Xiao Yao's Experiment

Qian Renxue, you really knew how to play. Disguising yourself as Xue Qinghe wasn't enough-you even found yourself a stand-in.

Judging by how accustomed the servants were to it, the two of you must have appeared together often, at least inside the residence.

You didn't feed the servants that story about being Xue Ye's illegitimate daughter too, did you?

But Xiao Yao did not know that Qian Renxue had originally had no intention of meeting him in her true appearance again.

That would make exposing her identity less likely.

Yet, for some reason, Qian Renxue suddenly did not want to disguise herself in front of this boy.

That was what had led to today's scene of "Xue Qinghe" and Qian Renxue appearing together, which also served to shore up her previous lie.

One could only wonder how she would feel knowing that her so-called "lie" had long been a joke to Xiao Yao.

"Your Highness, Princess Xue'er. I've been away cultivating and couldn't come visit at the first opportunity. Please forgive me."

Xiao Yao apologized at once, and neither "Xue Qinghe" nor Qian Renxue blamed him. Instead, they asked about his cultivation progress during this time.

"My cultivation has progressed fairly well over the past three months. I'm already at rank thirty-three."

"Rank thirty-three? You had only just broken through to rank thirty-two when we parted, hadn't you? Your cultivation improved that quickly?"

Qian Renxue's red lips parted quite widely. Clearly, even she was surprised by this cultivation speed.

Xiao Yao could not help stealing a few more looks and discovered that her figure had actually improved since their last meeting.

Was the Soft Bone: Yoga Chapter really that effective? I'll teach it to Shui Bing'er another day and see.

"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll leave first. Little sister, sorry for the trouble, but please explain that matter properly to young brother Xiao Yao."

"Xue Qinghe" tactfully left, though Xiao Yao was very curious whether this person who dared call Qian Renxue his little sister would suffer retaliation afterward.

Only the two of them remained in the hall, and Xiao Yao quite naturally sat down beside Qian Renxue.

"Princess Xue'er, what matter was the crown prince referring to?"

Qian Renxue glanced over. They were so close that Xiao Yao could touch her simply by raising his hand. It really was overly intimate.

But she did not send him away. "No need to be so formal. I'm a few years older than you, so just call me Sister Xue'er."

A few years? Are you sure you don't mean a few times my age?

Xiao Yao inwardly snarked, but naturally, he was not foolish enough to voice his thoughts. Instead, he called out sweetly, "Sister Xue'er."

Qian Renxue nodded in satisfaction before getting down to business:

"Your cultivation is already sufficient. I intend to have you join the reserves for Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team."

"The second team's reserves?"

"Essentially, it's the team that will represent the academy in the next Continent Advanced Soul Master Tournament. None of us expect much from the second team, so we might as well use their spots to let our future elites see the world."

"It isn't just us. Most academies actually do something similar. They simply don't have the luxury of putting an entire team on the roster."

"Oh, right. You do know what this tournament is, don't you?"

Xiao Yao nodded. How could he possibly not know?

So she wanted him to join the next Heaven Dou Royal Team?

Had she asked him to join before, he might have wanted nothing more. After all, both Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were excellent contract partners.

Now, however, it held little appeal.

Xiao Yao immediately prepared to refuse.

"If you successfully join the second team's reserves and claim the captain's position, I'll give you a Soul Ring. How about it?"

"I certainly won't disappoint you."

Xiao Yao agreed without hesitation.

You're the one who promised to become my Soul Ring.

Of course, that was not the main reason. After all, even if Qian Renxue refused, she would still become his fifth contract partner in the end.

Xiao Yao mainly wanted to conduct an experiment.

The rewards were currently distributed in stages, with one reward each at twenty, fifty, eighty, and one hundred intimacy.

If he could raise Qian Renxue's intimacy to one hundred before forming the contract, what would be different about receiving all the rewards at once?

Would there be a reward powerful enough to overturn the situation on the Douluo Continent?

Qian Renxue was very satisfied to see Xiao Yao agree without the slightest hesitation.

"Good, then. I'll arrange... I'll have my crown prince brother make the arrangements and notify you in advance when the time comes."

"Yes, Sister Xue'er. Is there anything else? If not, I'll head back?"

"In a hurry to leave?" Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow.

Xiao Yao was nearly frightened into a cold sweat. "No, no. It's just that this is His Highness's residence, after all. With the host absent, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to stay too long."

"Who says the host is absent? Aren't I the host?"

Qian Renxue spoke imperiously.

"The flowers in the back garden have bloomed. Come admire them with me."

"Then I'd better obey than stand on ceremony."

Naturally, they did more than admire the flowers. Qian Renxue also reviewed the yoga movements.

In addition, Xiao Yao taught her a few more poses and released a little fallen heart flame along the way.

Presumably, Qian Renxue would sleep well tonight...

Back at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Xiao Yao had intended to find Xiao Wu and continue practicing the Heavenly Fire God-Forging Technique.

But before he reached the courtyard, a group blocked his path.

"So you're the fucker called Xiao Yao?"

"What do you want with your daddy?"

Seeing that the newcomers could not speak a single word of human language, Xiao Yao dispensed with courtesy too.

He was polite to Qian Renxue and Qiu Wanxi because he was weaker than them.

But this bunch before him were clearly students of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

He was not targeting anyone in particular. He simply wanted to say that Heaven Dou Royal Academy's students-apart from him and Xiao Wu-were all trash.

"You're courting death."

One of the larger boys flew into a rage and immediately swung a fist at Xiao Yao.

Unfortunately, a whipping kick sent him flying backward even faster.

Xiao Yao looked at them.

Including the one Xiao Yao had kicked away, there were five in total.

The two larger boys were twins, while a black-and-white duo flanked a blue-clad youth of distinguished bearing in the center.

Clearly, this was the one who mattered.

Xiao Yao stared straight into his eyes. The other boy showed no intention of backing down and counterattacked without the slightest courtesy.

Firelight rose in Xiao Yao's pupils, and a streak of lightning flashed through the other's eyes.

Before they knew it, this had become a contest of Soul Power between the two.

The blue-clad youth had a higher Soul Power Level, but the quality of Xiao Yao's Soul Power far surpassed his rank.

In a flash of lightning and sparks, it was instead the four spectators, including the twin who had just gotten back up, who were knocked to the ground.

"Roar!"

The blue-clad youth reached his limit sooner and was the first to release his Martial Soul.

A majestic, imposing divine dragon spiraled upward, blue lightning coiling around it.

It was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, hailed as the world's number one Beast Martial Soul!

A flicker of surprise also crossed Xiao Yao's eyes. He genuinely had not recognized the other boy.

Although the identifying signs were already obvious, he was neither a beauty nor a member of the protagonist's group, so he did not even qualify to be remembered by Xiao Yao.

But now that the signature Martial Soul had appeared, Xiao Yao naturally recalled his identity.

Heaven Dou Royal Team.

Yu Tianheng.