Lu Ming is living off a woman?! Ten million gold soul coins!

"..."

The light in Xue Qinghe's eyes instantly extinguished, replaced by an urge to punch someone.

Was this guy playing with her?

If it weren't for the fact that they were on Jixia Academy grounds, she would have really wanted her guards to pin this guy down and rough him up.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in her heart, and patiently asked, "Then what do you mean, Brother Lu Ming?"

Lu Ming tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his expression inscrutable.

"Didn't you want the two academies to have a competition and spar?"

"This, I have a way to help you arrange it."

Xue Qinghe froze, looking at him with some suspicion. "You? Didn't you just say you were a nobody and didn't know the dean? This kind of major event involving exchanges between two academies, can you make the decision?"

He couldn't even get a meeting with the dean, so how could he arrange a spar between the two academies?

Lu Ming smiled slightly, not answering directly, but beckoning Xue Qinghe over.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, come closer."

Although Xue Qinghe was puzzled, she couldn't help but be curious and leaned in slightly, bringing her ear closer.

Lu Ming leaned close to her ear, deliberately lowering his voice, his warm breath spraying onto her sensitive ear.

"Because... I'm good at horse riding!"

"Horse riding?"

Xue Qinghe was stunned, subconsciously repeating the word.

What did this have to do with arranging a competition?

Did the higher-ups at Jixia Academy like horse racing?

But the next second, when she met Lu Ming's eyes, which held a hint of teasing and deep meaning, a flash of inspiration struck her mind.

Horse riding... riding a horse... riding...

As the "Crown Prince" who grew up in the corrupt environment of the imperial palace, although she maintained her integrity, she naturally understood certain dirty jokes and veiled innuendos.

What horse riding!

This was clearly an insinuation that he had an unspeakable "riding" relationship with a certain high-ranking female figure in the academy!

In other words, he was... a kept man!

Boom!

Xue Qinghe's face instantly turned red to the roots of his ears. His originally fair and elegant face was now like a ripe tomato.

"Vulgar!" cursed fiercely in heart.

So this Lu Ming rose to power through such means!

No wonder Gongsun Li and Cai Wenji had that attitude towards him just now, no wonder said that being handsome was useful.

After all this, this guy is just a gigolo kept by a rich woman!

"Cough cough..."

Xue Qinghe coughed awkwardly twice, eyes darting around, not daring to look at Lu Ming at all.

"So... so it's this horse riding skill! Brother Lu Ming is indeed... hiding his true strength."

Lu Ming looked at ashamed and furious appearance and was even happier in heart.

(He) deliberately moved closer, looking at Xue Qinghe's face, which was so red it was almost bleeding, and pretended to ask with concern, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, why is your face so red?"

"Are you suffering from heatstroke?"

Xue Qinghe quickly took half a step back, creating distance, and fanned (himself) with hand in a flustered manner.

"It's hot! It's noon, the sun is scorching, it's indeed too hot."

Lu Ming's gaze swept across the tightly wrapped brocade robe was wearing, with a hint of teasing in tone.

"Since it's hot, why doesn't the Crown Prince take off his outer clothes?"

As spoke, reached out and naturally placed a hand on Xue Qinghe's shoulder, as if wanting to help undress.

"Look how tightly you're wrapped up, even covering your neck. It's no wonder you're not hot."

The moment fingertips touched Xue Qinghe's shoulder, Lu Ming could clearly feel body stiffen abruptly.

"Ah?!"

Xue Qinghe was greatly alarmed and, like being electrocuted, violently flung Lu Ming's hand away.

What a joke!

(He) was wearing women's clothing underneath. If took off the outer clothes, wouldn't be exposed on the spot?

Besides, why was this guy being so handsy!

"No... no need!"

Xue Qinghe stammered, "My... my physique is special, I'm sensitive to the cold! Yes, I'm sensitive to the cold, I can't take off my clothes."

To cover his embarrassment and to quickly escape this topic filled with ambiguous and dangerous undertones, Xue Qinghe took a deep breath and forced his expression back to seriousness.

"Brother Lu Ming, since you have a way... even if it's that kind of way." gritted teeth. Although despised it inwardly, for the sake of the bigger picture, had to endure it.

"Then I'll trouble Brother Lu Ming to arrange the competition and sparring between the two academies. If this can be achieved, I owe you a favor."

Lu Ming sat back down on the stone stool, crossed his legs, and the smile on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a look of disinterest.

"I never agreed."

"You!"

Xue Qinghe was choked with anger.

Didn't you just propose it yourself, and now you say you didn't agree?

"Brother Lu Ming, are you toying with me?" Xue Qinghe's voice carried a hint of anger.

(He) was truly angry.

As the Crown Prince, when had ever been toyed with like this, time and time again?

Lu Ming, however, was not flustered at all. (He) held up a finger and waved it in front of Xue Qinghe.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, don't be anxious. There's no free lunch in this world, let alone something as important as this."

"If you want me to use my... 'Horse Riding Skill' connections to help you, that's very draining."

Lu Ming looked at Xue Qinghe and said calmly, "This depends on Your Highness the Crown Prince's sincerity."

Xue Qinghe looked at the finger, his brow furrowed.

"One thousand Gold Soul Coins?"

(He) asked tentatively.

For an ordinary person, one thousand Gold Soul Coins was already a huge sum.

Lu Ming let out a scoff and shook his head, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, you're not very savvy. Asking someone to do something for you, is this amount enough to dismiss a beggar?"

Xue Qinghe took a deep breath and spoke again, "Ten thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

Lu Ming still shook his head.

Xue Qinghe gritted his teeth, "One hundred thousand!"

Lu Ming still shook his head, not even bothering to lift his eyelids.

Xue Qinghe's heart sank.

One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins wasn't a small sum, did this guy have such a huge appetite?

"Could it be one million?"

Xue Qinghe's voice trembled slightly.

One Million Gold Soul Coins was enough to equip an elite Soul Master legion!

However, Lu Ming still shook his head.

He slowly withdrew his finger, looked at Xue Qinghe, and calmly uttered a number.

"Ten Million Gold Soul Coins!"

"What? Ten Million Gold Soul Coins?!"

Xue Qinghe's eyes widened sharply, his voice instantly rising by eight octaves, completely losing his composure.

"Are you crazy?!"

Ten Million Gold Soul Coins!

What kind of concept was that?

One Gold Soul Coin was enough for an ordinary family of three to live comfortably for a year.

Even Bibi Dong, the Pope of the Martial Soul Hall and the most powerful woman on the continent, only had a public salary of one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins per year.

Ten million was equivalent to Bibi Dong working for a hundred years without eating or drinking!

This sum was even enough to buy several incredibly rare Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones!

Ten million just to arrange a sparring match?

This was outright robbery!

"Why don't you just go rob someone?!" Xue Qinghe trembled with anger.