Qian Renxue's Doubts

Several days passed in the blink of an eye. Lin Yao accompanied Ning Rongrong as they explored all the sights around the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

They picked spiritual herbs from the cliffs while the morning mist still hung over the mountains, watched the sunset over the long river as dusk spread across the sky, and sampled every local delicacy Rongrong had once talked about.

Once their urge to play had gradually faded, Lin Yao knew it was time to turn his attention back to cultivation and proper matters. He bid farewell to Ning Rongrong and the others, then set out for Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Since he had means of preserving his life, Lin Yao returned alone. Yet along the way, his thoughts drifted far away of their own accord.

His original decision to attend Heaven Dou Royal Academy had been tied to Yu Tianheng.

But now that his soul power had advanced by leaps and bounds, those carefully laid plans had instead become unnecessary.

Obstacles that once required careful consideration could now be crushed with talent and strength far beyond those of his peers.

Such a change left him feeling that plans truly could not keep up with change.

At the same time, he quietly sighed to himself as he thought of how Ning Rongrong played when it was time to play and cultivated when it was time to cultivate, without causing too much unreasonable trouble.

She had truly matured a great deal. She was no longer that spoiled, willful little girl from before.

Most likely, Ning Rongrong had realized that this was the golden period for a soul master's cultivation. Brief amusement could serve as a respite, but one could not indulge in it.

She wanted to keep up with Lin Yao's footsteps. Even more, she wanted to stand before those who cared about her in a better form when they met again.

When he arrived at Heaven Dou City, it was already afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the clouds and fell upon the Bluestone Road, stretching the shadows of passersby long.

Lin Yao did not head straight for the Royal Academy. Instead, he changed course and made his way toward the imperial palace.

He needed to visit Xue Qinghe and explain why he had returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect only two days after arriving at the academy.

There had been no need to hide the matter to begin with. Since he wanted to build a good relationship with Xue Qinghe—or rather, Qian Renxue—being open and honest would earn far more trust than concealing things.

Moreover, voluntarily telling the truth was clearly a greater show of sincerity than allowing the other party to discover it through their intelligence network.

Beyond that, Lin Yao harbored a trace of curiosity. How would this supreme genius with Innate Level 20 Soul Power react upon seeing his terrifying rate of improvement?

Would she regret it? She clearly possessed one of the greatest talents on Douluo Continent, yet she had to spend so much time disguising her identity, studying political schemes, and wasting the years meant for cultivation on intrigue and strife.

In the original story, if Qian Renxue had not squandered her talent, then even when facing Tang San and Xiao Wu, those two Deities, she could have confronted them head-on with her strength.

Yet she had taken a crooked path. Thinking of this, Lin Yao could not help but sigh softly, a hint of regret flashing through his eyes.

Outside the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, the guards saw the token in Lin Yao's hand and recalled Xue Qinghe's earlier instruction: "If Young Master Lin comes, there is no need to announce him." They respectfully stepped aside and made way.

Lin Yao walked inward along the Vermilion Corridor. The palace lanterns hanging beneath the eaves swayed gently in the breeze, producing faint wooden clacking sounds.

As he crossed the courtyard, he could smell the faint fragrance of the osmanthus trees by the wall. Yet it was nearly mealtime, and the hall was still lit by bright yellow palace lamps. Through the light, he could vaguely see a figure seated at a desk.

As he neared the hall doors, he heard the soft rustling of a brush tip moving over rice paper.

Lin Yao slowed his steps and looked through the half-open doors. Xue Qinghe was seated behind a Red Sandalwood desk, his Moon-White Brocade Robe making his handsome features appear all the more striking.

But if one looked closely into his eyes, one could sense a trace of gentleness.

He held a Wolf-Hair Brush in hand, his gaze focused as he reviewed the mountain of memorials piled before him.

At times, he furrowed his brow slightly and marked notes upon the memorials. At others, he raised a hand to rub his temples, yet never stopped working.

Even while handling such complicated state affairs, he still appeared entirely at ease.

But as Lin Yao watched, a trace of helplessness rose in his heart.

He knew that Xue Qinghe's proficiency in state affairs had come at the cost of his cultivation time.

In the original story, Qian Renxue had poured a vast amount of energy into learning how to govern in order to maintain her disguise. Her soul power, which should have soared forward, had been forcibly slowed as a result.

