Discovered by Qian Renxue

"Mystic Water Pill!"

"This is good stuff! It can cleanse your sinews and marrow and expel impurities from your body..."

The more Qin Ming said, the more his heart ached!

He had gone to great lengths to get this from the Shi Brothers. As far as he knew, only their Black Tortoise clan had Mystic Water Pills.

He had not even brought himself to take it yet, and now it was changing hands!

Still, he was not too worried. Meng Shenji had repeatedly promised him that Heaven Dou Royal Academy would reimburse all resources used to recruit Wei Fan.

This Mystic Water Pill would surely be no exception. They probably would not be able to give him another pill, but something of equivalent value would be perfectly acceptable.

Besides, Meng Shenji had promised to recommend him for a position on Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Academic Affairs Council once the matter was settled.

For the sake of his future, he was going all in!

"Mystic Water Pill!"

Wei Fan's eyes lit up. This was good stuff.

A water-attribute pill suited him perfectly.

Treating him to this meal had paid off!

"Since it's a token of goodwill from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, I'll accept it!"

"But I'll have to pass on joining Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"

Wei Fan turned down Qin Ming's invitation with practiced ease.

Compared to those scrawny monkeys on the Imperial Fighting Team, the elephants on the Elephant Armor Team made much better dining companions.

Qin Ming: "???"

Motherfucker!

Fine, don't join, but you're still taking the gift?

He had never met anyone so shameless!

That was a Mystic Water Pill!

He had planned to take it when he eventually broke through to Soul Saint, yet Wei Fan had swindled it out of him without putting up a thing.

This brat had certainly played his cards well!

"Um... could you give the Mystic Water Pill back?"

Qin Ming abandoned his dignity too.

That was a Mystic Water Pill. Since Wei Fan was not joining, he had to get it back.

"Teacher Qin Ming, how can you take back something you've already given away?"

"You're a Soul Emperor, after all. If word of this got out, your reputation..."

"To protect your reputation as a Soul Emperor, there's no way I can give you this pill back today."

"I'm doing this for your own good!"

"..."

Wei Fan advised him with painstaking earnestness.

Qin Ming: "..."

Fucking hell!

He would swallow this loss today!

To think this brat had such a trick up his sleeve!

If this really spread through the Soul Master World, he would be finished as a Soul Emperor. Probably no one would even want him on their team when heading into the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul rings.

He would remember this!

This brat did not play by the rules!

Another question arose in his mind: he had failed to recruit Wei Fan and lost a Mystic Water Pill in the process. Would the Academic Affairs Council reimburse him?

The next day.

"Don't worry, Brother!"

"Wei Fan is very easy to get along with. His favorite thing is treating people to meals."

"..."

Xue Ke and Xue Qinghe sat inside a moving carriage.

Her brother had suddenly come to her yesterday, saying he wanted her to introduce him to Wei Fan. She had found it rather strange at first, but then she realized that, as the crown prince, he would naturally want to recruit supporters of his own.

"Good, then!"

Qian Renxue nodded.

She could have approached Wei Fan directly, but that felt too abrupt, so she had used Xue Ke as a stepping stone.

Ever since secretly watching Wei Fan's soul fighting match against the Imperial Fighting Team, she had grown increasingly interested in him.

She kept feeling that Wei Fan had far too many secrets waiting for her to uncover.

"Brother, we're here!"

"Unlike the others, Wei Fan doesn't live at Elephant Armor Academy. He has a little house of his own in the city."

As she spoke, Xue Ke jumped down from the carriage.

When she walked over, she froze...

Wei Fan was actually sitting with a girl, having a meal!

And she had seen this girl before.

Ye Lingling of the Imperial Fighting Team!

When had this woman gotten together with Wei Fan?

How infuriating!

"Hmph!"

Xue Ke huffed angrily and strode inside, refusing to back down.

"Wei Fan, I brought you some good stuff!"

"It's all what you asked for before. I picked it out myself in the Imperial Kitchen."

As she spoke, Xue Ke handed him a gemlike Storage Soul Tool, while her eyes fixed defiantly on Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling returned her gaze with equal sharpness.

She had seen Wei Fan on a street in Elephant Armor City today and mustered the courage to strike up a conversation. He had then warmly invited her to a meal.

This was a perfect opportunity for her, yet Xue Ke had suddenly appeared and spoiled it.

So what if she's a princess?

She was not about to back down!

Ye Lingling's and Xue Ke's gazes clashed fiercely in midair, almost filling the air with the smell of gunpowder.

Wei Fan turned a deaf ear to it all. His attention was entirely on the gem Storage Soul Tool Xue Ke had brought.

Good lord!

Seriously, good lord!

This little rich girl really was generous!

She had casually handed over a Storage Soul Tool. He opened it to find all sorts of fine ingredients from the Imperial Kitchen. If he used these to treat people to meals, the rewards would surely come pouring out.

Wei Fan wrinkled his nose and sniffed the faint fragrance in the air.

What a familiar scent!

Sensing someone behind him, he turned to look...

Oh, shit!

Qian Renxue!

What was this woman doing here?

Wei Fan watched Qian Renxue lean forward slightly and sniff in front of him. Her expression suddenly changed.

Oh no!

Judging by her expression, she seemed to have realized that he was the man who had pressed down on top of her that night.

From the look in Wei Fan's eyes, Qian Renxue understood that he knew she was the woman who had been lying in bed that night. Neither said anything, but both understood without a word.

"Wei Fan, let me introduce you. This is my brother, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe."

"Brother, this is Wei Fan!"

Only then did Xue Ke remember that she had almost forgotten to introduce Wei Fan to Xue Qinghe.

Wei Fan gave a couple of awkward laughs. There was no need for introductions at all. He had no idea what this woman would do to him next.

He certainly remembered pressing himself against this woman that night.

"Here, little princess, have some food!"

"You too, Lingling!"

"..."

"Mmm, delicious!"

"Food you put on my plate really does taste different."

"Hmph! I'll eat anything Wei Fan puts on my plate!"

"I'll eat as much as Wei Fan gives me."

"..."

Ye Lingling and Xue Ke thoroughly enjoyed the meal, but it was a different story for Wei Fan and Qian Renxue.

"Xue Ke, head back first!"

"I still have some matters to attend to."

Qian Renxue had no intention of simply leaving Elephant Armor City and returning to the Imperial Palace.

She was going back to settle the score with that bastard Wei Fan!

"All right. Goodbye, Brother!"

Xue Ke was no longer in the mood to stroll around. After that meal, she felt she had gained two jin.

If she had not been determined to avoid losing to Ye Lingling, she would never have eaten that much, even if someone beat her to death.

Late that night.

Wei Fan left Elephant Armor Academy, recalling Qian Renxue's murderous gaze as he walked.

Now he had been completely exposed before her. He just did not know how she would take revenge!

Would she hire a band of assassins, or send people from the Elder Hall?

Either was possible!

This wasn't looking good!

As he pondered, he suddenly felt a hostile presence envelop him.

A streak of golden light shot toward him, then suddenly exploded right in front of him.

Wei Fan sprang into the air and easily dodged it.

He looked toward the entrance...

You're kidding, right?!