After hearing these words, Du Gu Bo furrowed his brows and couldn't help but speak, "Prince Xue Xing, you mean, the recent inability of Heaven Dou Royal Academy to recruit outstanding students, and even some voluntarily dropping out, is due to Xue Qinghe's actions?"
"But isn't that a bit exaggerated? Even if the real identity of the other party is unknown, achieving this wouldn't be easy!"
Xue Beng, standing nearby, also felt it made sense and echoed, "Yes, Uncle, I also think this possibility is unlikely. Could it be due to some major problem in the operation of Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
The two of them didn't think this matter was related to Xue Qinghe!
After all, Heaven Dou Royal Academy has been declining year by year!
Perhaps, it was due to the recent pressure that mistakenly thought it was Xue Qinghe's doing, causing unnecessary worry!
However, Xue Xing shook his head resolutely and said with a firm gaze, "No, absolutely not possible. Ever since I have been managing Heaven Dou Royal Academy, this issue has never occurred."
"Someone is definitely behind this, and specifically targeting Heaven Dou Royal Academy can only be that impostor Xue Qinghe!"
If it were just a standard decrease in enrollment, it would be understandable, but so many students choosing to leave on their own, that's a big issue!
Not to mention, a large portion of them are Royal Nobles!!
Hearing this, Du Gu Bo also began to ponder, "But why would Xue Qinghe do something like this? Reducing the number of students at Heaven Dou Royal Academy seems meaningless."
The former wouldn't speak such things out of thin air, it must have been well thought out!
Xue Beng remained silent, burying his head in deep thought...
After dozens of seconds, he suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, I think I understand Xue Qinghe's motive for doing this."
Du Gu Bo was somewhat puzzled, he himself hadn't figured out the meaning behind such actions, yet the former did!
Thinking of this, he quickly asked, "Lord Xue Beng, could you explain in detail?"
Xue Beng nodded slightly and then shared his insights without hesitation, "That impostor arranged people to disrupt Heaven Dou Royal Academy, significantly lowering its enrollment rate, not just to reduce the number of students joining the academy!"
"But to attract Father Emperor's attention through this!"
Immediately, he looked at Xue Xing, "Uncle, I should be correct, right?"
The latter was somewhat surprised but nodded, "Xue Beng, continue!"
Xue Beng then continued, "Once Father Emperor notices ongoing issues within Heaven Dou Royal Academy and sees no resolution, the first to be held accountable will be you, Uncle!"
"Such consequences will only result in one thing, which is the revocation of your management rights over Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"
"By that time, despite being a prince, you'll have no power, and we will be completely passive!"
The very reason I'm still alive now is precisely because of Prince Xue Xing's power for protection!
Otherwise, I don't know how many times I would have been assassinated and killed by now!
Xue Xing couldn't help but cast an approving glance, "Not bad, Xue Beng, I never thought you could think this far!"
"That impostor, knowing he can't make a move against you in the imperial palace, instead targets Heaven Dou Royal Academy, which is under my management!"
Du Gu Bo involuntarily took a deep breath, "Hiss, I never expected that impostor's thought process to be so meticulous, wanting to cause Prince Xue Xing to lose influence!"
"If we really fall for his scheme, I fear we won't be able to contend with him afterward!"
Xue Beng's gaze flickered again and he asked, "Uncle, have you come up with a plan yet?"
He initially expected a positive response!
Yet reality defied expectations!
Only to see Xue Xing shake his head helplessly, "We don't know what that impostor has done in secret, so even I can't stop it!"
Du Gu Bo then suggested, "Prince Xue Xing, how about reporting the situation directly to His Majesty Xue Ye?"
Yet Xue Xing decisively interrupted, "No, Heaven Dou Royal Academy is under my management, if I'm unable to handle this matter and it's passed on to my elder brother, the consequences… I need not say, you also understand."
Du Gu Bo clenched his fists, "Neither this way nor that way, aren't we already in a desperate situation? Chief Tang Xuanzhu just agreed to start teaching Lord Xue Beng, everything was moving in a positive direction, and now suddenly... sigh"
As everyone was at their wit's end, Xue Beng volunteered, "Uncle, since you can't step forward, why don't I go see Father Emperor!"
"Though I am a prince, I am also a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy!!"
...
Upon hearing these words, the Dark Emperor scoffed, "Human?? Ha... it's just to make it more convenient to kill you, transforming into human form!"
Pausing for a moment, a hint of nostalgia crossed the expression...
"Speaking of which, back in the Abyssal Passage, some humans mistakenly took me for one of them!"
"But, well... their fate wasn't good, tormented to near death by various means, they ultimately chose to bite their own tongues to end it."
"Of course, I didn't forget to divide them into pieces as well!"
Each time something was said, Cai Yue'er's face grew increasingly grim, "Beast!"
The Dark Emperor sneered briefly, "Hmph, stop pretending. You humans secretly capture abyssal creatures and surely conducted many experiments, right?"
Cai Yue'er instinctively explained, "The abyssal creatures that humans collected were just their corpses, so there was never any..."
The Dark Emperor interrupted, "Enough, anyway your Human Plane is destined to be devoured by our Abyssal Plane, talking about this is a waste of time!"
The instant the words left its mouth, its body almost vanished like a remnant shadow...
Cai Yue'er's heart tightened, "Not good!"
She wouldn't think the Dark Emperor's sudden disappearance was an escape, the only possibility is...
With that thought, a soul ring under her feet began to glow…
Above her head, a brilliant silver moon cast down beams of light, completely enveloping her and forming armor like thin veils...
And just at that moment, the vanished Dark Emperor had already appeared behind her, reaching to grab her heart...
"Bang!"
But upon touching the silver gleam, it couldn't move forward any further…
The Dark Emperor then exerted more force, "Did you think this could block my attack? Laughable!"
The massive power surged like waves, and the armor formed from the silver gleam reached its limit, starting to shatter at every point...
Cai Yue'er's lips curled up slightly, "You fell into a trap!"
With a confused look from the Dark Emperor, the soul power contained within the shattered armor erupted in a massive explosion...
Even with the Dark Emperor's robust body, at such a close distance, it was blasted away, covered in bloody wounds...
Just barely stabilizing itself, its exquisite face contorted with rage, in a bloodthirsty voice it said, "Human, how dare you deceive me!!"
Cai Yue'er replied with slight calm, "And what if I deceive you? Battles aren't child's play, they're life and death!"
Though she said this, she was already pondering another issue!
If she hadn't misheard just now, the Dark Emperor seemed to mention having the Abyssal Plane devour the Human Plane!
...