Parental Identification, Xue Qinghe's Identity

Heaven Dou City, Imperial Palace Training Grounds.

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

Two figures darted and shifted around each other, their powerful gusts sweeping up sand and gravel. One was a level-fifty Battle Soul King; the other was merely a handsome ten-year-old boy.

Though the boy appeared to be no more than ten, two lustrous century-old soul rings already floated behind him, openly displaying the cultivation of a genuine Great Soul Master.

Yet no one knew that beneath that youthful shell lay the foundation of a Soul Elder with soul power as high as level thirty-seven.

He was Qian Renxue.

This year, she was eleven years old. The daughter of Bibi Dong, the Spirit Hall Pope, she had been ordered to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial palace and replace the eldest prince, Xue Qinghe, through body possession. She would wait until adulthood, then ascend the throne.

It was a reckless gamble, but also a scheme with extremely high odds of success.

At least so far, not a single member of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family had discovered her true identity.

This Soul King is reasonably capable. If I deliberately lose now, it will make me seem youthful and modest, and no one will grow suspicious.

With a slight shift in her thoughts, Qian Renxue deliberately exposed an opening.

The Soul King was quick-eyed and swift-handed. How could he miss such an opportunity? His fourth soul ring abruptly lit up.

"Fourth Soul Skill—Crane Wing Wind Blade!"

A piercing whistle tore through the air!

A cyan wind blade slashed toward her like a sharpened weapon. Though Qian Renxue promptly twisted aside, the power of the thousand-year soul skill still carved a bloody gash into her forearm.

"How dare you!"

An enraged roar exploded across the training grounds. Prince Xue Xing's face turned livid as he pointed at the Soul King, his eyes wide with fury. "You dared injure my nephew! Men, drag him away and execute him!"

"Uncle Xue Xing, wait!"

Qian Renxue immediately spoke up to stop him. She pushed aside the maid who had stepped forward to bandage her, stood in front of the Soul King, and said in a gentle, proper tone, "Accidental injuries are unavoidable in a spar. I am not seriously hurt, so why must you be angry?"

"But he..."

"Father has often taught me that, as a prince of Heaven Dou, I should possess benevolence and treat others with tolerance." Qian Renxue lowered her gaze slightly, her posture respectful. "It was only an unintentional mistake. Why impose such a severe punishment?"

"Well said!"

Emperor Xue Ye, seated above, revealed an approving expression. His gaze toward "Xue Qinghe" below brimmed with satisfaction.

"Since my son has pleaded for you, you shall be spared from death this time. Men, escort the eldest prince back to his palace to treat his wounds."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The moment she bowed and withdrew, Qian Renxue sneered inwardly.

Sure enough, other than that woman, no one in this world could resist an heir as perfect as her.

Exceptionally gifted, humble and courteous, kindhearted and beloved by the people...

She was nearly flawless.

Judging by Xue Ye and Xue Xing's attitudes, in a few more decades, the throne would inevitably be hers for the taking.

She never could have imagined that the instant she turned to leave, Emperor Xue Ye and Prince Xue Xing exchanged a knowing look. In grave silence, they dismissed every guard and palace maid around them, then headed straight into a secret chamber deep within the palace.

The chamber was dark, and the atmosphere was heavy.

"Big Brother, are we really going to... test it?"

Prince Xue Xing held two translucent glass containers in his palm. One contained the blood that had dripped from "Xue Qinghe's" wound earlier; the other held the strange item Lin Ya had previously sent for blood-relative identification—Black Silver Liquid.

Staring at that bright-red drop of blood, struggle and anguish churned in Emperor Xue Ye's eyes.

More than anyone, he wished that his suspicions were merely needless worry.

But the second prince's bizarre sudden death was riddled with doubts. After ruling out every possibility, the only remaining object of suspicion was his most beloved eldest son.

"I would rather believe that he killed his brother over the throne." Xue Ye's voice was hoarse.

The struggle for imperial power had always been bloody. If Xue Qinghe truly had murdered his own brother, Xue Ye would be heartbroken, but he could still accept it.

