Qian Renxue Was Shocked!

Gu Qing's right leg had somehow already shot out. His toe lightly tapped the shin of Qian Renxue's right leg.

The seemingly light blow had struck the weakest point in her muscles' exertion.

Qian Renxue's right leg went numb, and she could no longer keep her balance. She toppled heavily toward the ground.

Just before she hit the ground face-first, Qian Renxue forcibly twisted her waist and abdomen, then planted one hand on the ground and completed a backflip.

"Your speed is decent, but your footing isn't steady enough, and you can't pull back your strength when you throw a punch."

Gu Qing flicked away the leaf in his hand and gave his assessment in an even tone.

"If your first strike misses, you won't have time to mount a second effective defense."

Qian Renxue bit her lower lip and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her eyes shone with stubborn defiance.

"Again!"

Without even a moment to catch her breath, Qian Renxue surged forward once more. This time, she changed her strategy.

Her long, powerful legs became a series of black afterimages, sweeping at Gu Qing's lower body from extremely tricky angles.

Gu Qing finally rose from the stone stool. With one hand behind his back, he faced Qian Renxue's storm of attacks using only his right hand.

The dull thuds of fists and feet colliding rang out repeatedly in the courtyard.

Every supposedly sure-kill move Qian Renxue launched was effortlessly neutralized by Gu Qing from an unbelievable angle.

The continuous, high-intensity close-quarters fighting relentlessly pushed Qian Renxue's stamina to its limits.

In less than half an hour, Qian Renxue's movements had noticeably slowed.

Her chest heaved violently, and every breath sounded like it was dragging an old bellows. She was drenched in sweat.

After Qian Renxue swung one last feeble palm strike, her legs gave out completely, and she slumped onto the cold flagstones.

Even the strength to move a finger had been drained from her.

Gu Qing walked up to Qian Renxue and looked down at the disheveled but bright-eyed girl.

He turned his left palm upward, and a brilliant, crystalline green glow blossomed in the night.

A Blue Silver Grass suffused with a rich aura of life slowly extended and gently coiled around Qian Renxue's slender wrist.

Pure life energy flowed into Qian Renxue's depleted meridians like warm spring water.

The soreness and fatigue in her muscles visibly faded, and her strength began to recover at an astonishing rate.

Qian Renxue looked up at Gu Qing's focused profile, and an unusual ripple stirred in her heart.

Over the past few days, Gu Qing's almost brutal instruction had brought a qualitative leap in Qian Renxue's close-combat skills.

Even more unbelievable to Qian Renxue was that she had begun to grow used to—and even look forward to—this painful training.

In the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, a place full of scheming, only in front of Gu Qing could she be her true self.

"You're quick to learn. You've already mastered seventy percent of the basic techniques for redirecting force."

Gu Qing withdrew the Life-Type Blue Silver Grass and turned toward the shadows inside the house.

"Find a way to skip tomorrow morning's court session. Come with me to the southern district of Heaven Dou City."

Hearing this, Qian Renxue's eyes brightened slightly, and the corners of her mouth lifted without her noticing.

"Okay." Qian Renxue agreed readily.

At noon the next day, the market in the southern district of Heaven Dou City was bustling with activity.

With the city gates and the headquarters of several major merchant houses nearby, the streets were packed with Soul Masters and merchants of all kinds.

Qian Renxue hadn't used Xue Qinghe's finely crafted human-skin mask. Instead, she had changed into an ordinary gray-brown cloth dress.

She had applied a special potion to her face, making her naturally fair skin look dark and rough.

Her hair was simply pinned up at the back with a wooden hairpin. She looked every bit like a maidservant accompanying someone.

Gu Qing, meanwhile, wore a well-made moon-white robe and strolled leisurely through the bustling crowd.

The two walked side by side, their eyes sweeping over row after row of stalls selling Soul Beast materials and rare metals.

"There are plenty of blacksmith shops in the southern district, but very few craftsmen can make top-quality Hidden Weapon parts."

Qian Renxue lowered her voice as she briefed Gu Qing on the factions in Heaven Dou City.

"Prince Xue Xing recently recruited a group of blacksmiths. He seems to be secretly making some kind of military equipment."

Gu Qing picked up a piece of black iron ore from a stall, weighed it in his hand, then put it back.

"Prince Xue Xing dares to act so brazenly because he has Dugu Bo backing him."

