Su Chen's words made Qian Renxue feel as though someone had squeezed her heart.
Her heart and mind filled with guilt.
Su Chen was only seven. She had brought him all alone to Heaven Dou City, away from the familiar dean, familiar academy, and familiar companions.
And now, she was going to arrange for him to attend a completely unfamiliar academy.
How lonely and helpless he must have felt, with no family or friends in sight.
Qian Renxue thought of herself. At nine, she had been sent to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, where she had replaced Xue Qinghe and remained there ever since.
Only she knew how uneasy and helpless she had felt back then.
Putting herself in his shoes!
Su Chen must have felt exactly as she once had.
Guilt surged into Qian Renxue's heart like a tide.
She crouched down and saw Su Chen's dejected expression. The look in his eyes even made her too guilty to meet his gaze.
"Xiao Chen, I'm sorry."
"I wanted to stay with you and take care of you too, but I still have an important mission. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is the best academy in the Heaven Dou Empire."
"If you enter Heaven Dou Royal Academy under the name of Spirit Sacred Hall, you will receive the best training."
"Don't worry. As soon as I have any free time, I'll come see you. Five days, no... two days. I promise that I'll visit you at least once every two days."
Qian Renxue felt as though a huge hand were clutching her heart with guilt.
A thought suddenly arose in her mind. What if she built a secret chamber beneath the Crown Prince's Residence? Then she could accompany Su Chen every day when she returned.
No! No!
She immediately dismissed the thought. Locking a living person in a secret chamber did not fit with the kindness in her heart.
Besides, her disguised identity as Xue Qinghe concerned Spirit Hall's plan to unify the continent.
For now, it could not be exposed before Su Chen.
Su Chen remained silent, pursing his lips and turning his head away. His refined, handsome face was full of fragility, like a delicate porcelain doll that could shatter at any moment.
Qian Renxue was still an unmarried young woman and truly had no talent for coaxing children.
After thinking for a moment, she took out a Gold Soul Coin Storage Card and stuffed it into Su Chen's hand.
"Xiao Chen, this is a Gold Soul Coin Storage Card. There are still 100,000 Gold Soul Coins inside, and you can withdraw them from any bank on the continent. Consider it compensation for not being able to stay with you."
For the current Su Chen, 100,000 Gold Soul Coins was absolutely an astronomical sum.
Qian Renxue really was generous. She truly was a treasure trove of a wealthy woman.
Su Chen's hand trembled as he returned the Gold Soul Coin Storage Card to Qian Renxue, as though it were scorching hot.
A heartbreaking smile appeared on his little face.
"Sister Xue'er, I already really like the Storage Soul Tool you gave me. How could I accept your money too?"
"Hurry and get back to your mission. I know I shouldn't throw a child's tantrum. I can manage on my own."
She Long: ...
Ci Xue: ...
Salas: ...
━Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━
Was this really a seven-year-old???
Even if children on the Douluo Continent generally matured early, a seven-year-old should not have such deep scheming.
This was the legendary innate physique for palace intrigue.
Being a Soul Master was truly wasting his talent.
She Long, Ci Xue, and Salas all looked at Su Chen's little face with a few traces of fear in their eyes.
They absolutely could not offend Su Chen in the future. If he whispered a few pillow-side words into Qian Renxue's ear, the consequences would truly be unimaginable.
Qian Renxue's heart churned like stormy seas. She shoved the Gold Soul Coin Storage Card back into Su Chen's hand and spoke firmly:
"Xiao Chen, a Storage Soul Tool is nothing. This money is for you, and you must accept it. If you don't, your sister will feel guilty."
Qian Renxue tightly clasped Su Chen's hands in both of hers, preventing him from returning the Gold Soul Coin Storage Card again.
She turned her head, her tone so severe that it was nearly icy.
"Bishop Salas, Xiao Chen is in your care. Make sure his forged identity is proper. He must lack nothing in food, drink, clothing, or daily necessities. If he suffers any grievance under your watch..."
Qian Renxue did not continue, but cold sweat was already about to run down Salas's face.
