Xu Jiujiu's olive branch-oh, did I come at a bad time?

The next day.

As the faint light of dawn slipped through the window lattice, Xu Jiujiu opened her beautiful eyes in the Heavenly Dragon Sect's guest room, a barely perceptible gleam of starlight drifting at their corners.

"Cultivation went smoothly. Another lovely day."

The Star Crown martial soul inherited by the Star Luo Imperial Family was powerful, but cultivating it required absorbing the power of the stars at night. Still, meditation did more for a soul master than sleep. After finishing her cultivation and lying down for a short rest, she felt as though her mind had been washed crystal clear.

She rose to wash. Warm water brushed over her shoulders and neck, droplets slipping down her exquisite frame and tracing her flawless curves. After her bath, she put on a bathrobe. Morning light spilled over the edge of the diamond-shaped mirror, outlining the slender, upright figure beneath her robe.

She groomed herself before the mirror. The cheeks reflected within still held a trace of sleepiness, yet that could not conceal her skin like ice and bones like jade. Morning light slanted across her slightly raised chin, coating it in a soft glow like gold dust.

"What are your plans for today, Your Highness?"

Manyi pushed open the door and leaned against its frame, her silver hairpin swaying in the morning breeze. "We've nearly visited every sect in Dragon City these past few days, but there's still no word from Yu Tianjun."

"Then we'll find somewhere else to enjoy ourselves. Dragon City is a major city. There are plenty of places we haven't visited."

Xu Jiujiu spoke calmly as she slipped her delicate feet into her high heels. She drew the lingering Star Crown soul power back into her body, a playful smile appearing on her face.

"Besides, it's not every day I run into Vina. How could I leave when she hasn't?"

"A soul master of Yu Tianjun's age certainly won't spend too long in deep meditation."

"True."

Manyi looked approving. Her Princess had run into Princess Vina.

On the third evening after their arrival, Her Highness had already grown bored and decided to settle the matter of the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife with whoever showed up, then leave.

The next day, neither Yu Tianjun nor Ling Luochеn came. Vina did.

Thus, the gracious, elegant Princess of the Star Luo Empire and the sweet, charming Princess of the Heaven Dou Empire had an unexpected encounter at the Heavenly Dragon Sect.

Both looked startled upon meeting, then immediately switched to matching affectionate smiles, calling each other dear older sister and little sister.

Then, as if by agreement, they said their goodbyes without even sharing a meal, leaving both parties' attendants and the Heavenly Dragon Sect feeling awkward.

Anyone with eyes could tell something was off between these two, yet each was more courteous than the other whenever they met.

The atmosphere grew stranger by the day. When Ling Luochеn returned the day before yesterday to take over the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade, Xu Jiujiu refused outright.

What a joke. If she left now, Vina would mock her for ten years.

From the moment the two Princesses met, this had ceased to be a simple effort to recruit a genius. It had evolved into an open and covert struggle between two Princesses. Whoever left first lost!

They were old friends, able to read the larger picture from the smallest details. During their contest, the Star Luo Empire's princess experienced a surge in intelligence. After several encounters, she had discovered that Vina was unusually concerned about Yu Tianjun, as though his importance surpassed even Ling Luochеn's.

So, despite never having met Yu Tianjun, Xu Jiujiu no longer wanted to leave. She had to see just what this fellow was about.

His own talent was secondary. If she could lure him away, wouldn't that put her firmly above Vina?

Just thinking of that wonderful possibility made Xu Jiujiu's heart surge. People never felt tired while doing something wicked. They only grew more excited!

While the delighted Princess was imagining grinding Vina beneath her heel, heaven granted her wish. Xing Yan came jogging over to inform the Star Luo Empire's duo that Yu Tianjun had emerged from seclusion.

"Your Highness, our second brother has finished his deep meditation. He invites you to the reception hall to discuss the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife."

Xu Jiujiu turned her gaze toward him and smilingly asked a crucial question. "Is he meeting me alone, or Vina as well?"

"Is he seeing me before Vina, or has he already met Vina without my knowing?"

