Douluo Continent: From Internal Martial Arts to the Law of Heaven and Earth

Last night, Xue Qinghe personally witnessed Zhu Zhuyun's outburst of evil energy. She was truly uneasy about leaving this "unstable factor" by Tang Shan's side. Combining this with the suggestion Zhu Zhuyun made during his visit last night, Xue Qinghe already had a general plan in mind.

"Your Highness." Zhu Zhuyun was the first to break the silence, but she only called out to him before falling silent again, not knowing what to say.

"What problem has occurred with your martial soul, and when did it start?" Xue Qinghe took the initiative to speak, his tone calm but carrying an unavoidable sense of pressure.

Zhu Zhuyun's ear tips turned slightly red, and her cheeks were flushed. When Xue Qinghe asked her, she bit her lower lip lightly and said in a soft but clear voice, "This happened after I took the immortal herb that my teacher gave me and my martial soul returned to its ancestral form."

"You didn't tell Tang Shan?" Xue Qinghe frowned slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on Zhu Zhuyun.

Zhu Zhuyun instinctively avoided Xue Qinghe's burning gaze, her eyes flickering as she vaguely replied, "I forgot, I forgot. Besides, didn't the Martial Soul really become stronger? It's normal to have some side effects, right?"

Xue Qinghe's face darkened. Recalling the other party's cries and evasive answers when she suppressed the evil energy within him yesterday, she had reason to suspect that Zhu Zhuyun was likely deliberately withholding information. She dared not imagine what would happen if Tang Shan were by her side when the evil energy erupted.

Although alarm bells were ringing in her mind, Xue Qinghe couldn't directly point it out. After all, she had no evidence, and the other party's evil aura had originated from her; she couldn't possibly smear someone's innocence out of thin air.

"How fast is the evil energy accumulating? When will it erupt next?" Xue Qinghe asked in a deep voice, forcibly banishing distracting thoughts from his mind.

Zhu Zhuyun gently shook her head: "I'm not sure yet. Yesterday was the first time it erupted, and after my Martial Soul reverted to its ancestral form, it had already accumulated a lot of evil energy." The girl paused slightly, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes, and looked tentatively at the refined young man beside the table, "By the way, Your Highness, how did you help me get rid of that evil energy yesterday?"

Xue Qinghe's lips twitched slightly. He was furious when he remembered that his first kiss had been completely lost due to the other party's sneak attack.

"You don't need to worry about how it's resolved. You just need to know that I have a way to suppress the evil energy for you without harming you, but you'll have to pay a certain price." After silently repeating "Don't be angry" nearly ten times in her mind, Xue Qinghe finally calmed down her irritable emotions. Her eyes deepened, gradually revealing her "fangs."

"What price?" Zhu Zhuyun's eyes lit up. Judging from Xue Qinghe's words, there must be a way to suppress or even purify the evil energy in her body.

"The requirement is simple: be my Crown Princess." Xue Qinghe's face revealed a gentle yet meaningful smile. Zhu Zhuyun's face paled slightly, and her heart skipped a beat.

She didn't expect that everything would return to normal, and that the Crown Prince of Tiandou, who had previously refused, would now take the initiative to make such a request. Sure enough, all the nobles on the continent are the same.

It seems that this Crown Prince of Tiandou dislikes her impulsive actions. Xue Qinghe would probably prefer to see her gradually reveal herself to him in a sober and rational state. Zhu Zhuyun, who thought she had seen through Xue Qinghe, remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding. She pulled down the black lace dress that had been put on her by someone else, revealing her beautiful and perfect white body: "Please have mercy, Your Highness."

Xue Qinghe?! No, why are you taking off your clothes without warning? This is putting me in a difficult position. If I don't react enough, people will easily question my gender.

"That's not what I meant." Xue Qinghe stood up and took a step forward, his movements restrained. He grasped the blanket beside him and gently covered Zhu Zhuyun with it.

Zhu Zhuyun blinked, looking completely bewildered, unsure of what the other party wanted to do.

To prevent the Star Luo Crown Princess from causing any more shocking trouble, Xue Qinghe stopped hiding her intentions and stated her demands directly: "I don't want you as a person. I want you to act in a play with me, a play for my father and the other nobles, and even for all the people of Tian Dou in the future. How about it?"

