Tianlong Palace,
Outside the Pagoda.
Hanrui sat down and took out a high grade Void Crystal and threw it on a specific spot on the Pagoda. Instantly the wall started projecting what's happening inside.
Gu Yuena chuckled as she understood what Hanrui was doing and watched the show with him.
Just then Qian Renxue's arrogant voice sounded.
{"Hmph, I can defeat 5 of you blindfolded," She said arrogantly.}
"Pft, you really don't take my advice seriously, do you?" Hanrui who was sipping tea sprayed it as he heard her words and complained aloud, making Gu Yuena chuckle.
"Fine if you want to play it like that, it's your wish." He said as he took out a command seal and authorised the seal, then gave the Pagoda command to accept her challenge.
{In the next second Qian Renxue(Xue Qinghe) replica nodded and 4 more replicas appeared beside her and took a fighting stance, while a blindfold appeared on her hand making her stunned.
Qian Renxue looked at the 5 replicas and the blindfold speechlessly for a long while.}
Hanrui, seeing her reaction, started laughing while holding his stomach, but then he controlled himself and continued to watch, to see what she would do next.
{Qian Renxue gulped as she looked at her replicas once again and ignored the blindfold and tried to fight as she recalled Hanrui's warning.
She came closer to one of the replicas and threw a straight forward punch to the stomach.
In the next second, before she knew what happened, her back hit the ground with a thud.}
Seeing her defeated in a single move, Hanrui started rolling on the ground while laughing.
Gu Yuena on the other hand, amused by Qian Renxue's actions and Hanrui's uncontrollable laughter, shook her head as she laughed while covering her mouth with her hands.
…
Back with Qian Renxue.
A screen appeared with a line of text in front of Qian Renxue as the voice of the Pagoda boomed.
[Welcome to First Layer's Combat Simulator.
Detected user in disguise, suggest the user to remove the disguise for optimal results.]
Qian Renxue who is questioning her life hearing those words woke up from her daze.
"That's right. I'm in disguise. I'm not weak, it's just that I couldn't use my true strength." She comforted herself as she slowly stood up.
Just then an amused chuckle is heard in the space. Qian Renxue quickly looked around but couldn't find the source but then it clicked it inside her head.
'He's watching everything.' Her face turned red as she thought of her humiliating performance seen by Hanrui.
As if to confirm her guess, Hanrui's voice followed right after.
"That's right, I can see what's going on inside." Hanrui said.
'Can he read my mind too?' She thought, alarmed.
"No I can't read your mind, I just guessed what you might be thinking, so stop making that face." Hanrui said.
Qian Renxue went silent, as she crossed her arms and looked away.
'Hmph, I won't believe you.' She thought.
"Ok ok don't be mad, while it's hilarious, it's not that bad. You are the Pioneer of the future, so be proud." he placated her like a child.
Hanrui dismissed the 4 replicas and set the remaining replica in teaching mode.
"There, no more 1v5 fighting, that replica will teach you how to fight, while fighting you.
How much you can learn is up to
you but I set a 1hr limit to check the energy consumption. So stop being an arrogant child and start training properly this time." Hanrui said.
Qian Renxue pouted at his placating tone but still listened to his explanation seriously this time.
"By the way you can increase the gravity of the space to 100 times the normal. You have to give a command to the Pagoda to increase the gravity to a level you are comfortable training with.
See you in an hour, little Xue'er" Hanrui added.
Hearing this Qian Renxue's eyes widened in disbelief for a second and then she comforted herself.
'Gravity increase is a divine skill but it rarely appears and its level will be low. Who gets a soul skill with this much potential?
Right, this is not a soul skill, it's Hanrui's creation. It's probably some sealing technique he used.
Wait, why does he keep calling me little? I'm not little in any way I'll have you know.' She thought as she grunted .
Qian Renxue, despite the suggestion from the system, decided to not take off her disguise as she didn't want to give the satisfaction of seeing her beauty to the bad guy outside the Pagoda.
As she looked at the replica again, instead of going with her usual style, she adopted the same fighting stance as the replica and started fighting the replica, recalling the moves from her memory.
The replica patiently guided her when she made mistakes in posture or usage of force, gradually an hour passed and suddenly she was back at the entrance mid-motion.
Qian Renxue felt dizzy for a second at the sudden change of environment and quickly came back to her senses and straightened up.
Looking around she found Hanrui and Gu Yuena eating rice cakes and playing GO.
She approached them slowly and watched the game seriously, feeling hungry she unconsciously started eating the rice cakes from Hanrui's plate.
As the game progressed Hanrui started gaining more territory while Gu Yuena started losing her own territory.
As the game was coming to an end Hanrui tried to take a rice cake only to catch empty air, turning his head he noticed Qian Renxue sitting beside him, eating his rice cake while watching the game seriously.
". . ."
He stared at her speechlessly,as she still can't seem to notice him staring at her nor the game moving forward,as it is his turn next.
He made his move ending the game while pinching her ear. "Xue'er, it's quite bold of you to eat my rice cakes," he said, annoyed.
Feeling the pain, Qian Renxue came back to reality from the game and laughed sheepishly.
"The game was good and I got hungry after the training so I subconsciously ate them." she admitted.
