bookbashuk Chapter 16 The Members of the Star Luo National Academy Team
Chapter 16 The Members of the Star Luo National Academy Team
The hall fell silent for a moment.
The Persian cat yawned, jumped off the table, and walked away with elegant steps.
Xu Xinghan's mind went blank for two seconds.
"……What?"
"That Princess Vina, she is the princess of the Heavenly Soul Empire, and also your fiancée."
Xu Jiawei's tone was much calmer as he slowly explained to Xu Xinghan,
"Back then, when the Star Luo Empire and the Heavenly Soul Empire made a truce, my father was drinking with the old emperor of the Heavenly Soul Empire, and when he got drunk, he made the decision."
"I remember it was supposed to be a symbol of friendship between the two countries, which is basically a political marriage."
Xu Xinghan sat up straight, his silver hair slipping down his shoulders, and his dark crystal glasses pushed up to his forehead, revealing a pair of eyes full of shock.
"What do you mean by 'ordered while drunk'? No, why haven't I known that before?"
"Alright, alright, stop complaining." Xu Jiawei smiled, a subtle glint in his eyes. "Do you think I'm any better? Have you forgotten what country your second sister-in-law is from?"
Xu Xinghan opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He suddenly didn't want to know the answer anymore.
Within the sea of spirits, the Snow Emperor's voice echoed softly, this time not with sourness, but with a hint of gritted teeth.
"A childhood betrothal? A fiancée? Xu Xinghan, I didn't realize you had so many admirers."
Xu Xinghan silently shouted in his heart:
I'm innocent! I just found out myself!
Xu Jiawei stood up, patted off non-existent dust from his clothes, walked up to Xu Xinghan, and patted him on the shoulder.
"In short, you need to get along well with her. The Heavenly Soul Empire attaches great importance to this marriage. Vina's visit this time is ostensibly for exchange, but she's probably here to check you out."
After saying that, he walked towards the door, but turned back at the door and added a sentence.
"By the way, that cat is one I brought from the palace. It's to add some life to your manor. Take good care of it, and don't let it die."
Then go.
Xu Xinghan was left sitting alone in the hall, bewildered, facing a cat that had disappeared somewhere and a marriage contract that had fallen from the sky.
……
The next day.
Xu Xinghan didn't sleep all night.
Every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was that marriage contract; he felt that the dream was more exhausting than reality.
He sat in his study all night, from dusk till dawn, not until he figured it out, but until dawn.
Forget it.
If you can't figure something out, then don't think about it anymore. After all, the engagement isn't going to happen tomorrow.
He stood up, stretched his stiff neck, and his joints cracked.
He planned to go out to clear his mind.
Xu Xinghan took out his soul-guided communicator, tapped the crystal screen a few times with his fingertips, and sent a message to the members of the Star Luo National Academy team:
"Let's meet at the academy's fighting arena this morning for a short meeting."
The message was sent, and the other party replied with a series of "Received".
He glanced at it, put the communicator back into his sleeve, and strode out of the palace gate.
……
At the same time.
Xingluo Inn.
Princess Vina got up half an hour earlier than usual.
She sat in front of the bronze mirror, letting the maid comb her long, dark brown hair.
Her light brown eyes reflected her own image in the mirror, and a smile played on her lips, a smile she herself didn't even realize.
She had planned out today's itinerary last night.
Visit Xu Xinghan at Prince Xuanxing's residence.
Ostensibly a return gift, but actually... it's a way of clarifying the relationship between the two of them.
Anyway, her father said that both countries attach great importance to this marriage, and she also thinks that Xu Xinghan is a good person. It's better to be upfront about it sooner rather than later, so that neither side can keep up appearances.
She chose a light pink dress with delicate silver embroidery on the hem, neither ostentatious nor impolite. Before leaving, DW made sure to check herself in the mirror to make sure not a single stray hair was sticking up in her hair.
Then she arrived at Prince Xuanxing's mansion.
