Chapter 41: Qian Renxue's Decision

Qian Renxue's eyes widened in surprise as Lu Yuan spoke.

"You're pretending to be Xue Qinghe, aren't you?" He continued.

A look of disbelief appeared on Qian Renxue's face as she was filled with amazement.

If one were to observe Qian Renxue's eyes closely, one would see no sign of killing intent.

"... How did you know?" She asked, looking at Lu Yuan with a mixture of shock and curiosity.

In the entire Spirit Hall, only Bibi Dong and a few Elders were privy to this plan, and even the Platinum Bishop Salas of the Saint Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou Empire only knew limited details.

Qian Renxue had anticipated that Lu Yuan might become suspicious of her frequent absences and late returns. However, she never expected him to deduce that she was infiltrating the Imperial Palace, let alone that she was impersonating one of the princes.

After the initial shock subsided, Qian Renxue was left with an overwhelming curiosity.

Looking at Qian Renxue's curious look, Lu Yuan put his hands behind his back and assumed the role of a teacher. "This wasn't really hard to guess," he said with a playful smirk.

"Sister Xue'er, tell me, which ones are the biggest threats to our Spirit Hall?"

"The two Empires and the Upper Three Sects." replied Qian Renxue, feeling amused by Lu Yuan's antics.

"That's right!" Lu Yuan snapped his fingers and said, "For our Spirit Hall, the Two Empires and the Upper Three Sects are the biggest threats. But among them, the Heaven Dou Empire is the weakest link."

"Why do you say so?" Qian Renxue asked, her interest piqued.

"The current Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Ye, is not wise enough, as he does not have enough control over the Kingdoms and Sects within the Empire, moreover, these Kingdoms are also extremely powerful and have their own thoughts. I know that our Spirit is the one who has interfered to maintain the balance between the two Empires, so that the Star Luo Empire does not subdue the Heaven Dou Empire. This is why I'm pretty sure there are quite a few of them that are close to our Spirit Hall, that's one."

"Moreover, the system of the Heaven Dou Empire is corrupt," Lu Yuan continued. "The aristocracy is decadent, the army is powerful but lacks strong Spirit Masters, and the imperial family is not particularly strong. Given all these weaknesses, the threat level of the Heaven Dou Empire to our Spirit Hall is relatively low."

"This is why we can take advantage of the situation," Lu Yuan concluded. "On the other hand, the Upper Three Sects and the Star Luo Empire are different. Each of the Upper Three Sects has powerful Title Douluo-level individuals, making them the strongest Spirit Master organizations, besides our Spirit Hall. And among the Upper Three Sects, the Clear Sky Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan are especially powerful."

"In conclusion, the Upper Three Sects and the Star Luo Empire pose a greater threat to our Spirit Hall compared to the Heaven Dou Empire. Although the Heaven Dou Empire still has the potential to be a danger if its millions of troops join forces with other adversaries. However, it's relatively less of a threat due to the lack of control by its current Emperor, a corrupt system, and a weak imperial family."

"But what makes you so certain that my mission is to infiltrate the Imperial Palace and pose as Xue Qinghe?" Qian Renxue was aware of all the information that Lu Yuan had mentioned, as she was the one who had provided it to him. Nevertheless, she was still unclear about the connection to her mission.

"What's the hurry? I have saved the best for last, the answer is intuition."

"Intuition?" Qian Renxue was momentarily puzzled.

"That's right, intuition, how you may already know, everything I've told you is information you've provided me with. Based on this, I have come to think of a plan, and knowing you, I'm absolutely sure that you also came up with the same thought!"

Qian Renxue's heart skipped a beat when she heard these words.

"Isn't Heaven Dou Empire a juicy lamb waiting to be harvested?" Lu Yuan continued.

"Our Spirit Hall has a more powerful overall force of Spirit Masters, but despite this advantage, Spirit Masters are still a minority on the Continent. In large-scale combat, we still lack, but if we can successfully infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire and secretly control their army, then we'll be able to compensate for this weakness. We will no longer be in a passive state when facing the millions of troops from the Star Luo Empire, and at the same time, we'll be able to take out one of the two Empires, killing two birds with one stone."

