The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the horizon.
At the Elf Residence in Heaven Dou City, Yunxiao had just returned and made his way to the backyard.
There, he saw Shui Wu You leisurely sipping tea.
"Heh, you're back, my esteemed Clan Leader," Shui Wu You greeted as soon as she noticed Yunxiao.
Without missing a beat, she poured him a cup of tea as well.
"Tsk, Sister Wu You, it's rare to see you so courteous," Yunxiao remarked with a teasing smile, noticing her uncharacteristic hospitality.
After downing the tea she had pushed toward him, he finally spoke up.
From Heaven Dou City to Heavenly Water City, then onward to the Extreme North—
followed by hours of sparring with the Ice Emperor,
then dealing with matters concerning the Snow Emperor and the Ice God Temple,
and finally, addressing the affairs of all the Soul Beast tribes across the Extreme North—
each and every one of these matters had kept him busy for nearly half a month.
Shui Wu You, who had lived for tens of thousands of years, naturally picked up on the underlying meaning in Yunxiao's words.
With a faint smile, she responded, "Clan Leader, isn't it true that the capable bear more burdens?"
"As the leader of the Elf Clan, such trivial matters shouldn't warrant any complaints, right?"
"Besides, there's no need to fuss over such things with a mere woman like me."
"A... mere woman?"
Yunxiao: "..."
Her self-description left him utterly speechless.
Good grief, what in the world was he hearing?
Shui Wu You—once one of the Nine Dragon Kings, the Ice Dragon King—
was not only the revered Ice God worshipped by all Soul Beast tribes in the Extreme North for hundreds of thousands of years,
but she had also participated in the civil war of the Douluo God Realm as one of its key combatants.
And here she was, calling herself a "mere woman"?
This was... utterly absurd.
Noticing Yunxiao's bewildered expression, Shui Wu You remained unfazed.
"Heh, Clan Leader, did I say something wrong?"
Having been reborn, she had decided to amuse herself—and Yunxiao had become her chosen source of entertainment.
"..."
Seeing her playful smirk, Yunxiao twitched his lips, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back.
Something was off. Shui Wu You was acting strange.
Was this still the same cold, aloof elder sister he knew?
He couldn't shake the feeling that she was behaving oddly.
Just then, he thought of Huo Wu Lu.
Using his spiritual sense to scan the residence, he raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Sister Wu You, why are you the only one home?" he asked slowly.
"Where are Xiao Xue, Xiao Li, and Wu Lu Xiong? What are they up to? Why are you left to watch the house?"
At this hour, they should all be gathering for dinner.
Why was Shui Wu You alone?
Could it be that... she was actually a shut-in? Socially awkward?
Noticing Yunxiao's look of concern—as if she were some troubled child—Shui Wu You rolled her eyes dramatically.
After finishing her tea, she finally answered, "Didn't you assign Xiao Xue and Xiao Li to act out that little performance earlier?"
"Not long ago, that old fool Xue Ye."
"Not only was he preparing to confer upon you the title of Elf King,"
"But he also granted our Elf Clan a rather decent territory named the Frozen Soul Beast Forest."
"During the half-month you were away, Xiao Xue and Huo Wu Lu were responsible for reclaiming, constructing, and developing the area."
"As for that little girl Xiao Li, she naturally went along to act and learn."
Following this, Shui Wu You recounted everything that had happened over the past half-month to Yunxiao in detail.
From Su Xiaoli deliberately revealing her Soul Power level and possessing four black ten-thousand-year Soul Rings,
To that old fool Xue Ye granting the Frozen Soul Beast Forest as their territory.
Then, Qian Renxue had Huo Wu Lu represent the Elf Clan to not only take over the Frozen Forest but also relocate all the Soul Beasts within it to the nearby Extreme North.
After handling these matters, the remaining tasks naturally involved reclaiming, constructing, and developing the land.
It could be said that ever since Qian Renxue intentionally had Su Xiaoli reveal herself,
To make the act more convincing,
Qian Renxue and Su Xiaoli were practically inseparable, appearing together every day.
This situation led those at the highest echelons of Heaven Dou City to mistakenly believe that Crown Prince "Xue Qinghe" was in a romantic relationship with Su Xiaoli.
Of course, how much information those people actually knew depended on their methods.
After all, Xue Ye, who received the news first, had tightly sealed all information about their Elf Clan.
However, with the reclamation, construction, and development of the Frozen Soul Beast Forest,
These matters couldn't remain hidden for long.
After listening to Shui Wu You's account, Yunxiao nodded slightly, deep in thought.
"Oh, I see. I understand now."
"You two have worked hard during this time."
Regarding the matter of the granted territory, he had indeed heard about it from Qian Renxue before.
This wasn't particularly surprising to him, as he had already mentally prepared for it.
In fact, he had even provided some architectural blueprints from Earth to Qian Renxue at the time.
But the fact that Xue Ye, that old fool, would confer the title of king upon him did come as a slight surprise.
After all, Qian Renxue had once told him about the Heaven Dou Empire's ironclad rule of "No kingship shall be granted to those outside the Xue Family bloodline."
"Hmph, the Elf King of the Heaven Dou Empire? Meaningless."
"Rather than granting me a title, it would be far more worthwhile to spread the faith of our Elf Clan within the empire."
Yunxiao had little interest in becoming the Elf King of the Heaven Dou Empire.
After all, he was already the king of the Elf Clan.
Moreover, he possessed a small world where he reigned supreme as its undisputed ruler.
Did he really need that old fool Xue Ye to bestow titles upon him?
Hah, granting him kingship? What a joke.
"Clan Leader, you're not wrong,"
"But for the sake of Xiao Xue's infiltration plan,"
"And for the faith of our Elf Clan..."
"Neither Wu You nor I are good at feigning courtesy."
"In that case, we'll have to trouble you."
"When the time comes, that old fool Xue Ye will be left to you."
Hearing Yunxiao's words, Shui Wu You gave a slight nod.
What Yunxiao could foresee, she naturally could as well.
But if they wanted to win the faith of most within the Heaven Dou Empire—
And for the sake of Qian Renxue's infiltration plan—
Sometimes, they had no choice but to proceed step by step.
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