Chapter 155: Teasing Qian Renxue
The news of the royal prison's jailbreak spread quickly throughout Heaven Dou City, and soon every team participating in the Spirit Master Tournament heard about it.
However, the incident did not cause much public uproar. Under Xue Qinghe's orders, the royal family's power swiftly suppressed any rumors.
No one apart from a select few knew what exactly had happened within the prison or how severe the situation was.
To be fair, as Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe handled the matter deftly—so much so that Emperor Xue Ye was quite pleased.
Inside the Crown Prince's residence, Xue Qinghe read the intelligence reports with quiet satisfaction.
Of course, she already knew who was truly responsible for the jailbreak, but following Luo Ling's prior instructions, she did not publicly name the culprit.
A notebook sat on her desk—Yu Xiaogang's notebook, found at the scene. That alone would be enough to silence him completely.
Glancing down at the notes, she felt a flicker of surprise. She was certain Yu Xiaogang could not have been foolish enough to leave behind something so incriminating.
And yet, she had discovered it at the prison site—clearly Luo Ling's doing.
"You seem quite pleased with yourself," a hollow voice suddenly said from behind her.
Xue Qinghe's entire body tensed. She spun around instantly.
There, standing before her, was a familiar figure—silver hair, crimson eyes. Luo Ling.
When she recognized him, she exhaled slightly in relief—but irritation quickly replaced her calm.
"Has no one ever told you that breaking into someone's home uninvited is incredibly rude?" she snapped.
Luo Ling merely shrugged, unfazed, and said with a soft chuckle, "Can you drop the disguise? I have no interest in speaking to you looking like that."
His words left Xue Qinghe momentarily stunned, and her anger flared hotter than before.
Summoning her Six-Winged Angel spirit, her disguise melted away.
"You wanted to see me?" she said coldly. "Then take a good look!"
As her transformation completed, Qian Renxue in her true form glared furiously, summoning the Holy Sword and stabbing toward Luo Ling in wrath.
But Luo Ling didn't dodge.
Just as the sacred blade was about to pierce him, Qian Renxue felt an immense force restrain her weapon midair, locking it in place.
"There's no need for such temper," Luo Ling said lightly. "It's only natural to appreciate beauty. I was merely offering a compliment—you should be flattered, not angry."
He gently nudged the Holy Sword aside and sat down in a nearby chair with a smirk.
Outside, Porcupinefish Douluo, alarmed by the noise, rushed inside. Upon seeing Qian Renxue and Luo Ling together, he froze, unsure what to say.
"My lord…" he began awkwardly.
Regaining her composure, Qian Renxue shot Luo Ling a venomous glare before dismissing Porcupinefish Douluo. "It's fine, Uncle Cixue. You don't need to bother with this… man."
The elder hesitated briefly, then retreated, closing the door behind him and leaving only the two of them inside.
"What are you here for this time?" Qian Renxue asked sharply, trying to steady her voice.
Seeing that she had set aside her weapon, Luo Ling smiled faintly. "I heard you've been working hard, hiding in Heaven Dou City all these years. I thought I'd help you out—get rid of Xue Beng."
He sighed dramatically. "But since you don't seem to welcome me, I suppose I'll just leave."
He rose to his feet, as if ready to go.
Qian Renxue blinked in surprise.
Getting rid of Xue Beng would indeed secure her succession, but almost every other prince had already died mysteriously—leaving only her and him.
That alone made her position precarious. If anything happened to Xue Beng now, everyone would assume Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had murdered all her rivals to claim the throne.
"What are you planning? Xue Beng can't die yet!" Qian Renxue said quickly.
Killing him was easy. Cleaning up afterward was the real problem.
Luo Ling stopped, tilting his head curiously. "When did I say anything about killing Xue Beng?"
Qian Renxue paused. "Didn't you say you'd help me get rid of him?"
He nodded. "Exactly. I said I'd get rid of him. I never said kill."
"Then how do you get rid of Xue Beng without killing him?" she asked, confused.
Luo Ling grinned but offered no answer.
Qian Renxue instantly recognized that look. He was deliberately waiting for her to yield.
Grinding her teeth, she glared at him for a long moment before saying, "Fine. How do you plan to deal with him without killing him?"
"Is that how you ask for a favor?" Luo Ling arched a brow in amusement.
"What do you want?" Qian Renxue bit her lip, tense.
Luo Ling's eyes drifted over her, openly assessing her beauty, making her stiff with discomfort.
Whether it was fate or his spirit's influence, Luo Ling couldn't help but feel a strange, possessive desire toward her—a temptation to drag that noble, holy being into darkness.
He enjoyed teasing her for that very reason.
After a few seconds, he smiled devilishly. "I'll help you remove Xue Beng. In return, you'll owe me one favor. Deal?"
He hadn't made any obscene demand—just sought her promise.
Though deeply intrigued by her, Luo Ling prided himself on being a gentleman. Some pursuits required patience.
Qian Renxue eyed him warily. She could clearly sense the predatory undercurrent in his gaze.
From their first meeting, she had sensed obsession in the way he looked at her—nothing but a lecher's fixation, she thought bitterly.
"I'll grant you one favor," she said coldly. "But if what you ask is excessive, I will refuse."
"Don't worry," Luo Ling smiled faintly. "I wouldn't dream of forcing such indecent things upon you."
"So can you finally tell me how you'll deal with Xue Beng?" she pressed.
Luo Ling sat back down, pouring himself a cup of tea from her pot as if it were his own.
Watching him use her teacup so casually made Qian Renxue's brows twitch, but she said nothing.
After taking a sip, Luo Ling smiled lazily. "Tell me, Your Highness—how do you think your disguise as Xue Qinghe has held up?"
Caught off guard, Qian Renxue frowned. "Is there something wrong with it? Everyone in Heaven Dou City knows the Crown Prince as gentle and humble. Other than keeping my distance from women, no one sees a flaw."
Her lips curved in faint pride.
Luo Ling merely shook his head. "You think you're perfect?"
"There's no such thing as a flawless person in this world."
Qian Renxue blinked, unsure what he meant.
"The more perfect you appear," Luo Ling said softly, "the more wary Emperor Xue Ye becomes of you. He's not ready to abdicate, yet you've built the image of an ideal heir. What do you think he'll do?"
"He'll fear that the nobles will pledge their loyalty to you—while you're still only a crown prince. That's why he allows Xue Beng to compete with you."
(END CHAPTER)
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