As Ye Wen had expected, the top families of the local province weren't accessible on the same day a request was submitted. After listening to his subordinates' report, Ye Wen learned that appointments were already booked three days out.
"Tsk, this is what it means to be a truly long-standing noble family. But dealing with so many matters every day—doesn't the family head fear being driven mad by the hassle?" Ye Wen muttered inwardly.
However, Ye Wen wasn't in a rush. This trip was originally meant to relieve the pressure of prolonged cultivation and give him some freedom to unwind.
With three days of free time, Ye Wen decided to explore the city and enjoy himself.
At the same time, Ye Wen began planning for the possibility that partnering with this top-tier family might fail. He considered reaching out to other local Soul Master families for collaboration. After all, it was impossible for an entire province to have only one Soul Douluo; otherwise, the Spirit Hall would've long crushed the Tian Dou Empire into dust.
Meanwhile, within the province's leading Soul Master family—
Unlike Huo Rui's newly ascended Soul Master family, this particular family had thrived for centuries and was deeply embedded in the bureaucratic system of the Tian Dou Empire. Not only was it the strongest Soul Elder family in the province, but it also wielded immense influence over the region's bureaucratic machinery.
Yet, despite its power, the atmosphere in the family's reception hall was oppressively tense.
Though Qian Renxue was the guest, she now occupied the host's position, silently observing everyone present.
"Pietro, to be honest, I'm extremely disappointed in you. Likewise, I believe my father will feel heartbroken when he sees this report about your actions over the years.
So, what explanation do you intend to give me?"
Pietro, the head of the local Soul Master family, possessed the martial soul Pippi Elephant and was a formidable 86th-level defensive-type Soul Elder.
Though his strength fell short of the Diamond Mammoth Sect Master among the lower four gates, Pietro was still a highly ranked expert within the Tian Dou Empire. Yet, even a figure of such stature trembled before Qian Renxue, beads of cold sweat pouring down his face, making his already bloated frame appear comically pitiful.
But Pietro didn't dare wipe the sweat. Instead, he adopted a deeply apologetic tone and said:
"This is entirely my fault, Your Highness. I never imagined those beneath me would dare deceive me so brazenly. However, please rest assured—I will thoroughly rectify the situation below and ensure no further harm comes to the empire's citizens."
Xue Qinghe? No, Qian Renxue merely stared at him coldly for a full minute before silently rising and brushing past him. Just before leaving, she slowly remarked:
"You'd better keep your word, Marquis Pietro. Otherwise, I can't guarantee whether my father will send the Royal Purge Squad to deal with this matter."
"Yes, yes, Your Highness, please rest assured! I will conduct the strictest investigation of those scoundrels beneath me," Pietro hastily assured her repeatedly.
Afterward, Qian Renxue left without further delay, exiting the marquis's residence.
The once meek and submissive Pietro instantly transformed, his demeanor becoming cold and domineering.
"Honestly, hasn't it always been like this for centuries? What a meddlesome crown prince we have.
And Xue Ye is equally useless. Out of so many sons, only one remains—a wastrel and another who loves meddling. Who knows how much longer the Tian Dou Empire can last?
Rectification? Don't make me laugh! If I don't seize the opportunity to line my pockets now, who knows when the next war will break out, dragging me off as cannon fodder.
Still, things are tense lately—I'll have to lie low for a while. But why is it so hard to save money? Now that my plans are obstructed, it seems our family's retreat from public life will have to be extended for quite some time."
Qian Renxue knew Pietro was merely pretending compliance, but even with two Title Douluo by her side, she was powerless to change anything.
These corrupt nobles operated under rules that had been entrenched for a millennium—it wasn't something that could be altered with a few stern words.
What Qian Renxue, who had spent most of her time in the capital, hadn't anticipated was how shockingly depraved these nobles had become. She was certain that if ten nobles were randomly executed, more than half wouldn't be innocent!
"I can't wait any longer. When I return, I'll slip some poison into that useless Xue Ye's drink and have him die and abdicate sooner," Qian Renxue thought coldly.
Gurgle~
Suddenly, a soft growl emanated from Qian Renxue's stomach, causing her cheeks to flush slightly.
Well, even though she was destined to ascend to godhood, Qian Renxue was still human after all.
Just as she was pondering where to grab a bite to eat, her steps abruptly halted. Qian Renxue sensed two malevolent presences—no, two evil soul forces!
Instantly, her gaze turned icy.
"Though their corrupted aura isn't obvious, you two fools dared to appear right under my nose. Blame yourselves."
Feeling the weight of accumulated stress, Qian Renxue immediately resolved to hunt down and eliminate the sources of these evil soul forces, using them as an outlet for her pent-up emotions.
With light and silent steps, Qian Renxue approached the source of the soul force. When she saw two lecherous men attempting to assault a woman, her killing intent surged to unprecedented levels.
"Die! Holy—"
Just as Qian Renxue prepared to draw her sword and end the evil, a clear voice suddenly rang out.
"Void!"
Though the soul force fluctuation wasn't particularly strong, it sent chills down Qian Renxue's spine, prompting her to hastily retreat.
Before she could process what had happened, the two perverted men lay lifeless on the ground, their bodies severed from top to bottom.
Though uncertain of the details, Qian Renxue felt a sense of goodwill toward whoever had acted from the shadows. Anyone bold enough to strike down such vile individuals must share her sense of justice—"one of her own."
Meanwhile, Ye Wen, who had just stepped into the scene, looked at Qian Renxue in the distance with a puzzled expression, scratching his head in frustration.
"Troublesome, I've been spotted by an outsider."
In an instant, Ye Wen formed hand seals, and the two previously dissipated soul rings reappeared beneath his feet. In a flash, he appeared behind Qian Renxue.
However, instead of maintaining the seal, his right hand now pointed a sword-like finger at Qian Renxue's back, with a mass of wind element gathering at its tip.
"Brother, I have no intention of harming innocents. Can you swear on your martial soul not to speak of what happened here today?"
Hidden in the shadows, the Pufferfish Douluo was startled by this development and prepared to intervene, but the Snake Spear Douluo quickly restrained him.
"Are you blind? Can't you see that kid is just a Soul Grandmaster? Do you think our Young Master could be defeated by such a weakling?"
"Oh, right, my apologies."
With that, both Pufferfish and Snake Spear settled in to watch the unfolding drama. They were curious to see what kind of story would unfold between their young master and this suddenly appearing youth.
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