A Tavern That Welcomed Only One Person

A Tavern That Welcomed Only One Person

On the outskirts of Heaven Dou City.

Far from the bustling center, this borderland where the Heaven Dou Empire met the Star Dou Forest was lush with vegetation, yet human traces were rarely seen.

Unexpectedly, beneath two ancient trees nearly a hundred meters tall, there stood a small tavern.

The tavern had no name. Though its exterior was shabby, its interior was surprisingly clean, orderly, and comfortable.

Without question, a tavern opened in a place like this was destined to have few customers.

But Qin Shiyuan did not care in the slightest.

Because for more than ten years... his tavern had served only one customer.

"Brother Qin, still sleeping? You're so carefree every day. I'm dying of envy."

The voice arrived before its owner did.

A handsome, refined young man with a head of golden hair strode into the tavern as though he knew the place by heart.

Hearing that spring-breeze-like voice, the young man reclining in a rocking chair behind the counter curved his lips faintly.

"Isn't Your Highness the Crown Prince the same? Whenever you have nothing to do, you come disturb Qin's peaceful dreams."

That was right. The person before him was the current Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe.

Or rather, Qian Daoliu's granddaughter, Bibi Dong's daughter whom she refused to acknowledge—Qian Renxue.

Qin Shiyuan slowly opened his eyes. Beneath those deep, black-gem-like pupils lay a trace of gentleness.

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't—"

Upon hearing Qin Shiyuan's words, Qian Renxue blurted out instinctively.

Halfway through, she suddenly realized she had misspoken and hurriedly changed her words in panic.

"If it weren't for your wine, I wouldn't bother running here every day."

After speaking, Qian Renxue guiltily raised her head and secretly glanced at Qin Shiyuan.

Only when she found that Qin Shiyuan seemed not to have noticed what she had just said did she quietly let out a breath of relief.

But soon, as though she had remembered something, her cheeks uncontrollably flushed red.

Such a reaction would have been understandable on a girl, but on a man, it looked rather strange.

Even though Qin knew she was Qian Renxue disguised as a man, seeing that expression on "Xue Qinghe's" face still made the corner of his mouth twitch.

"If this Crown Prince didn't patronize you every day, your little tavern would have gone out of business long ago."

Noticing Qin Shiyuan's gaze, Xue Qinghe seemed to fly into a rage from embarrassment and snapped viciously.

"This Crown Prince wants fruit wine, grape-flavored, and a mug of ale too. Hurry up and make them!"

"Got it."

Qin Shiyuan answered lazily, secretly amused.

It had been nearly twenty years since his soul had transmigrated to Douluo Continent.

And more than ten years ago, when Qin Shiyuan was nine, Qian Renxue—who had just disguised herself as Xue Qinghe and infiltrated the Heaven Dou Empire—had met him.

Over their more than ten years of acquaintance, Qian Renxue's initial wariness toward him had gradually turned into familiarity.

Later, Qian Renxue seemed to have truly come to regard him as one of her few remaining family members.

She began to completely lower her guard, occasionally revealing a girlish manner when she was not paying attention.

How could Qin Shiyuan have failed to notice Qian Renxue's many slips?

It was simply that she had not intended to tell him yet, so he pretended not to see.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, your wine is here."

After the time it took to brew half a pot of tea, Qin Shiyuan carried over two cups of wine to Qian Renxue's table.

The moment he set them down, Qian Renxue pushed the mug of ale toward him.

Then she said in a tone that allowed no refusal.

"Sit. Drink with me."

Qin Shiyuan was not surprised. He shrugged and sat across from Qian Renxue.

That mug of ale was actually what he had once said was his favorite drink.

Whenever Qian Renxue came, she ordered an extra mug and had him drink and chat with her.

"Brother Qin, do you know about the recent All-Continent Soul Master Competition?"

After taking a few drinks, Qian Renxue fully opened up.

"I do."

Qin Shiyuan slowly nodded. By his calculations, the Soul Master Competition should have been about to enter its finals.

The two teams entering the finals were the Shrek Seven Devils and the Spirit Hall Team, hailed as the strongest of the new generation.

Thinking of that, Qin Shiyuan had already guessed what Qian Renxue wanted to say, barring any surprises.

"Then you must know about that dark horse, the Shrek Seven Devils, right?"

"There's a genius among them called Tang San. Tell me, if Spirit Hall wanted to recruit him, would he agree?"

Sure enough, Tang San's outstanding performance in the previous battles had already made Qian Renxue want to recruit him.

"Impossible!"

Qin Shiyuan shook his head and rejected Qian Renxue's idea without hesitation.

"Setting aside the fact that he is proud and arrogant, and would never submit to another."

"Just the fact that he is Tang Hao's son, and that Spirit Hall is responsible for his mother's death, means he could never join Spirit Hall."

"Clear Sky Hammer... Tang Hao... I see... So this Tang San is destined to be Spirit Hall's enemy."

Qian Renxue came to a sudden realization, then her delicate brows knitted slightly.

Her desire to recruit him had vanished completely, replaced by a death sentence for Tang San.

When she turned her gaze back to Qin Shiyuan, there was something unusual in her eyes.

"Brother Qin truly knows much and has seen much."

"It's nothing. My Waste Martial Soul doesn't need cultivation anyway. They're just bits of gossip I heard while idling around."

When Qin Shiyuan mentioned his martial soul, a trace of regret appeared on Qian Renxue's face.

She knew what Qin Shiyuan's martial soul was—a Sword Sheath without a sword.

And most tragically, this Waste Martial Soul could not even have Spirit Rings added to it!

That meant Qin Shiyuan would never be able to break through level ten for the rest of his life.

Qian Renxue had not failed to think of solutions over the years, but such a situation had never even been heard of in the history of Douluo. In the end, there was nothing she could do but let it go.

"Enough of that. Let's drink. Today, we won't leave until we're drunk."

"Alright."

The two raised their cups. Before long, they both collapsed unconscious onto the wine table.

After a long while, Qian Renxue, whose face had been flushed red from drinking, silently lifted her head.

After confirming that Qin Shiyuan had fallen asleep, she raised a hand and wiped across her face, revealing her original, incomparably beautiful features.

Perhaps the effects of the alcohol had not fully faded. Her cheeks were crimson, and her eyes were misty...

Qian Renxue displayed a charm entirely opposite to her usual self.

The breathtaking temptation seemed to dye even the air an ambiguous pink.

Resting her chin on one hand, Qian Renxue's eyes seemed glued to Qin Shiyuan as she gazed at him foolishly for a very, very long time.

Only when the sun had risen high in the sky did traces of resentment and reluctance gradually appear in her eyes.

But in the end, she still waved a hand and completely dispersed the scent of wine from her body.

"Ah."

Qian Renxue raised her hand and wiped her face once more, returning to Xue Qinghe's appearance.

With a sigh seemingly filled with countless thoughts, she stepped out of the tavern without looking back.

Only a murmur remained within the room, lingering amid the smell of wine.

"If I weren't her daughter... if I didn't have this martial soul... how wonderful that would be..."

Qian Renxue left. Only after her figure had disappeared did another faint voice sound in the room.

"Silly girl... don't rush. Soon..."

Qin Shiyuan slowly sat upright, staring blankly at the tavern entrance. Not a trace of his earlier drunkenness remained.

How could this little bit of wine possibly intoxicate a Soul Saint about to enter Eight Rings?

He silently rose and walked to the tavern entrance, flipping the wooden sign reading "Open" to its reverse side.

"No business... Do not disturb"