Douluo: Soul-Breaking spear

Chapter 57: Crown Prince Xue Qinghe

One morning, as Yang Potian was training at home, his father suddenly summoned him to the main hall. Apparently, an important guest had come to visit, and both he and Yang Ping'an were asked to attend.

Yang Potian was puzzled. He could only think of people from the other three clans of the Four Single Attribute Clans, who would never require such formalities. So, who could this guest be?

When Yang Potian and Yang Ping'an arrived in the hall, they found a solemn scene: his father, mother, and both grandfathers were present. Seated across from them was a young man with golden hair, refined and elegant in appearance. Despite his slight build, he exuded a noble and poised aura. A golden headband adorned his head, and his richly embellished golden clothing was set with gems, accentuating his regal bearing.

As they entered, his grandfather, Yang Wudi, introduced them, "Potian, Ping'an, come forward and pay your respects. This is His Highness, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe of the Heaven Dou Empire."

The two young men quickly greeted him, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Yang Wudi continued, "Your Highness, these are my grandsons, Yang Potian and Yang Ping'an, both twelve years old this year."

Xue Qinghe gracefully raised a hand, gesturing for them to relax. "There's no need for formalities," he said warmly. "I apologize for this sudden visit."

Yang Wudi replied, "Your Highness, to what do we owe the honor of this visit? Could it be that these two troublemakers have caused some sort of disturbance?"

"Clan Leader Yang, you misunderstand," Xue Qinghe said, smiling. "I've recently taken charge of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, and I've come to personally invite the young talents from the Four Single Attribute Clans to enroll. I've heard that some of your disciples are the right age for admission."

Yang Wudi seemed hesitant. "Your Highness, I'm afraid this may not be suitable. The Breaking Clan isn't exactly nobility, and these two are rather unruly. I doubt they would adapt well to the Imperial Academy."

"Clan Leader Yang, there's no need to worry. Any disciples from the Breaking Clan who join the Imperial Academy will receive our full support and training, and we guarantee their safety," Xue Qinghe assured him. "In fact, I've already spoken to the other three clans, and they've all agreed. Tailong, Bai Xiaofei, and Niu Meng will be joining the academy as well."

Yang Potian's mind raced. This wasn't supposed to happen. In the original story, Tailong had attended Blue Tyrant Academy, and Xue Qinghe had never extended such an invitation to him. Could it be that his presence in this world had altered events? With the Four Single Attribute Clans now gathered near Heaven Dou City, they had become a solid alliance, their combined strength formidable. Between them, they boasted at least seven visible Soul Douluo-level warriors and over a thousand soul masters, even more than the Elephant Armored Sect of the Lower Four Sects.

Why had Xue Qinghe come here today? Was it to win their support or to assess the Four Clans' stance? And considering the timing, this Xue Qinghe was likely an impostor—the disguised Qian Renxue. That added even more complexity.

If he agreed to attend the academy, he risked being marked by Xue Qinghe, potentially placing him and his family in danger when the Soul Hunting operation began. But refusing the invitation would offend the Heaven Dou Empire.

Before Potian could fully consider his options, his grandfather turned to him and asked, "Potian, Ping'an, would you two like to study at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy?"

Xue Qinghe smiled encouragingly. "You can rest assured, we will devote our best resources to nurturing both of you."

After a moment's thought, Potian answered, "Your Highness, I'd certainly like to attend Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, but I'm reluctant to leave my little sister."

His family members exchanged surprised looks. Although Potian and Tianyue had a good relationship, he had always been independent and focused on his training. Would he really consider staying just for her?

Still smiling, Xue Qinghe replied, "In that case, why not bring her along? Our academy welcomes all students who have awakened their martial soul. Your sister would be an asset to our program."

Potian sighed inwardly. He had intended to use his sister as an excuse to avoid enrolling, but it seemed he'd nearly dragged her into the situation as well.

"Your Highness, my sister is still too young to leave the family. But I would be honored to study at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy," Potian replied.

Yang Ping'an quickly nodded, signaling his agreement to attend as well.

After a brief discussion, it was decided that Potian and Ping'an would go to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Without lingering long, Xue Qinghe left immediately after finalizing the arrangements, not even staying for lunch.

As the family watched Potian's pensive expression, they grew curious.

His mother, Niu Jinfeng, spoke up. "What's the matter, son? Are you feeling reluctant about going to the academy? It's not far from the clan, you know—only about forty kilometers. We can visit regularly, and you're always welcome to come home."

"Mother," Potian began, "do I really have to go to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy? Could I attend another advanced academy instead?"

"I don't think that would be appropriate," she replied. "Besides, you won't be going alone. There will be others from the Four Clans with you. It'll be a good chance to learn from each other."

Seeing that his situation was unlikely to change, Potian gave a quiet sigh and retreated to his room to continue his training.

Alone in his room, he pondered his future plans.

First, he couldn't afford to offend this fake Xue Qinghe. Qian Renxue's backing was simply too formidable, and any hostility could result in immediate danger, potentially even assassins coming after him. No matter how he looked at it, the situation was precarious.

Second, while he was now comfortable using his "Crocodile King Spear," the external spirit bone still hadn't fully integrated with his body. It remained separate from his bones, indicating that he would likely need an intense external force, similar to Tang San's experience, to fully assimilate it.

Lastly, with his current strength, he expected to reach Soul Ancestor in the next two years. If he were invited to join the Heaven Dou team for the Soul Master Tournament, should he participate? Displaying too much power and talent might make him a target of the Spirit Hall, leading to further complications.

He also wondered when to venture into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to retrieve the two Immortal Herbs. Tang San had required the aid of the Mysterious Heaven Skill to refine them; without a similar technique, Potian feared he might fail to absorb them safely.

In the end, while Potian didn't mind attending an advanced academy, he hadn't yet figured out how to handle this impostor Xue Qinghe. No matter what choice he made, it seemed fraught with risk.

(End of Chapter)

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