"Xue Qinghe?" Bo Saixi frowned slightly. "If the idle talk I heard when I entered the city just now is not false, this Xue Qinghe should be the current First Prince of this Heaven Dou Empire, and also the Crown Prince, right?"
"Your Spirit Hall is independent of Heaven Dou and Star Luo and should be an existence that mediates between the two great empires. How can you have the other party's Crown Prince directly come to see you, the Holy Son of Spirit Hall? You are..."
Lin Feng smiled and sat down in the main seat. Under the dim light, half of Lin Feng's face was hidden in the shadows. He said quietly, feigning a sinister tone, "What you say is extremely right. Xue Qinghe, as the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, his status is incomparably noble. Logically speaking, he should indeed not easily leave the imperial palace, let alone have to come and see me with just one word from me. But the affairs of the world are unpredictable."
"What does that mean? Also, can you stop talking like this? Plus, the environment here makes it seem as if you are some great villain."
"Ahem ahem," Lin Feng coughed lightly and revealed his true face from the shadows. "Speaking of which, it's a little complicated. In short, just watch."
"Playing tricks with gods and ghosts, hmph," Bo Saixi snorted lightly, but an inexplicable look appeared in her eyes. "Can you perform it again?"
"Perform what?" Lin Feng was stunned for a moment.
"Just that," Bo Saixi said, stammering.
"Which?"
Bo Saixi adjusted her position so that Lin Feng could not see her expression at the moment. "Ahem, it's just that look of feigning profundity and a sinister tone just now."
The corner of Lin Feng's mouth twitched. "You call me 'teacher' twice for me to hear."
"If I call you, will you perform?" Bo Saixi said with a straight face, which on the contrary made Lin Feng stunned for a moment.
"You've gotten smart. Even if you call me, I won't necessarily agree to any performance."
Bo Saixi spat lightly. "I knew it," the corner of her mouth unintentionally hooked up. "However, to be serious, your look of feigning mystery and pretending to be the mastermind behind the scenes is really quite interesting."
Lin Feng chuckled lightly. This time he did not deliberately lower his voice but returned to his former peace. "Perhaps."
When did I pick up this occasional role-playing? Could it be that under the demands of Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong, after several performances, I've gotten a little addicted?
The two waited quietly. Bo Saixi's legs were crossed, her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes revealed a trace of amusement. Just like that, she sized up Lin Feng, passing the time.
Lin Feng was a little uncomfortable being watched by her. He coughed lightly and said, "Bo Saixi, for you to look at me like this, do you think there is a flower on my face?"
Bo Saixi laughed. She said, "There's no flower, but your look of feigning composure is quite interesting. What's wrong? My eyes are on me. Can't I look?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Look, go on and look," he took out a book and a pen from his storage belt and began to write furiously at the desk, as if completely immersed in his own world. Seeing this, Bo Saixi's curiosity was even stronger. She slowly stood up, walked lightly to Lin Feng's side, and leaned her head over to look.
The book was densely recorded with the characteristics of various martial souls, cultivation methods, and combat techniques. There were also some seemingly chaotic, ghostly symbols and patterns. It was clear that it was Lin Feng's research notes from his normal days.
"You're quite amazing," Bo Saixi said.
"You said it," Lin Feng turned to the next page and wrote a few words with a flourish.
"Douluo calendar year 2641, June 3rd, at night, in the Heaven Dou secret courtyard. Bo Saixi has been peeping at me, this Holy Son, and even wants to..." Lin Feng, as he wrote, a playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He deliberately drew out his voice, which made Bo Saixi let out a charming annoyance).
"Who's peeping at you! I was just curious what you were writing," Bo Saixi's cheeks were slightly red. She hurriedly explained, and at the same time, reached out to want to snatch the book. "Give it to me quickly! Don't write nonsense!"
"Hey?" Lin Feng dodged her extended hand. "What are you doing? Let me add another one: snatching others' property."
