Douluo Continent: The Celestial Star, Ruler of the Stars

Chapter 22 Shrek Academy's Fear, Xu Jiawei's Only Mind is Making Money

Huo Yuhao did not answer.

Because he didn't know how to answer.

Xu Xinghan said he came to arrange for the Snow Emperor to meet the Ice Emperor, a reason that involved his most crucial secret, which he could not reveal.

Huo Yuhao chose to keep his mouth shut.

Seeing that Huo Yuhao remained silent, Ma Xiaotao's anger flared up.

She slammed her palm against the corridor wall, and a small spark of red soul power exploded on the surface.

"Damn it, this isn't over yet! So what if he's a prince of the Star Luo Empire? Running around on someone else's turf in the middle of the night, does he really think we Shrek Academy are easy to bully?"

"Xiao Tao." Dai Yueheng's voice wasn't loud, but Ma Xiao Tao's voice stopped abruptly, as if she had been choked.

Dai Yueheng walked over, his tall figure casting a shadow in the corridor.

His gaze swept across Huo Yuhao's face, not lingering for long, before turning to Wang Yan.

"Teacher Wang, now is not the time to pursue this matter."

Wang Yan nodded and adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses.

He understood what Dai Yueheng meant.

The other party is a prince of a country, whose strength is unfathomable. Even if tonight's matter is brought to the Emperor of Xingluo, he will not gain any advantage.

Moreover, they didn't actually lay a hand on him; they just immobilized him for a few minutes without even breaking a hair on his head.

suffocated.

But I can only keep it to myself.

The reserve team members stood a little further away in the corridor, peeking and looking in their direction.

Bei Bei stood at the front, her dark blue hair neatly combed, a gentle smile on her face, but that smile only truly reached her eyes when she saw Huo Yuhao return safely.

He stepped forward, patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder, and said nothing.

Huo Yuhao felt the weight of that hand; it was neither too light nor too heavy, just right.

He Caitou followed behind him, his burly figure casting an even larger shadow in the corridor, and asked in a deep, gruff voice:

"Yuhao, who exactly is that person? Why are even the upperclassmen from the inner courtyard so nervous?"

"His name is Xu Xinghan."

Before Huo Yuhao could answer, Ling Luochen turned her head and spoke first:

"Xu Xinghan, the Xuanxing Prince of the Star Luo Empire, is the Emperor's younger brother. Five years ago, he utterly defeated our Shrek Academy's reserve team, which is us."

Her tone was calm, as if she were reading a document.

But when she said the words "completely powerless" herself, her tongue still felt slightly dry.

After all, she was one of the members of that reserve team back then.

The freshmen in the reserve team looked at each other, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Even Senior Dai and Senior Ma are no match for him?" Xiao Xiao asked softly.

"Yes."

Ma Xiaotao readily admitted it.

She withdrew her hand from the wall, the sparks in her palm extinguished, leaving a small charred mark.

"That guy's martial spirit is strange. It doesn't have a direct offensive capability, but it has a very special auxiliary effect."

"We still don't understand exactly how it works or what its effects are."

She paused, then continued:

"But one thing is certain: he is definitely stronger now than he was five years ago."

As soon as he finished speaking, the corridor fell silent.

No one responded.

The scene that had just happened was still etched in everyone's minds.

An icy blue light surged forth, freezing both body and consciousness, like an insect trapped in amber—able to see, hear, and sense, but unable to move.

It wasn't immobilization, paralysis, or any of the control-type soul skills they were familiar with.

It was a higher level of suppression, like an invisible hand that paused their very existence.

And that soul ring.

Crimson red like blood, with seven rings of gold.

A genuine, living, 100,000-year-old soul ring, imbued with the aura of a 700,000-year-old ferocious beast.

It is not an illusion created by any soul skill.

The moment that spirit ring rose, the temperature in the entire corridor plummeted to below freezing.

The soul power within each person trembled instinctively, as if a low-level soul beast had encountered its natural enemy.

That kind of crushing power from a fundamental level is something that no skill or disguise can replicate.

Huo Yuhao could use his simulated soul skill to create an illusion of a 100,000-year soul ring, fooling the entire audience.

But the people in this corridor, through constant exposure, can distinguish between what is real and what is fake.

That red spirit ring is definitely real!

……

The next day.

Starry Palace.

Xu Xinghan was summoned by Xu Jiawei.

When he entered the Imperial Study, Xu Jiawei was sitting behind his desk reviewing memorials.

"You're here? Have a seat."

Xu Xinghan sat down in the chair opposite him.

The study window was open, and the morning light streamed in through the carved window frame, illuminating the desk between the two people and making the pile of folded paper shine.

Xu Jiawei put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and casually crossed his hands in front of his abdomen.

"Brother, I called you in because I want to ask you two things." Xu Jiawei held up one finger, shook it, and then held up a second finger. "First, what do you think of Shrek Academy? Especially that kid at the opening ceremony yesterday, who was throwing out five or six 100,000-year spirit rings like they were free."

Xu Xinghan picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.

The tea was at the perfect temperature, slightly bitter at first, but sweet aftertaste.

He didn't answer immediately, his gaze piercing through the rising steam of the tea and landing on the face of the emperor across from him.

Xu Jiawei didn't urge him, he just looked at him with an expression that said, "I know you have something in your belly."

Xu Xinghan put down his teacup, the porcelain making a soft sound as it touched the wooden surface.

"Brother, please finish speaking first so I can answer together."

"Secondly, there are auctions."

Xu Jiawei's smile held a subtle, indescribable quality.

"I originally intended to make the 100,000-year-old soul beast embryo the biggest selling point of this auction."

"Now that the embryo is yours, you'd better figure out how to make this money back and swindle them out of a fortune."

Xu Xinghan's lips twitched.

He looked at his older brother.

His angular, imposing face was etched with an expression that said, "I'm seriously considering how to rip people off."

Sunlight fell on his dragon robe, and the five-clawed golden dragon embroidered with gold thread seemed to come alive in the light and shadow.

But what the emperor was thinking was completely unrelated to the majesty of the dragon on his robe.

"Big brother, this is too outrageous." Xu Xinghan rubbed his temples. "You dare to say anything like that."

Xu Jiawei laughed out loud, his voice not loud: "Why do I have to beat around the bush with you? You're my little brother, not one of those old foxes in the court."

Xu Xinghan nodded resignedly.

Okay, you're the boss, you're right.

He knew that what Xu Jiawei really wanted to ask wasn't how to make money from the auction.

The auction was just a facade; the real issue lay with the major powers involved.

Xu Xinghan's gaze fell on the folds of the table. He organized his thoughts and decided to start with what he could say.

"That person's 100,000-year spirit ring is fake."