Chapitre 311: Chapter 311: Su Ming’s Subtle Teasing, Qian Renxue Contemplates Giving Up

Qian Renxue maintained her princely composure, smiling politely. "Su Ming, I had hoped to meet you sooner, but it seems every time you returned, you had other obligations. It's quite unfortunate."

"When I heard about Xue Beng's rudeness toward your companions, I wanted to apologize on his behalf. How could he be so disrespectful to such talents as yourselves!"

Su Ming listened, unfazed, and gave Qian Renxue an amused look. He wasn't buying her words at all. If Qian Renxue truly cared about Xue Beng's offense, she would've extended an apology to Tang San and his friends in the original story as well.

Su Ming shook his head slightly. "Your Highness, let's not beat around the bush. I don't believe you're here to apologize for Xue Beng's actions. You're both rivals, aren't you? I apologize if this comes across as disrespectful."

While he said this as if he were apologizing, Su Ming didn't actually think he was being disrespectful. The person before him was Qian Renxue in disguise, and royal family affairs were irrelevant to her. Her only concern was her ultimate goal.

Qian Renxue paused, realizing that Su Ming likely wouldn't speak to Xue Beng about her intentions, nor would he openly support Spirit Hall. She decided to be frank. "Fine, I admit it. Apologizing for Xue Beng was just an excuse to meet you."

Su Ming raised an eyebrow, intrigued not because this surprised him, but because it was unusual for Qian Renxue to abandon her usual mask as the courteous Crown Prince.

"Oh? That's not the sort of thing I'd expect His Highness to say. But honesty suits you. Why do you want to get to know me?"

Qian Renxue smiled, replying, "Naturally, I hope to recruit you. Your talent at your age is unmatched across the continent. I have a genuine appreciation for such gifts. If you and your companions join the Heaven Dou royal family, I'll provide you with any resources you need."

Su Ming, as expected, politely declined. "Thank you, Your Highness, but I'm not inclined to join the Heaven Dou Empire. Perhaps in the future, I may reconsider."

He wasn't about to burn any bridges outright, especially not in the imperial palace.

Then, glancing at Qian Renxue, he couldn't resist probing her further. "Your Highness, are you sure you want me to pledge my loyalty to the Heaven Dou Empire? Once I'm loyal to a cause, I don't back down. If the empire faces trouble down the line, I'd feel obligated to help. Are you certain about that?"

He fixed his gaze on Qian Renxue, watching for her reaction.

Qian Renxue: …

To anyone else, Su Ming's words would seem ideal—a man pledging unwavering loyalty to the empire. But Qian Renxue understood his underlying message: he would serve the empire, but not her personally. If Heaven Dou Empire faced an enemy force, he would defend it.

His words indirectly pointed to Spirit Hall without mentioning it directly. How was she supposed to respond? Agreeing would risk alienating him from Spirit Hall, where she wanted him to end up. But declining would be just as problematic given her role as Crown Prince!

Still hopeful, Qian Renxue asked, "Couldn't you just swear allegiance to me alone?"

Su Ming shook his head. "Sorry, Your Highness. I'm only loyal to causes, not individuals. You're a noble person, and I'd prefer to be friends."

Qian Renxue's expression stiffened as she noticed Su Ming's teasing grin. Ugh! This is maddening! I don't want to keep up this act anymore!

Now that her own doubts were out of the way, Qian Renxue didn't feel as compelled to succeed in this task as before. Su Ming's True Vision had exposed her identity, and his constant teasing had her thinking she should just reveal herself. After observing him through the diary for six or seven years, she felt she knew him well.

Besides, showing him my real face could be an advantage, she mused, recalling how stunned he'd been earlier. She felt confident her true appearance would impress him.

Letting out a sigh, Qian Renxue relaxed. She was ten years older than Su Ming. Why should I let a kid get the best of me?

Then, she looked directly at Su Ming and said calmly, "Forget it. Don't bother joining Heaven Dou."

Su Ming looked genuinely surprised. "Your Highness, you're a member of the royal family. Are you serious?"

Qian Renxue replied, "Yes, I am. I want loyal followers, not people bound to an empire. If my goals ever conflicted with the empire's, who would you side with?"

Su Ming: …

Seeing his stunned reaction, Qian Renxue finally felt she'd gotten a bit of payback.

"Besides, you're already close to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and they support the Heaven Dou Empire. Isn't that enough to imply you're on their side?"

Su Ming shrugged. "I get along well with them because of my relationship with Rongrong, the clan's successor. Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is, after all, her family."

