Hearing Gu Xuan's words, Xue Qinghe's brow furrowed. 'Fallen in love again? You've already gotten engaged to two girls, and now you've found another?'
She knew Gu Xuan was a bit of a "lover of beauty"—after all, he had won over Dugu Yan within a month of entering the school, and less than a year later, he was engaged to Ye Lingling. But she hadn't expected him to fall in love yet again, let alone confess it so directly to her. If she weren't currently restricted by her undercover identity, Qian Renxue would have loved to reveal her true self just to show Gu Xuan what a "perfect woman" actually looked like, so he would stop being led astray by "crooked melons and split dates."
On the surface, however, Xue Qinghe showed little reaction. She glanced up at Gu Xuan. "I heard... you've already settled your engagements with two girls. What's the situation now?" She continued in a serious, earnest tone. "Xiao Xuan, you're only fifteen. Your focus should be on cultivation; you shouldn't let these women steal your soul away."
At this, Gu Xuan's smile faded slightly. "Big brother, what kind of person do you take me for? This is purely a sincere appreciation of beauty. Besides, even though I'm engaged to Yan'er and Lingling, we've only progressed to the stage of holding hands. At most, we've shared a few kisses when the moment felt right. We haven't done anything else!"
"You have no idea—I'm at that age where the blood runs hot, and Grandpa is already badgering me for great-grandchildren. Add to that the fact that Yan'er and Lingling are so devoted to me... do you know how much pressure I'm under? Sigh, why must I endure such pain at my age?"
Gu Xuan was spouting pure nonsense, but he performed it with such vivid emotion that Xue Qinghe actually believed him. Since she had witnessed him confess to Dugu Yan in this very garden and seen them kiss, the fact that he admitted to "at most kissing" made it seem more credible to her.
For some reason, hearing that Gu Xuan had kept his "purity" and hadn't fully given himself away yet caused a small, faint spark of happiness to rise within her heart. She could also somewhat empathize with the struggle of self-restraint; after all, enduring those feelings required not just willpower, but a grueling amount of time.
Gu Xuan continued. "Remember when you told me about the Angel successor? I actually met her this time."
Xue Qinghe froze for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat. Gu Xuan had indeed seen her in her true form, but why was he bringing it up? Could his "next love interest" be her? Her heart began to race inexplicably. She tried to tell herself she only saw him as a "younger brother," but what use was that thought now?
"Oh? I heard the Angel lineage only has one successor left, and they haven't appeared on the continent for nearly a decade," Xue Qinghe said, suppressing the strange flutter in her chest and striving to remain calm.
However, every shift in her expression was perfectly clear to Gu Xuan. As the saying goes, the person involved is confused, while the onlooker sees clearly. Gu Xuan leaned closer to her ear and whispered. "Big brother, I'm telling you, I really saw her. She had two Titled Douluos as guards. She was already a six-ring Soul Emperor, and I bet she's broken through to Soul Saint by now."
"I wasn't going to tell anyone this secret, but since we're talking about it, I won't hold back with you."
Qian Renxue's first instinct wasn't to worry that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan knew her identity, nor was it to silence Gu Xuan. Instead, her heart grew even more restless. She was beginning to suspect that she was the one Gu Xuan was talking about. After all, he had given her a long, deep look when he left with Gu Rong. At the time, she feared her disguise had failed, but her transformation came from a God-grade spirit bone; even a Titled Douluo couldn't see through it, let alone Gu Xuan.
Looking back at that gaze now, she realized the brat had likely been harboring "ill intentions" toward her from the start. She cursed him inwardly. 'Little lecher!' Yet, she also felt a surge of confidence in her own beauty and talent. If a single glance could make him feel "in love," then surely his hatred for her wouldn't be so great once she revealed her true self?
Moreover, while Gu Xuan might have kissed Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, he had grown up "whispering in her ear." During their childhood naps, he had even used her arm as a pillow several times. In this contest, the advantage was clearly hers!
"The Angel successor... was a woman?" Xue Qinghe asked, her thoughts swirling.
The moment she spoke, Gu Xuan draped an arm over her shoulder, his chest leaning in close as he whispered against her ear. "Big brother is smart. That girl looked to be around the same age as Yan'er, but she had a different kind of beauty. It struck my heart instantly. It's a pity she's from Spirit Hall and an Angel successor; I didn't get a chance to speak to her, so I don't even know her name."
Xue Qinghe's face flushed, though it was hidden by her disguise. However, her ear was burning hot. 'It really is me! This brat is coveting my beauty! I'm your big brother... wait, I'm your big sister!' she shouted internally.
Before she could respond, Gu Xuan continued. "It's a shame. Such a beauty is so far away, and I don't know if she'd mind that I'm already engaged. If she were willing to marry me, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would be happy to unite with Spirit Hall in marriage!"
Gu Xuan seemed to be venting idly, but he was using the opportunity to feed this information directly to her. Qian Renxue was momentarily stunned. Unite in marriage? You certainly dream big! Yet, she also saw this as a genuine opportunity to recruit the Clan.
She suppressed her agitation. "You can make decisions for the Clan? And are you trying to betray my Heaven Dou Empire? I'm warning you, that line of thinking is dangerous! Besides, you're already engaged; do you really think she wouldn't mind?"
Immediately after saying it, she regretted her tone. From the perspective of "Prince Xue Qinghe," the words were fine, but from her own perspective, wasn't she just pushing Gu Xuan away?
Gu Xuan replied smoothly. "Big brother, what are you saying? I could never forget how you've spoiled me since I was a kid. I was just musing. Think about it—a woman who hit Soul Saint in her early twenties and is that stunningly beautiful... besides me, who else on this continent is worthy of her?"
"Though, honestly, my gaze was so obvious, and she didn't even try to call me back. That's her loss!"
Xue Qinghe scoffed internally. 'Arrogant brat!'
The two continued to chat, with Gu Xuan quietly leaking the information he wanted Spirit Hall to have. Because they were whispering so closely, the hidden Snake Lance and Porcupine Fish couldn't hear a word, which left them deeply frustrated.
It wasn't until evening that Gu Xuan finally left the garden, leaving a pensive Xue Qinghe behind. 'This kid is interested in me? I am as beautiful as a flower and as stunning as a goddess!' Having never been praised like that before, her heart remained far from calm, to the point where she lost track of time.
As night fell, Snake Lance noticed his Young Lord was still sitting there with an occasional smile. He eventually stepped out to remind her. "Young Lord, it's time to return to the palace."
Xue Qinghe snapped out of it. "Uncle Yu, what do you think of this boy, Gu Xuan?"
Snake Lance gave an objective assessment. "Intelligent and gifted with a promising future. If he cannot become an asset to Spirit Hall, it would be best to nip him in the bud early."
Xue Qinghe's expression gradually became calm. "Uncle Yu, do not mention that again. I already have a way to recruit him."
Hearing this, Snake Lance felt even more certain that his secret letter to the High Priest was the right move. In the shadows, Porcupine Fish gave him a silent thumbs-up.
(End of Chapter)
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