Chapter 143: The Beautiful‑Hearted Little Angel

"Young master, this kid's vitality is truly terrifying; despite such severe injuries, he hasn't died, and his body is still repairing itself."

"However, his meridians are completely severed; even if he survives, his talent will inevitably decline, making further progress difficult."

"It's truly a pity; this kid is not even sixteen yet has already reached the Soul Emperor realm—truly a Monster!"

"Snake Spear Douluo moved his hand away from Yu Tianyun's body, which was Entanglement‑filled with bandages, his eyes flashing with Shock, and finally fixed his gaze on Qian Renxue, saying:"

"Young master, why not just kill him? He's useless now anyway."

"\"No! Heal him with all your might. \" Hearing Snake Spear Douluo's suggestion, Qian Renxue's face instantly darkened. Her gaze at Snake Spear Douluo was full of speechlessness, and she thought to herself, \"Could this guy be a spy placed by the Clear Sky Sect's hammer men? Why is his head full of muscle! \""

"Facing Snake Spear Douluo's clear yet Penetration‑tinged foolish gaze, Qian Renxue explained helplessly: \"When we brought him back, many people saw him. If we kill him, it would inevitably be traced back to us, and then we'd incur a mortal feud with Lan Dian Ba Wang Sect; all these years of painstakingly cultivating our usurping plan would be ruined. \""

"\"Understood, sir; your foresight is truly impressive! \" The suddenly enlightened Snake Spear Douluo sincerely admired his young master's strategy."

"\"Stand down! \" Qian Renxue, extremely impatient, waved her hand at him."

"\"Yes, young master, \" Snake Spear Douluo bowed and took his leave."

"After the room fell silent, Qian Renxue turned her gaze toward the mummy‑like Yu Tianyun."

"Her pretty face flushed slightly, and involuntarily she recalled the scene when she first discovered Yu Tianyun—that was the first time she had ever seen a man's... thing; thinking of it made her teeth ache with hatred."

"Seeing Yu Tianyun's miserable state now, she couldn't help feeling a secret satisfaction, spat lightly and said, \"Jerk, you deserve to be struck by lightning! \""

"\"But your talent really surprises me; you cultivate even faster than I do. \""

"\"I've indeed wasted too much time these years; it seems I must carve out more time for cultivation. \""

"Speaking, Qian Renxue shifted her gaze to Yu Tianyun's head, where only his mouth, nose, and eyes were exposed, and continued muttering, \"I hope you recover; otherwise, without a rival, I'll be very lonely. \""

"After speaking, a thought suddenly sprouted in her mind; her stunning pretty face broke into a mischievous grin as she walked up to Yu Tianyun and extended her jade hand."

"Snap~"

"A crisp slap echoed, and Yu Tianyun's head tilted to one side."

"Snap~"

"She didn't stop, slapping the other side of his face. Then, her beautiful eyes looked down, she extended a jade finger and flicked the listless Yu Tianyun, instantly jolting him awake; the bandages tightened even more."

"Qian Renxue's pretty face reddened, yet she couldn't help laughing sniggerly, and finally, as if fully satisfied, said, \"Consider this your punishment for staining my eyes; I'll punish you each time you awaken! \""

"…"

"After an unknown amount of time, Yu Tianyun's fingers twitched slightly, and his consciousness began to gradually recover. Yet every thread of awakening was accompanied by excruciating pain radiating from every part of his body."

"He strained to open his eyes, only to find his eyelids unbearably heavy, as if pressed by a lead block. After great effort he managed to pry them open a sliver, but all he saw was a blur."

"He tried to move his body, but even the slightest motion made him ache to the point of nearly fainting again. A faint moan escaped his mouth: \"Am... am I still alive? \""

"\"Yes, you're still alive! \""

"A gentle male voice sounded, and a vague human face appeared in Yu Tianyun's vision, its features surrounded by a golden halo emitting a soft glow; Yu Tianyun murmured:"

"\"Are you an angel? \""

"\"Uh... no! I'm Xue Qinghe. \""

"Qian Renxue was startled; she almost thought she had been exposed."

"\"Xue Qinghe... no... \""

"Yu Tianyun subconsciously wanted to say, 'Isn't Xue Qinghe an angel?' but immediately caught himself, startling upright despite his dying condition."

"\"Ah! ~\" A wave of intense pain surged, and Yu Tianyun fell heavily back onto the bed."

"The pain also sharpened his awareness, allowing him to see the person's face clearly."

"It was Xue Qinghe's face, and the golden light was merely his hair; at that moment he lay on a soft bed within a spacious, bright room."

"At this moment Yu Tianyun's heart was filled with terror; he almost blurted it out, lest his life be lost."

"Fortunately his face was covered by bandages; otherwise Qian Renxue would have surely noticed."

