Heaven Dou City.
At the heart of the city lies the Royal Courtyard.
Of course, it now holds another identity—equivalent to the Prince's Mansion.
This is where Qian Renxue, the current Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, resides.
But at this moment, she sat in her study, one hand holding a book while the other propped up her cheek. Though she appeared engrossed in reading, her mind was elsewhere.
Suddenly, she glanced out the window. Dusk had already fallen, and she couldn't help but frown. "It's already the seventh day. Why hasn't he returned?"
"Knock, knock, knock."
There was a soft rap at the door. After composing herself, Qian Renxue called out, "Come in."
The maid entered, bowed respectfully, and then shook her head. "Your Highness, the person you've been waiting for still hasn't returned."
"Are you certain?" Though Qian Renxue's expression remained calm, a hint of unease stirred within her.
It was no wonder. In her eyes, Xiao Tianyang was truly someone who could stir up trouble.
Their first meeting in the Star Dou Forest had been eventful.
The two had encountered a 100,000-year soul beast intent on killing them. At the time, Qian Renxue had been too flustered to think clearly. But looking back, there were many puzzling details.
The first mystery was the Sky Swallowing Demonic Soul Beast's inexplicable frenzy.
While it was true that soul beasts were naturally hostile to humans, the intensity of that hostility had been anything but ordinary.
Qian Renxue couldn't believe it was mere coincidence.
Moreover, she knew she had never provoked such a soul beast before. The answer, therefore, seemed obvious.
Secondly, Xiao Tianyang carried an unusual number of treasures, each of varying types.
Regardless of their origins, Qian Renxue was certain that someone with such items couldn't possibly be an ordinary individual.
Their second encounter in the Star Dou Forest only confirmed her suspicions.
Xiao Tianyang had proven himself to be anything but ordinary.
The fact that he dared to absorb the soul ring of a 70,000-year Magma Flame Soul Beast showed his shallow understanding of soul beasts.
Qian Renxue even began to wonder if he was a genius. After all, even someone like Ma Hongjun would know such basic knowledge. Yet, Xiao Tianyang, with his extraordinary talents, seemed oblivious.
Of course, it was also possible that he knew and had done it deliberately. But didn't that just further prove his extraordinary capabilities?
Leaving someone like him alone in the perilous Star Dou Forest—Qian Renxue now felt a twinge of regret.
Facing the prince's inquiry, the maid answered truthfully. "As per Your Highness's orders, we've bribed the guards. They're certain this person hasn't appeared."
Qian Renxue pondered for a moment before waving her hand. "Very well. You may leave."
"Yes, Your Highness." The maid bowed slightly and turned to exit.
Just then, a wolf-like howl echoed from outside. The maid froze, puzzled. Where could a wolf possibly come from in the Royal Courtyard?
But Qian Renxue thought differently. During her time in the Star Dou Forest with Xiao Tianyang, she had grown familiar with such sounds.
A commotion erupted downstairs as the guards spotted the "wolf" and attempted to drive it away.
Realizing what was happening, Qian Renxue stood and walked to the window. She called out to the guards below, "Let that dog in."
"Dog?" The guard was momentarily stunned, then glanced at Bubu. "How can a dog howl like a wolf?"
Bubu snorted slightly and gave the guard a disdainful look. The guard was taken aback—was this dog actually looking down on him?
With the grace of a pony, Bubu trotted up to the second floor and entered Qian Renxue's room.
"You may leave now," Qian Renxue said to the maid.
"Yes, Your Highness." The maid bowed and left, this time for good.
Once the door closed, Qian Renxue turned to Bubu. "Is he back?"
"Woof!"
Bubu barked, but seeing Qian Renxue's confused expression, he barked a few more times.
Qian Renxue sighed, resting her forehead in her hand. "Alright, I'm not him, so I don't understand what you're saying."
She then muttered, "I really don't know how he can communicate with a dog..."
Bubu, finding the interaction dull, retrieved a package from his storage container—a gift Xiao Tianyang had asked him to deliver.
"Is this what he wanted you to give me?" Qian Renxue stepped forward, crouching to pick up the package.
This time, Bubu didn't bark but simply nodded.
Curious, Qian Renxue brought the package to the table and opened it. Inside was a letter. She unfolded it to find just a few lines:
'I've already left the Star Dou Great Forest, but I still need to travel elsewhere for training, so I won't be returning for now. By the way, being an undercover agent must be boring, right? Here's a book. Read it when you have time—it might make your life a little more exciting.'
At the end of the letter was a doodle of a round face with crossed eyes and a tongue sticking out, looking utterly ridiculous.
Seeing the playful tone of the letter, Qian Renxue couldn't help but chuckle.
She then picked up the book. Its title read: Dream of the Red Chamber.
This book had been obtained by Xiao Tianyang through a lottery.
Otherwise, how could he have replicated an entire book from his past life?
Moreover, he had even taken the time to translate and adapt some details to fit the customs of the Douluo Continent.
Xiao Tianyang had skimmed through it a couple of times and found it quite enjoyable. After all, as he had said, being an undercover agent was tedious—especially for someone like Qian Renxue.
What better way to pass the time than with an interesting read?
"Woof!"
Bubu barked, signaling his intention to leave.
"Wait," Qian Renxue stopped him. "I'll write a letter for you to take to him."
She returned to the table and began writing. Bubu waited patiently, yawning out of boredom.
After some time, Qian Renxue finished the letter, sealed it with wax, and handed it to Bubu. "Do you know where he is now?"
"Woof, woof!"
Bubu barked a few times and rolled his eyes.
"Well, I really don't understand," Qian Renxue said, amused by Bubu's antics.
After storing the letter, Bubu turned to leave. To Qian Renxue's surprise, he even stood up to open the door.
But then again, given Bubu's intelligence, this wasn't too surprising. However, the maids outside were utterly stunned.
They couldn't comprehend how a dog could be so clever. Moreover, what was the connection between this dog and the Crown Prince? Why were they meeting privately as if he were an honored guest?
The maids were both puzzled and curious.
At that moment, the study door opened, and Qian Renxue stepped out. Calmly, she announced, "Tell everyone that I will be in seclusion for three days. No one is to disturb me—no matter what happens."
The maids quickly bowed in acknowledgment. "Yes, Your Highness."
…
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