Inside the carriage, the atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
Gu Yuena and Qian Renxue were in turmoil for different reasons.
"Are we still going?"
Gu Yuena asked, while Qian Renxue gritted her teeth.
"Yes!"
After causing so much trouble, it was all for nothing.
Qian Renxue felt like she had punched cotton; she felt like she was fighting against thin air.
She had taken Gu Siyue to heart and targeted her relentlessly, but the other party didn't seem to care about her at all.
The carriage continued on its way, heading towards the Heaven Dou Royal Academy!
In previous years, most of the attendees at the Heaven Dou Ball were students from the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, so to save trouble, the location was directly set at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy!
...
...
On the other side!
Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Villa No. 2.
A blond, blue-eyed young man sat quietly in the center of the room.
The room was filled with a faint sandalwood scent, and sunlight streamed through the cracks in the windows, casting golden spots on him.
His face was handsome and resolute, his golden hair shimmering with a captivating luster in the sunlight, like dazzling gold.
His thick eyebrows were slightly furrowed, as if he were undergoing some arduous challenge in his cultivation.
If a high-level Soul Master were here to witness this, they would be astonished.
This was a highly advanced meditative stage that Soul Masters rarely entered; such a state was extremely rare and highly beneficial to them.
Suddenly, the young man slowly awoke from his deep meditation.
His eyelids trembled slightly, like a butterfly gently fluttering its wings, before slowly opening.
In that instant, his pupils transformed into golden pupils, dazzling and radiant like a burning sun, seemingly containing boundless mysterious power and ancient wisdom.
The golden light flowed in his eyes, as if it could see through everything in the world.
However, this strange transformation lasted only a moment, then vanished like a fleeting flower.
This young man was none other than Qian Renshang, who had been diligently cultivating.
Since decisively rejecting Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan, his life had returned to its former tranquility.
Without emotional entanglements and external disturbances, he could finally calm his mind and devote himself wholeheartedly to cultivation.
Relying on the incomparably precious Fountain of Life and the parting gifts from several Beast Kings filled with deep affection and expectation, his soul power had advanced by leaps and bounds during this period.
Now, his soul power had reached level 68.
Each breakthrough had brought a qualitative improvement to his strength and brought him one step closer to his goal.
"Level 68 soul power?... I feel like I'm getting closer to the seventh-ring Soul Saint without even realizing it."
Qian Renshang slowly got up, stretching his body, and a series of cracking sounds came from his joints.
His gaze subconsciously fell on the table next to him, where an invitation quietly lay—an invitation to the Heavenly Dou Ball.
This invitation was personally extended to him by the Crown Prince of the Heavenly Dou Empire.
Under normal circumstances, given his personality, he would definitely accept such an invitation gladly.
But he knew very well that Xue Qinghe's true identity was his dear sister—Qian Renxue.
Thinking of this, his brows furrowed involuntarily.
He truly didn't want any entanglement with Qian Renxue; past events filled him with a strong aversion to this relationship.
Therefore, he rejected the invitation without hesitation, without any lingering.
He didn't bother to delve into Qian Renxue's intentions; Qian Renshang from when he was three years old was already dead, and he wouldn't foolishly seek maternal love anymore.
"Sister"... was a distant title now.
A quick glance at Qian Renxue's situation was enough.
Qian Renshang casually tossed the invitation aside, not looking at it again, and turned back to his new cultivation.
However, for some reason, now that he had awakened from deep meditation, Qian Renshang's heart was difficult to calm.
His usually steady and resolute heart was now like a lake rippled by a stone thrown in.
"What's going on... why do I feel like something big is about to happen and I just can't calm down!"
Qian Renshang frowned slightly, shaking his head helplessly, trying to calm himself down, but to no avail.
He pondered for a moment, then decided to go out and see if a change of scenery would improve his mood.
Besides, after a long period of cultivation, he was also feeling hungry.
He straightened his clothes, stepped out of the room, and although the sunlight shone on him, it couldn't dispel the unease in his heart.
Qian Renshang gently pushed open the door, and was greeted by the warm and soft glow of the setting sun.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and savored this moment of tranquility and beauty.
The weather was exceptionally pleasant today. The enormous sunset, like a burning flame, transformed the entire sky into a magnificent, colorful painting.
The red, orange, and purple hues intertwined, creating a dreamlike and enchanting scene.
Faced with such beauty, Qian Renshang instinctively picked up paper and pen to draw.
Yes, he intended to record this scene… for his sister Nana to see after she woke up.
His eyes were focused and affectionate, his pen moving lightly across the paper, each stroke filled with his love for the beautiful scenery and his longing for his sister Nana.
Just as Qian Renshang was carefully sketching a particular spot, several carriages suddenly came into his view.
The sound of hooves broke the surrounding tranquility, raising a cloud of dust.
Leading the procession appeared to be several imposing knights, their postures upright and expressions serious, seemingly clearing the way for the carriages behind.
Slowly appearing from behind was an even more luxurious carriage, its body inlaid with dazzling gems and carved with exquisite patterns, showcasing the owner's noble status.
Qian Renshang frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure in his heart.
This sudden interruption had disrupted his creative flow.
The luxurious carriage behind him was moving at a considerable speed, stirring up a gentle breeze that lifted the curtain.
Through the brief gap, Qian Renshang caught a glimpse of a delicate profile and a cascade of silver hair.
He was instantly stunned, his heart pounding uncontrollably.
That profile was so familiar, so strikingly similar to his beloved Nana, also known as Gu Yuena.
However, the curtain quickly fell back down, returning to its original state, as if the scene had been nothing more than a dream.
Qian Renshang's mind remained unsettled for a long time.
Filled with doubt, he muttered to himself, "That face looks so much like Nana, but that shouldn't be... Isn't Nana still unconscious in the Star Dou Great Forest?"
"What on earth is going on..."
Without hesitation, Qian Renshang immediately gave chase!
(End of Chapter)
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