A Pair of Actors

About half an hour later, Lan Si returned carrying a rabbit over a meter long that had already been cleaned.

"Kept you waiting, didn't I?" Lan Si hung the rabbit to the side and skillfully set up a campfire.

"You were gone that long just to catch a rabbit?" Qian Renxue rolled her eyes. Had Porcupinefish Douluo not gone to keep an eye on him, she would have assumed Lan Si had run off. The consequences of that would undoubtedly have been severe, as she disliked the feeling of being deceived.

"That's where you're mistaken. This is a Soft Bone Rabbit, and a century-old one at that. I handpicked it from a whole group of them. Its meat is impeccably fresh and delicious, and combined with my superb culinary skills, I guarantee you'll find it unforgettable," Lan Si said with a mysterious smile.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Qian Renxue's mouth. "Then I shall wait and see."

Before long, the air was filled with a rich, savory aroma. Both of them began eating the fragrant skewers of rabbit meat.

"Aren't you worried about attracting soul beasts by roasting meat so recklessly in the Star Dou Great Forest?" Qian Renxue asked casually as she took a bite of the rabbit meat, chewing slowly.

"What's there to fear? We're at the boundary between the outer perimeter and the mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest. Century-level soul beasts appear here frequently, but ten-thousand-year ones are extremely rare. Besides, even if a ten-thousand-year soul beast were to attack, I have a top-tier expert like you, a Soul Emperor, right here. What do I have to worry about?" Lan Si curled his lip. He knew full well that two Title Douluo were secretly protecting Qian Renxue; even if a powerful beast attacked, there were taller trees to catch the wind. What was there to fear?

"You certainly have a big heart." A flicker of pride crossed Qian Renxue's mind. She had just turned twenty this year and already possessed the strength of a Soul Emperor. Compared to her, that so-called "youngest Title Douluo on the continent" was nothing at all.

And this was while neglecting her cultivation; otherwise, her achievements would be even higher.

"Xue'er," Lan Si said, taking a bite of the meat.

Before he could finish, he saw Qian Renxue frown and glare at him. "Hmm?"

Lan Si swallowed hard and hurriedly corrected himself. "Oh, no, Miss Leng Xue."

Qian Renxue's brows furrowed again; it was clear she didn't like that form of address. She let out a long sigh and said, "Forget it, forget it. You might as well call me Xue'er."

Lan Si nodded. "Alright. Then you can call me A-Si from now on. Everyone close to me calls me that."

"A-Si... A-Si..." Qian Renxue murmured, then laughed. "Your name is surprisingly catchy. By the way, A-Si, what are your plans after leaving the Star Dou Great Forest?"

"I plan to enroll in the Blue Tyrant Advanced Soul Master Academy in Heaven Dou City." Lan Si did not hide his intentions. He was certain that while he was absorbing his soul ring, Qian Renxue had already investigated his background thoroughly.

"Why not go to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy? Although the Blue Tyrant Academy is an advanced soul master academy, its overall strength is not outstanding. In two years, the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament will be held. With your strength, if you join an academy with a powerful team, you could surely shine brilliantly in the tournament. The Heaven Dou Royal Academy is quite good; among this year's team, there is even a soul master who possesses the world's number one beast martial soul, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."

Qian Renxue coaxed him gently. She knew that in two years, the Golden Generation trained by that woman would also participate in the tournament. If possible, she truly wanted to take the stage herself, crush that so-called Golden Generation, prove her worth, and spite that woman.

But that was clearly unrealistic. However, with Lan Si here, things were different. If all went as expected, that woman already considered Lan Si one of her own. If Lan Si were to take the stage and defeat her disciples...

That scene would certainly be interesting.

Hearing this, Lan Si couldn't help but roll his eyes. "You're right, but you've forgotten one thing: I am a commoner, and the Heaven Dou Royal Academy only recruits nobles."

"That is a trivial matter. Leave it to me," Qian Renxue said with a smile.

"You?" Lan Si intentionally put on a suspicious look.

"What? Do you think I can't do it?" Qian Renxue pouted coquettishly.

Lan Si shook his head and spoke nonsense with a straight face. "It's not that you can't. Based on your talent and temperament, I can tell you've received a fine noble education. I was just wondering about your true identity. Earlier, when I saw you absorbing your soul ring, I saw a pair of wings behind you. The Heaven Dou Imperial family's martial soul is the Swan. You wouldn't happen to be a princess of the Heaven Dou Empire, would you?"

"No, that's not right. The Heaven Dou royal family's surname is Xue, and yours is Leng. You wouldn't happen to be the illegitimate daughter of that old man Xue Ye, would you?"

Hearing Lan Si's conjecture, Qian Renxue was instantly amused. To refer to Emperor Xue Ye, the ruler of one of the two great empires, as "that old man Xue Ye"—this little guy was truly fearless in his ignorance.

But this was for the best; it saved her the trouble of making up excuses. She lowered her head and began to channel her inner Oscar-winning acting skills, using her soul power to force tears from her eyes. In an instant, tears were streaming down her face.

Seeing this, Lan Si couldn't help but think, Holy crap, what an Oscar-level performance.

Since that was the case, why shouldn't he, Lan A-Si, play along?

In any case, the Blue Tyrant Academy would eventually be renamed Shrek Academy, and he didn't want to get involved with that idiot Grandmaster. Now that he had a better option, why not take it?

"I'm sorry, Xue'er. I didn't mean to bring up your painful memories." Lan Si stood up, sat beside Qian Renxue, and gently patted her back to comfort her.

"Since you've figured this out, what do you intend to do in the future?" Qian Renxue looked up, her eyes red, continuing her performance.

"I swear, without your permission, I will never reveal your identity to a third person. If I break this oath, may I never find a wife." Lan Si consciously held up three fingers. It was just talk, anyway; Douluo wasn't like the Primordial World where the Heavenly Dao existed—telling lies didn't cost anything.

Besides, the oath was that he wouldn't find a wife in the future, which didn't mean he couldn't find one now. He had the little cat, and now Qian Renxue; at worst, he would just marry the two of them.

Hearing this, Qian Renxue finally broke into a smile through her tears and raised her palm. "A promise is a promise."

"My word is my bond." Lan Si high-fived her to seal the oath. And honestly, Qian Renxue's hand was even softer than the little cat's.