A voice echoed through the darkness, but no figure was visible yet.
Li Si guessed the newcomer to be a man in his twenties.
Xiao Wu remained silent, her vigilant eyes scanning the surroundings.
It was late at night in the wilderness—how could she not be cautious of a stranger?
Li Si gently patted Xiao Wu's hand, signaling her to stay calm. This was likely just a youth with a soul power level at most between Soul Ancestor and Soul King.
For a spirit master of that level, Li Si could handle them single-handedly, especially after receiving the gifts of the Water and Fire Dragon Kings.
Yes, even as a food-type spirit master, he could now afford to be this confident.
Soon, under the moonlight and the glow of the campfire, the stranger came into view.
The man had fair skin, golden hair, and wore elegant white robes. Every gesture exuded a refined, noble, and almost holy demeanor.
For some reason, seeing this person immediately made Li Si think of someone "familiar"—Xue Qinghe, or rather, Qian Renxue.
Li Si shook his head. How could there be such a coincidence? This person simply resembled the character.
"Young brother, I am Xue Qinghe. I hope I'm not intruding, but might I join you for a moment?"
Li Si froze.
So much for coincidences! The slap of reality came far too fast for him to process.
Why on earth is the "Heaven Dou Crown Prince" wandering around in the wilderness this late at night?
What, was he bored? Did the palace not have enough distractions?
This place was quite far from Heaven Dou City, after all.
Li Si scratched his head, smiling awkwardly.
"If I said no, would you really not come over?"
Strictly speaking, Li Si and Qian Renxue were destined adversaries. She didn't know his identity, but he knew hers all too well.
Xue Qinghe seemed momentarily stunned, caught off guard by the unexpected response.
Wasn't I being approachable enough? Why is this young man so uncooperative? This is… awkward.
"Haha, Brother Xue, don't take it to heart. I was just joking!" Li Si said with a smile, easing the tension.
Not letting her sit would only arouse suspicion. Letting her join them wouldn't change much—it was just a seat by the fire, after all.
Xue Qinghe nodded, her smile returning.
"Then I'll impose on you two for a bit."
She approached Li Si and Xiao Wu, seating herself nearby.
Though she noticed they were sitting directly on the ground, a slight frown flickered across her face before she smoothed it out. To appear approachable, she couldn't afford to seem aloof or out of place.
"May I ask the names of you and this young lady?" Xue Qinghe asked politely.
Without lifting his eyes from the roasting Blue Silver Grass, Li Si replied casually,
"I'm Li Si, and this is my wife, Xiao Wu."
Hearing this, Xiao Wu's cheeks flushed red, but she didn't refute him. It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway.
Xue Qinghe, meanwhile, reflexively offered praise:
"Good names!"
Both Li Si and Xiao Wu turned to look at her with a mix of amusement and incredulity.
Good names? Seriously?
It was clear she was grasping for something to say.
Feeling their gazes, Xue Qinghe's eyelid twitched. She was simply too accustomed to offering compliments. Unfortunately, this time, it backfired.
To salvage the situation, she quickly added,
"Simple yet meaningful. Names like that are rare to come by. I'm sure there's a deeper story behind yours, isn't there?"
Her words dripped with sincerity, though inwardly she was reconsidering her approach.
If it weren't for She Long's warning that these two youths were extraordinary, she wouldn't have tolerated such an awkward exchange.
She Long, a Titled Douluo accompanying her in secret, had observed their spirit power levels. Though he couldn't precisely gauge their strengths without seeing them use their abilities, he'd noted enough:
A boy of about twelve or thirteen at Soul King level, and a girl of the same age at Soul Ancestor level—monstrous talents, both.
Even Qian Renxue herself had only recently broken through to Soul Emperor. Her innate talent was undeniable, but her advancement had been delayed by various responsibilities.
Even so, among her peers, who could surpass her?
The discovery of these two prodigies was reason enough for her to approach. The enticing aroma of roasted Blue Silver Grass was merely an excuse.
Li Si shook his head at her comment.
"Deeper story? Not really. Let's move on."
He deftly changed the subject.
"Brother Xue, I've heard the Heaven Dou Crown Prince's name is also Xue Qinghe. You wouldn't happen to be him, would you?" Li Si asked with feigned innocence.
The Crown Prince's name wasn't exactly a secret. Most people living near Heaven Dou City knew it, let alone spirit masters.
"Haha, no need to stand on ceremony. Just call me Qinghe or Brother Xue if you'd like," she replied with a smile, effectively confirming his guess.
Xiao Wu was stunned.
The Crown Prince of Heaven Dou Empire?
On the Douluo Continent, two major empires—Heaven Dou and Star Luo—dominated.
And this was the heir to one of them? That made him one of the most powerful figures in the human world.
"Brother Xue," Xiao Wu teased, "if Li Si calls you 'big brother,' does that mean he can become a prince?"
Her playful comment was made in jest, but the idea wasn't entirely out of the question.
During their travels, Li Si had often explained various societal structures to her, giving her a decent understanding of noble hierarchies.
Hearing this, Xue Qinghe hesitated for a moment, her eyes gleaming with interest.
A prince in exchange for recruiting a twelve-year-old Soul King and a twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor?
What was there to lose? Titles could be granted freely, and the benefits far outweighed the cost.
However, her persona as "Xue Qinghe" was that of a humble, approachable Crown Prince—someone who avoided power struggles and exuded kindness.
Even if she could agree, she couldn't immediately agree.
(To be continued)