Exposing Qian Renxue's Identity-Dugu Bo Was Shocked: Spirit Hall Was Trying to Usurp the Throne?! (Please Read On!)

In his view, Emperor Xue Ye was simply old. His body was deteriorating with age—that was fate, something no human power could reverse.

"Old age and a frail body?

A natural illness?"

Yu Nan let out an extremely contemptuous snort in the Sea of Consciousness, as if he'd just heard the biggest joke in the world:

"Old Poison Freak, you've spent your whole life playing with poison.

How could you fail to recognize a slow-acting poison made from a mixture of substances?

It was no wonder. The poisoner's methods were incredibly sophisticated and didn't rely on a single toxin.

Instead, it was a colorless, odorless poison that accumulated inside the body through incense, food, and a certain special substance encountered in everyday life.

It had an extremely long incubation period and only made its victim grow weaker by degrees, with no discernible cause."

"P-poisoned?!"

Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically. As Poison Douluo, he'd let someone poison the emperor right under his nose, and he hadn't noticed at all?

"Who did it?

Who could pull off something like this and get close to the emperor without anyone noticing?"

"Far away, yet right before your eyes."

Yu Nan's voice rang out softly, laced with the amusement of a spectator watching a show:

"It was the usually refined and courteous Crown Prince, who was so devoted to Emperor Xue Ye that he was hailed as the future hope of the Heaven Dou Empire—Xue Qinghe."

"What?!"

"The Crown Prince?!"

This time, it wasn't just Dugu Bo. Even Dugu Yan, standing beside him, couldn't help crying out in shock.

Her beautiful eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.

Xue Qinghe had an excellent reputation in Heaven Dou City. He was modest and courteous, treated the worthy with respect, and had always shown Dugu Bo considerable deference.

Could such a man really be the culprit who'd poisoned his own father?

"Th-this can't be possible."

Dugu Bo's mind reeled. He instinctively tried to refute the claim:

"Even a tiger won't eat its cubs, and a son won't kill his father.

Xue Qinghe may be calculating, but there's no need for him to rush into this.

The throne would be his sooner or later. Why risk incurring the wrath of the whole world by doing something like this?"

"What if..."

Yu Nan's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling menace:

"The 'Xue Qinghe' we see now isn't Xue Ye's son at all?"

Boom!

The words exploded in the minds of grandfather and granddaughter like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

Dugu Bo's scalp prickled, and a chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to his crown.

Not Xue Ye's son?

Then who was he?

"P-Predecessor, what do you mean?"

Dugu Bo's voice was hoarse. He had a vague sense that he'd stumbled upon a world-shaking secret, one capable of overturning the balance of the entire continent.

"The real Xue Qinghe died many years ago. His bones have probably long since rotted away."

Yu Nan calmly revealed the truth hidden beneath layer upon layer of fog, sparing no effort to shock them:

"The person sitting in the Crown Prince's seat now is an impostor.

Her true identity is Qian Renxue, the daughter of the former Spirit Hall Pope, Qian Xunji, and granddaughter of the current Great Enshrined, Qian Daoliu!"

"S-Spirit Hall?!"

Dugu Yan covered her mouth, terror in her eyes.

Dugu Bo swayed, nearly losing his balance.

Qian Renxue?

The Qian Family descendant who possessed the legendary god-level Martial Soul, the Six-Winged Angel?

She'd disguised herself as the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire?

And she'd kept up the act for so many years, deceiving everyone—including Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, and Dugu Bo himself!

"H-how could she have kept this secret?"

Dugu Bo muttered, still unable to believe it:

"Xue Qinghe's Martial Soul is a swan, while the Qian Family's is the Six-Winged Angel...

The instant a Martial Soul is released, its aura is completely different. How could she disguise it so perfectly?"

"That's because she possesses a special Soul Bone, the Bone of Disguise from the Angel Set."

Yu Nan explained casually:

"This Soul Bone lets her change her build and appearance perfectly, and even imitate the aura of other Martial Souls.

Unless a Titled Douluo examines her closely, or a Spirit-type powerhouse far stronger than she is probes her, no one will notice a flaw."

"What an enormous game..."

Dugu Bo drew a deep breath, struggling to calm the storm raging inside him.

At last, he understood why Yu Nan had called Prince Xue Xing a fool.

Compared with Spirit Hall's astonishing scheme to "usurp the throne," Xue Xing's petty intrigues were like children playing house!

"Spirit Hall... actually intends to annex the Heaven Dou Empire without shedding a drop of blood!"

Dugu Bo's eyes were full of shock:

"If that fake Crown Prince succeeds to the throne, the whole Heaven Dou Empire will fall into Spirit Hall's hands without anyone realizing it.

Then one of the two great empires will be gone, and the Star Luo Empire will be left standing alone...

The world will truly belong to the 'Wu' family!"

At the thought, Dugu Bo broke out in a cold sweat.

He might have acted according to his own sense of right and wrong, and felt little loyalty to the imperial family.

But realizing he'd spent so long calling such a terrifying impostor a friend—and had nearly been used by her—made his skin crawl.

"Grandpa, what should we do?"

Dugu Yan asked in a panic:

"Should we expose her?"

"Expose her?"

Yu Nan scoffed:

"You silly girl, how would you expose her?

With nothing but your word?

Never mind that no one would believe you. Even if they did, do you think we're strong enough to withstand that old monster Qian Daoliu's wrath?"

"He's a Limit Douluo at level ninety-nine. Killing you would be like crushing an ant."

"And two Titled Douluos have been lurking nearby to protect Qian Renxue for years: those two fellows, Porcupinefish and Snake Lance."

At the mention of those two, Dugu Bo's expression darkened even further.

Porcupinefish Douluo was the natural nemesis of his poison arts!

"Then what do you suggest, Predecessor?"

Dugu Bo asked cautiously.

"Pretend we don't know."

Yu Nan's tone was calm, as though he were discussing something of no consequence:

"Our goal is only the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, and to seize enough advantages amid this chaotic age.

What does it matter to us who sits on the throne?"

"Still, now that we know this secret, it's a bargaining chip in our hands."

"Once we return to Heaven Dou City, you can cure Xue Ye."

"The poison may be well hidden, but with your Geng Metal Poison Energy and your understanding of medicines, it won't be difficult to neutralize."

"As long as Xue Ye stays alive, Qian Renxue's plan will be delayed."

"The more anxious she gets, the more flaws she'll reveal."

Yu Nan paused, a shrewd glint flickering through the phantom of the Dragon Soul:

"And besides, saving Xue Ye's life will ruin Qian Renxue's plans.

Then we can profit from both sides.

We'll have the imperial family's national treasure in hand, and, well...

Heh. Perhaps we can make a deal with the 'Crown Prince' later."

Dugu Bo was dumbstruck. His awe of this mysterious predecessor deepened even further.

Not only was his strength terrifying, but his cunning and resourcefulness were unfathomable!

After learning of such a world-shaking conspiracy, he hadn't panicked for a moment. Instead, he'd immediately figured out how to use the secret to maximize their gains.

"This junior understands!"

Dugu Bo took a deep breath. The terror in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by the excitement and greed of someone who'd gained possession of a vital secret.

If they were going to play, they might as well play big!

"Back to Heaven Dou!

I'll go treat His Majesty right away, and while I'm at it, I'll get the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud back for Yan Yan!"