Gu Qing's gaze drifted over the crowd, searching for any clues.

Ever since leaving the Great Soul Arena, Gu Qing had been weighing his next move.

If he wanted to transform his strength in a short time, the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was a treasure he absolutely couldn't miss.

Just as the two continued on their way, a series of quick, crisp footsteps came from the corner ahead.

Along with them came the pungent scent of a particularly strong, distinctive spice.

"Gu Qing!"

A clear female voice, brimming with delight, suddenly rang out above the clamor of the street.

The pedestrians around them instinctively turned to look. A tall woman with an exceptionally curvaceous figure was hurrying toward them.

She had a neat, ear-length purple bob that gleamed dazzlingly in the sunlight.

Her tight-fitting jade-green leather armor clung to her voluptuous figure, accentuating the astonishing curves of her chest, waist, and hips.

The newcomer was Dugu Yan, vice-captain of the Imperial Fighting Team from Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Ever since witnessing Gu Qing instantly defeat Tang San and Xiao Wu at the Great Soul Arena, Dugu Yan had been deeply impressed.

Gu Qing's invincible bearing, crushing geniuses of the same rank with every casual gesture, had made Dugu Yan—who admired strength—feel intense admiration for him.

Now that she had run into him here, Dugu Yan didn't care in the slightest about acting demure.

She jogged over, pushing past the pedestrians in her way, and came straight up to Gu Qing.

Her emerald-green eyes gleamed with undisguised excitement and delight.

"It really is you! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me!"

Dugu Yan smiled radiantly, her voice brimming with coquettish delight.

Before Gu Qing could respond, Dugu Yan had already reached out with both hands and, quite naturally, wrapped them around his left arm.

Her strong fragrance instantly surrounded Gu Qing.

Dugu Yan even deliberately rose onto her toes, leaning her weight against Gu Qing's shoulder.

The intimate physical contact drew jealous looks from many male Soul Masters passing by.

Gu Qing stopped. His brows furrowed ever so slightly.

The soft sensation against his arm did nothing to stir his emotions.

"Is something wrong?" Gu Qing asked calmly, without immediately shaking off her hands.

Dugu Yan didn't notice his coolness at all. Still excited, she continued to tug at his arm.

"You stole the show at the Soul Fighting Arena that day. The whole city of Heaven Dou is talking about you now."

"That Tang San was always so arrogant, relying on Hidden Weapons and poison. But you beat him so badly he couldn't even fight back."

"Would you like to visit Heaven Dou Royal Academy? I can show you around."

Standing barely half a step from Gu Qing, Qian Renxue saw everything clearly.

The moment she saw Dugu Yan press herself against Gu Qing's arm without the slightest restraint—

Qian Renxue felt the cord in her mind called reason snap with a crisp twang.

Her previously calm expression darkened like water, and the air around her seemed to drop by more than ten degrees in an instant.

Fury blazed in Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes as she glared at the hands wrapped around Gu Qing's arm.

Inside the wide sleeves of her gray-brown cloth dress, Qian Renxue's hands had clenched into fists.

Her long, rounded nails dug deep into the soft flesh of her palms. Her knuckles had gone bloodless from the force of her grip.

Where had this shameless woman come from, with no idea of her own place?

Clinging to a man in the middle of the street in broad daylight—she had no shame at all.

Qian Renxue's chest heaved violently, and her breathing fell completely out of rhythm.

What angered and hurt Qian Renxue most was that Gu Qing hadn't pushed the woman away right away.

At the banquet hosted by Emperor Xue Ye, Gu Qing had repeatedly refused to break off their engagement, then calmly accepted a hefty share of the betrothal gifts.

The supposed fiancée of his was like a thorn lodged in Qian Renxue's heart.

And now, before she'd even figured out the fiancée situation, another purple-haired woman had appeared out of nowhere to throw herself into his arms.

Qian Renxue took a deep breath, trying to suppress the bitter feeling churning in her chest.

But no matter how hard she tried, the jealousy surging straight to her head wouldn't subside.

Qian Renxue raised her foot and viciously kicked a small stone beside her.

"You've already got a fiancée, yet you're still so intimate with other women."

Qian Renxue could stand it no longer. She forced the words out through clenched teeth.

Each word sounded as if she'd spat it out after chewing on crushed ice, dripping with pent-up fury.

Her voice wasn't loud, but Gu Qing was close enough to hear every word clearly.

