"Isn't this Mr. Dugu? What wind has blown you here today to seek me out?"
"Ah, dear Xue Xing, it sounds like you think I wouldn't come to find you unless I had nothing else to do."
"Hahaha, as a titled lord, Mr. Dugu naturally prioritizes his cultivation. Even if you didn't come, it would be perfectly understandable."
Regardless of how Prince Xue Xing felt inside, her words made Dugu Bo feel as if he were basking in spring sunshine.
As Prince Xue Xing spoke, she examined Dugu Bo's face and exclaimed, "I've heard from my subordinates about your rejuvenation, and seeing you now, it seems your skills have made tremendous progress!"
"You're too kind, dear Xue Xing. In fact, I came today with an important matter to discuss."
Upon hearing this, Prince Xue Xing maintained her expression, but her heart stirred with waves of emotion.
"Oh? Can you tell me more? If there's any trouble, I will do my utmost to help you, Mr. Dugu!"
Dugu Bo shook his head and replied, "Actually, my so-called rejuvenation is not due to an increase in my skills, but rather... the work of a stronger individual."
As he spoke, Dugu Bo's gaze sharpened, and he said in a low voice, "He has requested my service in return for this favor."
Prince Xue Xing's brows furrowed immediately, and she slammed her hand on the table: "Isn't this coercion? Mr. Dugu, you need not feel obligated! You have no reason to agree to such a thing! If you wish to refuse him, I will do everything in my power to assist you!"
"No, dear Xue Xing, you misunderstand. I am not in opposition to that powerful individual. Although he made such a request, when I explained that I am currently serving you, he did not press further. Instead, he asked me to convey his conditions to you."
"Convey his conditions to me?"
Prince Xue Xing was somewhat confused. If that mysterious powerhouse had conditions, he should have presented them to Dugu Bo directly, so why involve her?
Dugu Bo gazed deeply at Prince Xue Xing and said softly, "He has seen through Xue Beng's deliberate masquerade as a wastrel."
Prince Xue Xing's pupils constricted, and she appeared extremely shocked.
In the realm of Douluo, there was no high-level intrigue.
This was a result of the existence of Soul Masters, which caused societal development to stagnate for a long time, leading to an exceptionally rigid class structure.
It is said that no dynasty lasts more than three hundred years, but looking at the Douluo Continent, the Star Luo Empire has lasted for over ten thousand years. If the Tiandou Empire had not encountered issues within the royal family, it too could have likely endured for such a long time.
The nobles from ten thousand years ago remain nobles even after ten thousand years; this anomaly is enough to illustrate how severe their class rigidity is.
It's not just a matter of rigidity; it's practically diamond-hard!
You see, as the ruling class, Soul Masters do not need to learn management or political skills specifically; as long as they can pass down their Martial Soul, they can occupy high positions. Most of their learning time is spent enhancing their own Martial Soul.
Meanwhile, the commoners, after ten thousand years, are still just farming. Ten thousand years have passed without any experience of compulsory education to enlighten their minds; they remain commoners.
After ten thousand years, power struggles still only occur within a few interrelated families. There is no soil or demand for developing new political strategies.
Thus, Prince Xue Xing's approach of "supporting a puppet" may seem trivial to modern people, but for the Douluo Continent, it is a groundbreaking new tactic. She never expected it would be so easily discovered!
Prince Xue Xing's hands trembled slightly.
She looked at Dugu Bo, and a suspicion began to form in her heart: 'Regarding Xue Beng being my pawn and the matter of him masquerading as a wastrel, I have only discussed this with a very limited few, and they could never betray me. The only one... is Dugu Bo! He is not serving me because I have leverage over him, but because of gratitude! Is it really as Dugu Bo said, that he is being coerced by a favor? Could it be that he sought treatment voluntarily and later revealed information related to me? Did he say this to warn me not to repay kindness with malice? To caution me not to overreach, that what he has done for me is already enough!?'
"Dear Xue Xing?" Dugu Bo called out, puzzled.
"Ah? Oh."
Prince Xue Xing came back to her senses, turned her back, silently wiped the sweat from her palms, and smiled, "I was just a bit surprised. Who is that mysterious powerhouse? Since you, Mr. Dugu, recognize him, he must also be a titled lord. A titled lord would actually pay attention to the affairs of a mere prince? It's quite shocking."
Dugu Bo replied, "You must have heard of this person's title, dear Xue Xing. He is—an A-level assassin!"
An A-level assassin!
Prince Xue Xing's hands shook again!
This assassin, who made countless nobles tremble in fear, worrying about when they might be targeted, was someone Prince Xue Xing could not possibly be unaware of.
Rumors in the outside world suggested that this A-level assassin only possessed the strength of a Soul Douluo but had mastered some special techniques that allowed him to act with impunity among Soul Douluos.
However, today, from Dugu Bo's words, it seemed to directly refute that rumor.
'That A-level assassin is actually a Titled Douluo!? A Titled Douluo assassin whose whereabouts cannot even be tracked by the Martial Soul Hall—this, this!'
