Gui Yuan stopped what he was doing, scratched his head, and said, "It's probably because the Netherworld Attribute is inherently stronger than your Fire attribute."
"After all, Senior Sister, the fire attribute of your Demon Fox Martial Soul is only a secondary attribute, while mine is the primary attribute."
"Isn't that just bullying?" Hu Liena stamped her foot slightly, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness. "I've been practicing my Flame Ball for half a year, but I still can't beat your Shadow Ball. Can't you let your senior sister have a turn?"
Gui Yuan looked helpless. "Senior Sister, it's not a matter of whether we let it or not. Even with similar compression ratios, its power is different. There's nothing I can do."
Seeing his innocent expression, Hu Liena became even angrier. "Are you sure? I feel like you're just brushing me off."
"No."
"Then look, why are the craters they create every time bigger than mine?"
"..."
"See! You pre-set it!"
"I didn't have any pre-set plans; I just didn't know how to respond."
Hu Liena stepped forward and poked his forehead. "Anyway, you'd better control your power next time you spar, or my hands will get calluses."
Gui Yuan leaned back slightly from her poking. "Okay, okay, I'll control myself next time."
Hu Liena withdrew her hand with satisfaction, a smile playing on her lips, "That's more like it."
Xie Yue sat on the steps watching this scene and couldn't help but shake his head.
Although his younger sister usually displays a certain charm and coquettishness in front of others, she only ever acts this way with Gui Yuan.
"Alright," Xie Yue stood up, "Let's stop practicing here for today. If we keep blowing things up, there won't be any room to walk."
Hu Liena glanced at the horrific scene around her and coughed lightly, "We'll practice at the training ground next time."
A few days later.
The convoy of the Heaven Dou Empire arrived in Spirit City.
The carriage was exquisitely decorated yet understated, and the accompanying guards and civil officials were orderly and well-organized, attracting the attention of many passersby.
The convoy stopped in front of the inn specially used by the Spirit Hall to receive foreign envoys, where a bishop at the Soul Douluo level had been waiting for a long time.
Xue Qinghe stepped down from the carriage, dressed in a light gold prince's robe, with a gentle smile on his face, and nodded slightly to the bishop.
Thank you for your help.
The bishop quickly returned the greeting. "Your Highness, you are too kind. Please follow me."
The group was then led into the reception room.
The long conference table was filled with people on both sides. Xue Qinghe sat on one side with several ministers of the Heaven Dou, while the relevant person in charge of the Spirit Hall sat on the other side.
Bibi Dong sat in the main seat, her expression calm.
Xue Qinghe's gaze lingered on her face for a moment before shifting away, and he picked up the document in front of him with a normal expression.
"The amount of this year's subsidies has already been determined by our court," Xue Qinghe said in a gentle and polite voice, "And it will be the same as last year. Father Emperor has already signed off on it."
Bibi Dong nodded slightly. "Since it's the same as last year, then proceed as before."
The ministers and bishops of both sides will be responsible for coordinating the details thereafter.
Xue Qinghe sat in the chair, occasionally interjecting a few words, with a smile on his face and proper manners throughout.
About an hour later, the agreement was finalized, and the amount was the same as in previous years.
Xue Qinghe rose to take his leave and returned to the hotel where he was staying with his entourage.
The door to the reception room closed behind him.
Bibi Dong sat in the main seat, her gaze falling on the tightly closed door. She paused for a moment, then looked away.
On the other side.
Gui Yuan heard the news of the arrival of the Heaven Dou Crown Prince from Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
He was sitting in the garden preparing food when he heard their conversation, and his hands paused slightly.
" Heaven Dou Crown Prince? Xue Qinghe?"
Yue Guan nodded. "Yes, I just arrived today, it's about the Soul Master subsidy amount."
Gui Yuan put down the chrysanthemum in his hand and asked, "Uncle, what is his cultivation level? Shouldn't the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's inherited Martial Soul be Swan?"
Yue Guan thought for a moment and said, "It's Swan, but as for its level... I really don't know."
Gui Yuan's mention of it piqued the curiosity of Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
Qian Renxue is now about eighteen years old, almost ten years older than Gui Yuan.
The Qian Family's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul possesses Innate Soul Power of level twenty.
He was already ten levels ahead of others at the start; he figured he must be at least Soul Emperor.
Gui Yuan was also making calculations in his mind, but he remembered that when Qian Renxue and Tang San first met in the original novel, she was already Soul Saint, and she was twenty-eight years old at that time.
He's only eighteen years old now, he probably hasn't even reached the Soul Emperor level yet.
"Uncle, Uncle, I want to see what this Crown Prince looks like," Gui Yuan suddenly said.
Yue Guan was taken aback. "You're going to see him?"
Gui Yuan nodded. "Just curious. This is my first time meeting the Heaven Dou Crown Prince. I've heard he's a gentle and polite person, and extremely handsome."
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance.
They actually knew that the current Xue Qinghe was actually Qian Renxue in disguise, but they dared not tell Gui Yuan.
What if Gui Yuan asks who Qian Renxue's mother is if she tells him?
Who else could it be? It could only be Bibi Dong.
This incident was a lifelong source of pain for Bibi Dong.
They had finally managed to gain a foothold by Bibi Dong's side, and if this matter were to be revealed by them, even if Gui Yuan was Bibi Dong's disciple, neither of them would fare well.
It would be best if Bibi Dong told Gui Yuan about this herself.
and!
You're a grown man... oh wait, I mean, you're a little boy, what are you doing caring about someone else's appearance?!
After a moment of silence, Yue Guan said, "Alright, he'll probably stay at the Spirit Hall for another day tomorrow. We can just take a look from afar."
Gui Yuan nodded. "I know, I'll just take a look."
Late that night.
In the hotel room, Xue Qinghe dismissed all his attendants, telling them to go and rest.
He closed the door, stood in front of the bronze mirror for a moment, and then a skull Soul Bone suddenly appeared on his forehead. A layer of pale golden light faded from his face, revealing a completely different face underneath.
Her features were exquisitely refined, and her eyes and brows exuded an innate air of nobility and aloofness.
This is exactly what Qian Renxue originally looked like.
She put her long hair up again, changed into a simple dark robe, and applied a light layer of makeup to cover up her originally outstanding appearance, making her look like an ordinary female Soul Master.
If she were to run into someone, they wouldn't recognize her as Xue Qinghe, nor would they remember her because of her outstanding appearance.
She pushed open the window, and in a flash, disappeared into the night.
The Spirit Hall complex stretched out in undulating waves under the moonlight, with scattered lights.
Qian Renxue went to the Worship Hall first, but the Worship Hall was closed.
She frowned, stood at the door for a moment, then turned and walked towards the direction of the Pope's Palace.
The lights were still on the Pope's Palace.
Qian Renxue did not enter through the main gate; instead, she went around to the side corridor, walked to the window of the side hall, and climbed in through the window.
Her footsteps were very light, making no sound.
She walked along the corridor to the back of the main hall of the Pope's Palace, where she stood and looked at the figure sitting in the main seat in front of her.
Bibi Dong knew Qian Renxue would be coming tonight, but without looking up, she said, "Come out since you're here."