Tian Dou City
Dai Chengfeng walked alone, slowly exiting the Crown Prince's residence.
The lingering glow of the setting sun draped over his upright figure like a thin veil, stretching his shadow long across the ground…
At this moment, his brows were furrowed, his eyes deep and heavy with thought.
'What exactly does the Spirit Hall plan to do to me?'
'And why… is it me?'
As he made his way toward the Ye Family Medical Clinic, his mind raced, replaying his conversation with Qian Renxue.
'My previous two battles, in the eyes of that high-and-mighty Lady Pope of the Spirit Hall, were probably nothing more than petty squabbles among "children." They wouldn't be worth her attention, let alone warrant such elaborate schemes specifically targeting me.'
"Why then…"
Suddenly, three words popped into Dai Chengfeng's mind: Dujiangyan!!!
Aside from that, Dai Chengfeng couldn't think of any other reason for the Spirit Hall to target him.
'But at this point, the Dujiangyan project has barely begun construction. Its actual effects should still be in the covert stage.'
'Logically speaking, the Spirit Hall shouldn't have been able to uncover its hidden significance ahead of time…'
At this thought, Dai Chengfeng's expression turned extremely grave. 'Could it be that there's a traitor within the Star Luo Empire?'
'And not just any traitor—someone at a high level who leaked such confidential information about Dujiangyan!'
For a brief moment, a flicker of murderous intent flashed through Dai Chengfeng's eyes. His fists clenched involuntarily, nails digging into his palms, sending sharp pains through his hands—but he paid no heed.
'If there really is a traitor!'
'Something might happen in Wu'an City.'
'And the Spirit Hall isn't targeting me directly—it's Qian Renxue who's trying to stir the waters and fish in troubled times!'
'This little angel sure holds grudges!'
Dai Chengfeng narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing toward the last remnants of the setting sun on the horizon. 'I wonder if my guess is correct…'
'But even if my speculation is true, since Qian Renxue said the timing isn't ripe yet, that means the Lady Pope hasn't succeeded yet.'
'Moreover, Zhu Yan isn't just for show.'
Taking a deep breath, Dai Chengfeng thought, 'Still, I need to stay vigilant!'
After all, Wu'an City was one of Dai Chengfeng's most important strongholds at the moment.
Before leaving, he had specifically instructed Zhu Yan to replenish the Vanguard Death Squad back to 1,000 men.
Dai Chengfeng planned to use the elite survivors of the two wars as the foundation to build a personal guard unit loyal only to him.
Therefore, both Wu'an City and Wu Ping City must not fall!
---
Tiandou City, streets
Even though it was nearing dusk, the streets were still bustling with activity.
Stalls lined the roadside, vendors shouting their wares, their goods dazzling and varied.
The sweet aroma of pastries wafted from bakeries, mingling with the smoky scent of grilled meat from nearby stalls, filling the air.
Dai Chengfeng looked around at the lively shops, walking unhurriedly toward the Ye Family Medical Clinic.
But then, without warning, his pupils contracted sharply.
Ahead, a golden-haired, twin-tailed girl stood quietly by the roadside.
She wore simple but clean coarse linen clothing. Her striking golden hair shimmered with a noble luster under the sunlight, yet her appearance seemed pitiful and fragile.
In front of her was a crude sign, clumsily written with the words: "Hometown struck by disaster. Selling myself. Seeking kind-hearted people to take me in, just need food and shelter."
However, whenever passersby approached with lustful or sympathetic gazes, they were subtly blocked by a masked man.
After several failed attempts to bypass him, anyone who tried to speak found themselves confronted with a terrifying aura…
Seeing this, the passersby could only reluctantly leave.
Actually, scenes of selling oneself weren't uncommon in Tiandou City.
After all, while soul masters in the Douluo Continent lived comfortably without worrying about food or shelter, the lives of ordinary people were often difficult.
Many who couldn't survive would choose to sell themselves.
There were even specialized slave markets, and some top-tier auctions would feature unique female slaves as items.
For example, in the original story, Ning Fengzhi had once purchased a cat-girl.
But others might not recognize this girl.
After all, Qian Renxue, the young master of the Spirit Hall, had virtually disappeared from public view since she was nine years old, leading to rumors that she might have passed away early.
But.
As someone who had transmigrated, how could Dai Chengfeng fail to recognize Qian Renxue in her disguise?
'As expected, I couldn't deceive her huh?'
Dai Chengfeng shook his head helplessly, but soon a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. 'But then again, this is the Douluo Continent, where stealing grain is considered a "masterstroke strategy."'
'Dealing with Xue Qinghe was as simple as playing the hero rescuing a maiden in distress. So her trying this on me isn't surprising…'
'But I, Dai Chengfeng, am not Xue Qinghe.'
Dai Chengfeng showed no signs of recognition and continued walking forward.
On the other side, seeing Dai Chengfeng finally appear, Qian Renxue quickly lowered her head, adopting a frail, pitiable, and helpless demeanor.
She inwardly smirked, 'Finally, he's here.'
'Now I'm no longer Xue Qinghe—you don't need to be wary of me…'
'Let's see if you can still pretend to be Dai Mubai when facing others.'
'Dai Chengfeng, Dai Mubai—we'll know the truth soon enough!'
Soon, Dai Chengfeng approached.
Qian Renxue, now resembling a startled deer, rushed up to him.
She gently tugged at Dai Chengfeng's sleeve, her voice soft and tinged with just the right amount of helplessness, pleading, "Esteemed sir, judging by your fine attire and distinguished bearing, you must come from a wealthy family…"
"Would you consider buying me?"
"I don't ask for money—I only seek food and shelter."
"I can serve you tea, wash clothes, cook meals…"
As she spoke, she slightly raised her head, her eyes brimming with apparent vulnerability.
At this moment, Dai Chengfeng acted as if he didn't recognize Qian Renxue at all, narrowing his eyes slightly as he appraised her, a faint smile playing on his lips.
'Did it work?'
Seeing Dai Chengfeng's smile, a flicker of pride passed through Qian Renxue's heart. 'Whether you're Dai Chengfeng or Dai Mubai, you're no match for me, Qian Renxue.'
But the next second—
Qian Renxue's expression froze.
"No, too ugly!"
With that, Dai Chengfeng turned and walked away without hesitation.
"Eh???"
Watching Dai Chengfeng's retreating figure without a trace of regret, Qian Renxue opened her mouth, her eyes filled with disbelief. "I… too… ugly?!?"
Porcupinefish Douluo slowly approached. "Young Master, that Dai Mubai didn't fall for it. What do we do next… heh?"
"Elder Porcupinefish, are you laughing?"
Qian Renxue's eyes narrowed slightly.
"No, I wouldn't dare… cough, cough!"
Looking at Porcupinefish Douluo, whose shoulders trembled slightly as he struggled to suppress his laughter, Qian Renxue grew even more frustrated, glaring in the direction Dai Chengfeng had left.
'Dai Chengfeng! You bastard! How dare you call me ugly!'
At this moment, anger and resentment burned fiercely in Qian Renxue's eyes.
'One day, I'll make you kneel before me. Let's see if you'll still dare to call me ugly then!'
After a long while, Qian Renxue took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions, and looked at Porcupinefish Douluo.
"Since he didn't fall for it easily, we'll proceed with the next plan…"
"I'm increasingly certain—he's definitely Dai Chengfeng!"
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