Xing Yan felt there was a knife hidden beneath Xu Jiujiu's smile, and that saying the wrong thing would get him into trouble. He immediately rattled off an answer:

"Of course he's meeting you alone! Princess Vina is staying at the city lord's residence. Even notifying her would take time, wouldn't it?"

"Second Brother only just came out. When he heard you were here, he sent me to invite you right away."

Delight lit up Xu Jiujiu's face: (^▽^)

Vina, oh, Vina, you've lost this time. You insisted on staying in Dragon City, yet wouldn't stay at the Heavenly Dragon Sect. Up at the crack of dawn, only to arrive after the market's closed.

"Please wait a moment. I'll be there shortly."

Xu Jiujiu quickly finished dressing and went to the reception hall.

Dressed in casual clothes, Yu Tianjun sat drinking tea on a sofa covered with a Flame Lion King fur blanket. Seeing them arrive, he rose in welcome.

"A pleasure to meet you, Princess of the Star Luo Empire."

"Likewise, likewise. I've long looked forward to meeting you too."

Xu Jiujiu seated herself gracefully, her beautiful eyes lifting. Her first impression of Yu Tianjun was that Dragon City's rumors had not exaggerated.

"Sorry for making Your Highness wait so many days. I feel guilty about it. As a gesture of respect, I'll take the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife. How does a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins sound?"

Yu Tianjun went straight to the point. Once he got his hands on the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, everyone could relax.

Smiling, Xu Jiujiu activated her auctioneer's instincts and brought up the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife's merits:

"It's a Ranked Carving Knife, you know. Doesn't that price do its worth a bit of an injustice?"

Yu Tianjun took out a Gold Soul Card and placed it on the table, reminding her expressionlessly, "That knife is powerful and has accompanied quite a few high-level soul engineers, but an evil soul master once cursed it."

"The curse has the same effect as Senior Huang Jinxu, the Heavenly Fiend Douluo your country recruited: it wipes out the wielder's entire family. I don't need to elaborate."

"Otherwise, why would the Starlight Auction House have put it up for auction several times after obtaining it, only for it to go unsold?"

"If my family didn't have some solid foundations, I wouldn't dare touch it either."

Xu Jiujiu was slightly startled—not because Yu Tianjun knew about the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, but because he knew Huang Jinxu had joined the Star Luo Empire.

Huang Jinxu, whose martial soul was the Heavenly Fiend Lone Star, was a Guardian Douluo Xu Jiawei had only just recruited. He was scheduled to make his official appearance at the next tournament to bolster the Star Luo Empire's prestige.

Of course, they did not intend to intimidate everyone with his martial soul's negative effect of killing his entire family. That would have been far too hellish.

By revealing this information, Yu Tianjun was implicitly saying that they both knew where things stood, so they should stop speaking in riddles and get down to business.

Hearing this, Xu Jiujiu lost the inclination to keep probing him and gave Manyi a look.

"Since you're so straightforward, Young Master Yu, we'll present this fierce blade to you with both hands, without asking for a single Gold Soul Coin."

Yu Tianjun lowered his gaze to the fair, delicate hand pushing the Gold Soul Card back toward him, then raised his brows.

"You're turning down a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins? Your Highness is remarkably generous. I'm impressed."

"Because I've seen something far more meaningful than Gold Soul Coins. Compared with that, money is insignificant."

Xu Jiujiu smiled sweetly. "Besides, Vina herself acknowledged you as her friend. Vina and I are good friends. I'm afraid she'd laugh at me if I took your money."

Yu Tianjun felt that her use of "good friends" sounded a little off. He couldn't fathom what these princesses were thinking. Clearly, he was the simple-minded one.

"Oh, I'm a few years older than you. You wouldn't mind if I called you Tianjun, would you?"

Xu Jiujiu moved to bring them closer still.

"It's only a form of address. Whatever you prefer, Your Highness."

Yu Tianjun's eyes were bright, his faint smile unchanged.

