The Mastermind Behind the Scenes: Qian Renxue

"No. We aren't the only ones watching those exchange students from Star Luo."

"If this exposes your disguise, that's when we'll truly be in trouble."

After a moment's thought, Prince Xue Xing firmly rejected Xue Beng's proposal.

Xue Beng had been following his plan, playing the part of a spoiled wastrel and a good-for-nothing to draw less attention from Xue Qinghe.

They could not expose his disguise for the sake of a moment's satisfaction.

Xue Beng nodded reluctantly. "I understand, Uncle."

On the surface, he had agreed to stay out of it.

But he was still thinking of finding a chance to use the matter to trip up Xue Qinghe.

He had spent years under Xue Qinghe's thumb. To avoid being murdered, he had been forced to keep pretending he was a spoiled wastrel and a good-for-nothing.

Now that a chance had finally come along, he could not let it go.

That foolish child! Xue Xing had caught every change in Xue Beng's expression.

One look told him Xue Beng had not taken his words to heart.

But there was little he could say now. He would just have to keep a closer eye on him. Meanwhile, at the Crown Prince's residence, Qian Renxue, her disguise removed, listened with satisfaction to her subordinate's report.

"Good. That fool Zhou Cang went off like a firecracker with the slightest spark."

Qian Renxue was thoroughly pleased with what had happened that day.

Everything had gone according to her plan.

At court tomorrow, her people would have a legitimate reason to act and cut the Heaven Dou Empire's military spending.

The less the empire spent on its military, the easier it would be to carry out the Nation-Stealing Plan and lay the groundwork for Spirit Hall's future moves.

"Brilliant as ever, Young Master," Ci Xue chimed in, flattering her.

Indeed, Qian Renxue had been the mastermind behind Zhou Cang's uncharacteristic decision to provoke and target Dai Xuanyu that day.

Once she learned of Ge Long's plan, she had instructed her people to wait for just such an opportunity.

An opportunity to drive a wedge between the exchange students and a student with military connections.

That Dai Zhuang, who had only just enrolled at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, became the target was pure coincidence.

Of all the people her agents had dealt with lately, Zhou Cang was the only fool they could prod and deceive without leaving a trace.

And Dai Zhuang happened to have joined Heavenly Supreme Class One.

That was why Qian Renxue had seized the chance to use him.

The way matters developed afterward, however, had taken her by surprise.

She had never expected Zhou Cang to lose to Dai Zhuang, much less be defeated in an instant.

"This Dai Zhuang is no ordinary student."

"He may be an exceptional case, but even through a narrow tube, one can glimpse the leopard's spots.

No wonder the Heaven Dou Imperial Family has always been beaten down by the Star Luo Imperial Family. They fall short in every way."

Thinking of how Dai Zhuang had defeated Zhou Cang in an instant without even summoning his Martial Soul, Qian Renxue finally understood why the gulf between the two imperial families was so wide.

It was not merely a matter of innate advantages or their environments. Heaven Dou was outclassed across the board.

A monster like this had appeared among the Star Luo Imperial Family's collateral branches.

And what did the Heaven Dou Imperial Family have?

What a pity Dai Zhuang belongs to a collateral branch, not the Star Luo Imperial Family's direct line.

Otherwise, I could invest in him and use him to interfere in the family's internal struggle.

Qian Renxue thought of it with some regret.

Dai Zhuang had everything going for him except his status.

Her original strategy had been to invest in Star Luo's fourth prince.

She wanted to make this round of succession fighting even bloodier and drain Star Luo's strength from within.

But all this time, she had found no way to approach him.

Apart from attending a banquet on the day he arrived in Heaven Dou Imperial City, the fourth prince had done nothing.

He spent his days inside the Star Luo Embassy and never went out.

The risks were considerable, too, so Qian Renxue could only proceed slowly.

Dai Zhuang can't compete for the throne himself, but investing in him and winning him over could still be worthwhile.

Qian Renxue tried looking at it from another angle.

Her thoughts, blocked until now, suddenly opened up.

Dai Zhuang might not be able to join the succession struggle directly, but he could take part indirectly.

Winning over the fourth prince alone would certainly not be enough for Qian Renxue.

With Dai Zhuang on her side, she could use him to keep an eye on the fourth prince, Dai Xuanyu, in the future.

She could also have him help Dai Xuanyu compete for the throne, throwing Star Luo into even greater chaos.

And while Dai Zhuang studied at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, she could use him to damage relations between the two empires.

It would accomplish two things at once.

What Qian Renxue would probably never imagine, though, was that Dai Xuanyu and Dai Zhuang were the same person.

The next morning, Dai Xuanyu set off early for Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

As he entered the academy, he could clearly sense that many students' attitudes toward him had changed.

He thought nothing of it. This was exactly the effect he wanted.

What had happened yesterday was only the beginning.

At the midterm assessment in a little over a month, Dai Xuanyu intended to crush the academy's Heavenly Supreme Level students.

That was when he would truly make a name for himself.

"Good morning," Dugu Yan greeted Dai Xuanyu.

"Good morning, class monitor," he replied.

He had not expected Dugu Yan to greet him when they happened to meet so early.

The two then entered the classroom one after the other.

Dai Zhuang, just how strong are you really?

Looking at Dai Xuanyu in the front row, Dugu Yan was filled with curiosity.

Before she knew it, a desire to compete with him had risen within her.

When she got home the previous night, her grandfather had happened to be there, so she told him about Dai Zhuang.

She then heard how highly her grandfather rated him.

After seeing Dai Zhuang defeat Zhou Cang barehanded in an instant, Dugu Yan had to admit that he was formidable.

But she had never heard her grandfather give anyone such unreserved praise.

It made her want to test herself against Dai Xuanyu.

He was strong, but her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison might just catch him off guard.

If I can beat Dai Zhuang, Grandfather might see me in a whole new light, Dugu Yan thought.

Dugu Bo loved Dugu Yan dearly and often praised her.

But that affection and praise rested on their bond of blood.

That was exactly why Dugu Yan wanted to prove herself.

She wanted her grandfather to know that his precious granddaughter was growing stronger and would one day be able to carry the Dugu Family's banner.

Dugu Bo had never spoken of such things, but the perceptive Dugu Yan could tell what was on his mind.