The carriage, simple on the outside but luxurious on the inside, drove across the gravel road. Two strong, muscular white horses trotted along, their hooves clattering on the ground and kicking up clouds of dust. They drove smoothly into the bustling main city of the Tiandou Empire.

The Dark Soul Guards, who had been quietly accompanying them, silently dealt with the other forces' sentries who had noticed their presence.

With a creak, the spinning wheels came to a stop in front of a beautifully decorated restaurant.

The servant who had parked the carriage respectfully turned around, opened the carriage door, and the young man, who had changed out of his conspicuous Tian Dou Royal Academy uniform, leaped gracefully down from the carriage and strode into the hotel. The hem of his gray-blue robe touched the fine sand splashed up on the ground before separating again.

The waiters standing on either side of the hotel entrance greeted guests with impeccable smiles and gestured for them to enter the lobby.

Soothing melodies emanated from the instruments played by the musicians invited to the restaurant, with different kinds of instruments weaving together to create a gentle tune that filled the entire hall.

The magnificent crystal chandelier cast a soft light, some of which fell on the guests sitting at the dining table in the hall, chatting and laughing, while others shone on the tableware, refracting colorful light.

A well-dressed waiter stepped forward, gave a slight bow to the young man who entered the hotel, and asked in a gentle and polite manner, "Hello, esteemed guest, do you have a reservation?"

The bustling Tiandou City is known for its stylish and comfortable hotels with elegant surroundings, which have always been popular among nobles. Many sects also occasionally hold meetings at these upscale hotels.

Because the buildings here are constructed with special materials, they offer excellent sound insulation. Many nobles would come here to reserve private rooms when discussing important matters.

This has led to a situation where the supply of seats and private rooms cannot meet the demand.

"Yes, room number 307." The young man nodded slightly and gave the reserved private room number.

The waiter's gaze shifted as he looked at the young man, and he smiled even more respectfully, saying, "Okay, please follow me."

"Knock knock,"

Please knock twice on the door as a reminder. The waiter who was leading the young man bowed his head and opened the door to private room number 307. A luxurious and spacious interior immediately came into view.

A white tablecloth was spread out on a rectangular table that was about two meters long and half a meter wide.

The silver cutlery on the table was neatly arranged on the plates, and the glassware containing amber-colored wine glittered under the scattered light from the indoor chandelier.

The steaming hot and flavorful dishes, including the restaurant's signature dishes, had already been served, waiting only for the last guest in this private room.

"You've finally arrived!"

Champagne roses, cut into stems and placed in a white porcelain vase, complemented the elegant surroundings and were positioned at the head of the table at the far end of the rectangular wooden table.

The heavy door closed tightly, and the aloof smile on the young man's lips became genuine, as if he had unloaded some burden. His handsome features inexplicably revealed a carefree attitude that did not match his temperament. He smiled and opened his arms to the petite figure who jumped down from the seat, embracing Qian Yuelong who rushed towards him.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Compared to his humble and aloof demeanor at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy, the young man now exudes a more casual and familiar air, shedding his outward facade and revealing a more authentic side of himself.

Using one of the Angel Soul Bones to disguise herself as Xue Qinghe, the eldest prince of the Heaven Dou royal family, Qian Renxue held her long-lost younger sister. Her appearance was almost the same age as her real age. The now-slender "Xue Qinghe" easily held her without feeling any weight.

"No, I only arrived at the private room a short while ago, and you came already."

Up close, Qian Yuelong curiously examined her sister's disguise as "Xue Qinghe," her gaze lingering on the other's angular yet somewhat familiar face. She pondered, "Brother, do you look like the Heavenly Dou royal family?"

Just to be on the safe side, Qian Yuelong didn't reveal the true gender of the "young man" in front of her. This was also to make it easier for her to get used to it in the future and not to break character in public.

Xue Qinghe gently set the person down, raised his hand, and a suction force surged from his palm. He precisely controlled his outward-released soul power to pull the soft chair at the end of the rectangular table closer. While adjusting the distance between the chair and the table for Qian Yuelong, he pulled over another soft chair and casually placed the two chairs side by side, explaining:

"Not entirely. I don't know what the original Xue Qinghe looked like when he grew up. Although they are all princes born to Emperor Xue Ye, apart from the unchanging Swan Martial Soul inherited by the royal family, each prince's appearance is mostly unique."

Just like when the two sisters always sat side by side at meals when they were little, "Xue Qinghe" took a long stride and sat down next to Qian Yuelong, who had taken her seat herself. She first offered Qian Yuelong a still-warm baguette and continued:

"The reason I chose him was that among the princes, he was the weakest in terms of temperament and family power. His mother's hair color and his own hair color were both golden. As long as the Swan Martial Soul was present, and his appearance was slightly modified based on my own, he would be the 'Xue Qinghe' after growing up."

Thinking of the blond boy he had killed, Xue Qinghe closed his eyes, suppressing the complex emotions rising in his heart, and gently gazed at Qian Yuelong, who was grabbing a baguette and starting to eat it without any hesitation.

"I've heard about the body-tempering technique. You're only a Soul Venerable and you're already bringing out these things. If it weren't for your grandfather and your teacher, I'm afraid those guys would have squeezed you dry, leaving you with nothing but bones."

Qian Yuelong retorted, "No way! I have the approval of His Majesty the Angel God, so they won't dare to act recklessly for the time being!"

Xue Qinghe chuckled: "You little rascal, you even know it's only temporary?"

No matter how you look at it, this sentence sounds somewhat like gritted teeth.

Qian Yuelong picked up a piece of crispy glutinous rice cake for "Xue Qinghe" with her chopsticks and said casually, "Humans are creatures that naturally seek advantage and avoid harm. Anyone with a brain wouldn't choose to be my enemy in this matter. After personally experiencing the benefits of the technique, they will only crave more and also be wary of me."

Xue Qinghe also started eating.

The "brother and sister" who hadn't seen each other for a long time chatted casually during their meal.

When Qian Yuelong inquired about the threat posed by the other princes, Xue Qinghe's smile turned colder. He wiped the grease from his sister's lips and casually remarked:

"Don't worry, even if their maternal clans have some influence, they're nothing in my eyes. They wouldn't pose a threat to my position."

The remaining unsaid words were understood perfectly by both the young and the old.

Looking at Xue Qinghe, who had already become accustomed to killing methods, Qian Yuelong sighed that the royal family and time were truly a great melting pot.

Fortunately, she remained untainted by the mud, and from the very beginning, she was always of one color.

—A side note—

Starting today, I'm resuming daily updates! *kiss*