The advancement matches were in full swing, and Dai Mubai's side was just as lively.
As the evening approached, Dai Mubai stepped out of his tent and was greeted by none other than "Xue Qinghe," the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou Empire.
"Dai Shao, you're in quite the leisurely mood," "Xue Qinghe" remarked, a faint smile on their lips, though there was an unmistakable hint of sarcasm in their tone.
Dai Mubai's mouth twitched, his face reddened slightly, and he scratched the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
"What brings you here?"
"Am I not allowed to?"
"..."
Heavens, Dai Mubai hadn't meant it like that at all!
"Ahem, let's find a more private place to talk."
"Alright."
Before long, the two arrived at a quiet spot in the camp, surrounded by royal knights who, unbeknownst to others, were loyal to the Spirit Hall.
"My dear Xue'er wife," Dai Mubai said as Qian Renxue reverted to her original form. Without hesitation, he pulled her into an embrace. Initially, Qian Renxue had been fuming, but...
After a while.
"I've decided to make my move on that old Snow Night Emperor," Qian Renxue murmured softly, nestled in Dai Mubai's arms. All traces of her earlier anger had vanished.
This was a decision she had spent considerable time pondering. Dai Mubai's rapid growth had left her with no time to linger in the Heaven Dou Empire. Once she resolved the matter of the Heaven Dou Empire, she planned to return to Spirit Hall to accept the Angel God's inheritance.
Dai Mubai nodded, understanding her intentions. It wasn't just about achieving her goals—it was also about her competitive drive and determination to surpass him.
What an adorable woman.
Wait a second...
Suddenly, Dai Mubai's expression darkened, and his brows furrowed. If he remembered correctly, there had been tampering with Qian Renxue's Angel God trial.
The Angel God was long dead. While a second-tier deity might not have been able to manipulate her divine position, what about first-tier deities or the God Kings?
"Xue'er, do you trust me?" Dai Mubai asked solemnly.
Qian Renxue was taken aback by his serious tone, unable to comprehend his reaction. Wasn't this just about killing the Snow Night Emperor? Why the heavy expression? Could the Snow Night Emperor be hiding some great secret?
"I trust you," she replied without hesitation. In her heart, her grandfather Qian Daoliu and Dai Mubai were the two people she trusted most.
"The Angel God died in a major upheaval in the Divine Realm—a war, to be precise," Dai Mubai explained. "Her divine position was tampered with by the first-tier God Sea God Poseidon and the God Realm's enforcer, the Asura God."
"If you inherit the Angel God's divine position, you might..." Dai Mubai trailed off. Inheriting it was possible, but first, he'd have to deal with Poseidon and Asura himself.
"What?" Qian Renxue's eyes widened in disbelief.
The Angel God, whom her family had worshipped for generations, had perished long ago? And her divine position had been tampered with?
"Dai Mubai, how do you know this?" she asked incredulously.
Without saying a word, Dai Mubai pointed to the center of his forehead. A gray light flickered, and a mark shaped like a scythe appeared.
Qian Renxue: "..."
Fine. She believed him.
A bitter smile appeared on her lips. While Dai Mubai had already started his own divine trial, the one she had been preparing for turned out to be flawed.
Dai Mubai gently patted her head, his voice soft and warm.
"My dear Xue'er wife, wait until I ascend to godhood. I'll take care of those two meddling hands for you. Then, you can safely inherit the Angel God's position. Trust me, it won't take long."
Feeling his sincerity and gentleness, Qian Renxue nodded, then unexpectedly turned the tables and embraced him instead.
After a long while, they returned to discussing the plan to kill the Snow Night Emperor.
"There's no rush to take action against Snow Night. You're part of the Spirit Hall. Shouldn't you know better than I what schemes they're planning?"
Qian Renxue: "..."
Actually, she didn't know much. Before Bibi Dong founded the Spirit Empire, even the Spirit Hall's offerings weren't privy to everything. But her grandfather Qian Daoliu probably knew.
Seeing Qian Renxue's slightly confused expression, Dai Mubai's eye twitched. He realized he might have misspoken. Given that Qian Renxue had been plotting against the Heaven Dou Empire from within its walls, how could she know what Bibi Dong was scheming?
"Alright, so you don't know," he said.
Qian Renxue: "..."
"Forget it for now. Focus on playing your role as Crown Prince. There's no need to rush," Dai Mubai advised. "However, if you can, deal with Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing first."
Qian Renxue was momentarily stunned. Were those two wastrels worth dealing with?
"My little fool, those two are playing you," Dai Mubai teased. "It might be their nature, but Xue Xing and Xue Beng aren't as simple as they appear."
Qian Renxue's face darkened—not because he'd called her a fool, but because, despite all her years in the Heaven Dou Empire, she hadn't seen through Xue Beng and Xue Xing's true selves.
"Winning a thousand miles away through strategic planning!" That had always been her motto. Yet now, after all this time...
"Xue Xing and Xue Beng, huh?" she muttered darkly.
Dai Mubai ruffled her hair again and added, "As for the Star Luo Empire, once the Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou are dealt with, that side will be resolved as well."
Unify first. Whoever's the strongest would call the shots.
"I understand," Qian Renxue said, planting a kiss on his cheek.
Conquering the Star Luo Empire would be far more challenging than the Heaven Dou Empire. This was evident from the original story's Battle of Jialing Pass.
The Heaven Dou Empire had the Upper Three Sects, Tang Sect, Shrek Academy, and Tang Sect's hidden weapons, all fighting tooth and nail to barely hold the line. Meanwhile, the Star Luo Empire had none of these yet remained a formidable power.
Even millennia later, the Heaven Dou Empire had long ceased to exist, while the Star Luo Empire endured.
The two chatted for a while longer before Dai Mubai finally returned to Shrek Academy's rest area.
When Zhu Zhuqing saw him return, she sniffed the air, giving him a strange look. Fortunately, the scent was familiar to her, so she didn't say anything. Dai Mubai wasn't one to hide things from her, but this particular "sister" of hers? She still didn't know her name or what she looked like...
Dai Mubai: "..."
What could he say? Qian Renxue's identity couldn't be revealed yet. Since Zhu Zhuqing didn't press further, he chose to keep it under wraps for now.
"Recognize women by their scent?" Dai Mubai mused. He'd heard of that six-fingered fellow having such a skill, but his little kitty seemed to have picked it up as well...
"Oh, my dear Zhuqing wife—"
"How many people have you said that to?"
"Zhuqing, you are absolutely the first..."
(End of Chapter)