Qian Renxue's Identity Exposed

"Winning the match naturally calls for a rest. But Your Highness, why aren't you at the palace accompanying His Majesty with memorials, and instead coming to my humble little temple?"

Xue Qinghe didn't touch the tea.

"Lu Ming."

The Crown Prince's voice changed.

No longer that warm, jade-like male tone, but laced with a hint of coldness, an ethereal quality like mountain snow and ice.

"Let's start over."

As a paper-thin disguise mask was peeled away, the originally ordinary male face vanished.

In its place appeared a beauty stunning enough to dim heaven and earth.

Golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall, skin whiter than snow, eyes as brilliant as stars, and lips naturally red beneath a high-bridged nose.

The royal dignity she had deliberately suppressed now radiated without restraint, carrying an aura of sacred inviolability.

That was the unique temperament bestowed by her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.

"Martial Soul Hall, Qian Renxue."

The young girl lifted her chin slightly, her gaze burning as she stared at Lu Ming, waiting for shock, panic, or even a hint of surprise on his face.

Yet.

Lu Ming just blinked.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, set it down, then pointed at the slightly cooled tea in front of Qian Renxue.

"Mhm, 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 been so full of pressure.

That's it?

Nice name?

She was the Young Master of Martial Soul Hall, the biological daughter of Pope Bibi Dong, the mastermind lurking in Heaven Dou Empire for over a decade!

She had just transformed right before his eyes, from a man into a stunning beauty!

This person's reaction was more indifferent than if he'd seen an extra piece of braised pork in his dinner.

"You... aren't surprised?"

Qian Renxue couldn't help asking, her carefully prepared speech now utterly useless.

Lu Ming grabbed an orange from the fruit plate and began peeling it leisurely.

"Surprised at what? That you're a woman? Or that you're from Martial Soul Hall?"

He tore off a slice of orange and stuffed it into his mouth, speaking indistinctly:

"Your Highness, we're old acquaintances. That angelic martial soul aura of yours—you can only fool those old fogies. To me, it's no different from a firefly in the night."

Qian Renxue's hands on her knees clenched tightly.

He'd known all along?

What she saw in the Simulator was only the result; she never imagined the process would be so... frustrating.

"Since Dean Lu knew all along, why didn't you expose me?"

Qian Renxue stared intently into Lu Ming's eyes, trying to find a crack.

"What good would exposing you do me?"

Lu Ming tossed the remaining orange peel into the wastebasket and patted the juice off his hands.

"Sell you out to Emperor Xue Ye? What could that old man give me? A few Gold Soul Coins? Or a hollow title? Besides, if I exposed you, I'd have to deal with Martial Soul Hall hunting me down. Too much trouble."

He said it with utter conviction, as if it were the simplest business calculation.

Qian Renxue fell silent.

She looked at this man radiating laziness, and instead, her competitive spirit was stirred.

"Since Dean Lu has laid it all out, I won't hold back either."

Qian Renxue leaned forward, her exquisite face glowing under the light, enough to drive any man wild.

"Jixia Academy is now a target for everyone. Salas is investigating you, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is watching you, even the Two Great Empires are scheming in the shadows. Lu Ming, you need an ally."

"A strong enough ally."

She extended a hand, palm up, in an inviting gesture.

"Join me. In the future, I will be the ruler of this continent. And you will stand above all, second only to me."

This was what she had wanted to say countless times in the Simulator but only now had the courage to speak.

She was confident.

In terms of appearance, Qian Renxue was confident she lost to no one; in status, she was the future Pope of Martial Soul Hall, and even the future Empress of Heaven Dou; in strength, she was a peerless genius with Innate Full Soul Power at rank twenty.

With such conditions, Lu Ming had no reason to refuse.

Lu Ming looked at that hand, white and flawless like jade.

He had to admit, the hand was beautiful—long fingers, delicate skin.

But he did not take it.

"One man under heaven?"

Lu Ming chuckled, stood up, and casually smoothed the hem of his robes.

"Your Highness, your vision is still a bit narrow."

Qian Renxue's brow furrowed slightly.

Narrow vision?

She wanted to unify the continent, eliminate the strife between the Two Great Empires, and establish an unprecedented sacred kingdom—and that was narrow vision?

"Dean Lu, what do you mean by that?"

"Words are boring."

Lu Ming walked over to the bookshelf, reached out, pressed down on an unremarkable ancient tome, and pushed it gently.

Click, click, click—

A dull sound of mechanisms suddenly echoed through the room.

The originally flat floor split open, revealing a staircase leading underground. Glowing fluorescent stones were embedded on both sides of the stairs, stretching into depths beyond sight.

"Since Your Highness has sincerely invited me, I can't be too stingy."

Lu Ming turned back and crooked a finger at Qian Renxue.

"Let me take you somewhere. After you've seen it, then we'll talk about allies or not."

Qian Renxue stared at the dark opening, alarm bells ringing in her mind.

Reason told her that following an unfathomable man into an unknown underground chamber was extremely dangerous.

But in the Simulator, she hadn't died from following Lu Ming.

"Fine."

Qian Renxue stood up, carefully put the human-skin mask back on, and instantly transformed back into the gentle and refined Xue Qinghe.

Though their identities were already exposed, in this environment, she still preferred to show that face.

The two walked one after the other, descending the stairs.

At first, the surroundings were quiet, only the sound of their footsteps.

But as they went deeper, a strange smell began to permeate the air.

It was the burnt odor of metal friction, mixed with the scent of some special fuel burning.

The vibration of the ground grew stronger.

Rumble—rumble—

It was as if an ancient giant beast was breathing heavily deep underground.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour.

The view ahead suddenly opened up.

When Xue Qinghe fully emerged from the passage and stood on the cliff platform, her entire body froze in place.

Her breath stopped at that moment.

Even in her dreams, even in the most insane ancient records of Martial Soul Hall, she had never seen such a shocking sight.

This was no underground chamber.

This was clearly... a city!

A city entirely built of steel, gears, steam, and soul-conductor lines—an Underground Iron City!