New Identity

Qian Renxue frowned tightly as she stared at the boy in green before her.

"Since you have such methods, what does Papal Hall intend to do by sending you here? How do you plan to break the deadlock?"

Su Chen's gaze swept over the documents spread across the desk.

"Before breaking the deadlock, tell me about the Crown Prince's Residence's plan. Wear a mask every day, review memorials, win over the nobles, and wait for Xue Ye to die of old age?"

Qian Renxue's brows drew together slightly.

"The Heaven Dou Empire has foundations too deep to attack by force. That would provoke retaliation from every major faction. It is more legitimate to dismantle it from within. Once I inherit the throne, the entire empire will fall into Spirit Hall's hands without a single battle."

Su Chen set down his teacup, his eyes openly appraising her.

"Without a single battle? Leaving aside how much longer Xue Ye can live, even if you truly take the throne, will the Heaven Dou Empire's million-strong army and the great sects sincerely submit to a new emperor with no foundation? In the end, this world is won with fists."

"A usurper becomes a lord. Why resort to such childish games?"

A flash of anger crossed Qian Renxue's eyes.

She braced both hands against the desk and leaned forward slightly.

"Childish games? Do you know how much effort I have poured into playing Xue Qinghe? My speech, mannerisms, and daily habits have not a single flaw. Even if Xue Xing has his suspicions, he cannot find any evidence. I have proceeded with utmost caution through this vast Heaven Dou City, step by step. And you call that childish?"

Su Chen rose to his feet and slowly walked over to the desk.

"He cannot find evidence only because Xue Xing is too weak and too narrow-minded. Relying on a Soul Bone to alter your appearance and aura is an inferior method to begin with. A Soul Bone's disguise has limits. Against a Title Douluo with powerful spiritual power, it will be riddled with flaws."

Qian Renxue retorted.

"Ning Fengzhi is my nominal teacher, and Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo frequently visit the Crown Prince's Residence. Even the peak experts of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have noticed nothing. What makes you say it is riddled with flaws?"

Su Chen gave a soft laugh.

"Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo never grew suspicious because they had no reason to investigate the legitimate heir of the Heaven Dou Empire. More importantly, your cultivation is still too low to warrant much caution. But once the imperial power changes hands and the interests of all sides clash, do you think those old monsters will suddenly go blind? Do you truly think it is foolproof?"

Qian Renxue fell silent.

This was precisely the hidden danger that had worried her most for years.

"Furthermore."

Su Chen tapped his fingers against the desk.

"To maintain this Soul Bone disguise, you must suppress the source aura of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul at all times. That greatly limits your cultivation speed. With talent that should have allowed you to challenge Soul Saint before turning twenty, you now even have to conceal your Soul Emperor cultivation."

"You picked up sesame seeds and threw away a watermelon. You are trading the future of a god-tier Martial Soul for the throne of a mundane empire. Does Spirit Hall lack a few cities? What it lacks are peerless experts. Isn't such a backwards plan laughable?"

Qian Renxue had no answer.

Every word struck straight at her weakness.

"If we do not use this method, do you have a better alternative? The board has already been set. There is no turning back."

Su Chen raised his right hand.

A faint white glow shimmered at his fingertips.

"Yes. It can not only conceal your aura, but also allow you to improve your cultivation without restraint."

Qian Renxue's gaze sharpened as she stared at the glow.

"What method?"

"I will teach you an immortal cultivation technique: the Void Illusion Divine Art."

"An immortal cultivation technique?"

"Changing your aura is merely a superficial application."

Su Chen looked directly into Qian Renxue's eyes.

"The true mystery of this Divine Art lies in purifying the Angel Bloodline and weaving illusion with reality. Once mastered, even a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo examining you face-to-face will never see through Xue Qinghe's disguise."

Qian Renxue's breathing stopped.

Purifying the Angel Bloodline.

Even the Grand Worshipper of the Worship Hall could not accomplish such a thing.

The purity of the Angel Bloodline directly determined whether she could inherit a divine position in the future.

Yet this boy before her had casually produced such a heaven-defying technique.

"Why are you helping me to this extent?"

"The young mistress of Spirit Hall should not waste the best years of her life on disguises and schemes. Your task is to cultivate and grow stronger. Trivial matters like this should be resolved with more efficient means."

Su Chen brought his index and middle fingers together, gathering his complete understanding of the Void Illusion Divine Art at his fingertips without holding anything back, then pointed them toward Qian Renxue's brow.

