Chapter 57 "Running Towards Each Other", Invisible Overthinking is the Most Fatal
Facing the praise, even Xue Qinghe, whose shrewdness had long been tempered deep enough, could not help but be influenced by it.
With a modest smile and a humble tone, she spoke: "You flatter me; this is the quality every prince should possess."
Tang Shan didn't blush at all for his flattery. For his future and to shake off the recruitment of other princes, he could be said to have exhausted his schemes.
"Forgive this humble one's lack of insight, but I do not know which prince I am facing?"
Tang Shan asked, his words full of respect.
Xue Qinghe carefully looked at the youth before her. He was over 1.7 meters tall, slightly taller than herself, with a sturdy build and the faint outlines of muscles visible under his clothes.
"Young Lord, this person's Physical Body is extraordinary, and his blood Qi is as vigorous and powerful as a Spirit Beast."
Snake Lance Douluo's voice rang in Xue Qinghe's ear, making her increasingly interested in Tang Shan.
"I am the First Prince, Xue Qinghe."
Hearing the answer, Tang Shan felt a bit surprised. Although he had guessed it when he recognized the other's status as a prince, he hadn't been certain.
After all, in the original work, the Second Prince and Third Prince were both poisoned to death around the age of ten, and the book had no specific descriptions of them. The person before him was elegant and humble, and although he fit the physical description of Xue Qinghe perfectly, he never dared to be certain.
In his view, even if he didn't join the First Prince, among the princes, the Fourth Prince Xue Beng was much more reliable than the Second Prince and Third Prince. The latter two likely wouldn't live long, while the Fourth Prince Xue Beng showed more endurance after his brothers' deaths, with Prince Xue Xin and Dugu Bo backing him. In terms of venture capital, betting on the Fourth Prince was more stable than the Second or Third.
Now that the best investment target was standing right in front of him, how could Tang Shan not be excited.
He took a deep breath, forcibly calming his somewhat jumping Spirits, and bowed again: "Greetings, First Prince."
He secretly comforted himself that bowing wasn't shameful. Who knew what their relationship would be in the future? Perhaps she would become the "Heaven Dou Empress" one day; it was good to get used to such etiquette in advance.
Xue Qinghe reached out to stop Tang Shan's movement.
"There's no need to be so formal. You've already bowed before; there's no need to do it again."
As Xue Qinghe spoke, a slight tremor of excitement also rose in her heart, and an unlikely guess quietly surfaced in her mind.
"I seem to have seen you. Were you standing at the second-floor window of a shop this morning?"
Xue Qinghe's words were gentle, carrying a natural affinity that made people let down their guard.
Tang Shan's thoughts were spinning a thousand times, constantly pondering how to reply. Perhaps the following exchange would determine whether he could latch onto this big thigh and, more importantly, determine the cultivation resources he could obtain for a long time to come.
One wanted to get close, and the other wanted to be found; it could truly be called running towards each other.
"That's right, Your Highness, we did indeed meet this morning."
Tang Shan thought for a moment and gave a response.
He wasn't in a hurry to show his intention to join. After all, those who offer themselves up proactively are often not cherished, just as a simp never has a good ending.
"I remember there seemed to be two other people by your side at that time. One of them is the Lone Wolf Spirit Master currently competing on the Spirit Fight stage. Do you know them?"
Xue Qinghe feigned curiosity, pretending to ask casually.
Tang Shan hesitated for a moment and slowly nodded.
"That is my eldest brother."
He paused, and without waiting for Xue Qinghe to ask further, he proactively revealed the information she wanted to know: "The other person is my father."
"Your eldest brother's talent is very high; he actually managed to achieve a thousand-year spirit ring as his second ring."
Xue Qinghe took the opportunity to test him.
"Not really. My eldest brother's Innate Soul Power is only Rank 3; he has no talent to speak of."
Tang Shan feigned a somewhat puzzled expression.
Xue Qinghe's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing something was wrong. She carefully looked the youth up and down. He looked only about ten years old; even if he wasn't very shrewd, he shouldn't be so easily baited into talking.
Her eyes flashed, as if she suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, I haven't asked you yet, what is your name?"
"My name is Tang Shan."
"Tang Shan?"
Xue Qinghe murmured the name softly and continued to probe: "Since your eldest brother's talent is mediocre, how did he manage to condense a thousand-year spirit ring as his second ring?"
Tang Shan's answer didn't require any thought and was exceptionally straightforward: "He just kept exercising his body. He practiced for several years straight, and then he could absorb a thousand-year spirit ring."
The corner of Xue Qinghe's mouth twitched slightly, and she secretly complained: Is he trying to fool me like a child? The limit of spirit ring years that can be increased by exercising is barely anything. If it were really that simple, the continent would be full of Spirit Masters with thousand-year second rings by now.
But to avoid alerting the enemy, she chose to skip the spirit ring issue and turned to inquire about the Self-Created Soul Skill: "Then where did your eldest brother learn the Self-Created Soul Skill he used?"
"He researched it himself. Isn't it powerful?"
Tang Shan's answer almost made Xue Qinghe lose her composure. Self-Created Soul Skills were not that easy. Saying he researched it himself was simply impossible.
After failing to get any useful information through repeated probing, Xue Qinghe decided to stop beating around the bush and first trick this father and sons into her service.
"I would like to invite you to join my service. I wonder if you are willing?"
Xue Qinghe had already made up her mind. Regardless of whether these two had anything to do with the Grandmaster, she had to get them under her command. If the soft approach didn't work, she would use force.
"I need to consider it. After all, my father is a member of the Spirit Hall, and I'm not sure if there are any restrictions on us in that regard."
Xue Qinghe, who was about to signal the two Titled Douluo to prepare for force, suddenly came to a dead stop.