Prince Xue Xing's expression suddenly stiffened, especially as she recalled her earlier bold claim to help Dugu Bo deal with this individual, cold sweat began to trickle down her back.
She hurriedly asked, "So... what conditions did that A-level assassin propose?"
Unbeknownst to Prince Xue Xing, her tone had unconsciously become much more cautious, as if she were reporting to that A-level assassin.
Dugu Bo then recounted what You Chen had said about Xue Beng likely having truly become a pig and the proposal for guidance and transformation.
"He wants to repay the favor you have shown me, dear Xue Xing, through this means, hoping to gain a portion of your permission to direct me. Of course, that A-level assassin also acknowledges that this matter involves your grand plans, and it is reasonable that he does not wish to intervene directly. If that is the case, he promises to provide some assistance in the future when you compete with Xue Qinghe."
Upon hearing this, Prince Xue Xing calmed down instead.
At first, she thought this "condition" was a threat, but now it seemed quite the opposite; it was a gesture of alliance.
She finally broke free from the fear of having a Titled Douluo assassin lurking nearby, and reflecting on the A-level assassin's past, she grasped the meaning behind these sincere words.
However, after shedding her fear, Prince Xue Xing found herself feeling dissatisfied with both the A-level assassin and Dugu Bo.
This seemingly friendly request for an alliance also carried an implicit threat.
'If that A-level assassin can see through Xue Beng's disguise, how could he not see that as the player, I don't need him to succeed? Rather, I hope he is a useless pig!'
Her gaze towards Dugu Bo subtly shifted: 'That A-level assassin is forcing me to make a choice! Either I hand over Xue Beng, this pawn, to become his pawn, or he takes a step back, but I must give up Dugu Bo... and does Dugu Bo truly not realize this?'
It seemed that both conditions were meant to assist her, but in reality, only the latter was a pure promise of help, while the former was an interference with her plans!
Directly intervening in her most crucial puppet for the throne was such an excessive demand; even so, he still wanted her to give up Dugu Bo? It was simply coercing her to turn against him!
In contrast, the second option was merely a light promise.
Thus, it was only natural that there were hidden motives beneath the surface of these words.
The only one who could stand close to the status of the throne's puppet was Dugu Bo, the Titled Douluo guest!
So clearly, the so-called "permission" in the first option was likely just a facade.
On the surface, there was "a portion of permission to direct Dugu Bo," but the key "portion" was to be determined by her, Xue Xing! Theoretically, she could easily find various ways to evade it.
Unless the A-level assassin truly did not intend to continue using Xue Beng as a pawn, he would not turn against her. After all, how much Xue Beng could contribute largely depended on her network of relationships.
Conversely, if there were no Xue Beng to serve as a battleground for both sides to continue their interests, the A-level assassin would have no reservations. Would she dare to casually restrict the A-level assassin's direction over Dugu Bo? Would she not fear sleepless nights?
What would happen if Prince Xue Xing failed to catch this part of the hidden meaning? Would it simply mean the alliance was nullified, or would... the other party directly come to assassinate her?
Prince Xue Xing thought from another perspective; if it were her, she would likely continue to negotiate for the next step.
But this A-level assassin, she could not gauge.
Before Dugu Bo introduced that he knew the A-level assassin, Prince Xue Xing had thought of him as a reckless madman without any reservations!
Now, it seemed he was not as completely insane as he acted, but rather a rational individual capable of communication.
But how exactly?
She had not interacted with him directly, so she could not make a judgment.
Most importantly... she cherished her life.
In a daze, Prince Xue Xing seemed to hear a strange voice whispering in her ear.
"Choose, either hand over your most important pawn to the imperial power, or relinquish control over an unpredictable force and return him to someone who can manipulate him better."
The two choices were clearly a balance of nearly equal value.
Imperial power versus strength.
She chose...
Prince Xue Xing forced a smile at Dugu Bo: "It's not that I don't trust the educational level of the A-level assassin, but Mr. Dugu should also know that the A-level assassin is currently being hunted by the Martial Soul Hall, and it is not wise to expose himself, right? I think just having the A-level assassin's promise is enough to make me feel excited and invigorated. Mr. Dugu... let's toast to the pleasant relationship we have maintained over the years."
She chose imperial power.
She felt that Dugu Bo's heart was no longer with her. Since that was the case, it was better to part ways amicably, maintaining dignity between them and preserving the possibility of future contact and cooperation.
Dugu Bo also smiled.
Just as he did not want to let Prince Xue Xing down, he equally did not want to disappoint You Chen.
And now, he finally no longer had to be caught in the middle of the two.
What Dugu Bo did not consider was that, in his eyes, a Titled Douluo's promise weighed heavily, while You Chen's displayed strength and intelligence made him feel inferior. Such a powerful individual's promise was undoubtedly invaluable.
But in the eyes of someone from the imperial family like Prince Xue Xing, only interests mattered. A promise was merely an empty check; how could it compare to a tangible Titled Douluo?
