Ling Yuan Joins, and Qin Yu Shows His Sense of Humor?

"I want to try."

Qin Yu smiled. "Even if I can't resolve it, I want to keep the conflict between the two halls from affecting all of Spirit Hall as much as possible."

"Your Highness, how do you intend to do that?" Ling Yuan Douluo asked.

Since this concerned all of Spirit Hall, she had to take it seriously.

"There's no harm in telling you."

"I plan to develop a new faction in the Heaven Dou Empire. Publicly, it will be independent of Spirit Hall, but secretly, it will still belong to Spirit Hall."

"This faction will share Spirit Hall's goals. More importantly, it will exist to prevent Spirit Hall from splitting apart."

Given the current infighting within Spirit Hall, Qin Yu would find it difficult to intervene even as the Holy Son. It would also waste a great deal of time.

So he intended to build a new force to balance the two halls against each other and keep the divisions within Spirit Hall from growing worse.

"This..."

Ling Yuan Douluo was stunned. She had never expected Qin Yu to think so far ahead.

After all, Qin Yu was only a level-thirty-five Soul Elder. Talking about "building a faction" was getting ahead of himself.

To put it bluntly, he didn't know his limits.

"Elder Ling Yuan, are you interested?" Qin Yu asked with a smile. "If you're willing to join me, there'll be a pleasant surprise."

"What surprise?"

"That's a secret for now."

Qin Yu left her in suspense.

Ling Yuan Douluo fell silent, torn over whether to accept his invitation.

Although Qin Yu wanted to resolve Spirit Hall's internal conflict, he would still be creating a new faction—a kind of division in itself.

But if he truly could prevent or even resolve that conflict, it would be a good thing.

"Your Highness, I can join you." Ling Yuan Douluo nodded, then added, "But I only want to deal with outside matters. I don't want to get caught up in Spirit Hall's internal struggles."

If Qin Yu meant to resolve Spirit Hall's internal conflict, he was bound to clash with the Worship Hall and the Papal Hall over certain matters.

She had no taste for that and wanted no part in it.

"Of course."

Qin Yu nodded and smiled faintly. "Elder Ling Yuan, as the first person to support me, you won't be disappointed by your surprise."

"Your Highness, what exactly is this 'surprise'?" Ling Yuan Douluo pressed.

"A tremendous opportunity."

"What kind of opportunity?"

"One that will help you reach the realm of Peak Douluo." Qin Yu smiled. "Wouldn't you call that a tremendous opportunity?"

At those words,

Ling Yuan Douluo's pupils contracted. She stared at Qin Yu in disbelief.

A Soul Elder claiming he could help a Titled Douluo reach the realm of Peak Douluo? Anyone would think it was pure fantasy.

Ling Yuan Douluo's first thought was that Qin Yu was joking.

But his expression, tone, and gaze held no hint of a joke.

"Your Highness, you..."

Ling Yuan Douluo started to ask a question, but Qin Yu raised a hand to stop her. With a faint smile, he said, "Come on. Let's keep moving. You'll understand when we get there."

With Qin Yu leaving her in suspense again, Ling Yuan Douluo burned with curiosity. There was nothing she could do but bear it for now.

She vanished in a flash, though she continued to follow Qin Yu from the shadows.

Ling Yuan Douluo could have flown Qin Yu to the Sunset Forest, but he had come out this time to gain experience.

For one thing, Qin Yu wanted to see more of the world.

For another, he didn't want to trouble Ling Yuan Douluo with things he could handle himself. Relying on her too much would only cost him the ability to solve problems on his own.

Several days passed in a flash.

Along the way, Qin Yu passed through three cities, two mountain ranges, and a forest, encountering all sorts of people and events.

Whether a matter was big or small, good or bad, Qin Yu would not interfere unless it affected his own interests.

"Your Highness, the Sunset Forest is just ahead. It's one of the wild Soul Beast habitats in the Heaven Dou Empire." Ling Yuan Douluo came to Qin Yu's side and asked curiously, "What exactly is that tremendous opportunity?"

"A remarkable place."

Qin Yu smiled. "I may need you to step in when the time comes, Elder Ling Yuan."

"Is it guarded by a powerful Soul Beast?"

"No. It's Poison Douluo's territory."

"Dugu Bo!" Ling Yuan Douluo was a little surprised, then puzzled. "Your Highness, how did you learn about this?"

"Since I had the idea of building a faction long ago, I couldn't have spent my years in Spirit Hall doing nothing."

Qin Yu's expression and voice remained calm. "I have an unusual way of placing informants across the continent, so I know more than most."

"As for where these informants came from and where exactly they are, I can't say."

Qin Yu could invent plenty of excuses.

He didn't need to explain much. His status as Spirit Hall's Holy Son and the Worship Hall's regard for him were enough to explain almost anything.

Besides, Ling Yuan Douluo favored neither the Papal Hall nor the Worship Hall. She was unlikely to know much about how either hall operated, especially when it came to gathering information.

So her suspicions would get her nowhere.

"Your Highness, can we trust this information?" Ling Yuan Douluo asked.

"Can't you trust me?"

Qin Yu smiled faintly.

"Well..." Ling Yuan Douluo hesitated, then nodded and chose to believe him. "If it's only Poison Douluo, I can handle him."

Dugu Bo was the weakest Titled Douluo.

She was three levels above him in Soul Power. Among Titled Douluo, even a single level made a world of difference.

"You can handle him, but you still need to be careful."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I'll—"

"No." Qin Yu cut her off. "I mean, be careful to protect me. Don't let Dugu Bo set his sights on me. You may not be afraid of him, but I am."

"..." Ling Yuan Douluo's mouth twitched. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She had always thought Qin Yu was a very serious person. She hadn't expected him to have such a sense of humor.

The Holy Son is quite amusing.

Ling Yuan Douluo murmured to herself, then grew solemn and said earnestly, "Rest assured, Your Highness. As long as I'm here, Dugu Bo won't hurt you."

"If he wants to harm you, he'll have to step over my dead body first."

She knew how important Qin Yu was to Spirit Hall, and she knew what it meant to take on the duty of protecting him.

"All right, I was only joking to lighten the mood. There's no need to be so tense."

Qin Yu waved a hand and chuckled. "Just protect me from the shadows, Elder Ling Yuan. Your presence will be an unseen deterrent that keeps Dugu Bo from making a rash move."

"I'll handle the rest."

With his "god's-eye view," he knew all about the bargaining chip the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well gave him with Dugu Bo.

Ling Yuan Douluo's presence was meant to deter Dugu Bo and keep him from acting recklessly.

After all, Dugu Bo was no harmless man.

Qin Yu also intended to use a cure for the poison to bring Poison Douluo gradually under his control and put him to work.

"Yes, Your Highness." Ling Yuan Douluo nodded.

"Let's go."

Qin Yu headed toward the Sunset Forest, with Ling Yuan Douluo following from the shadows.