Douluo: Unparalleled General, Starting by Deceptive Thousand-Snow-Peak 40

Chapter 40: The Sensible Xue Ke

Arriving at the Heavenly Dou Palace, ten times more magnificent than the Ancient Thunder King Palace, it truly lived up to its reputation as the great empire that occupied half of the Douluo Continent. The mere aura of the imperial guard far surpassed that of Ancient Thunder Kingdom’s guards. Ancient Thunder Kingdom was never a military power.

In the grand palace hall, Emperor Xue Ye sat enthroned on the Dragon Throne. Nan Feihuang stepped forward and paid his respects, “Nan Feihuang of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom, greets Your Majesty!”

Nan Feihuang’s status was unique; not only was he a crown prince, but also the son of a Title Douluo. Therefore, even when facing Emperor Xue Ye, he only needed to perform a bow, not a kowtow.

Emperor Xue Ye observed Nan Feihuang. Although not yet ten years old, Soul Masters generally matured faster than ordinary people, and Nan Feihuang possessed an exceptional constitution. He appeared like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old youth. Handsome and spirited, his talent, reportedly inheriting from his mother, had already reached the level of a Great Soul Master. Emperor Xue Ye nodded in satisfaction, “Feihuang, you may rise. Indeed worthy of being my future son-in-law. Brother Nan’s proposal that day was not an exaggeration. I am delighted to have such an excellent son-in-law.”

“Your Majesty’s praise is too generous. Princess Xue Ke is a precious jewel. It is my great honor to be betrothed to her. My visit is not only to learn about the Academy’s Soul Master curriculum, but also to spend time with the Princess and cultivate our relationship,” Nan Feihuang replied.

“Haha, good. It shows you care. Qinghe, give Feihuang one of your East Palace tokens,” Emperor Xue Ye said to Xue Qinghe.

“Yes, Father!” Xue Qinghe took a token from his bosom and handed it to Nan Feihuang, “Feihuang, this is my East Palace token. You may use it to enter the palace at any time. My younger sister and I were raised together, and her residence is not far from mine. However, she doesn’t always reside in the palace; she might be at the Moon Residence. You can also find her there.”

Nan Feihuang received the token, “Thank you, Brother Xue.”

“Then, you may leave. Qinghe, take Feihuang to familiarize himself with the academy later, after you see Ke’er.”

Emperor Xue Ye gave the order, and Xue Qinghe immediately responded, “Yes, Father! Feihuang, come with me.”

“Your Majesty, Nan Feihuang takes his leave!”

As they left the palace, they encountered a gentle young woman who approached and gracefully bowed to Xue Qinghe, “Brother!”

It was Xue Ke, whom Emperor Xue Ye had sent for. It would be inappropriate for the fiancée not to greet her fiancé upon his arrival.

Xue Ke now possessed a more refined demeanor than three years prior. If Nan Feihuang looked thirteen or fourteen, she appeared sixteen or seventeen, mature and poised. The Moon Residence was indeed a good school. Girls matured early, and Xue Ke was an excellent student. These three years had taught her much.

“Brother Feihuang, long time no see!”

Compared to her past naiveté, her expression towards Nan Feihuang was somewhat complex. At six years old, she hadn’t understood the meaning of fiancé and fiancée, only that two people played together and would eventually sleep in the same bed. Now, she understood it meant mutual respect, marriage, and starting a family.

Honestly, while she didn’t dislike Nan Feihuang—they had fun playing together—she didn’t feel particularly fond of him, given their limited interactions. She didn’t oppose the betrothal, however. She understood her weak cultivation aptitude. As a girl, her father didn’t allow her to engage in any political affairs. Weak in both martial and literary skills, her studies in etiquette, music, and dance at the Moon Residence were simply to increase her value as a bargaining chip for future alliances.

As a princess, she enjoyed the noble status of the Heavenly Dou Empire, yet her life was not her own. Since she would inevitably be married off, marrying someone she didn’t dislike was fortunate. Nan Feihuang was handsome, had a pleasant personality, exceptional talent, and lacked the arrogant and tyrannical behavior of other nobles. What more could she ask for?

Therefore, when her father suggested spending time with Nan Feihuang, she agreed. She would strive to fall in love with him, resulting in a happy marriage.

“Princess Xue Ke, you’ve become even more outstanding in the past three years,” Nan Feihuang complimented. His thoughts mirrored Xue Ke’s. He didn’t love her yet, it was purely a marriage of convenience, but he hoped to develop feelings for her in the future. He figured it shouldn’t be difficult to develop affection for such a courteous and gentle woman.

Xue Ke smiled, “Thank you, Brother Feihuang. Let’s go. Brother and I will show you around the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy.”

“Thank you, Princess,” The three left the palace and boarded a carriage.

The Heavenly Dou Royal Academy was located on Heavenly Dou Mountain, outside the Heavenly Dou Palace. Its opulence rivaled the palace itself, its enormous grounds encompassing almost the entire mountain.

“Feihuang, I’ll first take you to meet the three academy deans. Remember to be polite. They’re all eighty-level or higher Soul Douluo,” Xue Qinghe reminded.

“Yes, I understand, Brother Xue. This place is truly huge and incredibly luxurious, even more beautiful than our Ancient Thunder King City!” Nan Feihuang exclaimed, genuinely impressed. The academy’s size was nearly that of a small city. The extravagance was unbelievable.

“Naturally, the students here are all of noble birth; they wouldn’t endure hardships,” Xue Qinghe said, a hint of disdain in his voice when mentioning “nobles.” Perhaps the academy’s founding emperor had aimed to cultivate talent, but the current atmosphere had changed. The nobles lived extravagantly, neglecting cultivation. Even with family resources boosting their levels, their combat abilities were pathetic.

“Brother, I’m also a student of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy. My major is etiquette, so I don’t attend classes regularly,” Xue Ke interjected.

Xue Qinghe remembered his sister was there, ruffling her hair, “Of course, my sister is unlike those spoiled brats. She is truly a precious jewel, the epitome of noble grace.”

Xue Ke smirked, clearly pleased with her brother’s praise.

They arrived at the administrative office, where the three highest-ranking deans lived and trained. Upon learning of Xue Qinghe’s arrival, they came out to greet them. Besides the short, stout Bai Baoshan, the other two were a thin, tall man and someone of average build.

Nan Feihuang silently thought, one short and stout, one tall and thin, and one normal. Averaged out, they were still three normal-sized people. A good configuration.

(End of Chapter)

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