Chapter 556: Stay Tonight

For the next few days, Qin Jian found life very boring.

That day, after Xue Qinghe introduced him to some subordinates and announced his identity and status as the sole advisor, he was settled into a side hall to rest.

Afterwards, Qin Jian followed Xue Qinghe to attend various meetings and noble gatherings, feeling very bored.

They were truly dull official activities, a life boring to the extreme.

However, they inevitably became the talk of the Heaven Dou nobles over tea and dinner; the forced-kiss scandal from a while back hadn't fully dissipated, and now Qin Jian was openly pairing up with Xue Qinghe, with all sorts of wild imaginings keeping the nobles entertained...

Qin Jian did have the intention to continue exploring the question of Xue Qinghe's gender, but there wasn't much progress.

The two of them didn't live together, so he had no way to pry into Xue Qinghe's private affairs, and he couldn't bring himself to climb walls, so he was stuck there for the time being.

Subsequently, he began to take on the functions of the Spirit Judgment Hall in judging Spirit Masters.

This was already the next step in the plan after the unification of the Spirit Academies.

It just so happened that as an honored guest of the Crown Prince, he faced no obstacles in pushing this forward in the Heaven Dou Empire, and since the Star Luo Empire had recently experienced such events, they were unwilling to stick their necks out to oppose him.

Thus, the functions of the Spirit Judgment Hall officially began to operate.

The institution, which was originally only used for capturing Evil Soul Masters, now had a trial process, and it was a public trial, the kind that could be watched by onlookers.

Consequently, the Shenpanting soon became a new and novel place of entertainment for the residents of the Dalu, and every trial in every location would become known to the whole city.

Spirit Masters who had previously been high and mighty would also be judged if they did something wrong, and the Spirit Judgment Hall even accepted reports from commoners; such matters stirred up huge waves in the hearts of the commoners, easily brushing up a wave of reputation for the Spirit Hall.

One month later.

"Qin Jian, you were originally meant to exist as my supporter by being my advisor, but before I've gained any benefits, you've used this identity to make the Spirit Judgment Hall flourish..."

Inside the bedchamber, Qin Jian and Xue Qinghe were eating side by side.

As for why it was side by side...

One shouldn't fear repeating a routine as long as it works; Qin Jian decisively used the same rhetoric as he did with Bibi Dong...

"You are also a part of the Spirit Hall, and you are the Young Master in the eyes of the Elder Hall. The stronger the Spirit Hall is, the greater your benefits, so it's not like there are no benefits," Qin Jian chuckled.

Xue Qinghe rested her head on her hand, thoughtful: "From the Spirit Academies to the Spirit Judgment Hall, the current Spirit Hall's reputation among Spirit Masters and commoners has increased by at least thirty percent compared to before..."

She looked at Qin Jian and said: "Have you and Bibi Dong changed the strategy for unifying the Dalu? You don't intend to conquer by force?"

"Force is the final resort; let's seize the momentum first..."

Qin Jian said: "When Spirit Masters and ordinary people alike view the Spirit Hall as the orthodox authority, even if the two empires resist, they won't be able to stop the Spirit Hall from unifying them."

"Such an atmospheric and upright plan definitely wasn't thought up by Bibi Dong, right? Did you help think of it again?"

Xue Qinghe glanced at him, the expression in her eyes unfathomable: "What exactly is your relationship with her? Although everyone secretly calls you the Empress Consort, I know that you two really aren't in that kind of relationship yet."

Qin Jian rubbed his cheek and said: "That's really hard to define; it's quite complicated..."

"Then keep it simple," Xue Qinghe said.

"......"

Qin Jian opened his innocent eyes and said: "It's a relationship where she wants me and I want her, but it hasn't been determined yet who belongs to whom."

Xue Qinghe was a bit dizzy; she sorted it out carefully before she understood what he meant.

She thought for a moment, leaned toward Qin Jian, and probed: "I can belong to you, as long as you give her up..."

When she leaned over, there was always a faint, elegant fragrance that smelled very comfortable.

Qin Jian grabbed her hand and smiled slightly: "I won't lie to you; I told you last time, I don't want to choose one or the other, I want both."

Xue Qinghe: "......"

She looked at her hand being toyed with and slowly lowered her eyes.

What exactly should she do?

Should she try to sow discord between him and Bibi Dong, or should she follow what her grandfather said to do?

"Dinner is finished, I'm going back to rest..."

Seeing Xue Qinghe lost in thought with her expression flickering, Qin Jian wasn't worried at all, because after a month of getting along, his soul power level hadn't decreased; instead, it had risen to level 77.

This showed that although Xue Qinghe appeared to be at odds with Bibi Dong, if no one apologized and made up, the relationship would remain deadlocked, and she would still want to snatch Bibi Dong's man.

But this had no connection to her feelings for Qin Jian; the more someone in a high position like her was, the more she could understand how normal it was for someone with Qin Jian's current identity, status, and strength to want a few women...

"Wait."

A slender, fair hand suddenly grabbed him.

Qin Jian turned his head: "What's wrong?"

"You today..."

Xue Qinghe looked like she wanted to say something but stopped: "Can you stay here with me today?"

"Stay here with you?"

Qin Jian's eyes brightened slightly: "To serve in the bedchamber?"

"......"

Xue Qinghe was expressionless: "No, I lack a bodyguard, and no one is more suitable than you."

"A bodyguard?"

Qin Jian's expression was a bit strange.

How is your start so similar to Bibi Dong's? Both asked me to be a bodyguard, and the more I guarded, the more I ended up in bed...

"Don't think nonsense..."

Xue Qinghe remained expressionless: "It's just for tonight, not the kind you have with Bibi Dong."

"Why today?"

Qin Jian's expression became slightly more serious: "Did you sense danger?"

Xue Qinghe shook her head: "Not really, it's just..."

"Huh?"

Qin Jian closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he said, "That Pufferfish Douluo is gone?"

"You... discovered Pufferfish Elder long ago?"

Xue Qinghe said in surprise, "Don't you only have the strength of a Peak Douluo when you burst forth? How do you have this kind of perception?"

"You know me so well..."

Qin Jian smiled and said, "Can't help it, I'm rather special; my perception of those who use poison is particularly keen."

"Is that so..."

Xue Qinghe lowered their eyes: "So you also detected the poison on Xue Ye?"

Qin Jian smiled broadly: "Isn't it just Pufferfish Douluo's? You've been dosing him for a long time, haven't you?"

"Mm... for many, many years..."

Seeing that he held no grudge, Xue Qinghe couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in their heart, and said, "Every year, Pufferfish Elder leaves for a period of time, because this kind of chronic toxin is not easy to concoct; he must rely on some external forces to do so."

"In other words, there is one day every year when you have no one protecting you?"

Qin Jian realized: "No wonder you wanted me to stay, though, it shouldn't be that someone would discover it, right?"

"That's not necessarily true..."

Xue Qinghe looked outside, their gaze dim: "If it were another Title Douluo, and they were monitoring me, they would notice..."

(End of this chapter)