Inside a breakfast shop in the western district of the city, the three of them took their seats.
The shop owner was extremely surprised—he hadn't expected His Highness the Crown Prince to come eat tofu pudding at his small shop!
As for the unidentified flying object, he'd heard of it before and wasn't particularly shocked.
"Two bowls of sweet tofu pudding, and one bowl of savory!"
"You heretic!" ×2
Both Xue Qinghe and Paimon thought the same thing at almost the exact same moment as they looked at Zhongli.
After a brief exchange, Xue Qinghe was the first to cross the correct answer off the list.
Zhongli absolutely could not be that Lord.
It was said that Zhongli was quite learned and highly regarded by Dugu Bo, who had even gifted him a luxurious mansion. Otherwise, as a newcomer, Zhongli and the little one would probably have ended up sleeping on the streets.
"Brother Zhongli, I've heard you're well-versed in many fields. Might we exchange a few thoughts?"
Toward Zhongli—this seemingly "ordinary person"—Xue Qinghe maintained outward respect.It was her mask, not something she would remove lightly.
"Your Highness, Zhongli knows everything from five hundred years before—"
Paimon stopped mid-sentence, as if realizing something, then abruptly changed her tune.
"Zhongli doesn't know anything at all!"
"Other than freeloading, he can't do a thing!"
Zhongli: "..."
There's a saying I really don't know whether I should say or not.
Xue Qinghe paused, then glanced at Zhongli without drawing attention.
Even his own Martial Soul said so—perhaps he truly didn't understand much.
"It's fine. What would Your Highness like to discuss?"
Zhongli spoke calmly, his voice steady—instinctively inspiring trust and a sense of security.
That… didn't match his supposed level of strength at all.
"Hm?"
Xue Qinghe was slightly surprised.
Paimon had already given him an out.Yet Zhongli stepped forward on his own?
Very well, then I won't hold back.
"Brother Zhongli, what is your view of the current Spirit Hall?"
Xue Qinghe opened with a lethal question.
At present, she was the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire—but don't forget, she was also the Saintess of Spirit Hall.
To outsiders, this sounded like the Heaven Dou Crown Prince expressing caution toward Spirit Hall—an entirely reasonable question.
"Spirit Hall…"
Zhongli murmured, stroking his chin as if pondering.
"Zhongli, if you don't know, don't bluff! Be careful or the Crown Prince won't treat us to tofu pudding!"
Zhongli & Xue Qinghe: "..."
Little one… do you really have to be this honest?
"Forgive my bluntness," Zhongli said calmly."Spirit Hall's overall structure is excellent—yet it is plagued by both internal strife and external threats."
Xue Qinghe froze slightly.
Excellent structure?
Internal and external problems?
Where was this coming from?
Could it be that Zhongli really was just bluffing her, as Paimon said?
If he could fool her, that would still be a skill in itself.
"Brother Zhongli, what do you mean by 'excellent structure' and 'internal and external threats'?"
"Let us begin with the structure."
"On the Douluo Continent, Soul Masters are the most honored profession—and also the strongest group."
"Spirit Hall establishes branches throughout both empires—in large cities, small towns, and even remote villages."
"Every year, they help commoners awaken their Martial Souls in a unified manner. Those with talent are almost always recruited ahead of others."
The more Xue Qinghe listened, the more her heart surged with shock.
Didn't the little one say Zhongli knew nothing and was just bluffing?
This… was far from knowing nothing.
He knew too much.
"Spirit Hall replaces the two empires in distributing subsidies to civilian Soul Masters."
"When they discover promising talent, they recruit them."
"Step by step, this entire structure exists for one purpose—recruiting genius Soul Masters and strengthening Spirit Hall."
"Of course, even those with mediocre talent are still targets. After all, no matter how weak—a Soul Master is still a Soul Master."
Xue Qinghe was completely convinced.
Even the way she looked at Zhongli had changed.
No wonder someone as aloof as Dugu Bo respected him so highly—and even gifted him a mansion!
This wasn't a useless man at all.
This was a once-in-a-millennium strategist.
As a mere ordinary person, he could see truths beneath the surface—terrifyingly so.
"Sir Zhongli, your knowledge truly rivals the heavens!"
The address changed from Brother to Sir in an instant—faster than flipping a page.
"Please accept my questions, Sir."
Xue Qinghe stood and cupped her hands toward Zhongli—proper etiquette of a student toward a teacher.
After all, she was seeking guidance.
"There's no need for such formality," Zhongli replied mildly."These are merely my personal views and conjectures."
"If Your Highness—"
"Sir, please don't!"
Xue Qinghe waved her hands quickly. Lowering herself came naturally to her.
"Please just call me Qinghe. 'Your Highness' feels far too distant."
We've only met twice—what's wrong with being distant?Of course, Zhongli would never say that aloud.
"Very well, Qinghe. Please sit. If you have questions, we can discuss them seated."
"Yes!"
Xue Qinghe cupped her hands again before sitting down.
With such demeanor, even the strictest person would find nothing to criticize.
After all, she was the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou—the future emperor.
Yet she was so refined, gentle, and impeccably courteous.
"Sir, then why do you say Spirit Hall suffers from internal and external troubles?"
Under that woman's management, Spirit Hall was clearly thriving.
Why would Zhongli say such a thing?
"Spirit Hall recruits talent regardless of moral character—as long as one has ability, they are taken in."
Xue Qinghe knew this well and nodded subconsciously.
But with her grandfather around, Spirit Hall wouldn't descend into chaos.
"The upper ranks of Spirit Hall are rife with infighting. The Council of Elders and the Papal Palace are not on good terms."
"Hiss—"
Xue Qinghe sucked in a sharp breath.
How could an ordinary person know this?
Fortunately, Zhongli hadn't mentioned the Hall of Consecrators—otherwise she would've been even more shaken.
"Sir… how do you know the Elders' Council and the Papal Palace are at odds?"
"Even the empires have found no trace of such information."
Xue Qinghe asked calmly, as if she weren't particularly concerned about Spirit Hall at all.
"Qinghe, what Martial Soul have the Popes of Spirit Hall possessed throughout history?"
As a descendant of the Angel God, how could she not know?
She answered instinctively,"The Six-Winged Angel."
"Correct. Then what is Bibi Dong's Martial Soul?"
Before Xue Qinghe could respond, Zhongli spoke plainly:
"She is nothing more than a puppet propped up by others."
Boom—
The words struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
Xue Qinghe stood frozen.
He… even knew that?!
"I wish to invite you to my Eastern Palace, Sir," she said at last."If one day I ascend the throne, you shall surely become the Prime Minister of the realm."