After spending quite some time taking commemorative photos, Qian Ran finally had Juzi change into a modest white dress before they walked out together.
Juzi had initially been wary of Xu Tianran, which made her reluctant to display affection with Qian Ran in front of him. However, after learning about Qian Ran's hidden pocket dimension, she felt completely reassured. No matter what happened, Xu Tianran would find it nearly impossible to threaten Qian Ran's life. With this newfound confidence, Juzi no longer hesitated to express her affection for Qian Ran openly, even in Xu Tianran's own residence, showing no concern for whether it would provoke him.
Since Juzi began her relationship with Qian Ran, Xu Tianran had refrained from summoning her.
It was clear that Xu Tianran understood Juzi's inevitable betrayal. As a result, he no longer regarded her as his most trusted confidante. To avoid direct confrontation and leave room for future reconciliation, Xu Tianran had not issued any orders to Juzi. Instead, he treated her as a free agent.
Juzi had worried initially—what if Xu Tianran demanded reports on Qian Ran or asked her to do something she detested? What would she do then? Fortunately, that scenario never materialized.
Xu Tianran was too clever for that. He knew that if he forced Juzi's hand, she would unhesitatingly side with Qian Ran, which would only push her further away. Maintaining a passive connection was the best strategy. If Qian Ran were eliminated, Juzi would have no choice but to rely on him again.
But even such calculated reasoning didn't stop Xu Tianran from feeling utterly defeated when reality stared him in the face.
In the past, he could convince himself that Juzi was coerced by Qian Ran. Now, that excuse was no longer tenable.
Juzi appeared at his estate wearing such a stunning, seductive outfit, walking arm in arm with Qian Ran. Her actions spoke louder than words.
"Juzi."
From the upper floor, Xu Tianran observed them. Seeing Juzi in this state, he felt an unspoken bitterness.
Gulp.
He had never seen Juzi so beautiful. In the past, Juzi had merely outshone the other women around him, but now her beauty was breathtaking—utterly captivating.
In her modest white dress, Juzi seemed to hide all traces of her seductive allure. Yet, even so, her beauty wasn't diminished. The interplay between the black stockings, her toned midriff, and the elegant dress created an intoxicating contrast.
Juzi's bold red accents gave her a fiery, vivid radiance.
Even a eunuch would find such a sight pleasing to the eye.
Xu Tianran regretted everything. If only he had kept Juzi close from the start—graduated her early from the Royal Soul Engineer Academy and brought her directly under his wing.
But now…
Despite his regret, Xu Tianran could see that Juzi was genuinely happy with Qian Ran.
Her smile was pure.
It was evident that Juzi's happiness came from being with Qian Ran.
At this point, even if he commanded Juzi to leave Qian Ran, she wouldn't comply. He couldn't command Juzi to do anything now. Although she hadn't declared her betrayal outright, Xu Tianran knew that if he threatened Qian Ran, Juzi would turn against him instantly.
Xu Tianran understood Juzi's personality too well. Once she made a decision, she would never look back.
Now he found himself caught in a difficult position. He wanted to eliminate Qian Ran immediately, but the investments he'd made into Qian Ran, including Juzi, weighed heavily on his mind. Cutting his losses now seemed unthinkable.
Moreover, his body had finally shown signs of improvement. After so many years, Qian Ran was the only one who had given him hope. If Qian Ran were to die, he might never father a biological heir.
If Qian Ran had never appeared, Xu Tianran might have resigned himself to the idea of using one of his consorts to conceive a child with someone else. But now that he'd glimpsed the light, how could he return to darkness?
If Qian Ran could fully heal him, Xu Tianran would finally live as a proper man, taking wives and concubines openly. Then, leading the Sun Moon Empire's armies, he could sweep across the continent and become an emperor remembered for all time—free from any blemish.
"Your Highness, it would be best to eliminate this person as soon as possible. He is far too dangerous. If given another decade or two, he could grow into someone even I would have to fear. By then, he might threaten the Empire's very foundations," said a mysterious man in a black robe standing beside Xu Tianran.
"National Advisor, even you think so?" Xu Tianran asked, startled. The man next to him was a Level 98 Super Douluo and the leader of the Holy Spirit Cult himself.
For someone of his stature to express such wariness toward Qian Ran was deeply unsettling.
"Your Highness may not realize this, but his martial soul, the Six-Winged Angel, poses an immense threat to us evil soul masters. And that's not all—this boy is deeply unsettling. Even Mingde Hall's Level 7 Soul Engineers couldn't stand against him," Zhongli Wu replied seriously.
While others might underestimate Qian Ran, Zhongli Wu never would.
In truth, the one who most desired Qian Ran's death wasn't Xu Tianran but Zhongli Wu. Not only Qian Ran himself, but also the elusive Spirit Hall behind him, posed a grave threat to the Holy Spirit Cult.
Eliminating both would require leveraging the Sun Moon Empire's resources. A Titled Douluo-level Six-Winged Angel alone could endanger him significantly. Facing such foes would require the might of the Empire's Level 9 Soul Engineers.
The Holy Spirit Cult's alliance with the Empire had always been about profiting from the chaos of war. Evil soul masters thrived in such conditions, as conflict exponentially boosted their power. But with Qian Ran's emergence, the Cult had grown more dependent on their alliance with the Empire. As long as Spirit Hall existed, the Holy Spirit Cult would never rest easy.
Ye Xishui shared Zhongli Wu's concerns, though Qian Ran had his ways of pacifying her, even turning her into his "devotee." Unlike other evil soul masters, Ye Xishui harbored ambitions of godhood—an aspiration Qian Ran could help her realize.
"I see. I'll handle this soon. But for now, I still need him. Be patient, National Advisor," Xu Tianran said, fearful that Zhongli Wu might act on his own and kill Qian Ran prematurely. Xu Tianran was still counting on Qian Ran to restore his body fully; he couldn't afford for anything to happen to him just yet.
Nonetheless, seeing Zhongli Wu's unease about Spirit Hall's Six-Winged Angel martial soul left Xu Tianran pleased. The power of light and divinity posed a natural counter to the darkness wielded by evil soul masters. This realization gave him another bargaining chip in his dealings with the Holy Spirit Cult.
(End of Chapter)
Notes-Read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X