Chapter 31: Hidden Power
Moments later, the colored light around Dugu Shuo faded away.
"His Majesty's body is in excellent health. There are no traces of poison," Dugu Shuo said calmly.
Dugu Feng exhaled quietly in relief.
"Xue Xing, didn't I tell you you're too sensitive? Every few months you trouble the Dugu Clan for an inspection," Emperor Xue Ye said with a faint smile. "The Second and Third Princes' deaths have made the palace cautious. No matter who the enemy is, they wouldn't use the same method again.
All palace meals are inspected in layers. Servants and guards are rotated monthly. How could I possibly be poisoned?"
"Exactly, Father! Enemies aren't that foolish."
Prince Xue Beng snorted. "Uncle, Brother, since there's nothing wrong, I'll head back to the academy. I've training to do!"
Without waiting for approval, he turned and left.
"This boy Xue Beng…" Emperor Xue Ye sighed. "Xue Xing, Qinghe, keep an eye on him. Ministers keep reporting that he's been running wild through Heaven Dou City, causing chaos and injuring people while riding."
"Father, my younger brother's still young. And to be fair, there are nobles far worse than him in the city," Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, replied gracefully. "Once he enters the Advanced Soul Master Academy, my uncle and the commissioners will discipline him properly."
A perfect performance—brotherly concern, filial piety, and imperial benevolence.
Dugu Feng had to admire the act. He was learning a masterclass in hypocrisy.
"Duke Dugu, forgive me for taking your time. Qinghe, see the Duke out," Emperor Xue Ye ordered.
Moments later, guided by Qian Renxue, Dugu Shuo and Dugu Feng exited the imperial chambers.
They walked slowly down the marble path. Qian Renxue's manner remained warm and composed. "Brother Feng, you're about the same age as my younger brother and study at the same academy. In the future, just call me Brother Xue."
At this time, Qian Renxue should be around seventeen—at the peak of youth—but now she wore the face of the Crown Prince, unable to show her true self.
Dugu Feng felt a mad urge to shout, 'Qian Renxue, daughter of the former Pope of Spirit Hall, is standing right here!'
He wanted to see her reaction just once.
Her performance was simply too perfect.
"Yes, Brother Xue. May I visit you often?" Dugu Feng replied politely.
Qian Renxue paused. She had only meant to be courteous, yet this boy immediately seized the opportunity—typical snake behavior, sly and adaptable.
"Of course," she said with a gentle smile. "Here, take this. My personal token of the Crown Prince. If you ever need anything, come to the East Palace with it."
She handed him a golden command tablet.
Dugu Feng accepted it gratefully. The token bore a large character for "Heaven." He clasped his fists respectfully and tucked it into his storage soul guide.
"Thank you, Brother Xue! I'll visit when I can."
He smiled lightly, deciding to show goodwill first—it might buy him some time in the future.
Qian Renxue escorted them all the way to their carriage. When it finally disappeared down the avenue, her expression hardened.
"A man of virtue carries his own doom. The Dugu Clan must disappear. How unfortunate—you possess such mastery of poison, yet still stand with Heaven Dou.
A pity about that prodigy, Dugu Feng. But compared to my imperial ambitions, what is one boy's life worth?
Elephant Armored Sect, Yang Wushuang—don't disappoint me."
With a faint smile, she turned back toward the palace.
Meanwhile, at the Dugu estate.
Deep underground lay a vast cavern.
It was called a cavern because of its size and winding tunnels; claw marks scarred the walls, giving it an eerie, predatory atmosphere.
After returning home from the palace, Dugu Shuo led Dugu Feng straight here. The entrance itself was hidden beneath the ancestral shrine—impossible to find without knowing.
A faint hiss echoed.
Dugu Feng glanced up, spotting a centipede crawling along the wall.
He instantly recalled what Old Snake had once told him: the Dugu family had intermarried with numerous soul masters of poisonous martial souls to develop deadlier toxins.
Now, there were at least five venomous bloodlines living among them.
One of the strongest was the Nine Heavens Centipede lineage.
There was even a soul beast known as the Nine Heavens Dragon Centipede—one word apart, but immeasurably deadlier.
As they walked deeper, centipedes became more numerous. Their hundreds of legs scuttling across the stone walls would have made any normal person's skin crawl.
"Feng'er, the Nine Heavens Centipede soul masters are our clan's hidden power," Dugu Shuo explained steadily. "They never act unless the clan faces true crisis. None but I know their exact location—not even Old Snake or Old Scorpion.
Other powers only suspect that the Dugu Clan harbors such a hidden deterrent. That—more than anything—is why we fear no one."
"Then Father, what are we here for today?" Dugu Feng asked quietly.
Dugu Shuo gave a cold smile. "Hmph. Someone dares use poison in our territory—do they think they can outmatch the Dugu Clan in venom?"
Dugu Feng hesitated before saying, "Could it be that Emperor Xue Ye has already been poisoned?"
Dugu Shuo nodded. Indeed, the emperor was poisoned.
In terms of toxicology, he possessed the entire Dugu family's heritage of compound venoms.
By contrast, Dugu Bo—who had left years ago—had only mastered fusion methods related to snake-type soul rings.
As head of the clan, Dugu Shuo was confident—no poison in the world could escape his senses.
"The fact that our enemy poisoned the palace twice," he said gravely, "means they either underestimate us completely... or are confident enough to face us directly. Which do you think it is, Feng'er?"
So Father had sensed the emperor's poisoning but kept silent, wary of offending the power behind the act.
Dugu Feng couldn't help admiring his father's caution.
"Father, I believe the enemy is powerful—strong enough to strike at our clan next," Dugu Feng replied seriously.
Dugu Shuo nodded slowly. "You're right. Our family is in danger.
The poison within Emperor Xue Ye is compound-based. Even for me, it would take immense effort to neutralize.
And the enemy restrained themselves when applying it; the toxin wasn't unleashed at full potency.
Whoever did this has an expert immune to poison backing them. There are very few such people on the continent.
And for one bold enough to conspire against the Heaven Dou Empire—the masterminds can only be the Dai family of Star Luo or the Spirit Hall itself."
His voice remained steady, but his eyes were deadly calm.
Dugu Feng was surprised that his father even considered the Dai family.
Clearly, to him, the Star Luo Empire had long harbored designs against Heaven Dou—and possessed the strength for it.
Among Heaven Dou's people, the Star Luo were always considered the greatest threat—their rival empire, with constant border skirmishes—while the Spirit Hall was viewed more ambiguously.
"Father, is this about the upcoming Six-Clan Council? That gathering involves both the Dai family and the Spirit Hall.
And since it's held outside Heaven Dou City—if either of them sees us as an obstacle, they might seize the chance to strike."
Dugu Feng's voice was low, but his meaning was clear.
(END CHAPTER)
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