While their conversation seemed ordinary on the surface, it was clear there was much more beneath the polite exchange.

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Chapitre 312: Chapter 312: Qian Renxue Reveals Her True Form, Stunning Su Ming

Su Ming's tone suddenly shifted as he fixed his gaze on Qian Renxue. "But, as the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, would you really make a choice that could harm the royal family?"

"If you were to choose the first option, I swear by my integrity that I would be unwaveringly loyal to the Heaven Dou Empire, ready to come to its aid if ever in crisis."

"After all, you're the Crown Prince—the heir to the throne. Why would you choose otherwise?"

In truth, Su Ming was betting on Qian Renxue's decision, confident that as a secret agent for Spirit Hall, she'd be reluctant to bind herself by making him and his talented friends enemies of Spirit Hall. His goal was to prompt her to reveal herself; continuing to interact with her solely as the male 'Xue Qinghe' would make it difficult to foster genuine rapport.

Su Ming's ultimate objective in approaching Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was to get closer to Qian Renxue and subtly signal his openness to joining Spirit Hall after the Soul Master Tournament. Though this might be seen as disloyal to Heaven Dou Academy, he felt it didn't qualify as a betrayal since the academy's resources were trivial compared to his and his team's actual capabilities. Besides, as long as their team excelled in the tournament, the academy—and the royal family—would gain honor.

To Qian Renxue, Su Ming's constant probing was infuriating, yet she couldn't help but smirk to herself. Fine, she thought. She'd reveal her identity if that was what it took to keep him guessing. After all, his weakness for beauty played right into her hands.

With a slight smile, Qian Renxue raised her hand, using her spirit power to close the doors and windows. "You're so curious, aren't you? Do you have the courage to follow me inside?"

Without waiting for an answer, she turned toward her chambers. Su Ming, intrigued, followed her in, curious to see what she had in mind.

As he entered her quarters, Su Ming glanced around. It was surprisingly simple, without much decoration, giving a minimalistic, almost austere feel.

"Your Highness, will you finally explain?" he asked, keeping his tone steady as he studied her.

Qian Renxue gave him a cryptic smile. "No rush. You'll see in a moment."

Her words caught him off guard, especially because her voice had shifted. She was speaking in her natural, feminine tone, which he found unexpectedly pleasant.

Amused by his reaction, Qian Renxue couldn't help but feel triumphant. She had finally thrown him off balance.

A radiant holy light suddenly enveloped Qian Renxue, obscuring her from his view. Su Ming watched in fascination, sensing she was deactivating her spirit bone's disguise to reveal her true form. He couldn't help but wonder how she managed to maintain her transformation so seamlessly.

Within moments, her swan spirit gave way to a celestial six-winged angel, her features transformed to their natural state, imbued with a sense of divinity. Up close, Su Ming noticed the uncanny resemblance between her and the six-winged angel spirit.

Before him now stood the real Qian Renxue, draped in a gold gown, simple yet elegant, with a high collar concealing her ivory neck. Her long, golden hair cascaded down her back, framing her serene face, punctuated by a single angelic mark on her forehead—a symbol of her bond with the Angel God and the reason her innate soul power had reached an unprecedented level twenty at birth.

Su Ming's eyes drifted up to meet her golden gaze, and for a few heartbeats, they held each other's gaze. Qian Renxue's beauty and serenity were captivating, far more enchanting up close than he had anticipated.

After a moment, she smiled softly, a smile that was neither seductive nor teasing but so effortlessly graceful it seemed almost supernatural. Su Ming felt momentarily entranced, caught in the allure of her flawless beauty and alabaster skin.

She watched him with satisfaction, pleased with the effect she was having on him. Su Ming had been unfazed even when his True Vision had revealed her identity. But now, free of her disguise, she could sense that her appearance and presence were truly having an impact.

"Su Ming," she said gently, her voice a soft melody, "what do you think? Now that you've seen my true form, how do you feel?"

Her words snapped him out of his daze, and he silently chastised himself for losing his composure. You're surrounded by beautiful women, Su Ming! Get a grip!

But he couldn't deny it—those internet polls from his previous life hadn't lied. Qian Renxue truly was stunning, and her elegance was unparalleled.

With his wits recovered, Su Ming was now wary. Qian Renxue's beauty might be striking, but he was well aware of her shrewd nature. After all, it took a person of substantial skill and cunning to operate as an agent in the Heaven Dou royal family for as long as she had.

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