Watching a Fool

"Elder Snake Spear, you may return to report your mission."

Feng Baiyu did not make things difficult for She Long. He spoke up, "My grandfather and I will be staying here for a while. If there is an opportunity, I might even get to meet Sister Xue."

Hearing Feng Baiyu's words, She Long could not help but heave a sigh of relief. He turned his head toward the Third Elder, and Feng Qingluan remarked, "What? Do you need me to see you out?"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare." She Long bowed to the two of them and immediately turned to leave.

After She Long had departed, Feng Qingluan glanced at his grandson and then walked away, laughing, "Haha~ haha~."

Feng Baiyu did not ask what his grandfather was laughing about, though he suspected it had something to do with him.

Feng Baiyu turned to Shui Duanliu and asked, "Shui Guan, how many people know that the Heaven Dou Feng Family and the Spirit City Feng Family are one and the same?"

"Reporting to Young Master, the Old Master divided the main branch very thoroughly back then. At most, only the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan know of this matter." Shui Duanliu thought for a moment before continuing, "However, there has been no overt contact over the years. I fear that in their eyes, the relationship between the branch family and the Spirit City Feng Family is negligible."

Affection fades after a few generations, let alone for a genius who rose from a branch line—would they really care about the former main branch?

The relationship between Feng Qingluan and the Feng branch family was so distant that even a purge of nine generations wouldn't implicate them.

Leaving behind a token of goodwill to shield them from bullying was enough.

In fact, that was exactly what Feng Qingluan had been doing!

For the past hundred years, Feng Qingluan had merely ensured the Heaven Dou City Feng Family remained unbullied; any success they achieved was entirely due to their own efforts.

No one knew Feng Baiyu had entered the city. Even if interested parties knew that over a hundred members of the Feng family had arrived, they would never suspect they were here to pay respects to him, the Young Master.

And that was indeed the case. The unusual movements of the Feng family were noted by the Heaven Dou Empire and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect that very day. However, they all assumed the main branch had sent people over and paid it no mind.

After all, something similar to today's events happened every three to five years.

It was simply the main branch sending people to collect the branch's revenue for the past few years—colloquially known as... protection money.

They didn't even think of the unfamiliar Feng Baiyu, let alone suspect that Feng Qingluan, the Third Elder of Spirit Hall, had come in person.

No need to pay attention!

Just as others felt there was no need to pay attention, Qian Renxue was quietly brought into the Feng Mansion by the two Title Douluo, She Long and Ci Xue.

Qian Renxue had come to see Feng Baiyu, naturally dressed in women's clothing. At thirteen, she was already a graceful young lady. She had inherited the beauty of her mother, Bibi Dong; her features were as exquisite as if carved, her skin as fair as jade, and her long golden hair as dazzling as sunlight.

Qian Renxue did not rush to address Feng Baiyu, instead bowing to Feng Qingluan not far away. "Third Grandfather, it has been a long time."

She Long and Ci Xue also hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Third Elder."

"Xue'er is here. It really has been a long time." Feng Qingluan knew full well she wasn't here to see him, so he smiled and said, "You're here for Baiyu, aren't you? She is in her room right now."

"Mm." Qian Renxue hurried over, but after two steps, she realized she was being too unrefined. She reverted to the dignified young lady she had been moments before. "Third Grandfather, I am going to see little brother Baiyu."

With that, she walked toward Feng Baiyu's room.

Seeing their Young Master so impatient, She Long and Ci Xue naturally knew better than to intrude. They bowed to Feng Qingluan and went to stand guard at the door like obedient sentries.

"Tsk tsk~" Qian Renxue walked into Feng Baiyu's room, eyeing him with a playful smile. "Little brother Baiyu has quite the talent. Only seven and a half years old, and your soul power has already reached level twenty-four!"

Despite not seeing each other for years, Qian Renxue felt no sense of estrangement toward Feng Baiyu.

