Mr. Zhongli, a Scholar Beyond Compare!

In a breakfast shop in the western part of the city, the three of them took their seats.

The owner was utterly astonished. He had never expected His Highness the Crown Prince to visit his humble shop for tofu pudding!

As for the unidentified flying object, he had heard of it before, so it did not surprise him much.

"Two servings of Sweet Tofu Pudding, and one serving of Savory Tofu Pudding!"

"You heretic!" ×2

"Xue Qinghe" and Paimon looked at Zhongli and nearly thought the same thing at the same time.

After a brief exchange, "Xue Qinghe" was the first to rule out the correct answer.

Zhongli could absolutely not be that Lord!

She had heard that Zhongli was quite knowledgeable and had earned Dugu Bo's favor, which was why Dugu Bo had given him such a luxurious residence. Otherwise, having only just arrived, he and Little Cutie would likely have ended up on the streets.

"Brother Zhongli, I've heard that you are quite learned. Would you care to exchange a few thoughts?"

Toward Zhongli, this "ordinary person," "Xue Qinghe" maintained the same respect on the surface. It was her "mask," one she could not casually take off.

"His Highness the Crown Prince, Zhongli knows five hundred years..."

Paimon had only gotten this far when she seemed to think of something. She paused slightly, then abruptly changed her tune.

"Zhongli doesn't understand anything!"

"Other than freeloading, he can't do anything!"

Zhongli: "..."

There was something he did not know whether he should say.

"Xue Qinghe" froze for a moment, then discreetly glanced at Zhongli.

Even his martial soul said so. It seemed he truly did not understand much.

"No matter. What would His Highness the Crown Prince like to discuss?"

He would consider it payment for this breakfast.

Zhongli's voice was steady, giving people an exceptionally strong sense of trust and security.

That did not match his strength at all!

"Hmm?"

"Xue Qinghe" was somewhat surprised.

Paimon had already said that he could not do it, giving everyone a way out.

Yet he had stepped forward himself?

Since that was the case, she would not hold back!

"Brother Zhongli, what do you think of the current Spirit Hall?"

Right from the start, "Xue Qinghe" posed a lethal question. She was currently the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou, but one should not forget that she was also the Saintess of Spirit Hall!

To outsiders, this was the Heaven Dou Crown Prince's wariness toward Spirit Hall and his desire to learn more about it. The question was perfectly reasonable.

"Spirit Hall..."

Zhongli murmured, stroking his chin with his right hand as though deep in thought.

"Zhongli, if you don't know, don't bluff His Highness the Crown Prince. What if he stops treating us to tofu pudding!"

Zhongli and "Xue Qinghe": "..."

Little Cutie, did you have to be so honest?

"To be frank, Spirit Hall's current arrangements are excellent, but it is troubled by both internal and external threats."

Zhongli ignored little Paimon. Couldn't even food keep her mouth shut?

Hearing this, "Xue Qinghe" was slightly stunned.

Its arrangements were excellent?

Internal and external threats?

What did he mean by that?

Could it be that, just as Paimon had said, Zhongli was bluffing her?

If he really could bluff her, that would be Zhongli's skill.

"Brother Zhongli, what do you mean by excellent arrangements and internal and external threats?"

"Let us first speak of the arrangements."

"On Douluo Continent, the profession of soul master is the most noble, and soul masters are also the most powerful group."

"Throughout the territories of the two great empires, in cities and towns of every size, and even in some small villages, Spirit Hall establishes its buildings."

"Every year, it also uniformly helps commoners awaken their martial souls. Whenever a commoner has talent, Spirit Hall is always able to recruit them before anyone else."

The more "Xue Qinghe" listened, the more turbulent her heart became.

Hadn't Little Cutie said Zhongli knew nothing and was ready to fool her?

Th-This was what knowing nothing looked like?

He knew far too much!

"Spirit Hall distributed subsidies to commoner soul masters in place of the two great empires. When they discovered promising talents, they could recruit them as well."

"Every step of this arrangement was meant to recruit talented soul masters and strengthen Spirit Hall."

"Of course, soul masters with average talent were also targets for Spirit Hall's recruitment. After all, no matter how weak a soul master was, they were still a soul master!"

"Xue Qinghe" was convinced. Even the way she looked at Zhongli had changed.

No wonder, no wonder even someone as reclusive as Dugu Bo held Zhongli in such high regard!

He had even given him an entire luxurious residence!

How was this man trash? He was practically a strategist seen once in a thousand years!

He was merely an ordinary person, yet he could see the deeper truths beneath the surface. It was simply terrifying!

"Mr. Zhongli, your learning truly reaches the heavens!"

She had gone from calling him by name to calling him "Mr." in the blink of an eye—her change of attitude was faster than turning a page!

"I seek your guidance, sir."

"Xue Qinghe" rose to her feet and cupped her hands toward Zhongli, observing the etiquette of a student addressing a teacher.

After all, she was asking for his instruction.

"No need for such courtesy. These are merely my personal views and speculations."

"If His Highness the Crown Prince—"

"Sir, please don't!"

"Xue Qinghe" hurriedly waved her hands. Humbling herself was something she did with ease.

"Sir, simply call me Qinghe. Calling me 'His Highness the Crown Prince' truly makes Qinghe feel distant from you!"

They had only met a few times. What was wrong with keeping a little distance?

Of course, given Zhongli's emotional intelligence, there was no way he would say that.

"Very well. Qinghe, please sit. If you have any questions, we can discuss them seated."

"Yes!"

"Xue Qinghe" cupped her hands once more before sitting down.

With such conduct, even the harshest person could not find the slightest fault in her.

One had to remember that she was the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, the future Heaven Dou Emperor!

Yet she could be so refined and approachable, so cultured and courteous!

"May I ask, sir, why did you say Spirit Hall faced troubles both within and without?"

Under that woman's management, Spirit Hall was flourishing day by day.

Why had Zhongli said such a thing?

"When Spirit Hall recruited people, regardless of their character, so long as they possessed even a little talent, they would be gathered into Spirit Hall."

"Xue Qinghe" knew about this and nodded instinctively.

But with her grandfather around, Spirit Hall could not fall into chaos!

"The upper ranks of Spirit Hall scheme against one another. The Elder Hall and Pope's Palace are at odds..."

"Gasp—"

"Xue Qinghe" sucked in a sharp breath. Could an ordinary person possibly know about this?

Fortunately, Zhongli had not mentioned the Worship Hall. Otherwise, Qian Renxue would have been even more shocked!

"Sir, how did you learn that the Elder Hall and Pope's Palace are at odds?"

"Even the Empire has not uncovered the slightest trace of such information."

"Xue Qinghe" said calmly, as though she had no particular concern for Spirit Hall.

"Qinghe, what was the martial soul of every previous Pope of Spirit Hall?"

As a descendant of the Angel God, how could she not know the martial souls of Spirit Hall's previous Popes?

She instinctively answered, "Six-Winged Angel!"

"Correct. Then what is Bibi Dong's martial soul?"

Without waiting for "Xue Qinghe" to speak, Zhongli continued, "She is merely a puppet supported by others!"

Rumble—

Those words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving "Xue Qinghe" frozen where she stood.

He... he even knew that? He even knew this!

"I am willing to invite you into my Eastern Palace. Should I become Emperor one day, you will surely become the prime minister of the realm!"