268. Things Become Strange

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Faced with the 'imposing' presence before him, Qian Renjue stumbled back in retreat.

Ling Yuan felt a deep sense of shame, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

How could she miss such a rare chance to be alone with him?

With such blatant teasing, His Highness should notice her intention, right?

"Sister Ling, what are you doing?" Qian Renjue furrowed his brow, touching his heated chest while staring at Lingyuan’s ample figure.

His mind involuntarily flashed back to the pure and flawless body of Snow Empress.

His breath quickened slightly.

"Your Highness, I just lost my balance," Ling Yuan lowered her gaze and explained.

She didn’t dare push too far—she had to take it slow, like boiling a frog in warm water, gradually desensitizing His Highness.

She had already resolved to sacrifice herself.

"Lost your balance?!" Qian Renjue was full of confusion.

A Titled Douluo, stumbling on flat ground?

How is that reasonable? But he couldn’t think of any other explanation.

Looking at Ling Yuan, who hung her head in shame, Qian Renjue thought of Qian Renxue’s orders and decided not to pursue the matter further.

He waved his hand as if to forgive Ling Yuan’s elastic collision, but seeing her shy demeanor, another idea sprang to mind.

Suppressing the pounding of his heart, Qian Renjue stepped forward, the coldness of his martial spirit gathering on his face to cool him down.


Soon, he stood right in front of her. His broad shoulders and significantly taller frame seemed to exert a pressure that made Ling Yuan’s heart race.

"Your Highness…ah!" Ling Yuan was about to explain when a warm hand gripped her chin, forcing her to lift her head.

"Your Highness…" Ling Yuan stammered, looking up at his handsome face and bright eyes, her cheeks quickly turning a deep red, her black pearl-like eyes shimmering with tears.

"Sister Ling Yuan, I’ve been thinking…you seem to lose your balance quite often, don’t you?" Qian Renjue’s face remained calm, his voice soft, though his hand gently caressed her warm and delicate face.

His warm breath blew against her, causing her to flush even more. Ling Yuan’s body trembled slightly as she nervously clenched her hands. Her voice became hurried, "Your Highness, I…I didn’t…"

"Did I remember wrong?" Qian Renjue’s eyes flashed with a trace of surprise.

He didn’t expect Sister Ling Yuan to have such a fragile side. How interesting. His hand moved more boldly, his thumb lightly touching her moist lips, slightly sliding to collect some of the moisture.

"It’s…it’s Your Highness who remembered wrong…" Ling Yuan’s lips parted slightly, her breathing rapid as she fought the urge to bite his thumb, her legs subconsciously drawing closer together.

As one of the rare female Titled Douluo, a top-tier expert on the continent, she had never felt this way before—the feeling of being overpowered, with no desire to resist, which made her heart pound with excitement.

"Is that so?" Qian Renjue murmured softly.

If Ling Yuan had been more focused, she would have noticed the faint flush creeping up his ears.

"Then Sister Ling Yuan, be more careful in the future." Qian Renjue pinched her chin again, shaking it slightly.

"Understood," Ling Yuan bit her lip, her breath hot and heavy.

"That’s good," Qian Renjue finally let out a stiff smile, releasing her chin. He turned quickly to leave, but his hand had other ideas.

It slid down to pinch Ling Yuan’s curvy figure before quickly darting away.

"Ah!" Ling Yuan let out a soft cry, raising her hand to cover herself. The sudden attack nearly made her legs buckle.

"Goodbye, Sister Ling Yuan! Be more careful next time!" Qian Renjue shouted as he ran out, waving his hand back at her, his face alternating between red and white. The cold was gradually dissipating, replaced by a burning flush.

"My face almost froze stiff," Qian Renjue muttered as he ran out of the Pope’s Hall, rubbing his stiff face. Something strange stirred inside him. He realized he was becoming a bit odd, sometimes thinking about ridiculous things, like teasing Sister Ling Yuan today.

Although he had done it before, it had been limited to pinching her face. He had always kept his distance from her soft and round curves.

In the Pope’s Hall, Ling Yuan remained standing in a daze, her face still flushed long after. She held her teased face and her now-stiffened figure, gazing dreamily at the hall’s entrance.

