The Actor

Salas reached out, placed a hand on Li Hanche's head, and gently ruffled his hair.

"Good child."

His voice was somewhat hoarse, a few degrees lower than before.

"Your parents raised a fine son."

He straightened up, glanced at Xue Qinghe, then at Li Hanche, and sighed.

That sigh carried obvious reluctance and regret, but in the end, he did not try to persuade him again.

Given his status, pestering a child would be far beneath him.

Besides, he had no way to refute what the boy had said.

Filial piety was something that, in any world, made for an unassailable reason.

Salas gave Li Hanche one last look, then turned and walked toward the door. When he reached it, he paused and said without looking back.

"Kid, if there ever comes a day when you can't stay in Heaven Dou City any longer, the doors of the Martial Soul Temple will always be open to you."

With that, he strode away, his red bishop's robes billowing through the corridor like clouds.

The young woman seemed to snap out of a dream and hurried after him.

Only Li Hanche and Xue Qinghe remained in the room.

Xue Qinghe looked down at the child before him, whose eyes were slightly red, and something indescribable appeared in his gaze.

He crouched down, took a plain white handkerchief from his sleeve, and held it out to Li Hanche.

"Wipe your face."

His voice was gentle, as though an older brother were caring for his younger brother.

Li Hanche took the handkerchief and hastily wiped his face a couple of times.

It carried a faint, pleasant fragrance. He did not know what incense it was, but it smelled comforting.

He clutched the handkerchief in his hand, looked up at Xue Qinghe, and let just the right amount of bewilderment and unease show in his eyes.

"Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince, where should I go next?"

Xue Qinghe smiled.

This smile differed from the composed one he had worn while facing Salas. It held less calculation and more genuine warmth.

"Come with me."

He extended a hand toward Li Hanche.

The hand had distinct knuckles and long fingers, impeccably cared for—the sort of hand that had clearly been pampered since childhood.

It formed a stark contrast with the dusty child before him.

Li Hanche hesitated for a moment, then placed his own small, still-dusty hand in it.

Xue Qinghe grasped it, his palm warm and dry.

He led Li Hanche out of the awakening room and down the corridor.

As they passed beneath the dome mural depicting the Angel God, Li Hanche looked up. The Angel God in the painting held a holy sword, bathed in dazzling golden light as it looked down upon all living beings.

Xue Qinghe noticed his gaze and slowed his steps.

"Is it beautiful?"

"It is."

Li Hanche nodded, then thought for a moment and added, "It just feels a little cold."

Xue Qinghe paused briefly, lowered his eyes to look at him, and said nothing.

When they walked out through the gates of the Martial Soul Temple, the parents and children still waiting in line all turned to look. When their gazes fell upon Xue Qinghe, someone recognized the crown prince, and a wave of hushed cries rose as they hurriedly bowed.

Xue Qinghe nodded in acknowledgment without slowing, leading Li Hanche across the square and into a carriage parked outside the temple.

The carriage was spacious. Soft velvet rugs covered its interior, and a burner of incense smoldered in the corner, its smoke curling through the air.

Li Hanche sat by the window, both hands properly placed on his knees, his back ramrod straight. He looked unbearably nervous.

Xue Qinghe sat opposite him. Seeing his posture, amusement flickered in his eyes.

"Relax. There's no need to be so nervous."

"Okay."

Li Hanche answered, relaxing slightly, though he still sat very properly.

The carriage left the Martial Soul Temple. Through the window, Li Hanche watched the streets gradually recede. They traveled east from the Martial Soul Temple in the western part of the city, passing through several bustling avenues. The buildings on either side became increasingly grand, and the pedestrians' clothes increasingly refined.

He stared without blinking, like a country child entering the city for the first time.

At last, the carriage stopped before a detached three-story villa.

Li Hanche stepped down from the carriage and raised his head to look at the building before him. His mouth fell slightly open, and he stood there stunned for quite a while.

White walls, red roof tiles, and a neatly trimmed lawn stretched before the entrance, with a small fountain standing at its center.

