Scions of the Version Gather, but the Era Is Misaligned

Not long after leaving the city gates, she suddenly sensed that something in the air seemed to have changed.

"This is..."

Xue Qinghe had grown somewhat accustomed to this sensation over the past few days—it was the strange feeling of her cultivation speed doubling.

This completely confirmed her suspicion. This matter was indeed closely connected to that "young master."

They hurried on for another half an hour, traveling nearly the distance of an entire city from Heaven Dou City before finally stopping.

Not far ahead of them stood a table, beside which a figure sat reading a book.

Red King turned sideways and said to Xue Qinghe:

"This is our young master. Go talk to him."

"Mm..."

Xue Qinghe walked to the table and sat opposite the youth. Though she remained calm on the surface, she was already barely holding back the urge to complain inwardly.

This child who looked only around ten years old was their young master?

Although "young master" referred to status and had nothing to do with age—even a newborn infant could be called young master—at the very least, Xue Qinghe had assumed this young master would be over fifteen, roughly her age.

What could a ten-year-old child possibly understand?

If she knew that the child before her was already using a simulated disguise, and that his true age was only six, her reaction would have been even more dramatic.

Bai Chen set down his book and smiled.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I heard you wished to see me. What did you wish to discuss?"

Xue Qinghe composed herself and asked in a deep voice:

"Can you first tell me who you are? Before discussing anything, shouldn't both sides introduce themselves?"

"Who we are is not important. If you insist on an answer, just think of us as a reclusive family."

Bai Chen answered Xue Qinghe's question leisurely, looking completely at ease.

In truth, he was not anxious at all. He knew perfectly well that Qian Renxue was far, far, far more anxious than he was at this moment.

Xue Qinghe's mouth twitched. Bai Chen's answer appeared to address her question, yet revealed nothing at all. Their true identities remained shrouded in mist.

Xue Qinghe sighed inwardly and asked:

"Then can you at least tell me how I should address you? I do not believe this will be our last meeting, will it?"

"Mm, you have a point."

Bai Chen nodded in agreement.

"My surname is Bai, and my given name is Yan. You can call me Little Brother Bai."

"Young Master Bai, you must be joking."

Xue Qinghe shook her head helplessly.

It seemed there was no way to obtain more information about their identities in the short term.

In that case, she might as well get straight to the point.

Xue Qinghe straightened up and asked seriously:

"I'll ask directly. Was the disturbance in Heaven Dou City caused by you? What exactly is the connection between you and the increased cultivation speed appearing among Heaven Dou City's Soul Masters?"

Ultimately, the youth's identity could be set aside for now. This was the question she cared about most.

Trade

Bai Chen smiled as he watched her for a moment, then nodded lightly.

"We did cause it. I possess a method that creates the phenomenon you know of in Soul Masters around me. As for precisely how it works, please allow me to keep that confidential."

After giving it some thought, Bai Chen decided to reveal part of his special nature.

After all, this abnormal change appeared wherever he went, so there was no hiding it. Rather than concealing it blindly, he might as well use this trait to gain more benefits as soon as possible.

"Then what is your purpose?"

Just as he had predicted beforehand, Xue Qinghe asked in a deep voice:

"You caused such a huge disturbance in Heaven Dou City and even specifically called me here. You must be after something, correct?"

"Correct."

Bai Chen admitted it frankly.

He stood up and said:

"Our family possesses great strength, but we have lived in seclusion for too many years and have almost completely lost contact with the outside world. We are rather lacking in both money and political connections. Yet recently, we have wanted to develop our influence in the outside world, so we need the support of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family."

He walked to Xue Qinghe's side. Though he was ten years old, he was nearly at eye level with the seated Xue Qinghe.

He stared into Xue Qinghe's eyes and said meaningfully:

"With the Crown Prince's influence, such a small matter should certainly be possible, no?"

Xue Qinghe's gaze wavered for an instant before she quickly calmed down and replied in a deep voice:

"Being able to do it and choosing to do it are two different matters. I have no reason to agree to you."

"That is why we will naturally offer you compensation."

Bai Chen smiled, returned to his seat, and sat down again.

Both sides understood that the most important moment of this meeting had only now arrived.

Xue Qinghe had completely lost her contempt for Bai Chen. This child was only ten, yet neither his way of thinking nor his manner of speaking resembled that of a ten-year-old. To be honest, she even suspected that he might be a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had cultivated anew.

Xue Qinghe asked first.

"What compensation are you referring to?"

"Naturally, the two things you care about most."

Bai Chen raised two fingers and smiled.

"Soul Guide Devices and cultivation enhancement. Those are the two things you care about most right now, aren't they?"

Xue Qinghe silently watched Bai Chen, tacitly accepting his words.

Bai Chen continued:

"I can tell you frankly that I do possess technology for mass-producing Soul Guide Devices. Moreover, the types of Soul Guide Devices we can mass-produce far exceed your imagination."

"So are you willing to sell all of that technology to me?"

"Haha, how could that be? Crown Prince Xue, you must be joking."

Bai Chen replied calmly:

"I can guarantee you priority supply, and I can offer you discounts to a certain extent. In return, you must help us establish a sect and an academy."

