Chapter 31: The True Culprit of the Tianshui Crisis

The chill in the air intensified, and Wang Dong finally realized what the oppressive, effortless authority of a crown prince truly felt like.

Xue Qinghe leaned forward slightly, his eyes void of any emotion, and said coldly, "Speak the truth."

"It started two years ago, when a teacher came to report..."

...

Two years ago, Tianshui Academy, the Dean's office.

"Dean! Dean! It’s terrible, another student’s parent has gone missing."

The sudden voice interrupted Tian Lingchuan, who was busy reviewing the curriculum. Startled, he didn't react immediately, but then scolded, "As a teacher, how can you be such a poor example for your students by panicking like this?"

The person who entered was Tian Qing, a teacher at Tianshui Academy and the instructor of the student whose parent had vanished.

Tian Qing handed over a card loaded with one hundred thousand gold soul coins. "Dean, the child returned home to find this money left on the table, but her mother was nowhere to be found."

Mother?

Tian Lingchuan pondered for a moment. "A single-parent household?"

"That’s correct," Tian Qing replied immediately.

Tian Lingchuan gripped the card tightly. "If I recall correctly, the two previous children who lost a parent were also from single-parent homes."

Tian Qing looked dazed for a moment before rushing to say, "I will go and investigate right away."

Just as she reached the door, she turned back. "Dean, what about this card?"

"I will keep it for now. Bring the child to the academy and ensure she is well taken care of," Tian Lingchuan commanded.

"Yes!"

Once Tian Qing was gone, Tian Lingchuan locked the door and opened his safe. Inside lay two other cards exactly like the one in his hand.

In truth, leaving one hundred thousand gold soul coins was less of a clue and more of a warning. The source of such a large sum would be easy to trace, and he had initially assumed it was a coincidence, but he never expected...

As the male dean of an all-female academy, he was already prone to scrutiny; with such incidents occurring, the students were bound to be affected.

About an hour later, there was a knock at the door again. This time, Tian Qing brought the full records of the three students.

"Dean, I’ve discovered that for all three students, their fathers went missing mysteriously not long ago, and their mothers had been raising them alone," Tian Qing reported, her voice raspy.

Tian Lingchuan looked at the files, his expression darkening.

Tian Qing swallowed hard, her heart aching. "Dean, this is murder and the abduction of wives!"

Suddenly, a loud, broken wail echoed from outside: "Teacher—Teacher—"

Hearing this, Tian Qing rushed out the door. A student, her face contorted in agony and tears streaming uncontrollably, had collapsed in front of the Dean’s office. Tian Qing hurried forward and pulled her into an embrace. "Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, the teacher is here. The teacher is here!"

"Tea... Teacher, I miss... my mommy." The trembling sob broke out; the little girl was so distraught that her words came in fragments.

...

Tian Qing’s heart was breaking as she held the girl tightly.

Inside, Tian Lingchuan listened to the sounds outside, the three gold cards flashing through his mind. Murder and abduction—how truly tragic.

...

*Crack—*

The teacup in Wang Dong’s hand fell to the floor, shattering. He clenched his fists and said in a low voice, "And then?"

How could there be such beasts in this world!

Suddenly, he felt a cool touch on his hand. Xue Qinghe had reached out at some point, prying open his tightly clenched fist.

Tian Lingchuan continued, "That very day, I easily traced the source of those gold soul coins at the Soul Coin Savings Bank. It was... it was..."

A sense of irritation surged within him, and Xue Qinghe prompted, "Speak!"

"It originated from the Estate of Prince Xue Xing."

As these words were spoken, both Tian Lingchuan and Shui Qingyuan let out a heavy sigh, as if a great weight had been lifted.

Wang Dong found the name very familiar. Could it be...

He turned to look at Xue Qinghe, who, sensing what Wang Dong was thinking, gave a slight nod in confirmation.

It was indeed the person behind that arrogant and domineering prince from before.

"After obtaining the results, I went to the Estate of Prince Xue Xing in Heaven Dou City the next day, hoping to seek justice for those three children..."

...

At the gates of the Prince Xue Xing Estate.

Tian Lingchuan stood alone at the entrance, his voice cold. "I am Tian Lingchuan, Dean of Tianshui Academy. I have an urgent matter to discuss with Prince Xue Xing."

The guards at the gate went inside to report. A short while later, they returned with hostile expressions and spoke with arrogance, "Get lost! Whatever Tianshui or Water-Sky dean you are, His Highness is a busy man—why would he concern himself with a small fry like you!"

Tian Lingchuan had not expected that despite coming in person, he wouldn't even be granted an audience with Prince Xue Xing.

A sudden gust of wind rose, and the surrounding temperature plummeted.

"Is this some kind of ghost?" one of the guards muttered, reaching out to close the gates.

Suddenly, the guards found their feet frozen to the spot. They looked up to see a path of ice spreading from where Tian Lingchuan stood.

"Sixth Soul Skill: Domain of Ice."

The icy path extended rapidly, and everyone within the Prince’s estate was effectively frozen in place.

"Seventh Soul Skill: Avatar of the Martial Soul."

Maintaining his Martial Soul Avatar, Tian Lingchuan carefully ventured into the estate.

"I, Tian Lingchuan, Dean of Tianshui Academy, humbly request an audience with His Highness, Prince Xue Xing."

...

He probed all the way through, but there was no response.

Suddenly, a cloud of green poisonous mist rushed toward him. Tian Lingchuan channeled all his soul power to resist, but in the blink of an eye, he was poisoned into unconsciousness.

...

Poison?

Then it was likely Dugu Bo.

In the Shrek Academy of ten thousand years later, there was a statue of Dugu Bo. Whenever Wang Dong remembered that he had once admired him, he felt a wave of nausea.

Xue Qinghe said coldly, "Continue."

"I was awakened by the sound of voices nearby."

...

"Your Highness, how should we deal with this man?"

"Kill him."

"He is the Dean of Tianshui Academy, and he entered the estate in full view of others. If this is discovered, it may affect our plans."

"Then, in your opinion, what should be done?"

"Perhaps give him a warning, then toss him out."

"Agreed."

The conversation woke Tian Lingchuan. He had intended to pretend he was still unconscious, but his faint change in breathing did not escape the notice of the powerhouse in the corner.

Tian Lingchuan could clearly sense that the person was a Titled Douluo.

Receiving a reminder from that person, Prince Xue Xing realized he was awake.

Tian Lingchuan decided to open his eyes, hoping to see the face of Prince Xue Xing, but before he could, a short blade was thrust directly into his chest.

Feeling his soul power draining rapidly, Tian Lingchuan forced himself to ask, "Why?"

As soon as he asked, he felt like a fool, for Prince Xue Xing didn't even utter a word; he simply turned and walked away.

On this continent, as a Soul Saint, he had never felt so helpless or humiliated.

Yet now, he was like fish on a cutting board, waiting to be slaughtered.

...

"When I woke up again, I found myself lying in the woods on the outskirts of Heaven Dou City. It was Qingyuan who saved me while passing by, and then I brought her and Bing'er back to Tianshui Academy."

...