Pufferfish, have you ever been in love?

"Dried rabbit meat. I made it in my spare time. A few days ago, I went to Sunset Forest to train my combat skills and, as luck would have it, ran into a Soft Bone Rabbit that was nearly a thousand years old. I killed it, but it was too big to eat all at once, and I was worried it would spoil if I left it too long, so I made it into jerky instead. I added my own special seasoning, so the taste is absolutely first-rate." Lan Si praised himself.

Qian Renxue rolled her eyes at Lan Si and teased, "Just how much do you like eating rabbit meat?"

Though she said that, she still opened the brocade box, took out a small piece of dried rabbit meat, and started eating. She had to admit, it really did taste good.

"Let me correct you. I don't like eating just any rabbit. I only like Soft Bone Rabbits," Lan Si corrected her.

"People don't show up without a reason. You're either up to no good or looking for something. So, what do you want this time?" Qian Renxue skipped over their earlier topic. She walked over to the cabinet, poured herself a glass of red wine, then sat on the single sofa across from Lan Si. She crossed her legs, resting her left over her right, gently swirled the glass in one hand, and propped her cheek on the other. Her air of authority was unmistakable.

"What, we haven't seen each other in so long. Do I really have to have a reason to come see you? You've hurt me, Xue'er. And here I thought you were my brother."

"Enough. Are you going to tell me or not? If not, I'm leaving." Qian Renxue set down her glass and started to rise.

"Wait!" Lan Si flashed behind Qian Renxue in an instant and gently pressed down on her shoulders.

"That speed just now?" Qian Renxue was a little surprised. Lan Si's speed had clearly reached the level of an Agility Attack-type Soul Ancestor, yet he was only a Soul Elder—and not even an Agility Attack type.

"Oh, you mean that? A hundred sit-ups every morning, a hundred push-ups, a hundred squats, plus a ten-kilometer run. I just kept at it, and there you go." Lan Si brushed her off.

"Who do you think you're fooling? If you don't want to tell me, fine." Qian Renxue gave him a look that said she'd be a fool to believe him.

Lan Si nodded solemnly, stepped in front of Qian Renxue, and placed both hands on her shoulders. He crouched until his shoulders were level with hers, meeting her blue-gold eyes with his clear, dark ones. He swallowed, then asked earnestly, "Xue'er, would you do me a favor?"

It was the first time Qian Renxue had been so close to a man other than her grandfather. Looking at Lan Si's handsome face and his clear, dark eyes, a flicker of panic flashed through her gaze. Her cheeks flushed, and her breathing quickened slightly. Almost unconsciously, she replied, "What is it?"

"Could you help me find a Storage Soul Tool that can hold living creatures?" Lan Si asked seriously.

"A Storage Soul Tool that can hold living creatures? A Storage Soul Tool that can hold living creatures?" At Lan Si's words, Qian Renxue's face darkened instantly. She lowered her head, her golden bangs falling freely over her face as shadow veiled her eyes. She murmured the words under her breath, her shoulders beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

Crack!

The wineglass in Qian Renxue's hand shattered. A vast surge of Soul Power burst from beneath her feet. The ground split at once, cracks spreading out like a spiderweb.

In the courtyard, Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo, two Titled Douluo concealed in the shadows, watched what was happening inside.

"Snake Lance, it looks like the Young Master's been angered by that kid Lan Si. Should we step in?" Porcupinefish Douluo asked.

Snake Lance Douluo glanced at Porcupinefish as if he were an idiot, then asked out of the blue, "Porcupinefish, have you ever been in love?"

"We cultivators have no time for romance. What woman could I not have if I wanted one? I've no need to fuss over all that mushy stuff." Porcupinefish Douluo blushed and turned his head away, speaking with pride.

Snake Lance Douluo was right. He had indeed never been in love.

Every Titled Douluo had been a peerless genius in their youth, adored by countless young women. Porcupinefish Douluo was the sole exception. His Martial Soul made him poisonous all over, for one thing, and his appearance was frankly frightening: he was short but terrifyingly bulky, and had the face of a pufferfish. His features were so grotesque that no one could honestly call him handsome.

His ugly appearance had made him quick-tempered. Even the women who liked him were drawn to his lofty status as a Soul Master, not because they wanted to be with him.

Seeing Porcupinefish Douluo stubbornly deny the truth, Snake Lance Douluo sighed. "Forget it. Pretend I didn't say anything."

Inside the reception room.

By now, Qian Renxue had forced Lan Si into a corner.

With every step Qian Renxue took, the ground beneath her feet cracked. Lan Si had nowhere left to retreat.

"Calm down, Xue'er. Calm down." Lan Si broke out in a cold sweat.

"A-Si, I don't think I heard what you just said. Could you say it again?" Qian Renxue pressed one hand against the wall behind Lan Si. Crack—the wall split apart at once.

"I said you're beautiful—the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life. If I had to describe you in one sentence, it would be: 'At one glance, she could topple a city; at a second, she could topple a kingdom.'" Lan Si's mind raced. At this point, he couldn't afford to be choosy. He would start with flattery and wait for Qian Renxue to cool down.

"One glance, and she could topple a city; at a second, she could topple a kingdom?" Qian Renxue murmured. Once she understood the meaning, the frost on her pretty face melted away, replaced in an instant by a rosy blush. She withdrew her hand, turned her back to Lan Si, and said coolly, "You pass. You want a Storage Soul Tool that can hold living creatures, right? They're rare, but they do exist. Go back and wait. When I find one, I'll send someone to let you know. Then you can come pick it up yourself."

"Then thank you." Seeing that Qian Renxue had calmed down, Lan Si couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He added, "By the way, there's one more thing I'd like your help with. Could you release your aura and pressure me? I want to use it to fully fuse the External Soul Bone inside me."

"Sure." To Lan Si's surprise, Qian Renxue agreed readily. She turned around, the corner of her mouth curling into a dangerous smile.

Facing Qian Renxue's smile, Lan Si felt his scalp prickle, and a bad feeling welled up in his heart.

The next moment, a tremendous pressure swept over him. Lan Si's footing faltered, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

When Lan Si finally left the Crown Prince's Mansion again, half an hour had passed. He dragged his exhausted body and mind into a hired carriage and returned to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

When Lan Si got back to his residence, he found two guests in the courtyard. They stood outside his room, apparently having waited there for quite some time.

He knew one of them: Ye Lingling, the support-type Soul Master on the Imperial Fighting Team. The other was a refined-looking middle-aged man who bore a slight resemblance to Ye Lingling.