Zhu Zhuyun seemed to understand Xue Qinghe's meaning, but she was still somewhat puzzled: "You mean to be a fake couple? Why? That's too much trouble, and there's the risk of being exposed. Why don't you just take me directly?" This was Zhu Zhuyun's genuine question. It wasn't that she looked down on herself or insisted that Xue Qinghe marry her, but in Zhu Zhuyun's view, getting her as a beauty, plus resolving Emperor Xue Ye's suspicions, would definitely be easier and more comfortable than pretending.

"I'm willing!" Xue Qinghe uttered three words calmly, his tone leaving no room for argument, and then fell silent, the meaning clear: whether you agree or not is up to you.

"Can I refuse? What about my teacher?" Zhu Zhuyun sighed, a hint of helplessness in her eyes, and acquiesced to Xue Qinghe's suggestion. Not only did he know that her martial soul had undergone a significant mutation, but he had also seen her completely naked; now she was completely tied to him.

"Just tell the truth. I'll say that your martial soul has mutated and you need my soul masters to suppress it. The price you pay is to pretend to be my crown princess," Xue Qinghe replied nonchalantly.

"No, that would make the teacher feel guilty. The teacher would definitely think that if he hadn't given me the immortal herb, things wouldn't have turned out this way." Zhu Zhuyun rejected Xue Qinghe's suggestion without hesitation.

Xue Qinghe bent down, his face slowly approaching Zhu Zhuyun's, his eyes sharp as if trying to see through the girl: "Is it really just because she's your teacher?"

"Of course, is there any other reason?" Zhu Zhuyun dared not meet Xue Qinghe's sharp gaze, her eyes darting around in a panic, and her voice noticeably weaker.

"Look at me!" Xue Qinghe's slender fingers suddenly lifted Zhu Zhuyun's chin, the force neither too light nor too heavy. His deep pupils followed the panicked and evasive eyes. He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word sharp and clear, his voice filled with obvious anger, "Tell me, which disciple would call out their teacher's name under those special circumstances yesterday?"

Xue Qinghe was genuinely angry. Yesterday, she was almost inexplicably "ambushed" by Zhu Zhuyun, and to make matters worse, the other woman stole her first kiss. Losing her first kiss was bad enough, but what infuriated her even more was that while suppressing the other woman's evil energy, she kept calling out Tang Shan's name. Seriously, what kind of disciple would do such a thing? Is this disciple even respectable?

Xue Qinghe's words struck Zhu Zhuyun like a bolt from the blue, leaving her completely stunned. She never expected that when her evil aura erupted yesterday, she would actually call out her teacher's name.

"Tell me, what exactly happened?" Xue Qinghe's voice was cold, carrying a hint of authority. She hadn't wanted things to come to this, but Zhu Zhuyun clearly had some ulterior motives. She had to help her dispel the rebellious idea of ​​becoming a "disrespectful disciple," so as to leave a clean environment for Tangshan.

Zhu Zhuyun opened her mouth, but finally slowly recounted her journey. It wasn't actually that complicated, in fact, quite cliché—the hero-saves-the-damsel trope never goes out of style. Yearning for freedom, Zhu Zhuyun was caught while fleeing, and then, by chance, was rescued by Tang Shan. She protected the two sisters along the way, and while traveling extensively, her "buffs" were stacked to the max.

Having experienced the vicissitudes of life, rescued by a hero, possessing unparalleled good looks and talent, it's hard not to be moved by such a combination of qualities.

Xue Qinghe opened his mouth, but after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "This is not a reason for you to like your teacher. It's against ethics."

Having revealed everything, Zhu Zhuyun was now fearless, her eyes calm and composed: "I only hope that when the evil energy erupts one day, I can ask Teacher to help suppress it. I have no other thoughts, and I would never think of replacing Gu Yue in Teacher's heart. If I cause trouble for Teacher in the future, I will naturally leave."

Danger! Danger! Danger! Danger! Danger!

Xue Qinghe felt no emotion whatsoever; instead, alarm bells rang: This person is cunning and treacherous, and must not be allowed to live. All contact must be severed as soon as possible.

"Since you're unwilling to tell your teacher the truth, then I'll be the one to tell you." To prevent himself from drawing the Angelic Sword and chopping Zhu Zhuyun to pieces, Xue Qinghe forcibly changed the subject.

Chapter 381 Love and Desire

"Okay!" Zhu Zhuyun agreed. Now that everything had been said, she had no other choice.

"You probably don't want Tangshan to know anything about evil spirits, right? I hope you'll think twice." Xue Qinghe's devilish voice rang in Zhu Zhuyun's ears, his tone mocking yet full of threat.

