*...*
Feeling the gentle Soul Power filling every part of his body,
Lin Huai gathered his thoughts and circulated his Soul Power, absorbing it all.
After all, he had only eaten a single leaf.
Lin Huai woke up half an hour later.
Qian Daoliu had already returned, accompanied by a blonde woman in a golden palace gown.
Her skin was fair as snow, her nose straight, her phoenix eyes slightly slender, and her stunning features carried a hint of regal authority.
Lin Huai's thoughts stirred.
So this was Qian Renxue. She really was beautiful.
"Teacher, is this the person you went to fetch?"
Qian Daoliu pointed at Lin Huai.
"He's just a disciple your grandfather took in, Lin Huai. He's exceptionally talented and intelligent."
Then he pointed to Qian Renxue, introducing her to Lin Huai.
"This is my granddaughter, Qian Renxue. She has Innate Level 20 Soul Power."
"You two should get to know each other."
Qian Renxue was just about to greet Lin Huai
when she saw him hurry away at a jog.
Her outstretched hand stiffly drew back.
Am I really that scary? Why did he run as soon as he saw me?
As Qian Renxue began doubting her own appearance, Lin Huai reached Yue Guan.
"Elder Chrysanthemum, hurry and give me those two Immortal Herbs!"
Seeing what Lin Huai was up to, Yue Guan shook his head helplessly and handed him the two Immortal Herbs.
Then Lin Huai jogged back to Qian Daoliu's side.
He offered the two Immortal Herbs to Qian Renxue.
"We're meeting for the first time, and your uncle doesn't have much to give you. Take these two Immortal Herbs as a gift."
Ignoring the twitch at the corner of Qian Renxue's mouth, Lin Huai even extended his hand farther, urging her to take them.
Qian Daoliu coughed.
"You can each use whichever form of address you like. There's no need to be so particular."
Qian Renxue took the Immortal Herbs and set them aside.
She reached out with both hands, pinched Lin Huai's cheeks, and gritted her teeth.
"You're calling yourself my uncle? And giving me a first-meeting gift?"
As she spoke, she tugged at his cheeks.
Lin Huai said, his words muffled:
"I'm your teacher's disciple."
Qian Renxue let go of his cheeks and, in the same motion, pinched his ear.
"Hmm? What should you call me?"
Lin Huai rubbed his reddened cheeks, sounding sheepish.
"Xiao Xue, big sis. You're my big sis, you're my big sis."
"Could you let go of your little brother's poor, fragile ear now?"
He'd meant to help Qian Renxue regain some of her childish playfulness, but he'd taken it too far.
Watching the two of them bicker, Qian Daoliu felt a pang in his heart.
His adorable little granddaughter had been playing the role of a prince in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace for six years now.
He'd thought she would give up once she realized how difficult it was, but she'd persevered all this time.
This was how a child in her early teens should act.
Qian Renxue released Lin Huai's ear and said, somewhat exasperated:
"Besides, these two Immortal Herbs were mine to begin with. Grandpa already told me."
Lin Huai gave an awkward chuckle.
His eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together.
"Um, Xiao Xue..."
Qian Renxue raised a brow.
"Hmm? What is it?"
"As your little brother, don't you think we should have a first-meeting gift...?"
Lin Huai gave her a sly hint that it was time to hand over his gift.
Only then did Qian Daoliu remember that Lin Huai had given his Sword Intent a pretty good name, and he still hadn't given Lin Huai a gift for becoming his disciple.
He took off the Soul Tool Bracelet on his wrist and handed it to Lin Huai.
"This is your gift for becoming my disciple. It's a Storage Soul Tool with fifty square meters of space. There are some Gold Soul Coins and my Elder Token inside. It'll also automatically adjust to the size of your wrist."
He'd gotten a Storage Bracelet.
"Thank you, teacher!"
Lin Huai put it on, then waved his arm in front of Qian Renxue, hinting that she should hurry up and give him her gift.
Watching Lin Huai's antics, Qian Renxue was so exasperated she almost laughed.
She took a token engraved with the characters "Qinghe" from her Storage Ring.
