Xu Jiujiu and Meng Hongchen argued for quite a while.
One claimed the Star Luo Empire was treacherous, heartlessly abandoning Yuwen Tuo and now shamelessly trying to win him back. The other argued that the Sun and Moon Empire was the root cause of Yuwen Tuo's suffering and the real culprit. The two were locked in a fierce dispute, almost coming to blows.
Finally, they agreed to settle it in the Soul Master Tournament; whoever won, Yuwen Tuo would belong to their side. Yuwen Tuo didn't say a word from beginning to end, even feeling a bit bewildered. They just decided my ownership? Did they ask me?
After the two girls left, a guy finally dared to come out. "Brother Yuwen, you're quite popular, truly enviable. If only two such beauties would fight over me."
"Brother Jiang, don't you find it strange? The Sun and Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire are fighting over me, and the Dou Ling Empire should hate me deeply. It seems all three nations have some understanding of my background. It's as if only your Heaven Dou Empire knows nothing, yet I clearly grew up in Heaven Dou. Are you... too simple-minded? Is that why they don't want to play with you?" Yuwen Tuo turned to the newcomer. He came here today to sunbathe and relax as a secondary reason; the main reason was to meet this person, Jiang Peng, the captain of Di'ao Academy.
"Uh..." Jiang Peng was a bit embarrassed. Who the heck knows why these three empires are so convoluted? "Tch, what's the use of their convoluted schemes? They want to snatch you; can they beat us? If they want to kill you, we'll kill them first!"
Yuwen Tuo smiled slightly. "Brother Jiang is right. I've already made my choice. No matter what relationship those three empires have with me, it's none of my business. They can't snatch me away, and they certainly can't kill me!"
Jiang Peng laughed, "Haha, well said, brother. I called you today to tell you that the matter you entrusted to us has been completed. Next, we're waiting to take you home."
Yuwen Tuo nodded. "Thank you, Brother Jiang."
"Alright, then I'll be going. The semifinals start tomorrow, I need to go prepare." With that, Jiang Peng stood up and left.
Yuwen Tuo stopped him, "Wait, Brother Jiang."
"Is there anything else, brother?"
Yuwen Tuo said, "Good luck in the semifinals!"
Jiang Peng smiled and gave a thumbs up. "Mhm!"
Xu Jiujiu returned to the imperial palace. Originally, her purpose was also to persuade Yuwen Tuo to return. Now, after Meng Hongchen's scene, she could only let it go. After returning to the palace, she did not meet with her imperial brother but instead came to the inner palace.
Normally, this area was inhabited by the Emperor's concubines, but just like Yuwen Tuo who had been in the inner court before, a very special person resided here now. However, she wasn't imprisoned here, but chose to remain, confining herself to a small area.
When Xu Jiujiu walked in, she saw an enlarged version of herself elegantly brewing tea. She was truly a lady of ultimate grace and nobility, a kind of noble aura that even the female Titled Douluo of Shrek Academy, Cai Meier and Xian Lin'er, and others, couldn't come close to.
"Imperial Sister, I've met that child, Yuwen Tuo." Xu Jiujiu stepped forward and said respectfully. This person was none other than the current Eldest Princess of the Star Luo imperial family, Emperor Xu Jiawei's and Princess Jiujiu's elder sister, Xu Yueran.
Upon hearing this, the elegant lady's hand, which was brewing tea, paused for a moment, but quickly regained its composure. "Are you sure it's him?"
"You were the one who told me his name, so of course I'm sure. I also investigated his background. The small city where he awakened his martial soul is near that village. I even sent people to find Su Yunlang, who awakened him, and dug up the awakening records from that time. The child's registered hometown was Shiwacun (Picked-Up Baby Village). This village name was adopted by the village chief after he picked him up. Afterwards, because he awakened with innate soul power as high as rank nine, he was recommended to enter Shrek Academy by the city lord Ma Sinuo. Under Shrek's meticulous cultivation, he is now only thirteen years old, yet his rank is already close to forty, possessing the demeanor of a Titled Douluo." Xu Jiujiu said.
Her investigation was very detailed, yet also very inaccurate. Shrek Academy, or rather that city lord, had indeed tampered with Yuwen Tuo's awakening records, concealing his innate rank twenty. The information regarding Shrek was completely wrong; "meticulous cultivation"? Yuwen Tuo would likely find those four words quite amusing. Yes, he truly owed much to Shrek; it allowed him to approach the Soul Sect rank at thirteen years old. Without Shrek, he would at most be lingering around the Soul King or Soul Emperor rank. From an ordinary person's perspective, Yuwen Tuo's current rank at thirteen would likely be attributed to Shrek's cultivation.
However, handwritten awakening records could be altered, but what about video recordings? Yuwen Tuo remembered that there were video records back then, and those couldn't be faked. In this era, there shouldn't be any technology capable of altering videos yet. It was just that Xu Jiujiu didn't pursue the investigation further; the people she sent left after seeing the awakening records.
"Thirteen years old, rank thirty-something. In a place like Shrek Academy, that can only be considered decent," Xu Yueran said calmly, taking a sip of tea from her cup.
"It's just a pity that his martial soul is only the fire element, completely different from your and his martial souls. It must be an atavism," Xu Jiujiu said.
On the Sun and Moon Empire's side, although the direct lineage of the imperial family in this generation had dragon-type beast martial souls, their bloodline genes surely contained the direct lineage of their ancestral family. For example, Xu Tianzhen inherited the Sun and Moon Empire's most famous martial soul—the Sun! That was one of the strongest fire attribute martial souls!
"Imperial Sister, the Sun and Moon Empire has also set their sights on him. It seems they want to take him back. We cannot let the Sun and Moon Empire succeed," Xu Jiujiu said.
Xu Yueran's hand, gripping the teacup, suddenly trembled. One could feel that even a cultured person like her was somewhat enraged by the news. "That bastard, did he agree?"
Xu Jiujiu shook her head, "No, he... doesn't seem to have much interest in his own background at all. I always feel that he's investigating something else entirely."
"As long as he doesn't return to the Sun and Moon Empire, the rest of it—whether he lives or dies, or what he chooses to do—has nothing to do with me," Xu Yueran said, calming down somewhat.
Xu Jiujiu suddenly felt a chill in her heart. "But Imperial Sister, no matter what, he is your own son. And, you're not completely indifferent to him, are you? In fact, you've always sent people to secretly keep an eye on him. Otherwise, how would you know that he named himself Yuwen Tuo? How would you know that village was renamed Shiwacun (Picked-Up Baby Village)? After that village was massacred, you thought he died, and you shut yourself in your room for three days and three nights, neither eating nor drinking. You also instructed those who watched him to paint his portrait for you to see each year he grew older. Dai Hao was able to recognize him at a glance precisely because he had seen his childhood portrait..."
"Silence! I said, his life, death, and future have nothing to do with me! Did you not hear what your sister said, Jiujiu?" Xu Yueran spoke with immense authority, no less than Emperor Xu Jiawei. Xu Jiujiu was also somewhat afraid of her.
"Yes, Imperial Sister, Jiujiu understands. I will not trouble you with his matters again. But Imperial Sister, your decision not to acknowledge him is yours alone; it does not represent me. I am his maternal aunt. I didn't know he was alive before, but now that I do, I will definitely bring him back." Xu Jiujiu turned and left. She was very dissatisfied with her elder sister.
Xu Yueran's mood was actually not as calm as she appeared. After Xu Jiujiu left, she was left alone in the room, muttering to herself, "What if he's my own son? But Jiujiu, do you know that this child's very existence is a constant reminder of all the torture and humiliation I suffered back then!"
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