Xue Qinghe personally took up the teapot and poured Su Changqing a cup of clear tea.
His movements were elegant and natural, without the slightest trace of a prince's airs. Instead, he carried the familiarity of an old friend.
A faint fragrance of tea drifted through the air and entered Su Changqing's nostrils, leaving him feeling quite refreshed.
"After several years apart, I never expected little brother Su to have grown to such heights. I am truly pleased."
He spoke with a warm smile, his gaze upon Su Changqing filled with admiration.
Su Changqing returned the smile. "Your Highness flatters me. I've merely been drifting about here and there. But Your Highness, after only a few years apart, you have become increasingly regal."
His tone was relaxed, carrying just the right amount of flattery.
Though Xue Qinghe's smile remained calm on the surface, her emotions churned intensely within.
It was because of Su Changqing's words: "become increasingly regal"!
One day, she would unify the continent and prove to that woman who the true sole ruler of Douluo Continent was!
"Little brother Su is too modest. I heard that you studied at Spirit Hall Academy for nearly a year? With your talent, you must have become the disciple of some expert there, haven't you?"
Su Changqing's expression remained natural, without the slightest sign of anything unusual.
Sure enough, this woman had been watching him all these years!
"Your Highness is indeed well informed. However, things are not as Your Highness thinks. I have always been a carefree person and cannot stand being bound by all those rules and restrictions. I prefer an unfettered life."
At his words, a barely perceptible trace of scrutiny flashed deep within Xue Qinghe's eyes.
Yet it lasted only an instant before being replaced by an expression of complete confidence and control.
"Everyone has their own aspirations; they cannot be forced. Little brother Su's freedom and ease are something I envy instead."
She knew that woman would never be able to keep Su Changqing!
She had even tried to bind him with Hu Liena. That woman simply did not understand Su Changqing at all!
Xue Qinghe changed the subject and suddenly asked, "Brother Su, you are only twelve, correct? Yet you are already a Soul King! Why suppress your cultivation to participate in Soul Duels below level fifty?"
Su Changqing lifted his teacup and took another sip, his expression calm.
"Personal reasons. There are some things that require me to do so."
Xue Qinghe did not press him further.
She set down her teacup, leaned forward slightly, and adopted a more serious expression.
"Very well. Brother Su has matters of his own, so I will not ask further. My main purpose in inviting you this time was to catch up."
Hearing Xue Qinghe's words, Su Changqing could not help twitching at the corner of his mouth.
Catch up?
Only a ghost would believe that!
"Thank you for Your Highness's favor," Su Changqing said with a smile that did not reach his eyes.
Xue Qinghe said, "The Continental Advanced Spirit Master Tournament will be held soon. Brother Su should join an academy and compete. According to my intelligence, the grand champion's reward is three Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones."
Su Changqing nodded. "Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness. I will consider it."
"Good. If there is an academy you wish to enter, just tell me. I will handle it. You only need to focus on competing."
"Then I shall trouble Your Highness."
After exchanging a few more inconsequential remarks about local customs and scenery, Su Changqing rose to take his leave.
Xue Qinghe did not try to keep him. She personally escorted him to the private room's door, giving Su Changqing ample respect.
After Su Changqing left, Snake Lance Douluo walked over, somewhat displeased.
"Miss, that meal gave that brat far too much face! I don't think that brat knows what's good for him either. It would be better to just..."
"Enough, Uncle Snake."
Xue Qinghe interrupted him.
"I have my own arrangements. You may leave."
"Yes, Miss."
After leaving the Heaven Dou Hotel, Su Changqing felt the night breeze's faint chill. He turned back to glance at the brightly lit, luxurious building, his gaze deep.
After this meeting with Qian Renxue, it was clear that she was extremely eager for him to join her.
He took a deep breath and cast aside his distracting thoughts. No matter what the future held, strengthening himself would always come first.
The next day, the Heaven Dou Grand Soul Dueling Arena remained packed with people.
Su Changqing appeared punctually on the arena stage in the one-on-one Soul Dueling area.
The name "Radiance" had now spread throughout the Great Soul Arena of Heaven Dou City.
The moment he stepped onto the stage, he drew countless curious gazes and whispered discussions.
His opponents changed one after another, ranging from levels thirty-five and thirty-six to levels forty-seven and forty-eight, yet the outcomes were all without suspense.
Against power-attack opponents, he crushed them with even more tyrannical force. Against agility-attack opponents, his speed and reactions surpassed theirs. Against control-type opponents, his pure and powerful Light Spirit Power often directly tore apart the shackles of their control.
He still relied only on his martial soul and his exquisite control over the Light Element to claim victory after victory.
Without exception, every battle ended with a single move. To this day, no one had even forced him to use a soul skill.
The spectators went from initial shock, to fervent excitement, and then to near numbness at such crushing victories. They merely cheered for "Radiance" out of habit.
Another battle ended. His opponent had been a level forty-six defense-type Battle Spirit Master whose Mysterious Turtle Shield possessed astonishing defenses, yet Su Changqing had still shattered the martial soul with a single punch.
"Radiance wins!"
As the referee's words fell, Su Changqing calmly stepped down from the arena and went to the resting area to wait briefly, preparing for his next match.
The consecutive high-intensity battles seemed to be nothing more than a warm-up to him.
Just then, a considerable commotion suddenly arose at the entrance to the Soul Dueling Arena.
A group of unusually poised young people in matching attire entered under the guidance of the staff.
Every one of them wore proud expressions and carried the confidence and sharpness of elites.
Especially the young man at the front—he was tall and straight, dressed in blue with silver trim, his sharp eyes faintly flickering with electric light.
The surrounding crowd immediately broke into discussion.
"Look! It's the Imperial Fighting Team!"
"It really is them! That man in front is the young master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Tianheng!"
"And that pretty green-haired girl is Dugu Yan, right? I heard her poison is incredibly powerful!"
"Why have they come to the one-on-one division today? Could they be here for individual Soul Duels too?"
Su Changqing's gaze also shifted over, accurately locking onto Yu Tianheng at the front.
He could sense the powerful Soul Power hidden within Yu Tianheng's body. It was a highly refined thunderous power brimming with explosive force.
And beside him stood Dugu Yan, the young woman with emerald-green hair, whose aura was sinister and dangerous.
Especially after seeing Dugu Yan, Su Changqing became even more excited!
Whether he could get his hands on the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well depended on her!
Su Changqing was quite satisfied with how the current plot was unfolding.
By continuously refreshing his winning streak, he had indeed drawn Yu Tianheng and the others over from their academy!
Thinking this, Su Changqing turned his gaze back to Yu Tianheng.
I wonder whether you, the current prodigy of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, can make level-thirty-five me use a soul skill.
Before you continue