The atmosphere grew a little delicate in that moment.
The two of them were already standing close. Hu Liena suddenly stepped forward and moved right up to Qin Feng.
A faint, sweet fragrance drifted into his nose, like a ripe peach.
Her sudden approach caught Qin Feng slightly off guard.
Before he could react, Hu Liena suddenly rose onto her tiptoes and gently placed both hands on his shoulders.
A jolt like an electric shock coursed through his body.
The unexpected kiss didn't last long.
Their lips had barely touched when Hu Liena sprang back like a startled fawn.
Her pretty face, already flushed, was now so red it looked ready to bleed.
"Y-you'd better not read too much into it. It was just a farewell gift!"
Hu Liena stammered out this thoroughly unconvincing excuse, then turned and fled the courtyard in a panic.
Watching her graceful figure make a desperate escape, Qin Feng stood rooted to the spot.
Almost unconsciously, he raised a hand and gently rubbed his lips with his fingertip.
His mind kept replaying the sweet, soft sensation from a moment ago.
Only after a long while did Qin Feng finally come to his senses.
"Damn it."
"She stole my first kiss right under my nose!"
Qin Feng shook his head with a laugh. This little fox was far bolder than he'd imagined.
While Qin Feng was still savoring the memory, the depths of Pope Palace, on the other side of Spirit Hall, were anything but peaceful.
Bibi Dong sat upon the lofty throne, holding an urgent confidential report that had just been delivered.
The moment she read its contents, her stunning face changed dramatically.
A level forty-five Soul Ancestor had gone alone into the depths of Star Dou Great Forest and successfully killed a Thousand-Junction Ant Emperor with a cultivation of sixty thousand years!
The slender jade hand holding the report trembled slightly.
That was a ferocious Soul Beast with sixty thousand years of cultivation. Even ordinary Soul Emperors would steer clear of it; the slightest misstep could mean death.
Qin Feng, a mere level forty-five Soul Ancestor, had not only slain the Thousand-Junction Ant Emperor head-on, but had even escaped unscathed!
Even she, once hailed as Spirit Hall's greatest prodigy of the younger generation, could never have accomplished such a feat.
To bridge a gap of several tens of thousands of years in cultivation—what kind of terrifying foundation and Martial Soul strength would that take?
Bibi Dong drew a deep breath, but the rise and fall of her chest took a long time to settle.
She thought back to everything that had happened in the Chat Group over the past few days, and the theories shared there about Martial Soul Evolution and matching Soul Rings.
She had been somewhat skeptical at first.
But now, with this heaven-defying accomplishment right before her, there was no doubt that all those theories were correct.
"No wonder that old Qian Daoliu is so eager to bring Qian Renxue and this Qin Feng together."
Bibi Dong's eyes flashed with understanding.
A peerless talent like this, one rarely seen even once in a century or a millennium, would become an extraordinary figure capable of shaping the continent's destiny once he matured.
Qian Daoliu wanted to use marriage to bind Qin Feng to the Angel Clan's cause, thereby consolidating the Qian Family's rule!
At the thought, Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes, a plan forming in her mind.
Since Qin Feng was such a rare talent, she certainly couldn't let Qian Daoliu have his way so easily.
"Someone, bring the Saintess here."
Bibi Dong raised her voice and called to the people outside the hall.
Before long, Hu Liena, who had only just calmed herself, entered the hall with small, hurried steps and bowed respectfully.
"Teacher, you summoned me?"
Bibi Dong looked at her most cherished disciple and parted her red lips.
"Nana, Qin Feng will be setting off for the Heaven Dou Empire in the next couple of days."
"Get ready and travel with him."
Hu Liena froze for a moment at this, confusion filling her charming, peach-blossom eyes.
Bibi Dong didn't beat around the bush. She explained her intention directly.
"Qin Feng has extraordinary talent and an unlimited future. You'll be traveling together, alone—a man and a woman. You must do your best, understand?"
"If you can bring him over to our side, you'll have earned the greatest merit."
Hearing her teacher speak so bluntly, Hu Liena's pretty face instantly turned crimson.
This was obviously her teacher trying to pair her with Qin Feng, sending her to use her charms!
"Teacher... Nana understands. I'll do my best."
Hu Liena lowered her head, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
Bibi Dong nodded with satisfaction, pleased by her disciple's obedience.
After leaving Pope Palace, Hu Liena touched her burning cheeks. Her heart hammered like a drum.
Qin Feng's handsome face appeared in her mind once more.
"I'm only doing this to carry out the task Teacher gave me."
"That's right, it's all for the mission. It's definitely not because I have feelings for him!"
Hu Liena muttered to herself, trying to calm the flutter in her heart with this self-deception.
At that very moment, in Heaven Dou Royal Academy, far away in the Heaven Dou Empire,
Qian Renxue, disguised as the current Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, sat at the broad sandalwood desk in her study, resting her chin in her hands as she stared into space.
In the center of the desk lay a top-secret letter from Spirit Hall.
The sender was none other than her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, the Grand Pontiff of Spirit Hall.
The letter was quite direct, clearly informing her that Qin Feng would soon arrive in Heaven Dou City to see her.
Qian Daoliu had lavishly praised Qin Feng's heaven-defying talent in the letter, even going so far as to imply that he was an extraordinary young man worth entrusting her life to.
Every line was filled with his eager hope of becoming a great-grandfather soon.
What Qian Renxue found most unbearable was that, at the end of the letter, her grandfather had specifically advised her to be bold when facing Qin Feng and not let such a perfect match slip away.
"How bold?"
"Grandfather, honestly! How could he write something like that?"
Qian Renxue irritably tugged at her hair, her lovely face full of turmoil.
The Heaven Dou Crown Prince, usually so decisive and ruthless, now looked like an ordinary young woman at a loss.
She read the secret message over and over, three or four times, and each time her face felt hotter.
Her grandfather was usually so stern and old-fashioned. How had he become so impatient about this?
From childhood, she had borne the heavy responsibility of infiltrating the Heaven Dou Empire. She had spent years disguised as a man—how could she possibly understand matters of romance?
With no idea what to do, Qian Renxue could only sink her consciousness into the Chat Group in her mind.
After hesitating for a long time, she began typing in the input box.
[I Have No Mom]: "If you ran into a problem with your feelings and didn't know how to handle it, what should you do?"
The instant the message was sent, the quiet Chat Group sprang to life.
One person after another emerged from lurking.
[Pope]: "???"
[Gentle Fire Dragon]: "???"
[My Son Is Not A Bastard]: "???"