Such a trade-off was truly a pity.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Young Master Lin has arrived!"

Seeing Lin Yao standing at the entrance, a maid lightly approached Xue Qinghe and reported in a lowered voice.

Xue Qinghe paused with his brush in hand, then looked up. The instant he saw Lin Yao, some of the sternness on his face faded, replaced by a gentle smile.

He set down his brush, rose to his feet, and quickly walked over to Lin Yao. Raising a hand, he patted Lin Yao on the shoulder and spoke with a teasing tone.

"Yao, what's gotten into you, kid? You ran off on the second day after arriving at the academy. I thought you were like those spoiled young masters who couldn't endure hardship, unable to even abide by the academy's rules."

Lin Yao knew that, with Xue Qinghe's intelligence network, even if he did not dare investigate the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect too deeply due to Chen Xin's status, he would certainly know Lin Yao's general movements.

Sure enough, though Xue Qinghe had a smile in his eyes, he could not conceal a trace of surprise.

He had already discovered that Lin Yao had broken through to Level 20 in just over half a year. Not long ago, he had clearly only been Level 18. It was truly strange.

Such a cultivation speed was exceedingly rare even within Spirit Hall, where geniuses gathered in abundance.

What concerned him even more was that the intelligence reports mentioned Lin Yao had absorbed a Soul Ring beyond his limit, though its exact age and the type of soul beast remained unknown.

Now that Lin Yao was before him, he wanted to confirm it personally.

Lin Yao caught the teasing in Xue Qinghe's words, but he did not defend himself. He merely bowed slightly and spoke sincerely.

"Brother Qinghe, please don't wrong me. When I first arrived at the academy, the three education committee members not only welcomed me warmly, but even specially arranged a comfortable residence with a courtyard for me. What hardship was there to endure?

"It was only because I happened to break through a bottleneck while at the academy, and my soul power reached Level 20. I urgently needed to obtain my second Soul Ring.

"I was in such a hurry that I left without having time to inform you. I truly failed to think things through, which is why I came specially today to apologize."

His eyes were clear as he spoke, without the slightest hint of perfunctoriness. Seeing this, Xue Qinghe was quietly satisfied.

Lin Yao was not only exceptionally talented, but also knew how to respect himself and take the initiative to admit his mistakes. Such a disposition made him far more worthy of cultivation than those arrogant geniuses who relied on their talent.

Xue Qinghe waved a hand, his tone gentle.

"A Soul Master's desire for Soul Rings naturally surpasses everything else. Your eagerness to break through is only human nature. I understand."

After saying that, he turned to the maids in the hall and instructed, "You may all leave. I have something to discuss with little brother Yao."

The maids respectfully answered, "Yes," then quietly withdrew from the hall, thoughtfully closing the doors behind them.

Lin Yao's heart stirred slightly—Xue Qinghe was being so cautious because he clearly did not want outsiders to overhear their conversation. It reflected both his trust in Lin Yao and the meticulous side of his character.

He could not help thinking again of Qian Renxue from the original work. Her actions after becoming a god had truly been baffling. If she had maintained such attentiveness and rationality all along, how could she have ended up that way?

Only the two of them remained in the hall. Xue Qinghe walked over to Lin Yao and looked at his wrist, anticipation coloring his voice.

"By the way, Yao, could you let me see your second Soul Ring?"

What he cared about most was Lin Yao's strength—the stronger Lin Yao was, the more it proved that his judgment had been right.

When he later consolidated the Heaven Dou Empire, annexed the Star Luo Empire, and established the most powerful empire on the Douluo Continent, he would need someone capable and trustworthy like this to assist him.

Once his great undertaking was complete, he would be able to prove to Bibi Dong that he was not worthless baggage to be discarded, but a powerhouse capable of standing on his own.

Lin Yao did not hesitate and nodded lightly. "All right."

Now that Chen Xin was protecting him, and he was deliberately building his relationship with Xue Qinghe, revealing the Soul Rings of his Star Sword Martial Soul would not only pose no danger, but would also display his potential and bring the two of them closer.

Besides, as long as he did not reveal his second Martial Soul and External Soul Bone, he would not need to worry about attracting covetous eyes.

The External Soul Bone had only undergone preliminary fusion. If others learned of it, even knowing that forcibly taking it after fusion would ruin the Soul Bone, there would still certainly be people willing to take that risk.

