Xue Qinghe, Qian Renxue

At the end of the stone steps was a Secret Chamber.

Xue Qinghe walked in and raised his hand to press his brow. A pale golden light spread from the side of his face, and his bones and figure changed accordingly. His light golden hair fell from his shoulders, and his originally gentle young face returned to the appearance in Yuan Yu's memory.

Qian Renxue turned around.

Have you seen enough?

Yuan Yu nodded. "This face is more pleasing to the eye."

Qian Renxue raised her hand and grabbed his ear.

"Having not seen you for half a year, you've grown bolder."

"Sister, Crown Prince's Residence also practice private punishment?"

"It's okay for you."

Yuan Yu was pulled to the stone table by her. As soon as he sat down, a plate of Osmanthus Pastry appeared in front of him.

"Eat first," Qian Renxue said.

"I just ate out."

"You only took a bite of half a piece."

Yuan Yu paused, her hand holding the pastry still. "You're even looking at this?"

I'm sitting across from you.

Qian Renxue spoke calmly, but her gaze remained fixed on his face. In the six months since she last saw him, the boy had grown quite a bit taller, and his features had lost some of the roundness he had when he was a child. His White-Clad were still clean, but there were two patched stitches on the cuffs, clearly made by one of the less skilled male teachers at the academy.

She reached out and touched the stitches. "Is Shrek this poor?"

"This was mended by Teacher Zhao. He said the stitching was sturdy."

"The stitches are half an inch wide, so of course they're sturdy."

Yuan Yu looked down and said, "As long as it's wearable, it's fine."

Qian Renxue didn't reply, but simply memorized his measurements. When she had the clothes delivered by Spirit City later, she wouldn't need to use last year's measurements.

She spoke coldly, but used little force in her hands. After letting go, she first looked Yuan Yu up and down, her gaze lingering on his shoulders and wrists for a moment.

"Roll up your sleeves."

"The injuries are all healed."

"Wear it up."

Yuan Yu had no choice but to do as instructed.

The wounds left by Sword Douluo had scabbed over, and the red marks from Liu Erlong's test of the sword had faded. Qian Renxue touched them with her fingertips to confirm that her meridians were not damaged, and her expression softened.

"Uncle Azure Luan and Elder Ling Yuan have been with you all along. I know all about your injuries."

Yuan Yu lowered his sleeves. "Then why are you still investigating?"

"Their letters only contained the phrase 'It's nothing serious.' When you were a child, you fell off the roof and your leg swelled up so much you couldn't walk, and they still wrote 'It's nothing serious.'"

Yuan Yu had nothing to say.

Qian Renxue reached out again. "The Wine Gourd."

"This is my weapon."

"Your weapon is hanging on your left hip."

"Backup weapon."

Qian Renxue took the Wine Gourd off herself, uncorked it, smelled it, and immediately frowned. "Flender made you drink this?"

"The Dean is only responsible for picking up people, not for providing alcohol."

"How dare you mention being picked up?"

Qian Renxue placed the Wine Gourd at the farthest point on the stone table. "You stole wine from the Worship Hall, got drunk, and sneaked out of Spirit City. By the time you woke up, you were already in Suotuo City. The day Grandpa received the news, he smashed half the table with one palm."

Yuan Yu whispered, "That table was old to begin with."

Qian Renxue glanced at him.

Yuan Yu immediately changed the subject. "Sister, how are you doing in Heaven Dou?"

"Explain yourself clearly first."

"What?"

"Why didn't you come back with Uncle Azure Luan after you sobered up?"

Yuan Yu took a bite of the Osmanthus Pastry and mumbled, "Suotuo City is quite lively. Flender also said that Shrek only accepts monsters. I thought it sounded interesting, so I went to check it out."

"I've been watching for half a year without going home."

"I wrote a letter."

"Each letter should not exceed three lines. The first should say, 'I'm doing well, I'm eating little, don't worry about me,' and the second should say, 'I've started school, I've won the fight, don't worry about me.'"

Yuan Yu thought for a moment, "The key points are all there."

Qian Renxue raised her hand to hit him again. Yuan Yu protected his forehead in advance, took a step back, and kept the Osmanthus Pastry firmly in his mouth.

The two stared at each other for a moment, and Qian Renxue couldn't help but laugh. The smile only lasted for a moment before she quickly suppressed it.

The Secret Chamber fell silent for a moment.

"We can manage."

Qian Renxue didn't elaborate. During the day, she had to be the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, remembering every minister and every decree. At night, she also had to process the intelligence sent by the Spirit Hall. She had become accustomed to this face and to thinking carefully about who was listening before speaking.

Yuan Yu looked at the several official documents spread out on the stone table, the top one still bearing the Crown Prince's seal.