"Once that's done, the Upper Three Sects can be dealt with. Aside from the Clear Sky Clan, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has a close relationship with the Heaven Dou Empire, while the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, although said to remain neutral, actually has no ill feelings towards the Heaven Dou Empire. With Xue Qinghe's identity, you can attract both Sects and even if recruitment is unsuccessful, you'll be able to establish a good relationship with them."

"I chose Xue Qinghe as the target of your mission based on his identity. Although he was the Crown Prince, he was never taken seriously by Emperor Xue Ye, which made it easier for you to replace him, reducing the likelihood of you being discovered."

"You went on to poison the two princes who might have posed a threat to you. So, as long as you keep the ministers happy and make some merits for the Emperor to notice, ascending to the throne is within your grasp."

As Lu Yuan spoke, Qian Renxue's eyes lit up and she was reminded of the moment she had first thought of that plan many years ago. The pride she had felt at the time was immeasurable and that was why, despite going against her grandfather's wishes, she never wavered in her decision.

Only by executing such a plan, one that would bring thousands of years of prosperity to the Spirit Hall, could she prove to the woman who had once looked down on her that she was wrong.

But there was still a shred of stubbornness left in Qian Renxue's heart.

"Everything you say makes sense, but why do I have to be the one to carry out this mission and not someone else?" She asked, not believing that Lu Yuan knew the answer.

Lu Yuan did not respond immediately, instead, he reached out and took her hands in his, looking at her with affection in his eyes.

As he held her hands and gazed into her eyes, Qian Renxue felt her heart race.

He spoke softly, "This mission requires the utmost secrecy, and trustworthiness is of utmost importance. I have no doubt that you, as the heiress of the Qian Clan, are the most trustworthy candidate for the job."

"Additionally, no disguise is perfect. Legend has it that your Qian Clan has a set of inherited Spirit Bones, one of which has the ability of disguise, making it impossible for even an Extreme Douluo to see through, and the requirement for these inherited Spirit Bones is that one must have a Seraphim Martial Soul."

"In conclusion, from all angles, there is no one more suitable for this mission than you, Sister Xue'er." Lu Yuan stepped back after finishing his words.

Qian Renxue's body trembled for an instant, and then, a small defeated sigh came out of her mouth.

"You really know me too well..." she whispered.

At the same time, a warm feeling spread throughout her body. She was no fool, and she knew what Lu Yuan meant to imply by saying all of this.

After a moment of silence, Lu Yuan asked, "The letter is about me, right?"

"Mhm." Qian Renxue replied softly.

"Sister Xue'er, I must depart."

"....." Qian Renxue didn't say anything this time, just listened to him silently.

Lu Yuan declared. "I have drawn too much attention from the forces of Heaven Dou Empire, and it's no longer safe for me to show up at the Great Spirit Arena. If they investigate further, they may trace back to this place and jeopardize your mission."

"Also, my movements within the Heaven Dou Empire will be greatly limited, hindering my growth and limiting the assistance I can provide you. Only with greater strength and powerful backing can I truly be of help to you."

Lu Yuan concluded, "Your plans are amazing, Sister Xue'er, but in my current state, I cannot fully contribute to its success."

He recognized that, although the plan against Yu Tianheng was a success, it was not a decisive factor in the grand scheme of things. After all, apart from Yu Tianheng, there were also other heirs of the Clan.

Only with enough strength or powerful backing, Lu Yuan might be able to cause real waves within the Heaven Dou Empire.

Qian Renxue could not refute his words; it was true that in this place she would only retain his growth.

Wasn't she herself an example? Even if she was the possessor of Seraphim, having to spend most of her time pretending to be the Crown Prince, her cultivation time was extremely limited, and even her battle experience was quite lacking.

Although reaching Spirit Ancestor at the age of 14 was currently the fastest speed in the entire continent, even surpassing the record set by Hu Liena in the original story. For Qian Renxue, who had awakened a God-Level Martial Soul with Rank 20 Innate Full Spirit Power, this was still pretty average.

"... I understand. A carriage will come for you in three days." Qian Renxue said, finally making up her mind.

"Three days later?" muttered Lu Yuan.

