Sister Yuezhu was Qian Renxue?!

"Crack!"

The Fishing Rod shattered under the strain.

Long Yichen looked at Qian Renxue in confusion.

"Sister Yuezhu, even if you can't catch any fish, you don't have to take it out on the Fishing Rod, do you? Coming home empty-handed is normal."

A vein bulged faintly at Qian Renxue's temple, but she smiled.

"I'm in a bit of a bad mood. Don't mind me. Go on—why did you say this generation's inheritor of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul wasn't very bright?"

Long Yichen gave Qian Renxue a strange look, then glanced around, leaned closer to her, and lowered his voice.

"Sister Yuezhu, don't tell anyone what I'm about to say, or you'll get yourself into trouble."

"Don't worry. I promise I won't tell anyone," Qian Renxue said.

Long Yichen nodded, then continued.

"Sister Yuezhu, let me tell you: the current Heaven Dou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, isn't Xue Qinghe anymore. He's Qian Renxue in disguise."

"?!!!"

Qian Renxue sprang out of her chair, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Long Yichen in utter disbelief.

Thoroughly satisfied with her shocked reaction, Long Yichen chuckled.

"You're right to be shocked, but don't breathe a word of this to anyone."

"H-how do you know about this?" Towering waves surged through Qian Renxue's heart, impossible to suppress. She hurriedly asked,

"Who else knows?"

"You don't need to worry about how I know. But apart from Spirit Hall's upper ranks and me, no one else knows about this," Long Yichen said.

Hearing that, Qian Renxue let out a great sigh of relief.

She sat back down, but her emotions refused to settle.

She couldn't understand where things had gone wrong.

She had concealed herself so well. How had Long Yichen found out that she was impersonating Xue Qinghe?

And judging by his reaction, Long Yichen didn't know that she was Qian Renxue.

She had never told Long Yichen her true identity, either.

Seeing how unsettled Qian Renxue looked, Long Yichen said,

"Sister Yuezhu, don't worry. As long as you don't tell anyone, no one will know. Everything will be fine."

Qian Renxue suppressed the turmoil in her heart and looked seriously at Long Yichen.

"Yichen, you mustn't tell a third person about this. Understand?"

"Don't worry. I'm not stupid. I won't go looking for trouble," Long Yichen said.

"Sister Yuezhu, do you still want to know why I said Qian Renxue wasn't very bright?"

Qian Renxue's emotions flared up again.

She secretly gritted her teeth and looked at Long Yichen with a smile that never reached her eyes.

"Of course. Go on."

Long Yichen smiled. "I'm not saying Qian Renxue is stupid. After all, being able to impersonate Xue Qinghe for so many years without being exposed proves just how clever she is."

Qian Renxue's expression eased a little.

"But in one particular respect, she's incredibly foolish," Long Yichen said.

"Qian Renxue has the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, innate level 20 soul power, and the status of Spirit Hall's young master.

Yet to prove her abilities to her mother, Bibi Dong, she willingly accepted the nation-stealing plan and spent more than a decade undercover, even holding back her own cultivation.

"Tell me, isn't that foolish?"

Qian Renxue fell silent.

After a long while, she spoke in a conflicted tone.

"Yes, it really is foolish. She hates her so much and knows perfectly well that she'll never receive her love, yet she still refuses to give up that tiny, extravagant hope. She wants her approval, her motherly love, and for that, she willingly infiltrated Heaven Dou..."

Her voice cut off abruptly. Suddenly realizing she had said something she shouldn't have, she snapped her head toward Long Yichen.

Sure enough, Long Yichen was staring at her with wide eyes and utter disbelief, his mouth hanging so far open that his jaw nearly hit the ground.

"Sister Yuezhu, I never said Qian Renxue hated Bibi Dong. You..."

Long Yichen edged away from Qian Renxue, inch by inch.

Qian Renxue stared at Long Yichen, then suddenly smiled.

"You found me out."

