Chapter 121: Dai Youheng's PerformanceDai Youheng's gaze swept calmly over the two of them; his heart was untroubled, even holding a trace of cold assessment.One was crippled, the other half-crippled; it certainly saved him a lot of trouble.However, this harmonious scene was quickly broken.Hearing the servants report Dai Youheng's return, the Duchess, Zhu Man, rushed out like a lit powder keg.She was already exhausted and depressed due to the tragic state of her two sons; seeing this illegitimate son she loathed the most appearing in the mansion unscathed, and with an even more steady and sharp aura, all her anger and malice instantly found an outlet."Dai Youheng! You jinx, you still dare to come back!" The Duchess's voice was shrill, having long lost the grace of a noble lady. She pointed at Dai Youheng's nose and cursed, "It's all you! You must have used some sinister means behind our backs to make my Yueheng and Hua Bin end up like this! Just to make room for a bastard like you? I knew it, you're just like your lowly mother—an ungrateful white-eyed wolf! Truly malicious!"Vicious curses poured out like sewage, mixed with baseless speculation and extreme humiliation.Dai Youheng stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around. He did not get angry; there wasn't even an extra expression on his face. He just looked calmly at the frenzied Duchess with his deep, cold eyes.This extreme calmness made the Duchess feel suffocated and angry more than any rebuttal could, as if her full-strength punch had hit thin air."Old hag, shut up." Dai Youheng's voice was flat and waveless. "They were ambushed by powerful Evil Soul Masters while performing a Shrek Guardian Mission and were injured after a hard-fought battle. Elder Xuan, Dean Yan, and all the Shrek students can testify to this. Without any evidence, you pin this baseless crime on me. Isn't that a bit too disheartening for the soldiers and students who bleed and sweat for the Empire and the Academy? Aren't you afraid the White Tiger Duke will blame you?"His tone was indifferent, but every word was like a knife. Not only did he completely clear himself, but he also implied the Duchess was being unreasonable and slandering a hero, even cleverly bringing up Dai Hao.The Duchess was choked by his words, her face turning green and white. Especially thinking of Dai Hao, her arrogance faltered. She knew Dai Hao valued military merit and honor above all else; if he knew she was blaming others for his sons' injuries sustained in the line of duty, he would certainly be extremely displeased."You—you are glib-tongued!" She pointed at Dai Youheng tremblingly, but for a moment, she couldn't find the words to refute him, only repeating pale accusations. "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking! You—""If you have no other nonsense, Youheng will go wash up first. Having not been home for a long time and traveling far, I am a bit dusty." Dai Youheng directly interrupted her. Then, he ignored the Duchess's distorted face, Yueheng's complex gaze, Hua Bin's numb expression, and Zhu Lu's wary look, walking straight toward his own courtyard.His back was straight and cold, completely out of place with the atmosphere of failure, decadence, and malice that filled this Family.Watching him leave, the Duchess was so angry she nearly crushed her teeth, yet she was helpless. A strong premonition welled up in her heart: this illegitimate son she had never cared about might truly become the greatest nightmare for her and her sons.Not long after Dai Youheng returned to his somewhat cold and quiet room, soft footsteps came from outside the door.His mother, Bai Wanning, brought his younger brother, Dai Luoli, and walked in with a face full of concern and confusion."Youheng, why did you suddenly return from the Academy? Did you encounter some difficulty?" Bai Wanning's voice was gentle, but it carried an unconcealable worry.It was truly unusual for him to return home so suddenly when it wasn't a holiday or festival."Mother, don't worry. I have officially graduated from the Shrek Outer Court and will reside in Star Luo from now on," Dai Youheng replied calmly."Graduated?" Bai Wanning's beautiful eyes widened, her face full of shock and incomprehension. "Why? You performed so excellently in the tournament; you would surely enter the Inner Court upon returning and receive the Academy's full support. There would even be great hope of becoming one of the Shrek Seven Devils in the future! This is a future many Spirit Masters dream of; why would you give it up?"She suddenly seemed to think of something, her face turning slightly pale, her voice trembling. "You—could it be for Princess Jiu Jiu again? Youheng, why are you so stubborn? After all these years, can't you see her attitude clearly? She simply—""Mother," Dai Youheng interrupted her, his tone still calm but carrying an unprecedented certainty. "That was then, this is now. The past is the past, and the present is the present."His gaze swept out the window, piercing through layers of courtyards to see the decadent brothers."Now, Dai Yueheng's hands are completely ruined, his strength greatly reduced; Dai Huabin's Soul is damaged, his future bleak. It is impossible for the White Tiger Dukes Mansion to be handed over to two wastes." His voice was calm to the point of being cold. "And I, Dai Youheng, am now the one with the highest talent, the strongest power, and the most limitless future among the younger generation of the Dukes Mansion!"I have come back to take back everything that belongs to me, including the inheritance of this Dukes Mansion!"He looked at his mother, his eyes sharp. "As long as I become the rightful heir to the White Tiger Duke, holding great power and strength, what is it that I cannot get? Your status will also rise accordingly!""You—you want to fight for the position of heir?" Bai Wanning was so scared her face turned pale. She hurriedly stepped forward to cover her son's mouth, her voice extremely low and filled with fear. "Youheng, be careful with your words! You must never say such things again! If the First Lady hears this, there will no longer be a place for us mother and son in this Dukes Mansion! She will definitely do everything in her power and use any means necessary to eliminate us!"She knew the Duchess Zhu Man's jealousy and ruthlessness well. In the past, when they were low-key and enduring, they were still often targeted. If her son showed ambition to fight for the inheritance, it would undoubtedly be like playing with fire!"Humph, she wants to eliminate me? She'll have to have the ability first." Dai Youheng gently pulled down his mother's hand, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold arc. "Mother, don't worry. The ones who should be swept into the trash heap are them.""Stop talking! You must be tired from the journey and talking nonsense!" Bai Wanning's heart was racing, and she didn't dare listen any longer. She quickly said, "I—I'll go have the servants prepare hot water for you to wash up. You rest well and don't let your mind wander!"She almost frantically pulled the still-clueless Dai Luoli and hurried out of Dai Youheng's room, as if staying for another moment would invite disaster.Dai Youheng watched Bai Wanning's departing back, his eyes deep. His gaze seemingly unintentionally glanced toward a certain shadowed corner behind the door, then moved away as if nothing had happened.He naturally knew that the Duchess's spies had been eavesdropping there. The Duchess controlled all internal affairs of the entire Dukes Mansion; her eyes and ears were everywhere, inside and out.His "bold words" just now had surely reached that jealous First Lady's ears word for word.Dai Hao had already returned to the Mingdou Mountain Range; after all, an army cannot be without its commander. This period was the golden time when the Duchess could mobilize all the forces in the mansion to deal with him without any restraint."The stage is set, the bait is cast, and I'm just waiting for the fish to bite," Dai Youheng sneered in his heart.
