Xue Haicang's Death

"At the time, that sword was only 0.01 centimeters from my throat. But a quarter of an incense stick later, its owner would fall completely in love with me, because I..."

One day afterward, while chatting with Da Xue, Su Yuntian described the danger of that night this way.

To his surprise, Da Xue merely shook her head. "What a joke. How could His Highness possibly fall in love with you? You're both men."

Though his lie had been exposed, Su Yuntian was not embarrassed. Instead, he smiled. "Since His Highness won't love me, then what about you, Sister Da Xue? Would you like to try loving me?"

Da Xue laughed again. "You're too young. By the time you grow up in a few years, I'll already be old and faded."

Su Yuntian repeatedly shook his head. "How could that be? In my heart, you'll always be sixteen, Sister."

Da Xue laughed happily.

Yet for some reason, Su Yuntian caught a trace of sorrow in her smile.

Why was that?

Was it because youth faded too easily, because her prime had come to nothing? Or was it for... some "him" in her heart?

No one could give Su Yuntian an answer.

They said a woman's heart was as deep as the sea, especially that of an older sister like her. She was even harder to fathom.

Da Xue was like that. Qian Renxue was the same.

In truth, Su Yuntian still did not quite understand the argument he had had with "Xue Qinghe" that night.

He did not understand why Qian Renxue had neither accepted his suggestion nor shown any sign of distancing herself from him.

At the time, Qian Renxue hesitated for a long while before finally putting her sword back into her Soul Tool. She merely asked Su Yuntian coldly, "Other than Xue Luochuan and Xue Haicang, what else do you know?"

Su Yuntian immediately shook his head. "Nothing else. As for those two princes, I was only making guesses. I have no concrete evidence."

That was a lie. He was deceiving me.

Relying on a woman's unique intuition, Qian Renxue saw through Su Yuntian's lie at once, and it angered her.

But... everything Su Yuntian had done since awakening his martial soul had remained within Qian Renxue's sight. It could be said that she had kept him under surveillance every day.

She was completely certain that over the past two years, Su Yuntian had made no move against her, shown no sign of betrayal, and done nothing excessive—other than tonight.

Where exactly was the problem?

How had he learned about Xue Haicang and Xue Luochuan? Could it really have been as he claimed, nothing more than guesswork?

After considering it from every angle, the only thing Qian Renxue could be certain of was that Su Yuntian might have serious issues, but he was still worthy of trust.

Just as she could easily see through Su Yuntian's lies, Qian Renxue could also easily sense his goodwill toward her.

That goodwill went beyond the respect a subordinate normally held for a superior, beyond the mutual appreciation between ordinary men. There was even a hint of tenderness in it, like a younger brother looking at an older sister, or an older brother looking at a younger sister.

It was precisely because of this goodwill, so easy for her to sense, that Qian Renxue ultimately decided to let Su Yuntian off.

"If you say there's nothing, then there's nothing."

In the end, Qian Renxue shot Su Yuntian an annoyed glare, then raised her small fist.

"Death may be spared, but punishment cannot. Prepare to get beaten."

In an instant, "Xue Qinghe" drove a fist straight into Su Yuntian's face, leaving him seeing stars and giving him a full-on panda eye with a huge black circle around it.

This baby was suffering!

Just like that, Xue Qinghe left the courtyard at dawn the next day, flicking her sleeve without taking so much as a cloud with her.

She could not quite believe what Su Yuntian had said, but she could trust him as a person. Before leaving, she secretly instructed Da Xue to take good care of him.

For several days in a row, Su Yuntian reflected on whether things might have gone better if he had phrased things differently.

If he had said a few more pleasant words, could he have avoided getting beaten?

As for the teasing between him and Da Xue, it was merely an interlude in all this.

A few days later, news arrived that Third Prince Xue Haicang had died suddenly.

Only ten days had passed since the night Qian Renxue had held her sword to Su Yuntian's neck.

Because of their low status, Su Yuntian and Da Xue could not learn the specific details behind Xue Haicang's sudden death. But judging from Qian Renxue's earlier reaction, it was likely the work of that "First Prince."

Just as he had told Qian Renxue, Su Yuntian felt no regret over Xue Haicang's death. He even felt that the more noble brats like him died—ones who spent all day playing at spirit battles and fooling around with women—the better it would be for society.

What Su Yuntian truly found regrettable was that Qian Renxue had ultimately not accepted his advice and had moved against Xue Haicang so quickly.

With "Xue Qinghe's" current talent and bearing, wouldn't defeating the wastrel Xue Haicang and the little brat Xue Beng in the struggle for succession be effortless?

Since she could surpass all the other contenders in both civil and martial matters, why was "Xue Qinghe" in such a hurry? Was it because she lacked a sense of security, or because Spirit Hall was pressuring her?

A month after Third Prince Xue Haicang's funeral, Xue Ye formally invested First Prince Xue Qinghe as Crown Prince.

Xue Qinghe held considerable prestige among the court officials. When they heard that he had been named Crown Prince, no one in court objected. Even the several censors who usually liked opposing the emperor unusually remained silent.

Xue Ye watched his heir below, surrounded by the crowd as though the stars were gathered around the moon.

While he felt gratified, Xue Ye could not help wondering what it would have looked like if his second and third sons had been standing among the officials.

What exactly had caused the deaths of his second and third sons?

Xue Ye frowned and began contemplating life.

After Xue Qinghe was named Crown Prince, he established a separate residence in one corner of the imperial city, where he could officially recruit advisers and soul masters.

When one man attained the Dao, even his chickens and dogs ascended to heaven. With Xue Qinghe's backing elevated, Da Xue and Su Yuntian rose with him. One became the chief steward of the Crown Prince's Mansion, while the other was granted the title of baron and made a knight.

On this continent, aside from the soul masters of Spirit Hall and the major sects, some soul masters were recruited by empires, kingdoms, and duchies. Most of them held low-ranking noble titles.

Su Yuntian's title of "baron" was the lowest rank in the nobility system. It came with no fief, and merely gave him the status of a minor noble in addition to being an ordinary knight.

To be precise, becoming a baron was only a small step out of commoner status and into the ranks of the nobility.

Just as "Xue Qinghe's" investiture as Crown Prince was only a small step in "her" grand ambition.

Naturally, Su Yuntian gladly accepted this noble title that had fallen from the sky.

A pie had fallen from the heavens. How could it not be sweet?

However, after being made a baron, Su Yuntian finally understood Qian Renxue's sinister intentions.

Not only had she summoned Su Yuntian to serve as the Crown Prince's study companion, she had also become a disciple of Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Before long, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Little Witch, Ning Rongrong, arrived at the Crown Prince's Mansion in Heaven Dou City.

Ning Rongrong, who was curious about everything, saw the golden-haired, red-eyed boy behind Xue Qinghe and let out a shrill, furious roar. "Su Yuntian, I'm going to kill you!"

Note 1: What direction do you think Ning Rongrong should take from here?

Note 2: As for the female lead, who do you all like?