Once they had achieved their initial objective, Chen Zhuo and Dugu Bo left first.
If they stayed any longer, he would barely be able to suppress his soul power.
Qian Renxue looked rather unhappy.
It was not just Chen Zhuo's talent that shocked her. She also found his intentions somewhat unfathomable.
After leaving the Moonlight Pavilion Restaurant, Chen Zhuo stopped suppressing the fluctuations of his soul power.
After attaching a soul ring and breaking through the level 40 barrier, his soul power had shot straight up to level 45 in a short time.
The two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, along with the potions and top-grade medicinal herbs he had consumed over the past two years.
At this moment, all that accumulation finally burst forth.
Several days later.
This time, Qian Renxue took the initiative to visit Chen Zhuo at Dugu Manor, bringing her two guards with her.
The reason was that Snake Lance Douluo had consumed the two immortal herbs Chen Zhuo had given him.
When Snake Lance Douluo emerged from seclusion, his soul power level had shot straight from level 92 to the level 95 realm of a Super Douluo.
Qian Renxue was utterly dumbfounded.
Wait, how could that be right?
Ever since childhood, she had taken plenty of medicinal baths and consumed some heavenly treasures.
But aside from strengthening her physique, she had hardly ever encountered medicinal herbs that could directly increase soul power.
Just what extraordinary treasures were those two herbs?
That was the greatest question in Qian Renxue's mind.
After his breakthrough, Snake Lance Douluo had even come straight to her and expressed his wish to take Chen Zhuo as his disciple.
All that remained was whether she would permit it.
Qian Renxue felt both helpless and touched.
Snake Lance and Porcupinefish Douluo had both been assigned to her by her grandfather.
They were nominally her subordinates, but she had no real authority to command either of them.
As esteemed Titled Douluo, they had come to lie low with her in Heaven Dou City instead of enjoying comfortable lives in the Elder Hall. It had been hard on them.
For both official and personal reasons, she had to see Chen Zhuo again.
At Dugu Manor, the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, Dugu Yan, and Meng Yiran were all present.
The sight of Dragon Duke Meng Shu sent a jolt through her heart.
The old man before her felt dangerous.
She activated a soul bone within her body to investigate. Sure enough, the result showed that he, too, was a Titled Douluo.
Moreover, his soul power level was actually on par with Pufferfish's.
If she remembered correctly, this old fellow's publicly known cultivation had only been that of a Soul Douluo a few years ago.
Now he had quietly broken through and was mingling with someone like Chen Zhuo.
Qian Renxue also glanced at Dugu Yan and Meng Yiran.
She was even more astonished.
Both of their soul power levels exceeded her expectations.
Had it been just one person, she could have dismissed it. With so many, it could not be a coincidence.
Chen Zhuo was far more mysterious than her intelligence had suggested...
Qian Renxue sneered inwardly.
Did that woman in Spirit City know about any of this?
"Brother Chen, you certainly enjoy quite the luck with women. You have truly made me envious."
Qian Renxue glanced at the two young women, her words carrying an implication.
Dugu Yan had met Crown Prince Xue Qinghe before, so she did not dare act presumptuously and observed every courtesy.
Meng Yiran also followed her in paying her respects, her cheeks slightly red.
"Please don't tease a minor, Your Highness."
As though he had known Qian Renxue would return to seek him out, Chen Zhuo invited the three to sit and had a maid serve tea.
"I have come specifically to apologize."
"I acted rashly before."
Qian Renxue spoke sincerely, expressing her apologies to Chen Zhuo.
She thought that perhaps Chen Zhuo really could help her usurp the throne sooner, accelerating Spirit Hall's unification of Douluo.
"You're too kind, Your Highness."
Chen Zhuo lifted the teapot, took a sip, and continued, "Prince Xue Xing will not stand in your way."
"As for Xue Beng, no matter how well he hides himself, he has no faction supporting him, and his own talent is limited. He cannot stir up any waves."