Zhu Zhuyun's body trembled slightly for a moment. She simply couldn't imagine how she would face Xue Qinghe in the future if he told the teacher everything.

"I understand, and I will cooperate fully, but I hope Your Highness will also keep your promise." Zhu Zhuyun's voice carried a hint of pleading as she finished speaking.

"That depends on my mood. What if I'm in a bad mood one day and accidentally tell Tang Shan?" Xue Qinghe said calmly as she straightened up again. She would never tell Tang Shan about this. It had nothing to do with a promise. As for threatening Zhu Zhuyun, it was purely to make the other party better sever ties with Tang Shan.

"Let's go. Let's go find Tang Shan now and clear things up. Tomorrow, you'll be my Crown Princess." Xue Qinghe took Zhu Zhuyun's hand and prepared to leave. Today was truly a good day. Not only had he eliminated a future rival in love ahead of time, but he had also completed that old man Xue Ye's task. How wonderful!

"Your Highness, please wait a moment!" Zhu Zhuyun called out, causing Xue Qinghe to stop.

"What's wrong?" She turned around and looked at him in confusion, then silently walked out of the room. "Get dressed. Breakfast is on the table. If you're hungry, you can eat before you leave. I'll wait for you outside."

……

"Your Highness, do you mean you want Zhu Yun to impersonate your Crown Princess?" Tang Shan listened to Xue Qinghe's request with a strange expression at the stone table in the courtyard.

"That's right, Tang Shan, don't worry. It's mainly just a disguise. My father is pressuring me too much, and I really have no other choice. I don't trust outsiders, afraid they might not keep their mouths shut. Fortunately, you've taken Zhu Yun as your disciple, so I wanted to borrow someone from you to cover things up. Also, her status as the former Crown Princess of the Star Luo Empire can enhance my prestige within the empire." Xue Qinghe wore a gentle smile as she clearly stated her reasons, explicitly drawing a clear line between herself and Zhu Zhu Yun. Her meaning was also very clear: I just want to borrow someone who can be mistaken for the Crown Princess; it's not a forced sale, and I'm not interested in your disciple.

Tang Shan never expected that before he could even ask Xue Qinghe about being forced to search for the Crown Princess, the other party had already resolved the matter, and in such a bizarre way.

"Zhu Yun, what do you think? I respect your opinion. If you don't want to, you can say so directly." Tang Shan turned his gaze to Zhu Zhu Yun and asked.

Tang Shan estimated that Xue Qinghe must have spoken to Zhu Zhuyun privately once, otherwise he wouldn't have made such a sudden request. However, he still wanted to consult her opinion again, since she called him "teacher".

"You don't want Tang Shan to know anything about evil energy, do you?" Xue Qinghe's malicious voice still seemed to echo in her ears. Zhu Zhuyun wore a beautiful smile and nodded gently: "Teacher, I am willing. Becoming the Crown Princess of the Heaven Dou Empire can greatly reduce the pressure from the Star Luo Empire. His Highness the Crown Prince has also promised many benefits."

Since the parties involved have agreed, Tang Shan naturally has no reason to refuse. Zhu Zhuyun will certainly not be harmed by becoming Xue Qinghe's person. As for what if the fake relationship becomes real? Tang Shan said that's unrealistic. Miss Angel doesn't have that ability.

Gu Yue sat beside Tang Shan, her silver eyes curiously observing Xue Qinghe and Zhu Zhuyun, a strange smile playing on her lips.

If anyone present was the most unhappy, it wasn't Zhu Zhuyun, who was being blackmailed by Xue Qinghe, but Zhu Zhuqing, who had been sitting silently to the side. Her dark eyes were clear yet stubborn, and she was glaring fiercely at the elegantly smiling Xue Qinghe, her anger and worry barely contained.

Zhu Zhuyun had something on Xue Qinghe, so even though he didn't actually offer her any benefits, she had no choice but to compromise. The other three, including Xue Qinghe himself, all knew her true gender and weren't worried about anything happening between them. Only Zhu Zhuqing was completely unaware and could only watch as her sister fell into the clutches of that hypocrite Xue Qinghe and gradually sank into the abyss, while she could do nothing about it.

As for the pretense, Zhu Zhuqing didn't believe Xue Qinghe's nonsense. With such a beauty by his side, how could he possibly resist? Even if Xue Qinghe really did have the rumored homosexual tendencies, Zhu Zhuqing believed that her sister would definitely straighten him out and then he would do something unspeakable.