Seeing this, Bo Saixi also stopped snatching. "Tsk, you'd better not write nonsense. At any rate, it's a book on martial soul theory. How can you write this kind of thing?"
"I didn't say this was a theoretical book. This is a draft. Mmm... now it has the function of a small notebook for recording others' offenses against me."
"A draft?" Bo Saixi didn't pay attention to his latter sentence. "So those ghostly symbols are not some words with a special meaning?"
"Of course not."
"Tsk, boring," Bo Saixi returned to her seat.
Lin Feng smiled and took out another book from his storage belt. He again began to write at his desk. His gaze, however, was a little more serious.
Bo Saixi, on the other side, shot Lin Feng a white-eyed glare. "What unseemly thing are you writing again? So boring."
Seeing that Lin Feng didn't reply to her, she couldn't help but stand up again and slowly walk to Lin Feng's side. This time she did not directly lean her head over to look but asked softly, "What are you writing this time? It wouldn't be some boring thing again, would it?"
"Mmm, a very boring thing," Lin Feng replied.
Bo Saixi raised her eyebrows, her pupils moving slightly. She once again stood at Lin Feng's side, only a few inches away. She slightly bent down, trying to see clearly what Lin Feng was writing. However, Lin Feng deliberately used his body to block the book, only revealing his pair of smiling eyes.
"Hey, what on earth are you writing this time? So mysterious?" Bo Saixi mumbled with dissatisfaction.
"The thing that a certain someone wants most," Lin Feng said to her with a cheerful smile.
Bo Saixi's sandalwood mouth opened slightly. A look of astonishment flashed in the depths of her eyes, which was immediately replaced by a pleasant surprise. "A Soul Vein?" Her voice trembled slightly from excitement.
"Ya, you could actually guess it. You're not so stupid."
"Give it to me," Bo Saixi reached out to want to snatch the book, her eyes sparkling with an unprecedented desire. Lin Feng, however, lightly dodged, his smile even wider.
"Hey hey hey? This is just a blank book, only for recording the methods of application and transformation. The ability to shape it is only in my hand. What's the use of you taking it now?"
Bo Saixi's eyes widened. "You're tricking me again. I don't believe you don't have a ready-made classic. To write a new copy is such a waste of time. Isn't it good to just give me the finished product?"
Lin Feng sighed. "So that's how it is. Fine then. Then when we get back to Spirit City, I'll get a copy for you. I had originally thought that after you had acknowledged me as your master, I, as your master, had not yet given a return gift. I was thinking of personally writing a book and giving it to you. I had not expected you to be so impatient. It was I who had been overthinking it. So be it."
As he spoke, Lin Feng took the book with just a few words written on it and was about to put it in his belt.
"Hey!" Bo Saixi suddenly shouted.
Lin Feng's movement paused. "What's wrong?"
Bo Saixi's cheeks were red. Under the somewhat faint light, she looked exceptionally moving. She pursed her lips, as if she were finding it hard to speak. She turned her head away and said in a soft, low voice, "Since Master has the intention, this disciple naturally cannot go against Master's wishes." As she spoke, her cheeks became even hotter.
She bit her lower lip tightly, complaining in her heart, Bo Saixi, you must be crazy. What on earth are you talking about? Are you really treating this fellow as your master? It's just a saying he's using to tease you, and you're even cooperating and acting along.
Lin Feng coughed lightly. "Ahem, mmm."
Seeing Lin Feng begin to write again, the breath in Bo Saixi's heart finally relaxed. Her gaze did not move. On the contrary, she saw Lin Feng's earlobes, which had momentarily turned a little red.
The corner of her mouth couldn't help but hook up. "Tsk, this fellow is not so shameless," her eyeballs rolled, as if she had discovered something fun. She moved a chair and directly sat down by Lin Feng's side, her two arms crossed over her chest, gazing at him.
"What are you doing?"
"Watching you write," she supported her pretty head with one hand and said with a smile.
"..."
