Yu Tianheng's fingers tightened slightly around the teacup, his expression remaining impassive. "Grandpa was merely fulfilling his duty to protect the family."
"Do your duty?" Xue Qinghe chuckled lightly, her gaze falling on him with scrutiny, but more like assessing an ally worth winning over.
"Brother Tian Heng, you are being too modest. Nowadays, everyone on the continent knows that with Senior Yu in charge, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan can stand on equal footing with the Spirit Hall. This strength is enough to make no one dare to underestimate them."
He paused, then his tone became sincere. " The Heaven Dou and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan have always been on good terms. In the future, perhaps we will have more opportunities for in-depth cooperation. After all, when facing some overly powerful forces, it's always good to have more reliable friends."
Yu Tianheng raised his eyes and met Xue Qinghe's seemingly gentle but actually sharp gaze.
He understood that his grandfather's battle not only boosted the confidence of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, but also completely changed the deep-thinking prince's view of him and the entire family.
The atmosphere in the air subtly changed. It was no longer the subtle, distant relationship between the emperor and his subjects and the scions of noble families, but rather a more nuanced sense of equality and even rivalry.
Yu Tianheng picked up his teacup, his gaze meeting Xue Qinghe's in mid-air, and nodded slightly. "Your Highness is absolutely right."
Sunlight streamed through the carved window frames, casting dappled shadows on the floor, as if foreshadowing a new order that was quietly unfolding with this meeting.
Yu Tianheng put down his teacup, the bottom of which made a soft sound as it hit the table, breaking the silence in the hall.
He raised his eyes to look at Xue Qinghe, his gaze sharp as a sword. "Your Highness, there's something I've always wanted to ask—when exactly do you plan to make your move to seize the throne?"
Xue Qinghe's gentle expression froze instantly, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, and his tone darkening. "Brother Tian Heng, your words are a bit too direct. This matter involves many things, and the timing is not yet ripe. Many aspects still need to be refined. We cannot rush it; we must plan carefully." He deliberately slowed his speech, as if emphasizing the rigor of the plan, or perhaps concealing a hint of displeasure at being seen through.
"Heh." Yu Tianheng suddenly chuckled, his laughter carrying a hint of mockery and disdain.
Xue Qinghe's brows furrowed even more, and his eyes turned cold. "What are you laughing at, Brother Tian Heng?"
Yu Tianheng leaned forward slightly, looking directly into his eyes, and said, word by word, "I laugh at your indecisiveness."
"You!" Xue Qinghe's face darkened completely, and his aura suddenly became sharp, as if an invisible pressure permeated the hall.
He hadn't expected Yu Tianheng to be so outspoken, and he certainly hadn't expected the other party to describe him as "indecisive."
Faced with the soul pressure emanating from Xue Qinghe when she was angry, Yu Tianheng raised his hand and made a grasping motion, and the aura emanating from the other party instantly dissipated without a trace.
Ignoring Martial Dao cultivation, Yu Tianheng is currently Eight-Ring Soul Douluo Soul Power Douluo with Soul Power Level of 85. He also possesses two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, making his combat power comparable to Titled Douluo. On the other hand Qian Renxue, despite her exceptional talent, has only just entered the Seven-Ring Soul Sage. In terms of strength, she is far inferior to Yu Tianheng.
If that were all, Yu Tianheng would have been more polite, considering the Spirit Hall behind Qian Renxue. But now, with the outcome of the battle between Yu Yuanzhen and Qian Daoliu made public, it shows that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's strength is no weaker than the Spirit Hall's.
In this way, Yu Tianheng gradually rose from a position weaker than Qian Renxue to one of equal standing, and even showed signs of surpassing her due to his own strength.
Yu Tianheng picked up his teacup, his fingertips tracing the warm rim. His gaze fell on the willow branches swaying in the wind outside the window, but his tone was sharp and undeniably authoritative. "Your Highness, you're only focused on the Heaven Dou territory, but you've forgotten the variables on the Spirit Hall's side."
Xue Qinghe ( Qian Renxue )'s eyes darkened slightly, and he calmly pressed on, "Brother Tian Heng, what makes you say that?"
"The current Pope of the Spirit Hall is still Bibi Dong." Yu Tianheng turned his head, his gaze piercing straight into the other's eyes. "Not only has she firmly secured that position, but several months ago she also openly bestowed the title of Holy Maiden upon Hu Liena. You should understand what the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall means—she is the first in line to the Pope's throne."
He paused, noticing a fleeting shadow of gloom on Xue Qinghe's face, and continued, " Hu Liena is Bibi Dong, her prestige among the younger generation of the Spirit Hall is rising daily. If this drags on, once her foundation is solidified and the entire power structure of the Spirit Hall has adapted to her presence, do you think you'll still be able to easily reclaim that so-called ' Pope's Throne' in the future?"
" Bibi Dong is in power, she will spare no effort to pave the way for Hu Liena. Your existence has always been a thorn in her side, and now that she has a legitimate heir, she will be even more intolerant of any variables that might threaten Hu Liena."
Yu Tianheng put down his teacup, his voice turning colder, "Every day your plans in Heaven Dou are delayed, Bibi Dong will solidify Hu Liena's foundation in the Spirit Hall. Once she has complete control, what good will it do you even if you take over Heaven Dou? Trying to seize the Spirit Hall will be as difficult as climbing to the heavens."
The hall was so quiet that one could hear the soft rustling of incense ash falling from the incense burner. Xue Qinghe's expression shifted in the light and shadow, clearly stung by these words.
Looking at her taut jawline, Yu Tianheng knew he had hit the nail on the head— Qian Renxue had been lying low for many years, and what she sought was never just the Heaven Dou Emperor's throne; the supreme power of the Spirit Hall was her true obsession.
Xue Qinghe's fingertips tapped unconsciously on the table, his eyes swirling with complex emotions—anger at being hit where it hurt, a weighing of the situation, and a barely perceptible wavering. The sandalwood incense in the hall seemed to have become stale, Entanglement to his tense nerves.
After a long silence, he finally looked up at Yu Tianheng, his tone less dignified like a crown prince and more inquiring, "In Brother Tian Heng's opinion, what should we do?"
Yu Tianheng seemed to have anticipated this question, and sat up slightly, his tone resolute. "Take over the Heaven Dou regime as quickly as possible."
"Take down Heaven Dou?" Xue Qinghe raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by his aggressive approach.
"Indeed." Yu Tianheng nodded, his gaze intense. "Although the Heaven Dou Empire is vast, as the Crown Prince, you have been scheming and plotting for many years, and your foundation is deep. As long as Thunder act swiftly and decisively, using bloody methods to eliminate the opposing forces and quickly consolidate your power, this achievement of building an empire from nothing to rule it will be enough to prove your worth to the Spirit Hall —you are by no means a pawn that can only rely on others, but a capable and independent leader."
He changed the subject, emphasizing, "Besides, you have Grand Great Enshrined Qian Daoliu as your backer; he already favors you. With this achievement and his support, when you return to the Spirit Hall to contend for the Pope's position, even if Bibi Dong is unwilling, she will find it difficult to shake your position."