"Greetings to Your Highness, the Crown Prince!"
Ignaz walked into an elegantly decorated conference room and bowed respectfully to Xue Qinghe, who sat before him.
Ignaz had anticipated this moment ever since he decided to join Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but when he finally met Xue Qinghe face-to-face, he still felt somewhat nervous.
"Ignaz, outside I am the Crown Prince, but here, it's just you and me. There's no need to be so tense. You are the most outstanding genius Spirit Master I have ever seen."
"Sit!"
Xue Qinghe extended his right hand toward a nearby square chair and continued in a gentle tone,
"I'm not much older than you. If you don't mind, we can call each other brothers. Just call me Brother Xue – it will make me seem more approachable."
"I wouldn't dare. I'm just a commoner Spirit Master—how could I dare call the Crown Prince my brother?"
Ignaz was very aware of Xue Qinghe's true identity at this moment. She was, in fact, the Young Master of Spirit Hall and Bibi Dong's biological daughter – Qian Renxue.
Her two loyal Titled Douluo bodyguards were likely hidden somewhere, and if he were even slightly careless, he could end up on her must-kill list.
However, judging by her tone, it seemed like she had intentions of recruiting him.
Xue Qinghe looked at Ignaz with particular appreciation and said,
"Someone appreciated by Poison Douluo, even if currently a commoner, is destined for extraordinary achievements in the future."
"Your Highness is too kind. I don't suppose Brother Xue came to find me today just for small talk!"
Ignaz immediately stood up and cupped his hands, saying,
"If Brother Xue needs my help with anything, I will do my utmost to assist."
Seeing Ignaz's proactive gesture, Xue Qinghe felt a sense of conquest in her heart and received great satisfaction.
Even a genius's pride was nothing more than this. Even if he were chosen by a god, he was destined to submit to her.
Then, Xue Qinghe helped Ignaz up with both hands and said seriously,
"In your opinion, which side has more advantages—the current Empire or Spirit Hall?"
Ignaz's spirits lifted. He had never expected Xue Qinghe to bring up such a sensitive topic so early.
"Common people don't discuss politics, especially not in front of Brother Xue. I dare not rashly comment on state affairs."
"There are only you and me here. This matter will not reach anyone else's ears. Speak freely."
Xue Qinghe still maintained that gentle, refined Crown Prince image and didn't become angry due to Ignaz's refusal.
"In that case, Your Highness, I'll share my thoughts."
Ignaz looked at Xue Qinghe's eyes, which were calm yet filled with some anticipation.
He naturally wanted to express all his inner views, hoping to touch on matters that might break through Xue Qinghe's inner defenses.
"Your Highness, I come from a commoner background. Through my observations these past few years, Spirit Hall values common people, especially in helping them awaken their martial spirits for free—this is truly a great merit."
"While the two great Empires have also established laws to protect commoners, the various kingdoms and duchies under the Empires don't follow these laws, exploiting and oppressing commoners or low-level Spirit Masters for profit."
Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe frowned slightly and nodded. Although she wasn't the real Xue Qinghe, since becoming Crown Prince, she had deeply felt the shortcomings of the two great Empires.
The various kingdoms and duchies still had too much autonomy, especially the new nobility within the Empire, who received titles through enfeoffment. They were still subjected to the tyranny of old nobility. Nobles controlling nobles—when would this end?
"Indeed so, but these are ultimately just common people. In this world, one must still rely on Spirit Masters."
"No, commoners are commoners, and Spirit Masters are Spirit Masters. In the two great Empires, there are hundreds of millions of commoners, and the vast majority of Spirit Masters are commoner Spirit Masters without any background."
"If an Empire is to prosper long-term, commoners and Spirit Masters naturally need to be completely separated through legal constraints."
Ignaz's tone grew increasingly weighty. After a moment's pause, he continued,
"The people are a nation's foundation. The commoner majority among the people is an important component of the entire Empire. If a ruler looks down on commoners while valuing Spirit Masters, putting the cart before the horse, the Empire will ultimately move toward corruption and destruction."
For Ignaz, who had received nine years of compulsory education, commoners were the foundation of the continent. Whether it was the Heaven Dou Empire or the Star Luo Empire, both weakened commoners, even treating them as natural consumables.
After hearing such bold statements, Xue Qinghe was quite shocked. She hadn't expected a genius Spirit Master to have such unique insights and be willing to speak up for commoners.
His thinking was strikingly similar to Spirit Hall's current practices in some ways.
Xue Qinghe remained expressionless and said,
"If I ascend to the throne in the future, would you be willing to serve me?"
After hesitating for a while, Ignaz cupped his hands and bowed 90 degrees to Xue Qinghe,
"I, Ignaz, am willing to contribute my modest efforts to Heaven Dou Empire and to Your Highness."
"Good, good, good!" Xue Qinghe was very pleased and immediately handed him a token symbolizing the Crown Prince's identity,
"With this token, no one in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace will dare stop you."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Ignaz carefully put away the token, secretly delighted. After all, he was serving Heaven Dou Empire's Xue Qinghe, not Qian Renxue. Qian Renxue and Xue Qinghe were completely different people.
If she truly had such ambition in the future, helping Spirit Hall completely unify the continent wouldn't be difficult.
It was just that the Pope—and the future Empress of the Empire—absolutely could not be Bibi Dong.
Afterward, the two exchanged a few more words, and then Ignaz and the three education committee members saw Xue Qinghe off as he boarded his carriage and left Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
After traveling some distance, Ci Xue flashed into the carriage.
"Young Master, how was that boy? Do you need me to eliminate him?"
"No need. In my view, this person still has favorable feelings toward Spirit Hall in his heart. He's a good and interesting subordinate."
As Xue Qinghe spoke, the corner of her mouth curled into a smile. Ignaz was an ambitious person, and she needed exactly this kind of person's assistance to complete her plan to usurp the country and take revenge on that woman.
"Ci Xue, tell Grandfather about Ignaz's matter. I want more detailed information about this person."
"Yes, Young Master."
...
Shortly after, Ci Xue arrived outside the Worship Hall in Spirit City and knelt on one knee,
"Ci Xue requests an audience with the Grand Worshipper."
The heavy, magnificent golden doors, about sixty to seventy meters high, slowly opened. Bright Angel's divine light emanated from within, sacred and warm.
A man dressed in red brocade robes with a two-meter-long golden dragon-coiled staff draped over both shoulders looked down contemptuously at Ci Xue,
"Ci Xue, the Grand Worshipper orders you to enter."
۞۞۞۞
~ Push the story forward with your Power Stones