Meeting Xue Qinghe, Qian Renxue's Male Favorite?

After absorbing the Eight Spider Lances, Li Qinglian headed toward Heaven Dou City.

He traveled and enjoyed himself along the way.

It was not until a month later that Heaven Dou City finally came into view.

The blazing sun hung high overhead.

A figure clad in a moon-white robe, with an icy aura, appeared before Heaven Dou City.

Li Qinglian had recently taken a liking to white clothes. They could suppress some of the deathly stillness around him.

If he wore black robes, the aura he gave off was simply too oppressive.

Even though his features were mild and approachable, he occasionally frightened children into tears.

"What a bustling Heaven Dou City."

"Compared to Spirit City, its scale of construction is somewhat less grand, but it lacks that oppressive feeling."

Spirit City was a holy city. Only the most devout believers lived there for long periods.

Even tourists who merely visited would maintain a solemn demeanor.

Along the way, no one gave Li Qinglian any trouble.

Li Qinglian's bearing and appearance made it obvious at a glance that he came from a top-tier family, and even the guards he encountered greeted him cheerfully.

Li Qinglian still felt a little regretful.

Since rebuilding himself as a human, the only one who had dared provoke him was Yan.

He had never encountered any other brainless fools.

In this dog-eat-dog fantasy world, how could there possibly be so many idiots?

"Tang San and his group ran into so many villains because they dressed too casually and lacked any noble bearing, so people targeted them."

"Someone like me, even if I really wore rough clothes, probably no one would dare provoke me."

With amused thoughts, Li Qinglian entered Heaven Dou City.

The moment he stepped into Heaven Dou Imperial City, noise and prosperity rushed to greet him.

Li Qinglian stood at the street corner and took a deep breath.

The autumn wind carried the sweet scent of osmanthus cakes, the charred fragrance of baked flatbread, and a faint smell of wine into his nose, relaxing his entire body.

"What a nice place."

He walked and looked around, his mood improving by the moment.

Compared to Spirit Hall, where even the air carried an aura of solemnity, Heaven Dou Imperial City was where living people ought to be.

Before he had gone far, he found an exceptionally lively restaurant.

Just as Li Qinglian was about to enter, a sharp-eyed waiter spotted him from afar, immediately slung a white towel over his shoulder, and hurried over with a broad smile.

"Young master, I can tell you're unfamiliar with the place. First time in Heaven Dou City? Would you like me to introduce it to you?"

Li Qinglian smiled as he surveyed the restaurant's interior decor.

The first-floor hall was spacious and bright, with carved caisson ceilings overhead and calligraphy and paintings by famous figures hanging all around. There was even a stream drawn into the corner, complete with artificial rockeries, flowing water, and swimming koi. It was truly extravagant in every detail.

"Mm, I'm from outside the city," he said casually. "Bring me all your signature dishes, and two pots of your strongest wine."

"Right away!"

Li Qinglian swept his gaze over the bustling crowd, the corner of his lips lifting. He casually took out several Gold Soul Coins and tossed them into the waiter's palm.

"Thank you, sir. Would you like me to find a few young ladies to drink with you?"

"The girls at the Spring Fragrance Brothel next door are the best of the best."

The waiter looked around. Seeing that no one was watching him, he carefully tucked the Gold Soul Coins into his waist pouch.

"No need."

Li Qinglian shook his head.

At present, he could not stir up the slightest interest in ordinary girls.

It was not that Li Qinglian was incapable.

It was simply that after seeing more beautiful and wonderful things, mundane women found it difficult to catch his eye.

Even a woman like Xiao Wu had failed to catch his interest.

This showed just how high Li Qinglian's standards had become.

"Really no need?"

"There are several stunning beauties in the Spring Fragrance Brothel, all highly sought after by the nobles. Does the Holy Son truly feel nothing?"

A warm, clear voice came from beside him, carrying both amusement and teasing.

Li Qinglian's hand paused, and he looked up.

At some point, a young man had already taken a seat opposite him.

The man wore a moon-white brocade robe, his face as gentle as jade, with an innate nobility between his brows.

He was handsome and composed, with a faint smile at the corners of his lips as he looked at Li Qinglian with great interest.

Xue Qinghe.

Or rather, Qian Renxue!

Li Qinglian recognized those eyes at once.

No matter how her face was disguised, the coldness and pride hidden deep within those golden pupils could never be concealed.

He set down his teacup, the corner of his lips curling slightly.

"So it's you. Your Highness the Crown Prince handles countless affairs every day. How do you have time to sit idly in a place like this?"

Qian Renxue did not rush to answer. She picked up the teapot on the table and poured herself a cup, her movements elegant and composed, as relaxed as if she were sitting in her own backyard.

She lowered her head and inhaled the fragrance of the tea before speaking unhurriedly.

"Someone dawdled along the road, sightseeing and enjoying the scenery, and took a full month to reach Heaven Dou City. I counted the days and waited and waited, yet no one came to find me."

She raised her eyes, a faint and almost imperceptible resentment in her golden gaze.

"I had no choice but to come myself."

Li Qinglian felt somewhat guilty under her gaze. He coughed dryly and looked away.

"Wasn't I... delayed by a few matters along the way?"

A chill ran through Li Qinglian's body.

Although he knew Qian Renxue had feelings for him, seeing her look at him resentfully while wearing a man's face was still more than he could bear.

Li Qinglian's sexual orientation was perfectly normal. He had no such interests.

"Sister Xue, could you..."

"Stop looking at me like that. It's a little scary."

Li Qinglian hurriedly made Qian Renxue stop.

Otherwise, he feared he would suffer internal injuries from holding it in.

"Pfft."

Seeing Li Qinglian's embarrassed expression, Qian Renxue, seated across from him, laughed so hard that her body trembled.

She had not expected Li Qinglian, with his noble bloodline, to be afraid of this.

For a moment, countless mischievous ideas arose in Qian Renxue's heart.

She stood up, sat directly beside Li Qinglian, and grabbed the hand that had been resting close to her.

For a moment,

Countless gazes within the tavern turned toward Li Qinglian and Qian Renxue.

Even the waiter Li Qinglian had just dismissed stared in shock.

No wonder that young master had not been interested in the girls from the Spring Fragrance Brothel. So he was...

"Sister Xue, stop fooling around. So many people are watching."

"And you're still wearing Xue Qinghe's face. If someone recognizes you, do you still intend to stay in Heaven Dou City?"

As Qian Renxue drew closer and closer, Li Qinglian could even smell the woman's body fragrance and feel the presence of her ample breasts.

Clearly, Qian Renxue had neither applied medicine to conceal her unique scent nor used binding cloth around her chest.

"What's there to be afraid of?"

"Even if someone discovers that I'm the crown prince, I'm not afraid."

"For all these years, none of the concubines in my harem have become pregnant. If word spread that I preferred men, it would actually be a good thing for me. It would save me the trouble of explaining..."

The corner of Qian Renxue's lips rose.

That actually made a lot of sense.

As a woman, Qian Renxue naturally could not sleep with the original Xue Qinghe's concubines.

A preference for men could indeed help conceal things for Qian Renxue.

But Li Qinglian could not laugh.

He had no interest in becoming Qian Renxue's male favorite.

He had even refused when Gu Yuena wanted him to call her mother. Qian Renxue's male favorite... Li Qinglian realized that he was doing worse with every passing day.