Lin Feng put away the things on the table. "I'll write tomorrow. I'm tired today. And there's still proper business," he stood up, and Bo Saixi was all smiles.
Not long after, a sound came from the stone wall behind the two of them. With a "ka," the stone wall slowly opened, revealing a secret passage. A figure walked out from the secret passage. It was precisely Xue Qinghe.
He was wearing a magnificent prince's attire, with a smile on his face. But in his eyes, there was a bit of a gloom and an imperceptible fatigue.
"Xue Qinghe pays his respects to Your Excellency, Holy Son," he slightly bowed and saluted, his tone full of respect.
Lin Feng nodded lightly, signaling for him to dispense with the formalities. He sized Xue Qinghe up and down a few times and sighed secretly in his heart. This seemingly gentle and refined, quite majestic prince had in fact already had his life taken by Spirit Hall. The person before him was a member of Spirit Hall in disguise.
"For so many years of playing the part, do you have any complaints?"
Xue Qinghe shook his head, his expression sincere. "To be able to serve Spirit Hall is this subordinate's honor. To be able to share the worries of Your Highness, Holy Son, and the Young Master is even more so this subordinate's good fortune. How could there be any complaints?"
"This subordinate's martial soul was just a little more suitable. My childhood character was not bad. To be able to be valued by the Holy Son and the Young Master is already a great fortune."
Lin Feng smiled faintly, his tone carrying a hint of praise. "You have done very well. Spirit Hall will not forget your merits. When the great matter arises and all the dust has settled, I will reshape your foundation for you, to ascend to Titled Douluo; and I will grant your descendants in the future generations to be able to enjoy glory and splendor forever, and to receive the latest theories and resources in advance."
"Yes! Many thanks, Your Excellency, Holy Son! This subordinate is willing to spill his brains and guts for Spirit Hall!" Xue Qinghe once again bowed and saluted, a trace of excitement flashing in his eyes.
A Titled Douluo! Although his own martial soul was a little special and was able to undertake this task of disguising himself as the Heaven Dou's prince, his aptitude was a definite weakness. If it had been anyone else who had said they could help a person to ascend to Titled Douluo in one step, he, this Xue Qinghe who had already lived the life of a prince for more than ten years, might have sneered.
But before him was Lin Feng, who was now publicly acknowledged as the strongest theorist in the soul master world, a genius who stood at the forefront of the era, the Holy Son of Spirit Hall. His words, Xue Qinghe firmly believed.
As for his descendants in the future generations to enjoy glory and splendor forever, he did not care about the word "forever." He understood the Holy Son's temperament. If his descendants in the future were to make a mistake, their rights would still be revoked. But this was already enough. To be able to obtain the most cutting-edge research of the Holy Son Lin Feng was a great profit.
"Rise," Lin Feng waved his hand, signaling for Xue Qinghe to rise. "I have sought you out today because there is a matter that requires your assistance."
Xue Qinghe straightened his body, his gaze bright as he looked at Lin Feng, waiting for his instructions.
"I need you to help me get something. It is in the treasury of the Heaven Dou imperial family. It is called the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud," Lin Feng said slowly, a trace of seriousness in his gaze.
"What?!"
"Yes!"
Two completely different voices sounded at the same time. Bo Saixi, who had been watching for a long time, directly ran out from the dark. "Lin Feng! What did you say you wanted to get!?"
Lin Feng turned his head to look at Bo Saixi, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes, which then immediately returned to calm. "Bo Saixi, what's wrong with you? So surprised."
Bo Saixi quickly walked before Lin Feng, her gaze fixed on him. "You said you wanted to get the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud? That is a divine object of Sea God Island. How can it be in the treasury of the Heaven Dou imperial family?"
Lin Feng smiled faintly and explained, "The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud is indeed a divine object of Sea God Island. But it was lost many years ago and was later obtained by the Heaven Dou imperial family, and has been treasured in their treasury ever since. I have come to Heaven Dou City this time precisely to take it away."