"When you come to Heaven Dou City, show this token, and you'll be able to go anywhere without hindrance."
Lin Huai put the token away without asking why it bore the name Qinghe.
It seemed Qian Renxue had already made considerable progress.
"Teacher, my information has been sealed off, right?"
Qian Daoliu nodded.
Only after hearing Lin Huai's next words did he understand why he'd asked.
"Don't worry, Xiao Xue. Once I've made progress in my cultivation, I'll come to Heaven Dou City and help you."
Looking at the earnest little expression on Lin Huai's face,
Qian Renxue felt as though her heart had been struck hard.
She stroked Lin Huai's hair, thinking:
Having a little brother sworn by choice isn't so bad.
Unlike the happy harmony among the three of them,
Dugu Bo froze on the spot when he saw Qian Renxue hand over the token.
He screamed inwardly:
Are all the members of the Tiandou Royal Family useless?
Spirit Hall has already taken control of the crown prince!
No wonder those two princes died mysteriously. A Titled Douluo must have been behind it.
Then his thoughts settled.
At least I've already joined Spirit Hall.
Otherwise, I wouldn't even know what killed me.
Qian Daoliu looked toward Dugu Bo.
"Poison Elder, come over. It's time I told you some secrets."
Dugu Bo approached the three of them, then looked at Yue Guan, who was still lost in a daze over the Immortal Herbs.
"What about Yue Guan?"
Qian Daoliu waved a hand.
"Don't mind him. He already knows."
"Although you swore an oath, I still have to warn you: don't let this secret out. Otherwise..."
Qian Daoliu glanced at Dugu Yan, who was still absorbing the Immortal Herb.
Dugu Bo's heart trembled, and he hurriedly said:
"Grand Elder, rest assured. In life, I'm a man of Spirit Hall. In death, I'll be its ghost."
Qian Daoliu nodded, then said:
"Xiao Xue is the current Heaven Dou Crown Prince—Xue Qinghe."
"!!!"
Dugu Bo was astonished. He hadn't merely taken control of the crown prince—he'd outright replaced him?
Lin Huai also appropriately put on a surprised expression.
He even reached out and pinched Qian Renxue's pretty cheek.
Qian Renxue slapped away Lin Huai's mischievous hand.
"What are you doing?"
Lin Huai chuckled.
"I wanted to see what you look like as a man, Xiao Xue."
Qian Renxue's expression darkened.
"No. I don't want to look like that."
Hearing her say that, Lin Huai immediately replied:
"Then come back. With your talent, Xiao Xue, I'm sure you can inherit the Angel God's divinity."
"When you become a god, lead Spirit Hall's dozen or so Titled Douluo out to fight."
"Who cares about Heaven Dou or Earth Dou? By then, which power on the continent would dare refuse to submit?"
Dugu Bo touched his unchanged face, thinking to himself:
I'm incredible! I heard Spirit Hall has more than ten Titled Douluo, and I still managed to keep a straight face.
Qian Renxue saw that Qian Daoliu was looking at her just as seriously.
She knew he also supported her returning.
But when she thought of Bibi Dong's mocking expression, and of how hard she had worked all these years to persevere—
"No. I can't accept it!"
Looking at Qian Renxue's stubborn expression,
Lin Huai sighed inwardly: That makes sense. If Tang San hadn't appeared, the original Douluo Continent could have been seen as the story of Qian Renxue's path to godhood. I can understand why she's so stubborn.
"All right, Xiao Xue. You'd better cultivate hard, or you might not be able to beat me when we meet again."
Qian Daoliu continued, regret still in his voice:
"So, while Dugu Bo is in Heaven Dou, he'll take orders from Xiao Xue."
"Your understanding of the Soul Core can also be passed back to Spirit Hall through Xiao Xue."
"All right, go and guard your granddaughter. Absorbing the Immortal Herb may affect her."
Dugu Bo returned to Dugu Yan's side and raised a barrier with his Soul Power.
"Xiao Xue, take them the way I taught you earlier."
"Grandpa will guard you."
Qian Renxue quickly swallowed the two Immortal Herbs.
Waves of heat surged around her.
A moment later, a huge cocoon of light completely enveloped her.
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