Qian Renxue did not dodge.

She allowed those two fingers to descend.

His fingertips touched her forehead.

A vast and profound memory of the technique surged into her sea of consciousness.

The circulation routes of the Void Illusion Divine Art appeared with perfect clarity.

No verbal instruction was needed.

Qian Renxue instinctively guided the Soul Power within her body along the entirely new pathways.

A warm current flowed through her meridians.

The power of the Six-Winged Angel buried in the deepest part of her bloodline was awakened by that warmth.

The sluggishness caused by years of suppression vanished without a trace.

The impure power accumulated within her bloodline was stripped away thread by thread.

Her Soul Power, which had long ceased advancing, began to rise at an unbelievable speed.

Level sixty-one.

Level sixty-two.

Her Soul Power broke through two levels in a row, yet it did not trigger any fluctuations in the surrounding Soul Power.

It was all perfectly concealed by the void power of the Void Illusion Divine Art.

The crude disguise originally formed by the Soul Bone transformed under the guidance of the Divine Art into a void illusion perfectly fused with flesh and blood.

She was no longer wearing a mask.

Even her soul aura now matched Xue Qinghe's identity perfectly.

Her aura could shift freely.

The disguise was no longer something that consumed her mental energy.

With every breath, she naturally maintained Xue Qinghe's aura.

After a long while.

Qian Renxue opened her eyes.

Undisguised shock flickered in her golden eyes.

The technique was real.

Its effects were even more astonishing than she had imagined.

Her gaze fell upon Su Chen.

Six years old.

Born in an orphanage.

Innate half-level Soul Power.

The words in the intelligence report now seemed utterly ridiculous.

Wisdom, methods, foundation.

Every one of them surpassed the bounds of mortal understanding.

Qian Renxue had grown up in the Worship Hall, and her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, was a Peerless Douluo.

She had seen countless geniuses.

Even Spirit Hall's Golden Generation had never caught her attention.

She had always believed that, apart from her grandfather, no one on the continent could make her bow her head.

Until tonight.

The bearing and methods Su Chen displayed were utterly unlike those of someone his age.

He showed no pride in his contribution.

He was merely doing something insignificant.

Qian Renxue looked at Su Chen's calm face.

For no reason, her heart skipped a beat.

An emotion she had never felt before quietly took root in her heart.

Reverence.

For the first time, she felt reverence toward a man from the depths of her soul.

It was not merely because of the difference in strength, but because of his composure.

At the same time, a strange tenderness sent ripples through the heart that had been cold and silent for so many years.

For years, she had lurked alone in Heaven Dou City.

Every day, she had guarded against schemes and calculations.

Everyone around her was either a pawn to use or an enemy to beware of.

She had always feared that one wrong step would doom her beyond redemption.

No one had ever told her, "Leave the trivial matters to me."

Those domineering yet reassuring words struck directly at the softest corner of her heart.

The exhaustion of fighting alone was comforted in that moment.

Qian Renxue was won over by Su Chen's wisdom and methods.

She no longer maintained the airs of the crown prince.

Her tone became gentler than ever before.

"I will remember this favor."

Su Chen withdrew his fingers.

"Spare me the pleasantries. The disguise problem is solved. Now we can act without restraint."

Qian Renxue regained her composure and returned to the main matter.

"Once the spies are withdrawn, Xue Xing will definitely not let this go. He will surely retaliate by other means."

"Soldiers against soldiers, water against earth. Your task now is simply to cultivate the Void Illusion Divine Art in peace. As for everything else, we will see how to muddy the waters of Heaven Dou City."

Su Chen returned to his chair.

"The Heaven Dou Empire's royal resources cannot be wasted for nothing."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"You may call upon the Crown Prince's Residence's resources whenever you wish. Make a list of whatever you need."

"I do not need resources for now."

Su Chen looked out at the night beyond the window.

"I need an identity that can openly draw everyone's attention."

Qian Renxue considered it briefly.

"The title of Papal Hall's Holy Son may be impressive, but it is too sensitive in Heaven Dou City. If you act too openly, it will inevitably alert Xue Ye."

"Then I will not use the Holy Son identity."

Su Chen turned his head.

"Arrange a position for me as an aide at the Crown Prince's Residence. My age will conveniently lower everyone's guard."

Qian Renxue approved of the suggestion.

"Very well. Tomorrow, we will spread word that the Crown Prince's Residence has recruited a gifted young boy as a study companion."

The two began discussing the specific details of what would come next.

The night grew deeper.