Chapter 233: Reactions from All Sides
After some consideration, Du Qianjue declined the invitation. Mingdu wasn't peaceful at the moment; although it appeared calm on the surface, undercurrents were swirling dangerously. It was risky to wander around, especially with Meng Hongchen. One was the young master of the Ontology Sect and the other a granddaughter of the Hall Master of Mingde Hall. Du Qianjue himself didn't care much—he was a powerhouse equivalent to a walking nuclear bomb. If the Sun Moon Empire dared to make a move against him, he wouldn't hesitate to confront them directly at the palace.
However, Meng Hongchen was different. In such a tense situation, being seen close with Du Qianjue could provoke unwanted reactions from certain sensitive individuals within the empire.
Du Qianjue had no romantic interest in Meng Hongchen, despite her beauty. Being powerful enough to overshadow anyone else, he did not deem it appropriate to exploit a girl's feelings to achieve his ends. Against the forces associated with Tang San, Du Qianjue could be ruthless—Tang San himself was a man of limitless tactics, and Du Qianjue felt justified in responding in kind. But for those he preferred not to deal with, he maintained a policy of keeping his distance.
"I'd better not go. I have some other matters to attend to and it wouldn't be convenient to go out," Du Qianjue said, shaking his head and escorting a disappointed Meng Hongchen out.
After seeing her off, Du Qianjue sensed many stealthy departures around him. Likely, these were spies for Xu Tianran or other powers of the Douluo Continent. Following the destruction of Shrek Academy, the Ontology Sect unarguably became the leading force on the continent. The sect had even let slip that Du Budi and Jin Peng had reached the pinnacle of Douluo, a clear show of force.
The Ontology Sect had made it clear that while they would not partake in the wars between nations, they should not be dragged into them either. The threat posed by two pinnacle Douluo was not to be underestimated, far surpassing even the might of ninth-grade fixed-soul ammunition.
Under these circumstances, Du Qianjue's stance was watched closely as it significantly reflected the position of the Ontology Sect. He genuinely found it impractical to be seen too close to Meng Hongchen.
The news of Meng Hongchen's departure, looking downcast, reached the ears of many spies and was reported back to their respective forces. Xu Jiujie, seeing the reports, breathed a sigh of relief. The spearhead against the Sun Moon Empire's aggression, Shrek Academy, was gone. If the Ontology Sect had sided with the Sun Moon Empire at this juncture, it would have been catastrophic for the three empires.
"Your Highness, it appears the Ontology Sect has not allied with the Sun Moon Empire. Perhaps we could deepen our ties with them," suggested an elderly woman with white hair, smiling at Xu Jiujie. This was Man Yi, an unranked Douluo who served as a royal protector and Xu Jiujie's personal guard.
"It's not that we don't want to deepen our ties with the Ontology Sect, but we really don't know how to begin, Granny Man Yi," Xu Jiujie said with a wry smile as she put down the letter.
"The Ontology Sect seems somewhat approachable to the Heavenly Soul Empire, but they are almost indifferent to us and the Fighting Spirit Empire. Even if we wanted to foster closer relationships, we lack the means."
Man Yi's smile faded a bit, and she fell silent. Indeed, with two pinnacle Douluo standing like insurmountable peaks, they hardly dared to pressure the Ontology Sect too much.
However, the Ontology Sect still appeared to favor the two... no, three great empires somewhat, considering the substantial amount of soul guidance devices they had acquired from the sect, enough to arm two soul guidance divisions.
"I recall that girl Wei na seems to be engaged to the Ontology Sect's prodigy, right? Could this be why they favor the Heavenly Soul Empire?" Man Yi speculated, remembering a scene she had seen where Wei na was arm-in-arm with Long Aotian.
As fellow royals, they certainly knew of Wei na's status, and Xu Jiujie, being somewhat acquainted with her, had witnessed that scene too. Until then, the Star Luo royal family had been unaware of Wei na's betrothal to someone from the Ontology Sect.
"Perhaps. She does have guts, using her own marriage as a bargaining chip to forge alliances," Xu Jiujie mused, her expression tinged with respect. Being the youngest sister loved by Emperor Xu Jiawei, she didn't need to sacrifice her happiness for political gain, unlike Xu Jiujie who, despite her willingness, would find such a sacrifice against her wishes.
"Perhaps, Your Highness, you might consider following her example? The young master of the Ontology Sect, Du Qianjue, is many times more outstanding than Long Aotian," Man Yi said with a teasing tone, smiling. "While we don't know much about Du Qianjue's temperament, he might well be a good match for you."
No one else would dare speak to Xu Jiujie in such a manner, but Man Yi had watched her grow up and truly believed Du Qianjue to be a suitable match who could significantly benefit the Star Luo Empire. That's why she ventured to make the suggestion.
"Granny Man Yi, Du Qianjue is already betrothed! Do you want Jiujie to be his concubine?" Xu Jiujie retorted with a glare, though her tone lacked real censure.
The news of Du Qianjue's involvement in the Poseidon Matchmaking Convention was known to anyone with a decent information network, as it involved the continent's top talent. Gossip enthusiasts were plentiful, but very few had actually seen Xue Linglong's true face.
"Still, that's just hearsay. No one has actually seen his fiancée, have they?" Man Yi replied dismissively. "I have great confidence in your beauty and temperament, Princess. Du Qianjue is still young; how could he resist your charms and kindness?"
Blushing, Xu Jiujie gave Man Yi an annoyed look, then left her in the hall and returned to her room. "Never bring this up again!"
