"Nothing much."
"It was just the former Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Chen, bringing that Tang San of his and trying to storm the imperial palace."
"I simply used the Tribulation Ascension to make sure they died without even leaving corpses behind."
"Your Highness, you don't need to worry at all!"
Ye Yu smiled faintly, his demeanor light and carefree as though nothing could ruffle him.
Every word seemed to overflow with unshakable confidence.
One had to admit—it felt pretty damn good to show off.
His words carried a casual indifference, yet the imposing aura he exuded overflowed.
He had to admit—sometimes, putting on airs really did feel good.
"What!? The former Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Chen?"
Qian Renxue was utterly shaken, unable to believe her ears.
Wasn't that the peerless powerhouse of her grandfather Qian Daoliu's generation? The man who had once defeated her grandfather, the unrivaled number one expert of the continent, known as Invincible on Land?
And such a figure… had just died at Ye Yu's hands?
If this was true, then just how strong was Ye Yu now?
At the side, one of the Spirit Masters from Spirit Hall disguised as a palace guard could no longer contain his excitement upon seeing Qian Renxue.
"Your Highness, you didn't see it just now! Lord Ye Yu was simply unstoppable!"
"Do you know what Tang Chen's Spirit Ring configuration was? Eight black, one red!"
"But even such a powerhouse was killed instantly in front of Lord Ye Yu!"
"Your Highness truly has sharp eyes to have discovered such a prodigious genius. With him by your side, the empire will only grow stronger under your leadership—until it reaches the very peak!"
The more he spoke, the more passionate his voice became.
Because he wasn't only speaking about the empire. He was speaking for Spirit Hall as well.
To be chosen by Qian Renxue and assigned to disguise themselves as guards to seal the palace, all of these Spirit Masters belonged to the Douluo Hall.
And as members of the Douluo Hall, they knew full well of the intense internal struggles within Spirit Hall.
For now, the Worship Hall led by the Grand Worship still held the upper hand in strength.
But the Grand Worship was old, soft-hearted, and indecisive.
If one day he were to pass away, leaving Bibi Dong unchecked…
With Bibi Dong's ruthless nature, those Spirit Masters aligned with the Douluo Hall would surely be doomed.
Yet now—Qian Renxue had such a peerless genius, such a heaven-defying powerhouse at her side!
What need was there to fear the Pope's Palace, or even Bibi Dong herself?
"Oh, right, Your Highness," Ye Yu added with a faintly amused smile, glancing meaningfully at her.
"They even claimed that you were from Spirit Hall. Such slander is laughable."
The look in his eyes made Qian Renxue's heart skip a beat.
Guilt and unease welled up within her.
What did Ye Yu mean by that?
Had he already discovered her true identity?
And if he had… what was he thinking now?
For the first time, Qian Renxue felt nervous and afraid.
Afraid that Ye Yu would think she had been deceiving him all along. Afraid that he would abandon her.
All these years, when they first met, she had assumed Ye Yu was merely a meticulous inventor who could help strengthen the Heaven Dou Empire.
Later, she hadn't expected his abilities and talents to shine so brightly.
He had discovered a way for Martial Souls to evolve.
Through repeated evolutions of the Blue Silver Grass, he had become a once-in-a-lifetime Spirit Master genius, even creating numerous self-made Spirit Abilities of unprecedented power.
And later still, she realized—Ye Yu was not only brilliant in cultivation, but also in commerce, politics, and military strategy. His talent was unmatched in every field.
She couldn't help but admire him.
Witnessing Ye Yu grow stronger and stronger, Qian Renxue had unknowingly developed deep feelings for him, as though watching a man she herself had nurtured rise to greatness.
But because of her identity, she could only watch bitterly as more and more women gathered around Ye Yu.
She could only comfort herself: I am different.
Unlike those others who merely leaned on Ye Yu's power, she had her own mission.
When she succeeded in her plan, ascended the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire, and united the continent…
At that time, she would be the most powerful woman in the world.
And she would be able to give Ye Yu everything he desired.
But now—if her true identity had been exposed, if Ye Yu saw her as a deceiver…
Her heart twisted painfully with fear.
"This is utter nonsense!" Qian Renxue forced a strained smile, her tone defensive.
"I am the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. How could I possibly be a member of Spirit Hall?"
But Ye Yu's meaningful gaze made her heart race faster.
"Everything is already resolved. Ye Yu, let's go back," she urged.
Unable to restrain herself, she reached for his hand, desperate to know whether he had truly uncovered her secret.
Ye Yu did not refuse.
Following her, he left the palace gates and entered a secluded side hall.
There, with no one else around, Qian Renxue bit her lip, her eyes reddening slightly as she looked at him.
"Ye Yu… don't you have something you want to say to me?"
"Heh, of course I do." Ye Yu chuckled softly.
"For example—I never thought His Highness the Crown Prince would turn out to be a woman. And such a beautiful one at that. You've hidden it from me quite well."
Her pupils contracted sharply. A bitter smile tugged at her lips.
So he really had seen through it.
If he had recognized her female identity, then he must also have noticed her Six-Winged Seraphim Martial Soul… and thus her true identity as well.
Otherwise, he would never have looked at her with such meaning earlier.
"Ye Yu, you already know, don't you?" Qian Renxue whispered, guilt filling her voice.
"You know that I'm from Spirit Hall."
"That's right." Ye Yu nodded lightly, this time not bothering to hide it.
As a transmigrator without a system, from the moment he had awakened his Blue Silver Grass at age six, he had always been cautious, living on the edge, never daring a single misstep.
No one had ever shielded him. He had relied on himself alone, gambling his life again and again.
But now, after years of struggle, he had finally forged his Golden Core—an existence not inferior to the gods themselves.
He had even condensed twelve Spirit Cores in total, the twelfth only a few days ago.
Now, he was invincible.
After so many years of biding his time, now that he was truly unstoppable, Ye Yu felt he could finally live freely.
He wanted to help Qian Renxue ascend the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire and unite the continent.
There was no longer any need to pretend ignorance of her identity. It was time to lay all cards on the table.
"I'm sorry, Ye Yu… I never meant to deceive you."
Her heart, which had been hanging in fear, finally sank. Her eyes reddened, her face pale with guilt.
"Please… don't hate me. Don't leave me."
"As long as you don't hate me, as long as you stay by my side… I'll do anything you want."