Chapter 50 – Flirting with Dugu Yan
On the training field, Dugu Yan and Ge Zhan were locked in an intense battle. Their blows traded fast and fierce, but Ge Zhan clearly held the upper hand. His martial soul's power overwhelmed hers, and it was only a matter of time before Dugu Yan would lose.
From the sidelines, Qian Renxue, disguised among the students, glanced toward the composed figure of Xue Qinghe, who was calmly observing from the back. Her eyes glimmered with interest.
"Go teach that Ge Zhan a lesson—force Xue Qinghe to make a move!" Qian Renxue urged.
Qi Tian almost laughed aloud. "Xue'er, have you forgotten you're disguised as someone else right now? Wouldn't fighting expose your identity?"
Qian Renxue froze for a moment—oh, right. Her current disguise was that of a small noble girl, a mere Rank 9 Soul Warrior with no soul rings or skills.
"And besides," Qi Tian added, "how can you be so sure Xue Qinghe will even step in?"
"Then what should we do?" she asked, frowning.
"Just wait. You're not in a hurry, are you? During the next martial soul cultivation class, Xue Qinghe will definitely have to use his martial soul and soul skills. That's when we'll get what we need."
Qian Renxue nodded, conceding the point.
Just then, the battle took a sudden turn.
Ignoring her injuries, Dugu Yan lunged forward recklessly, unleashing a cloud of venomous mist right into Ge Zhan's face.
Qi Tian raised a brow. "Now that's a ruthless girl!"
Ge Zhan's claw was mere inches from her shoulder—but before it could land, the Jade Phosphor Serpent's poison spread through his body. His limbs stiffened, his movements slowed, and his strength vanished in an instant.
His attack turned sluggish, easily dodged by Dugu Yan, and within seconds, the once-proud fourth-year fell to the ground—his face turning a sickly shade of green and purple.
Ge Zhan, it seemed, had underestimated her poison far too much.
Someone like Yu Tianheng, with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, would've shrugged it off—but Ge Zhan wasn't so lucky.
The match was over. Dugu Yan had won.
Yet instead of applause, the crowd recoiled. Students stepped back in alarm, their faces filled with fear and disgust.
"Her poison's terrifying! Even General Ge Long's son couldn't withstand it!"
"Yeah, I heard even her skin's poisonous—anyone who touches her might get poisoned too. I'm not getting anywhere near that freak!"
Dugu Yan's cold gaze swept across the crowd. Their fear and disdain didn't faze her—she was long used to it.
Without a word, she tossed a small vial containing an antidote next to Ge Zhan's limp body and quietly left the training ground.
In the corner, Ye Lingling—who had remained silent the entire time—stood up and followed her, equally wordless.
Qi Tian sighed. "Tsk… two problem children. They'll get tricked by someone sooner or later."
Both girls carried heavy burdens.
Dugu Yan's martial soul was toxic by nature, isolating her from everyone else—no friends, no trust, only whispers and fear.
Ye Lingling, on the other hand, bore the suffocating pressure of her clan. The Nine-Heart Begonia could only exist in one person per generation. There can also only be two Nine Heart Begonia Soul Masters alive at the same time. Only when one dies is it possible for another to appear.
That meant every new generation of the Ye family lived under the shadow of assassination and competition—for if Lingling failed, someone else might try to replace her… permanently.
In such an environment, how could she not grow quiet and withdrawn?
The commotion ended with Ge Zhan being carried off to the infirmary, the crowd dispersing in uneasy murmurs.
That afternoon, Qi Tian finally got what he'd been waiting for—he witnessed Xue Qinghe's martial soul in action and carefully memorized its aura.
---
A few days later, Qi Tian once again possessed Qian Renxue's body—but this time, he found himself somewhere entirely unfamiliar.
"Huh? Where am I?" He blinked, then reached for his chest, instinctively confirming his identity. The familiar softness beneath his hand left no doubt—it was indeed Qian Renxue's body.
Before he could get a word in, a sharp voice snapped at him.
"You old ghost! Are you some kind of pervert? Why are you always touching me the moment you take over?!"
Qi Tian coughed awkwardly. "Ahem… habit. I just like to make sure it's really you."
