Qian Renxue stepped forward, smiling gracefully, extending her hand to shake Tang Lan's.
But instead—
Tang Lan released Ning Fengzhi and immediately pulled Qian Renxue into a bear hug.
Qian Renxue froze!
—This was the first time in her life she had been in such close contact with someone!
Tang Lan's evaluation?
Completely flat chest.Zero sensation.
It seemed like her spirit bone ability actually altered her body shape, rather than just being an illusion like the Blue Silver Domain's disguise.
"Your Highness is way too polite!"
Tang Lan enthusiastically patted Qian Renxue's shoulder, speaking in a bold, familiar tone—
"Even though you're my Big Bro's disciple, let's keep things casual—no need for formalities!"
"We ran all the way here, and it was exhausting!"
"You did prepare a banquet, right?"
"Let's eat while we talk!"
And just like that, he kept his arm around Qian Renxue's shoulder as they strode into the city gates.
"Oh, right, Big Bro—"
"My little brother is still behind. Leave someone to pick him up, okay?"
Ning Fengzhi looked momentarily stunned.
His disciple was always humble, respectful, and had a high emotional intelligence—
Never displaying the arrogance of nobility.
So he likely wouldn't mind Tang Lan's informal behavior.
But still—he was the Crown Prince!
Did Tang Lan have no sense of propriety at all?!
Among Qian Renxue's guards, a few eyes turned cold!
Chen Xin immediately noticed.
His sharp gaze swept over them, but he didn't sense anything unusual.
Still, he frowned in suspicion.
Meanwhile, Qian Renxue quickly adapted.
She maintained a warm and friendly smile, with no hint of resistance in her eyes.
She chuckled, "Tang Sect Master, your 'Tang Sect Encyclopedia' is spreading across the continent like wildfire."
"I was deeply impressed after reading it."
"Many materials, like 'whale glue' and other rare ingredients, aren't even recorded in the Heaven Dou Academy archives or the Royal Library."
"With your vast knowledge and generosity, you are truly a blessing to the soul master world!"
"If I weren't already studying under Uncle Ning, I would have wanted to join the Tang Sect and learn from you myself."
Tang Lan laughed heartily, waving dismissively.
"It was just a promotional tool to expand the Tang Sect's influence."
"Not a big deal, not a big deal."
And so, the two continued their exchange of pleasantries as they walked into Heaven Dou City.
Behind them, Ning Fengzhi led Ning Rongrong and the others, following at a slight distance.
But he didn't forget Tang Lan's request, leaving some men to wait for Tang San.
At the city gates.
Finally—
Tang San staggered in, still carrying an unfazed Yu Xiaogang on his back.
Seeing the spirited and confident team ahead, then looking at himself—
The frustration and resentment that had been building up finally erupted!
Yu Xiaogang!
Letting himself be deceived into taking you as a master was the biggest mistake of my life!
At the same time—
Tang Lan received a system notification.
[The host has made Tang San see Yu Xiaogang's true nature. Their master-disciple relationship has completely fallen apart, and they can no longer stand on the same side. Minor fortune stolen from Tang San!]
[Reward: 10,000-Year Spirit Bone – Tiger Eagle Left Arm Bone!]
"Oh ho!"
Tang Lan grinned.
No wonder he hadn't gotten any major rewards on the journey—
They were all waiting for this moment!
For such a superficial master-disciple bond to net him a 10,000-year spirit bone?
This was probably the last bit of profit he could squeeze from them.
"Hmm? Does Tang Sect Master have any objections to my proposal?" Qian Renxue asked curiously.
Tang Lan snapped back to reality.
"Ah, I just had an insight—"
"I thought of a way to further refine the Nine Yang Divine Skill."
He casually made up an excuse.
"What were you saying again, Your Highness?"
Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Just like that? He had a breakthrough?
"Would you like me to prepare a quiet room for you to meditate and comprehend your insight?" she offered thoughtfully.
Tang Lan shook his head.
"Already finished refining it."
Qian Renxue's expression froze.
It's… already done?
She had seen the first layer of Nine Yang Divine Skill in the Tang Sect Encyclopedia.
It was an absolute masterpiece.
According to Ning Fengzhi, it had three layers in total.
That alone was already an unparalleled martial achievement.
And now—in just a casual conversation, he had improved it again?!
"Tang Sect Master, you are truly a genius!"
Qian Renxue praised sincerely.
"With you leading the Tang Sect, the future looks incredibly bright!"
Tang Lan simply smiled nonchalantly.
At that moment—
They arrived at their destination.
Heaven Dou Grand Hotel.
The best hotel in Heaven Dou City—completely booked out
for the sole purpose of welcoming Tang Lan's group.
