Lin Yuan Meets Qian Renxue! Longing!

Lin Yuan nodded, then released his arm, turned, and strode quickly out of the great hall.

Bibi Dong sat upright on the grand main seat, her gaze fixed tightly upon Lin Yuan's tall, straight back, her beautiful eyes filled with an inescapable doting tenderness.

The great hall returned to silence.

Bibi Dong leaned back against her chair, her thoughts taking wing and flying into the distance.

Once upon a time, she had felt nothing but extreme loathing for Qian Renxue, the daughter born of her own flesh and blood who carried the lineage of Qian Xunji.

That deep-seated resistance and hatred had been so intense that even a single glance at Qian Renxue had made her feel nauseated.

Yet, ever since she had adopted Lin Yuan, everything had changed.

Watching this black-clad youth grow day by day, watching him reveal a talent that surpassed all others under the heavens, Bibi Dong's scarred and riddled heart had been miraculously healed, bit by bit.

Even the hatred she held for Qian Renxue had quietly faded away without her even realizing it.

Bibi Dong's exquisite lips curled slightly, blooming into a smile filled with hope.

If, in the future, she could allow Xue'er to cast off the heavy burden of the Heaven Dou Empire and safely marry Yuan'er... that would truly be a perfect and fulfilling outcome.

With the future of Martial Soul Hall entrusted to this pair of young people, she could finally rest easy.

The news that Lin Yuan was about to depart for Heaven Dou City soon spread among the younger generation of Martial Soul Hall.

When Lin Yuan returned to his private courtyard, it was already packed with people.

Xie Yue, Yan, and the other followers who usually hung on Lin Yuan's every word all wore dejected expressions, their eyes filled with reluctance.

Standing at the very front was, naturally, the pride of Martial Soul Hall's Golden Generation, Hu Liena.

"Brother Yuan, are you really leaving?"

Hu Liena hurried forward, her naturally bewitching fox eyes slightly reddened, her gaze filled with nothing but worship and attachment for Lin Yuan.

She was wearing an extremely form-fitting leather outfit today, which outlined her proud curves to perfection.

Most lethal of all was the pair of skin-tight black silk stockings she wore on her lower body, which clung to her long, straight, and perfectly toned legs.

Under the sunlight, the black silk shimmered with a captivating luster, radiating a fatal temptation that would make any normal man's blood boil.

Lin Yuan scanned the crowd, his tone calm as he instructed:

"I am going to Heaven Dou City on business; I will return in a few months at the earliest, or half a year at the latest."

"While I am away, all of you are to keep your guard up and cultivate diligently in the Mimicry Cultivation Ground."

"If I return and find that anyone has wasted their time or allowed their soul power to stagnate, I will show no mercy."

Xie Yue, Yan, and the others immediately straightened their backs and shouted their compliance, not daring to show the slightest defiance.

Hu Liena, however, paid no mind to this.

Relying on the fact that she was a girl, she moved forward naturally and wrapped both hands around Lin Yuan's right arm.

Her round thighs, encased in black silk, pressed intentionally or otherwise against Lin Yuan's side, bringing a sensation of extreme smoothness and softness.

The fullness of her chest pressed against Lin Yuan's arm without reservation, rising and falling with her breath.

"Brother Yuan, Heaven Dou City is so far away; I will definitely miss you."

Hu Liena stood slightly on tiptoe, leaning close to Lin Yuan's ear to whisper.

Her delicate, coquettish voice was laced with undisguised ambiguity and provocation.

Lin Yuan turned his head to look at the beautiful, fox-like face inches from his own, his nose filled with the intoxicating, faint fragrance she wore.

He raised his hand and pinched Hu Liena's fair, delicate cheek quite casually.

"Stop trying to bewitch me with your nonsense."

"Your charm soul skills still need more refinement; don't spend all day focusing on these trivial matters."

Though he scolded her, Lin Yuan's fingers took the opportunity to ruffle Hu Liena's smooth, short hair.

Such an intimate gesture caused Hu Liena's heart to skip a beat.

She obediently rested her head on Lin Yuan's shoulder, squinting her eyes in pure enjoyment like a little fox being petted by its master.

She had always followed Lin Yuan's words implicitly, never daring to disobey him in the slightest.

Heaven Dou Empire, Eastern Palace of the Crown Prince.

Sandalwood incense curled upward within the study.

Qian Renxue sat upright behind a desk crafted from premium golden nanmu, holding a top-secret letter just delivered by a Martial Soul Hall covert operative.

The content of the letter was extremely brief.

It only stated that Martial Soul Hall would soon send an extremely important newcomer to Heaven Dou City to make contact and deliver core intelligence.

Yet, it failed to mention a single word regarding the newcomer's specific name or identity.

Qian Renxue's brows furrowed slightly as she casually held the secret letter to the candlelight, watching it crumble into a pile of ash.

She had already been lurking within the Heaven Dou Empire for a full ten years.

Such matters of meeting contacts and transmitting intelligence were things she had long since grown accustomed to; one could even say she was well-versed in the routine.

Yet, for some reason, after reading this unsigned letter today, a violent thumping arose in the depths of her heart for no apparent reason.

An extremely rare sense of trepidation continued to spread within her chest.

Qian Renxue stood up and pushed open the window, letting the cool night breeze blow against the face she had disguised as Xue Qinghe.

Could it be that some unforeseen change had occurred over at Martial Soul Hall?

Or was it that some major event capable of overturning the entire Heaven Dou Empire was about to take place?

She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restlessness in her heart, and gazed toward the direction of Martial Soul City, remaining silent for a long time.

Half a month later, Heaven Dou City.

The bustling streets were filled with heavy traffic, and the clamor of hawking voices rose and fell in succession.

Lin Yuan wore a wide bamboo hat, obscuring the better part of his exceptionally striking face.

He brought only a few guards, entering Heaven Dou City in an extremely low-profile manner.

After making a few inquiries, Lin Yuan headed straight toward the direction of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

According to the intelligence, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe was currently inspecting administrative affairs within the Royal Academy today and was working in his private study.

In a secluded corner on the outskirts of the Royal Academy, Lin Yuan nimbly changed into the coarse cloth garments of a Heaven Dou imperial servant.

With his current terrifying cultivation as a peak level 69 Spirit Emperor, combined with the shadow-stealth ability inherent to his Nine Nether Beast martial soul.

To him, the Heaven Dou Empire Royal Knights responsible for guarding the study were no different from the blind.

Lin Yuan strolled as if he were walking in his own courtyard, extremely easily avoiding all the visible sentries and hidden checkpoints, arriving silently outside the door of the study.

Inside the study at this moment, Qian Renxue was buried in a mountain-like pile of official documents and scrolls.

Holding a cinnabar brush in her hand, she furrowed her brows as she reviewed the memorials from various parts of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Every day spent disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe was extremely mentally exhausting.

She had to maintain that hypocritical mask of being gentle, refined, and respectful to the virtuous at all times, without a single slip-up.

Just then, a lowered voice came from outside the door to report.

"Your Highness, the newly dispatched contact has arrived, saying there is an extremely important letter that must be presented in person."