For someone of Xue Lingxun's strength, sneaking into the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy was not particularly difficult.
Xue Lingxun was no fragile flower. Whether during her time in the Dou Ling Empire or after joining the Xuanyuan Sect, she had never ceased her cultivation.
"This Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy is truly remarkable," Xue Lingxun murmured as she walked through the campus, noting its modernized layout. A hint of worry crept into her expression.
When the Sun-Moon Continent first collided with the Douluo Continent, the Sun-Moon Empire's soul tools were not particularly advanced. Yet even then, the Sun-Moon Empire posed a dire threat to the native nations of the Douluo Continent.
At that time, the Sun-Moon Empire's overall strength already surpassed any single country. It took a united front led by Shrek Academy and several other nations to barely repel the Sun-Moon Empire.
Now, 3,000 years later, the Sun-Moon Empire's advancements were evident. Soul tools had developed into a myriad of specialized branches, boosting the Sun-Moon Empire's national power. Meanwhile, the soul master profession had only just introduced the concept of soul cores, and its progress was far slower.
Compared to the other empires and even Shrek Academy, the Sun-Moon Empire's greatest advantage lay in the cumulative nature of its technological advancements. Soul tools could be mass-produced and stockpiled, and soul masters could be recruited. In contrast, the other empires, under the Sun-Moon Empire's technological embargo, required vast amounts of time to develop their own soul tool technology—time that allowed the Sun-Moon Empire to reach even higher levels of technology.
This was the crushing power of technological superiority.
If the Sun-Moon Empire were to reignite a war now, could the other nations resist?
As a princess of the Dou Ling Empire, Xue Lingxun could not stand to see the Sun-Moon Empire grow any stronger. The Dou Ling Empire's overall strength was weaker than even the Star Luo Empire, let alone the Sun-Moon Empire.
When the Sun-Moon Empire invaded the Dou Ling Empire, her homeland had crumbled with barely any resistance.
"Hmm. Qian Ran is quite famous here at the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy," Xue Lingxun noted with disdain, overhearing several people mention Qian Ran as she passed. Thankfully, their mentions were mostly curses.
Hearing so many people badmouthing Qian Ran brought her a sense of satisfaction.
However, her focus quickly returned to the pressing issue—how to approach Qian Ran.
With her strength, if she could get close enough to Qian Ran, she was confident she could eliminate him.
Even if powerful protectors shadowed Qian Ran, no defense was without its gaps. And those gaps would likely be at Qian Ran's dormitory.
Qian Ran's accommodations at the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy were an independent residence, resembling a small villa. What caught Xue Lingxun's attention was the steady stream of people entering and leaving his dormitory.
Seeing so many women coming and going from Qian Ran's place, Xue Lingxun clenched her teeth in anger.
"This lecher! Outrageous! To think he's so brazen even in broad daylight!"
She thought back to how Xu Sanshi had been ruined by Qian Ran, all because of Jiang Nannan.
"I need to find an opportunity to sneak inside." Xue Lingxun's sharp eyes locked onto Qian Ran's dormitory. A man's guard was at its weakest when he was indulging his lust.
"Who is that? Another one of your messy affairs?"
Ye Xishui glanced at Xue Lingxun with suspicion. Despite Xue Lingxun's careful movements, leaving no obvious traces, every action she took was under Qian Ran's watchful eye.
Whether it was the Holy Spirit Cult or Mingde Hall, one operated in the shadows while the other dominated openly. These two major forces in Mingdu both maintained close ties with Qian Ran.
"Not exactly," Qian Ran replied, shaking his head before explaining the situation with Xue Lingxun and Xu Sanshi to Ye Xishui.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. That doesn't sound like you. Someone like you wouldn't normally leave loose ends. Letting Xu Sanshi leave Shrek Academy alive—could it be you had a sudden bout of kindness?" Ye Xishui teased.
She knew Qian Ran too well. His personality was as calculating as her own, hardly the type to be described as kindhearted. If he had spared Xu Sanshi, it was undoubtedly because of this so-called virtuous and noblewoman who would come seeking him out.
His peculiar tastes really were...
But then again, wasn't she herself another Xue Lingxun?
Back when she first met Qian Ran, she had harbored killing intent toward him. Yet now, here she was, bound tightly to him.
She thought back to the insights she had gained recently from drinking the Enlightenment Tea Qian Ran had given her. She had no intention of leaving his side now.
"Want me to bring her to you? She clearly has murderous intent. Her strength isn't insignificant either. Underestimating her could cost you." Ye Xishui's eyes scanned Qian Ran as she continued, her tone serious.
She was well aware of Qian Ran's power, but Xue Lingxun was a Soul Douluo-level expert. If Qian Ran let his guard down, distracted by her beauty, he could get hurt.
Not that she cared too much about Qian Ran, of course. She simply worried that if something happened to him, she wouldn't be able to access the undead world or enjoy more Enlightenment Tea.
"I'm not someone who loses my head over beauty," Qian Ran said with a smirk.
Falling prey to lust—that was behavior for simps. As a hunter, his mind only became sharper in the face of beauty. Perhaps it was this stark contrast that defined the difference between a predator and a simp.
Ye Xishui thought it over and decided not to worry further. Qian Ran was far too cunning to fall into Xue Lingxun's trap. After all, even she had been won over by his "charm." What chance did Xue Lingxun have?
Besides, Qian Ran had countless ways to protect himself.
"As long as you know what you're doing. Now, let me into the undead realm."
Ye Xishui had developed a habit: whenever she gained new insights, she would verify them in the undead realm. With the guidance of Electrolux's death-domain insights left behind in that semi-plane, she was almost guaranteed not to stray from her path.
"Keep up the good work, and there'll be plenty of benefits for you in the future," Qian Ran said, patting Ye Xishui on the shoulder.
Her expression froze, her body stiffening slightly.
Before she could even protest, she was sent directly into the undead realm.
"This bastard!"
Her angry shout echoed through the undead realm, loud enough that Qian Ran could almost hear it from outside.
Could she be blamed for being angry? She was the Supreme Leader of the Holy Spirit Cult, a half-god powerhouse—and Qian Ran treated her like a mere laborer?
Yet no matter how furious she became, Ye Xishui wouldn't dare confront Qian Ran. When it came to matters of self-interest, Ye Xishui knew where to draw the line.
In the undead realm, she could vent her frustration, but in front of Qian Ran, she wouldn't dream of acting out.
(End of Chapter)