Negotiation

Huo Yuhao kept gazing beyond the carriage curtain.

Qian Renxue leaned toward him and dispelled her disguise at the same time.

A faint, elegant fragrance washed over him. Her hand was soft and delicate, carrying a slight heat. She gripped Huo Yuhao's chin and forced him to turn toward her. Huo Yuhao was compelled to turn his head, only to see that she had returned to the appearance she wore that day.

Was she beautiful? Exquisitely so.

A delicate nose, cherry lips, a face like a peach blossom, skin as lustrous as warm jade. She was in no way inferior to the Goddess of Light he had first seen as a child.

Without the exquisite, flamboyant makeup from that day, her entire face appeared even more sacred and inviolable. Paired with the somewhat loose men's clothing she wore, she also possessed a trace of the aggression unique to men.

Sacred, yet dangerous.

Their eyes met. Qian Renxue looked into Huo Yuhao's blue eyes, which were calm as still water. Even the sudden revelation of her true appearance had failed to stir the slightest ripple in him.

Her golden eyes narrowed slightly as she leaned in closer.

"Bone Douluo stopped so suddenly because of you, didn't he? What kind of martial soul could make such a powerful man so eager?" Qian Renxue's voice was full of probing curiosity. When she had first met Huo Yuhao, he had not deliberately restrained his aura. He must have sensed the aura of her Six-Winged Angel.

Aura perception was mutual, so hiding it in front of her was utterly meaningless. Yet now, he was acting like a rookie soul master with abysmal talent. The only variable was Bone Douluo.

The two were very close now. Precisely because of that proximity, Qian Renxue felt something even more deeply—her Six-Winged Angel seemed to be faintly suppressed?!

The Six-Winged Angel was the representative of a god. How could it possibly be suppressed by someone else? Unless... his martial soul had also been bestowed by a god.

But his soul power was far below hers right now. Could the killing intent he had cultivated in that place truly have such an effect?!

"Is your martial soul really just your eyes? Or are your martial souls... twin martial souls?" Qian Renxue paused slightly before continuing.

Her gaze was sharp, leaving him no room to evade. Yet Huo Yuhao still looked as unmoved as a mountain before collapse. Qian Renxue decided she needed stronger medicine.

"Twin martial souls offer tremendous advantages, but their drawbacks are equally obvious. Throughout the history of Douluo Continent, countless people have exploded and died from cultivating twin martial souls simultaneously. That is why you have continually strengthened your body without adding soul rings, isn't it? Or could it be..."

Qian Renxue spoke slowly, deliberately drawing out her words. One hand forced him to meet her gaze, while the other climbed onto the youth's firm arm. Her fingertips slowly stroked along the contours of the muscles beneath his coarse cloth, feeling a body even more powerful than that of her, a newly advanced five-ring Soul King.

"...you came out of that place and never had the chance to add soul rings to yourself." Qian Renxue stated it with certainty. Spirit Hall's intelligence network covered the entire continent. She refused to believe that Spirit Hall could have failed to discover such an exceptional seedling.

The moment her words fell, Qian Renxue felt a hint of coldness at her neck.

Looking down, she saw a gleaming silver dagger pressed against her throat.

Only then did Huo Yuhao truly look Qian Renxue in the eye. His tone was calm. "What if I am? What if I'm not?"

Qian Renxue was only a five-ring Soul King now. It was not as though he lacked the strength to fight her. Besides, she still had to infiltrate Heaven Dou. In public, she presumably would not dare tear off all pretenses.

"Little brother, that won't scare me." Qian Renxue did not let go. Instead, she leaned even closer.

"Then what about this?" Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up like a flowing galaxy, and the Slaughter God Domain instantly enveloped Qian Renxue.

Feeling her soul power being suppressed, Qian Renxue did not panic. Instead, she pressed even closer, her eyes shining with an alarming brightness.

The icy dagger instantly cut through the surface of her skin. Huo Yuhao frowned, but did not retreat. The blade in his hand moved another fraction forward.

After another standoff, Qian Renxue was the first to yield.

"Hmph! Now I'm somewhat inclined to believe that you really do have a wife you deeply love." Somewhat frustrated, Qian Renxue withdrew and sat across from Huo Yuhao. She crossed her legs and folded her arms over her chest, paying no attention to the wound on her neck. She allowed her collar to be stained red as her eyes swept over the youth wiping down his dagger.

Both the dagger's design and material were extraordinary, but judging by the marks of wear on it, the youth had used it casually and for a long time.

Another half a cup of tea passed, and the youth was still wiping it. Qian Renxue grew somewhat impatient. What? Had she pretended to be a man for so long that she no longer had any feminine charm? What was so interesting about a dagger? How could a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy have such self-control?!

"Enough. Put away your Slaughter God Domain. Gu Rong probably hasn't gone far yet. You may be strong, but you are still far too weak against a Titled Douluo." She had not expected that the least likely possibility she had guessed was the truth. The youth had truly passed that place's trial and walked out openly.

"Heh. If he really returns, at most I'll be captured by him. But you—every calculation you have made will turn to nothing. Comparatively speaking, your losses will be greater." Huo Yuhao withdrew the killing intent around him and spoke indifferently. The situation was temporarily under control, so he did not directly expose Qian Renxue's identity.

"Tell me. What do you want to discuss?" Huo Yuhao did not think he had displayed anything worthy of attracting the attention of this future Angel God.

"Straight to the point. I like that. I can solve the problem of twin martial soul cultivation easily causing one to explode and die. I can even take care of all your future soul rings, and I can guarantee that every soul ring of your second martial soul will be at least ten thousand years old."

"As the condition, I want you to join the Worship Hall." Qian Renxue uncrossed her legs and looked seriously at Huo Yuhao.

"The Worship Hall?" Huo Yuhao stopped wiping the dagger and turned to look at Qian Renxue. He knew of Spirit Hall, but what was the Worship Hall?

"The Worship Hall is the core of Spirit Hall. Its authority surpasses even the Papal Hall. If the Worship Hall wishes it, it can even remove the Pope." Qian Renxue looked at Huo Yuhao, her eyes carrying threads of excitement.

"Remove the Pope?" Huo Yuhao frowned. What was wrong with Qian Renxue? Wasn't the current Pope, Bibi Dong, her mother? Why was she so excited at the mention of removing the Pope?

"That is none of your concern. You only need to say that you agree to join." Qian Renxue spoke confidently. She firmly believed that no one in this world could offer a higher price than she could.

Looking at Qian Renxue, who seemed certain of victory, Huo Yuhao simply shook his head. "Forgive me, but I refuse."

Qian Renxue had thought he would certainly agree. Just as she was about to say that the wise submitted to circumstances, she heard his crisp refusal and was instantly incredulous.

"What did you say?"