After all, the value of an External Soul Bone was comparable to a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone or a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

Lin Yao took a deep breath, mobilized the soul power within his body, and softly chanted, "Martial Soul, Star Sword!"

The moment his words fell, dazzling silver light bloomed from his palm. Immediately afterward, a longsword covered in star patterns slowly emerged and hovered before him.

At the same time, two Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet and slowly revolved around the Star Sword.

The first Soul Ring was pale violet, as translucent as the finest amethyst.

The second Soul Ring was deep purple, rich in color like a dark-purple gemstone, radiating pressure far beyond that of an ordinary Thousand-Year Soul Ring.

Xue Qinghe stared fixedly at the two Soul Rings. His pupils suddenly contracted as stormy waves rose in his heart.

The first Soul Ring was already a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, while the second far exceeded the age of an ordinary Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Judging from its color and pressure, it was at least four to five thousand years old.

When she had awakened Innate Level 20 Soul Power, she had only cautiously chosen a six-to-seven-hundred-year soul beast for her first Soul Ring. Her second Soul Ring had been kept at the nine-hundred-year limit, and she had not dared cross that line.

That was because she had always believed that Soul Masters had to follow the "optimal age limit" when absorbing Soul Rings. Yet Lin Yao's appearance had completely shattered her understanding.

What shocked her even more was that a four-to-five-thousand-year second Soul Ring was already the limit that only a Soul Ancestor could absorb.

This meant that Lin Yao's breakthrough when absorbing his first Soul Ring had absolutely not been a stroke of luck.

He was a true heaven-blessed genius.

Xue Qinghe could not help but wonder: if Lin Yao continued breaking through like this, could his third Soul Ring be a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring? And what terrifying level would his fourth Soul Ring reach?

"The first Soul Ring is a thousand years, and the second is actually four or five thousand years..."

Xue Qinghe's voice carried a faint, almost imperceptible tremor. He looked at Lin Yao, his tone filled with disbelief.

"Yao, this is... How could you dare take such a huge risk? Absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring can easily cause one's body to explode and die, let alone a four- or five-thousand-year Soul Ring. How did you persuade His Excellency Chen Xin to agree?"

Seeing Xue Qinghe's face filled with anxiety and concern, his tone even growing harsher, Lin Yao was slightly stunned.

This was only the second time he had met Xue Qinghe disguised by Qian Renxue, yet the other party cared for him so deeply. Was this concern an act, or had Qian Renxue always possessed such a nature, only to be twisted later by years of disguise and hatred?

He was not sure, but he could clearly feel the sincerity in Xue Qinghe's words, and a trace of warmth rose in his heart.

He gently patted Xue Qinghe on the arm and reassured him in a mild tone.

"Brother Qinghe, don't worry. Ever since I awakened the Star Sword Martial Soul, the Star Power that comes with it has been tempering my body. My constitution has long surpassed that of ordinary Soul Masters.

"Before absorbing these two Soul Rings beyond my limit, I estimated that the chance of success was ninety-eight percent. And when I absorbed them, everything went as smoothly as I expected. Nothing went wrong."

Xue Qinghe listened to Lin Yao's explanation, but his brows remained furrowed. He had seen and experienced much, and knew that even with a powerful constitution, absorbing Soul Rings beyond one's limit was no easy matter.

He stared into Lin Yao's eyes, his tone stern.

"Yao, I know you are exceptionally talented, and I understand your pursuit of power. But you must remember not to let your guard down just because you succeeded before.

"The further a Soul Master's Cultivation progresses, the greater the risks become. One wrong step, and there is no redemption.

"If your first Soul Ring truly tempered your body with Star Power, then the risk was somewhat lower.

"But your second Soul Ring came from a Molten Demon Bear, a powerful soul beast possessing both violent Fire Attribute power and immense strength. At four or five thousand years, even with a strong constitution, absorbing it could not possibly have been easy.

"You don't need to hide anything just to put me at ease."

Xue Qinghe had struck at the heart of the matter, and Lin Yao could not help showing a hint of embarrassment.

He truly had not told the whole story—although the accident during the absorption of the second Soul Ring had not been caused by the Soul Ring's age, he had fallen unconscious for several days due to the awakening of his External Soul Bone. That was a fact he could not deny.

Meeting Xue Qinghe's meaningful gaze, Lin Yao nodded lightly.

