Awareness and Breaking the Deadlock

After more than two months of grueling cultivation, Princess Xue Ke, who had supposedly been "training in seclusion" under the royal family's arrangements, was finally allowed out today to obtain her first soul ring.

The royal family assigned two guards to accompany Princess Xue Ke, and the group arrived at the outskirts of the Royal Hunting Park, where the royal family raised soul beasts.

"Brother!" Xue Ke spotted Xue Qinghe waiting for her at the hunting park entrance from far away. She ran toward him in a skipping hop and wrapped her arms around her adopted brother's arm.

Xue Qinghe wore a simple casual outfit today, yet it could not conceal his distinctive elegance and noble bearing.

"Did I keep you waiting long, Brother?" Xue Ke lowered her head and asked sheepishly.

"It's fine. I only arrived not long ago." Xue Qinghe had promised Xue Ke that he would accompany her today to hunt for a soul ring.

The brother and sister walked arm in arm into the hunting park with the guards behind them.

"Have you decided what soul beast you want to hunt, Xiao Ke?" Xue Qinghe asked.

"Brother, I heard there's a four-hundred-year-old Green Light Willow Tree in the Royal Hunting Park. I've chosen it for my first soul ring."

That was right. Xue Ke's martial soul was suited for the support system, and the Jade Swan Martial Soul clearly did not possess much offensive power.

With the Sunflower Scripture in hand, Xue Ke believed she would not lack offensive methods in the future.

The Sunflower Scripture was divided into internal and external techniques. After over two months of intermittent training, Xue Ke had finally achieved modest success in the first level of her internal cultivation method and could clearly feel that her perception had improved significantly.

She believed that once she cultivated the first level to completion and unlocked the second level of the internal cultivation method, she would be able to practice some of the simpler external martial arts recorded in the scripture and gain a basic ability to protect herself.

Xue Ke and the others soon found that four-hundred-year-old Green Light Willow Tree in the forest.

"Go on, Xiao Ke!" Xue Qinghe encouraged her.

Xue Ke took a sharp dagger from her Storage Ring, infused it with Soul Power, and ended the Green Light Willow Tree's life with a single strike. A yellow soul ring slowly appeared before her.

Xue Ke sat down cross-legged, drew the yellow soul ring toward herself, and began absorbing it.

Xue Qinghe watched Xue Ke calmly absorb the soul ring, his emotions conflicted.

What am I supposed to do with you, my dear little sister? I truly don't want to hurt you, but you have indeed threatened my interests. All I can do is let you die without pain. I hope you won't blame me. If you must blame someone, blame the fact that you were born into the royal family.

A faint, imperceptible killing intent flashed through Xue Qinghe's eyes.

Xue Ke suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, and her brows furrowed slightly.

What's going on? Why did Qian Renxue suddenly develop killing intent toward me? The Early Warning System that came with the Sunflower Scripture issued its first warning to Xue Ke. Several large red words appeared in her mind: Danger! Danger! Danger!

Never mind. I'll absorb the soul ring first.

Before long, Xue Ke successfully absorbed the Green Light Willow Tree's soul ring. She officially became a Spirit Master and broke through to level 11.

"Brother, I'm done." Xue Ke slowly rose to her feet. Having sensed Xue Qinghe's killing intent, all the joy she felt at becoming a Spirit Master vanished.

"Can you tell Brother what your soul skill is?" Xue Qinghe asked.

"My first soul skill is called Song of Life. It can heal injuries, restore 20% of one's vitality, and remove all abnormal conditions, including Mental Interference, poisoning, paralysis, and so on. It can be used not only on others, but on myself as well."

Although Xue Ke did not understand why Qian Renxue had revealed killing intent toward her, she still chose to tell the truth.

"A very powerful support-type soul skill. Xiao Ke has finally officially become a Spirit Master!" Xue Qinghe praised her with a smile, though the killing intent in his heart only grew stronger.

Sensing the killing intent again, alarm bells rang wildly in Xue Ke's mind. She lowered her head and fell silent.

Thus, the brother and sister, each harboring their own thoughts, left the Royal Hunting Park and boarded separate carriages to return home.

On the way back, Xue Ke pondered bitterly. Did I threaten her interests, so she developed killing intent toward me? Xue Ye's 'meticulous' care for me over the past two months must have made her suspicious. She thinks I'm threatening her position as crown prince.

Wait, my first soul skill... According to the anime's plot, Emperor Xue Ye was secretly poisoned with a slow-acting toxin by Qian Renxue for years, causing his health to worsen with every passing year so that Qian Renxue could usurp the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire.

If Yang Wudi and Tang San had not appeared, the Heaven Dou Palace Coup she launched might have succeeded.

My first soul skill can remove all abnormal conditions and restore vitality. Wouldn't that mean I might have a chance to bring Emperor Xue Ye back from the brink of death in the future?

Xue Ke finally grasped the heart of the problem.

I must make Qian Renxue put aside her concerns about me. Otherwise, I might suddenly die overnight without even knowing how I died.

Xue Ke was still deeply shaken by Qian Renxue's terrifying nature. She had no doubt that, to ensure her plan to steal the nation went off without a hitch, Qian Renxue would silently eliminate her. The Second Prince and Third Prince were proof enough.

Should I pretend to be a useless playboy like Xue Beng to dispel Qian Renxue's wariness? No, that won't work! My cultivation talent has already drawn Xue Ye's attention, and I foolishly exposed my first soul skill before her. That only strengthened Qian Renxue's resolve to kill me.

Only now did Xue Ke realize the danger, and a wave of lingering fear washed over her.

In the end, after thinking it over and over, Xue Ke could only come up with the stupidest solution: bind Qian Renxue with sibling affection and turn her into an incurable little-sister fanatic.

According to the memories of her previous self, Qian Renxue had indeed doted on this adopted little sister before Xue Ke awakened her martial soul.

From a young age, Qian Renxue had resolved to leave the "comfort zone" Spirit Hall had set for her. She brought along her two trusted aides, She Long and Ci Xue, and came to this Heaven Dou Empire, where she had neither a father's love nor a mother's care.

If Hu Liena was the outlet for Bibi Dong's nowhere-to-go maternal love, then why couldn't I, Xue Ke, follow her example and become Qian Renxue's emotional anchor in the Heaven Dou Empire?

Action was better than thought. To save her own skin, Xue Ke had no choice but to begin this game of hunter and prey with Qian Renxue.

Xue Ke called out to the coachman outside the carriage, "Turn the carriage around. This Princess is going to the Prince's Mansion."

Before long, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the Prince's Mansion. The guards at the gate naturally recognized Princess Xue Ke, who had already become a prominent figure in Heaven Dou City, and did not stop her from entering.

"Xiao Ke, why have you come?" After receiving a servant's report, Xue Qinghe brought Xue Ke into the main hall of the Prince's Mansion.

Xue Ke threw herself into Xue Qinghe's arms. Her little hands wrapped around his waist, and she rested her head against his lower abdomen.

"Brother, I don't want to go back! These past two months have exhausted me! You have no idea how miserable I've been. The thought of going back and having to study day and night every day, without any time to play at all, makes me want to cry. I can't eat well or sleep peacefully at the residence. I've gotten so much thinner over these two months!"

Xue Ke complained as if pouring out endless grievances. By the end, her voice carried a sobbing tone, and tears unconsciously streamed down her face, soaking Xue Qinghe's clothes.

Seeing Xue Ke in such a pitiable state, Xue Qinghe was deeply moved. His left hand gently stroked Xue Ke's hair while his right hand lightly patted her back.