Song Qingshuang

Qin Yuan returned to the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace after nearly a month away. As soon as Qian Renxue heard, she hurried over, anxious and concerned.

Qin Yuan brushed it off, saying that Soul Beasts suited to his Soul Ring were hard to find. Only then did Qian Renxue let it go, saying she would personally accompany him the next time he hunted for a Soul Ring.

Qin Yuan grinned and agreed, then asked Qian Renxue to help him find a swordsmanship teacher. Naturally, she didn't refuse.

Afterward, Qian Renxue told Qin Yuan to get some good rest. He'd grown up surrounded by fine clothes and rich food, never having suffered the slightest hardship, yet had spent nearly a month wandering outside. The thought of all he must have endured broke her heart.

Qin Yuan really was a little tired. After bathing, he slept until the following afternoon.

By the time he woke, the swordsmanship teacher Qian Renxue had found for him was already waiting in the courtyard.

And so, Qin Yuan began learning his third skill: the Sword Path.

Just like the first two times, the terrifying talent Qin Yuan displayed on the Sword Path left his teacher utterly astounded. He was a once-in-a-generation genius.

The swordsmanship teacher had never imagined anyone could make such astonishingly rapid progress on the Sword Path. Even "covering ten thousand miles in a day" couldn't describe it!

In just three days, Qin Yuan went from touching a sword for the first time to reaching the Sword Path first stage. In less than a month, he had already broken through to the third stage...

Just as Qin Yuan was immersed in the joy of his explosive progress on the Sword Path and the evolution points rolling in, two people arrived at the imperial palace.

They were the Heavenly Dou Empire's Duke, Song Hongtu, and his daughter, Song Qingshuang.

On the way to pay their respects to Xue Ye, Song Hongtu glanced at his precious daughter and quietly tried to dissuade her:

"Shuang'er, why don't you think it over carefully? Qin Yuan has a noble status and is close to Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. In the future..."

"Dad!" Song Qingshuang cut him off, displeasure written across her beautiful, snow-white face.

"How many times have you said that already? I told you, Qin Yuan is nothing but a good-for-nothing with Half-level Innate Soul Power, while I'm a genius with Innate Soul Power as high as eight!

"We're the same age. I hear he's only just broken through to level ten and obtained a Soul Ring, while I'm already a level-twenty-six Soul Grandmaster. Other than his status, how does he measure up to me? I could never marry a good-for-nothing, no matter how noble his status!"

"But..." Song Hongtu tried to persuade her again. On one hand, he didn't want to offend the imperial family. On the other, he wanted to strengthen his position by marrying his daughter to Qin Yuan.

But he knew his daughter well. If he forced her into marriage, she would likely run away from the wedding, and that would be a far bigger problem than breaking off the engagement.

"Dad, am I even your daughter? Why are you always trying to shove me into a pit of fire?" Song Qingshuang stopped in her tracks, glaring at her father with furious almond-shaped eyes. "Does Qin Yuan deserve me? A good-for-nothing with only Half-level Innate Soul Power? Any one of the many people pursuing me at the academy would be a hundred times better than him!

"You just want an alliance with the imperial family to strengthen your position, don't you? There's a duke's son among my suitors, and he's the legitimate heir. He's far better than Qin Yuan, that useless relative of the imperial family!

"I would never want Qin Yuan!"

Song Qingshuang turned her little face away, full of disdain.

Seeing this, Song Hongtu sighed. His daughter was so opposed to Qin Yuan that he couldn't say anything more. He could only sigh inwardly with a guilty heart:

"Brother Qin, I'm sorry. I was the one who proposed this childhood engagement in the first place, but who could've known your son wouldn't amount to anything? Alas..."

Song Hongtu fell silent and led his haughty daughter to pay their respects to Xue Ye.

At that moment, Xue Ye was discussing state affairs with Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. As soon as he heard that Duke Song had come to visit, he summoned him at once.

Qian Renxue watched Song Hongtu and Song Qingshuang enter the hall. Her gaze settled on the latter, and her eyes flickered as she thought:

"Why has Xiao Yuan's fiancée come at a time like this? Is she here to get married? I've been looking for an excuse to bring up the engagement."