The expressions of Qian Renxue and her two guards shifted slightly.
Who in Heaven Dou City did not know that Fourth Prince Xue Beng was a good-for-nothing?
A wastrel addicted to wine and women.
That was also why Qian Renxue had eliminated several princes in succession but spared Xue Beng alone.
Qian Renxue had always believed that Xue Beng was nothing more than a puppet Prince Xue Xing had propped up to gather power.
Yet Chen Zhuo's assessment of Xue Beng was entirely different.
Could they all have misjudged him?
Was the fourth prince really so deeply calculating?
Even Qian Renxue found the thought somewhat chilling.
This young master of Dugu Manor seemed to know the entire Heaven Dou Empire like the back of his hand.
Qian Renxue felt that the fog shrouding Chen Zhuo had grown thicker still.
This was the first time she had taken such an interest in a man.
"Without Prince Xue Xing obstructing me, no one should defy me apart from Marshal Ge Long of the military."
Although Marshal Ge Long wielded immense authority, Qian Renxue did not consider him a threat.
After all, he was only a Soul Douluo.
For Spirit Hall, disposing of a Soul Douluo was as easy as turning over a hand.
After speaking, Qian Renxue also glanced at Dugu Bo from the corner of her eye.
To her disappointment, he was far too seasoned, and his face betrayed no emotion whatsoever.
One reason she was wary of Xue Xing was that he was the younger brother of the reigning emperor, Xue Ye, and possessed a right of succession himself.
Another was that he effectively controlled the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and had the support of three Soul Douluo led by Meng Shenji.
Of course, he also had Dugu Bo, a heavyweight Titled Douluo, holding the fort.
If the transfer of power did not proceed smoothly.
The people currently under her command would have no way to immediately silence every voice opposing her.
Now, with Chen Zhuo's help and the threat of Prince Xue Xing removed, she could truly eliminate the great trouble weighing on her heart.
Why hadn't she thought of this in the first place?
She had even spoken disrespectfully to Chen Zhuo.
Qian Renxue felt it was time to reflect on herself.
These past years had gone too smoothly, and even her mindset had begun to turn arrogant.
"What would you like?" Qian Renxue asked.
"How about I promise you a position as Platinum Bishop on behalf of the Worship Hall?"
According to her intelligence, Chen Zhuo might never break past level 79 in his lifetime. Even knowing that, Qian Renxue did not mind granting him such a generous reward once the matter was settled.
In Heaven Dou, a Platinum Bishop's standing was second only to Emperor Xue Ye's.
The entire Spirit Hall currently had only four Platinum Bishops, who stood at the head of all its bishops.
Every one of them possessed strength very close to that of a Titled Douluo.
"You think too highly of me, Your Highness."
"I wouldn't dare aspire to become a Platinum Bishop."
"There is, however, one object that interests me greatly."
Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes. She knew he only appeared to be modest; in truth, his ambitions went beyond this.
Did he still consider the reward too small?
Or was what he intended to say next his true objective?
"Please speak freely, Brother Chen." Qian Renxue tried to make her smile a little warmer.
Chen Zhuo did not stand on ceremony. This was one of the reasons he had approached Qian Renxue.
"I want a soul tool from the Heaven Dou Royal Treasury."
"It is called the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud."
Qian Renxue's eyes contracted, countless thoughts twisting through her mind. She smiled. "So Brother Chen has taken a fancy to Heaven Dou's national treasure."
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud's origins were mysterious and unknown, and no one had been able to activate it for hundreds upon thousands of years.
It was said that even attacks at the Soul Douluo level could not leave a scratch on it.
Publicly, it bore the title of national treasure, but in reality, it was no different from a piece of scrap metal.
Qian Renxue did not understand why Chen Zhuo wanted it, but she immediately grew wary.
"I know you have a way to get it."
"It is merely a matter of time."
"This is the payment for this transaction."
Chen Zhuo raised his hand, holding another jade box. Inside lay a medicinal herb shaped like a cockscomb flower.
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