Chapter 44: Guang Ling's Late Night Meeting with Qian Renxue & Han Li Taking the Fall
With his plans confirmed and still on track, Han Li finally relaxed and went straight to sleep.
However, not long after drifting off, his door was knocked on.
When he opened it, he found Guang Ling standing outside.
Han Li stepped aside and welcomed him in. Noticing that Han Li seemed half asleep, Guang Ling casually asked:
"What? Tired from running around this afternoon?"
"Not really," Han Li replied, rubbing his eyes. "I just went to a lot of places. I was thinking about some things."
Without hesitation, he reached into his storage wristband, pulled out a bottle of freshly squeezed apple juice, and handed it to Guang Ling.
Then, he opened another bottle for himself, took a seat, and took a sip.
Guang Ling popped the cap off his bottle and asked with interest:
"Anything interesting happen? Tell me about it."
After spending over a year together, Guang Ling had come to understand his disciple's habits.
Whenever Han Li encountered something unexpected, he would first fall silent for a while, then take a nap as if processing everything in his head.
Even after waking up, he always needed a moment to fully recover before returning to his usual self.
Han Li chuckled and replied:
"Nothing major. I just went to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy for a visit and happened to run into Crown Prince Xue Qinghe and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Ning Rongrong."
He finished his juice in one gulp and placed the empty bottle on the table.
Guang Ling raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy?"
"Since I was already here, I figured I'd take a look. Besides, I had a feeling I'd find someone 'destined' to cross paths with me."
Han Li replied nonchalantly.
Hearing this, Guang Ling's eyes lit up, and he lowered his voice:
"Did you find them?"
Han Li shook his head, his expression calm. "Not yet. But I'll try again tonight. I haven't found any stray gold coins today, so my luck should still be full. By the grace of the Angel God, maybe I'll find them this time."
His serious tone made Guang Ling's eye twitch.
Even though Spirit Hall had religious elements, hearing his disciple talk like this was… unsettling.
For a moment, he was too stunned to respond.
Angel God… is that really how you're supposed to use that name?!
Where was the reverence and piety?!
After a long pause, Guang Ling sighed and warned:
"Listen, don't ever say that in Spirit City. No better yet, don't say it anywhere. If Grand Worshipper Qian Daoliu hears you, he might smack you on impulse."
Han Li nodded obediently.
But deep down, he muttered to himself:
"I only said that to humor you, Master. I'm not stupid I'd never say that in front of Qian Daoliu. At least, not until I'm strong enough to take the hit!"
Guang Ling then changed the topic.
"What's your impression of Heaven Dou's Crown Prince?"
His tone was odd, as if he was trying to gauge something.
Han Li looked at him deeply.
For a brief moment, Guang Ling felt a sense of unease like Han Li had figured something out.
Then, Han Li slowly spoke:
"Like jade upon the moor, a young master without peer."
Guang Ling was completely lost.
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"Just take it as me saying he's elegant, refined, and unparalleled."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Han Li instantly regretted it.
Why did I have to be poetic?! This is embarrassing!
Meanwhile, Guang Ling who wasn't the most cultured person nodded.
"Wow. That's rare. For you to give someone such a high evaluation, this prince must be impressive."
His cheeks flushed slightly, and his expression looked a little conflicted as if he were both proud and troubled.
Han Li observed him carefully.
"Master, your acting skills are awful."
If this were a seasoned court politician, they'd definitely start getting suspicious.
"Since when do Spirit Hall members care so much about another country's Crown Prince?"
Still, Han Li kept his thoughts to himself.
Instead, he chose his words carefully, knowing that Guang Ling would eventually pass them along.
"Regardless of everything else, his charisma and way of dealing with people are top notch."
This way, when Qian Renxue heard about it, she'd get a favorable first impression.
After all, Han Li knew that sooner or later, he would have to interact with her.
Rather than making things difficult, it was better to lay the groundwork in advance.
The Plan Moves Forward
Guang Ling then mentioned that he had already sent word to Spirit City about their whereabouts, which meant they could stay in Heaven Dou for a while.
Upon hearing this, Han Li thought for a moment and said:
"Tomorrow, let's have Luo Saga stay behind. The two of us will sneak out make sure to bring a disguise."
Guang Ling grinned proudly, tapped his belt, and replied:
"Already prepared."
After chatting a bit more, they had dinner, and Han Li began his nightly cultivation.
As the bustling city quieted down, the night grew deeper.
Just as Han Li was finishing his training, ready to sleep
He suddenly heard a faint noise from Guang Ling's room.
Then, in the next moment, the sound vanished, moving far away.
"Master went out? Must be to see Qian Renxue… Oh well, none of my business. Time to sleep."
Han Li simply shrugged it off, restricted his spirit bone's perception to just his own room, and fell asleep peacefully.
A Secret Meeting
Meanwhile, Guang Ling, now disguised in a black robe, silently slipped out of Spirit Hall and headed straight for the Crown Prince's Mansion.
Using his powerful soul strength, he suppressed his aura completely, flying unnoticed over the mansion walls.
As he approached the main courtyard, he released a faint trace of spirit energy.
A full minute passed before he sensed movement.
Two figures emerged from the shadows, their voices respectful:
"Greetings, Fifth Worshipper."
"Heh. Quite cautious, aren't you? Good. Keep it that way. The princess's safety is the highest priority no mistakes allowed."
Guang Ling nodded approvingly, lifting his hood slightly, revealing his distinct left eye.
The two Titled Douluo in front of him Porcupinefish Douluo and Snake Spear Douluo both bowed.
"You overpraise us, Worshipper. We are simply fulfilling our duty."
"Alright, let's go inside. Where is the princess?"
"She's waiting for you in the underground chamber."
With that, Porcupinefish Douluo led the way.
He lifted a hidden rug, revealing a staircase leading downward.
"The passage is open, Worshipper. The princess is waiting below."
Guang Ling stepped down into the dimly lit passage.
After a few more steps, the corridor opened into a spacious underground chamber.
Standing in the center was a beautiful young girl with long, golden blond hair.
As soon as she saw Guang Ling, her face lit up with joy.
"Grandpa Guang Ling!"
She ran forward, throwing herself into his arms.
Guang Ling gently patted her back, his eyes filled with fondness.
"Xiaoxue, it's been a long time."
As he gazed at her, he sighed, realizing how much she had grown.
He sat down, feeling slightly awkward, and said:
"I wasn't planning to visit, but… my disciple insisted on coming to Heaven Dou, so I figured I might as well."
Back at Spirit Hall, Han Li shivered slightly in his sleep.
For some reason, he felt a sudden chill, as if somehow, somewhere… he had just been blamed for something.
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