Qian Renxue's Change of Heart

The atmosphere inside the Sea God Hall fell into an eerie silence, all due to the earth-shattering inner monologue Li Qing had just unleashed.

Qian Renxue and Bo Saixi felt their hearts churning, their minds reeling from the terrifying information regarding the future they had just been exposed to.

Li Qing, however, remained completely oblivious, feeling that his previous suggestion was perfectly reasonable. Long live free love!

Seeing the atmosphere stagnate, he assumed his democratic input had made it difficult for others to respond. He quickly cleared his throat, plastered an exceptionally well-behaved smile on his face, and turned his gaze toward the only person on the scene who was "out of the loop," Qian Daoliu, attempting to break the silence and steer the conversation back on track.

"Ahem, well... Senior Qian Daoliu!"

Li Qing's voice carried the clear, crisp tone characteristic of a youth, and he spoke with a sincere tone: "Since Sister Qian Renxue just expressed that she feels we should start as friends and cultivate our feelings first... shouldn't we..."

He blinked, his meaning clear: Let's just follow this friendly, consultative, and free-development process, shall we? Engagements and such are just too early and inappropriate!

Upon hearing this, Qian Daoliu snapped out of the intense emotional fluctuations he had felt from his granddaughter.

Hearing Li Qing's words and looking at his granddaughter's still-pale complexion and vacant gaze, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

It seemed Xiao Xue's resistance to this marriage was greater than he had imagined.

That speech about free love earlier likely wasn't just out of modesty, but a genuine unwillingness to accept such an arrangement.

Although he felt a tinge of regret, Qian Daoliu was not an unreasonable man; he respected his granddaughter's wishes.

Since neither child was interested, a forced melon would not be sweet. It would be better to go with the flow...

A helpless, bitter smile appeared on his handsome face. He was just about to nod and agree to this compromise of "getting to know each other first" to give both parties—especially his clearly shaken granddaughter—some breathing room.

However—

"When did I agree to that?"

A cold, melodious, yet resolute female voice, carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling, suddenly rang out, cutting off the words Qian Daoliu was about to speak.

Everyone looked toward the source of the sound to see that Qian Renxue had lifted her head.

A trace of pallor still lingered on her beautiful face, but those violet eyes were now shining with an astonishing intensity, as if two clusters of flame were burning deep within her pupils.

She took a step forward, her gaze locked directly onto Li Qing. Her expression was incredibly complex, a mixture of shock, shame, resentment, and a sense of desperate resolve.

"I did... indeed say that we could start as friends."

Qian Renxue's voice returned to its usual composure, even taking on a hint of the assertiveness belonging to the Saintess of the Martial Soul Hall: "But, I have thought about it carefully since then."

She paused, as if organizing her words or perhaps steeling herself. Her beautiful chin lifted slightly, carrying an innate sense of pride: "As the saying goes, a man should marry when he comes of age, and a woman should marry when she comes of age. Since our elders have already given their approval, and our conditions, appearances, talents, and backgrounds are well-matched, why must we go through such a long, winding path of 'free love' and slow cultivation?"

Her gaze swept over Li Qing's stunned face, and her tone became even more firm: "Feelings are certainly important. But feelings can also be cultivated. As long as we set the engagement, we will have plenty of time and opportunities in the future to understand each other and build rapport. Unless..."

Her tone shifted, and a flash of cunning and vengeful light flickered in her violet eyes as she stared at Li Qing, saying every word clearly: "...Unless you, Li Qing, have decided to never marry and spend your life in solitude. Otherwise, looking across the entire Douluo Continent, who else but I, Qian Renxue, could stand side-by-side with you, the Sea God Inheritor?"

She turned slightly, showcasing her perfect figure and that sacred, noble temperament, her tone filled with absolute confidence: "I dare not boast about others, but when it comes to appearance, talent, and background among the younger generation of women on the Douluo Continent today, if I, Qian Renxue, claim second place, I fear no one would dare claim first. Engaging to me brings no loss to you or the Sea God Island, does it?"

[If... if what he thought in his heart earlier, those prophecies about my future, are true... If I really can ascend to become the Angel God, yet fail due to some foolish decisions, leading to the shattering of my godhood and the destruction of the Martial Soul Hall...]

Qian Renxue's heart was pounding, but her thoughts were exceptionally clear.

[Then, this youth before me who can foresee the future is my greatest opportunity to change my fate! I must seize him! Bind him to my side! Only by getting close to him, understanding him, and even... influencing him, can I possibly avoid that terrifying future!]

Once this thought took root, it grew like wild grass in her heart.

The fear of the future, the resentment toward her own stupidity, and an intense, overwhelming desire to control her own destiny overrode her instinctive resistance to an arranged marriage and temporarily suppressed the shame and anger of being called "dim-witted" by Li Qing.

What free love? What slow cultivation? In the face of a potentially miserable ending, those things seemed insignificant!

I'll lock this "prophet" down first!

"???"

Qian Daoliu: "???"

Li Qing: "???"

Qian Daoliu and Li Qing, the old man and the young boy, wore expressions that were perfectly synchronized at that moment.

Stunned, faces full of question marks, as if they had just heard some unbelievable tall tale.

No... sister, your speed of changing faces is too fast, isn't it?!

Just a moment ago, you were righteously saying that marriage is not a child's play and we should start as friends, so how did it turn into "a man should marry and a woman should marry" and "let's get engaged first" in the blink of an eye?

The contrast is just too jarring!

Are women's minds really this hard to guess?!

Qian Daoliu was both shocked and delighted. He was shocked by his granddaughter's sudden change in attitude, but delighted that things seemed to have taken a turn for the better!

Although he didn't understand why his granddaughter had suddenly changed her mind, as long as she was willing, it was naturally a wonderful thing!

As for Li Qing, he was completely bewildered.

He stared at Qian Renxue with wide eyes, trying to find a trace of joking or spite on her beautiful and serious face, but there was none.

Those violet eyes were clear and firm, even carrying a sense of... inevitable conquest?

[What is going on?!]

Li Qing roared internally: [Did this woman take the wrong medicine? Wasn't she fine just a moment ago? How did she suddenly... suddenly agree to the engagement?! And what was that about "unless I never marry"... the logic doesn't hold up! Even if I were to marry, I never said I had to marry you! Hey!]

He felt that his plan for a peaceful breakup hadn't even begun to be implemented before it hit a snag at the very first step—refusing an immediate engagement—only to be blindsided by the opponent's shameless, 180-degree turn!

This script is all wrong!

The only person in the room who remained relatively calm, though her heart was also churning with waves, was likely Bo Saixi.