His response was entirely a reluctant answer under the shadow of the assassin's reputation.
...
"Indeed, just as you said, after expressing his gratitude, dear Xue Xing said to let me follow you."
Back at the residence, Dugu Bo wore a cheerful expression as he spoke to You Xing.
"That's truly a win-win situation."
You Xing patted Dugu Bo on the shoulder: "From now on, just work well with me, dear Dugu."
You Xing had long anticipated this development.
He was not a mind reader of Prince Xue Xing, but he knew that the emperors and nobles of the Douluo Continent had a common flaw of prioritizing interests over emotions.
Prince Xue Xing would never place absolute trust in Dugu Bo.
And as long as she thought about this issue from a cost-benefit perspective, she could not avoid a key question—her own life and death.
Especially since she had not directly communicated with the A-level assassin, which unconsciously amplified the assassin's mystery and the accompanying fear.
In a sense, this was also the effect of the terrifying reputation brought about by You Xing's previous series of assassination attempts.
In a situation where interests aligned and the other party showed a friendly attitude, Prince Xue Xing felt there was no need to actively provoke the other party's nerves.
This fear was something Dugu Bo, who had previously never worried about being assassinated by a Soul Douluo due to his confidence as a Titled Douluo, could not comprehend.
"Brother Chen, I've also spoken with Yanyan. So next..."
Dugu Bo finally voiced his confusion: "What exactly do you want me to do for you?"
You Xing glanced at Dugu Bo, then took out a map from his storage soul tool.
He pointed, tracing a line from Tiandou City down through the disaster mountain range, directly into the territory of the Star Luo Empire.
He said, "I want to open a trade route directly connecting Tiandou and Star Luo, and you are... well, the backing of this business association."
Dugu Bo's mouth twitched. "My brother, you weren't thinking of saying 'muscle' just now, were you?"
However, a business association actually needed a Titled Douluo as its guarantee?
Seeing Dugu Bo's confusion, You Xing continued, "The scale of the business association I want to develop is bound to clash with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. In this case, if we don't even have a Titled Douluo as a public figure, we will likely be swallowed up by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School very quickly."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School!?"
Dugu Bo's mouth dropped open in shock. "Brother Chen, this... at your level, facing off against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is clearly not worth it compared to some wealth."
You Xing rolled his eyes at Dugu Bo: "Do you think all my research results just appeared out of thin air? They were all bought with money! Because I spent too much on spreading rumors about Bibidong's romantic escapades, now I can't even afford to conduct research, and my organization is starting to run into financial trouble. I need to make money. Besides—"
You Xing grinned: "I want to make a profit from the Soul Arena Beasts, turning the dark into light. The Sky Net has become a thing of the past, and with so many people on my hands, I can't just let it rot, can I? Without so many eyes and ears from the past, I am somewhat in the dark about the world's situation. Otherwise, do you think I would still need to ask you about the rumors regarding Bibidong?"
"Is that so?"
Dugu Bo felt that You Xing was hiding some details from him, but he couldn't pinpoint any flaws in his words.
You Xing said, "Didn't I tell you that I want to ally with Prince Xue Xing? This is one of the steps. Xue Qinghe has the backing of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Association, right? Now he has us. We can achieve mutual benefit. I will use his connections and credibility to make money and reopen the intelligence network, while he will gain my support and the priority supply of goods. Trust me, this is definitely a deal that he cannot refuse. Moreover, you can continue to keep in touch with your dear Xue Xing. Isn't that great?"
Dugu Bo could not find any fault in You Xing's words.
"However..."
Dugu Bo suddenly said with a hint of grievance, "But the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, as one of the top three sects, has a large number of personnel, and their core strength is formidable. Just their top combat power alone, with two Super Douluos and the continent's number one support Soul Saint, you want me to deal with them? Are you serious?"
You Xing waved his hand and said, "It's just a public figure; it's not as terrifying as you say! They are all here to do business, not to be fallen Soul Masters. What kind of fighting and killing is that? Wouldn't that scare away the customers? Even if there is a real conflict, they will just give you a beating; it won't be a big deal."
Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes slightly: "But if I remember correctly, the one getting beaten would be me, right?"
You Dugu Bo narrowing your eyes is scary; I, You Xing, can't do the same?
You Xing narrowed his eyes back: "If they really plan to beat you, just say you have someone backing you. If you really get beaten, I will come to help you get back at them. That should be fine, right!?"
Dugu Bo immediately broke into a smile: "Hmm, then that's no problem."
Come on, getting beaten isn't a big deal, right? As the "weakest Douluo," he wasn't new to being beaten up by other Titled Douluos! The key is... someone can help him regain his face!
'Damn it, what is this overwhelming sense of security?'
Dugu Bo suddenly began to ponder.
"How to implement this still needs you and my advisors to discuss thoroughly. However, before that..."
You Xing's gaze suddenly turned to the distance: "We should probably bring your lovely granddaughter back, right?"
(End of Chapter)