"You're right. There was indeed a small accident when I absorbed the second Soul Ring. I was unconscious for a few days, but I obtained an External Soul Bone, so it could be considered a blessing in disguise."

"External Soul Bone?"

A flicker of surprise passed through Xue Qinghe's eyes before his expression turned serious again.

"Even so, you must be cautious in the future. Talent is an asset, not a reason to take reckless risks.

Also, only Senior Chen Xin and the others should know about the External Soul Bone. Aside from them, do not let anyone else know that you obtained one."

"Alright, I understand, Brother Qinghe. And from now on, before doing anything, I'll carefully consider the risks and think twice before acting."

Lin Yao made the promise earnestly, without the slightest hint of perfunctoriness in his tone.

Seeing Lin Yao's sincere attitude, Xue Qinghe's concerns eased somewhat, and a smile returned to his face.

"Alright, enough of that. It's just about mealtime, and I had someone prepare your favorite Sweet and Sour Fish. Let's eat and talk."

At the dining table, the two discussed the situation in the Heaven Dou Empire, as well as interesting stories from the world of soul masters.

Xue Qinghe occasionally asked Lin Yao about his Cultivation experiences at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Lin Yao answered everything he knew, sharing his understanding of the Star Sword Martial Soul.

After the meal, Xue Qinghe suggested they spar, and Lin Yao naturally agreed.

The two arrived at the Eastern Palace's Battle Soul Arena. Xue Qinghe summoned his Swan Martial Soul, his soul power fluctuations steady at Level 31 Soul Elder.

This was the strength he had deliberately suppressed himself to in order to impersonate Xue Qinghe.

Seeing this, Lin Yao did not go all out either, allowing Xue Qinghe to barely hold on.

The Swan Martial Soul excelled in speed to begin with, but its offensive power was weak. Faced with the Star Sword's sharp sword ki, it had no ability to fight back at all.

Yet Xue Qinghe's eye was extremely keen. After only a few exchanges, he saw that Lin Yao's soul power had already reached Level 25, just one step away from Level 26.

He secretly marveled—how long had it been since Lin Yao broke through Level 20? Yet he had already crossed half of the Soul Grandmaster stage. This was the terrifying boost of an over-limit Soul Ring.

For an ordinary soul master, even one with Innate Full Soul Power, rising from Level 20 to Level 25 would take several years. Yet Lin Yao had accomplished it in only a few short months.

"Your rate of soul power growth is truly terrifying."

After the sparring match ended, Xue Qinghe wiped the thin sweat from his forehead, his tone full of emotion.

"At your pace, it won't be long before you leave those geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power far behind. I'm afraid only by cultivating with all my strength could I barely keep you suppressed."

He paused, recalling how he had felt during their spar. His brows drew together slightly.

"Oh, right. When we fought just now, I kept feeling that your Star Sword Martial Soul had some special connection with my Martial Soul, carrying a faint sense of familiarity. What's going on?"

Lin Yao's heart stirred.

He knew that Xue Qinghe's true Martial Soul was the Six-Winged Angel, while the Star Sword Martial Soul contained the pure energies of heaven and earth.

Perhaps it was this energy that had resonated with the sacred power of the Six-Winged Angel. He smiled and shook his head.

"I'm not sure either. Perhaps the attributes of the two Martial Souls are similar."

Xue Qinghe did not press the matter. He merely nodded thoughtfully.

As the sky gradually darkened, Lin Yao rose to take his leave.

Xue Qinghe escorted him to the entrance of the Eastern Palace. Watching Lin Yao's figure gradually vanish into the twilight, a complicated glint flashed through his eyes.

He was astonished by Lin Yao's talent, yet also puzzled by the sense of connection between their Martial Souls.

"If Yao remains loyal to me, he will surely become my most capable assistant in the future."

He murmured softly, then turned and returned to the palace to continue handling the unfinished government affairs.

Lin Yao walked out of the imperial palace, the evening breeze brushing his face with a faint chill.

He looked up at the Night Sky and saw countless stars scattered across it, echoing the star patterns on his Star Sword Martial Soul from afar.

He knew that this meeting with Xue Qinghe had not only brought the two of them closer, but had also given him a new understanding of Qian Renxue.

Perhaps this genius toyed with by fate was not as beyond saving as she had been in the original story.

And perhaps, without even realizing it, he could change the course of her fate.