"Then that's what I'll call you. Tianjun, would you consider enrolling at the Star Luo National Academy?"

Xu Jiujiu extended an olive branch, attacking swiftly and directly.

"Thank you for your favor, but I have no plans to enroll. Our sect has lived in seclusion for generations and has never attended academies."

"Really? But you want a Ranked Carving Knife, so you must be interested in soul tools, right? The Heaven Dou Empire's soul tool technology is universally acknowledged as the worst on the continent."

Xu Jiujiu's beautiful eyes curved as she said with a smile, "Among the Three Great Empires, the Heaven Dou Empire has the strongest traditional soul master factions. The Dou Ling Empire is weak, which actually makes it easier for them to develop soul tools than in Heaven Dou. Meanwhile, our Star Luo Empire is acknowledged as the leader in soul tool technology."

"We have a dedicated soul tool research institute staffed by several Class 8 master soul engineers, multiple Ranked Carving Knives, the finest soul tools among the three nations, and channels for smuggling rare metals. These are advantages the Heaven Dou Empire simply doesn't possess."

"To say something we wouldn't dare let outsiders hear, even Shrek Academy's two Class 8-and-a-half soul engineers might not surpass us in technical expertise. Their cultivation is simply higher."

"If you're willing to enroll, I can promise on behalf of the empire to provide you with other, safe Ranked Carving Knives, let you study under Class 8 master soul engineers, and give you a free monthly allotment of rare metals."

"As for soul master cultivation resources, you already have your sect's elders to teach you. There isn't much I can promise..."

Her lovely eyes gleaming, Xu Jiujiu deliberately sighed softly as she watched Yu Tianjun's expression.

"Only dedicated instructors at the Titled Douluo level, access to every book and document within the Star Luo Empire—including some old relics dating back to the Spirit Hall era—and, where possible, help from Titled Douluo in hunting hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. That's all."

"Oh, right. Your enrollment gift could be a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone. We're giving away six at the next tournament anyway, so we might as well let you choose a top-quality one first."

An imperial princess's humblebrag, Xu Jiujiu edition. Those terms were enough to make any Shrek Outer Court student who had not yet been brainwashed defect at the speed of light and race toward a better future.

Yu Tianjun was now certain Xu Jiujiu wanted to poach him from Vina. But from Vina to Sister Luo Chen, then Miss Hongchen, and now you—how had a fine young man like him ended up looking like a servant of four surnames?

If Lü Fengxian came back to life and met me, Yu Tianjun, he'd surely hail me as his master.

Given Xu Jiujiu's sincerity, the Star Luo National Academy could go on his shortlist, but... he still needed to remain wary.

"Those terms are truly very tempting. Then, Your Highness, what would I need to give in return?"

As they entered the deeper stages of negotiation, Yu Tianjun's gaze grew serious. "Let me state this in advance: my martial soul mutated, so I cannot inherit the sect. My standing within it is ordinary, and my words carry little weight.

"If Your Highness hopes that recruiting me will bring my entire sect aboard, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."

Xu Jiujiu gave him a strange look. "Ling Luochеn acknowledged you as her younger brother, and your standing is ordinary?"

"That was entirely thanks to my professional competence. I saved Sister Luo Chen's life. It's nothing much."

Xu Jiujiu raised her voice a little. "That flighty monkey Xing Yan often looks awestruck when he mentions you, and your standing is ordinary?"

"Yes. I like treating people, so I have a little prestige among my peers."

Yu Tianjun remained unruffled, privately wondering whether Xing Yan had made it far too obvious.

He had only fought once in the sect's competitions. Yet Xing Yan's display of timidity had let an outsider see right through him.

Xu Jiujiu's gaze grew increasingly teasing, a smile of impending victory practically spilling from her eyes and brows.

"Your grandfather, His Eminence Thunderclap, personally stood guard during your deep meditation, and your standing is ordinary?"

"That's a grandparent's affection... fine, I can't keep making things up. I do have a tiny bit of standing in the sect. Just this much."

Yu Tianjun held up a little finger.