Qian Renxue led Tang Lan upstairs to a private hall.
Zhao Wuji and the others were about to follow—
But—
Ning Fengzhi suddenly spoke.
"Rongrong has been well taken care of by all of you these past few weeks."
"I've arranged a separate banquet as a token of appreciation."
Zhao Wuji—a seasoned veteran—instantly understood.
Zhao Wuji immediately understood—
This was a setup to give Tang Lan and Qian Renxue private space to talk.
He laughed heartily, "Hahaha! Getting to enjoy a banquet hosted by Sect Master Ning? That's a real honor for me!"
"Hall Master Zhao is too kind." Ning Fengzhi responded warmly. "Now that the Tang Sect is establishing itself in Heaven Dou City, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will always welcome you as a guest."
The two elders exchanged polite pleasantries.
Seeing Tang Lan disappear around the corner, they made no move to stop him—
Instead, they headed in the opposite direction.
Top Floor, Heaven Dou Grand Hotel.
Tang Lan and Qian Renxue sat across from each other, the table laid out with an extravagant feast.
But neither of them touched their food just yet.
"Earlier, Qinghe mentioned something—"
Qian Renxue smoothly continued the conversation.
"Since Tang Sect Master insists we address each other informally, why not just call me Qinghe?"
In the original timeline,
Even when Qian Renxue respected Tang San, she still referred to him as "Xue Big Brother"—
Maintaining a clear distinction in rank.
But if she called herself Qinghe—
That meant she was treating Tang Lan as an equal.
It was a sign of how highly she valued him.
And more importantly—
It meant he could milk even more benefits from her!
"Then you shouldn't call me 'Tang Sect Master' either." Tang Lan replied casually.
"Just call me Tang Lan, or even Xiao Lan."
Qian Renxue smiled.
She picked up her chopsticks and gestured, "Xiao Lan, you must be exhausted from your journey. Let's eat first, and then we can talk."
"Sounds good!"
Tang Lan, of course, wasn't actually hungry.
With his ability to absorb energy from Blue Silver Grass, he didn't even need food.
But since this was a banquet hosted by the Crown Prince,
The flavors had to be top-tier.
So he took his time, savoring each dish—
While also observing what exactly Qian Renxue was trying to do.
Meanwhile,
Tang Lan was also considering what to do with his newly acquired 10,000-year Tiger Eagle Left Arm Bone.
First off—
He ruled himself out.
Any spirit bone under 50,000 years wasn't even worth his time.
—Even with the system boosting his abilities, low-level spirit bones were too inefficient to be worth investing in.
Secondly,
The Tiger Eagle was a rare hybrid flying beast, possessing both the speed of an eagle and the raw power of a tiger.
But compared to his Man-Faced Demon Spider spirit bone,
It was still a tier lower.
And it was nothing compared to true Primordial Beasts like the Titan Giant Ape or the Azure Bull Python.
That left two candidates—
Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing.
Hmm…
Was there even a choice to be made?
"No way I'm giving this to an outsider."
Once his relationship with Zhu Zhuqing was confirmed,
He'd gift it to her as a token of affection.
Even though he personally didn't care for this spirit bone—
On the continent, spirit bones were incredibly rare!
In the original timeline,
Even after the Seven Devils reached the peak of power,
Only Tang San had managed to collect a full set of spirit bones.
The others?
At most, two bones each.
This alone showed how precious spirit bones were.
As Tang Lan slowed his eating pace,
Qian Renxue timed her next move perfectly.
"Uncle Ning mentioned that Xiao Lan came to Heaven Dou City to establish a Tang Sect Advanced Spirit Master Academy?"
She phrased it as a casual question, but her intentions were clear.
Tang Lan nodded.
"I'm preparing to compete in the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament in two years."
Qian Renxue remained composed.
"Given that Xiao Lan is already a four-ring Soul Ancestor at such a young age, it's only natural to aim for first place."
She flashed her hand, producing a document and sliding it across the table.
"This is an official permit for establishing an advanced spirit master academy."
"Once you fill in your academy's information, I'll have my people process it for you."
This was why having connections in the imperial court made everything so much easier.
She even provided door-to-door service!
Tang Lan accepted it without hesitation.
"Much appreciated!"
Qian Renxue smoothly continued—
"Has Xiao Lan decided on a location for the academy?"
"Near Heaven Dou Royal Academy, I have a plot of land about the same size as their campus."
"Uncle Ning also has a property near the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—"
"It's more than twice the size of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but it's about 40 kilometers away."
"If you prefer a different location outside the city, just say the word."
She was basically rolling out a map for him to choose from.
But—
(End of Chapter)