Although Ao Debiao could still gather his soul power, he could only muster about seventy percent at most. His strength had greatly diminished.
Seeing this, the man in purple couldn't wait any longer. He raised his right hand, and a glowing purple vine slithered out from his palm, instantly forming a purple barrier around him.
This man's martial soul was the Ghost King Vine, a plant-type spirit and an evolved version of Tang San's second soul ring, the Ghost Vine.
But when he saw that purple vine, Yu Tianming paused slightly. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he thought, 'So this is the same Ao De steward Tang San faced years later. No wonder he's so aggressive.'
Right now, Ao Debiao had already reached the Soul Emperor level. It seemed that by the time he encountered Tang San, he was already close to becoming a Soul Sage.
'But a mere vine—how could it possibly contend with a dragon?'
Just then, a cool and elegant voice suddenly rang out.
"Stop."
Both the man in purple and Yu Tianming turned toward the staircase. A graceful and noble woman was slowly descending, followed by a refined young man.
Seeing this woman, Yu Tianming was a little surprised—he couldn't tell her real age at all.
At first glance, she looked like she was twenty-seven or twenty-eight, but those eyes of hers seemed to have seen through everything in the world—definitely not something a woman of that age should possess.
The silver palace gown hugged her figure perfectly. Though there wasn't a trace of soul power emanating from her, her every movement exuded elegance and nobility.
As the noblewoman descended the stairs, even a slight furrow of her brows showed no loss of composure.
"Steward Ao De, what's going on?" she asked softly.
The purple-clad man hurried a few steps forward, cautiously keeping an eye on Yu Tianming while replying, "Madam, I was afraid of disturbing you and the crown prince, so I asked them to return another day, but these two from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan insisted on seeing you."
The noblewoman's gaze swept across Yu Tianming. Upon sensing his cold and murderous aura, a hint of surprise flickered in her eyes.
At that moment, a strange scene occurred. Yu Tianming clearly felt a soft wave radiate from her. The aura she released was gentle and natural, as if it could soothe all the sorrow in the world.
His killing intent melted away the moment it came into contact with her aura—like snow and ice under the spring sun. The entire first floor of Yuexuan returned to its peaceful and natural state.
'A domain… no, it's her Noble Domain.'
Although she hadn't released any soul power, Yu Tianming—who possessed the Death God Domain—immediately sensed where her aura originated from.
Before he could recover from the surprise, the noblewoman looked at Yu Yuanzhen and gently said,
"Your Excellency Thunder Douluo, it's been years. Why not come upstairs for a chat?"
The moment those words—"Your Excellency Thunder Douluo"—were spoken…
Ao Debiao, who just moments ago looked like he'd found a powerful backer, dropped to his knees with a thud, trembling like a criminal awaiting execution.
Yu Yuanzhen, who had been leaning back and watching with amusement, rose as soon as he heard Tang Yuehua's words. He didn't spare Ao Debiao a glance and said, "Then I shall respectfully accept your invitation."
Yu Tianming followed Yu Yuanzhen up the stairs.
At the stairway, Tang Yuehua turned to Steward Ao De and left him with a single sentence, "Everything you saw just now—never happened. You are responsible for this matter. Understood?"
Ao Debiao exhaled in relief. He knew his life was no longer in danger and quickly replied, "Yes, Madam."
The four of them ascended the stairs, with Tang Yuehua leading the way.
The silver palace gown outlined her graceful figure, full of mature feminine charm.
She was well-versed in noble etiquette—her every step carried rhythm. The sound of her shoes on the wooden stairs was as crisp as water droplets falling on blue stone.
Her swaying waist, the trailing ornaments of her long dress dancing with each step—Yu Tianming was reminded of the ancient hairpins from his past life: step-shaking ornaments.
Yu Yuanzhen followed beside her. His tall, burly frame nearly filled half the hallway.
Yu Tianming walked behind them, alongside the refined young man from earlier.
As they walked up the steps, the youth in green glanced at Yu Tianming and suddenly spoke. "Tianming, my dear brother. Long time no see."
That one sentence made Yu Tianming withdraw his gaze from Tang Yuehua and turn toward the youth.
The young man appeared to be about thirteen or fourteen. Though not as tall or broad as a soul master from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he still stood around 1.7 meters.
He was lean, but his cheeks were full, features handsome, and eyes as dark as lacquer.
There was a trace of elegance in his smile. Paired with his noble bearing, anyone who saw him would have to admit—this was a refined gentleman of the highest order.
Yu Tianming asked tentatively, "You're… Brother Xue?"
A trace of melancholy flashed in the youth's eyes. He feigned a soft, annoyed tone. "Has it only been three years, and you already don't recognize me?"
"How could I not recognize you, Brother Xue? You've just changed so much in three years… and there's such a noble air about you now. I just didn't dare believe it was really you."
Indeed, Yu Tianming and Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue) were about the same age. These past few years were a period of rapid growth. Plus, Xue Qinghe had been studying at Yuexuan, and both his looks and temperament had changed significantly, even his voice had matured. That's why Yu Tianming hadn't recognized him right away.
Hearing that, Qian Renxue's gaze shifted from irritation to joy, though he still sighed softly and kept up the act. "You've changed a lot too in these three years. You didn't recognize me, but I recognized you at a glance. Seems I've misjudged our bond."
Yu Tianming laughed and cupped his hands. "Then allow me to apologize first, Brother Xue. I'll slowly make it up to you later."
Qian Renxue snorted lightly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, saying no more.
The top floor of Yuexuan was a massive hall, decorated even more elegantly than the first floor, clearly reserved for receiving esteemed guests.
Familiar with the flora and fauna of the Douluo Continent, Yu Tianming was surprised to find that all the furnishings were crafted from a rare plant-type soul beast. A faint fragrance lingered in the air across the entire level.
This plant was worth more than its weight in gold. If it were just enough to furnish a small room, someone as wealthy as Yu Tianming—who hailed from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—wouldn't have been surprised.
But to furnish a whole hall of this size would require a fortune.
This alone showed just how much the Heaven Dou royal family had invested in Yuexuan.
(End of Chapter)
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