Time flew by, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
Early that morning.
Three large carriages were already packed full to the brim, with six gentle Hundred-Year Icefield Horses firmly secured by the coachmen at the front of the carriages.
With the outstanding stamina and endurance of the Icefield Horses, pulling these three large carriages was more than enough. The group wasn't in a hurry either; they had plenty of time to spare. At their current speed, they would reach Spirit Hall City in at most four days, leaving two or three extra days for free use.
The Demon Empress, who had been wandering outside, also took the initiative to join everyone on the trip to Spirit Hall City. After arriving in Element City earlier, the Demon Empress's trust in the group had far exceeded expectations. After giving a hurried message, she left Lan Fozi in their care and disappeared without a trace. If she hadn't left a way to contact her with Lan Fozi, Shen Hanyu would truly have suspected that poor Lan Fozi had been abandoned once again.
Lan Fozi, however, remained very Buddhist in his approach. Every day, he followed a few of the girls around the academy, and in his free time, he wandered through Element City, showing signs of becoming the next Shen Liuyu.
The carriages traveled through the territory of the Heaven Dou Empire. Shen Hanyu gazed at the scenery steadily receding outside the window and slowly closed his eyes.
In his previous life, during such journeys, the only way he could calm himself was by listening to music. Various songs paired with the scenery outside the window could briefly heal the injuries and injustices he had suffered since childhood.
Now, the beauty beside him who wished she could stick to him had become the best remedy to cure his boredom.
Inhaling the familiar clear fragrance from the Snow Empress that he had grown accustomed to, Shen Hanyu's thoughts settled. Accompanied by the rhythmic knocking of the carriage wheels against the ground, under the shocked gazes of Shen Liuyu and Gu Qingbo sitting on the other side, he directly leaned his head on the Snow Empress's shoulder and fell asleep.
The Snow Empress gently shifted her body, feeling Shen Hanyu's even breathing, and made a shushing gesture toward Shen Liuyu and Gu Qingbo.
…
His consciousness was unprecedentedly clear and calm; this was probably Shen Hanyu's first feeling after waking up.
Slowly sitting upright and looking at Shen Liuyu and Gu Qingbo, who had already entered cultivation states on the other side, Shen Hanyu lightly pinched his brow and murmured to himself:
"That's strange… I actually fell asleep so easily… and slept so deeply…"
The Snow Empress spoke softly from beside him:
"You were sleeping so soundly for once that we didn't have the heart to disturb you. How do you feel now?"
Shen Hanyu came back to his senses and smiled:
"Very comfortable. It's been a long time since I felt this way. Even my spiritual power has increased a little."
The Snow Empress nodded, then gently rubbed her slightly numb thigh.
Seeing this scene, Shen Hanyu decisively chose to repay the favor and personally gave the Snow Empress a standard leg massage.
Afterward, as expected, Shen Hanyu received the Snow Empress's five-star praise. Of course, aside from Shen Hanyu, no one else could earn this five-star rating.
…
The next day at noon, while the caravan was resting.
A more luxurious carriage convoy escorted by armored soldiers slowly approached from a distance and finally came to a stop in front of everyone.
As the accompanying guards opened the carriage door, a figure with a gentle temperament appeared before the group and gave them a slight smile.
"Brother Shen, Miss Xue, we meet again."
Qian Renxue said with a smile, her tone casual, completely like that of old friends.
Shen Hanyu narrowed his eyes slightly. They were heading to Spirit Hall City, while Qian Renxue was purely returning to her own home, though of course, he couldn't say that out loud right now.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, long time no see…"
Shen Hanyu replied with a smile.
The Snow Empress merely gave this golden-haired woman a faint glance before looking away.
Qian Renxue seemed to notice the Snow Empress's look. In her heart, she cursed the Snow Empress thousands of times, thinking that one day, after she restored her true appearance, she would definitely teach this icy woman a harsh lesson.
Shen Liuyu and the others also gathered around. They looked at Qian Renxue in some surprise before saying:
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince…"
Qian Renxue smiled and waved her hand. A trace of darkness flashed in her eyes, but on the surface, she continued smiling and said:
"During the Element City Grand Competition, I unfortunately fell seriously ill on the way and couldn't participate. I deeply regret not being able to witness the elegance of you ladies; it's truly one of life's great regrets."
Shen Hanyu smiled and replied:
"Your Highness is too polite. Bing'er, A-Yu, and the others are still young. Compared to Spirit Hall's renowned Golden Generation, there is still some gap…"
Qian Renxue secretly rolled her eyes, then was about to say something when she saw You Mengchu's figure step down from the middle carriage.
Qian Renxue was slightly stunned, then smiled again and looked toward Shen Hanyu:
"I wonder who this is?"
Shen Hanyu glanced at You Mengchu, who was hurrying off to eat, and smiled:
"To report to Your Highness, the Crown Prince, this is our friend. She is traveling with us to Spirit Hall City to broaden her horizons…"
Qian Renxue maintained her smiling appearance on the surface, but her mind was already spinning wildly. The powerful perception granted by her Six-Winged Angel was no weaker than some spiritual-type martial souls. The moment she saw You Mengchu, she judged that the other party's aura was extraordinary, that familiar aura was at least at the Titled Douluo level, and a powerful one at that.
After exchanging a few more vague and ambiguous words with Shen Hanyu, Qian Renxue suddenly asked before leaving:
"Brother Shen, what do you think of the Spirit Hall as a force?"
The corner of Shen Hanyu's mouth curved into a smile as he answered directly:
"Spirit Hall is extremely powerful, with countless experts. The current Pope is a rare heroic ruler. If left unchecked, it will sooner or later become a grave threat to our Heaven Dou Empire…"
The corner of Qian Renxue's mouth twitched. She waved her hand, then turned and went straight back into the carriage.
Watching the carriages depart into the distance, Shen Hanyu returned to the camp without a care, preparing to enjoy a pleasant lunch with everyone…
…
Meanwhile, inside the luxurious soundproof carriage, two figures, one tall and one short, stood before Qian Renxue. They were precisely She Long Douluo and Ci Xue Douluo, the two titled experts.
As colleagues for many years, the tacit understanding between these two Titled Douluo had reached a level unimaginable to ordinary people.
"She Long Douluo, I'll have to trouble you to go ahead to Spirit Hall City and report the news. Just say that I have found a candidate suspected to be that Huang Yu Douluo."
She Long Douluo respectfully accepted the order, then instantly vanished from the carriage, leaving only Ci Xue Douluo still waiting quietly inside.
Qian Renxue glanced at Ci Xue Douluo, pinched her brow, and said:
"Arrange for people to monitor them along the way. Remember, they must stay completely hidden. Tell the subordinates that if they are caught by the other side, death is the only option…"
Ci Xue Douluo also respectfully accepted the order and slowly withdrew from the carriage…
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