"?!!" Every hair on Long Yichen's body stood on end. Without a second thought, he tried to get up and flee.

But Qian Renxue pounced on him and pinned him to the ground.

Qian Renxue gazed at him with a sweet smile.

"Yichen, am I not very bright?"

"N-no! I was just joking," Long Yichen said, guiltily averting his gaze from Qian Renxue, who lay on top of him with their noses almost touching.

Qian Renxue cupped Long Yichen's face in both hands and turned it back until their eyes met.

"Yichen, you know too much."

"Sister Yuezhu, you're not going to kill me to silence me, are you?" Long Yichen asked.

"I couldn't bear to." Smiling, Qian Renxue pinched Long Yichen's flawless, handsome face with both hands.

"But to make sure you don't tell anyone, I'll have to seal your lips."

Long Yichen asked, "Sister Yuezhu, how are you planning to do that?"

Qian Renxue lowered her head and pressed her full lips against Long Yichen's.

"Mmph..." Long Yichen's eyes flew wide open.

A long while later, their lips parted.

Qian Renxue panted heavily, her warm, fragrant breath brushing Long Yichen's face.

She smiled down at the dazed, bewildered Long Yichen.

"Like this."

Long Yichen recovered from his stupor and instinctively wrapped both arms around Qian Renxue's slender waist.

"Sister Yuezhu, I want more."

"How greedy."

Qian Renxue stroked Long Yichen's face with both hands and slowly lowered her head.

(One hundred thousand words omitted here)

"You can't tell anyone. Understand?"

Blushing, Qian Renxue buried her face in the crook of Long Yichen's shoulder and whispered into his ear.

Completely satisfied, Long Yichen readily agreed.

Just then, an enormous Golden Scroll appeared high in the sky.

Countless living beings across the Douluo Continent looked up in unison, their spirits lifting sharply.

The entire Douluo Continent boiled with excitement.

"Hahaha, it's finally here!"

"I was so excited I didn't sleep a wink last night. I've been waiting for today!"

"The Powerhouse Ranking is finally about to be revealed!"

Star Dou Great Forest.

Bibi Dong tilted her head toward the sky, the corners of her lips rising.

"At last. The top spot belongs to me and no one else."

Then she looked at Chrysanthemum Douluo and the others, who had searched all night without finding even the slightest clue.

"Keep searching! You must find Long Aotian. We have to kill him before he fully matures!"

Bibi Dong said coldly, "I have no desire to live in Long Aotian's shadow in the future. Do you all understand?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo and the others immediately nodded, then returned to the Star Dou Great Forest to resume the search.

Bibi Dong, meanwhile, raised her head and gazed expectantly at the Sky Ranking List.

"I wonder what the top spot on the Powerhouse Ranking will bring?"

Enshrinement Hall.

Qian Daoliu and the others looked at the Sky Ranking List and laughed.

"It's finally starting."

At the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo also watched the Sky Ranking List with burning eyes.

Blue Tyrant Academy.

"Teacher, who do you think will make the ranking?"

Tang San looked at Yu Xiaogang as he asked.

Dai Mubai and the others also turned toward Yu Xiaogang, curiosity written across their faces.

Yu Xiaogang smiled.

"That's easy to answer. First, Spirit Hall's seven worship elders are certain to make the ranking. Then Bibi Dong and Bo Saixi, who have reached the peak of mortal beings, will also make it.

"There's also Tang Chen at Level 99. Although he isn't as strong as Bibi Dong or Bo Saixi, he'll undoubtedly make the ranking.

"After that..."

As he spoke, he cast an indifferent glance at Ning Rongrong.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, now at Level 97 and Level 96, will also make the ranking. There's also the clan master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, currently at Level 96. He'll make it too.

"That gives us thirteen people. Of the two remaining names, barring any surprises, one spot should go to Clear Sky Douluo. The final one should come from either Spirit Hall or the Clear Sky Sect..."