Gu Qing cleared his throat and deliberately raised his voice by an octave.
"She got so excited the moment she saw me that she completely lost her senses and threw herself at me, hugging me tight."
"She was so strong I couldn't even stop her!"
Hearing this from her seat beside him, Qian Renxue felt a storm surge through her heart.
Countless urges to rush over and beat Gu Qing to death sprang wildly to life inside her.
When had I ever hugged you, you bastard?
How could anyone in this world be so shameless?
After finishing this earth-shattering claim, Gu Qing suddenly turned to look at Xue Qinghe beside him.
His gaze held undisguised mockery and provocation.
"I imagine you know quite a bit about Qian Renxue, Brother Qinghe?"
Caught off guard when Gu Qing named him directly, Xue Qinghe's body stiffened involuntarily.
But Gu Qing pressed on, smiling as he continued to question him:
"After all, as the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Brother Qinghe must have an extremely well-connected intelligence network."
"You should know what Qian Renxue is generally like."
"Isn't that right, Brother Qinghe?"
Qian Renxue clenched her teeth, wishing she could tear off her disguise at once and make this bastard shut up.
But in front of a crowd—and with Emperor Xue Ye watching—she couldn't afford to reveal the slightest slip.
She could only force down the fury about to erupt inside her and play along with his words.
"His Highness the Holy Son... speaks the truth."
She practically forced each word through gritted teeth.
Xue Qinghe took a deep breath, trying to make his expression look natural.
"Yes, I've heard something about her in my intelligence reports as well."
"She does seem... to care quite a bit about the Holy Son."
After saying this, Qian Renxue felt a dull ache in all her internal organs, as though she were about to suffer internal injuries from holding it all in.
Yet Gu Qing merely nodded emphatically, looking thoroughly pleased.
"See? Even Brother Qinghe has confirmed it. How could it be false?"
Watching the amusing interaction between the two, Emperor Xue Ye couldn't help but burst out laughing.
His hearty laughter rang through the spacious hall.
"Excellent, excellent!"
"The Holy Son and Miss Qian Renxue truly are a match made in heaven!"
"Come, let us all raise our cups and wish His Highness the Holy Son an early union with his beloved!"
The lively clinking of cups and conversation resumed throughout the hall.
The lavish banquet continued late into the night.
Only after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill did Emperor Xue Ye rise with the help of his attendants.
He formally announced that the welcoming banquet had come to a successful close.
Before leaving, Emperor Xue Ye specifically called out to Xue Qinghe, who was about to depart.
"Qinghe, His Highness the Holy Son has only just arrived and isn't familiar with Heaven Dou Imperial City yet."
"You must personally arrange suitable lodgings for him. Don't neglect him in the slightest."
Xue Qinghe bowed respectfully and cupped his fists as he accepted the order.
"Your son obeys. I'll make sure His Highness feels right at home."
The assembled officials gradually dispersed, and the noisy palace slowly returned to the quiet of night.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Gu Qing followed leisurely behind Xue Qinghe.
One walked ahead of the other as they followed the stone-paved palace road outward.
The night breeze brushed their faces, bringing a pleasant coolness.
Xue Qinghe said nothing as he strode ahead at a brisk pace.
His back radiated a murderous air that warned others to keep their distance.
Gu Qing didn't hurry to catch up. He simply enjoyed the royal grounds at night along the way.
Half an hour later, the two arrived at the gates of the magnificent Crown Prince Mansion, which sprawled across a vast area.
The moment they stepped inside, Xue Qinghe spun around.
He coldly ordered the personal guards beside him:
"All of you, get out."
"Without my orders, no one is to come within a hundred paces of the inner courtyard!"
The guards exchanged bewildered glances, unable to understand why the Crown Prince had suddenly become so furious.
But none dared risk provoking him at a time like this.
They cupped their fists in salute and quickly withdrew from the inner courtyard.
The enormous courtyard instantly fell empty, so quiet that not even an insect could be heard.
Wearing Xue Qinghe's face, Qian Renxue led Gu Qing through the corridors to the deepest part of the Crown Prince Mansion.
The air grew so oppressive along the way that it felt ready to freeze.
When they reached a secluded side room, Qian Renxue strode across the threshold.
Gu Qing followed right behind her without hesitation.
As soon as they entered, Qian Renxue swept her hand back.
A tremendous force slammed the heavy, carved wooden door shut.
The dull bang reverberated through the empty room.
With all the attendants dismissed, there was no one else in the entire inner courtyard.
Qian Renxue suddenly turned around, her beautiful eyes fixed on Gu Qing.
Fury blazed in them, fierce enough to devour him whole.
Without warning, Qian Renxue raised her right hand.
She slammed her palm toward Gu Qing's chest.
The strike came as fast as thunder, its fierce wind ripping through the air.
She didn't summon her signature Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.
She simply compressed and concentrated the immense Soul Power within her body into her palm.
There was nothing fancy about the move.
It relied entirely on the terrifying physical strength of her seventy-level cultivation.
The powerful gust of her palm strike roared past, whipping the room's heavy curtains into a frenzy.
As she struck, Qian Renxue coldly spat out her words:
"This is to teach you a lesson for spouting nonsense in front of Emperor Xue Ye today!"
"How dare you ruin my reputation in front of everyone?"
"If you sabotage my plans to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire, I will never forgive you!"
Faced with a strike powerful enough to shatter stone tablets, Gu Qing didn't move an inch.
Not a trace of panic appeared on his handsome face.
His feet seemed rooted to the spot, and he made no effort to dodge.
Just as her pale palm was about to hit his chest,
an overwhelming aura of life suddenly burst from the blue bricks beneath Gu Qing's feet.
Stout strands of Life-Type Blue Silver Grass burst from the ground and spiraled rapidly up his legs.
Countless crystalline vines intertwined in midair.
In the blink of an eye, they formed a sturdy green shield of vines.
"Bang!"
Qian Renxue's palm struck the Blue Silver Grass shield squarely.
A dull impact rang out.
A violent wave of Soul Power spread in every direction, shaking the tables and chairs until they toppled and staggered.
Yet the seemingly fragile plant shield didn't develop even the tiniest crack.
Gu Qing's body, meanwhile, didn't sway by even a millimeter.
Qian Renxue's heart gave a sharp jolt.
A flash of shock flickered through her eyes.
Though she hadn't used a Soul Ring skill, her strike had still carried the full force of her level-seventy Soul Power.
Even a Soul Emperor couldn't possibly have blocked that blow so easily.
Before you continue