Shrek Exposed!

"Now that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has taken root in Heaven Dou, moving against them directly would have undesirable repercussions," Qian Renxue said softly.

If they launched the Soul Hunting Operation now, it might not be appropriate. It could very well set off a chain reaction.

Public opinion outside was intense.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had already built up considerable influence among the common people.

"Kill the chicken to scare the monkeys," Shi Yueyi said. "If you're concerned about the cooperative relationship between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, you can find a sect that has no such ties—or even one people dislike."

"Little girl, are you talking about the Clear Sky Sect?" Radiant Feather Douluo asked with interest.

"That fellow who runs around smashing people with a hammer—isn't he from the Clear Sky Sect?" Shi Yueyi said.

"That Tang Hao was expelled from the Clear Sky Sect years ago." After thinking for a moment, Qian Renxue said, "Because he attacked the previous Spirit Hall Pope, who was supposedly so severely injured that he died. The Clear Sky Sect feared retaliation."

"They cut ties that quickly?" Shi Yueyi froze.

Qian Renxue: ==!

Wasn't that exactly how quickly they had done it?

"This does indeed count as a rather good choice."

Radiant Feather Douluo took over. "A member of the Clear Sky Sect attacked civilians of the Heaven Dou Empire. There's a ninety-nine percent chance that person was Tang Hao. And he concealed his identity, so why don't we simply pretend we don't know he's Tang Hao and strike at the Clear Sky Sect?"

"But it would be difficult for the royal family alone to wipe out the Clear Sky Sect, wouldn't it?" Shi Yueyi hesitated before saying, "I don't think the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would necessarily be willing either?"

She wanted to test whether Qian Renxue would reveal her relationship with Spirit Hall.

"Little Shiyue, you may be wrong about that." Qian Renxue said, "In recent years, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has stopped taking the Clear Sky Sect seriously. They would love for the Clear Sky Sect to remain sealed off forever. What Sect Master Ning Fengzhi and the others have always feared is Tang Hao, whose reputation is known far and wide—not the Clear Sky Sect."

"Moreover, because the Clear Sky Sect sealed itself away, its affiliated clans and sects all became like homeless dogs. Quite a few of them have joined other forces. At the Clear Sky Sect's peak, it had roughly five thousand soul masters. Now, I estimate that even their remaining direct disciples number no more than three hundred."

"Let me think it over carefully." Qian Renxue closed her eyes. "This isn't an easy matter."

Shi Yueyi sighed inwardly.

After spending the past few days with her, Miss Qian Renxue actually seemed like quite a good person.

It was just that she had probably spent too long in the royal family, so she tended to overcomplicate everything.

There was really no need for that.

The struggles of the royal family were not entirely the same as the struggles of the soul master world.

Radiant Feather Douluo had been right just now. In the end, what mattered on this continent was still strength.

But, just as Qian Renxue had said before, within the royal family, one had to navigate all kinds of relationships, because countless eyes were always watching, waiting for one to make a mistake.

That had shaped her cautious way of doing things.

Shi Yueyi suddenly recalled a fable she had once read.

A prince of the Bright Kingdom had received an order to travel to another land and retrieve a pearl. Yet that prince ate the other country's food, drank its wine, put on its clothes, and in the end, lost himself.

Now, she could truly understand the contradiction within Qian Renxue.

At the beginning, Qian Renxue had acted decisively, directly poisoning the Second Prince and Third Prince to death.

But now, she had become somewhat hesitant. She was becoming less and less like someone with the bloodline of a god, and more and more like an ordinary person.

Shi Yueyi stood up, walked behind Qian Renxue, and placed both hands on her shoulders.

"Mm? What is it?" Qian Renxue rubbed her temples.

Shi Yueyi leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Don't think too much. There are some things I'm very good at."

"Didn't I say before that I wanted a reward from you? That reward is for you to agree to let me do some bold things."

A few more days passed.

Shi Yueyi stood quietly beside Qian Renxue in the main hall of the Eastern Palace.

Qian Renxue had agreed to her request for a "reward," but on the condition that she could not act recklessly. She first had to accompany Qian Renxue while handling some matters.

Just as Shi Yueyi had previously guessed, the personnel in the Eastern Palace had essentially all been replaced. They were all internal members of Spirit Hall, so nothing happening here would be leaked.

Snake Lance Douluo had returned.

He brought several rather unusual files and presented them to Qian Renxue.

"Reporting to Your Highness, these files come from the Balak Kingdom and Fasinuo Province. They concern some soul masters with Innate Full Soul Power, as well as records of individuals whose cultivation is somewhat above the norm," She Long said.

Qian Renxue took the files and examined them carefully.

"Balak Kingdom, Oscar. Food-type martial soul, sausage. Ten years old. Rank twenty-three Soul Grandmaster."

"Balak Kingdom, Ma Hongjun. Assault-type. Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul. Eight years old. Rank seventeen soul master."

Qian Renxue read through them one page at a time.

Shi Yueyi watched silently from the side.

She had not expected Spirit Hall's efficiency to be so high.

Qian Renxue had told her about this matter, and on the very day Shi Yueyi entered seclusion, she had sent another guardian Douluo to investigate it.

Looking at those who were destined to become gods in the future, Shi Yueyi could not help but feel curious.

After all, she had only ever heard their names in legends.

"Reporting to Your Highness, there is something I'm not sure whether I should tell you." Snake Lance Douluo hesitated before speaking.

"Speak." Qian Renxue was still carefully reviewing the records.

"While communicating with the Spirit Hall in Suotuo City, Balak Kingdom, the bishop there complained bitterly to me about the two children Your Highness spent the longest time examining," Snake Lance Douluo said honestly.

"Get to the point."

Snake Lance Douluo glanced at Shi Yueyi before saying, "That bishop told me that, for some reason, these two children are arrogant and conceited, and they do not take Spirit Hall seriously at all."

"Capable people always carry a bit of pride. Anything else?" Qian Renxue did not pay much attention to it.

It was all a trivial matter. Young people always had some pride.

"One of them, this child named Oscar, even said, 'Heh, I only remember how good Spirit Hall is when it's time to collect Gold Soul Coins.'" Snake Lance Douluo said with heartfelt indignation. "Isn't that plainly the behavior of an ungrateful wretch? If Your Highness wishes to recruit talent, you must not take in such an ungrateful wretch!"

Qian Renxue's hand, which was flipping through the documents, paused slightly.

"That's quite the outrageous line," Shi Yueyi remarked. "He eats from the bowl, then puts it down and curses the one who fed him."

"That does make me a little interested." Qian Renxue looked up.

Seeing Qian Renxue's expression, Snake Lance Douluo felt that he had earned some merit, so he hurriedly continued, "In addition, there is another matter worth noting in the city where these two are located."

"What is it?"

"These two are studying at some third-rate academy called Shrek. Calling it a third-rate academy is already giving it too much credit." Snake Lance Douluo spoke with disdain. "According to the bishop's report, it seems to be nothing more than a workshop in a small village."

"But that isn't the key. The important part is that the bishop seems to have discovered that one of the teachers at this academy is one of the former Golden Iron Triangle," Snake Lance Douluo said slowly.

"The Golden Iron Triangle?" Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow. "I've heard of those three. Which one is there?"

The current year was 2639. Tang San would enroll in 2643, which meant four years later.

At this point, Dai Mubai should not have enrolled yet, so Qian Renxue and the others had not received any intelligence on him.

Also, Qian Renxue did not yet know that Qian Xunji had died at Bibi Dong's hands. She still believed that Tang Hao had struck him severely with his hammer, causing his eventual death.