Qian Renxue's voice was barely above a whisper as she asked Lu Yuan a question that caught him off guard.

"When you leave... will you miss me?" Her words seemed to hang in the air, and she immediately regretted saying them.

Lu Yuan felt his heart skip. He had been trying to keep his emotions in check, knowing that he would have to leave eventually, but hearing her question made his emotions bubble to the surface.

"Of course, I'll miss you, Sister Xue'er," Lu Yuan replied with tender eyes, causing Qian Renxue's face to flush with embarrassment. She looked away, but in her heart, she felt a sense of joy, like she had tasted honey.

Although she had repeated to herself countless times that the boy in front of her was only six years old, nothing about him looked like a six-year-old!

So unconsciously, she had taken him for someone her own age.

Qian Renxue was very perceptive, with a wealth of life experiences. Living in the Heaven Dou Empire for five years had allowed her to become familiar with the deceptions of the world, honing her mentality and cunning to a first-class level.

Lu Yuan might be a child, but his mentality was not.

Over the past few months, the two of them had been communicating daily and a hidden, unbreakable bond had formed between them, only they both have their own reasons for not getting even closer, but as time goes by, this bond will bring them closer and closer.

"You are close to rank 20, right?" Qian Renxue asked, changing the topic.

Lu Yuan nodded. Just a few days ago, he had surpassed rank 18, and he was still only six years old. His talent was unmatched by anyone in the Spirit Hall, except for Qian Renxue, who was innately rank 20.

"Have you already thought about the Spirit Ring you're going to hunt?"

Lu Yuan didn't think much about it, he just smiled slightly and said, "I'm planning to find a Defensive Spirit Skill, so I should get some Spirit Beasts with strong defensive power."

"The Spirit Beast with the strongest defense should be the Xuanwu Turtle." Qian Renxue suggested with a faint smile.

"Hm!" Lu Yuan nodded, the Xuanwu Turtle was undoubtedly the best choice, but it would not be easy to find.

Because the Xuanwu Tortoise was a super Spirit Beast of the same level as the Titan Giant Ape, the Spirit Ring of such a spirit beast was naturally a supreme treasure, very difficult to find.

So, if he really couldn't find one, he had also considered some alternatives of a good level.

Lu Yuan mentioned the other options to her, and a hint of admiration surfaced on Qian Renxue's pretty face.

"Looks like you had already thought of that!" Qian Renxue spoke with a chuckle.

"That's for sure." Lu Yuan deliberately showed a smug look at Qian Renxue.

Having studied with Grandmaster since he was young, and although he now knew the truth about the origin of Grandmaster's information, the content in his books was still legitimate. Lu Yuan had basically read Grandmaster's entire collection during that time, in addition to the books shared with him by Qian Renxue, his current knowledge of spirit beasts could be said to be at the level of a scholar.

Sometimes, profound knowledge can also create a unique attraction, when Grand Master was able to attract Bibi Dong's attention, and even make her fall in love with him, wasn't it because he left an impression of wisdom on Bibi Dong?

But unlike Grand Master, who only had that to his credit, Lu Yuan, in addition to possessing profound knowledge, also possesses great strength, so his future charm will only increase.

Otherwise, if he was just a brute who only knew how to fight, it would not be enough for Qian Renxue to give him a second glance.

"So, I can trust you to choose the best Spirit Rings for me in the future?" Qian Renxue teased with a subtly flirtatious tone.

"I will make sure to pick the most appropriate Spirit Rings for you," Lu Yuan replied seriously, looking at her with affection.

What was happening to her today? Qian Renxue wondered; her heart was beating uncontrollably every time she met Lu Yuan's eyes.

Although she felt relaxed being by his side before, she had never felt this way.

And this stinky guy didn't seem to want to stop looking at her!

That affectionate gaze made her feel embarrassed to the extreme!

But at the same time, she didn't want him to stop.

Looking at Lu Yuan's eyes, Qian Renxue felt panic in her heart and changed the topic once again.

"B-By the way, other than this matter, there's something else I want to tell you."

"What is it?" Lu Yuan became interested.

"I'll find a Teacher for you!" a mysterious smile showed on Qian Renxue's face.

"Eh?"