"Cousin, you..."
Watching Xu Nian'an's expression suddenly change, the smile on Xue Qinghe's face froze.
Xu Nian'an didn't answer him directly. Instead, he gave him a meaningful look.
"You know what I mean."
With that, Xu Nian'an turned and left without the slightest hesitation.
In Xu Nian'an's eyes, Qian Renxue's true identity had long since been laid bare. The only reason he hadn't touched her was that doing so would bring him no benefit.
He could still keep the story on track for now. But if something went wrong with Qian Renxue, he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep it under control.
For instance, if he exposed her identity and she returned to Spirit Hall, could Bibi Dong, the Spirit Hall Pope, still hold on to her position with Qian Renxue backed by the Elder Hall?
"Damn it!"
"He must have noticed something. He must have... noticed something!"
Watching Xu Nian'an walk away, Qian Renxue's instincts screamed a warning.
Her hands, clad in silk gloves, clenched tightly.
The slender fingers beneath the gloves had turned white from the pressure.
Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
"Father, we've settled on the amount of the indemnity. We kept lowering it, again and again, until it reached two billion Gold Soul Coins. We really can't lower it any further..."
At the white-clad youth's words from the hall, the civil and military officials of the Heaven Dou Empire breathed a sigh of relief.
The war indemnity had been cut from five billion to two billion—a reduction of two and a half times.
Though the Heaven Dou Empire still couldn't afford two billion, wasn't the Star Luo Empire in debt too?
They'd simply have more debt than the other side.
As for letting the Daming Army into Heaven Dou City, no one present dared to say a word.
In truth, it made no difference whether they let them in or not. The Daming Army had already surrounded Heaven Dou City like dumplings in a pot.
If the other side wanted to, taking Heaven Dou City would only be a matter of time.
In that case, why not accept the terms and have the war indemnity reduced?
"Qinghe, you've worked hard. You may leave."
"Tomorrow, I'll speak with them personally about the other terms."
Tiandou Royal Hotel.
Xu Nian'an had already requisitioned the place. Everyone within a ten-kilometer radius had been driven out, the area seized, and troops stationed to guard it.
Top floor.
Xu Nian'an opened his eyes and looked down over all of Heaven Dou City.
The scene before him was like his own territory, as if he could take it all in hand with a reach.
Unfortunately.
It wasn't his.
Tick...
Xu Nian'an narrowed his eyes and felt time slipping by.
Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Grand Prince's Palace.
"To avoid exposing myself, Xu Nian'an can't be allowed to live. Every extra minute he spends in Heaven Dou City increases the risk of my cover being blown."
At the words of the Grand Prince, Xue Qinghe, two burly men immediately dropped to one knee.
"Yes, young master. We'll go take care of him right away!"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As soon as the words fell, the two figures vanished with a gust of wind, as if they'd never been there.
Xu Nian'an's arrival had seriously disrupted Qian Renxue's infiltration mission.
Especially since he seemed to have some sort of special relationship with the real Xue Qinghe.
It had left Qian Renxue sweating bullets. She didn't know when her cover might be blown. She hated having her fate in someone else's hands.
Tiandou Royal Hotel.
Tap, tap, tap!
Xu Nian'an was still lightly tapping his fingers on the dragon throne when the space around him wavered and trembled.
Long Xiaoyao appeared slowly.
"Two little mice have arrived."
At that, the corner of Xu Nian'an's mouth lifted in a smile.
"I've waited long enough. They're finally here."
Long Xiaoyao furrowed his brow.
"Should I take care of them?"
Xu Nian'an shook his head.
"System, use the Myriad Worlds Mission Summoning Card."
Hum...
The moment Xu Nian'an finished speaking, a cold notification rang out in his mind.
[ Ding! Congratulations, host. You've summoned Tang Ya, the Blue Silver Saintess of the Holy Spirit Cult, from the Peerless Tang Sect world! ]
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
In the silent night, two streaks of light flashed across the sky, shattering the quiet with an explosion.
"Who's there?!"
"How dare you barge into the Ming Army camp? You're asking for death!"
The Dragon Guard spotted the disturbance first, and the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry quickly mounted up and rode to reinforce them.
"Finish the young master's task. I'll handle things here."
Bang!
As soon as the words fell, a blood-red pufferfish appeared.
A streak of light tore through the crowd and sped toward Tiandou Royal Hotel.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Just as the intruder was about to reach the hotel, a group of black-robed figures appeared. Soul Rings of all colors floated above their feet.
More than ten of them had eight rings, and at least twenty had seven.
"T-This... how is this possible?!"
Snake Lance Douluo's eyes widened. He stared at the black-robed figures before him in disbelief.
How could so many Soul Masters—and so many high-ranking ones—be here?
"Light of the Holy Spirit!"
Bang! Rumble!
At that moment, an explosion rang out. The sudden blast made Snake Lance Douluo turn involuntarily.
As soon as he turned, he saw a figure not far away with nine Soul Rings floating around them.
"A T-Titled Douluo!"
The other side didn't just have so many high-ranking Soul Masters—they had a Titled Douluo guarding the place too!
Snake Lance Douluo immediately turned around again and tried to break through by force, determined to finish his target.
This place was far too strange. If he waited another moment, he might not even get the chance to escape.
"Trying to leave?"
Just then, a cool voice rang out.
The next instant, countless figures moved through the night.
Rustle, rustle!
"Blue Silver Entanglement! Blue Silver Cage!"
Before Snake Lance Douluo could turn and flee, two black lights flashed. Black vines instantly covered his entire body, binding him tight.
Snake Lance Douluo's eyes widened. He couldn't move. He was a Titled Douluo, yet two Soul Skills had left him completely immobilized.
A stunning figure slowly appeared before his terrified eyes. She wore a black dress, her hair tied in a single ponytail. Her face was cold and beautiful, her lips a vivid red, and her eyes... icy, devoid of the slightest trace of emotion.
"We greet the Saintess!"
Thud!
Every black-robed figure dropped to one knee. The next moment, the Saintess they had hailed revealed her terrifying Soul Ring Configuration.
Black, black, black, black, black, black, black, red, red—seven black and two red!
In Grand Prince's Palace.
Qian Renxue had waited and waited. Even as the sky began to brighten, neither of her two trusted guards had returned.
She couldn't help growing anxious.
Qian Renxue only wanted to avoid being exposed. She only wanted the Daming Army to withdraw. After that, it didn't matter who became emperor, so long as it wasn't Xu Nian'an.
Unfortunately.
Unfortunately, she'd made things too simple in her mind.
She knew Xu Nian'an had a Titled Douluo by his side. She'd thought sending two men would be enough: one to hold him off, the other to assassinate him.
She hadn't expected to be wrong—spectacularly wrong.
With dawn about to break and the Daming Army and Heaven Dou Empire set to begin another round of talks, Qian Renxue couldn't sit still any longer.
"Prepare the sedan. I want to see Emperor Ming!"
Inside Tiandou Royal Hotel.
Xu Nian'an was slowly eating century egg and lean pork congee.
"Your Majesty, Xue Qinghe, the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, requests an audience."
At that, Xu Nian'an expressionlessly waved a hand.
"Can't you see I'm busy eating?"
"You won't see him?"
He'd long since figured out Qian Renxue's temperament.
All it took was a little pressure, and she couldn't take it. She'd try to assassinate him. Wasn't it only right for him to keep the pressure on her?
"I'm sorry, but His Majesty is having his meal and won't see anyone."
At the Dragon Guard's words, the expression on Xue Qinghe's face—Qian Renxue in disguise—changed drastically.
He knew. He must have known.
Otherwise, he wouldn't refuse to see her.