Hanrui gave her a look, as if asking. "Are you serious" then looked at the plate beside her which still had the rice cakes.
Her face quickly turned red in shame.
"I-i didn't notice." She trembled as she tried to explain.
"Sure you didn't." He said sarcastically as he took a rice cake from her plate and started eating while Gu Yuena started counting and declared me as the winner.
Completely ignoring Hanrui who is eating from Qian Renxue's plate.
'I really didn't notice. The game was interesting and I was hungry so I ate from your plate without my knowledge.' She complained in her mind.
"So, how was the experience? Do you feel uncomfortable?" Hanrui asked, noticing her look of grievance at his previous words, changing the subject.
"It was good, i learned alot, apart from being floored at first, everything went well.
I tried the gravity change too, but i could only hold 5 times the gravity though.
I don't have a comparison so I don't know if it's high or low." She said, noticing his cue to change the subject.
"Um, that's not bad, my father could only do 8 times the gravity, when he was soul emperor.
but he is not as blessed in the lottery of genes as you are so it's only natural I guess." Hanrui said, trying to control his laughter at the mention of her defeat.
Qian Renxue beamed at the praise. Then she thought of something.
"So what have you been doing these last 5 months? I heard you even went to Star Lou Empire?" She asked, a hint of anxiousness in her tone.
Hanrui raised an eyebrow as he stared at her. "Oh? Did granny mention it? After all, Granny and Yuena are the only ones who know about that trip."
Qian Renxue just nodded, waiting for his explanation.
Hanrui poked her head in annoyance. "Before we talk about my trip, why don't we talk about your stupidity."
Qian Renxue stiffened at his harsh tone and stood alert.
"I understand you making the other princes disappear. Because they might come in your way of the Crown.
Why the hell did you leave a scumbag like Xue Beng off? He is harming innocent women left and right, right in the open, just so you will treat him like an idiot with women in mind and no ambition.
While inside he grows the ambition for the Throne and listens to his uncle Xue Xing's words. And you, you buy his act." Hanrui face-palms as he mentions it.
"That's not even the point I'm angry about, whether it is an act or not, he is harming innocent women. That is a fact.
You have an angel martial soul and you are a woman and you still let this continue under your nose." Hanrui continued before she could defend herself.
Qian Renxue's shoulders dropped as she listened further as she explained.
"I didn't want to kill him because Emperor Xue Ye would suspect me, or else I would've done it myself." she clenched her fists in anger as she recalled how she had to let him go for his actions before.
Hanrui patted her head as he sighed. "Don't worry about it. I've sent a message to Dugu Bo, he should've started the process already.
Once the plan I set for them is in motion, their days of harming innocent people are numbered."
Qian Renxue's eyes brightened as she grew curious at what Hanrui had done.
Hanrui smiled mysteriously and kept mum, infuriating Qian Renxue.
'Hmph, who wants to know your stupid plan anyway.' She grumbled under her breath.
"I'm building a new force, or you can say a new business across the Continent. It will act as a business first and foremost, my eyes and ears across the Continent the second.
So yeah, I had to go and visit Star Lou Empire.I picked a few trustworthy men to work for me and opened a shop." he said, distracting her.
"Shop? What kind of shop?" She asked, intrigued.
"Alchemy Shop" He replied nonchalantly.
"Alchemy shop? As in medicinal pills?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yes, what's wrong?Why are you agitated?" He asked her, noticing her disdain.
"Do you think my pills are no different from what's circulating in the market?" He said, looking at her with the same disdain.
Hanrui took out three healing pills, each with different potency, and gave it to her.
"Those are healing pills with low,mid and high tiers.Low grade is suitable for level 30 and below. Medium grade is suitable for level 60 and below and the last one suitable for level 90 and below." Hanrui introduced each pill as he showed her the pill.
Qian Renxue examined the pills and tasted them. Each one gives her a feeling of warmth and peace as she takes in the scent and tastes it.
Then he took a 'Beauty enhancing pill','detox pills' & 'Body Strengthening pill' and started introducing them.
"T-this. These are divine pills." She stammered.
"Of course they are, who do you think made them?" Hanrui said smugly.
"Only the first one of each is available in the market, the other 2 tiers are not in the market yet. Take them,You can consider it a parting gift." He continued.
Qian Renxue perked up hearing that but still asked. "Can I really take them?"
'Is this considered his first gift to me?' Shedaydreamed.
Hanrui nodded as she beamed, and suddenly she froze.
"Wait, what do you mean "Parting Gift"?" She asked anxiously.
"At first I thought of ignoring Tang San but I just recalled the saying, 'Keep your Friends close, your Enemies closer'.
So I'm leaving to pay a visit to him and I might stay around him for the next few years, so , the parting gift." He replied stunning both Qian Renxue and Gu Yuena.
"Yuena, you are coming with me, but you are gonna travel a lot in the coming years.
I have told you before, you need to learn the human way of ruling, so you are going to stay with Qian Renxue most of the time.
If you are really reluctant you can just stay with me and we can figure things out. The decision is yours.
I'll still come here from time to time though. While my clones can deal with my pet project, it is best if I supervise it myself." Hanrui said as the duo looked at him, speechlessly.