The First in Martial Soul Theory, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang!

Time slipped quietly by amid the soft scratch of the brush.

By the time dusk fell, the paperwork on the desk had finally been more or less taken care of.

Qian Renxue set down her vermilion brush, raised both hands, and stretched herself with a long, languid yawn.

Just then, a pair of warm hands silently settled on her shoulders.

With just the right amount of pressure, they began kneading her stiff muscles.

Qian Renxue jolted in alarm, instinctively preparing to strike back with her Soul Power.

But a familiar scent immediately filled her nose.

Only then did she realize that Gu Sheng had been standing guard there the whole time.

Her tense body instantly relaxed, and Qian Renxue let down the defenses she wore as Crown Prince.

Gu Sheng bent slightly, bringing his cheek close to her ear.

"You worked hard today."

As he whispered, his warm breath brushed directly over Qian Renxue's earlobe.

A tingling itch spread from the base of her ear through her entire body, and even the face beneath her disguise flushed a noticeable red.

Qian Renxue closed her eyes in comfort, the corners of her mouth lifting without her noticing.

"You've been standing all day. Why haven't you gone to rest in the side room?"

She asked softly, her tone tinged with laziness.

Gu Sheng had no intention of answering.

His hands suddenly swept under her, and he lifted Qian Renxue straight out of the wide chair.

When her body abruptly left the ground, Qian Renxue let out a startled cry.

"What are you doing? Put me down! This is the study!"

"I can't sleep by myself without you in my arms."

Gu Sheng replied with utter conviction, striding steadily toward the resting couch at the back of the study.

His manner was overbearing, leaving no room for protest.

After setting Qian Renxue down on the bed, Gu Sheng braced both hands beside her and looked down at her startled eyes.

"Now that the official business is finished, shouldn't we take care of our private business?"

With that, Gu Sheng lowered his head and kissed her.

Qian Renxue put up a token struggle, her manner more a case of feigning resistance than truly refusing.

Gu Sheng paid it no mind, growing even more forceful.

Just as things threatened to get out of hand,

Qian Renxue's last scrap of reason finally prevailed.

She used all her strength to push against Gu Sheng's chest, gasping for breath as she quickly straightened her rumpled collar.

"Stop fooling around. Tomorrow, I still have to show you around Heaven Dou City."

To keep Gu Sheng from misbehaving again, Qian Renxue climbed out of bed with flushed cheeks and hurried to the study door.

Just then, the measured sound of footsteps came from outside.

Several patrolling guards heard the commotion inside and immediately stepped forward to bow.

"Your Highness, is something amiss inside?"

Qian Renxue cleared her throat, forcing down the fluster in her voice and resuming Xue Qinghe's refined and gentle manner.

"It's nothing. I accidentally knocked some books to the floor. Everything is fine. Carry on with your patrol."

Only after sending the guards away did she let out a long breath.

The next day, on one of Heaven Dou City's bustling streets,

Qian Renxue had shed the Crown Prince's finery and changed into a carefully tailored outfit in pale moon-white.

Gu Sheng still wore his neat guard uniform, following half a step behind her with impeccable decorum.

The broad street teemed with carriages and crowds, and the air rang with people's voices.

The shops on either side were crammed with a dazzling array of wares, while vendors' cries rose and fell, filling the street with the rich, earthy bustle of everyday life.

Compared with the solemnity of Spirit City, the atmosphere here was clearly much more relaxed.

Qian Renxue was in high spirits.

She deliberately slowed her pace, waiting for Gu Sheng to catch up, and the two walked shoulder to shoulder through the crowd.

"The street up ahead has the biggest antique market in the city. Farther east is the Heaven Dou Auction House."

Qian Renxue lowered her voice and patiently told Gu Sheng about the city's customs and sights.

Gu Sheng walked quietly beside her, listening.

His gaze didn't fall on the novel stalls. Instead, it settled directly on Qian Renxue's profile, his eyes exceptionally gentle.

Whenever he heard something interesting, Gu Sheng would nod and respond with a few words, the smile on his lips never fading.

Qian Renxue keenly felt his undisguised, heated gaze.

The outrageous scene from the night before on the study's resting couch instantly came to mind, and she turned to glare fiercely at Gu Sheng.

That glance was full of charm, carrying a strong hint of coquettish annoyance.

Gu Sheng's heart stirred at the sight, and his smile grew even wider.

After a few rounds, Qian Renxue's resolve finally gave way. With her thin skin, she was the first to lose.

Feeling her cheeks grow hot, she quickly turned her head and changed the subject.

"Look over there! There seems to be a commotion. Let's go see!"

Qian Renxue pointed toward the crowd gathered up ahead.

Gu Sheng chuckled softly and followed, using his formidable physique to easily shield Qian Renxue as they pushed into the packed throng.

They parted the crowd and took a closer look.

A large open space had been cleared in the center, where a huge banner stood upright on the flagstones, fluttering in the breeze.

The banner was made of fine, pure-white silk.

Several bold characters had been painted across it in thick, dark strokes.

The First in Martial Soul Theory, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang.

The writing was wild and claw-like, brimming with a deliberately cultivated air of arrogance.

Standing directly beneath the banner was a middle-aged man.

He clasped his hands behind his back, his chin tilted slightly upward, his expression full of undisguised haughtiness.

His features were utterly ordinary, the kind of face that would vanish into a crowd without a trace.

He was of average height, dressed in a plain, somewhat worn gray robe whose edges had even faded nearly white from washing.

Yet despite his shabby clothes, his eyes constantly revealed a lofty, self-satisfied air.

He looked down his nose at everyone around him, sizing them up with a condescending gaze.

This was none other than Yu Xiaogang himself, the man named on the banner.

Standing beside this so-called Grandmaster was a chubby young man.

His short, fiery-red hair stood out at once, each strand sticking straight up like a burning flame.

The rolls of flesh on his face trembled with every breath, and his expression was arrogant and domineering.

He was Ma Hongjun, a student from Shrek Academy.

To lend Yu Xiaogang some presence, Ma Hongjun deliberately released his Martial Soul.

Scorching Soul Power surged around him in waves.

Light flashed at his feet. Two yellow Soul Rings and one purple Soul Ring revolved around his body, rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

He was unmistakably a genuine Soul Elder.

To reach the Soul Elder realm at such a young age instantly caused a great commotion among the surrounding crowd.

Exclamations of amazement rose one after another.

"Heavens, he's a Soul Elder at such a young age!"

"I've never even seen a powerhouse with three Soul Rings in my whole life!"

Countless eyes fixed on the Soul Rings around Ma Hongjun, brimming with envy and longing.