and reduce the threat in Xue Qinghe's eyes, Xue Beng had accepted Prince Xue Xing's suggestion and disguised himself with the appearance of a profligate son.
This disguise had lasted for many years.
But looking at him now, a trace of worry flashed in Prince Xue Xing's eyes.
It seemed that because his nephew had been pretending to be a pig for too long, he was actually on the verge of becoming a real pig.
"Imperial Uncle, why did you call for me?" Xue Beng opened his folding fan and spoke casually. "I already made plans with someone to go watch a match at the Great Spirit Arena."
Prince Xue Xing composed his thoughts, and his expression turned serious. "I called you here today for a serious matter."
Seeing this, Xue Beng restrained some of his playfulness, though his posture remained relaxed. "Go ahead."
"You've heard about Lin Mo's situation, haven't you?" Prince Xue Xing said in a low voice.
The fan in Xue Beng's hand paused, and he nodded. "I've heard. A twelve year old Spirit King. The whole of Heaven Dou City is talking about it now."
"What? Does Imperial Uncle also want to recruit him?"
Prince Xue Xing did not answer directly. "Poison Douluo Dugu Bo. You should know of him."
"Of course I do," Xue Beng said. "The only Titled Douluo on the surface of our Heaven Dou Empire. Although his personality is eccentric, his strength is beyond question."
"In my younger years, I happened to save him once," Prince Xue Xing said slowly. "So over the years, he has given me some face."
Xue Beng's eyes lit up. "You mean..."
"Currently, Lin Mo is in Dugu Manor. Poison Douluo thinks very highly of him and is personally protecting him. For outsiders, seeing him is as difficult as ascending to heaven, but I can take you there."
Xue Beng's expression turned serious. He closed his fan and gripped it in his hand. "What do you need me to do?"
Prince Xue Xing looked at him and said word by word, "You don't need to do anything. You just need to act exactly as you usually do."
Xue Beng was stunned.
"Just act like a standard profligate son. After learning of Lin Mo's talent, go there only to show your face to him."
Prince Xue Xing's tone was solemn. "Remember, do not show any intention of trying to recruit him, and definitely do not have any thoughts of competing with your elder brother."
Xue Beng was silent for a moment, then asked, "As for Big Brother's side..."
"Your elder brother also returned two days ago," Prince Xue Xing said. "After learning that Lin Mo broke through to Spirit King, he showed great interest. If nothing unexpected happens, he will make a move very soon."
He stared into Xue Beng's eyes. "What you need to do now is not compete with your brother. What you need to do now is stay alive. Do you understand?"
Xue Beng took a deep breath and nodded heavily. "I understand."
He did not want to die yet.
Seeing the flash of clarity in his nephew's eyes, Prince Xue Xing felt slightly relieved.
This child, at least, was not yet completely ruined.
Prince Xue Xing's mood was exceptionally complex. Titled Douluo-level combat power had always been the greatest weakness of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
Although the Star Luo Empire was the same as them in having no Titled Douluo, the Star Luo Empire had its own confidence.
The Star Luo Imperial Family and the Zhu Family had been able to steadily pass down the Hell White Tiger in almost every generation. When the two worked together, they could burst forth with Titled Douluo-level combat power.
But the only Titled Douluo the Heaven Dou Imperial Family could openly connect with was Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.
And Dugu Bo was only barely connected to the Heaven Dou Empire for the sake of face.
Thinking of this, Prince Xue Xing's expression became gloomy.
They desperately needed to cultivate a Titled Douluo who was loyal to the Imperial Family, a Titled Douluo who truly belonged to their Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
Prince Xue Xing walked back to the desk and patted Xue Beng's shoulder.
"On this trip to Dugu Manor, you only need to show your face so Lin Mo knows someone like you exists. Don't do anything else!"
Xue Beng bowed solemnly. "Your nephew understands."
Prince Xue Xing nodded, but a trace of complex emotion flickered in his eyes.
Hopefully this time, there would not be any mishaps.
…..
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