"Now that you've won the match, you should get some rest. As for you, Your Highness, shouldn't you be in the palace helping Your Majesty review memorials? What are you doing at my shabby little temple?"
Xue Qinghe did not touch the cup of tea.
"Lu Ming."
The Crown Prince's voice changed.
It was no longer that warm, jade-like male voice. It now carried a trace of chilliness, an ethereal quality like snow and ice atop a mountain.
"Let's get acquainted again."
As a disguise mask as thin as cicada wings was removed, the ordinary face that had belonged to a man vanished.
In its place was a peerlessly beautiful face capable of eclipsing heaven and earth.
Golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Her skin was fairer than snow, her eyes sparkled like stars, and beneath her high nose bridge were naturally crimson lips.
The imperial majesty she had deliberately restrained now poured forth without reservation, even carrying an aura of sacred inviolability.
It was the unique temperament bestowed upon her by the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.
"Qian Renxue of Spirit Hall."
The young woman slightly raised her chin, her blazing gaze fixed on Lu Ming as she waited for shock, panic, or even the slightest hint of surprise to appear on his face.
However.
Lu Ming merely blinked.
He lifted his teacup and took a sip, then set it down and pointed at the tea before Qian Renxue, which had already gone somewhat cool.
"Mm, that's a nice name."
"The tea's getting cold. Drink it while it's hot."
Qian Renxue froze.
For the first time, a trace of bewilderment appeared in those golden eyes that had once been filled with intimidation.
That was it?
Nice name?
She was the Young Master of Spirit Hall, the biological daughter of Pope Bibi Dong, the greatest hidden hand who had infiltrated the Heaven Dou Empire for more than a decade!
She had just transformed before his very eyes, changing from a man into a stunning beauty!
Why was this man's reaction more indifferent than if he had seen an extra piece of braised pork at dinner?
"You... aren't surprised?"
Qian Renxue could not help asking. The speech she had prepared so carefully vanished from her mind, and she could not utter a single word of it.
Lu Ming picked up an orange from the fruit platter and slowly peeled it.
"Surprised about what? That you're a woman? Or that you're from Spirit Hall?"
He tore off a segment of orange and stuffed it into his mouth, then said indistinctly:
"Your Highness, we're old acquaintances by now. That Angel Martial Soul scent on you might fool those few old fools, but to me, it's no different from a firefly in the night."
Qian Renxue's hand resting on her knee clenched abruptly.
He had known all along?
What she had seen in the Simulator was only the outcome. She had never expected the process to be so... frustrating.
"Since Dean Lu knew already, why did you not expose me?"
Qian Renxue stared intently into Lu Ming's eyes, trying to find even the slightest flaw within them.
"What benefit would there be in exposing you?"
Lu Ming casually tossed the remaining orange peel into the wastebasket and wiped the juice from his hands.
"Sell you out to Xue Ye? What could that old man give me? A few Gold Soul Coins? Or some noble title with no real power? Besides, if I exposed you, I'd have to deal with Spirit Hall hunting me down. What a hassle."
He spoke with perfect confidence, as if this were nothing more than the simplest business calculation.
Qian Renxue fell silent.
Looking at the lazy air surrounding the man before her, the competitiveness in her heart was instead stirred awake.
"Since Dean Lu has laid everything out in the open, then I will stop hiding things as well."
Qian Renxue leaned forward. Her peerlessly beautiful face glimmered beneath the light, enough to drive any man mad.
"Jixia Academy has now become a target for all. Salas is investigating you, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is watching you, and even the Two Great Empires are plotting against you in secret. Lu Ming, you need an ally."
"An ally powerful enough."
She extended one hand, palm upward, making an inviting gesture.
"Join me. In the future, I will rule this continent. And you will stand above all but one."
These were words she had wanted to say countless times in the Simulator, yet had only found the courage to speak today.
She was confident.
In appearance, Qian Renxue believed she was inferior to no one. In status, she would become the future Pope of Spirit Hall, perhaps even the future Empress of Heaven Dou. In strength, she was a peerless genius with Innate Full Soul Power at level twenty.
With such terms, Lu Ming had no reason to refuse.
Lu Ming looked at that jade-white palm.
He had to admit, it was a beautiful hand, with long slender fingers and delicate skin.
But he did not take it.
"Above all but one?"
Lu Ming smiled, rose to his feet, and casually smoothed the hem of his clothes.
"Your Highness, your vision is still a little too narrow."
Qian Renxue frowned slightly.
Narrow vision?
She wanted to unify the continent, eliminate the conflicts between the Two Great Empires, and establish an unprecedented sacred nation. And that was narrow-minded?
"What do you mean by that, Dean Lu?"
"There's no point explaining it with words."
Lu Ming walked to the bookshelf, placed his hand on an inconspicuous ancient book, and gently pressed it down.
Clack, clack, clack—
A series of dull mechanical sounds suddenly echoed through the room.
The once-level floor suddenly split apart, revealing a stairway leading underground. Glowing fluorite was embedded along both sides of the steps, stretching deep beyond the reach of sight.
"Since Your Highness has invited me so sincerely, I can't be too stingy."
Lu Ming turned back and crooked a finger at Qian Renxue.
"I'll take you somewhere. Once you've seen it, then we can talk about allies and all that."
Qian Renxue looked at the dark, unfathomable opening, alarm bells ringing in her heart.
Reason told her that entering an unknown underground chamber with a man whose depths she could not fathom was an extremely dangerous thing to do.
But in the Simulator, she had not died from following Lu Ming.
"Fine."
Qian Renxue rose to her feet and put the human-skin mask back on. In an instant, she returned to the refined and gentle Xue Qinghe.
Although their identities had already been revealed, she was still accustomed to showing herself in this guise in such surroundings.
The two descended the stairs one after the other.
At first, it was quiet all around, with only their footsteps audible.
But as they went deeper, a strange scent began to fill the air.
It was the burnt smell of metal grinding against metal, mixed with the scent of some special fuel burning.
The tremors beneath their feet also grew stronger.
Rumble—rumble—
It was as though an ancient beast deep underground was breathing heavily.
After walking for roughly a quarter of an hour.
The view ahead suddenly opened up.
When Xue Qinghe finally emerged from the passage and stood upon the cliffside platform, she froze in place.
Her breathing stopped at that moment.
Not even in her dreams, nor in the most insane records of Spirit Hall's ancient texts, had she ever seen such a shocking sight.
This was no underground chamber.
This was clearly a... city!
An Underground Iron City made entirely of steel, gears, steam, and soul guide circuits!
Before you continue