Conflict

Xue Qinghe nodded and revealed the truth, further confirming Qin Lan's suspicions.

"The Library Master did suffer a severe internal injury. I heard he was wounded in a sneak attack by a Titled Douluo."

Xue Qinghe was not lying. A level 99 Titled Douluo was still a Titled Douluo.

"An injury even a colossus like Spirit Hall can't heal? This Library Master must be in bad shape."

Lu Zheng's mind raced as he listened.

Who was that Titled Douluo?

Why had that Titled Douluo attacked Qian Zong?

Where was that Titled Douluo now?

Lu Zheng asked curiously, "Your Highness, how did you learn he was injured?"

As the master of the Martial Soul Library, Qian Zong held a distinguished position. His condition should not have been public knowledge.

"He told me himself while we were chatting just now."

Xue Qinghe smiled and asked,

"Do you know why the Library Master came to see me?"

"We do not, Your Highness. Please enlighten us," Qin Lan replied.

Lu Zheng pricked up his ears too.

Xue Qinghe explained,

"He wants to work with the empire to bring the books in its archives into the Martial Soul Library, expand its collection, and let everyone in the world read for free."

Books could serve their true purpose only when they were available to those who needed them.

Qian Zong did not want to monopolize knowledge. He wanted to spread learning.

Once learning spread and commoners gained understanding, they would naturally see for themselves which of the sects, the empire, and Spirit Hall was right or wrong.

Of course, Qian Zong had his own motives.

Once learning spread, Qian Zong would not even need to lift a finger. Yu Xiaogang's title of "Grandmaster" would become a complete joke.

It would destroy the foundations of Yu Xiaogang's ideas.

Beyond that, spreading learning would bring Spirit Hall many benefits.

Qin Lan and Lu Zheng fell silent.

Both men were born nobles and had little affection for commoners.

The thought of commoners reading books made them uncomfortable.

Commoners were supposed to serve nobles.

But they were only guards, and with the Crown Prince before them, neither dared voice his displeasure. They merely asked,

"Your Highness, did you agree?"

Xue Qinghe shook his head. "This matter is too important for me to decide. I intend to report it to my imperial father and leave the decision to him."

"A wise decision, Your Highness!" Lu Zheng and Qin Lan chimed in.

The next moment, Qin Lan changed the subject.

"Your Highness, I think the master of this library may also be the Spirit Hall Young Hall Master."

"What makes you say that?"

Lu Zheng looked at Qin Lan inquiringly too.

Qin Lan said with utter conviction,

"Neither the Spirit Hall Young Hall Master nor the Deputy Hall Master has ever appeared in public. People know their names, but no one has seen their faces.

"The Deputy Hall Master has held his position all along. Spirit Hall simply never announced it before.

"Three months ago, Pope Bibi Dong appointed someone to only one position: Spirit Hall Young Hall Master.

"And as soon as this Young Hall Master took office, all sorts of novel things appeared in Spirit City.

"The Martial Soul Library was established only after he took office, too.

"He must have had a hand in all of it."

After Spirit City opened to commoners, the empire had investigated it in secret and gathered a great deal of information.

From that information, it was not hard to work out who was behind the changes in Spirit City.

Lu Zheng thought it over. It seemed to make sense.

Judging by every sign, the young man before them fit the identity of Young Hall Master better.

"You both make a good point. I suspected he had another identity as well.

"But he only told me his surname was Qian. He never gave me his full name.

"Now it seems he is probably the Young Hall Master we're looking for: Qian Zong."

Xue Qinghe smiled.

"There's no hurry. As Library Master, he'll often be at the library. We'll have plenty of chances to meet him later.

"For now, we need only report what we've learned to the empire exactly as it happened."

"Yes," Qin Lan and Lu Zheng answered together.

Elsewhere.

Zhu Chen and the other three Soul Douluo were still shaken. If Ling Yuan had struck Dai Yan just now, the Fourth Princess might have been crippled for life.

Su Yu stepped forward and asked with concern,

"Your Highness, are you all right?"

Su Yu was one of the Star Luo Empire's four Soul Douluo and one of the principal guards assigned to Dai Weisi and Dai Yan on this trip.

Dai Yan nodded faintly. Her lips had gone pale, cold sweat had soaked her back, and horror still lingered in her eyes.

As for her anger, it had vanished without a trace.

Just now, she had truly felt how terrifying a Soul Douluo could be.

For an instant, she had thought she was going to die.

Back in the empire, no one had ever dared treat her that way.

But the Soul Douluo before her really would strike her down.

While Dai Yan's heart still pounded, Ling Yuan descended the stairs and advanced on them step by step.

Zhu Chen received a message from Zhu Zhuyun and retreated several paces to her side.

Chu Yan and Wei Cang stepped forward to shield Dai Yan. Two yellow, two purple, and four black Soul Rings appeared beneath each man's feet as they faced Ling Yuan across the room.

Chu Yan and Wei Cang were members of the imperial family and the last two Soul Douluo among the Star Luo Empire's guards on this trip. They were level 81 and level 83, respectively.

Seeing the situation turn against them, Dai Weisi stepped out from behind Chu Yan and Wei Cang and asked politely,

"Could you be Ling Yuan Douluo?"

The empire kept records of most of Spirit Hall's powerful figures.

Though Dai Weisi had never seen Ling Yuan's face, she was one of Spirit Hall's few outstanding fighters, and he had memorized her information.

The moment Ling Yuan revealed her Martial Soul, Dai Weisi guessed who she was.

Even so, he remained calm.

His side had four Soul Douluo. If a fight broke out, Ling Yuan would be the one at a disadvantage.

The only thing that gave him pause was Ling Yuan's influence within Spirit Hall.

She was a Soul Douluo, after all. Even if she preferred to act as a lone wolf, she was bound to have some connections.

Damn it. This is getting tricky.

There's no way a place like the library has no powerful guardian. Why haven't they stepped in?

Ling Yuan's brows drew together. In the past, with her temperament, she would have charged straight in.

But now, her main task was to protect Qian Zong.

Facing two Soul Douluo at once while guarding against the other two, she could not be completely certain she could keep Qian Zong safe.

When Ling Yuan Douluo gave no answer, Dai Weisi grew displeased, though he kept smiling as he explained,

"My imperial sister meant no harm. She's simply a little unruly. I hope you'll forgive her, Ling Yuan Douluo.

"I'm willing to pay twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins out of my own pocket to settle this misunderstanding.

"Ling Yuan Douluo, would you do me this favor?"

Now that a Soul Douluo from Spirit Hall was involved, Dai Weisi no longer wanted Dai Yan to keep testing the waters. He wanted to put an end to this farce quickly.

To Dai Weisi, twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins was merely a generous sum of pocket money.

But for Ling Yuan, who held no position in Spirit Hall, it was not a small sum.

Of course, it was not a fortune either: enough that losing it would sting, but not enough to make a great difference.

Dai Weisi had a keen eye. His offer was remarkably well judged.

An ordinary Soul Master might well have accepted it and made peace.

Unfortunately for him, Qian Zong was no ordinary person, and Ling Yuan was no ordinary Soul Douluo.

Neither of them cared for his twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Qian Zong raised his head slightly and glanced toward the third floor.

Ling Yuan was right. The Martial Soul Library housed a vast collection of books, so naturally, someone powerful stood guard over it.