Emperor Xue Ye saw that none of the dancing girls or concubines could catch Xue Tianyu's eye, so he had no choice but to sacrifice his own daughter for the sake of the empire.
If Xue Tianyu was willing to marry Xue Ke, he was even prepared to strip Xue Qinghe of his title as Crown Prince and let Xue Ke inherit the throne!
Using the position of Regent to keep Xue Tianyu—if he succeeded, their Heaven Dou Empire would become unimaginably powerful!
"Xue Ke is of a similar age to you and has a fitting appearance. In my eyes, you two are simply a match made in heaven."
Emperor Xue Ye's wrinkled face stretched into a smile.
"How about meeting with my daughter Xue Ke after dinner?"
Before Xue Tianyu could say anything, Qian Renxue's brows furrowed tightly.
She still maintained Xue Qinghe's appearance at this moment.
Watching Emperor Xue Ye speaking so eagerly, as if he couldn't wait to send Xue Ke away, she felt utterly displeased.
However, tonight, she no longer needed to endure it like she had for the past ten years.
"No need."
The disguised Qian Renxue, still in the form of Xue Qinghe, looked at Emperor Xue Ye with an expression of speechlessness.
"You really like selling your daughters, don't you?" Qian Renxue sneered. "Even if you want to sell her, shouldn't you at least check if she's worthy first?"
"What did you say?!"
Emperor Xue Ye was stunned.
He hadn't expected Xue Qinghe to throw a tantrum at such a crucial moment when he was trying to win over Xue Tianyu.
"I said…"
Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes, completely discarding her usual respectful attitude toward Emperor Xue Ye. She was done pretending.
"She's not worthy!"
Emperor Xue Ye's face immediately turned cold. "Qinghe, do I need your approval to handle imperial affairs?"
"Just sit there and watch."
He wanted to teach Xue Qinghe a lesson in imperial authority.
Besides, this was a crucial banquet to secure Xue Tianyu's allegiance. Xue Qinghe's words were making him lose face.
He was furious.
After the banquet, he would definitely lecture Xue Qinghe properly.
Emperor Xue Ye thought that, as usual, a slight display of dominance would make Xue Qinghe obediently bow his head.
But this time, he was disappointed.
Qian Renxue met his gaze directly. "What if I say no?"
Hmm?
No?
Emperor Xue Ye was dumbfounded.
This was blatant defiance—an act of treason!
"You unfilial son!"
He slammed the table and stood up abruptly. "Do you even know what you're saying?!"
"Are you trying to rebel?!"
His sharp eyes locked onto Xue Qinghe, his imperial aura surging forth.
However, since she had already decided to reveal herself tonight, Qian Renxue had nothing to fear.
She also stood up. "You guessed right."
Emperor Xue Ye's eyes widened in shock.
He never expected the usually obedient and understanding Xue Qinghe to oppose him at such a crucial moment.
Just as he was about to explode in rage, his face suddenly darkened.
"Pfft…"
A mouthful of black blood spewed out.
A look of confusion filled Emperor Xue Ye's eyes.
He didn't understand what was happening to him.
But the searing pain coursing through his body told him the answer.
"Poison…"
"How could I be poisoned?!"
His expression turned ghastly.
Then, it hit him.
The only possible source of poison was tonight's banquet…
"Xue Qinghe! You…! Unfilial son!"
He couldn't believe it.
He had always treated Xue Qinghe well, never imagining that one day he would fall into his hands!
"Xue Ye, oh Xue Ye… you have no idea—I've been waiting for this day for a long time."
Qian Renxue, still disguised as Xue Qinghe, smiled coldly. "More than ten years of patience, all for this moment!"
"You… what have you done…"
Emperor Xue Ye's strength drained from his body, and he collapsed beneath the table.
He struggled to climb back onto his chair, looking bitterly at the son he had once believed to be devoted and filial.
"I poisoned your wine."
"Impossible!"
