Encountering Xue Qinghe

After winning the match, Duan Yu greeted Yu Tianheng and the others before heading back on his own.

He had come to Soto City's Soul Arena only for 1v1 matches. He had no interest in competing in the remaining 2v2 and 7v7 matches.

The streets of Heaven Dou City were rather quiet at night.

Although there were few pedestrians on the road, Duan Yu could still sense several people hiding nearby as he walked alone.

However, their soul power was too low; they were generally only two-ring Great Soul Masters, so Duan Yu paid them no mind.

The only thing he truly cared about now was the Immortal Herb.

Things like Immortal Herbs, which increased soul power and strengthened one's foundation, were naturally best consumed as early as possible.

But the problem was, how was he supposed to meet Dugu Bo? He had already been enrolled for quite some time. Why had Dugu Bo still not come? Had his poison acted up again, forcing him into hiding?

Duan Yu walked as he pondered, becoming so absorbed in his thoughts that he failed to notice someone in front of him and walked straight into them.

"Sorry."

Duan Yu got to his feet, dusted off his clothes, and lowered his head in apology. "I didn't mean to—"

Before Duan Yu could finish speaking, someone suddenly scooped him up in an embrace.

"What an adorable child."

A voice came from above him. Duan Yu looked up and saw that the person holding him was a handsome young man dressed in white.

Duan Yu: "?"

Wasn't this a little too forward? Was he someone just anyone could pick up?

Before Duan Yu could lose his temper, Xue Qinghe spoke first, smiling as he asked, "Little one, what's your name? Why are you wandering around here alone so late at night?"

"I'm going back to the academy."

"Back to the academy?"

Xue Qinghe paused. "Where is your academy?"

"Tiandou Royal Academy."

Upon hearing that, Xue Qinghe pondered for a moment. "Tiandou Royal Academy is still some distance from here. How about I take you back?"

Duan Yu broke free from Xue Qinghe's arms in one motion and turned around.

"No need. I can walk back myself."

Ten minutes later.

Duan Yu was snuggled in Xue Qinghe's arms.

"Faster, faster."

Watching the child in his arms, who had just moments ago insisted he did not want help but was now clamoring for him to go faster, Xue Qinghe's lips unconsciously curved upward.

Then, with a flap of his wings, he increased his speed by several degrees and carried Duan Yu even higher into the air.

With Xue Qinghe's speed as a six-ring Soul Master, Duan Yu quickly returned to Tiandou Royal Academy with him.

Xue Qinghe looked at Duan Yu and asked, "Little one, which family are you from?"

Tiandou Royal Academy was thoroughly monitored by Qian Renxue's people, yet Qian Renxue had no impression whatsoever of the child before her.

Duan Yu sat on the ground, shook his head, and said, "I'm an orphan. I only recently enrolled at Tiandou Royal Academy."

"If I hadn't been lucky enough to meet a kind person who took me in when I was little, I probably wouldn't have survived until now."

Xue Qinghe froze upon hearing that. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Duan Yu smiled. "It's fine. It's not a big deal. I was just a little unfortunate when I was young."

"And I ran into some lousy theory master who made my life miserable."

"A lousy theory master?"

Xue Qinghe thought for a moment, but she had no impression of such a person at all.

"Who was he?"

Duan Yu waved his hand dismissively. "Just a petty clown. No need to care about him. He can't harm me anymore anyway, so let him go harm someone else."

"Alright, it's getting late. I'm leaving."

As he spoke, Duan Yu stood up, patted his hands, and started walking away.

After walking some distance, he reminded Xue Qinghe, who was still standing there:

"You should head back early too. Don't just stand here. If my teammates come back and see a grown-up like you standing here, they'll be scared stiff."

Xue Qinghe remained where she was and watched Duan Yu leave.

What an interesting child.

Shortly after Duan Yu left, two figures darted out from nearby and dropped to one knee before Xue Qinghe.

Had Duan Yu still been there, he would have immediately recognized them as Porcupinefish Douluo and Snake Spear Douluo, the two men Elder Hall had assigned to protect Qian Renxue at all times.

"Young Mistress, although you did not fully release your martial soul just now, that child saw the Six-Winged Angel's exclusive emblem on your wings."

"Do you require your subordinate to..."

As he spoke, Porcupinefish made a slicing gesture across his throat.

Xue Qinghe looked at him expressionlessly. "He's just a nine-year-old child. So what if he saw it? Could our plan really be affected by a nine-year-old child?"

Porcupinefish said nothing further and instead turned to look at Snake Spear beside him.

The instant Snake Spear met Porcupinefish's gaze, he understood what the man meant. He forced himself to speak.

"Her Holiness the Pope asked me to remind you that five years have already passed and that you should hurry to complete your infiltration of the Heaven Dou Empire."

"And also..."

Xue Qinghe listened calmly to Porcupinefish's report, as though it were merely some ordinary matter unworthy of her attention.

Yet the hand clenched tightly within her sleeve betrayed her true feelings.

She had originally thought that after leaving that woman for so many years, she would no longer think of her.

Yet she had never expected that, even after five years, news of that woman would still leave her exhausted.

She closed her eyes and slowly let out a breath. "Tell that woman that within ten years, my influence will surely permeate the entire Heaven Dou Empire."

"Yes."

"Is there anything else?" Xue Qinghe asked the two men still kneeling below her.

Porcupinefish and Snake Spear exchanged a glance before continuing.

"Young Mistress, the Grand Elder asked me to tell you that if you are too tired, then the Heaven Dou Empire is not worth having."

"As long as you are willing, the Grand Elder is willing to personally act when the time comes and help you take Heaven Dou."

Xue Qinghe was briefly stunned. She shook her head and said, "There's no need. I alone am enough to take Heaven Dou. There's no need to trouble Grandfather."

"I'm tired. I want to be alone for a while. You may leave first."

After Porcupinefish and Snake Spear departed, she stood atop the mountain at Tiandou Royal Academy, gazing toward Elder Hall in the distance as she murmured:

"Grandfather, perhaps you're the only one in this world who truly cares about Xiaoxue."

Meanwhile, after returning to the academy, Duan Yu did not go back to his student dormitory. Instead, he went to the teachers' dormitory beside Meng Shenji's quarters.

Duan Yu lay on the bed, feeling indescribably flustered.

Mainly because he had never expected to run into Xue Qinghe by the roadside.

Oh, no. If it had really been Xue Qinghe, he would not have been so afraid.

Others might not know, but how could Duan Yu not? The real Xue Qinghe had long since been killed.

The person he had just spent time with was not Xue Qinghe at all, but Qian Renxue.

At first, he had not recognized her. But when Qian Renxue spread her wings and carried him through the air, he recognized her immediately.

Her wings had not fully unfolded, but the emblem had been exposed.

Duan Yu had clearly seen the emblem representing the Six-Winged Angel family.

Duan Yu shook his head. Forget it. What did it matter to him whether Xue Qinghe was Qian Renxue or not?

In any case, all he needed to do now was focus on cultivating. As for the Immortal Herbs, there was no rushing it. He would take things slowly.