"They may not allow it, but I insist on sitting in this position. I'd like to see who dares to compete for the Crown Prince's seat after tonight."
As his voice fell, the Second Prince's last arm vanished as well, blood pooling across the entire floor, completely soaking his ornate robes.
Xu Tianran leaned back in his wheelchair, quietly watching the Second Prince struggle in the pool of blood.
After a long while, his eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm a bit tired."
Ju Zi immediately understood, pushing Xu Tianran's wheelchair toward the exit.
"Lingchi."
A soft sigh came from outside.
Not many people remained in the room, and Lin Xiao followed them out. In the courtyard, Ju Zi was accompanying Xu Tianran, listening to the screams coming from the room.
"If it weren't for you, I'd already be a soul under the blade. Whatever wish you have, speak it freely."
"Your Highness," Ju Zi said softly, "Ju Zi has no other desires. My only wish is to avenge my parents…"
Lin Xiao glanced at them and looked no further. Perhaps from the first time she met Xu Tianran, Ju Zi had been plotting this very scene. After all, to take revenge on the White Tiger Duke of the Star Luo Empire, she needed far more than one could imagine.
The news of the Second Prince's assassination quickly spread throughout Mingdu. The stench of blood lingered in his mansion for a long time before gradually dissipating. It was said that the first person to discover the scene was still haunted, unable to even look at meat without feeling ill.
However, while the news spread wildly among the common people, the royal family, which should have taken it more seriously, remained silent. They conducted a perfunctory investigation and closed the case without any clear conclusion.
Only the voices in the court proposing a new Crown Prince gradually quieted down.
At the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Tool Academy, Lin Jiayi, who had just heard the news, was still quietly lamenting nearby. Meanwhile, Lin Xiao, who had personally experienced the event, acted as if nothing had happened, focusing on his soul tool research.
"Alright, it's about time. The academy has approved it, so let's head out."
"Yes, Teacher."
Lin Xiao set down what he was working on and stood up. As for packing, he had already prepared everything in advance. With a storage soul tool, traveling was indeed much more convenient.
"Don't underestimate the practical lessons. Soul tools aren't just for combat. You're already used to storage soul tools, but in the wild, things like detection soul tools are also quite useful."
Lin Jiayi led the way out. "Unless it's a critical moment, I won't intervene on this trip. How you use your soul tools and how you act will be up to you to decide."
"We?" Lin Xiao asked, surprised. "Teacher, are there others?"
"That's right. The academy wouldn't feel at ease letting students go out alone. Usually, they'll act in teams, either to test soul tools together or, like this time, to hunt for soul rings while testing soul tools."
Lin Jiayi thought Lin Xiao was worried about safety. "Don't worry. This time, we're going to the Jingyang Mountain Range, not far from the academy. With a teacher present, you don't need to worry about any dangers."
Lin Xiao wasn't worried about that, but after thinking it over, he followed along.
"Director Lin, hello."
At the academy's entrance, three figures were already waiting. Upon seeing Lin Jiayi, they greeted him in unison.
"Mm." Lin Jiayi glanced over them and then turned back to Lin Xiao. "Come, let me introduce you. These two are Ma Rulong and Mi Jia. You don't go out much, so you probably don't know them, but they're quite famous in the academy. They're reserve members for the upcoming Douluo Tournament."
Ma Rulong was tall, two years younger than Lin Xiao but already taller than him. Mi Jia, on the other hand, didn't stand out much.
"You're hunting for soul rings this time, probably for the upcoming Douluo Tournament, right?" Lin Jiayi asked with a smile.
"Yes, Director Lin. I need my fourth soul ring, and Mi Jia needs his third. After we get our soul rings, we'll start preparing for the Douluo Tournament," Ma Rulong replied.
"Good, keep up the effort." Lin Jiayi then looked at the last person. "You should be familiar with her. You saw her just a few days ago."
"Mm." Lin Xiao nodded, looking at Ju Zi, who was standing there. "She should be Teacher Xuan's disciple, right?"
Ju Zi was wearing the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Tool Academy's uniform, looking quite well-behaved, a stark contrast to the way she appeared at the Second Prince's mansion a few days ago.
"That's right. Teacher Xuan entrusted me to help her find a suitable second soul ring. This girl's cultivation has been at a bottleneck for a while, and I don't know why she still doesn't have her second soul ring." Lin Jiayi pointed at Lin Xiao. "This is Lin Xiao, studying under me."
"Senior Lin." Ma Rulong was quite polite, greeting him before adding curiously, "Senior Lin, you're the one who defeated Senior Ji Juechen last semester, right?"
Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly, not expecting to be so well-known at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Tool Academy. "It was just luck. I was actually prepared to lose back then."
Mi Jia's eyes lit up as well, while Ju Zi, who had just joined the academy, didn't know who Ji Juechen was and didn't recognize Lin Xiao either.
"Alright, let's talk as we walk." Lin Jiayi led the group toward the outskirts of Mingdu. "The soul rings you three need aren't too high in years, so let Lin Xiao assist you while also testing the latest soul tools."
All of them had some cultivation, even Ju Zi, the weakest, who was already at level twenty. Their pace was naturally quick, and soon they were outside Mingdu.
Without the no-fly restriction, Lin Jiayi's flying soul tool wings slowly unfurled behind him. A light barrier emerged, enveloping Lin Xiao and the others, before they soared into the air together.
Though Lin Xiao knew the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Tool Academy had such technology, experiencing it firsthand still felt novel. He couldn't help but wonder how such a soul tool was made.
"Lin Xiao, you have the highest cultivation here, so look after your junior brothers and sister along the way."
Lin Xiao turned his head, seeing three pairs of eyes fixed on him. After a brief pause, he nodded.
Having lived in this world for over a decade, he had done plenty of killing, but taking care of others was a first. Spending so much time with the Holy Spirit Sect, he had almost forgotten how normal people in this world lived.
"I understand, Teacher."
"Good. I've already given you that soul tool. Its components have different uses. Make good use of them when dealing with soul beasts, and let me know about any flaws when we return."
As Lin Jiayi gave instructions, occasionally addressing the group's questions about soul tools, less than half a day later, a vast mountain range appeared before them.