Chapter 149: Heaven Dou Crown Prince "Xue Qinghe," Qian Renxue’s Astonishment
Chapter 149: Heaven Dou Crown Prince "Xue Qinghe," Qian Renxue’s Astonishment
Inside the bedroom.
Dugu Yan leaned her back against the door panel.
The wood’s chill seeped through her clothes, slightly cooling her feverish mind.
She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
Then she looked up ahead.
That pale green, translucent Light Screen was still hanging there, floating in the air about 1.8 meters off the ground.
Its edges shimmered with a faint glow, like ghost fire on a summer night.
Text was scrolling in the center of the screen, blurry and indistinct.
Dugu Yan stared at it for a full minute.
When did this thing appear?
Just a few seconds before Yu Tianheng’s confession.
It suddenly popped out, blocking her line of sight directly in front of her.
At the time, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, or that she was hallucinating from being too tired after her Cultivation.
But it hadn’t disappeared; it was still there even now.
"What on earth are you?!"
She spoke, her voice sounding somewhat abrupt in the quiet bedroom.
The Light Screen did not respond.
The text continued to scroll, blurry, as if seen through a layer of frosted glass.
Dugu Yan took two steps closer.
Getting closer, she could see that the words seemed to be some kind of... conversation?
...Heaven Dou Palace.
Emperor Xue Ye leaned against the dragon couch.
His face was as white as paper, with two dark circles under his eyes.
Even though it was only noon, he was already draped in a thick fur robe and held a hand warmer in his hands.
His voice was weak and airy; he had to stop and catch his breath after every few sentences.
He looked like he was terminally ill.
"Fengzhi."
He looked up at the man sitting opposite him, Ning Fengzhi, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Today, Ning Fengzhi wore a moon-white long robe made of crisp fabric, with the subtle pattern of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda embroidered on the cuffs.
He sat upright with his usual gentle smile on his face, but upon closer inspection, fatigue was hidden in the depths of his eyes.
"Your Majesty."
His voice was clear and bright, like the light chime of a jade bell.
"Regarding Spirit Hall..."
Emperor Xue Ye began to cough again, his shoulders trembling.
"They’ve been making more and more moves lately. The Spirit Cathedrals in the Balak Kingdom and the Sylves Kingdom are both being expanded."
He paused to catch his breath.
"I heard... the Spirit Master subsidies have been increased again."
Ning Fengzhi didn’t respond immediately.
He picked up the teacup beside him and lifted the lid; the steam rose, softening his features.
He blew on it and took a sip.
The tea was good, the Snow-top Silver Needle specially provided for the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
But as he drank it, it always felt bitter.
"They have been increased."
He set down the teacup, the porcelain clicking softly against the wooden table.
"The monthly subsidy is thirty percent higher than that of our Heaven Dou Empire. Low-level Spirit Masters only need to register at Spirit Hall to receive it."
"This is poaching our foundation!"
Emperor Xue Ye’s voice rose, triggering another bout of coughing.
An attendant nearby rushed forward to hand him a handkerchief; he waved them off, took it himself, and wiped the corners of his mouth.
"Please calm yourself, Your Majesty."
Ning Fengzhi’s tone was steady.
"Spirit Hall is wealthy and powerful with deep roots. By offering these resources, they can indeed attract a large number of independent Spirit Masters."
"Then what about us?"
Emperor Xue Ye stared at him.
"What should the Heaven Dou Empire do? Just stand by and watch?"
"..."
Ning Fengzhi remained silent.
Silence fell over the great hall.
Only Emperor Xue Ye’s suppressed wheezing and the distant, faint sound of the palace guard’s footsteps during their shift change outside could be heard.
"Unity."
Ning Fengzhi suddenly uttered two words.
"What?" Emperor Xue Ye didn’t hear clearly.
"Unite all the forces that can be united."
Ning Fengzhi looked up, his gaze sweeping over the young man standing with hands down at the side of the hall.
"For example, the Upper Three Sects. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and the Clear Sky Sect."
"..."
The young man standing there hadn’t spoken, merely watching everything with a cold eye.
Xue Qinghe.
The Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Emperor Xue Ye’s most valued son, and also Ning Fengzhi’s Disciple.