She received an answer that surprised her.
Xu Xinghan went out.
The gatekeeper of the Prince's mansion was an old eunuch who spoke very politely, his back bent lower than the threshold.
"Your Highness, the Prince went to the Star Luo National Academy early this morning to prepare for the upcoming competition. If Your Highness has anything to say, this old servant can convey it to you."
Vina stood at the entrance of the Prince's mansion, blinked her light brown eyes, paused for a moment, and then smiled.
It wasn't because she was stood up and still laughed, it was because she felt...
That's so reliable.
He must have known about the engagement, but he didn't indulge in romantic feelings; instead, he prioritized important matters.
A man with such a sense of responsibility and commitment is hard to find even with a lantern.
Xu Xinghan: ?
If his true form weren't absent, he would have been amazed by the Romance Continent, especially by the terrifying power of those with romantic minds.
……
Star Luo National Academy.
Battle Arena.
As the highest-level Soul Master Academy in the Star Luo Empire, the Star Luo National Academy's Soul Arena occupies nearly one-third of the academy's area.
From an aerial view, the entire area unfolds in a fan shape, with the main battle arena at the center, capable of accommodating 30,000 spectators, surrounded by twelve smaller battle stages for daily training and low-level duels.
When Xu Xinghan arrived, the other members were already there.
Five people stood at the edge of the Soul Battle Arena, each with a different posture, but their gazes all turned towards the entrance.
Walking at the front were two women with long, dark purple hair, whose facial features were exactly the same, and even their posture had a symmetrical beauty.
The older sister, Luo Xiaomei, was dressed in a fiery red outfit with a dark red belt around her waist, making her look like a ball of fire that could burst into flames at any moment.
The younger sister, Luo Xiaoqian, wore a light blue dress, her long hair fluttering slightly in the wind. Her dress was embroidered with flowing cloud patterns. She stood there quietly, but the air around her always seemed to swirl around her.
The two nodded at Xu Xinghan at the same time.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, Captain." Luo Xiaomei's voice was crisp and clear, with a touch of sassiness.
"Good morning." Luo Xiaoqian's voice was softer than her sister's, but it was crisp and clear, without any hesitation.
Xu Xinghan nodded to them, his gaze passing over the twins and landing on the person standing in the center of the Soul Battle Arena.
The man was burly, more than half a head taller than Xu Xinghan, and his bronze skin gleamed with a metallic sheen under the sunlight streaming through the dome.
With thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a square face, he stood there like a wall.
The boy's name is Dugu Shangshan, his martial spirit is the Netherworld Mad Lion, and he is recognized as the third strongest fighter in the Star Luo National Academy team.
"Hello, Captain." His voice was deep and resonant, like the beating of a drum.
Xu Xinghan raised his chin at him as a greeting.
Standing next to Dugu Shangshan was a man, thin and with an ordinary appearance, the kind of person you wouldn't notice in a crowd.
But his eyes were bright, like two polished obsidian stones, blinking constantly as he scanned his surroundings, like a falcon ready to take flight at any moment.
Chen Xiaojie, with the Lightning Falcon martial spirit, is the only agility-type battle spirit master in the team.
"Captain, what's on the agenda for today's meeting?" Chen Xiaojie grinned, his eyes darting around. "It's not like they're going to increase our training volume, is it? I have to tell you, my knees haven't been feeling too good lately..."
Xu Xinghan ignored him and turned his gaze to the last person.
The person stood in the shadows at the very edge of the fighting arena, leaning against the railing with his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking like a sword sheathed.
He was dressed in a black outfit, without any extra decorations, even his hairband was black.
His facial features are sharply defined, with deep contours, giving him an imposing and dignified air.
Huang Heyun possesses the Dark Demon Tiger Martial Soul, making him a rare Dark Attribute Soul Master.
He's not an evil spirit master; he just had bad luck and awakened this easily misunderstood attribute.
"Captain." His voice was flat, without any unnecessary pleasantries.