The entire villa occupied at least twenty times the area of the tiny shack he had lived in within the slums. The two carved stone pillars at the gate alone were worth more than an entire wall of his home.

"This is..."

He turned to look at Xue Qinghe, disbelief written all over his face.

"The residence arranged for you."

Xue Qinghe stepped down from the carriage and stood beside him with his hands behind his back, his tone calm.

"Heaven Dou Imperial Junior Academy is only three streets away. It takes a quarter of an hour on foot. Living here will make it convenient for you to attend school."

Li Hanche opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again, like a fish tossed onto shore.

"It's... it's too big. I can't live in such a large house by myself."

He waved his hands, his face full of unease and awkwardness. Even the tips of his ears had turned red.

"And I don't have money to pay the rent."

Seeing him like this, Xue Qinghe could not help but chuckle.

"You don't need to pay rent."

He reached out and lightly pressed a hand onto Li Hanche's shoulder.

"This is the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's investment in you. Just focus on cultivating well. When you become a powerful soul master in the future, that will be the best return on this investment."

Li Hanche blinked, as though he were trying hard to process the meaning of those words.

After a while, he nodded heavily, his gaze carrying the earnestness unique to a child.

"I will."

His words were brief, but his tone was solemn, as though he were making a vow.

Xue Qinghe looked at him, his eyes flickering, but said nothing.

For the next while, Xue Qinghe led Li Hanche into the villa and showed him around upstairs and downstairs.

The first floor contained the living room, dining room, and cultivation room. The second floor held the bedrooms and study. The third floor was a terrace overlooking the entire street.

The villa was fully furnished, and every piece was made from the finest materials. The set of rosewood tables and chairs in the living room alone was enough for Li Hanche to buy three houses in the slums.

Throughout the tour, Li Hanche played the part of a poor child stunned senseless by an enormous windfall. He touched this and examined that, and even when stepping onto the marble floor, he had to lower his head and stare at it several times.

When they entered the bedroom and he saw the enormous bed that could sleep four people, he even cautiously reached out to press the mattress. Then he turned to Xue Qinghe with a shocked expression, his eyes asking, "Why is this bed so soft?"

His acting could not be called especially refined, but it had the advantage of being genuine.

After all, across both his previous life and this one, he truly had never lived in such a fine house.

Once they had finished touring the villa, Xue Qinghe glanced at the sky and was about to say something when a soft knock sounded from outside.

"Your Highness."

A maid's voice came from beyond the door.

"The items you ordered have arrived."

"Come in," Xue Qinghe said.

The door opened, and two maids entered one after the other.

They were both around eighteen or nineteen, with pretty, delicate features and proper manners. They wore matching pale green dresses tied at the waist with white sashes. Their skirts swayed gracefully as they walked, and their jade ornaments chimed softly.

Each maid held a tray.

On the tray held by the maid on the left were several new sets of clothes, their fabric gleaming softly beneath the sunlight. One glance was enough to tell they were expensive.

On the tray held by the maid on the right was a neat stack of Gold Soul Coins, at least fifty of them.

"These clothes were purchased temporarily according to your measurements. Make do with them for now. In a few days, a tailor will come to take your measurements and make several custom sets for you."

Xue Qinghe pointed at the clothes, then at the stack of Gold Soul Coins.

"This is for your daily expenses. If it is not enough, you can have someone withdraw more from the academy at any time."

Li Hanche's gaze lingered on the stack of Gold Soul Coins for a second.

Filthy rich bastard.

He really was a fucking filthy rich bastard.

Li Hanche cursed viciously in his heart, while wearing a perfectly timed expression of panic and unease.

He looked at the stack of Gold Soul Coins, then at the two maids, before finally turning his gaze toward Xue Qinghe. His lips moved as though he did not know what to say.

To Xue Qinghe, he looked like a poor child who had suddenly been favored by fate—at a loss and overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness.

Xue Qinghe was very satisfied.

Li Hanche was satisfied as well.