"Qian Renxue looked at the now-conscious Yu Tianyun and said gently:"

"\"Yu brother, what exactly happened to you? How did you sustain such severe injuries? Fortunately I happened to encounter you when I returned from the teacher; otherwise your life might not have been spared. \""

"Yu Tianyun steadied his spirit; from Qian Renxue's words he understood she had saved him, and he forced himself to speak weakly through the pain:"

"\"Thank you, Brother Xue Qinghe, for rescuing me; I was struck by lightning! \""

"Qian Renxue was slightly startled, then chuckled to herself, thinking, \"Indeed struck by lightning—what a karmic retribution! \""

"Qian Renxue's face showed no emotion, yet she continued concernedly:"

"\"Yu brother, being struck by lightning is truly rare; I wonder if there's any hidden cause behind it? \""

"Yu Tianyun's heart turned bitter as he forced a wry smile and said:"

"\"Perhaps my luck is terrible, and I happened to encounter a thunderstorm, leading to this disaster. \""

"Qian Renxue examined him with a scrutinizing gaze, as if judging the truth of his words, and after a moment said:"

"\"Yu brother, you are fortunate to survive this lightning tribulation; future blessings will surely follow. \""

"\"Alas, as long as I can recover and not become a cripple, that's enough. \""

"Yu Tianyun sighed, noting his condition was extremely poor, yet he wasn't overly worried; possessing a blue‑silver emperor's right leg bone and a blue‑silver domain, complete recovery was not difficult, merely requiring some time."

"Qian Renxue comforted him, saying:"

"\"Yu brother, rest assured, I've ordered full effort to treat you; you will be restored to your former self. \""

"\"Thank you, Brother Xue Qinghe; I cannot thank you enough. If you ever give orders, Yu will certainly go through fire and water, never refusing even unto death! \""

"Qian Renxue was naturally pleased to hear this; gaining Lan Dian Ba Wang Sect's support would undoubtedly advance her usurping‑nation plan, yet she showed no overt eagerness, remaining modest as she said:"

"\"Yu brother, you speak too highly; we are both subjects of the Tian Dou Empire, and you are a rare talent within the empire—how could I stand by and let you die! \""

"…"

"In the following days, under Qian Renxue's arranged care, Yu Tianyun's injuries gradually improved. Yet he remained guarded against Qian Renxue, constantly monitoring his surroundings."

"Whenever he sensed, via his powerful spirit, that no one was watching, he cautiously employed the blue‑silver emperor's soul bone's healing soul skill; his internal injuries were now about seventy‑plus percent healed. Qian Renxue visited him daily, offering warm inquiries before leaving. Grateful for her rescue, Yu Tianyun pledged some support to her; in his view, whether the usurping‑nation plan succeeds is irrelevant, as long as Qian Renxue doesn't, like his mother, wipe out his family."

"Of course, Yu Tianyun's motives aren't pure; such a beautiful little angel—he can't claim to be unmoved."

He never makes excuses to hide his sordid thoughts; he simply wants to get closer to Qian Renxue.

That day, Qian Renxue came to visit as usual.

Qian Renxue smiled and said:

"Brother Yu, looking at your condition, your recovery is quite good."

Yet she was astonished by Yu Tianyun's vitality; other Soul Emperors who suffer such severe injuries, even when a healing Soul Saint exerts all effort, do not recover this quickly.

Although she had asked Ye Lingling's mother, that Nine Heart Begonia Soul Saint, to treat him, the healer also said Yu Tianyun's recuperative ability is extraordinary.

Ye Lingling's mother didn't realize she was taking her son‑in‑law's case, since Ye Lingling and Yu Tianyun had only been together a short while and hadn't met each other's families yet.

By now, after a week of recuperation, Yu Tianyun's external wounds had fully healed without a trace of scar, though his hair had not yet regrown, making him look somewhat comical, and his internal meridians were largely unblocked.

Yu Tianyun clasped his fists and said:

"Thanks to Brother Qinghe's care, I am no longer in serious trouble and should return to inform my family of my safety."

A hint of reluctance flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes; the recent conversations with Yu Tianyun had benefited her greatly and altered her view of him—though he is a scoundrel, his ideas on governance are novel and feasible.

In recent days, Yu Tianyun recounted various historical anecdotes from Blue Star to Qian Renxue, covering ancient and modern, domestic and foreign, from feudal empires to republics, which made Qian Renxue look at him with newfound admiration, as if she had discovered a treasure and wanted to keep him captive.

Qian Renxue's expression quickly returned to normal as she said, "It's time to go back, but Tianyun, I have some questions for you; what do you think of the Spirit Hall's ambition to unify the continent?"

"The Spirit Hall?"

Yu Tianyun looked at Qian Renxue's masculine face and slightly frowned.

Qian Renxue sighed and explained, "Tianyun, you must be aware of the Spirit Hall's influence."

Yu Tianyun nodded; he wanted to know exactly what Qian Renxue intended to say.

