Only after the two figures disappeared at the end of the street did murmurs rise around them again.
"That was the fourth prince!"
"He actually killed the fourth prince outright!"
"Just who is this man?"
"To defeat the entire royal guard in one move, he must be at least a Soul Douluo, right?"
"What Soul Douluo would dare kill a prince in Heaven Dou City?"
"Something huge is about to happen in Heaven Dou City."
An old man looked at Xue Beng's corpse and hurriedly grabbed the child beside him.
"Stop looking."
"Hurry home."
The crowd on the street quickly dispersed.
No one wanted to stay here any longer.
The royal guards endured their injuries and gathered around Xue Beng.
One of them picked up the head that had fallen some distance away and carefully wrapped it in a robe.
The guard captain braced himself against the wall and stood up.
"Seal off the street."
"Go to the palace and report to His Majesty immediately."
"And send someone to draw those two people's likenesses."
At this point, his face grew even paler.
When the white-haired man had set out to kill Xue Beng, he had made no attempt to conceal his identity, much less shown any intention of fleeing.
This meant that the man had no fear whatsoever of an investigation by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
He even suspected something.
Even if Xue Ye personally brought men to confront him, that white-haired man would not care.
Outside Heaven Dou City.
Qian Renxue walked beside Qian Daoliu.
Several times, she wanted to speak, but did not know how to ask.
The two had already walked several li.
Qian Daoliu stopped.
"Ask whatever you want to ask."
Qian Renxue came up beside him.
"Grandpa, why did you kill Xue Beng outright?"
"Although he was bullying commoners in the street, he was still a prince of the Heaven Dou Empire."
"We haven't found Dugu Bo yet."
"If the Heaven Dou Imperial Family seals the city gates, it might cause us trouble."
Qian Daoliu looked at her.
"What sort of person do you think Xue Beng was?"
Qian Renxue thought for a moment.
"He neglected his studies and learned nothing useful from childhood."
"He spent his days indulging in wine and women, and often bullied commoners."
"Over the years, he offended quite a few nobles in Heaven Dou City."
"Xue Ye punished him many times, but he never changed in the slightest."
She had spent years undercover in the Heaven Dou Imperial Family as Xue Qinghe.
Naturally, Qian Renxue knew a great deal about Xue Beng.
At least, she had always believed she did.
Qian Daoliu continued walking.
"What you described was only what he wanted others to see."
Qian Renxue looked slightly taken aback.
"Grandpa, you mean..."
"His debauched behavior was an act."
Qian Daoliu raised his hand and snapped a twig off a tree.
"The Heaven Dou Imperial Family originally had four princes."
"The eldest prince, Xue Qinghe, was gentle and exceptionally talented, earning Xue Ye's regard at an early age."
"The second and third princes died one after another."
"If Xue Beng didn't want to be next, he had to make himself completely unthreatening."
The twig fell from between Qian Daoliu's fingers.
"Indulging in wine and women."
"Bullying commoners."
"Offending nobles."
"Only by convincing everyone he was good for nothing could he have a chance to survive."
Qian Renxue's steps slowed a fraction.
She had never seriously considered these questions before.
Whenever Xue Beng saw Xue Qinghe, he either took the initiative to avoid him or deliberately provoked him.
His outrageous behavior had convinced everyone that he was unfit to contend for the throne.
Looking back now, those actions might not all have been genuine.
Qian Renxue caught up with her grandfather.
"He was guarding against me?"
Qian Daoliu did not deny it.
"After you replaced Xue Qinghe, the second and third princes died in succession."
"You and Xue Beng were the only ones left in the imperial family."
"If he had continued to display his talents, he would naturally have been the next to die."
Qian Renxue pressed her lips together.
"So he was acting all along."
She had spent years undercover in the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, yet had never truly seen through Xue Beng.
Had her grandfather not pointed it out, she would still have regarded him as a useless prince.
Qian Daoliu glanced at her.
"Do you know where you fell short now?"
Qian Renxue nodded earnestly.
"I only saw the side of Xue Beng that he chose to show."
"But I never considered why he did those things."
"What else?"
Qian Renxue thought for a moment.
"I relied too heavily on the intelligence Spirit Hall provided."
"Those reports recorded what Xue Beng had done, but couldn't determine what he was thinking."
Qian Daoliu nodded slightly.
"Not too foolish, then."
Hearing this, Qian Renxue's exquisite face brightened with a smile.
"Grandpa, I've always been clever."
"Xue Beng just hid himself too well."
Qian Daoliu glanced at her.
"Who nearly walked into a roadside stall just now after spotting a skewer of sweets?"
Qian Renxue's expression froze.
"I only took one look."
"You looked five times."
"You even counted, Grandpa?"
"As your master, I need to keep an eye on my disciple's condition at all times."
Qian Renxue's fair cheeks grew slightly warm.
She took two quick steps and moved ahead of Qian Daoliu.
Her long golden hair swayed gently behind her.
"I'm already rank sixty-eight."
"Even if I walked into a stall, I wouldn't fall over."
Qian Daoliu said flatly:
"The stall would."
Qian Renxue stopped.
She looked back at her grandfather, wanting to argue, but could not find a suitable reason.
After a moment, she gave a soft huff.
"I'll just pay for it next time."
Qian Daoliu took a skewer of sweets from his Storage Soul Tool.
"Here."
Qian Renxue's eyes lit up.
She took the sweets and bit off a sugar-coated fruit.
A sweet and sour flavor spread through her mouth.
"When did you buy this, Grandpa?"
"When you looked for the fifth time."
Qian Renxue walked beside him, her smile deepening.
"Grandpa, you're so good to me."
Qian Daoliu did not respond.
In the original timeline, Qian Renxue's infiltration plan had ultimately failed.
Xue Beng had smoothly inherited the throne and become the Heaven Dou Empire's new emperor.
The wastrel in everyone's eyes had been the one left standing at the end.
There was no need to tell Xue'er these things.
Now, the identity of Xue Qinghe had already been abandoned.
Xue Beng had also died by his hand.
From the moment Qian Daoliu came to this world, many things had changed.
Qian Renxue finished the last sweet and put the wooden skewer into her Storage Soul Tool.
"Grandpa, will the Heaven Dou Imperial Family come after us?"
"Yes."
"Then should we leave ahead of time?"
"No need."
Qian Daoliu looked toward Sunset Forest.
"If Xue Ye wants to avenge Xue Beng, let him come in person."
Qian Renxue looked at her grandfather's profile.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Family ruled a vast empire.
Yet in her grandfather's words, even Xue Ye was merely someone he could deal with at the turn of a hand.
Such strength and composure deepened the admiration in her heart.
She quickened her pace, staying close beside Qian Daoliu.
Shrek Academy.
Inside the hall.
Zhu Zhuqing recounted everything that had happened in the restaurant.
Yu Xiaogang abruptly stood up.
"What did you say?"
"Ning Rongrong was abducted?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly.
"That white-haired man took her away."
Oscar's expression changed drastically.
He walked up to Zhu Zhuqing.
"You were right there! Why didn't you save Rongrong?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked at him.
"I tried."
"They didn't release their Martial Soul. Their pressure alone pinned me to the ground."
"I couldn't even stand up."
Oscar opened his mouth.
He wanted to ask more, but Dai Mubai stopped him.
"Zhu Zhuqing already did her best."
"To suppress a Soul Elder without even releasing their Martial Soul."
"That person must be at least a Soul Emperor."
Before you continue