There was no way she would hand Qin Yuan, whom she had raised for twelve years, over to another woman. Xiao Yuan was hers. No one was going to take him away!

Xue Ye and Song Hongtu exchanged a few pleasantries. Then, with Song Qingshuang urging him on with her eyes, Song Hongtu finally steeled himself and said:

"Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

"Oh?" Xue Ye replied with a smile. "What is it, Hongtu? Speak freely. This isn't court, so there's no need to be so formal."

Even though he was the emperor of the Heavenly Dou Empire, he still had to consider a duke's feelings and maintain a good relationship with him.

"Your Majesty, my daughter Qingshuang has been competitive since childhood. She's arrogant and haughty, with no manners at all. I feel she simply isn't worthy of Young Master Qin Yuan, so..."

Song Hongtu gritted his teeth and said, "I've come today to break off the engagement."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the entire hall fell silent.

Xue Ye was only slightly surprised. He didn't seem particularly taken aback.

Qian Renxue, meanwhile, grew angry. Though Song Hongtu claimed that Song Qingshuang wasn't worthy of Qin Yuan, everyone present knew the truth: Song Qingshuang looked down on Qin Yuan and had come to break off the engagement. He was only dressing it up with pretty words.

But alongside her anger, she felt a little pleased. Breaking off the engagement suited her just fine.

Still, she couldn't bear the thought of Xiao Yuan being rejected by his fiancée in his own home. She immediately snapped:

"Song Hongtu, how dare you! You'd even break off a royal engagement? Are you trying to humiliate the Heavenly Dou Imperial Family?"

"N-no, I wouldn't dare!" Song Hongtu hurriedly said. "I'll tell everyone that Young Master Qin Yuan looked down on my daughter and broke off the engagement himself. Not a shred of the royal family's dignity will be harmed!"

"Hah. Do you expect anyone to believe that?" Qian Renxue sneered.

"This..." Song Hongtu's face twisted with distress.

Song Qingshuang trembled under Qian Renxue's imposing, chilling presence. All her haughtiness vanished. Her little face went pale, and anxiety filled her heart as she feared the engagement might not be broken after all—and that she might even be punished.

"Enough!" Xue Ye glanced at Qian Renxue and said coolly,

"I approve. My nephew is indeed a disappointment, unworthy of your daughter.

"But Qinghe is right about one thing. Hongtu, tell everyone that my nephew was the one who ended the engagement. You mustn't let the royal family lose face."

Hearing this, Song Hongtu and Song Qingshuang beamed with delight. Song Hongtu hurriedly took his daughter by the hand and bowed.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Father!" Qian Renxue knitted her brows and opened her mouth to say more.

"That's enough. My mind is made up, and there's nothing more to discuss." Xue Ye's voice was cold. "Hongtu, you may leave."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Your subject takes his leave." Song Hongtu led Song Qingshuang, who could barely contain her smile, quickly out of the hall, afraid Xue Ye might change his mind and refuse to break off the engagement.

After Song Hongtu and his daughter left, only Xue Ye and Qian Renxue remained in the hall.

"Father, how could you agree so easily? You should at least have asked Xiao Yuan what he wanted!" Qian Renxue said in a low voice.

"Ask what he wants?" Xue Ye snorted. "What is there to ask a good-for-nothing? Qinghe, between a good-for-nothing with only Half-level Innate Soul Power and a duke, which matters more? You should know your priorities.

"It isn't worth harming my relationship with a duke for the sake of a good-for-nothing. Nor am I willing to sour things with Song Hongtu over him. Do you understand?"

Xue Ye stared at Qian Renxue.

"Qinghe, I know you're very close to Qin Yuan, but remember: you mustn't let that good-for-nothing interfere with matters of state!"

After speaking, Xue Ye rose and said, "I'm tired." Then he headed toward the rear palace, no longer paying Qian Renxue any attention.

Once Xue Ye had left the hall, Qian Renxue's gaze turned especially cold and glacial.

"Old bastard, how dare you talk about my Xiao Yuan like that? You'd better die soon!"