Qian Renxue continued, "Soul Masters under the Spirit Hall account for over half of all Soul Masters on the continent, and in recent years their ambition has become evident; I am worried about the empire's future."

Yu Tianyun rested his chin and pondered:

"Should I praise the Spirit Hall in front of her, perhaps advancing our relationship? Let's do it!"

Yu Tianyun cleared his throat and slowly said, "Brother Qinghe, please excuse my bluntness."

Qian Renxue smiled gently, "But feel free to speak."

"Brother Qinghe, in my view, the empire is overly corrupt internally; aristocrats oppress commoners and disregard talented commoners. The most obvious example is the Tian Dou Royal Academy, which only admits noble offspring, and those noble academies are mostly idle aristocrats, squandering vast imperial resources. Moreover, high‑level Soul Master academies that admit commoners are few across the empire."

"Most commoner Soul Masters have only attended junior Soul Master academies; thereafter they lack the means to pursue intermediate or advanced schools—not because they don't wish to, but because they lack funds."

"The Spirit Hall, however, helps commoners awaken martial souls across the continent, extending an olive branch to gifted Soul Masters by providing training materials and tuition free of charge."

"The Spirit Hall respects commoner Soul Masters, granting subsidies to lower‑tier ones and garnering massive support. Though the funds come from the two great empires, Brother Qinghe surely knows: without the Spirit Hall, would the empire continue to issue subsidies? And even if subsidies are issued, would Jin Hun Coins truly reach those commoner Soul Masters?"

"Honestly, neither I nor my family dislike the Spirit Hall; on the contrary, we greatly admire it. A gentleman judges deeds, not intentions. The Spirit Hall's actions truly benefit the continent, and even if one day it truly unifies the continent, I would not be surprised."

"Moreover, if the continent truly unifies, it would be a boon for all—no more wars between nations, and commoners would no longer suffer the ravages of war."

……

Listening to Yu Tianyun's inspiring words, Qian Renxue's eyes grew brighter, "So he doesn't dislike the Spirit Hall; I truly want to completely subdue him."

She thought this internally, yet outwardly maintained her proper demeanor, sighing deeply as she said:

"Tianyun, every word you speak is true; I, too, am helpless. To sustain the empire, I struggle; Tianyun, will you help me?"

Yu Tianyun responded helplessly, "Brother Qinghe, I also wish to help you, but I truly lack time. I must prioritize cultivation now, yet I will try to use whatever power I have to support you, Brother Qinghe."

Qian Renxue nodded slightly, a look of understanding on her face, "Tianyun, I was abrupt; it's proper for you to prioritize cultivation."

Yu Tianyun clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, Brother Qinghe, for your understanding."

……

Watching Yu Tianyun's departing silhouette, Qian Renxue couldn't stop the upward curl of her mouth; saving his life was a trivial effort for her, yet it earned his support, the subsequent backing of Lan Dian Ba Wang Sect, and his view of the Spirit Hall, making her eager to subdue Yu Tianyun.

"His talent is second only to mine, he doesn't reject the Spirit Hall, he's even handsome… pfft pfft pfft, he's a scoundrel. Qian Renxue, what are you thinking?"

Although Yu Tianyun increasingly piqued her interest, the thought of his three wives and four concubines' libertine ways made her somewhat irritated.

After bidding farewell to Qian Renxue, Yu Tianyun headed toward the Blue Overlord Academy; in recent days he had been replaying the entire lightning strike, and he already harbored some conjectures.

Thunder Roaring Yanyu Vine! Yu Tianyun suspected his first Soul Ring; that day's thunder clearly seemed drawn to him.

Like the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, the Thunder Roaring Yanyu Vine cultivates uniquely, relying on attracting thunder to rapidly increase cultivation.

Since his first Soul Ring originated from the Thunder Roaring Yanyu Vine, this is the only plausible explanation.

"The Thunder Roaring Yanyu Vine draws thunder power to boost cultivation, yet my cultivation hasn't increased at all!"

"Could it be that I was struck by lightning for nothing? Should I hide when it rains in the future?"

"Why didn't this happen on rainy days before?"

Yu Tianyun was puzzled and angry about being struck by lightning for no reason, gaining no benefit and nearly being killed.

"No, that day there must have been something different about me compared to before, causing the lightning strike."

"Different aspects?"

"Previously this Soul Ring's age limit was six hundred years, but after emerging from Dragon Valley it became fifty thousand years, and since then I haven't released the Soul Ring during thunderstorms."

"It should be so; perhaps trying again next time will clarify, but if I'm wrong and get struck half‑dead again, it would be painful."

"Although being struck like this seemed to actually strengthen my flesh a bit, the pain is even more intense than consuming Eight‑corner Mystic Ice Grass and Blazing Fire Apricot Shrub."

……

Yu Tianyun kept pondering, and before he knew it, he had arrived at the Blue Overlord Academy.

(End of Chapter)