Heaven Dou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe

The exquisitely crafted wooden door slowly opened. In an instant, brilliant lights filled his vision, followed by a clean, spacious room. There was not the slightest hint of clutter within; instead, everything appeared simple and orderly.

At the very center of the room stood an orange desk of exceptional craftsmanship, so refined it could be called peerless. Its surface was covered with numerous neatly arranged documents.

Seated across from the orange desk was a rather young blond man. She wore luxurious golden garments, their fabric soft and delicate, their tailoring exquisite. Every detail fully displayed her extraordinary bearing and noble status.

The blond man's appearance was utterly flawless. Her features were exceptionally delicate and perfectly matched, without a single imperfection. The heroic air between her brows possessed a pleasing beauty that lifted the spirits of all who saw it.

At that moment, the blond man seemed completely unaware of Lin Xiao's arrival. She had devoted all her attention to handling the documents, as though everything around her had nothing to do with her, wholly immersed in her own world.

Lin Xiao silently watched the diligently working "Xue Qinghe," his heart filled with confusion. Why hadn't Xiao Xue noticed my arrival at all? Was she simply too focused? But wasn't this a little too absorbed?

While handling the documents, "Xue Qinghe" occasionally glanced from the corner of her eye at Lin Xiao, who stood not far from the desk. Yet she paid him no mind. Only after she had completely finished the document in her hand did she begin to seriously examine the unfamiliar young man before her.

"Xue Qinghe" steadily placed both elbows on the desk and naturally brought her hands together before her in a clasped-fist posture. Her gaze was exceptionally indifferent as she silently assessed this uninvited intruder.

Seeing the utterly cold, emotionless look in "Xue Qinghe's" eyes, Lin Xiao's heart suddenly skipped a beat. That gaze was as if she were looking at a complete stranger—no, even at an enemy.

The excitement, anticipation, and joy that had filled his heart instantly crumbled beneath that icy gaze. His Dao heart, once as firm as stone, began to crack.

Lin Xiao could no longer maintain his former calm and composure. He had originally believed that, having reached the realm of a Super Douluo, nothing would ever be able to make him panic again.

Yet now, that did not seem to be the case. Cracks had appeared in his rock-solid Dao heart, and his heart gradually began to panic. Especially when he saw that cold gaze, the feeling grew stronger, leaving him stifled.

Lin Xiao could not help wondering whether it was because he had spent so many years in secluded cultivation. Even when he emerged, he only obtained soul rings before directly returning to Spirit Hall to continue cultivating, never once visiting Qian Renxue.

Even when she had left Spirit Hall and gone to the unfamiliar Heaven Dou Empire to carry out the Usurpation Plan, he had not appeared at her side to offer her encouragement. Perhaps that indifferent gaze now held her resentment toward him.

Just as Lin Xiao was about to speak, "Xue Qinghe" spoke first.

"To break through layer after layer of defenses, reach this place, defeat two powerful Soul Saints, and overcome more than a hundred members of the Royal Guard Knights... among every assassin I have encountered, you are undoubtedly the most outstanding." Xue Qinghe looked calmly at the "assassin" before her, her expression frosty and her tone even.

That cold expression seemed capable of freezing everything around it. Her level tone carried not the slightest ripple, yet it contained bone-chilling frost.

"As an assassin who came to kill me, the fact that you managed to stand before me is something you should be genuinely proud of." A faint smile hung on Xue Qinghe's face.

Lin Xiao stared at "Xue Qinghe" and immediately came back to his senses. That extremely indifferent gaze had not been directed at him, but at an assassin. Over the years, his appearance had already undergone earth-shaking changes.

He no longer even resembled his childhood self, much less now that he was dressed in such distinctive clothing.

Once he understood the reason, Lin Xiao instantly let out a sigh of relief. His Dao heart, as hard as rock, immediately recovered. The palpitations vanished without a trace, and the stifling feeling in his chest disappeared in an instant.

Thank goodness, thank goodness Xiao Xue did not resent him.

That extreme sensation of plummeting from a mountaintop into a valley—first soaring upward, then suddenly crashing down—had turned out to be a misunderstanding. Lin Xiao could not help feeling relieved.

Looking at "Xue Qinghe," whose expression remained cold and who showed no panic whatsoever even before an assassin of immense strength, Lin Xiao immediately began to form an idea.

"Xue Qinghe, crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. For an assassin like me to break through all those defenses and stand before you is proof enough of my strength. Are you truly not afraid? Your life is at stake, yet I have not noticed even the slightest trace of panic in your expression."

Lin Xiao's tone was full of amusement. Since everyone in the Crown Prince's Mansion regarded him as an assassin, then he decided to properly play the role of one.

"To be honest, you are right in front of me. At this very moment, I could easily put the future emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire to death. Frankly, that feels wonderful~" Lin Xiao said with a cold smile.

"Without question, you do possess such ability. But do you truly dare to kill me? Even if you yourself do not fear death, are you not worried about the safety of those around you?"

"Look at your age. You are not much different from me. If I truly died by your hand, do you think you could leave this place unharmed? Could you smoothly escape the Heaven Dou Empire? That is utterly absurd—laughable, even!"

"What you are confronting is not me alone, but the entire vast Heaven Dou Empire! At your age, you possess such tremendous strength, yet you chose to become an assassin, hiding in dark corners like a rat that cannot stand in the light."

"What a tremendous waste of your talent. It is simply throwing away a gift from heaven. Why not join my ranks and serve me? Together, we can take in the boundless, magnificent expanse of this land!"