"Hmph!" Qian Renxue huffed coldly before answering, "This is the Crown Prince's Mansion. I've already taken Xue Qinghe's place."
"You should've memorized his aura by now. When you head to the academy later, remember to use his appearance!"
After several possessions, she'd already grown accustomed to Qi Tian's presence in her mind.
Every few days, Qi Tian would possess Qian Renxue's body, taking control for a while.
At first, she found it intrusive—annoying, even. But over time, she realized that Qi Tian never caused trouble. In fact, he always helped her complete her missions with full dedication. Gradually, her resistance toward him began to fade.
"So soon? What about the real Xue Qinghe?" Qi Tian asked curiously.
Qian Renxue replied calmly, "Locked up in a secret chamber. I still have a lot of information to extract from him."
Qi Tian let out a low whistle. "Tsk, tsk… worthy of being Qian Xunji's daughter—you went straight for imprisonment."
Approaching the dressing mirror, Qi Tian activated his soul bone's power, morphing his features into those of Xue Qinghe.
The reflection staring back at him was identical to the Crown Prince himself.
He couldn't help but grin. "Tsk, tsk… this soul bone is incredible."
His first soul skill was also disguise-based—similar in nature to Qian Renxue's Wisdom Soul Bone skill.
However, hers was on a completely different level—so powerful that even Titled Douluo couldn't see through it.
His own ability? Not even close.
After confirming his transformation was flawless, Qi Tian straightened his robes and, as Xue Qinghe, headed off to attend classes.
Thankfully, during his possession of Bibi Dong, he'd taken lessons at Moon Pavilion Academy—he knew perfectly well how to act like a noble. He carried himself with the perfect blend of elegance and warmth—dignified yet approachable.
Qian Renxue's voice echoed in his mind. "Not bad—you're actually pulling it off quite well."
She continued, "By the way, about your plan to win over Dugu Bo, I've already reported it to Spirit Hall. They're sending a poison expert to assist me. What we need now is the cooperation of the Dugu family."
Qi Tian smiled faintly. "That's easy enough."
Without hesitation, he turned and made his way toward the third-year classroom.
"Wait—what are you doing?!" Qian Renxue exclaimed, realizing his intent. "If you approach Dugu Yan directly, won't that risk exposing us?"
Qi Tian simply shook his head. "Expose us? You're the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. What's wrong with trying to befriend Dugu Yan? Winning over the granddaughter of Dugu Bo is perfectly natural."
Qian Renxue paused, then realized—he was right.
Her disguise skill was flawless, undetectable even to a Titled Douluo. And as the Empire's prince, establishing ties with Dugu Bo's family was not only reasonable—it was politically smart.
Qi Tian soon spotted Dugu Yan in the classroom. As always, she sat in the farthest corner, right beside Ye Lingling.
Two quiet, isolated girls sitting together—it was almost symbolic.
Walking over with an easy smile, Qi Tian cupped his hands politely.
"Junior Sister Dugu, I am Xue Qinghe. May I have the honor of making your acquaintance?"
Dugu Yan blinked in surprise. It was rare—no, unheard of—for anyone to approach her so directly, let alone the Crown Prince himself.
Her striking green eyes flickered slightly. "Your Highness…"
"Come now," Qi Tian interrupted with a light laugh, his tone friendly but warm. "We're classmates. No need for formalities. Just call me Qinghe—or Senior Brother, if you prefer."
Seeing his genuine smile and lack of arrogance, Dugu Yan felt her usual guard soften.
"…Alright then," she said softly. "Senior Brother, it is."
Qi Tian studied her quietly for a moment. His gaze lingered, calm but focused.
After a few seconds, Dugu Yan frowned slightly, her fair cheeks faintly tinged with pink.
"What are you staring at?" she asked coolly.
Qi Tian's smile widened. "I was simply appreciating something beautiful."
Her heart skipped a beat. For the first time, someone had praised her looks—without fear, without disgust, and without condescension.
Qi Tian caught the flicker of emotion in her eyes and smiled inwardly. He could tell—she was moved. Girls starved of affection were always the easiest to reach.
Back at Moon Pavilion, this kind of social maneuvering was one of the core lessons.
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End of Chapter