The dignified Martial Soul Hall Young Master, a future arbiter who would one day rule the world, now looked just like a little girl jealous of a rival in the street.

The jealousy was so intense it practically became tangible, and even Dugu Yan, standing opposite them, sensed that something was off.

Dugu Yan turned in confusion and glanced at Qian Renxue, who was dressed like a maidservant.

Qian Renxue's disguise was so flawless that Dugu Yan didn't recognize Her Highness the Crown Prince.

She only thought that the little maidservant's glare was frighteningly fierce.

Hearing the sour remark beside him, Gu Qing glanced at Qian Renxue from the corner of his eye.

Seeing Qian Renxue looking so puffed up and ready to blow, Gu Qing found it a little amusing.

But Gu Qing didn't say anything to explain the misunderstanding about his fiancée.

He turned his attention back to the overly enthusiastic purple-haired woman in front of him.

The reason he hadn't pushed Dugu Yan away immediately was that the instant they touched, he had sensed something unusual.

Gu Qing's eyes narrowed slightly. His deep gaze carefully examined Dugu Yan's face, like a physician's probe.

Now that she was so close, the details normally concealed by makeup and Soul Power were impossible to hide from Gu Qing.

Deep in Dugu Yan's seemingly bright emerald-green eyes, there were actually countless faint, dark-purple veins.

What was more, when Dugu Yan spoke, the air she exhaled carried an almost imperceptible, sickly-sweet smell.

On the side of Dugu Yan's fair, slender neck, a few bluish-gray veins could be seen pulsing at an abnormal rhythm if one looked closely.

Gu Qing knew those symptoms all too well.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison had accumulated in her body for years and was already spreading toward her heart and brain—a deadly sign.

If things continued this way, Dugu Yan wouldn't live to see thirty.

After confirming his suspicions, Gu Qing's right arm suddenly emitted a gentle yet forceful countershock.

Without any wasted movement, Gu Qing forcibly pulled his arm free from between Dugu Yan's arms.

He controlled the force with exquisite precision. It neither hurt Dugu Yan nor gave her the chance to come any closer.

Dugu Yan's hands suddenly grasped at empty air, and she involuntarily stumbled half a step backward.

Her smile froze. She stared at Gu Qing in bewilderment, at a loss for what to do.

"Gu Qing, what's wrong? Did I do something to upset you?"

A trace of hurt and panic crept into Dugu Yan's voice. She sounded like a child who had done something wrong.

Seeing Gu Qing finally pull his arm free, Qian Renxue quietly unclenched her fists.

The suffocating tightness in her chest eased somewhat, and even her gaze toward Gu Qing softened a little.

Gu Qing lifted his right hand and casually brushed the sleeve Dugu Yan had touched.

"Your Soul Power is circulating incorrectly."

Gu Qing looked straight into Dugu Yan's eyes, his tone as calm as if he were stating an insignificant fact.

"Whenever your Soul Power passes through the Shanzhong and Qihai acupoints, it stagnates briefly."

Dugu Yan's expression changed dramatically at those words.

The needle-like pain she felt while cultivating was her greatest secret. She had never told anyone about it.

"The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison in your body has already penetrated your bones. You're almost unable to keep it under control."

Gu Qing laid out the truth bluntly, leaving Dugu Yan no room to argue.

Dugu Yan stood frozen in place. The admiration in her eyes instantly turned into deep fear and shock.

The backlash of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison was a curse the Dugu Family had been unable to break for generations.

This young man had merely come into close contact with her, yet he had seen through her completely.

Gu Qing didn't give Dugu Yan any more time to stand there in a daze.

The clue to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was right in front of him. Gu Qing would never pass up this opportunity delivered straight to his door.

"Take me to see your grandfather."

Gu Qing put both hands behind his back and looked past Dugu Yan toward the secluded residence at the center of Heaven Dou City.

"I want to meet Dugu Bo."

After leaving the noisy market in the southern district of Heaven Dou City, the streets gradually grew quiet.

Dugu Yan led the way, her pace somewhat hurried. Every now and then, she looked back at Gu Qing.

After Gu Qing had exposed the deadly danger of the poison inside her with a single remark, the proud vice-captain of the Imperial Fighting Team had completely lost her earlier composure.

To the Dugu Family, the backlash of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison was like a death warrant, tormenting their ancestors and descendants for generations.