"That is..." Bo Saixi still wanted to say something, but in her mind, she remembered the sentence that Lin Feng had said before about taking her to see the Sea God. Her heart became a little flustered. "Are you really sure there's no problem?"
"Don't worry."
Lin Feng waved his hand and said to Xue Qinghe, "You can make your move."
"Yes," Xue Qinghe replied but did not immediately get up. Instead, he took out a storage ring. "Your Excellency, Holy Son, the top ten treasures of Heaven Dou, including the state-treasured Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, are all within this storage ring."
A trace of surprise was in Lin Feng's eyes. He narrowed his eyes and reached out to take it. "You are quite smart. It seems you have done very well as this Crown Prince."
Xue Qinghe nodded slightly. "Your Excellency, Holy Son, may not know. Old man Xue Ye's illness has worsened recently. He has long since handed over the position of regent to me."
"In the court, for matters that are not extremely important, I can already decide with one word. These ten treasures, I have also gotten my hands on them recently. I have left behind imitations and some clues, in case of need."
"This subordinate believes that all the treasures in the treasury should belong to Spirit Hall, so I had made a move in advance. I had not expected that Your Excellency, Holy Son, would just happen to need it. This matter was submitted to the headquarters three days ago. Her Majesty the Pope had responded for me to wait for the time being."
Lin Feng smiled and patted his shoulder. "Mmm, go."
"Yes!"
Xue Qinghe respectfully agreed and withdrew. From beginning to end, he had not glanced at Bo Saixi once. When Bo Saixi was speaking, he had even more so directly shielded his five senses.
"Quite a smart person. To have disguised himself as the Crown Prince for ten years, he has really made something of it," Lin Feng stroked his chin and said softly.
Bo Saixi finally spoke, "He is a fake. Then isn't the real one long dead? You want to steal the country!? Is Spirit Hall mad?!"
Lin Feng turned around and said coldly, "The general trend of the world. You should not speak carelessly."
"I am..." Bo Saixi opened her mouth and in the end, snorted. "I just hope a certain fellow doesn't become the target of ten thousand fingers. What am I worried about? How would I dare to speak carelessly?"
"Fame?" Lin Feng laughed. "Are you afraid that for Spirit Hall to do this, the reputation I have accumulated will plummet?"
"Or what else? Could it be that the common people will still be grateful? You are going to become a god. Do you know what the power of faith is?!" Bo Saixi looked over.
"After I have entered seclusion, there will naturally be great scholars to debate the classics for me. What's more, did I say there would be bloodshed?" Lin Feng's words were calm. "What you are worried about, I have already considered thoroughly."
"But..."
Lin Feng took up the manuscript and tapped her on the head, saying with a smile, "Be quiet! Disciple, you still have a lot to learn."
Bo Saixi glared at Lin Feng but did not speak again.
"Let's go. Accompany me to the soul beast forest."
A short while later, having arrived at their destination, Lin Feng took out the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud from his storage ring. Its entire body was a crystal clear blue, in a three-dimensional triangular shape.
It was no larger than a palm. Within its crystalline blue glow, a hazy radiance suffused the air, while waves of strange energy fluctuations pulsed outward without end. Upon the surface of the blue, triangular body, patterns like rippling water continuously shimmered, as if alive.
"Huh?" A slightly old voice sounded. In Bo Saixi's shocked gaze, a tall, illusory figure slowly appeared from the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud. The figure gradually solidified, turning into a middle-aged man in a blue armor. His eyes revealed a look of vicissitude and majesty.
"Lord Sea God?!" Bo Saixi cried out in surprise.
"Junior, you have ill intentions," the Sea God did not pay any attention to Bo Saixi but on the contrary, looked at Lin Feng, a look of apprehension in his pupils.
Lin Feng said with a smile, "There is no need to use your divine sense to check the surrounding space. You can't leave. Also, I'm taking your Great Priestess."