Luo Shang didn't respond to his son's cry of surprise. His gaze was fixed on the three people opposite him.
The tip of the Frost Cold Sword dipped slightly, pointing toward the ground.
The atmosphere on the other side changed in an instant.
A level-ninety-five Super Douluo!
Snake Lance Douluo drew in a sharp breath.
Pufferfish Douluo's pupils shrank to pinpricks, and he instinctively took half a step back.
A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!
A Super Douluo with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring was absolutely among the strongest of the strong.
And with a top-tier weapon Martial Soul like the Frost Cold Sword, paired with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring...
Pufferfish Douluo swallowed.
If he and Snake Lance Douluo joined forces, they'd be lucky to last ten rounds.
Qian Renxue stood in front of the two men, a gentle smile still on her face. But deep in her eyes, a hint of grave concern flickered past.
King Frost Extreme.
She had seen that name in the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's internal files.
The Heaven Dou Empire's only king of a different surname. He had guarded the Northern Territory for years and almost never involved himself in the empire's internal affairs.
His file contained only a few sparse lines of assessment.
"His strength is unfathomable. His position is neutral. He does not involve himself in factional disputes. Unless the empire faces imminent destruction, he will never return to court."
At the time, she hadn't given it much thought.
How unfathomable could a prince guarding the frontier really be?
Now she knew.
A level-ninety-five Super Douluo.
A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.
With strength like that, he would be an elder-level figure even in Spirit Hall.
But the smile never left Qian Renxue's face.
Was she afraid? No.
In the end, her public identity was the Heaven Dou Empire's crown prince, Xue Qinghe.
And Luo Shang was a king of a different surname in the Heaven Dou Empire.
A ruler and his subject.
No matter how powerful a subject was, he wouldn't dare lay a hand on the crown prince.
That was the rule.
That was the proper order.
That was an ironclad principle recognized across the entire continent.
Unless Luo Shang wanted to rebel, be hunted down by Soul Masters from across the world, and see the entire Frost Extreme King Mansion executed.
So he wouldn't.
Qian Renxue was confident of that.
But she had no desire to burn bridges, either.
A level-ninety-five Super Douluo was someone best not offended if it could be avoided.
Besides, her current identity was the crown prince. She needed to win over the various factions, not make enemies.
As for that Holy Leaf Spirit Deer...
Qian Renxue glanced at the white deer by the river. She had already made up her mind.
It was at the thousand-year level, with a cultivation of between fifteen hundred and two thousand years.
Her original plan had been to capture it and raise it into a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, then hunt it when she broke through in the future.
But honestly, it wasn't worth making an enemy of a Super Douluo over this deer.
She might as well do him a favor.
Having settled on her decision, Qian Renxue's smile grew a little more natural.
She stepped forward. Snake Lance Douluo instinctively moved to stop her, but she halted him with a glance.
"Just as expected of the illustrious King Frost Extreme." She cupped her hands, her tone carrying just the right amount of respect. "I've long admired Your Highness's reputation. It's my honor to meet you today."
Luo Shang looked at her without saying a word.
Qian Renxue didn't mind. Her gaze fell on Luo Yun behind him, and she smiled warmly. "Is this Holy Leaf Spirit Deer for your son?"
Luo Shang fell silent for a moment.
She was the Heaven Dou Crown Prince. By the rules between ruler and subject, he ought to show her some courtesy.
But there were things he couldn't say.
"Your Highness." Luo Shang's voice was neither warm nor cold, giving away no emotion. "This is a family matter."
He neither explained nor denied it, and he didn't confirm it, either.
Understanding flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes.
If she couldn't get an answer, so be it.
Nothing stayed hidden forever. She would find out in time.
"Since it's a family matter of King Frost Extreme, I won't pry." Qian Renxue smiled and waved a hand. "I won't take this Holy Leaf Spirit Deer from you. Consider it a gesture of friendship."
She paused, then added in a sincere yet unflattering tone, "King Frost Extreme has guarded the Northern Territory for many years, keeping the people of my Heaven Dou Empire safe. I've always been grateful. Meeting today must be fate. I'll be sure to visit in person and thank you someday."
Her words were impeccable.
Luo Shang looked at her, and the chill in his gaze eased slightly.
Whether the crown prince was sincere or not, she had certainly handled herself gracefully.
"You're too kind, Your Highness." Luo Shang gave a slight nod and withdrew the Frost Cold Sword.
The nine Soul Rings vanished one by one. The ice-blue sword dissolved into specks of light and sank into his palm. The temperature around them began to rise, and a faint crackling sounded as the thin ice on the river broke apart.
Qian Renxue turned to the two men behind her. "Let's go."
Pufferfish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo exchanged glances, both breathing a sigh of relief.
The three parted the bushes and retraced their steps.
After they'd gone a few dozen paces, Snake Lance Douluo couldn't help looking back.
Luo Shang and his son were still standing where they'd been. The little boy was looking up at King Frost Extreme and saying something, a delighted smile on his face.
"Your Highness." Snake Lance Douluo lowered his voice. "That child..."
"I know." Qian Renxue's voice turned cool again, no longer carrying the warm, gentle tone of the crown prince she'd used moments ago. "Using a thousand-year Holy Leaf Spirit Deer as a Soul Ring means either the child's body is different from ordinary people's, or..."
She didn't finish.
Snake Lance Douluo wisely kept his mouth shut.
Qian Renxue passed through the bushes. A branch snagged her golden-white brocade robe, but she didn't look down.
King Frost Extreme.
Interesting.
The corner of her mouth curved slightly.
By the river.
The Holy Leaf Spirit Deer seemed to sense the danger. It pawed the ground with its hooves and let out an uneasy cry.
But Luo Shang had already sealed off every escape route, trapping the thousand-year Soul Beast firmly in place.
"Xiao Yun." Luo Shang's voice was calm. "Go."
Luo Yun froze for a moment, then looked up at his father.
Luo Shang didn't explain. He merely nodded toward the white deer. "You do it yourself."
The meaning was clear: I caught it, but you have to kill it.
Luo Yun drew a deep breath and nodded.
The Corona Sword appeared in his palm, its golden-green light especially bright in the dark forest.
Luo Yun gripped the hilt and walked toward the Holy Leaf Spirit Deer. His pace wasn't fast, but it was steady, one step at a time.
The Holy Leaf Spirit Deer's body tensed like a bow pulled taut. It stared at the little figure drawing closer, its eyes full of fear.
Luo Yun raised the Corona Sword.
The golden-green light on the blade suddenly blazed brighter.
The Holy Leaf Spirit Deer froze.
The fear in its eyes suddenly vanished, replaced by something indescribable.
Then it knelt.
Its front legs bent, its knees touched the ground, and its head bowed. Its posture was so reverent it looked as if it were making a pilgrimage.
Luo Yun stood frozen, sword raised.
"...Dad."
"I saw." A rare hint of bewilderment colored Luo Shang's voice.
This wasn't right.
When Soul Beasts faced hunters, they either fought to the death or fled for their lives.
What was this kneeling business? Begging for mercy? Since when had Soul Beasts learned to beg?
Luo Yun looked back at his father, his eyes full of bewilderment that seemed to ask, "What do I do now?"
Luo Shang pondered for a moment, then was about to say something.
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