But if the truth was the outcome he feared most... then everything would be different.

Drawing a deep breath, Emperor Xue Ye's eyes suddenly turned resolute.

A trace of soul power flicked from his fingertip, sending the drop of "Xue Qinghe's" blood into the Black Silver Liquid. Then he forced out a drop of his own vital blood and let it fall in as well.

Merge... Hurry and merge!

He prayed frantically in his heart.

Yet in the next moment, both their hearts sank into an icy abyss.

Within the Black Silver Liquid, the two drops of blood remained distinctly separate, floating in opposition without the slightest sign of merging.

Thud—

It was as though all strength had been drained from Emperor Xue Ye's body. He collapsed weakly onto the cold stone seat.

"Big Brother!!" Prince Xue Xing erupted in fury, veins bulging across his forehead. "That impostor! I'll take men and slaughter her right now! I'll tear her to pieces!"

The eldest prince was a fake!

Someone had dared to the heavens and replaced the Heaven Dou Empire's crown prince!

What was more... the real Xue Qinghe had likely met with disaster long ago!

"Come back!"

Xue Ye suddenly seized his wrist and shouted sternly to stop him.

"What?!" Xue Xing's eyes nearly split with rage. "I'm going to kill that impostor and bring Xiaoya back to the palace!"

"Idiot!"

Xue Ye furiously rebuked him. "Soul skills that can disguise one's appearance and alter one's build are not uncommon, but one that can perfectly imitate even martial soul, aura, and habits... our imperial archives contain only a single record of such an ability!"

"What is it?!"

"Spirit Hall." Xue Ye enunciated each word, icy killing intent in his eyes. "Legend says Spirit Hall possesses a set of limit soul bones that are ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine years old. One of those soul bones has a soul skill—flawless disguise!"

"Fake Qinghe... came from Spirit Hall?!"

Prince Xue Xing shuddered from head to toe, finally realizing the gravity of the situation. Thinking about it, that made sense. Star Luo Empire did not even have enough princes of its own; how could it possibly send someone to infiltrate their nation?

Yet his recklessness had not faded. "So what? Kill her, take the soul bone, and give it to Xiaoya!"

"Fool! Do you want to drag the Heaven Dou Empire into eternal damnation?"

Xue Ye was so furious that the veins at his temples throbbed. "The one who can inherit that soul bone must be a direct descendant of Spirit Hall's upper ranks—perhaps even a relative of that person! Do you think there isn't a Titled Douluo secretly guarding her?"

"I'll ask Poison Douluo to come out of retirement and mobilize a thousand elite Soul Masters and ten thousand divine archers. We might not be unable to keep her here!"

"And what if you do? If you kill her, can you withstand Spirit Hall's retaliation?" Xue Ye's voice was low, carrying unconcealed dread. "Qian Daoliu—a level ninety-nine Limit Douluo, an invincible existence in this world. Can you stop his assassination? Can Xiaoya?"

The words "Limit Douluo" struck Prince Xue Xing's heart like a heavy hammer.

His entire body stiffened, and the icy terror instantly extinguished the fury filling his chest.

That was right. It was an existence even an empire did not dare provoke lightly.

"Then... are we just supposed to watch this fake lord it over the palace?" Xue Xing growled unwillingly.

Emperor Xue Ye slowly raised his eyes, a profound, sinister coldness flashing through them.

"An enemy exposed in the open is no longer a threat." He gave a cold laugh, his tone grim. "As long as she remains with us, Spirit Hall will not act rashly. What we need to do now is buy Xiaoya enough time to grow."

After a pause, he ordered, "Once you leave, immediately double all of 'Xue Qinghe's' lessons in literature, etiquette, imperial history, and the art of rulership."

A prince's studies were already demanding, severely squeezing his cultivation time.

If her coursework was doubled again, how much spare time would she have left to refine soul power and improve her cultivation?

"Didn't Spirit Hall send someone in?"

A cold curve formed at Xue Ye's lips.

"If I don't train her into a useless cripple this time, I'd be letting Spirit Hall's painstaking efforts down!"