Although the spar was intended to be a private affair, witnessed only by a handful of trusted individuals within the First Prince's residence, secrets rarely stayed confined within the walls of a palace, especially when they involved the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall and the heir to the Star Luo Empire.
Within hours, whispers of the extraordinary spar began to circulate among the palace staff. Servants, guards, and even some of the nobles who had heard rumblings of the Holy Son's visit, couldn't resist the allure of such sensational news. The rumors, initially fragmented and speculative, soon coalesced into a more coherent narrative – a narrative that painted a rather unflattering picture of the First Prince, Dai Weisi.
What the Imperial Family didn't know was that the Spirit Hall, under Song Qing's subtle instructions relayed through Ghost Douluo, was actively ensuring the 'truthful' version of events spread like wildfire. Song Qing had no need for embellishments; the reality of the spar was humiliating enough for his targets.
'Let them know exactly what happened,' Song Qing had thought, a cold smirk playing on his lips. 'Let the entire empire know just how weak their precious First Prince is.'
The news reached the ears of the Zhu Family swiftly. Messengers, their faces pale with shock, delivered the unbelievable tidings to Duke Zhu and the assembled elders.
"The Holy Son… he… he sparred with the First Prince and Young Miss Zhuyun?" one of the messengers stammered, his voice trembling.
Duke Zhu's stern face grew even darker. "Sparred? What do you mean, 'sparred'?" he demanded, a bad premonition settling in his gut. He had a sinking feeling this had something to do with Song Qing's impending visit to take Zhu Zhuqing away.
The messenger recounted the events as accurately as he could, based on the rapidly spreading rumors, detailing the Holy Son's overwhelming power and the crushing defeat of the Hell White Tiger fusion.
Duke Zhu and the other members of the Zhu Family were aghast. 'The Hell White Tiger… defeated so easily?' Duke Zhu thought, his mind reeling. This was a major blow to the reputation of both their family and the Imperial Family. He exchanged worried glances with the other elders. They all knew that Song Qing's actions were likely a prelude to his arrival to take Zhu Zhuqing.
The news of the spar reached the Emperor and Empress, Dai Weisi's parents, with even greater speed and a far more furious reception. The Emperor, a man known for his pride and the prestige of the Star Luo Empire, was incandescent with rage.
"The Holy Son of the Spirit Hall?!" he roared, slamming his fist on his throne, the impact shaking the entire hall. "He dared to attack my son within my own palace?! This is an outrage! Summon the Spirit Hall representatives! I demand an explanation for this insolence!" The Empress, equally furious, stood beside him, her face a mask of fury. "This is a blatant act of disrespect! The Spirit Hall has gone too far this time!"
The Spirit Hall representatives in the Star Luo Empire, who were already on edge due to the Holy Son's unexpected visit to the Zhu Family, were summoned to the palace with unprecedented urgency. They arrived, their faces pale with apprehension, unsure of what awaited them.
The Emperor, his eyes blazing with fury, didn't mince words. "Explain yourselves!" he thundered. "Why did your Holy Son attack my son, the First Prince, in a private spar? This is a direct insult to the Star Luo Empire! We demand an immediate explanation and an apology!"
The Spirit Hall representatives could only stammer and promise to relay the Emperor's grievances to Her Holiness the Pope. They had no knowledge of the Holy Son's actions beforehand.
The response from the Spirit Hall came swiftly, delivered via a high-ranking bishop, and it was far from the apology the Imperial Family had expected. It was a direct message from Pope Bibi Dong herself, and its contents were as arrogant as they were humiliating.
"Tell the Emperor and Empress of the Star Luo Empire," Bibi Dong's message declared, her voice cold and imperious, "that the Spirit Hall is not to blame for the incompetence of their First Prince and the worthlessness of their so-called Spirit Fusion. If their Hell White Tiger is so weak that it can be easily crushed by our Holy Son, then that is their problem, not ours. Their First Prince is simply a weakling, and they should focus on raising more capable heirs instead of wasting their time complaining about the obvious truth."
The crude and utterly disdainful wording of Bibi Dong's message sent shockwaves throughout the Star Luo Empire and beyond. The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the continent. While the Spirit Hall's growing dominance and occasional arrogance had been noted before, this was an unprecedented level of blatant disrespect towards an entire imperial family.
The Emperor and Empress were utterly humiliated and enraged by Bibi Dong's response. Their faces contorted with fury, and their hands clenched into fists, but they knew, deep down, that they were powerless to retaliate. The Spirit Hall's might was simply too great. Any direct action against them would likely result in devastating consequences for the Star Luo Empire. They could only swallow their pride and seethe in silent fury.
Despite the humiliation, the incident undeniably cemented Song Qing's reputation as an unparalleled prodigy. The fact that an eight-year-old boy could so easily defeat the renowned Hell White Tiger fusion, a power capable of challenging even higher-level Soul Masters, spoke volumes about his extraordinary talent and the immense power of the Spirit Hall.
Three days passed quickly, filled with tension and hushed conversations within the Star Luo Empire's Imperial City. On the appointed day, just as he had promised, Song Qing, accompanied by Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo, arrived at the Zhu Family Estate once more.
