You want to play, I'll naturally play with you. You want to win, I'll help you win.

As these words fell, Qian Daoliu, Bo Saixi, and even Qian Renxue herself—who had posed the question—all fixed their gazes upon Li Qing.

They all wanted to hear what this youth, destined to be Qian Renxue's future companion, thought of the matter.

Qian Renxue, in particular, felt her heart filled with a complex sense of anticipation and a stubborn refusal to admit defeat.

She was dying to know how this fellow, who had belittled her in his heart and deemed her future a failure, would view her current choices and plans.

Li Qing met the three pairs of eyes. The trace of embarrassment on his face from being called "little husband" vanished quickly, replaced by a calmness and clarity that belied his age.

Without the slightest hesitation, he answered in a clear voice:

"I think..."

He paused, his gaze locking onto Qian Renxue's beautiful violet eyes.

"You won't agree."

"Oh?" Qian Daoliu raised an eyebrow.

A flicker of surprise also crossed Bo Saixi's eyes.

Qian Renxue's heart tightened slightly. Her violet eyes shimmered as she pressed, "Why? Tell me your reasoning."

She wanted to see what kind of tricks this guy could come up with.

Would he continue to mock her for being stupid, or did he have some other profound insight?

Li Qing remained unhurried. His gaze swept over the others before returning to Qian Renxue. His tone was calm, yet it carried a power that seemed to pierce through the soul as he asked, "How much time have you spent on this plan?"

Qian Renxue bit her lip lightly and whispered, "From the time I was nine until now, at twenty-one, it has been twelve years!"

Hearing this, Bo Saixi was completely dumbfounded.

Damn, she went in at nine?

And she's been lurking inside for twelve years without being discovered?

Is the Heaven Dou Empire that stupid, or is Qian Renxue just that clever?

"Since that is the case, the reason is simple."

"First, pride—or perhaps, perfectionism."

Li Qing spoke slowly, "You have invested too much into this plan. Leaving Martial Soul Hall at nine and lurking until now, it has been over a decade. Ten years of heart and soul, every step calculated, and now you are only one step away from that highest position. To you, this is not just a mission; it is a work of art you have polished with your own hands, pouring countless efforts into it. To ask you to abandon it on the eve of its completion simply because there might be a better choice... given your personality, I fear that is hard to accept. This has nothing to do with gain or loss; it is more like... an obsession. Am I right?"

Qian Renxue's delicate body trembled slightly, a flash of shock crossing her violet eyes at being so accurately read.

Li Qing's words had precisely struck a chord deep within her heart.

Yes, she was unwilling to give up!

Ten years of lurking, playing a person completely different from herself, enduring loneliness, schemes, and danger—now that victory was in sight, she was expected to give it all up for a better but uncertain future?

She truly found it hard to convince herself.

"Second!"

Li Qing continued, his gaze deepening, "You want to prove to the people of Martial Soul Hall that your abilities are not inferior to the current Pope, Bibi Dong, and perhaps even surpass her. Although I don't know why you chose to participate in such a plan over a decade ago, it is certain that it has everything to do with Bibi Dong."

Qian Renxue stared blankly at Li Qing, the turbulent waves in her heart even more violent than when she had heard the divine prophecy earlier!

This youth... not only could he foresee the future, but he could also dissect her inner thoughts with such precision, seeing through her pride, her unwillingness, her ambition, and her... rebellious psychology!

What he said was almost entirely correct!

She was indeed unwilling to abandon the plan, and she did indeed want to prove that her abilities were not inferior to Bibi Dong's.

"The third point, which is derived from the first two, is the most likely outcome."

Li Qing's voice pulled Qian Renxue back from her shock: "You will not end the plan immediately. But you will never again go all-in, pinning all your hopes on this single plan as you did before. You will begin to adjust your strategy, becoming more cautious and leaving yourself a way out. At the same time, you will accelerate the consolidation of power within Martial Soul Hall and the preparations for the God Trials. You will attempt to... walk on two legs, or perhaps even more. You want to scheme for the empire, and you want to scheme for the godhood. You want to prove to me, to your grandfather, to the Angel God, and to yourself—that you, Qian Renxue, can have it all."

The Sea God Hall fell into silence.

Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi were both lost in thought.

Li Qing's analysis was reasonable and logical, striking straight at the heart.

His grasp of Qian Renxue's personality and mindset was chillingly precise.

Qian Renxue watched Li Qing quietly for a long time.

The shame and blush on her face had long since faded, replaced by an unprecedented sense of seriousness and scrutiny.

In her violet eyes, the light was incredibly complex—shock, realization, a trace of helplessness at being completely seen through, but more than anything, a strange feeling of... finding a worthy opponent, a soulmate hard to come by.

This youth, nine years her junior, this fiancé who constantly mocked her in his heart and even wanted to spank her, understood her inner thoughts and potential choices better than she did herself.

This feeling was very strange, and also... very special.

After a long while, Qian Renxue took a soft breath, and a smile bloomed once more on her beautiful face.

That smile no longer held the shyness or provocation from before; it was one of composure, recognition, and even a hint of excitement—the kind a chess player feels when seeing a worthy opponent.

"So, my little husband!"

She asked softly, her tone carrying a trace of imperceptible anticipation and fighting spirit, "If I insist on doing this... will you help me?"

What she was asking was not just for help with the Heaven Dou Empire plan, but for help... in changing that potentially tragic future.

Li Qing looked at the undisguised ambition, pride, and the trace of hidden vulnerability in Qian Renxue's eyes, and suddenly smiled.

That smile was sunny and clean, yet it carried a confidence that suggested he held everything in his grasp.

"What else?"

He shrugged, his tone light yet carrying an unquestionable weight as he replied, "Since you and I are now betrothed, you are my woman. If you want to play, I will naturally accompany you. If you want to win, I will help you win. However..."

His tone shifted, a glimmer of cunning flashing in his eyes: "My help comes with conditions. And my methods might not be very gentle."

Qian Renxue's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

Looking at Li Qing's seemingly harmless smile, she suddenly had a premonition—her future life was truly going to be turned completely upside down because of this boy's appearance.

As for Bo Saixi and Qian Daoliu, watching this newly engaged couple who had already begun to play games and even negotiate with each other, a thought rose in both their minds simultaneously:

With these two little ones together, the future of the Douluo Continent was truly going to be lively.