"Xue Ye trusts you, and Sect Master Ning is on your side. As long as you don't rush things, this connection won't go wrong."

Qian Renxue's eyes flickered slightly. "You seem to know quite a lot."

"Based on what I heard, plus some guesses."

"Then guess why I met Tang San today?"

Yuan Yu thought for a moment and said, "Sect Master Ning values him, the Strength Clan has recognized him, and his Hidden Weapons are useful. You want to place him in a position where you can talk to him, so that you won't only be able to see him on the battlefield in the future."

Qian Renxue did not deny it.

"Tang Hao has an old grudge against the Spirit Hall, and Tang San will investigate sooner or later. Giving him some information he can find out now will at least let him know that things are not as simple as the rumors suggest."

"This step was correct."

"Aren't you going to protect Shrek from me?"

"The message you gave to the other woman today was genuine, and you weren't plotting against her. If things change later, I'll take precautions."

Qian Renxue stared at Yuan Yu for a while, then raised her hand and tapped his forehead.

You're still the same.

Which one?

"Listen to everyone, but follow no one's path."

Yuan Yu rubbed his forehead, his smile fading slightly, "Sister, I can help the Spirit Hall, and I can help Shrek. Anyone who uses innocent people as stepping stones, I will cut off their path."

What if Tang San were to one day turn his blade against the Spirit Hall?

"I would first ask him why he drew his sword."

"What happens after you finish asking?"

Yuan Yu's fingers lightly rested on the scabbard. "Revenge for grudges, settle scores. Whoever is in the wrong, go after them; don't drag the whole city into it. If he won't listen, I'll beat him awake. The same goes for the Spirit Hall."

Qian Renxue watched him quietly. The young man didn't raise his voice when he said those words, and his expression was very calm. But she knew very well that since Yuan Yu had spoken, he would really dare to stand between them on that day.

"After reaching level sixty-two, his tone also became more arrogant."

"I was already quite arrogant when I was at level 20 in the Innate Realm."

"That hasn't changed at all."

Qian Renxue was not angry.

"I didn't ask you to choose sides. Neither did Grandpa." She Wine Gourd back. "Go your own way outside, but at least remember that someone in Spirit City is waiting for you to return."

Yuan Yu took the Wine Gourd, but didn't speak immediately. He simply bent down and pressed the stopper back in place.

A moment later, he asked, "How is Teacher Bibi Dong?"

Qian Renxue's expression turned slightly cold. "The same as before."

This answer is sufficient.

Yuan Yu did not press the matter further.

Qian Renxue walked to the other side of the Secret Chamber and pushed open a heavy stone door. Behind the door was a spacious Training Ground, with Soul Guidance Lamp embedded in the walls and sword marks and burn marks still visible on the ground.

Yuan Yu stopped at the door.

The six runes on the Sun Wheel Blade —Water, Flame, Lightning, Wind, Rock, and Mist—vibrated slightly at the same time, and the long-dormant seventh rune also reacted. It didn't light up, but the temperature inside the scabbard was slowly rising.

Qian Renxue noticed his change. "Is the knife reacting?"

"The seventh mark is moving."

"Bright?"

"In the Divine Trial, it's called the Sun Pattern, and its source of power is closer to light. My understanding is that it's the sun, Elemental God System still categorizes it under the light system."

Qian Renxue raised her hand, and a point of golden light landed on the scabbard. The Sun Wheel Blade gave a soft hum, and the pattern immediately revealed a very faint outline.

"Looks like I can't avoid this fight today." Yuan Yu gripped the hilt of his sword.

"You were originally planning to hide?"

I want to eat first.

"Win first, then eat."

"Let me see your Sixth Spirit Ring."

Yuan Yu followed him inside. "Does registering files require a fight?"

"I'll register you retroactively, of course, according to my rules."

The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul unfolded behind Qian Renxue.

Golden light illuminated the entire Training Ground. The Sun Wheel Blade at Yuan Yu's waist heated up, and the seventh line, which had been dormant for many years, lit up with a faint golden light for the first time.

A deep voice came from the knife.

" Of Ten Thousand Manifestations Nine Trials, the Seventh Trial was moved to the beginning."

"The first section, The Angel Light Trial."

"Bearing thirty percent of the Holy Light of the Six-Winged Angel head-on, the six marks must not be extinguished within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

"Upon completion, the Sun Pattern began to appear."

Yuan Yu gripped the hilt of the sword and looked up at Qian Renxue.

Qian Renxue had already taken out an incense stick, and the golden light from her fingertips lit the tip of the incense.

"Did you hear about the assessment?"

"I heard you."

"Then draw your sword."