Zhu Zhuqing had been waiting anxiously in her room, her few belongings neatly packed within several spiritual tools her mother had secretly given her. These tools, though not of the highest grade, were still valuable and would allow her to carry a significant amount of luggage with ease.
When she heard the news of Song Qing's arrival, a wave of relief and happiness washed over her. She didn't hesitate, rushing out of her room and towards the main entrance where Song Qing stood, his small figure radiating an aura of quiet confidence.
Duke Zhu and the other members of the Zhu Family were gathered in the main hall, their expressions a mixture of resentment, apprehension, and a forced politeness. They watched as Zhu Zhuqing ran towards Song Qing, her face beaming with joy. It was clear that she was eager to leave.
Duke Zhu's face was particularly ugly, a muscle twitching in his jaw. He wanted to say something, to protest, perhaps, but the imposing presence of the two Titled Douluo flanking Song Qing effectively silenced him. He knew better than to anger the Spirit Hall further.
Zhu Zhuyun stood slightly apart from the rest of the family, her gaze fixed on her younger sister. Her expression was complicated, a mixture of jealousy and a strange sense of relief. She was undoubtedly envious of Zhu Zhuqing for being chosen by the Holy Son, for escaping the brutal fate that likely awaited her within the Zhu Family.
Yet, at the same time, she couldn't deny a sense of relief. As long as Zhu Zhuqing was under the protection of the Spirit Hall, neither the Zhu Family nor the Imperial Family would dare to harm her. In a twisted way, Song Qing's actions had inadvertently secured her younger sister's safety.
"Qing!" Zhu Zhuqing exclaimed, her voice filled with happiness as she reached him. She didn't hesitate to take his hand, her small fingers intertwining with his.
Song Qing smiled warmly at her, his gaze softening. "Ready to go, Zhuqing?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Yes! I'm ready!"
Duke Zhu finally managed to force a polite smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Your Holiness, we wish you and Zhu Zhuqing a safe journey." He bowed stiffly, the other members of the Zhu Family following suit.
Song Qing nodded curtly in response, his gaze briefly meeting Zhu Zhuyun's before turning back to Zhu Zhuqing. "Let's go, Zhuqing."
With that, Song Qing, hand in hand with Zhu Zhuqing, and followed by the silent and watchful Super Douluo, turned and walked out of the Zhu Family Estate, leaving behind a family filled with resentment and a city buzzing with the unbelievable news of the Spirit Hall's audacious actions. Zhu Zhuqing looked back once, a small smile on her face, before turning her gaze forward, her future, for the first time in a long time, looking bright with hope.
~~
As they traveled on the road, with the vast landscape of the Star Luo Empire stretching out before them, Zhu Zhuqing continued to hold Song Qing's hand tightly. A comfortable silence settled between them for a while, broken only by the rhythmic sound of their footsteps and the occasional rustling of leaves.
Then, Zhu Zhuqing looked up at Song Qing, her brown eyes filled with gratitude. She squeezed his hand gently and leaned closer, whispering softly, "Qing… thank you. I heard what you did… to my sister and… and Dai Weisi."
Hearing her heartfelt words, spoken with such sincerity, caused a wave of heat to rush to Song Qing's face. He could feel his cheeks burning, and his heart skipped a beat. 'She knows?' he thought, his mind racing. He had anticipated that the news would spread, but hearing it directly from Zhu Zhuqing made it feel… different.
He suddenly felt incredibly flustered. He stammered, trying to downplay his actions. "Ah… well… it wasn't entirely for you, Zhuqing," he said, his gaze darting away from hers. "I mean… I was curious about the Hell White Tiger. It's a renowned Spirit Fusion, and I… I really wanted to test its power." He knew it sounded like a weak excuse, even to his own ears.
Zhu Zhuqing smiled, a knowing and gentle smile that reached her eyes. She had seen the cold fury in his gaze back at the mansion. She knew his actions were for her, to avenge the years of bullying she had endured. "Even so, Qing," she said softly, her voice filled with emotion, "thank you. For everything." She squeezed his hand again, her gratitude evident in her touch.
Meanwhile, trailing slightly behind them, Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo exchanged amused glances.
'Did you see his face?' Chrysanthemum Douluo sent a mental message to Ghost Douluo, a chuckle echoing in his mind. 'Our Holy Son is quite flustered by this little girl's gratitude.'
'Indeed,' Ghost Douluo replied through their mental link, a hint of laughter in his raspy voice. 'It seems even the mighty Holy Son has his moments of… youthful embarrassment.'
'It's rather endearing, wouldn't you agree?' Chrysanthemum Douluo mused, a genuine smile touching his lips. 'To see him, so powerful and composed most of the time, become all flustered by a simple thank you from a young girl.'
'It reminds us that he is still just a child, despite his extraordinary talent,' Ghost Douluo responded, a rare warmth entering his tone. 'A child with a good heart, it seems.'
They continued their journey, the two Super Douluo silently observing the interaction between their Holy Son and the young girl he had taken under his wing, their amusement a quiet undercurrent to the unfolding events.