After hearing Qian Renxue out, Yu Tianshuo said no more. After all, it was only the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. If he hadn't worried that Yu Tianshuo had acted on impulse without a plan, she wouldn't have bothered making the trip.
As for whether things would be difficult with the Heaven Dou Emperor?
Wasn't that obvious? The royal family had a new enshrined expert. They could use the opportunity to suppress the old powers and redistribute their interests. At most, they'd issue an apology. It wasn't a big deal.
Of course, all this depended on Dugu Bo being able to beat Yu Yuanzhen. But in their battle just now, Dugu Bo had thrust his dragon tail into Yu Yuanzhen in an instant. That alone was enough to make every Titled Douluo in the Upper Three Sects wonder if they could withstand such a sneak attack.
In the end, the two simply finished their tea and prepared to attend the coronation ceremony.
Just as they stood, Yu Tianshuo paused, as if remembering something. He took a jade box from his Storage Soul Tool and tossed it to Qian Renxue.
Seeing Yu Tianshuo's gesture, Qian Renxue stopped and caught the flying jade box. She didn't open it, instead asking outright,
"What is this?"
When Qian Renxue asked him directly, Yu Tianshuo answered just as plainly.
"Nothing much. I saw it in those books you gave me—it's an Immortal Herb with a light attribute. I saw how slowly your Soul Power was growing while you played house in the royal family, so I went out of my way to find it for you."
After saying this, he turned and headed for the door, waving a hand as he went.
"You can thank me later. If you keep progressing at this rate, I might become a god before you even reach the rank of Titled Douluo."
Without caring what expression Qian Renxue wore, he opened the door and left.
Qian Renxue could only stare blankly at his departing back. The jade box in her hand had developed a few tiny cracks from the force of her grip.
Only when a shard pierced her palm did Qian Renxue come to her senses. But she didn't hurry to check whether the Immortal Herb had been damaged. Instead, she murmured where she stood,
"Was it just playing house?"
Thinking of why she had come to infiltrate the royal family, Qian Renxue's eyes darkened. Her thoughts, like a slideshow, gradually returned to that night when she had made a promise to her mother.
"Mother..."
Qian Renxue looked at her mother, Bibi Dong, pleadingly. But Bibi Dong showed her daughter no warmth. Her gaze held nothing but coldness and indifference.
Everyone knew how much she detested Qian Renxue. Even Qian Daoliu had eventually been at a loss for words, since all of this was the karmic debt his own son had brought upon them.
Looking at her daughter, Bibi Dong finally suppressed the urge to kill her. In a cold voice, she said,
"You don't deserve to call me Mother."
Qian Renxue's face filled with sorrow at those words.
But Bibi Dong's next words gave her a faint glimmer of hope.
"If you want to call me Mother, then prove that you're worth something."
As she spoke, Bibi Dong tossed a plan to Qian Renxue, then continued,
"Only when you succeed in becoming the Heaven Dou Emperor will you be qualified to call me Mother."
With that, Bibi Dong turned and left without sparing Qian Renxue another glance.
Qian Renxue stared blankly at Bibi Dong's retreating figure, silent.
Before she could continue reminiscing, laughter and chatter outside interrupted her.
She heard Dugu Yan's babyish voice saying,
"Brother Tianshuo, will you be my child bride?"
At that first sentence, she couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. Her clear laughter reached Yu Tianshuo, who had frozen outside, and Dugu Yan, who was watching him expectantly.
Just as Yu Tianshuo's face darkened further, Dugu Yan's puzzled question made both people, inside and outside the room, change expressions.
"Huh? That's strange. Wasn't the person who went in with Brother just now a boy? How come there's a girl laughing in there?"
As she spoke, she looked at Yu Tianshuo with wide, innocent eyes. Na'er also gazed at him with confusion.
Well, now Yu Tianshuo was sweating even more.
Just as Yu Tianshuo was wondering how to make up an excuse, Qian Renxue returned to her original appearance and opened the door.
Seeing Qian Renxue, who was as beautiful as an angel, made both children's eyes light up. Yu Tianshuo and the two Titled Douluo, meanwhile, looked utterly confused.
Before they could ask anything, Qian Renxue crouched in front of the two children and said,
"Big Sister is the big brother from just now. How about it? Is Big Sister pretty?"
Dugu Yan and Na'er studied Qian Renxue carefully. At last, they nodded and said,
"Mm, you are pretty, Big Sister, but you're still just a little less pretty than us."
As she spoke, Dugu Yan showed just how little the difference was with her fingers.
Qian Renxue smiled at the two of them. But after she finished laughing, she put on a serious expression and said,
"Then can you help Big Sister keep it a secret that Big Brother turned into Big Sister?"
As she spoke, she looked into their eyes, as though that alone could show her sincerity.
Seeing Qian Renxue like this, the two children nodded.
"No problem. But next time you take us shopping, could you use your big-sister appearance? I want to dress you up."
As she spoke, Dugu Yan pretended to be an expert, adjusting a pair of imaginary glasses.
"I'm a professional. Even Brother Tianshuo admitted it."
Since he had been mentioned, Yu Tianshuo smiled and nodded to show that she was right.
Seeing this, Qian Renxue smiled again. When she looked back at the two children, they had extended their little pinkies and were saying solemnly,
"Big Brother taught us this. He said that once you make a pinky promise, you have to keep it."
Qian Renxue was startled, but she still smiled and agreed to the ritual.
The three linked their pinkies. Dugu Yan shook their joined hands as she recited,
"Pinky swear, hang a hundred years, never change. If you change, you'll turn into a big fat pig."
Then, after they pressed their thumbs together, Dugu Yan announced that the ceremony was officially complete.
After teasing the two children for a little longer, Qian Renxue changed her appearance back to Xue Qinghe.
The two little ones were very curious about what they'd seen, but when they heard a knock at the door, they gave up on asking.
"Knock, knock, knock."
After three knocks, the steward's voice came from outside.
"Your Highness, Crown Prince, Your Highness, Tian Shuo—the coronation ceremony is about to begin. His Excellency Dugu Bo asked me to remind you."
Hearing the steward's voice, the four of them finally remembered that the coronation ceremony was about to begin. After answering, they tidied their clothes and prepared to attend Dugu Bo's coronation ceremony.
Before you continue