Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud

"Alright, Qinghe, tell me, what are your current thoughts?" Xue Ye's voice was deep and stern as he sat before the desk in his study, his gaze staring sharply at "Xue Qinghe".

Xue Ye waved his hand to dismiss the surrounding maids, then motioned for Xue Qinghe to sit down, clearly wanting to speak with him in private. The study fell quiet instantly, leaving only Xue Ye and Qian Renxue.

"In this subject's view, as I just said, the response must be heavy, not light." Qian Renxue's voice was somewhat low as she raised her head to lock gazes with Xue Ye. "This recent matter indeed originated from our Heaven Dou, and the other party even yielded once during the very first conflict, but very quickly..."

Xue Ye furrowed his brow, naturally aware of how events had unfolded. Thinking back on it now, hard to believe though it was, that Peerless Douluo and Super Douluo truly both took that six-year-old child as their leader, even giving the impression that they served as the child's bodyguards. When the first offense occurred, perhaps it was partly because those two powerhouses didn't care, but it was also likely because of that six-year-old boy Lang Lei that they suppressed the urge to strike—or rather, they didn't want to cause trouble for Lang Lei.

However, matters did not settle there. Just as this storm had yet to pass, another incident occurred, causing Xue Ye's brow to furrow even more tightly.

Although this latest event bore the suspicion that the other party had struck too heavily, it was undeniable that the noble faction had indeed provoked the conflict first. And as for himself, he had treated it entirely as a routine matter of an ordinary genius offending the nobles, even hoping to use the opportunity to win over some kingdom nobles. Yet, facts proved that he had clearly kicked a hard steel plate this time. Even if the subordinate kingdoms weren't completely alienated this time, they had likely entered a wait-and-see state.

At that moment, Qian Renxue suddenly spoke up. "Therefore, in this subject's view, this conflict can conversely be considered a good thing."

Hearing this, Xue Ye let out a cold snort, clearly in disagreement with Qian Renxue's assessment, and said in an irritated tone, "A good thing? For you, perhaps it truly is."

Seeing this, Qian Renxue quickly explained, "Father, please calm your anger. This subject means that for our Heaven Dou Empire, this conflict can indeed be counted as a favorable turn."

Hearing this, Xue Ye's expression eased slightly, and he asked in puzzlement, "Oh? What do you mean by that? Let me hear it."

Qian Renxue hurriedly replied, "Father, you should have seen it today as well. Little brother Lang Lei is definitely an unprecedented genius. Leaving aside the fact that at six years old he has already reached level-twenty-nine Soul Power, simply the fact that his first two soul rings could be absorbed autonomously as Thousand-Year Spirit Rings is something no one has ever managed from ancient times to the present."

"Indeed, that is also what concerns me. If we become enemies this time, who's to say that a few decades from now, another Peerless Douluo won't emerge..."

"So, based on this subject's observation, the other party's perspective on things is indeed somewhat unique, as if he is not immersed within them, but rather observing everything from the stance of a bystander." Qian Renxue's tone was extremely resolute.

"A bystander?" Emperor Xue Ye repeated the term thoughtfully.

"That's right. He seems completely indifferent to everything unrelated to himself, with zero intention of intervening. Such an attitude is likely not a good omen for us." Qian Renxue continued her analysis. "After all, if he always maintains this stance, even if he truly manages to graduate smoothly from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, it will probably be very difficult for him to develop a genuine sense of belonging to the Heaven Dou Empire. Should that happen, attempting to recruit him will become exceptionally difficult."

"Mm, what you say makes sense." Emperor Xue Ye nodded in agreement.

"However, although this conflict has caused us to develop some friction with him, from another angle, it may not necessarily be a bad opportunity." Qian Renxue shifted the topic. "An opportunity that allows us to have a direct dialogue with him. We did indeed offend him this time, but if we handle it properly, we might still be able to convert him into our friend."

Emperor Xue Ye was very interested in Qian Renxue's perspective and pressed on, "Then, in your view, what kind of gifts should we send him?"

Able to ascend to the imperial throne, he naturally possessed extraordinary qualities. The reason he had lost his composure just a moment ago was entirely because anger and panic had clouded his reason. Yet as he gradually calmed down, he also began to realize that this indeed seemed like a rare opportunity.

Of course, although this opportunity wasn't strictly necessary, he actually tended to favor creating such chances through a gentler, more stable approach. After all, he did not care for overly radical and risky methods.

"Father, please forgive this subject's presumption, but in my view, we may need to draw upon some precious items within the imperial treasury."

Xue Ye muttered inwardly that under normal circumstances, if anyone dared to proactively bring up this topic with him, he would certainly fly into a rage. But at this very moment, the situation was different.

With Qian Renxue presenting this suggestion under the guise of "Xue Qinghe" amidst such unusual circumstances, Xue Ye unexpectedly found it entirely logical. After all, for those figures standing at the absolute peak, things that could genuinely attract them were truly few and far on the ground.

As for the imperial palace treasury, it had existed since the founding of the Heaven Dou Empire, with various rare treasures continuously deposited inside over time, while items were rarely ever retrieved. This also meant that every single piece within the imperial treasury could be called a supreme treasure, serving as a symbol of the profound heritage of the Heaven Dou imperial family.

"Granted. Then if you were to choose, what items do you think would be best to send?"

"This subject wouldn't dare overstep."

"You suddenly don't dare overstep now." Xue Ye chuckled with a mock scold. "Fine, I won't make things difficult for you either. Tomorrow after the court session, come back here, and I will hand the items over to you so that you, the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, can deliver them to those few."

"Understood!"

After Qian Renxue left, Xue Ye sat quietly alone in the room, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He pondered within himself just what sort of gifts would be appropriate to send.

Xue Ye's mind began to flash rapidly through various possible gift options. The imperial treasury housed countless precious treasures, and even rare items like soul bones. However, those soul bones were specifically prepared for members of the imperial family to bolster their strength. To be honest, Xue Ye was quite reluctant to take those soul bones out and give them away as gifts to others—especially today, just after having been threatened by someone else's sheer power.

Suddenly, a thought flashed across Xue Ye's mind, and he recalled an item that had always been kept within the imperial palace treasury—the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.