"Or have you forgotten even the story of the orphan from Vast Sea City?"
"You..."
"Xue Qinghe disappeared long ago."
"I am the daughter of Spirit Hall's Pope-Qian Renxue!" In an instant, she activated Martial Soul Possession. Wings sprouted from her back, golden light blazed, and she walked toward Ling Yu.
"A civet cat swapped for the crown prince-so you intend to steal the empire!" Ling Yu slowly backed away, trying to edge toward the door.
"That's not quite right. Though we are stealing the empire, this is an angel swapped for the crown prince." Qian Renxue's brows eased slightly, and the corners of her lips lifted faintly. It was not gentleness, but the composure inherent in divinity, as though everything lay within her grasp and all living beings were pieces on the board.
"Don't think of running." Qian Renxue lightly clapped her hands, and two figures appeared in the reception room in a flash.
"Uncle She and Uncle Ci are Titled Douluos. You're welcome to try."
"What do you want?" With his back against the wall, Ling Yu slowly slid down, pretending he no longer had the strength to change anything.
"Submit to me!"
"Submit to Spirit Hall!" A trace of amusement flickered through Qian Renxue's golden eyes before they returned to calm.
"Do I have any other choice?"
"Yes. For example, your carriage back to school could be attacked by an unknown force, leaving poor Grandpa Jack weeping in anguish. How pitiful."
"You..."
"We aren't forcing you. You're forcing us to act!"
"Do you know what earth-shattering things you're researching?" An unquestionable resolve radiated from Qian Renxue's very bones, and her expression declared that she would have what she sought.
"That day, I told my grandfather about you. He is Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined."
"His reply contained only one sentence-either bring you into the fold immediately or destroy you immediately!"
"So, tell us your choice." All three released their imposing presence at once to intimidate him.
"I... agree." Ling Yu lowered his head, feigning dejection and helplessness.
The corner of Qian Renxue's mouth lifted. She put away her regal aloofness and severity, all the sharpness vanishing from her eyes and brows. Then she returned to her seat and lightly clapped her hands.
The two Titled Douluos, She Long and Ci Xue, vanished in a flash. The door opened again, and the maids brought in several desserts-
Caramel pudding in delicate white porcelain cups was topped with thin, crisp sugar shells; beside it, opera cake displayed distinct layers, dark-brown chocolate interwoven with pale-yellow cream, rich yet restrained; crystal bowls held tiramisu, its faint sweetness mingled with the clean bitterness of cocoa powder, dense and soft as clouds.
"Sit down and eat. Our discussion isn't over yet." Qian Renxue picked up a small silver spoon, her movements gentle and elegant. She tasted a mouthful of the exquisite pudding, and an exceedingly faint, soft smile unconsciously curved her lips.
Ling Yu slowly returned to his seat and began eating the desserts in small bites. Tastes all right, he remarked inwardly.
"You needn't be dejected. This plan has been in preparation for many years. The great tide of history isn't something you can stop." Qian Renxue softened her tone, her eyes filled with gentleness.
"What do you intend to do with His Majesty?" Ling Yu kept his voice extremely low.
The question surprised Qian Renxue somewhat, but pleased her as well. Had Ling Yu not brought it up, she would instead have thought less of him.
"There is no room for negotiation on that."
"Could you spare His Majesty's life?"
"You're too naive, so naive it's adorable. This is a life-and-death struggle!" At his words, the faintest trace of a smile passed through Qian Renxue's eyes.
You're one to talk, Ling Yu silently grumbled.
"So what will I have to do from now on?"
"Don't worry. You will only receive better treatment. If I weren't worried about beating the grass and startling the snake, I would even arrange for an elder to protect your path."
"Oh, and Su Yao, who guards you, is one of ours too. She's a member of the Angel Legion. The servants at your residence are all our people as well.
"You've been in our hands from the very beginning, so don't entertain any other ideas. Spirit Hall isn't something you can stand against." Qian Renxue set down her silver spoon.
"Yes, Brother Xue."
"When no one else is around, you can call me Sister Xue. I'm just a little older than you."
Just a little? Ling Yu kept the words to himself and called out, "Sister Xue."
Qian Renxue nodded lightly, then continued, "I've already arranged for people to guard your laboratory. Don't let the things inside get out carelessly. Just carry on with your life as usual. Xue Ye will only send me to ask about it, so when the time comes, find something to fob him off with for now."
"Spirit Hall won't ask much of you. Later, I'll have someone send over some of Spirit Hall's discarded Soul Tools. I remember Soul Tools require precious metals and gemstones, don't they? If the Heaven Dou Empire doesn't have them, Spirit Hall can find them for you."
"All right. Thank you, Sister Xue."
After they finished dessert, Qian Renxue restored her disguise and saw Ling Yu out.
"Young Master, are we simply letting him leave like this? Shouldn't we at least have him swear a Martial Soul Oath?" She Long raised his eyes slightly, his gaze passing over the departing carriage.
"No need. If we did that, he might harbor resentment. How could we trust the results of his research then?"
"Besides, he values his emotional ties, which makes him easy to handle. There's no need to take an unnecessary step and provoke his dislike."
"You're right, Young Master. I failed to think it through."
Upon returning to her room, Qian Renxue picked up her brush and began writing a letter to tell Qian Daoliu about today's events.
In the carriage back to Heaven Dou Royal Academy-
"I'm sorry..." Su Yao's lips moved slightly, her voice low and soft, a trace of apology flashing in her eyes.
"Senior Su Yao, this isn't your fault." Ling Yu shook his head and looked at the Dragon Abyss Boat Soul Tool in his hands, leaving Su Yao greatly relieved.
Meanwhile, a storm of thoughts raged through Ling Yu's mind. It's normally only a little over thirty centimeters long, but injecting Soul Power expands it into a massive submarine twelve meters long and two meters wide. It can even withstand the water pressure at three hundred meters. I wonder whether it's the array patterns or the materials that are so miraculous?
Though its level isn't high, its grade is certainly not low. It looks like a toy made by some top-tier Soul Engineer. I'll study it slowly once I've finished analyzing and organizing the basics.
The next morning, inside the Worship Hall in Spirit City-
"Big Brother, a letter from Xue'er." Enshrined Jiang Mo appeared inside the hall in a flash.
"The outcome of that matter, I presume." Enshrined Golden Crocodile stood with his arms folded, his back straight as a tower cast from iron, his white brows slightly furrowed and his golden eyes half narrowed.
Qian Daoliu took it, glanced over it, and nodded. "He has joined us." His tone was calm and even, betraying not the slightest joy or anger.
"As he should. Xue'er was fortunate, too, that he came knocking on her door himself. Had that boy gone to the Star Luo Empire, who knows how many times the price we would have had to pay by the time we realized it." Enshrined Azure Luan lowered his eyes slightly, concealing the fleeting tremor of fear in them.
"How did no one ever think of using spiritual power to examine Soul Tools before?" Enshrined Qian Jun frowned slightly, a measure of wonder in his voice.
"Without a Soul Skill for precise control, trying to sense them with crude spiritual power alone can easily destroy their internal structures. Only a spiritual-type Martial Soul like his could possibly produce such a precise investigative Soul Skill." Qian Daoliu's voice was quiet, yet carried unquestionable authority.
"Fortunately, he's already one of us." Enshrined Azure Luan nodded slightly.
"Xue'er asked in her letter for me to send over some of Spirit Hall's discarded Soul Tools. I'll make a trip to the Pope's Hall." Qian Daoliu's figure shifted slightly and vanished from the spot.