We'll consummate our marriage tonight

Where his gaze landed, there sat a stunning woman with hair like a cascading waterfall and skin whiter than snow.

She was seated before her vanity, clad only in a simple, elegant nightgown; with all her disguises stripped away, her face was breathtakingly beautiful in the soft light.

Her brilliant golden hair flowed down to her waist, and her ice-blue eyes were slightly widened in shock, resembling a cold pool disturbed by the moonlight.

The sanctity and nobility belonging to a descendant of the angels were laid bare without concealment, forming a sharp contrast with the trace of panic she displayed at being caught off guard.

This was none other than the young mistress of Martial Soul Hall, his fiancée, Qian Renxue.

A look of undisguised amazement and appreciation flashed through the eyes of Lin Yue.

He leaned against the doorframe, his gaze roaming over her body without restraint, as if he were admiring a rare masterpiece suddenly unveiled.

"It seems I've arrived at just the right time?" Lin Yue's voice carried a hint of lazy amusement, shattering the suffocating silence within the bedchamber. "My... fiancée?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "fiancée," his tone laced with a touch of mockery and an unquestionable declaration.

After the initial violent jolt to her heart, Qian Renxue's shock was quickly replaced by a surge of shame and anger.

She stood up abruptly, her movements sharp with the sting of being offended.

"Elder Lin Yue!" Her voice was cold and haughty, even tinged with a hint of indignation. "Do you have no sense of shame, barging into a lady's bedchamber like this?"

Lin Yue acted as if he hadn't heard her rebuke; instead, he strolled inside with a leisurely gait and reached back to gently close the chamber door, sealing them off from the outside world.

His gaze remained fixed on Qian Renxue's face, carrying undisguised appreciation and a playful air... as if he were looking at his own possession.

"Shame?" Lin Yue chuckled softly, stopping a few paces away from her. "What is wrong with me entering the room of my own fiancée?"

Qian Renxue took a deep breath, her expression quickly regaining its composure; though still icy, the poise and calculation of a superior returned to her features.

She met Lin Yue's gaze without flinching, her voice returning to its usual coldness: "Elder Lin Yue, please have some self-respect. That was merely my grandfather's decision; I have yet to agree to marry you!"

"What? Is the young mistress planning to reject me?"

Lin Yue wiped the smile from his face.

"Elder Lin Yue, the century-old Lightning Rabbit at the city gate earlier—that was released by you, wasn't it?" Qian Renxue did not answer his question directly, choosing instead to interrogate him.

"It was!"

Lin Yue nodded; there was nothing he couldn't admit to.

"Why would you do such a thing?"

Qian Renxue watched Lin Yue with a scrutinizing gaze.

If Lin Yue were capable enough, she might be able to accept him as her man.

But the man of Qian Renxue could absolutely not be an evil person, nor someone who took pleasure in toying with the common folk.

"I had my reasons for doing so, naturally!"

"I will tell you in the future, but not now!"

"Besides, I didn't harm the life of any innocent person, did I?"

Seeing the look on Qian Renxue's face, Lin Yue immediately knew what she was thinking and burst into a laugh.

Qian Renxue's eyes narrowed; she hadn't expected Lin Yue to discern her thoughts so quickly from her questioning.

"Was the idea to simply replace Emperor Xue Ye really yours?"

Qian Renxue stopped asking about the incident at the city gate and changed the subject.

"Of course. Is that so hard to think of?"

Lin Yue walked over to Qian Renxue's bed on his own, sat down, and said with a smile.

"..."

Qian Renxue was left speechless at his words. Was that really easy to think of?

"Actually, I don't quite understand why the Grand Elder sent you to Heaven Dou in the first place. With the strength of Martial Soul Hall, you could easily steamroll both empires and unify the continent directly. There was no need for such convoluted schemes."

"Young mistress, do you know why that is?"

Lin Yue countered with his own question. These were things he felt uncomfortable asking in front of Qian Daoliu, as it would be akin to slapping him in the face.

"Grandfather is unwilling to cause unnecessary casualties!"

Qian Renxue explained immediately.

She was, of course, well aware that Martial Soul Hall possessed the strength to crush both empires.

"I see!" Lin Yue nodded; that did align with Qian Daoliu's character. "Then why not carry out a decapitation strike?"

"What is a decapitation strike?"

Qian Renxue asked in response.

"It means killing the emperors of both empires, or even the entire royal lineage, directly!"

"That way, both empires would be left without a leader. If Martial Soul Hall were to attack then, it would be much easier and would save a massive amount of lives."

"With the strength of Martial Soul Hall, that is entirely achievable."

Lin Yue explained.

"This..."

Qian Renxue was stunned upon hearing this. Was such a thing even possible?

Why had she and her grandfather never thought of this before?

Qian Renxue suddenly felt that her decade of undercover work had been somewhat in vain.

"Not bad. I acknowledge your intellect!"

The gaze Qian Renxue directed at Lin Yue was no longer merely one of scrutiny, but carried a hint of admiration.

The intellect of the man before her was truly too shocking.

"However, the man of Qian Renxue must possess more than just intellect; he must also have strength."

She did not want to yield too quickly or too easily, so she continued:

"Grandfather has taught you some Self-Created Soul Skills, so let me see your strength! You are at the Title Douluo level, while I am only a Soul Emperor. As long as you can defeat me, I will accept Grandfather's arrangement!"

"There is no need for that! If I stand still, you will not be my match!"

Hearing Qian Renxue's words, Lin Yue immediately laughed.

"What did you say?"

"If you stand still, I will not be your match?"

"Elder Lin Yue, where does your confidence come from?"

Hearing Lin Yue's words, Qian Renxue was so angry she laughed.

She acknowledged Lin Yue's world-shaking intellect, but she did not recognize his strength. He clearly possessed nothing but raw cultivation, lacking a single soul ring or soul skill.

"Shall we make a wager?"

"If I lose, there will be no need for the Young Mistress to marry me. I will obey your every command from now on, and all the soul beasts in my space will be yours to command!"

Lin Yue smiled confidently.

"Are you serious?"

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes lit up.

She admired Lin Yue, but as she had said before, the man she hoped for was one who could also surpass her in strength.

Therefore, if she could avoid marrying Lin Yue while still making him obedient and gaining control over his soul beasts, that would be for the best.

"Of course!"

"But if the Young Mistress loses, we shall enter the bridal chamber tonight!"

Lin Yue looked at Qian Renxue with a burning gaze, making no effort to hide his affection for her.