"O(∩_∩)O hahaha~"

With her opponent admitting defeat, Xu Jiujiu's smile bloomed like a flower.

"Poverty clips a man's ambitions. Please don't blame me, Your Highness."

Seeing this, Yu Tianjun spread both hands and began pleading poverty. "Our Heavenly Dragon Sect is only a little sect playing king in a remote backwater. I risked my life taking people into the Far North, and the hard-earned money I made is worth nothing next to the terms you've offered.

"Honestly, I never imagined joining an academy came with so many benefits. It's far beyond anything I knew. If I told you I held a high position in the Heavenly Dragon Sect, wouldn't you cart off our entire meager estate?"

Hearing the implication in his words, Xu Jiujiu immediately pressed him. "Neither the Shrek Inner Court nor Di'ao Academy offered terms like these?"

"No. What kind of place is Shrek? Why would they take an interest in me? As you said, Di'ao Academy is purely a soul master academy."

Yu Tianjun answered frankly.

Shrek was stingy. Yan Shaozhe never delivered on the resources he promised Huo Gua. Instead, Huo Gua kept working for them, carrying the entire load from competitions to missions. They even used graduation as an excuse to force him to make Level 9 shells for Shrek. Only Mu En was somewhat reliable.

With that track record, Yu Tianjun didn't think he would fare much better there.

As for Di'ao Academy, the wealthy Vina had offered to bankroll him, but its soul tool resources fell far short.

The Star Luo Empire could smuggle Level 9 Soul Tools out of the Sun Moon Empire. Its connections truly reached the heavens.

Still, Miss Hongchen's grandpa, Mr. Jing Hongchen, master of the Radiant Virtue Hall in the Sun Moon Empire, was currently the only person who had provided tangible benefits. All the others were merely painting enticing pies in the sky.

Having learned that the pie she had painted was bigger than Vina's, Xu Jiujiu was delighted and continued landing critical hits on Vina.

"Oh my, it seems I value you more than Vina does. What do you say, Young Master Yu? Will you give it serious consideration? A word of warning: don't let Vina's sweet appearance fool you. She's no simple girl."

Yu Tianjun handled her calmly, holding fast to his conversational principle of neither making the first move nor rejecting anything, keeping the tug-of-war going.

"I don't think you're simple either, Your Highness. Besides, speaking ill of a good friend behind her back doesn't seem very nice."

"I'll take that as a compliment to my intelligence. Also, I wasn't speaking ill of her. I was simply telling the truth."

"Then I must thank Your Highness for your regard and honesty. I'm deeply honored."

Manyi felt that this Yu Tianjun fellow was thoroughly slippery and spoke up to rein him in. "Young man, you should be honest with people. My Princess is speaking to you in complete sincerity."

Yu Tianjun looked at Xu Jiujiu with an innocent expression. "Your Highness is extraordinarily generous, promising all those terms so readily. Shouldn't I think about it and see whether I can negotiate a little more?"

"Princess Jiujiu, with your snow-bright wit and immense wealth, surely you understand. Not to criticize, but His Eminence Xing Yun is really spoiling the atmosphere by speaking like that."

Manyi nearly rolled her eyes. Did this young man know nothing about respecting his elders?

"Don't be angry, Granny Manyi. Tianjun is delightful."

Xu Jiujiu shook with laughter like a flowering branch in the wind. Yu Tianjun was far more interesting to talk to than those muscle-brained fellows.

Witty, humorous conversation, a lavish and generous manner, a mature, steady core, and looks that exceeded all standards—it was understandable that he had won over an icy beauty like Ling Luochеn.

She wondered what rank of friend he was to Vina. If that rank was very high, wouldn't this be even more thrilling?

While the two sides conversed amicably, a light, smiling female voice drifted over from outside the door. Its owner was surely a great beauty.

"Oh~ I've come at a bad time. If I'd known Sister Jiujiu was here, I wouldn't have come."

Princess Vina appeared outside the reception hall, her gaze moving over the three people inside before finally settling on Yu Tianjun's exceptionally calm face.