He answered loudly, "Please rest assured, Young Mistress. If Young Master Su Chen suffers any grievance, then I will quit being a Platinum Bishop."
Then Qian Renxue smiled gently, radiating maternal warmth.
"Xiao Chen, then your sister will be leaving first."
Su Chen pulled himself together and forced a smile.
"Goodbye, Sister Xue'er."
Qian Renxue's heart ached again. After standing up, she looked back with every step as she left Spirit Sacred Hall under She Long and Ci Xue's protection.
Damn it, she still had to return and play Xue Qinghe.
Only after the three of them disappeared did Su Chen place the Gold Soul Coin Storage Card containing 100,000 Gold Soul Coins into his Storage Soul Tool.
"Bishop Salas, what are we doing now?"
Salas looked at the handsome youth before him. He was already several decades old and held a position of great authority as Spirit Sacred Hall's Platinum Bishop.
Yet his attitude was now exceedingly humble.
"Young Master Su Chen, come with me. I'll first forge an identity file for you. Once you enter Heaven Dou Royal Academy, do not expose your original identity. Your talent is too exceptional and could easily draw too much attention."
Salas personally arranged Su Chen's new identity.
He was still called Su Chen. His Martial Soul was the Three-Legged Fire Crow, his Soul Power was level 23, he was twelve years old, and he was an orphan from some northern city. Every detail of his life from childhood to the present was arranged perfectly.
With Spirit Sacred Hall backing him, Heaven Dou Royal Academy would have to accept him whether it wanted to or not.
Salas even took Su Chen out into the streets and bought piles of food, drinks, clothing, and daily necessities.
After being dressed up anew, Su Chen's handsome appearance and otherworldly temperament, accentuated by his red-and-white robes, made him seem even more noble than actual nobles.
Once everything had been arranged, Salas had a black-robed bishop take Su Chen to Heaven Dou Royal Academy to enroll.
As a Platinum Bishop and the highest leader of Spirit Sacred Hall, he naturally could not show himself in person.
Otherwise, would that not be plainly telling the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect that this child was extraordinary?
Heaven Dou Royal Academy!
This was an academy funded by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, a noble academy in every sense of the word.
It was not located within Heaven Dou City, but outside it. An entire mountain range had been enclosed within the academy, where it possessed the most complete simulated cultivation grounds in the Heaven Dou Empire.
It only accepted applicants recommended by nobles. As an advanced Soul Master academy, it required all students to be Soul Masters of at least level 20.
The academy was divided into three grades.
Sky Micro Grade, for Soul Grandmasters below level 25.
Sky Supreme Grade, for Soul Grandmasters between levels 25 and 30.
Heaven Dou Grade, for Soul Elders above level 31.
Su Chen's enrollment was effortless. With Spirit Sacred Hall's endorsement, Heaven Dou Royal Academy's admissions teacher completed his registration procedures that very day. He became a student of Sky Micro Grade Class One and was assigned a luxurious private room.
The next day!
As a new student, he arrived at his class for the first time.
His outstanding appearance and temperament, along with his youthful face, instantly made him the center of attention for the entire class.
The first lesson was a Soul Master class, introducing the classifications of Soul Masters: assault types, agility attack types, control types, support types... and the strengths and weaknesses of each kind.
Su Chen patiently listened until the end.
After class, a group of eighteen- and nineteen-year-old young men and women surrounded Su Chen, whose face still looked so young.
They fired off curious questions from every direction.
"Classmate, I'm Xue Beng, the Empire's Fourth Prince. Why haven't I seen you before? Are you really twelve?"
"I'm the second young master of Duke Mad Lion's family. Which family are you from?"
"I'm the fourth young master of Marquis Shadow Panther's family..."
"..."
The noisy chatter irritated Su Chen immensely. He answered calmly and without servility:
"I'm an orphan. I have no family background."
The young noblemen and noblewomen looked at one another. In an instant, their earlier goodwill turned malicious, and mocking sneers rang out.
"So he's just a little nobody..."
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