The Snake Spear Douluo was about to persuade further, but upon seeing the cold gleam in Qian Renxue's eyes, wisely closed his mouth and refrained from speaking.
However, the Soul Douluo seemed to not understand Qian Renxue as well, only grasping vaguely what the other party intended to do at this moment.
With a serious expression, he said, "Young Master, how can you be so impulsive? Returning to the Martial Soul Hall like this, how will you explain to the Pope Crown?"
Upon hearing the mention of the "Pope," Qian Renxue's expression turned even colder.
In a flash, she appeared in front of the man.
With a sword pointed backward, her movements were swift as lightning. Before the man could even react, Qian Renxue's fingertip was already dangerously close to his throat.
While a chilling killing intent lingered in Qian Renxue's eyes, a hint of a smile curled at the corner of his lips. "Have I been too easy to talk to lately?"
The man broke into a cold sweat, and the piercing killing intent surged like a tidal wave, overwhelming.
The exquisite face of the young master seemed to fade gradually from his sight, leaving only the enlarged crimson in his eyes.
"Young Master!" The Snake Spear Douluo hurriedly called out, his voice filled with anxiety.
He didn't dare to intervene, only casting an anxious glance at Qian Renshui, fearing that he might make an irreparable move.
If they only retreated after the failed infiltration mission, although they would inevitably face criticism from figures like Bibi Dong later on, with the support of the Sacrificial Hall behind them, it wouldn't be a significant problem.
But if they really killed the Soul Hall soul master under their command, and were discovered by the Pope's side, things would escalate.
Unlike the Soul Masters who belonged to the Martial Soul Hall, the Snake Spear Douluo had always been a staunch supporter of Qian Renxue's faction and naturally didn't want such an incident to happen.
But at this moment, he could keenly feel that although Qian Renxue seemed calm on the surface, her inner turmoil had already surged like a storm, with negative emotions such as killing intent, anger, and resentment continuously expanding.
At this moment, he could only hope to calm her down through words.
If she acted recklessly, it would only add fuel to the fire and further enrage her.
She might really kill someone!
At the same time, he also understood that Qian Renxue's mind was probably already made up, and it was impossible to shake her resolve.
After hearing the call from She Long, Qian Renxue glanced at him, then turned her gaze back to the man without saying a word.
The Soul Emperor's Adam's apple rolled slightly, and he spoke with difficulty, "Young Master, I understand."
Qian Renxue then withdrew her gaze and indifferently left the study.
Shortly after, a male voice from Xue Qinghe echoed outside the study.
"Uncle She, immediately issue the order to notify those under the Martial Soul Hall's command to withdraw from Tian Dou City within three days. The three of us will go to Sunset Forest!"
...
Half a day later, Qian Renxue, Snake Spear Douluo, and Ci Xue, Porcupinefish Douluo had already left the outskirts of Tian Dou City, about forty miles away. This place was not very far from Sunset Forest.
Even now, the Porcupinefish Douluo still couldn't quite wrap his head around the situation, knowing only the general idea without understanding the specific details.
And his old partner, Snake Spear, seemed to be keeping secrets, occasionally conveying an eye signal he couldn't comprehend, making him feel inexplicably puzzled.
"Uncle She, you stay around here to keep an eye on the movements of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, in case of any changes."
They were currently stationed about ten miles away from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, situated between Sunset Forest and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Upon hearing this, Snake Spear Douluo couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
This journey includes a Titled Douluo, plus Qian Renxue, whose true strength far exceeds her cultivation level, making them more than capable of facing Su Cheng and Ning Rongrong alone.
Since their young mistress is wary of Chen Xin and Gu Rong, it indicates that she has calmed down, regained her intelligence, and is not likely to act blindly anymore.
Seeing Snake Spear nodding, Qian Renxue turned to Porcupinefish Douluo and said in a deep voice, "Uncle Ci, you continue to pursue with me."
...
At the same time, Su Cheng and Ning Rongrong had already entered the outskirts of Sunset Forest, still some distance away from the agreed meeting place with Dugu Bo.
Su Cheng pondered silently about Qian Renxue's possible reactions.
The timing of his message delivery was actually quite perfect.
Unlike before, Qian Renxue's foundation was still relatively solid at that time, and she was deeply trusted by the Emperor. Even if something unexpected happened, she could easily adapt.
But now, with changes in the power structure at the core of the empire, Qian Renxue might be preoccupied, making it easy to catch her off guard at this moment.
Blind responses could easily reveal flaws.
At this stage, the best outcome would be for Qian Renxue to realize her identity exposure and take the initiative to withdraw from the quagmire of the Tian Dou Empire.
However, the sunk costs of her previous layout in Tian Dou were too high, and it would be difficult for her to make such a decision easily.
After more than a decade of undercover operations leading up to today, even if she knew she would need to invest decades more to complete the usurpation of the throne, Qian Renxue, with her temperament, would probably still try her best as long as there was a glimmer of hope.
Coupled with the instructions from the Martial Soul Hall and her subtle desire to prove herself to Bibi Dong, she might continue to take risks.
However, even if Qian Renxue didn't want to give up in the short term, she would certainly restrain her behavior significantly.
On this basis, Prince Xue and others on their side would have sufficient initiative.
In a few days, when the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan suffered a setback, the overall situation would be basically settled. With the letter as a foreshadowing, Qian Renxue would naturally become more vigilant and not put herself in jeopardy.
As for the possibility of the other party detecting his presence behind this incident, Su Cheng had hardly considered it.
After realizing that there was a discrepancy between Qian Renxue's reaction and his expectations, he had been deliberately downplaying his presence, controlling everything indirectly through Dugu Bo.
In the eyes of outsiders, he was merely a talented soul master whose strength far surpassed his peers.
If one were to mention his connection to the changes in the Tian Dou high-level political situation, no one would believe it.
Even Qian Renxue herself, before receiving that letter, only had occasional doubts.
In fact, over these days, Su Cheng had been too straightforward. Except for the attention he attracted when he first entered the academy and was admitted directly into the Emperor Team, he had been completely focused on cultivation afterward.
Even his first meeting with Dugu Bo and his subsequent behavior seemed to be estranged, with very little contact in front of others.
Even in the eyes of Yu Tianheng, their relationship was merely transactional. Moreover, Yu Tianheng himself harbored fear towards Dugu Bo, so it was inconceivable for him to think that someone as young as Su Cheng could establish a connection with such an extremely reclusive Titled Douluo.
Moreover, the letter Su Cheng later transmitted to Qian Renxue, out of caution, was markedly different in both wording and handwriting from his usual style.
No matter how one looked at it, it was impossible to associate it with him.