"You are from the Spirit Hall?"
Xue Qinghe was full of astonishment and confirmed with Tang Shan again.
"Yes. My old man used to be a Hall Master of the Spirit Hall. We are only resting in Iron Wall City temporarily and will head to Heaven Dou City in a few days. My old man is going to take up a post at the Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City."
A look of regret appeared on Xue Qinghe's face, and her tone carried a hint of disappointment: "Is that so? That's quite a pity then."
Since they were already from the Spirit Hall, she felt there was no need to forcibly recruit them. They weren't some true geniuses, and the Spirit Hall's resources were enough to support their growth.
To maintain her persona as a First Prince who thirsted for talent, Xue Qinghe added one last sentence, both showing her attitude and hiding a hint: "By the way, how old are you this year, and what is your spirit power Rank? If you are talented enough, it's not impossible for me to negotiate with the Spirit Hall to take you. When you join our Heaven Dou Empire, you definitely won't lack cultivation resources."
These words seemed like a gesture of goodwill, but in reality, they meant that it wasn't that she, the First Prince, was afraid of the Spirit Hall, but rather that your talent wasn't enough to justify the Heaven Dou Empire coming into conflict with the Spirit Hall to recruit you.
"I am seven years old this year, and my spirit power has just reached Rank 19."
Thud!
In a dark corner, Porcupinefish Douluo suddenly stumbled, nearly falling and exposing his location. Fortunately, Snake Lance Douluo was quick and grabbed him.
"Holy crap, this kid is only seven? Even if he said he was seventeen, I'd believe it."
"Could he be fooling the Young Lord? With this appearance and physique, saying he's seven is just too unreasonable."
Hearing Porcupinefish Douluo's complaint, Snake Lance Douluo's face was also full of astonishment.
The two Titled Douluo tacitly ignored Tang Shan's high spirit power Rank of 19 and instead subconsciously focused all their attention on Tang Shan's age.
Xue Qinghe was clearly also shocked by this answer. Her mouth opened slightly, and her usual elegant composure dissipated quite a bit, instead highlighting a bit of charming naivety.
Tang Shan was startled by the thought that suddenly popped into his head. Even though he knew Xue Qinghe was a girl inside, her current appearance was clearly that of a young man. To actually find her charmingly naive—had he awakened some strange attribute?
One side doubted their ears, while the other doubted their mind. The scene instantly fell into a strange silence.
Xue Qinghe was the first to snap out of it. She managed to force an awkward yet polite smile: "Tang Shan, did you say it backwards? It should be nineteen years old with a spirit power Rank of 7, right?"
"That makes sense. It seems this Tang Shan might really have something wrong with his head. No wonder it was so easy for the Young Lord to bait him earlier."
Porcupinefish Douluo came to a sudden realization, then frowned again, puzzled: "But I always feel like something isn't quite right."
Snake Lance Douluo stroked his chin, his expression somewhat uncertain. After a moment, he suddenly reacted: "Right, it's his physical fitness that's not right!"
Snake Lance Douluo finally found the abnormality. Even if he didn't know exactly how old Tang Shan was, the terrifying blood Qi in his body, which even a Titled Douluo could clearly perceive, was a major problem in itself. Let alone eighteen, even at the Peak state of the human body in one's twenties, it was absolutely impossible to have such vigorous blood Qi.
Snake Lance Douluo told his guess to Xue Qinghe, causing her expression to undergo a subtle change instantly.
"I really am only seven years old, and my spirit power is indeed Rank 19."
Tang Shan's certain expression, combined with Snake Lance Douluo's guess, caused the thought that Xue Qinghe had suppressed to rise again.
"What is your Spirit?"
Xue Qinghe's voice was still gentle, but even she didn't notice a very slight tremor in her tone, and her heart was accelerating for some unknown reason.
"My Spirit is a Body... a Body Martial Soul."
Tang Shan didn't know why this "Miss Angel" before him suddenly reacted this way, but since things had come to this point, he could only continue. He answered truthfully according to the explanation he had prepared in his heart.
With the foundation of the Body Martial Soul, plus his eldest brother's previous foil, saying he was the Grandmaster's Disciple later would likely be more persuasive. Then, by showing his thousand-year first ring, joining Xue Qinghe's service would most likely be a sure thing.
While Tang Shan felt a hint of confidence, Xue Qinghe's side had already been thrown into an uproar.
Her voice, filled with unknown excitement, fear, or anticipation, rang in the ears of the two Douluos, Snake Lance and Porcupinefish. The information it contained made them even more lightheaded.
"Two uncles, I might have found the Grandmaster's Disciple. Yes, what could prove the teacher's achievements more than cultivating a Body Martial Soul that the entire continent looks down upon? I suspect the Grandmaster might be hidden in the shadows. Uncles, try to release your perception to investigate, but don't force it if you can't detect anything."
1
That Grandmaster, who was at least at the Super Douluo level, was actually hidden around them?
Hearing Xue Qinghe's transmission, the two Titled Douluos' scalps tingled and their expressions changed slightly. They could only carefully spread out their mental force, fearing they would anger that reclusive Grandmaster and be turned to dust with a single palm.
PS: I don't know if any readers feel that Qian Renxue's performance is a bit exaggerated. This humble author will briefly explain here. Since she started to Cultivate as a child, she has been influenced by the "Grandmaster's" theories. It can be said that besides her grandfather and parents, the Grandmaster's influence on her life has been equally immense. Furthermore, Bibi Dong's previous "scamming the Grandmaster" act caused the status of Bibi Dong and the Grandmaster to change drastically in her heart, so her performance in this chapter is not exaggerated. If that's not enough, everyone can refer to the status of Dongfang Hong in people's hearts decades ago and then infinitely scale it down; that is the reason for Qian Renxue's attitude.
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