Qian Renxue's Decision

"Take this." Qian Renxue took a token engraved with the character for "Snow" from her storage Soul Tool.

"What is this?" Lan Si took the token and asked, somewhat surprised.

Qian Renxue said solemnly, "This is the token of the current Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe. He is my older brother and, aside from you and Emperor Xue Ye, the only person in this world who knows of my existence. Once you reach the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, you must not mention my existence to anyone other than Xue Qinghe, not even if you see Emperor Xue Ye."

"What if I let it slip?" Lan Si asked weakly.

"You will die. You absolutely won't live to see the next day's sun, and the person you told will die as well." Qian Renxue revealed a dangerous smile.

"Uh, if it's that dangerous, can I give this token back? If all else fails, I'll just go to the Blue Tyrant Academy instead." Lan Si shivered for no reason; he was certain that if he exposed Qian Renxue's existence, she would truly finish him off.

"What do you think?" Qian Renxue retorted. As she spoke, she sat down to the side, leisurely eating the roasted Rabbit meat.

"Fine." Lan Si shook his head helplessly, knowing he had boarded a pirate ship this time. However, this was also for the best; with a big tree like Qian Renxue to lean on, he wouldn't have to worry about being coveted by other factions while he was in his low-profile growth phase.

After finishing the Rabbit meat, Lan Si tidied up a bit and prepared to leave.

"Hey, Xue'er, are you coming with me to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy?" Lan Si asked casually.

"No, I plan to return directly to Heaven Dou City." Qian Renxue shook her head, a flash of melancholy crossing her eyes.

Lan Si continued to ask, "Then how will I find you in the future? Should I go to the Crown Prince's Mansion?"

Qian Renxue was slightly stunned, then asked, "Why would you want to find me?"

Lan Si rolled his eyes, giving her a look that said he was dealing with a fool.

"What kind of look is that?" Facing Lan Si's eye-roll, Qian Renxue snapped coquettishly, "Forget it, I won't joke with you anymore. If you have something to discuss next time, go directly to the Crown Prince's Mansion and find Xue Qinghe; he will send someone to notify me. But remember, except for Xue Qinghe, you are not allowed to mention my existence to anyone. Otherwise..."

"Got it, got it." Lan Si waved his hand impatiently and muttered, "So fierce. Eight out of ten sentences are threats. Be careful, or you'll never get married."

"What did you say?" Qian Renxue's hearing was extraordinary; hearing Lan Si's grumbling, she shouted sharply.

"Nothing, nothing at all. If there's nothing else, I'll be going." As he spoke, Lan Si summoned a Cyan Lotus, leaped onto it, and prepared to fly away.

Then he heard Qian Renxue say, "Come back."

"What is it now? Big sister?" Lan Si said with some dissatisfaction.

"You're going the wrong way. The Heaven Dou Royal Academy is that way." Qian Renxue pointed in another direction, then took a map from her Soul Tool and threw it to Lan Si.

Lan Si looked at the map, feeling a wave of embarrassment. He gave a sheepish laugh, changed direction, and sped off in the direction Qian Renxue had indicated.

Once Lan Si was far away, Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo emerged from the shadows.

"Young Mistress, isn't this too risky?" Snake Lance Douluo frowned, looking somewhat worried.

Porcupinefish Douluo also furrowed his brows and added, "Indeed, Young Mistress. Linking Xue Qinghe with you—if this brat ever grows suspicious, it will have a huge impact on Martial Soul Hall's plan to seize power in the Heaven Dou Empire."

Qian Renxue was full of confidence and chuckled, "Don't worry. Don't let his silly appearance fool you; he is actually quite cunning, and his ability to calculate risk is top-tier. Even if he hasn't figured it out yet, even if he guesses something later, he won't expose it. Besides, do you think a guy who calls Emperor Xue Ye 'Old Man Xue' would risk his life to tip off the Heaven Dou Empire?"

"Furthermore, since I've decided to recruit him, he will know my identity sooner or later. This is the perfect opportunity to test him."

Hearing this, Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo looked at each other and smiled. They bowed to Qian Renxue and said in unison, "The Young Mistress is wise."

Qian Renxue nodded with some pride and added, "However, what you two uncles said is not without merit. Uncle She Long, you follow him and observe from the shadows for a while. If there are no issues, then come back."

"Yes, Young Mistress." Snake Lance Douluo responded respectfully. His figure flashed, and he darted toward the direction Lan Si had taken.

The Bala Kingdom is located south of the Heaven Dou Empire, bordering the Fasinuo Province. Though called a kingdom, its area is only three-quarters the size of the Fasinuo Province. It is a vassal of the Heaven Dou Empire and one of the four great kingdoms within its borders.

Located in the center of the most fertile Lima Plain within the Bala Kingdom, Suotuo City is known as the granary of the Bala Kingdom.

After parting ways with Lan Si, Zhu Zhuqing spent some time recovering from her injuries. Once she ensured no hidden ailments remained, she hired a carriage and, after three or four days, finally arrived at her destination: Suotuo City.

It was noon, and under the glare of the scorching sun, there wasn't a single cloud in the sky, nor a breath of wind. Whether it was the lake at the foot of the mountain or the thousand-meter-tall mountains covered in various plants, everything looked listless and lethargic.

After getting off the carriage and strolling along the streets of Suotuo City, perhaps due to the fatigue of the long carriage ride or something else, Zhu Zhuqing's steps were slightly unsteady.

"If one day you feel you have nowhere left to go, then you can go to the Blue Tyrant Academy in Heaven Dou City to find me."

"Try your best and just be yourself. Even if you fail then, it doesn't matter. Because I will protect you."

Lan Si's words echoed repeatedly in Zhu Zhuqing's mind.

This was the first time someone had said they would protect her, and the other party had actually done it. With the strength of a two-ring, level 30 Soul Grand Master, he had protected her from her sister, who possessed the strength of a Soul Ancestor.

Although there was some trickery involved, he had truly succeeded.

Her cheeks felt slightly hot, and she felt dazed. From the moment they parted until now, Lan Si's figure had been echoing in Zhu Zhuqing's mind.

Just as she was about to fall into a pit filled with stakes and wild beasts, Lan Si had suddenly appeared, catching her in mid-air and saving her from becoming a beast's meal.

Facing the pressure from Zhu Zhuyun, who possessed the strength of a Soul Ancestor, he had responded calmly, using a peculiar weapon to drive her away.

Before she lost consciousness, the way he held her to bandage her wounds, and finally, the way he held her as he left the forest before they parted.

All these scenes were etched into Zhu Zhuqing's mind, unable to be forgotten.

Only after Lan Si had left did Zhu Zhuqing realize that he had left an indelible impression on her heart.

"Awoo—" Just then, a tiger's roar interrupted Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts.

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