Xue Qinghe's Probe (2)
Impartial and unbiased, touching on the points without going into too much detail, and without taking sides.
Xue Qinghe stroked the rim of his cup with his fingers and smiled. "You see things very clearly. So, what do you think? Are the Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire enemies or friends?"
Lin Chen raised his eyes, seemingly somewhat surprised, then lowered his head and smiled, "Your Highness, such important matters of the court are not something a mere academy student like myself can comment on. I only know that Soul Master must cultivate wherever they are; if their strength is sufficient, they can establish themselves anywhere. As for who is on good terms with whom, and who is on bad terms with whom, those in higher positions will decide that; it is not our place to worry about it."
Xue Qinghe gave him a deep look, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Good! Well said! What talk of friend and foe? In the end, strength is the only thing that matters. You're so young, yet you can see this clearly, which is far better than many senile old people who have lived for decades."
His smile was genuine, but in his heart, his opinion of Lin Chen had risen even higher.
I thought he was just a talented boy, but I didn't expect him to be so calm and collected.
Not arrogant or impatient, not greedy for power, able to distinguish between what is important and what is not, and able to see through the essence of things.
Such a person is either genuinely dedicated to spiritual cultivation or is hiding their true nature very well.
Xue Qinghe leaned towards the former. After all, at twelve years old, no matter how well he hid, where could he possibly hide?
He paused, then asked casually, "If one day the Empire and the Spirit Hall really clash, whose side will you side with?"
Lin Chen seemed taken aback for a moment, then chuckled, "Your Highness is joking. As a level 37 Soul Elder, I have no need to help either side. If it really comes to that, I'll be lucky to even save my own life. Cultivation is the most important thing, nothing else matters to me."
His tone was blunt, even a bit mercenary, completely behaving as if he valued his life and only cared about his own self-cultivation.
There was not a trace of passion, not a trace of patriotism, and not a bias towards the Spirit Hall.
Xue Qinghe completely let down his guard.
This kind of person is the best.
They value strength above all else and are uninvolved in factional strife. As long as there are sufficient cultivation resources, they will be used to their advantage. Even if they cannot be made confidants, they will never be enemies.
"Well said, 'Cultivation is paramount.'" Xue Qinghe smiled and shook her head, taking out a black iron token from her sleeve and pushing it in front of Lin Chen. "I admire your character. Here, take this guest elder token from the Soul Master Association."
The six-pointed star badge of the Soul Master Association is engraved on the front of the token, and the word "" is engraved on the back. It has a cool feel and simple texture.
"This token isn't very useful. It just allows free access to the Heaven Dou Soul Master Association's database to look up cultivation manuals and Soul Beast illustrations; it also lets you buy cultivation herbs and low-level Soul Tool through internal channels, saving you money and trouble," Xue Qinghe said casually. "You're at the stage of building your foundation, so looking at more materials won't hurt. Consider it a small gift from me."
Lin Chen looked at the token but did not accept it immediately. Instead, he bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness is too kind. I cannot accept such a generous gift without having done anything to deserve it. I am merely a student of the academy and cannot bear such a heavy honor."
You should still push it a little. Accepting it too easily would only make you seem greedy.
"What's there to be ashamed of?" Xue Qinghe pushed the token forward again. "I see you have a good character and are a promising talent. It's not about any reward or reward; it's just about establishing a good relationship. When you become a powerful figure in the future, I'll be counting on you to look after me."
Having said all that, it would be pretentious to refuse any further.
Lin Chen then accepted the token with both hands, bowed, and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. I am truly grateful."
"Take it." Xue Qinghe waved his hand with a smile. "If you encounter any difficulties in your cultivation in the future, or if you lack any materials, you can come to the East Palace to find me. If it really can't be resolved, I can also put in a good word for you with the Soul Master Association."
"This junior understands." Lin Chen put the token into his Chaos Space, his expression remaining calm, showing no sign of being flattered.
This composure pleased Xue Qinghe even more.
After chatting for a few more minutes about trivial matters related to cultivation, Lin Chen got up to take his leave.
Xue Qinghe did not linger, personally escorting him to the entrance of the side hall and instructing his servant to see him out.
Lin Chen walked out along the corridor, the lights behind him gradually fading into the distance.
He ran his fingertips along the black iron token inside his sleeve, the icy touch traveling up his fingertips. This guest elder token was a gesture of appeasement, a sign of goodwill, and naturally carried a hint of surveillance.
But for him, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
With this token, the Soul Master Association can legitimately access its database, medicinal herb channels, and the files of independent cultivators.
As for Qian Renxue's attempts to win her over...
A faint smile appeared on Lin Chen's lips, but it vanished in an instant.
It's just mutual exploitation.
She wanted a seemingly controllable genius pawn, while he wanted a springboard to infiltrate the upper echelons of Heaven Dou.
Each gets what they need and what they desire.
Who is the pawn is still uncertain.
As soon as I stepped out of the palace gate, a carriage was already waiting at the foot of the steps.
Lin Chen boarded the carriage and lowered the curtain.
The carriage slowly started moving, its clattering sound echoing clearly on the long street in the dead of night as it rolled over the bluestone slabs.
He lifted a corner of the curtain and gazed at the myriad lights outside. The Heaven Dou City was bustling yet peaceful, but beneath this tranquility, undercurrents were already surging.
With the infiltration of Wuhun Palace, the vigilance of the empire, and the wait-and-see of the three upper sects, the pattern of the continent has never been the three-party conflict it seems on the surface. Lin Chen lowered the curtains and closed his eyes to rest.
The heated discussion in Heaven Dou City lasted for nearly half a month.
In the Great Soul Arena, the name of the Imperial Fighting Team has almost become a legend in the Bronze Soul Fighting Zone.
The audience kept talking about the various topics, such as Lin Chen defeating the Bahuang despite being above his level, Lin Chen's Ten Thousand Year Third Soul Ring, and Space Teleportation to the back row. Even the news of Lin Chen's visit to the Eastern Palace at night and being granted a guest elder token by the Soul Master Association was also vaguely mentioned.
Some marveled at the young prodigy's recognition by the Crown Prince, believing his future was limitless; others secretly speculated that the boy's background was extraordinary, otherwise why would the Crown Prince treat him with such special regard?
Amidst all the discussions, the Imperial Fighting Team's schedule continued uninterrupted.
The individual and doubles competitions are progressing steadily. Lin Chen's personal score has already broken through the middle level of the Bronze Soul Fighter, and the Chen Wu Duo has even achieved a fifteen-game winning streak.
Although they haven't easily participated in team competitions again, everyone knows that this young team's foundation will only grow stronger.
While Heaven Dou City was in an uproar, Suotuo City, a thousand miles away, remained quiet.
Shrek Academy, nestled next to a slum on the outskirts of the city, has creaking old wooden doors. On the dirt playground in the courtyard, the panting of boys and girls rises and falls, and sweat drips onto the ground, leaving small damp patches.
More than a month has passed since the defeat in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Yu Xiaogang's grueling training continued from dawn to dusk, focusing on physical fitness, Soul Skill, tactics, and teamwork, one step after another, leaving everyone breathless.
No one complained, and no one slacked off. The defeat against Star Dou was so frustrating that everyone was seething with anger.