Attractive

Xue Qinghe was just about to say something to probe for "information."

If possible, she also wanted to find a way to improve her soul power like this!

To go from Soul Sage to Titled Douluo in two months—if she could master such knowledge, why would she fear not unifying the world and bringing peace?

Suddenly, a surprised voice rang out, interrupting Xue Qinghe's thoughts.

"Huh, Mar... Lord Martial God!"

The three of them instinctively looked in the direction of the voice.

A group of elegant women, exuding a gentle, water-like aura, was staring at them in surprise.

They all had uniformly light blue hair and were dressed in various water-blue dresses. Just standing there, they were a beautiful sight.

"Skywater Academy…"

Zhongli and Xue Qinghe murmured simultaneously, but their expressions were different.

Xue Qinghe frowned, glancing at the group from Skywater Academy, then at Zhongli.

In the end, when she looked back at the Skywater group, a trace of disgust flickered deep in her eyes.

As the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe was well aware of the situation with Skywater Academy.

Recruiting female students with ice and water attributes was one thing.

But they only recruited beautiful women...

Their purpose might as well be written on their faces.

Upon graduation, almost all Skywater Academy students were eagerly sought after by noble lords. Even the heads of some powerful forces couldn't resist the charm of Skywater students.

Despite lacking any significant backing, with just a single Soul Douluo holding the fort, the academy had formed a vast network of connections through its graduates, who married into noble families, the empire's elite, and influential figures.

And, being students of Skywater Academy, they themselves were not weak soul masters either.

As long as the academy didn't do anything reckless to offend the two empires or the top three sects, its legacy would likely continue without interruption.

As for why Xue Qinghe was disgusted by these people, it was simple: she saw Shui Binger and the others as having the potential to be seductresses. Plus, there were just so many of them!

When it came to appearance, grace, and figure, Xue Qinghe was supremely confident she surpassed Shui Binger and the others.

But when it came to certain "skills," she might be somewhat lacking, as she hadn't been taught such things, unlike the students of Skywater Academy...

Zhongli, on the other hand, had different thoughts. He had simply recognized who they were—nothing more.

To Zhongli, judging someone's essence was about whether they honored their contracts, not whether they were cunning or "bad."

After all, the people of Liyue were not without their flaws, and there were some rather "notable" individuals among them.

For Zhongli, this was merely another reflection of the diversity of human nature.

The girl who had spoken blinked, muttering, "So handsome!"

Everyone was momentarily stunned, then fell silent.

Especially her companions who knew her well.

The one who spoke was none other than the easily lovestruck Shui Yue'er.

Shui Yue'er's personality was like this—when it came to people she fancied, she didn't care much about their strength; she simply liked those who were handsome and had charisma.

It was quite similar to how most men are drawn to beautiful women, simply for the pleasant sight, which brightens their mood.

Shui Binger, Xue Wu, and the others glanced at Shui Yue'er, somewhat helpless.

Last time, when they were at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, this sister thought that even Dai Mubai looked very handsome when he appeared on stage.

Even after Dai Mubai was defeated, her feelings hadn't changed much.

Of course, this was how she reacted to other handsome men as well.

"Greetings to Lord Martial God!"

The women snapped back to reality and hurriedly saluted Zhongli, then turned to Xue Qinghe.

"Greetings, Your Highness, Crown Prince!"

After the greetings, Shui Binger, a bit embarrassed, pulled Shui Yue'er behind her and said, "Apologies, Lord Martial God. Yue'er tends to speak without thinking. I hope she didn't disturb your peace..."

Shui Yue'er and Shui Binger were half-sisters. Shui Yue'er was slightly younger and was the younger sister.

Shui Binger couldn't help but protect her younger sister.

Shui Yue'er's behavior was somewhat inappropriate, much like a man flirting with a woman in public.

But don't think only men can flirt with women. Handsome men, like readers themselves, often get teased by women too—proof that women can be just as bold as men.

For people in the world of Douluo Dalu, especially given its feudal era setting, Shui Yue'er's lovestruck behavior indeed had some of that implication.

If the genders were swapped, the comments would skyrocket.

Ma Hongjun was one such representative.

At that moment, Shui Yue'er seemed to realize her mistake. She trembled, looking pitiable.

Zhongli, however, waved it off, not bothered by such things.

"Handsome?"

He had heard that many times.

"Reckless…"

Paimon muttered, scratching her head before saying, "Zhongli, that Yue'er girl who called you handsome—is she into guys like you?"

Just as Zhongli was about to say something, he swallowed his words.

After a moment, he spoke, "In general, humans have various ways of pursuing beautiful things."

"Perhaps in Yue'er's eyes, my appearance, aura, or strength contains something she finds appealing, which led her to instinctively compliment me."

"It's neither reckless nor thoughtless—just a subconscious act."

The group was stunned, looking at Zhongli in disbelief.

How could he explain something like that so seriously?

A subconscious human behavior?

The pursuit of beauty?

Shui Binger instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. No one really had anything to argue with Zhongli's words.

Liking someone often starts from such things, right?

Whether it's appearance, aura, strength, or background—there has to be some "spark" that draws someone in and gives them a reason to like the other person.

They never expected that not only was Zhongli powerful, but he was also so kind and approachable, which set him apart.

This was a mentality that other strong individuals didn't seem to have.

"Oh, so that's how it is!" Paimon nodded in sudden understanding, then continued, "So, Yue'er must like your appearance, huh?"

The girls' eyes twitched. How could this little one say such things so directly, and right in front of him?

What surprised them even more was Zhongli, who rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then seriously replied, "It seems so."

"From Yue'er's instinctive words, it's not hard to tell that she's likely more interested in my appearance."

"I see!"

"Isn't that what people call being shallow?"

Zhongli: "…"

Shui Yue'er: "…"

Well, "shallow" indeed!