Qin Yu's Loose Tongue and the Six-Winged Angel

"Since you already know the gist of my undercover mission, I won't hide it from you."

"I used certain special means to disguise myself as a prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. The eldest prince, Xue Qinghe."

Qian Renxue glanced at Qin Yu. Seeing little change in his expression, she continued, "If you're willing to work with me, I can use the eldest prince's authority to get you into Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

"With your talent, becoming its top prodigy will be easy. It's only a matter of time before they take notice."

"All you need to do is lie low and let them believe you're a super-genius who came out of nowhere. I'll help you build a flawless identity."

She had spent all this time thinking about how to infiltrate Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Qin Yu's arrival had given her an opening.

Most importantly, no one outside Spirit Hall knew Qin Yu was its Holy Son.

"That's it?"

Qin Yu asked.

Qian Renxue smiled. "Heaven Dou Royal Academy has plenty of students from prominent backgrounds. Dugu Bo's granddaughter Dugu Yan, for example, and Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..."

"If, at some point, you hold their lives in your hands, it will benefit both me and Spirit Hall."

"Not a bad plan." Qin Yu took a small sip of tea and nodded.

"So you agree to work together?"

"I can, but a few things need adjusting."

"What things?"

Qian Renxue asked.

"What you really want are the sects and families behind those people. In other words, you want to chip away at the major powers within the Heaven Dou Empire," Qin Yu said.

"Yes."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"I have a better way to win those powers' trust. Poison Douluo, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan... none of them will be left out."

Qin Yu's eyes gleamed. An entire plan had already taken shape in his mind.

What was his greatest advantage right now?

It certainly wasn't his Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon martial soul or the Heavenly Saint Rift-Splitting Halberd. It was his knowledge of what lay ahead.

In a few years, he would leave Spirit Hall and make his moves across all of Douluo Continent. Otherwise, what had he crossed over for?

"What way?" Qian Renxue regarded Qin Yu with some doubt.

"Secret."

Qin Yu gave a faint smile. "I'll go to the Heaven Dou Empire, but I'll decide when I go and what I do there."

"I need only one thing: when necessary, I want to use your position as the 'eldest prince' to make certain matters easier within the empire."

"Of course, I won't interfere with your undercover mission. I may even help you with it."

"If you're willing, we have a deal."

"If not, let's just say we made a friend tonight. We'll work together at Spirit Hall someday, stay out of each other's way, and certainly never come to blows."

With that, Qin Yu raised his teacup toward Qian Renxue. His smile unchanged, he quietly waited for her answer.

Qian Renxue looked at him and fell into thought.

Qin Yu's demands were nothing like what she had expected.

The "terms" she had offered earlier had, to some extent, been meant to put Qin Yu under her control.

But Qin Yu had seen through them and proposed different terms of his own.

He really can't stand being controlled.

Qian Renxue hesitated. If I agree, he'll be the one calling the shots.

She disliked the feeling of having matters beyond her control.

Qin Yu was exceptional, and she admired him.

But his refusal to obey was precisely one of his flaws.

"Have you decided?"

Seeing Qian Renxue return from her thoughts, Qin Yu asked again.

After a long silence, a beautiful smile touched Qian Renxue's lips. "Qin Yu, you're one of the few friends I have."

As she spoke, she lifted her teacup and clinked it against his.

"Likewise."

Qin Yu smiled and drained his tea. He did not bring up their partnership again.

Qian Renxue drained her tea too. As she poured another cup, she asked, "I hear you're close to Hu Liena, the Pope's disciple?"

"We're friends, just like you and me." Qin Yu smiled.

"Really? I heard Hu Liena likes you very much and is always following you around."

"If you only heard it from someone else, it can't be reliable."

Qin Yu gave nothing away, leaving Qian Renxue unable to learn much of anything.

This guy...

A flicker of annoyance rose in Qian Renxue, but so did her curiosity about Qin Yu.

The more mysterious he was, the more she wanted to uncover.

"If the Pope betrothed Hu Liena to you one day, and Hu Liena agreed, what would you say?" Qian Renxue suddenly asked.

"That question goes beyond friendship. I choose not to answer." Qin Yu smiled faintly, his eyes still as a cold pool.

Hmph. If that day ever comes, I bet you'll say yes on the spot... Men are all such jerks!

Qian Renxue huffed inwardly. For some reason, the thought left her vaguely uncomfortable.

It wasn't that she had fallen for Qin Yu.

It was just that Hu Liena had already "stolen" something from her. Trying to "steal" the person her grandfather had arranged for her too was going too far.

"It's getting late. Get some rest."

After one last cup of tea, Qin Yu stood to leave.

"Aren't we friends?" Qian Renxue glanced at him with a sly smile. "I can't sleep. Stay and talk with me a little longer."

"Sure. I'll keep you company now, and you can sleep with me tonight." Qin Yu grinned.

Crack!

Two sharp snaps sounded from different places.

One came from the teacup in Qian Renxue's hand. Already cracked, it shattered completely and scattered across the floor.

The other came from the darkness, carrying a faint chill.

"!!!"

Qin Yu jolted. He looked at Qian Renxue and gave her an awkward smile. "Uh, that was just my bad habit of joking around. Don't mind me."

"I don't mind. Of course I don't."

Smiling, Qian Renxue rose and walked toward Qin Yu.

Golden light burst from her body. Three pairs of golden wings unfurled behind her, filling the air with a sacred radiance as her aura surged.

A divine-level martial soul: the Six-Winged Angel!

Hum!

Five Soul Rings descended above her head: two yellow, two purple, and one black.

"Holy shit!"

Qin Yu cursed. Not daring to take her lightly, he immediately activated Martial Soul Possession.

Dark purple scales spread over half his body, and an aura of destruction rolled outward as two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple, slowly descended.

His destructive aura stood in stark contrast to the sacred light radiating from Qian Renxue.

But Qin Yu's cultivation was weaker, and his aura could not match hers.

"Qian Renxue, if we're friends, stop this. We can each go home and sleep in our own beds." Qin Yu spoke quickly, a trace of panic in his eyes.

"Heh."

Qian Renxue chuckled, her smile growing dangerous. Her fifth Soul Ring lit up. "Fifth Soul Skill: Sacred Sword."