Night had fallen.
Qian Renxue was already sound asleep.
Li Yu gently kissed her forehead, a smile appearing on his face.
At their level of cultivation, sleeping was no longer something that could be considered a routine.
To other Spirit Master, this behavior might even seem odd.
The path of a soul master was so arduous—who had time to sleep?
Even rest was usually done through meditative cultivation.
But for Li Yu and Qian Renxue, this had already become a habit.
Li Yu's eyes looked out the window, his gaze sharpening as dense spatial threads appeared before his eyes.
With a slight flick—
His figure vanished.
Qian Renxue groped around, finding the bed empty. Finally, she muttered, "Off running around again in the middle of the night, hmph~"
However—
She only turned over and didn't bother to intervene further.
...
...
Yangxin Palace.
This was Emperor Xue Ye usual sleeping quarters—also the place where Qian Renxue had brought Li Yu to meet him earlier that day.
At this moment—
Even though it was late at night, Emperor Xue Ye had still not gone to bed.
His health was deteriorating day by day, but the burdens of the state kept him restless and unable to sleep.
Recalling the words spoken by "Xue Qinghe" during the day, a look of deep sorrow appeared in his eyes.
"You have made up your mind and guaranteed that the Heaven Dou Empire will still continue to exist!"
"But..."
"Isn't it also obvious that you are indeed not a 'Xue'?"
Earlier in the day, Emperor Xue Ye had asked "Xue Qinghe," "If your goals succeed, what will you do?"
What he was really asking was—
If you inherit the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire, how will you treat it?
At the time, "Xue Qinghe" answered, "Your son is no longer young. It is time to start a family, to build a career."
What he truly meant was—
I've spent so many years in Heaven Dou. At this age, I've developed genuine feelings for this place, and I consider it my home and my cause. I will treat everything here well.
Afterward, Emperor Xue Ye brought up the matter of marriage.
It was both a final test of Li Yu attitude, and also a way to see the sincerity behind "Xue Qinghe's" words.
"Xue Qinghe" did not reject Emperor Xue Ye arranging a marriage.
This was actually Qian Renxue expressing her attitude to Emperor Xue Ye—
If I ascend the throne smoothly, I won't harm you, nor will I carry out any bloodshed. Heaven Dou will still be Heaven Dou. It will not become someone else's vassal!
Upon receiving that answer, Emperor Xue Ye eyes had turned moist.
At that moment—
He truly wanted to let "Xue Qinghe" inherit the throne.
After all, even though "Xue Qinghe" was not the real Xue Qinghe, he had lived seriously under that identity for over twenty years, and had devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Heaven Dou Empire.
With that being the case, did it really still matter whether or not he was the real Xue Qinghe?
Emperor Xue Ye asked himself.
But in the end, he still couldn't let go of his doubts.
Heaven Dou might remain Heaven Dou, but… it would no longer bear the surname "Xue."
A life full of hardships, the accumulation of generations—was it really going to be handed over just like that?
He might be willing, but his ancestors surely were not!
"I too… have no way out…"
Emperor Xue Ye gaze was complex but gradually became firm.
Just then—
Tap tap tap!
Footsteps echoed. Emperor Xue Ye was suddenly "startled awake," looking up at the figure who had silently appeared in his bedchamber.
He was both confused and alarmed.
Despite such a disturbance, not a single guard had noticed!
And this person had entered as if walking through an unguarded courtyard, completely unfazed by the noise.
"Who are you?"
Emperor Xue Ye immediately sensed that this person was extraordinary and began searching his memories for potential enemies.
Anyone who could demonstrate such methods was surely a Titled Douluo.
However...
As he rapidly flipped through his memories, he couldn't recall any Titled Douluo like this among his adversaries.
Female Titled Douluos were already incredibly rare...
Li Yu sat down at the table, his gaze calmly observing Emperor Xue Ye.
He has not yet revealed his disguise as a woman., but his appearance and aura had been altered by the "Domain of Life and Nature," so of course Emperor Xue Ye couldn't recognize him.
"I ask, you answer."
Li Yu voice was indifferent, devoid of emotion. "Understood?"
"Understood," Emperor Xue Ye replied, feeling as though a blade hovered over his throat. Even though he was full of questions, he could only nod honestly.
Anyone who could silently infiltrate the Heaven Dou imperial palace and reach the emperor's bedchamber without alerting a single guard must possess terrifying strength!
Such a figure was not someone the Heaven Dou Empire could afford to provoke.
"The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud—is it still here?"
Li Yu got straight to the point.
As for the specific dealings between Emperor Xue Ye and Tang San, he wasn't interested.
At this stage, he could crush Tang San easily.
The only reason he let him live was to lure out Tang Hao, the bigger fish.
"It is."
Emperor Xue Ye was even more astonished.
This man actually knew about the Heaven Dou Empire's national treasure?
Just who was this person?!
"Give it to me."
Li Yu tone remained calm.
"This…"
Emperor Xue Ye had already anticipated this, but still trembled slightly at the moment.
A national treasure—how could it be handed over so easily?
But...
The image of Tang San flashed through his mind.
Tang San had indeed displayed his domain, possessed an excellent soul ring combination, had strange movement skills, and some special abilities.
And a second martial spirit…
It could be said that with such powers, Emperor Xue Ye could hardly imagine any peers that could match Tang San.
But—
Li Yu still hadn't used his fire or wood elemental powers!
Who knew if he had also gained domains related to those two elements?
Therefore—
Emperor Xue Ye seriously doubted whether Tang San could really stop Li Yu.
However—
A king's word could not be taken back so easily.
"What, you're unwilling?"
Li Yu voice turned cold, and his aura immediately pressed down on Emperor Xue Ye.
"…Willing."
Emperor Xue Ye body tensed.
But—
Come to think of it, a king's promise only mattered while the king still lived.
And now, the king himself was nearing his end. Who would still care about a king's promise?
"Good."
Li Yu then extended his hand.
Emperor Xue Ye reached into his robes and pulled out the crystal-clear, blue pyramid-shaped Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
Obviously—
As an emperor, he also had a spatial storage soul tool.
But with Li Yu "Spirit Domain Space," he wasn't interested in that.
His eyes locked onto the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud. With a slight exertion of force, it fell into his hand.
Emperor Xue Ye eyes also remained fixed on the treasure now leaving his possession, filled with reluctance, his heart bleeding.
This was the national treasure!
And now, in his generation, it had changed hands so easily.
What's more, the person had infiltrated his bedchamber so effortlessly—those useless guards hadn't even noticed.
Absolutely pathetic!
"We really need a Titled Douluo of our own..."
Emperor Xue Ye sighed in his heart. If the royal family of Heaven Dou had a Titled Douluo that truly belonged to them, would they still need to rely on others in everything?
Would there be such a wide gap between them and the Star Luo Empire?