"His Highness has really grown up, hasn’t he? I hope he doesn’t end up playing with fire and getting burned." Ling Yuan bit her lip. Even though Qian Renjue had not been fierce, when he pressed her, she still felt suffocated, her body trembling with cold.


Qian Renjue didn’t stop until he was back at the courtyard. Bibi Dong was still in seclusion, focused on her cultivation. The courtyard felt quieter than usual, lacking the warmth and liveliness he had come to associate with it.

It seemed Qian Renxue and Hu Liena had already finished their meal and were gathered under the pavilion.

Hu Liena sat at the table, her head down as if she was being scolded. Qian Renxue sipped tea gracefully, her tone calm but authoritative as she spoke.

“Sister, Nana, I’m back.” Qian Renjue greeted them as he stepped through the door.

“Senior Brother!” Hu Liena’s face lit up instantly upon hearing his voice. Her previously gloomy demeanor vanished, replaced by a bright smile as she turned to look at him.

Qian Renxue, who had been about to smile, quickly suppressed it, frowning instead.

She had just seen Hu Liena acting as though she was ready to give up on life, but now, suddenly, she was full of energy?

The sharp glint returned to Qian Renxue’s phoenix-like eyes as they focused on Hu Liena once again.

“Ah, Miss Xue…” Hu Liena felt the icy stare on her and quickly straightened up, sitting properly as if trying to avoid further trouble.

“Were you finding my words tiresome earlier?” Qian Renxue’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“No, no! I’ve been listening carefully,” Hu Liena hurriedly waved her hands, explaining, “I took everything to heart, truly.”

“What’s going on, Sister?” Qian Renjue approached, curious about the situation.

“It’s nothing,” Qian Renxue replied, setting down her teacup. “I was just correcting some mistakes Nana made earlier while handling some documents.”

Qian Renjue smiled, taking a seat at the stone bench beside the table. “That’s good then. At least I can have a more relaxed afternoon.” He turned to Hu Liena, speaking in a softer tone. “Nana, you don’t need to worry about it this afternoon. Focus on your cultivation and get some rest.”

“It’s alright, Senior Brother. I want to help you more,” Hu Liena shook her head. She enjoyed being around him and didn’t find the work burdensome.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Qian Renxue interrupted, clearly not interested in their exchange of affectionate words. “Nana, go and fetch the leftover dishes from the kitchen.”

“Got it. Senior Brother, you must be hungry. I’ll get them right away,” Hu Liena replied with a cheerful nod.

Without waiting for Qian Renjue’s response, she quickly stood up and ran toward the kitchen, leaving him a bit flustered and amused by her eagerness.

Watching her leave, Qian Renjue couldn’t help but laugh softly.

Hu Liena’s spirited nature always brightened the atmosphere around him, no matter the situation. But the brief tranquility he felt was soon interrupted by Qian Renxue’s steady gaze.

“Jue, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” Qian Renxue began, her tone slightly more serious than before.

Qian Renjue looked at her curiously. “What’s on your mind, Sister?”

Qian Renxue paused for a moment, her sharp eyes locking onto his. “About your recent behavior…you’ve been acting differently. I’ve noticed you getting distracted and making odd decisions. Something seems to be on your mind, and it’s starting to concern me.”

Her words hit a the spot.

Qian Renjue, remembering his earlier encounter with Ling Yuan, felt a twinge of guilt. “It’s nothing serious,” he said, trying to brush it off. “I’ve just had a lot to think about lately, that’s all.”

Qian Renxue studied his face, unconvinced. “Whatever it is, don’t let it affect your focus. You have responsibilities, and the weight of the future of Spirit Hall rests on your shoulders. You can’t afford distractions.”

Qian Renjue nodded, knowing his sister was right.

Still, he couldn’t shake the strange feelings he had been experiencing lately—the subtle thrill he felt from teasing Ling Yuan, the way his thoughts seemed to wander more frequently.

He wasn’t sure what to make of it, but he knew he couldn’t let it interfere with his duties.

“I understand, Sister. I won’t let you down,” he assured her.

Qian Renxue held his gaze for a moment longer before softening her expression slightly. “Good. You’ve grown a lot, but there’s still much ahead of us. Stay sharp.”

With that, the conversation shifted back to lighter topics as Hu Liena returned with the food.

But even as they talked and laughed together, the thoughts that had been nagging at Qian Renjue remained in the back of his mind, growing ever more complex and difficult to understand.