Qian Renxue Starts Acting Like a Goof

An hour passed.

The entire outer hall was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

The expressions of those healing-type Soul Masters began to change dramatically.

First, their disdain turned to surprise.

Then, surprise turned to gravity.

Finally, it became some indescribable emotion.

If Jiang Ming really had a way to detoxify him,

then weren't their mocking words from earlier simply slapping themselves in the face?

Just then,

a voice came from the inner hall.

Xue Qinghe's voice.

"Mr. Jiang... p-please, come in."

His voice carried an uncontrollable tremor, as though he had undergone some enormous exertion.

His tone was mixed with exhaustion, weakness, and an indescribable awkwardness.

The expressions of all the healing-type Soul Masters froze at that moment.

He had called for Mr. Jiang.

He was not inviting them inside, but Jiang Ming alone.

The City Lord abruptly turned to look at Jiang Ming, his eyes blazing with fervent light.

There was hope!

This kid really had a solution!

Amid everyone's complicated gazes, Jiang Ming pushed open the doors to the inner hall.

The curtains had been lowered again, but behind that layer of dark purple gauze, Xue Qinghe's figure could vaguely be seen reclining against the bed.

That face, originally pale as paper, now had a trace of color, while the bewitching crimson on his lips had faded by more than half.

The Spring Poison in her body had mostly been cured.

Jiang Ming calmly swept his gaze around the bed.

A faint fragrance filled the air, but it still could not conceal a certain lingering scent.

At some point, the Guard Captain had returned to the inner hall. He stood in a corner, his expression as calm as ever.

But Jiang Ming noticed that the tips of his ears seemed somewhat red.

"Has Your Highness's poison been cured?"

Jiang Ming cupped his hands in greeting, knowingly asking the obvious.

"It has."

Xue Qinghe fell silent for a few seconds before slowly nodding.

Her voice was still somewhat hoarse, but it was far steadier than before.

She raised her eyes to look at Jiang Ming. Those eyes held far too many complicated emotions.

Gratitude, embarrassment, vexation, and a subtle urge to grind her teeth.

This bastard.

He actually made her, the dignified Heaven Dou Crown Prince and Spirit Hall's future Pope...

do something like that in the City Lord's Mansion of Suotuo City!

Although no one had seen it behind closed doors, to her, it was already the greatest humiliation of her life.

Wait...

She was Xue Qinghe now!

She was not Qian Renxue at all!

So what happened just now was done by Xue Qinghe. What did it have to do with her, Qian Renxue?

Right!

That was right!

That was exactly how it worked!

"I have always repaid kindness."

"You detoxified me. I will remember this favor."

"Tell me, what reward do you want?"

Xue Qinghe took a deep breath, doing his best to restore the Crown Prince's dignity to his tone.

Jiang Ming's heart settled.

It was here.

This was what he had been waiting for.

"Your Highness, I need a High-Level Meditation Technique, as well as a thousand-year Space Type Soul Beast."

Jiang Ming got straight to the point.

Xue Qinghe's gaze narrowed slightly as she looked Jiang Ming up and down.

"A meditation technique is easy. I have a High-Level Meditation Technique from the imperial collection here. I can give it to you now."

She took out a scroll glowing with faint golden light from her storage Soul Tool and placed it on the low table beside the bed.

"But this thousand-year Space Type Soul Beast... what do you want it for? A Soul Ring?"

Jiang Ming nodded.

"Your Soul Power is close to Rank 20, yet you have not obtained a Soul Ring!"

"Do you know the age limit for a second Soul Ring?"

Xue Qinghe scrutinized Jiang Ming again, her gaze gaining a trace of seriousness.

"Around seven hundred and sixty years."

Jiang Ming replied calmly.

"You know that, yet you still dare to ask for a thousand-year one?"

"Over the past thousand years, it was not as if no geniuses had tried to absorb Soul Rings beyond their level. But nine and a half out of ten exploded and died."

"The remaining half either became crippled or lost all their cultivation."

"Are you sure you want to take that risk?"

A barely perceptible urgency entered Xue Qinghe's voice.

"Your Highness, I am confident."

Jiang Ming's voice was not loud, but it carried unwavering resolve.

Xue Qinghe stared at Jiang Ming for a long time.

There was none of a young man's arrogance in those clear eyes, only a certainty bordering on stubbornness.

She had seen too many geniuses who wanted to break through the limits.

Every one of them wore that same expression when they said those four words, "I am confident."

And she had seen far too many of their endings as well.

But what did those people have to do with her?

Everyone had their own fate.

"Thousand-year Space Type Soul Beasts are exceedingly rare. Even the imperial hunting parties will need some time to search for one."

"This is my personal token. Take it. Come find me in Heaven Dou City three months from now."

Xue Qinghe removed a token from her waist and placed it on the stool.

Jiang Ming accepted the token.

The token was entirely silver-white, with a circle of delicate golden patterns inlaid around its edges.

The front bore the two characters, "Qinghe," while the back depicted a snow-white swan spreading its wings in flight.

It was the symbol of the Tiandou Imperial Family.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Jiang Ming tucked the token into his robes, then picked up the meditation technique scroll.

The High-Level Meditation Technique was in hand!

The only thing separating him from being a true genius now was Innate Soul Power!

Innate Soul Power determined a Soul Master's upper limit!

Take Zhu Zhuqing of the Shrek Seven Devils, for example.

Without Tang San's Immortal Herb, Zhu Zhuqing would never have broken through to Soul Douluo even at death.

Three months!

Heaven Dou City!

Dugu Yan!

Dugu Bo!

He needed to plan carefully.

There were some things he was determined to obtain!

"Thank you, Your Highness! I will take my leave."

Jiang Ming rose to his feet and headed for the door.

"Wait."

Xue Qinghe's voice came from behind him.

Jiang Ming stopped and turned back.

Xue Qinghe was still half-reclining on the bed, her expression somewhat blurred behind the curtains.

But the emotion in those eyes was crystal clear.

"I won't collect your corpse!"

The simple words sounded casual, yet they carried a deeper meaning.

"Rest assured, Your Highness. I value my life very much."

Jiang Ming smiled, pushed open the doors to the inner hall, and walked out.

By the time Jiang Ming left the City Lord's Mansion, the skies over Suotuo City had already darkened.

The shops on both sides of the street gradually lit their lanterns.

The scent of cooking smoke from evening meals drifted through the air.

Jiang Ming played with the silver-white token in his hand, feeling the cool touch of metal.

The High-Level Meditation Technique was already in hand.

The token was in hand as well.

Three months was enough time for him to make all the necessary preparations.

He stepped into a narrow alley beside the City Lord's Mansion, intending to take a shortcut back to the inn where he was staying.

The alley was very narrow.

Tall courtyard walls rose on either side, and only a dim stretch of sky was visible overhead.

After walking roughly twenty steps,

Jiang Ming stopped.

At the corner at the end of the alley, there were two presences.

They made no attempt to hide themselves, appearing behind him so openly.

"You two have followed me for so long. Aren't you tired?"

Jiang Ming turned around, facing the empty end of the alley.