Man Yi sighed, her figure fading slightly as she vanished from the spot. She had merely made a suggestion; if Xu Jiujie was willing, it would be wonderful, but if not, Man Yi wouldn't push further. It was a pity, though. After all, no young man on the entire Douluo Continent had higher potential than Du Qianjue; he even had the potential to achieve what the ancient ancestors of Shrek did millennia ago.
That meant ascending to godhood...
If Du Qianjue became a god, and Xu Jiujie his wife, she too could ascend to the divine realm and gain eternal life. But since Xu Jiujie was unwilling, there was nothing more to say.
Back in her room, Xu Jiujie gently stamped her foot, massaged her flushed cheeks, and then sat on the bed's edge. Her cheeks gradually lost their flush, and her eyes reflected some contemplation. Although Man Yi's words had embarrassed her, Xu Jiujie had indeed considered the possibility. If marrying Du Qianjue could spare the Star Luo Empire from being overrun by the Sun Moon Empire, she would not hesitate.
As a princess, she had enjoyed all the privileges of the Star Luo royal family, raised with a silver spoon, and she was prepared to sacrifice for her country, even to the point of marrying a stranger. After all, Xu Jiujie was not foolishly romantic; despite sometimes acting immaturely, she genuinely saw herself as a princess of the Star Luo Empire. Whether in cultivation or in her daily conduct and royal etiquette, Xu Jiujie was beyond reproach.
She deserved her title as a princess.
She was not unwilling to marry Du Qianjue, but she knew that path was impractical.
Man Yi, hoping for a miracle, had encouraged Xu Jiujie to approach Du Qianjue, but Xu Jiujie harbored no such illusions.
Was Meng Hongchen inferior? Not at all.
How did Meng Hongchen compare to her? While Xu Jiujie considered herself second to none, she had to admit Meng Hongchen's credentials matched her own: a princess of the Star Luo Empire and a granddaughter of the Hall Master of Mingde, holding a status in the Sun Moon Empire similar to that of a princess.
Moreover, Meng Hongchen genuinely loved Du Qianjue, while Xu Jiujie's approach was purely pragmatic.
If Du Qianjue could reject even Meng Hongchen, why would he entertain an alliance of convenience with her?
Recalling her encounters with Du Qianjue in Star Luo City five years ago, Xu Jiujie couldn't help but smile wryly.
"Granny Man Yi, you really don't understand him."
It's hard to sway someone's heart without offering something substantial in return, and Xu Jiujie knew she had nothing that could convince Du Qianjue to persuade the Ontology Sect to intervene on behalf of the Star Luo Empire.
Looking out her window at the towering buildings and the awe-inspiring soul guidance devices, Xu Jiujie, a usually confident person, felt a twinge of despair.
Before buying soul guidance devices from the Ontology Sect, Xu Jiujie had held the soul guidance devices in high regard but hadn't thought her nation's Titled Douluo inferior to the Sun Moon Empire's ninth-grade soul masters.
But once those high-end soul guidance devices were integrated into soul master armies...
The venerable elders of the Star Luo Royal Worship Hall couldn't guarantee a victory against a fully equipped soul guidance army. And that might just be the tip of the iceberg for the Sun Moon Empire, with far more terrifying forces lurking below, waiting to burst forth when war begins...
As Xu Jiujie brooded, Jue Hongchen, sitting in his office at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy, also brooded, his expression as dark as the bottom of a pot.
With Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen as his grandchildren, he naturally cared deeply about them, especially during the International Soul Master Tournament, with Mingdu practically teeming with hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
Just throwing a stone down the street might hit several soul kings or stronger. And with this tournament attracting not just academies but many sects, the masters accompanying those sects to Mingdu were all bona fide soul masters.
In such circumstances, how could Jue Hongchen rest easy? He had surely arranged for strong protectors from the Hall of Mingde to guard his grandchildren covertly.
The detailed reports of Miss Meng's movements, clearly documented, lay before Jue Hongchen. His grim expression wasn't due to Meng Hongchen's approach towards Du Qianjue; he believed that the Douluo Continent would eventually be unified under the Sun Moon Empire, eliminating the need for the Four Great Empires.
Unlike in the original stories where the Ontology Sect actively opposed the Sun Moon Empire—even launching a raid on the Mingde Hall headquarters causing significant losses—Jue Hongchen was unaware that the Ontology Sect had acquired the military arsenal under the royal palace through a nominal purchase. This neutral stance by the Ontology Sect led Jue Hongchen to believe they could be persuaded to ally.
Reducing a major obstacle and turning it into an asset was naturally supported by Jue Hongchen, especially since Meng Hongchen's target was Du Qianjue, the young master of the Ontology Sect. The Hongchen family, being a major clan within the Sun Moon Empire, stood to gain immensely if Meng Hongchen could forge a close relationship with Du Qianjue, securing significant benefits for the family once the continent was unified under the empire.
Even if Xu Tianran were to question Jue Hongchen, he could argue that recruiting the Ontology Sect to serve the Sun Moon Empire was a strategic move.
However, Meng Hongchen's methods made Jue Hongchen's face darken further. As his granddaughter, Meng Hongchen's approach seemed too servile... she didn't even know how to properly pursue a man.
Jue Hongchen considered whether to offer Meng Hongchen some advice. After all, this was about her personal affection, and he would welcome more opportunities for such advantageous matches.
"Her intentions are good, she just lacks flexibility. Establishing a good relationship with the Ontology Sect is indeed a sound strategy..."
With this in mind, Jue Hongchen called Meng Hongchen back that evening to personally teach her how to capture a man's heart. Meng Hongchen listened with a flushed face, shy yet attentive, not daring to miss a single word.
Her ambition for Du Qianjue was indeed vast.