Back in Spirit City, Feng Baiyu had been her number one (and only) little follower. Even after all these years, Qian Renxue had not forgotten.

"Ah, yes, yes, yes," Feng Baiyu retorted bluntly, unimpressed by Qian Renxue's words. "Unlike you, a dignified Six-Winged Angel martial soul with innate level twenty soul power, yet you're already over fourteen and only at level forty-three~"

"You!"

Her temper flared; Qian Renxue's fists tightened.

She hadn't seen him in four years, and upon hearing of his arrival, she had rushed over immediately. Yet, this brat hadn't said a single nice thing, instead mocking her for slow cultivation!

"What can I do about it?" Mentioning cultivation speed made Qian Renxue feel dejected. She sat down beside Feng Baiyu and said, "After the Six-Winged Angel martial soul reaches level thirty, the cultivation speed slows down. Plus, I have to imitate Xue Qinghe, and after taking his place, I have to act as a prince in public. It's bound to be slow... Hey, what is that look in your eyes!"

"The look of someone caring for a fool." Feng Baiyu didn't hold back at all. "Sister Xue, whose brilliant wisdom led you to decide to go undercover in Heaven Dou, kill the prince, and climb the ladder step by step?"

"You can talk about me, but don't talk about my father!" Qian Renxue ignored the departure of She Long and the other, looking at Feng Baiyu with dissatisfaction. "Of course, it's for Spirit Hall to infiltrate and eventually control the Heaven Dou Empire without a drop of blood, achieving the strategic goal of unifying the Douluo Continent!"

"If we used war, how many people would die?" Qian Renxue continued. "But if I control the Heaven Dou Empire, I can minimize the sacrifices! Don't you think that's noble?"

"What kind of romance novel logic is that?" Feng Baiyu said, speechless. "Even if an emperor has no army and no power, as long as they hold the title, can they decide the rise and fall of a nation with a single word?"

"Do you think if the Heaven Dou Emperor announces his surrender to Spirit Hall, the Heaven Dou Empire will be considered conquered?"

"Do you believe that those with armies underneath will immediately declare themselves kings and march on Heaven Dou City in the name of 'clearing the emperor's side'?"

"When that happens, even more people will die, and they will all be civilians and soldiers. The true parasitic nobles, on the other hand, won't suffer a thing."

As Feng Baiyu spoke, Qian Renxue's fair, smooth face turned from white to red, from red to green, and finally, deathly pale.

Could it be that the plan to steal the nation was fundamentally flawed? Then what had her actions over the past four years been for?

Watching Qian Renxue's expression, Feng Baiyu knew this plan was the result of multiple parties pushing for it.

Qian Renxue likely wanted to prove herself to her grandfather and mother, or perhaps to build prestige; there would always be a reasonable excuse.

At that time, Bibi Dong was influenced by the Rakshasa God and harbored murderous intent toward Qian Renxue; only the last shred of maternal affection and the pressure from Qian Daoliu kept her from acting. Qian Renxue going to Heaven Dou was also a way to stay out of sight and out of mind.

Qian Daoliu knew what kind of beastly things his son had done, and out of guilt toward Bibi Dong, he supported her rise to the Papal throne. Letting Qian Renxue leave Spirit City was also a form of protection for her.

Of the three, aside from Qian Renxue, who genuinely wanted to complete the "nation-stealing plan," Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong hadn't taken the matter to heart at all.

Otherwise, why would they only send two brutes as bodyguards? If they had sent a strategist with normal intelligence, it wouldn't have taken so many years just to kill one Xue Qinghe.

Feng Baiyu didn't know when Qian Renxue would realize this, but before his reminder today, she certainly hadn't!

Perhaps she would understand on her own in the future, but the sunk cost was too high; she was forced to walk this path to the end.

Now that Feng Baiyu had laid it all out, a look of dejection appeared on Qian Renxue's face. "Then what was the point of wasting these past few years? Just to assassinate a crown prince?"