Emperor Xue Ye refused to believe it. "Everyone attending the banquet was checked for poison!"
"This kind of poison requires two harmless substances to be mixed together. Of course, you wouldn't detect it, and even if a eunuch tested the food separately, they wouldn't be poisoned."
Emperor Xue Ye recognized every word Xue Qinghe was saying, but hearing them come from his mouth left him completely bewildered. However, he knew one thing—his body was succumbing to the poison, and he needed to find the antidote.
"Qinghe, why go this far? The throne was always meant to be yours in the end."
Emperor Xue Ye's face was filled with desperation. "Be good, give me the antidote. I will immediately abdicate in your favor."
"This way, you achieve your goal without bearing the infamy of rebellion and usurpation."
The surrounding guards stood frozen, watching the scene unfold in shock. Even Bone Douluo, who had still been eating moments ago, put down his chopsticks in astonishment.
Rebellion?
How could this be possible?
Wasn't tonight's banquet meant to welcome Xue Tianyu and mediate between him and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
How did things suddenly take this turn?
Bone Douluo snuck a glance at the standing Xue Qinghe.
The Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire had always carried himself with gentle elegance, never displaying excessive ambition. He had long won the support of many ministers for his composed and agreeable nature.
The transition of imperial power to him would have been smooth and undisputed.
Unless Emperor Xue Ye had some bizarre intentions, the throne was his, unquestionably stable.
Among all potential rebels in the empire, Xue Qinghe was the least believable candidate. If rumors spread that the Crown Prince had rebelled, the common folk would only treat it as a joke.
Yet now, that very joke was playing out before Bone Douluo's eyes.
"Guards! Protect His Majesty! The Crown Prince is rebelling!"
At that moment, one of Emperor Xue Ye's trusted aides shouted for the guards.
This was still the imperial palace, Emperor Xue Ye's stronghold. He had spent years cultivating a force of loyal death guards.
In an instant, a flood of armed soldiers surged from all directions, intent on capturing Xue Qinghe.
If he had been alone, he would indeed have been overwhelmed in no time.
Unfortunately, there was also Xue Tianyu.
Snap!
With the sound of a single finger snap, icy spikes suddenly erupted from the ground, skewering all approaching soldiers in an instant.
Their bodies impaled, they resembled human candied hawthorns.
One move—annihilation.
Now, only Xue Qinghe, Xue Tianyu, and the utterly bewildered Bone Douluo remained beside the stricken Emperor Xue Ye.
"Your Qinghe has long been dead."
Xue Qinghe reached up and wiped a hand across his face.
In that moment, his features shifted, and his hair grew longer.
The once-handsome and refined Xue Qinghe transformed before their eyes into a poised and stunningly beautiful woman—Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue's delicate brows arched, her expression proud as she gazed down at Emperor Xue Ye.
"More than ten years ago, your son, Xue Qinghe, was already dead."
Rip!
Qian Renxue tore apart Xue Qinghe's ceremonial robes, revealing an exquisite, low-cut evening dress beneath.
Her true appearance was finally revealed—flawless, breathtaking, as if an angel had descended upon the mortal world.
At that moment, Emperor Xue Ye was utterly dumbfounded.
His beloved son—had transformed into an unfamiliar woman within the span of a minute.
His trembling finger pointed at Qian Renxue, who regarded him with a calm, amused smile.
"You… you're not Xue Qinghe. Who are you really?!"
"Give me back my son!"
Emperor Xue Ye simply could not accept it.
The heir he had nurtured so carefully for years—was actually a woman?
Did that mean all the father-son affection over the years had been nothing more than a staged act by this woman?
He felt completely numb.
Completely.
!!!
Emperor Xue Ye no longer knew how to process his emotions.
Just then, Qian Renxue's soul power surged outward.
Golden light shimmered behind her as the image of a six-winged angel slowly emerged.
A six-winged angel!
Spirit Hall!
Bone Douluo's pupils contracted.
This was bad.