Madam, You Wouldn't Want Anything to Happen to Your Husband, Would You?

Li Changqing put away the Kunpeng Yin-Yang Sword. A phantom pair of golden Peng Wings appeared behind him, and he flew straight out of the spring.

The moment he emerged, Li Changqing saw the change in the Blue Silver Emperor, though it had been nourished by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for only a short time.

Even so, its vines had visibly grown more numerous, longer, and thicker. It had more leaves, too.

The vines stirred without wind. Li Changqing sensed a clear flicker of consciousness from the Blue Silver Emperor. It had evidently begun to regain awareness and seemed to be wondering why it was here.

It also seemed to wonder where the aura that had been nourishing it had gone.

Li Changqing drew the flowerpot into his hand.

The Blue Silver Emperor immediately trembled in panic. Li Changqing could clearly sense its thoughts.

"Who are you? Why am I here? Where's Ah Hao?"

Li Changqing gave a wicked smile. The Blue Silver Emperor really had regained consciousness. Perfect.

"Blue Silver Emperor, twelve years have passed since you sacrificed yourself. Unfortunately, Tang Hao crossed me. Madam, you wouldn't want anything to happen to your husband, would you?"

He had a few ideas, but the Blue Silver Emperor could not yet take human form, so he had to let them go.

The Blue Silver Emperor shook harder. "What happened to Ah Hao?"

Li Changqing gave the Blue Silver Emperor no chance to say another word. He put the flowerpot straight into his Storage Soul Tool.

"Next, it's time to find Qian Renxue. I wonder what she'll look like when she learns that, because of one impulsive act on her part, I slept with her mother."

Li Changqing soared into the sky and turned into a streak of golden light headed for Heaven Dou City.

On the way, he spotted several people heading toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Li Changqing paid them no mind. The place had become an ordinary spring.

They had been drawn by the commotion Li Changqing caused while strengthening the Kunpeng Yin-Yang Sword. They came from all the major factions, and several were Titled Douluo.

Among them were Sword Douluo Chen Xin, Snake Lance Douluo, who was protecting Qian Renxue, and Dugu Bo.

Dugu Bo looked toward the spot where the strange phenomenon had faded. It was the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. He immediately guessed that Li Changqing had caused it, and his first instinct was to turn back.

But he sensed many others going to investigate and decided to take a look as well.

The poisonous mist around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had also been absorbed and converted into pure energy. People who had once been too weak to pass through it could now enter the mountain hollow where the spring lay.

Dugu Bo's pupils contracted as he looked at the transformed spring. The violent energies of ice and fire that had filled it not long ago were gone. It was now a pool of ordinary spring water.

He could not fathom how Li Changqing had done it, but anyone capable of such a feat had to be terrifyingly powerful.

Dugu Bo was glad he had made the wise choice to hand over the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well instead of making an enemy of Li Changqing.

The people around the spring looked from one another to the shallow pool before them. None knew what to make of it. It looked like nothing more than an ordinary spring.

They had not spotted Li Changqing leaving on their way here, so it never occurred to them that he had anything to do with the change.

Chen Xin sent out his spiritual senses and carefully swept every corner of the mountain hollow.

He found nothing. Unwilling to give up, he plunged into the spring.

But there was nothing at the bottom, either.

Chen Xin shook his head slightly and had no choice but to return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

No one else dared ask whether Chen Xin had found anything in the spring. After all, he was far stronger than they were.

Dugu Bo did not linger. He knew nothing of value could possibly remain here, so he returned straight to his residence in Heaven Dou City.

The others searched around the spring. Once they found nothing, they each went back to report to their respective factions.

Heaven Dou City, the Imperial Palace.

Li Changqing slipped into the Imperial Palace without a sound. No one noticed him.

His ability to hide himself and sense his surroundings was exceptionally strong now. That was why he had detected people heading for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well as he left Sunset Forest, while none of them had detected him.

Li Changqing followed the sacred aura of Qian Renxue's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul and found her.

Qian Renxue stood on a balcony, gazing toward Sunset Forest. She murmured to herself:

"What could it have been? To create a phenomenon like that, visible even from Heaven Dou City..."

Li Changqing heard her and paused. Frowning, he muttered:

"A strange phenomenon? Did I cause it when I strengthened the Kunpeng Yin-Yang Sword and drained the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well dry? No wonder so many people headed there."

Then he smiled. "Too bad they're late. There's nothing left."

Qian Renxue was still looking toward Sunset Forest when a voice suddenly came from her room.

"Your Highness, it's been a long time. You're as impressive as ever."

Qian Renxue started and immediately turned, on guard.

Porcupinefish Douluo appeared as well and moved in front of her.

"Be careful, Young Master. I can't sense any Soul Power from him. He escaped my notice and appeared out of nowhere. I fear he's far stronger than I am."

Qian Renxue studied Li Changqing's face, her brows drawing together as she searched her memory. Nothing came to mind.

She was certain she had never seen this man before.

I've never seen him. Why did he say it's been a long time?

Li Changqing now wore the body he had rebuilt around his soul, not the body he had occupied after arriving on Douluo Continent. Of course Qian Renxue did not recognize him.

Li Changqing ignored their reactions. He sat down in an elegant chair, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured himself a cup.

After a small sip, he nodded appreciatively. "Good tea. As expected of an imperial Crown Prince. Even your everyday tea is excellent."

Qian Renxue concealed her shock and said with an air of ease, "My friend, this seems to be our first meeting. Why say it's been a long time?"

"Unless Qinghe and Your Excellency have met in passing before? If so, please remind me, so Qinghe can understand what's going on."

Pufferfish stood ready as though facing a formidable enemy. He hurriedly warned her, "Young Master!"

Qian Renxue raised a hand. "Uncle Pufferfish, you said he's far stronger than you. If he truly means me harm, I'm afraid you couldn't stop him. We might as well be open with him."

"Besides, he doesn't seem to bear me any ill will. Don't worry."

Pufferfish was at a loss for words. Qian Renxue was right, but he stayed close behind her, keeping a wary eye on Li Changqing.

Qian Renxue slowly sat opposite Li Changqing and poured herself a cup of tea. Then she continued studying him.

Seeing him up close only made her more certain: she had never met the man before her.

Li Changqing was in no hurry. He watched Qian Renxue quietly. He could now see the beauty beneath her disguise, and he took his time admiring it.