"Handsome young man, you've got quite the eye."
"These Golden Roses are a rare variety. They're only 9,999 Gold Soul Coins!"
A graceful, middle-aged woman came over to introduce them.
She gave Qin Xuan a once-over. Seeing his fine clothes and exceptional bearing, she treated him with unusual respect.
"I'll take these roses." Qin Xuan didn't waste time haggling. He casually tossed the Gold Soul Coins to the shopkeeper, then put the Golden Roses into his ring.
"T-Thank you for your patronage!" The shopkeeper seemed not to have seen such a generous customer in ages. She was so excited that she could barely get the words out.
As he walked out of the flower shop, Qin Xuan recalled the days when he'd been a vagrant and couldn't help sighing, "It feels so good to have money!"
By now, he didn't know whether he ought to hate the Star Luo Emperor or be grateful to him.
If the Star Luo Emperor hadn't brought him into the world only to neglect him, leaving him with overwhelming negative emotions, the God of Evil might never have chosen him.
At that thought, Qin Xuan gave a cold laugh and entered an upscale teahouse.
She Long had spent a long time in the shadows of Heaven Dou City, protecting Qian Renxue.
While Qin Xuan was gathering supplies, he'd already sent someone to contact She Long.
When She Long learned Qin Xuan wanted to meet Qian Renxue, he was quite pleased.
The two arranged to meet in secret in a private room at the teahouse.
Qin Xuan pushed open the private-room door and immediately saw a tall woman with golden hair falling over her shoulders and skin as fair as snow.
Sunlight slipped through the gap in the window and fell across Qian Renxue's stunning face, making her look like an angel descended into the mortal world—pure and untouchable.
"Young Mistress." Qin Xuan greeted her first.
At that, Qian Renxue turned around, the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile. "When we're alone, just call me Sister Xue'er."
"Xiao Xuan, I thought you'd latched onto Bibi Dong and forgotten all about me."
"How could I..." As Qin Xuan spoke, he took ninety-nine Golden Roses out of his ring.
"Sister Xue'er, I bought these for you."
"So fragrant... They're for me?" Qian Renxue gave them a light sniff. A faint blush, barely noticeable, crossed her lovely face, and she looked a little surprised.
Golden Roses weren't anything rare to her.
But these were a gift from Qin Xuan, and that made all the difference.
"Sister Xue'er, do you like them?" Qin Xuan asked with a smile.
Qian Renxue gave a dry cough and put on a cool expression. "They're all right. Golden Roses are indeed rare, but to me, they're no different from wildflowers by the roadside."
"I even have dozens of the rarer Seven-Colored Roses in my bedchamber."
Though she acted as if she didn't care, she quietly put the Golden Roses into her storage device.
After that,
the two sat down in the tea chairs and began to chat.
"Sister Xue'er, I just finished hunting two Soul Beasts. I was passing through Heaven Dou City, so I made a point of coming to see you."
"Teacher told me about your plan to infiltrate the imperial palace."
"Sister Xue'er, you have to endure loneliness and deliberately suppress your cultivation, slowing your progress. It can't be easy!"
"Ah..." Qian Renxue sighed softly and downed the tea in her cup. "If the plan succeeds, what does a little sacrifice matter?"
After that,
silence suddenly fell over the room.
Their gazes shifted. It seemed they were both lost in thought.
Qin Xuan believed that having Qian Daoliu send his granddaughter to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace was the stupidest decision imaginable!
With Qian Renxue's talent, if she had stayed at the Worship Hall to cultivate, she'd probably have been years ahead of Tang San by now and inherited the Angel God's legacy!
She had the power to sweep the world, yet they insisted on sending Qian Renxue to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace. What a way to play a winning hand into utter ruin...
Just then, Qian Renxue changed the subject and spoke first:
"Xiao Xuan, tell me about what you've been through these past few days."
Qin Xuan murmured an acknowledgment and began calmly recounting the details of becoming Bibi Dong's disciple and obtaining his Soul Rings.
After hearing everything, Qian Renxue shot to her feet, her face filled with shock.
"Your first and second Soul Rings are both at the thousand-year level?!"
Qin Xuan smiled and rose as well. Two purple Soul Rings ascended one after another from beneath his feet.
The impact of those two purple Soul Rings was no weaker than that of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.
It took Qian Renxue quite a while to recover from her shock. Then, a rare smile appeared on her cold face.
"Xiao Xuan, 'genius' isn't enough to describe you anymore. You're a monster among monsters!"
At that, Qin Xuan withdrew his Soul Rings and shifted the subject, his words heavy with meaning.
"The world is unpredictable. Anything can change."
"I wasn't meant to die. First I met you, Sister Xue'er, and then I awakened the Nine Nether Evil God Tiger. I really am lucky."
"No matter what happens, Sister Xue'er, remember that you still have me, your little brother, at your back. Don't bear all that pressure alone."
"If your plan to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace succeeds, that's wonderful. If it fails, there's no need to take it too much to heart. Don't let it become a heart demon."
"After all, with your talent, you'll break through to the Titled Douluo level sooner or later. You'll still have plenty of chances to make your mark."
Hearing this, Qian Renxue looked at Qin Xuan with a meaningful gaze.
"Xiao Xuan, are you really only six?"
"Why are you lecturing me now?"
"Wait until you break through to the Titled Douluo level before you come help your big sister shoulder the burden."
"Sister Xue'er, don't be angry. I just wandered the world at a young age and came to understand a few things," Qin Xuan replied calmly.
Just then, dazzling golden light blossomed around Qian Renxue.
When the light faded,
Qian Renxue had transformed into Xue Qinghe. Even her voice had changed from a cool, gentle woman's voice to a deep, magnetic man's.
"Xiao Xuan, I understand what you mean, but I've devoted my youth to this plan. How could I give up so easily?"
"The plan in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace can only succeed. It cannot fail!"
"In no more than nine years, I'll have seized the Heaven Dou Empire!"
"I'm heading back. If I'm gone too long, Xue Ye might grow suspicious."
As she pushed open the private-room door,
Qian Renxue turned her head before leaving and said something meaningful:
"It's been a long time since anyone gave me flowers. The Golden Roses smell lovely."
"Xiao Xuan, thank you!"
Watching her retreating figure, Qin Xuan was filled with emotion.
"Qian Renxue's obsession really runs deep."
"She's counting on taking the Heaven Dou Empire without a single soldier lost. It's a fine plan, but the world is unpredictable. How could she possibly get her way?"
Putting his thoughts aside, Qin Xuan left the teahouse as well.
He then took a horse-drawn carriage toward Spirit City.
Heaven Dou City wasn't far from Fasinuo Province.
He'd originally planned to go to Nuoding City and cause trouble for Tang San, but the thought vanished from his mind as quickly as it had come.
With Qin Xuan's current strength, he could easily kill Tang San, even if Tang San had the Mysterious Jade Hand, Hidden Weapons, and the Tang Sect Movement Technique.
But he didn't dare gamble on whether Tang Hao, that unpredictable factor, was hiding in Nuoding City.
Three days passed.
Qin Xuan finally made it back to Spirit City.
By noon, he had reached Spirit Hall Primary Academy and was standing in front of its main gate.
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