He wore a gold-patterned white robe befitting a Crown Prince, with a tall, straight posture and a handsome, gentle face; standing there, he was the very image of what an heir apparent should be.
Since entering the hall, he had been listening quietly.
Occasionally, he would refill his father’s tea or hand his teacher some snacks, his behavior so proper that no fault could be found.
Until Ning Fengzhi mentioned the Upper Three Sects.
Xue Qinghe’s fingers paused almost imperceptibly.
His hand, which was about to reach for the teapot, stopped mid-air for just a fraction of a second before naturally dropping back down.
The smile on his face didn’t change, even the curve of his lips remained perfectly measured.
"The Clear Sky Sect..."
Emperor Xue Ye smiled bitterly: "Since that incident with Tang Hao, how many years has it been since they sealed their sect? We can’t even see an Outer Sect Disciple, so how can we unite with them?"
"We must at least try,"
Ning Fengzhi said.
"And then there’s the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan; Yu Yuanzhen’s grandson, Yu Tianheng, from the younger generation of the Family, is also at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
"Yu Tianheng?"
Emperor Xue Ye thought for a moment.
"The one who confessed to the Poison Douluo’s granddaughter on the academy square today?"
"Yes."
Ning Fengzhi nodded.
"I heard he publicly confessed to Dugu Bo’s granddaughter, Dugu Yan, but was rejected."
Emperor Xue Ye shook his head: "Young people..."
He didn’t finish his sentence.
Xue Qinghe, standing to the side, suddenly had a change in expression.
It was a very subtle change.
The gentle smile still hung on his face, but the pool of calm water in the depths of his eyes seemed to have a stone thrown into it, causing sudden ripples.
His eyelashes fluttered, his back tensed for a moment, and then he immediately relaxed.
It was so fast that one might have thought it was an illusion.
"Father, Teacher."
Xue Qinghe suddenly spoke, his voice still as gentle and proper as ever.
"I suddenly feel a bit unwell and would like to excuse myself to rest for a moment."
Emperor Xue Ye was stunned for a second.
"Unwell? Weren’t you fine just now?"
"Perhaps it’s because I handled too many affairs last night and feel a bit dizzy."
Xue Qinghe raised a hand to rub his temples, his movements natural.
"It’s no matter; I’ll be fine after a short rest."
"Then go and rest quickly."
Emperor Xue Ye waved his hand.
"Health is important. Do we need to call the imperial physician?"
"There is no need to trouble them."
Xue Qinghe bowed in salute.
"I shall take my leave."
He turned and walked out.
His steps were steady, and even the curve of his robe brushing against the floor was orderly.
But Ning Fengzhi noticed that his fingers, hanging at his side, were slightly curled inward.
That was a subconscious habit of his Disciple when he was nervous.
Emperor Xue Ye looked away and sighed, "Qinghe is just too hardworking; he always stays up late handling government affairs and won’t listen to advice."
Ning Fengzhi smiled gently, "Qinghe is indeed a diligent child."
...Xue Qinghe didn’t return to the East Palace.
He left the palace directly and boarded the Crown Prince’s carriage.
As soon as the carriage curtain was lowered, the gentle and weary expression on his face instantly fell away.
His gaze turned cold, like a layer of ice had formed.
"Return to the manor."
He instructed the outside, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Take the fastest route."
The driver responded, and the carriage wheels rolled over the stone road, moving thirty percent faster than usual... Xue Qinghe—or rather, Qian Renxue—leaned against the inner wall of the carriage.
She pressed her fingers against her brow, pressing so hard her knuckles turned white.
Before her eyes, that Light Screen was still there.
It hadn’t disappeared since it suddenly popped up in the great hall earlier.
Floating in mid-air, translucent.
Qian Renxue’s heart hammered in her chest, once, and then again.
Having lurked in the Heaven Dou Empire for so many years, she lived in the heart of the enemy with this face and this identity.
Acting every day, weighing every word, and calculating the angle of every smile.
She had experienced assassinations and dealt with suspicion.
She had even personally dealt with several close imperial officials who suspected her identity.
But none of those times had made her scalp tingle like this.
What kind of Spirit Ability was this?
An illusion? Mental interference? Or some kind of ability that had never been recorded?
It seemed that neither Emperor Xue Ye nor Ning Fengzhi had noticed it.
(End of Chapter)
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