"A sect and an academy?"

"That's right."

Bai Chen smiled.

"Mm... Let's call them Mandate Pavilion and Heaven Eye Academy. Heaven Eye Academy will recruit talented people to study Soul Master abilities, while Mandate Pavilion will be responsible for teaching Soul Guide Device crafting techniques."

The academy-and-sect model supporting one another was somewhat similar to Shrek and the Tang Sect. In the Douluo world, it was indeed a highly practical operating model.

With his group cultivation enhancement effect, there would be no shortage of talented recruits. Heaven Eye Academy, once it gathered a large number of talents, would become Mandate Pavilion's talent reserve and allow Mandate Pavilion to develop at the fastest possible rate.

Once they developed to a certain scale, they could reveal the matter of Soul Spirits.

Xue Qinghe sighed and said with some headache:

"If you want to establish an academy and a sect, I can provide support in terms of funding and connections. But let me make this clear first: once your ability to increase cultivation speed is discovered, countless troubles will come looking for you. I will not provide you with protection."

"No problem."

Bai Chen laughed without the slightest fear.

What a joke. The thing he lacked least was top-tier muscle behind him.

People wanted to cause trouble? They could go tell Di Tian, Bear Lord, Myriad Demon King, and Red King that.

Even without mentioning the first three, Red King alone was already a rare match for anyone in this era.

In terms of overall strength, the Star Dou Great Forest stood above all humanity. They simply could not openly engage in large-scale destruction because of the Divine Realm. Even so, killing a few human experts who came looking for trouble was hardly a problem.

"Then next, let us properly discuss the details of our transaction."

Afterward, Xue Qinghe and Bai Chen spoke for two hours before parting ways.

In the end, the two agreed that the headquarters of both Heaven Eye Academy and Mandate Pavilion would be built beside Heaven Dou City. Xue Qinghe would find a way to fund and construct the basic facilities for both, while also providing some high-level Soul Masters as teachers for the academy.

In return, Heaven Eye Academy would prioritize accepting talents recommended by Xue Qinghe, and every product Mandate Pavilion sold to the Heaven Dou Empire over the next five years would receive a thirty percent discount.

This discount should not be underestimated. Bai Chen had earned over ten million Gold Soul Coins from selling Soul Guide Devices in only half a month. A thirty percent discount meant saving around three million Gold Soul Coins.

If half a month had already brought such gains, then the benefits the Heaven Dou Empire could receive over five years would absolutely be astronomical.

On the way back, Red King did not accompany Xue Qinghe again. Instead, a figure appeared beside her and asked:

"Young Mistress, are we really going to let them do as they please?"

"Of course."

Xue Qinghe smiled.

"His current plan is absolutely more beneficial than harmful to us."

The reason she had specifically asked Bai Chen to build the academy beside Heaven Dou City was so that the Heaven Dou Empire's Soul Masters could cultivate nearby.

Moreover, Xue Qinghe could use this opportunity to send her trusted subordinates to Heaven Eye Academy for cultivation.

As for the danger brought by Bai Chen's actions... judging by his manner, he seemed to have a way to deal with it.

Bai Chen's side would bear most of the risk, while her side would gain considerable benefits. Xue Qinghe believed this was a deal with guaranteed profit.

"Understood."

Seeing that Xue Qinghe had made up her mind, the figure said no more and vanished again.

In truth, he was also rather wary of clashing with Bai Chen's side.

From Red King, he had sensed an unfathomable depth. He had only felt that sensation from the Grand Worshipper and Second Worshipper before.

That mysterious expert possessed strength of at least Rank 98, and he might not even be the strongest member of that mysterious family.

Who knew where such a powerful mysterious family had emerged from? Before understanding their true background, it was indeed better to proceed cautiously.

Xue Qinghe wasted no more words and swiftly returned to Heaven Dou City, calming the disturbance while beginning preparations for Heaven Eye Academy.

Meanwhile, Bai Chen and the others returned to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Information About Dragon Valley

"So you returned after being gone for less than a month, and you even asked me to send Myriad Demon King out with you?"

After hearing Bai Chen's report, Di Tian's expression turned somewhat strange.

Bai Chen was also rather helpless.

"I never expected to have such a trait myself..."

On the day he awakened his Martial Soul, he had been taken to the Star Dou Great Forest by the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. His cultivation enhancement had no effect on Soul Beasts, and among the entire Star Dou Great Forest, the only Soul Beast that could benefit from it was the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. How could he possibly have guessed that something like this would happen?

"However, I just obtained another piece of information from the future era. It concerns the Dragon Clan, and I believe it will be useful to you."

"Speak."

Only after hearing that Bai Chen had information from the future did Di Tian's expression soften.

Bai Chen took out a sheet of parchment and handed it to Di Tian.

Di Tian accepted it, glanced over it, and raised a brow.

"A map?"

What Bai Chen had given him was a hand-drawn map. More surprisingly, it was not a map of Douluo Continent, but a map of the entire Douluo Star.

On this map, a stretch of land far from Douluo Continent had been circled and specially marked.

Bai Chen nodded.