If Xue Qinghe knew what Zhu Zhuqing was thinking at this moment, he would definitely be speechless: If I really fell in love with your sister, would I be straightened out or turned gay?

On the recliner under the banyan tree, Golden Crocodile Douluo looked towards the direction of Tangshan's courtyard and couldn't help but shake his head. He really didn't expect that Xue Qinghe would actually end up choosing a princess of the Star Luo Empire as her crown princess. What was the difference between this and trampling on the dignity of the Star Luo Empire? However, since Xue Qinghe had made her decision, he would not interfere anymore. At most, he would just be more vigilant during this period and kill more Star Luo Empire spies or assassins. They could be proud to die at the hands of a Limit Douluo like him.

"Your Highness, I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now." Tang Shan glanced at the sky, recalling Gu Yue's plan from yesterday, and said to Xue Qinghe.

Xue Qinghe nodded gently, watching Tang Shan and Gu Yue leave. Surprisingly, he didn't show much displeasure: Tang Shan is going to confess his feelings to me in the future, so what's wrong with lending Gu Yue some time?

"Your Highness, what should I do now?" Zhu Zhuyun's question brought Xue Qinghe out of her thoughts. She glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, who was obviously unhappy, stood up, and patted the girl's shoulder. "Explain to your sister. I'm leaving now. If that thing recovers a little, come find me. I'll check the purification efficiency and the speed of its generation."

Zhu Zhuyun knew that Xue Qinghe was referring to the evil energy within her body, and she nodded to indicate that she understood.

……

"You really trust Xue Qinghe that much?" As Gu Yue walked along the bustling streets of Tian Dou City, searching for a restaurant, she asked Tang Shan beside her.

Tang Shan crossed his arms behind his head, his eyes darting around. In preparation for the climb later, they naturally needed to have a big meal to fully replenish their energy. Hearing Gu Yue's question, he casually replied, "We've known each other for so many years, what is there to distrust?"

The girl withdrew her gaze, her silver eyes drawing close to the young man's cheek, her eyes full of probing: "Aren't you afraid that Xue Qinghe will abduct your good disciple?"

Tang Shan was both amused and exasperated: "Gu Yue, I'm really not interested in Zhu Yun. If she really has feelings for His Highness the Crown Prince, that's her own choice. As her teacher, I can only supervise her cultivation at most."

Honestly, did Tang Shan really have no feelings for Zhu Zhuyun at all? That was impossible, given her looks and figure. But Tang Shan knew very well that he was attracted to her body, not her as a person.

Simply put, he felt both love and lust for Gu Yue and Dugu Yan, but only pure lust for Zhu Zhuyun. If Gu Yue asked, he would readily acknowledge the existence of the former, while the latter was merely a figment of his imagination.

Just like Bibi Dong, she left him with a very bad initial impression and even caused him to suffer a small loss. However, Tang Shan would not deny that he did have lust because of her looks, but that was all. If he had the chance, Tang Shan would still not hesitate to give her an axe. If Xue Qinghe didn't care, he would not hesitate to get rid of her.

"Really?" Gu Yue blinked her big eyes, not seeing a trace of guilt on Tang Shan's face. She was somewhat suspicious, wondering if Tang Shan believed in Xue Qinghe's character or his gender. If it was the latter, how did Tang Shan see through the disguise of that divine attire?

Shaking her head, her long silver hair swaying in the wind, Gu Yue put all her doubts and curiosities to the back of her mind: Why think so much? She'll know when the time is right. Eating, drinking, and having fun today is more important.

……

In a spacious training room made of marble, two girls sat facing each other.

The former had long, black hair that cascaded down like a waterfall, and a black, openwork dress that tightly hugged her hot and alluring curves, her skin as white as snow; the latter had golden hair that shone like a burning flame, her face was exquisitely beautiful and aloof, and her plain white robe added a touch of holiness and nobility like a celestial goddess.

"Has evil been reborn?" Qian Renxue, having shed her disguise, raised her eyes, her cold gaze falling on Zhu Zhuyun.

"Yes, but not many were born." As Zhu Zhuyun answered, she couldn't help but secretly glance at the blonde girl in front of her, marveling at her near-perfect appearance and temperament.

Zhu Zhuyun hadn't expected the evil energy to be generated so quickly; a small amount had already been generated by the afternoon. Remembering Xue Qinghe's instructions, Zhu Zhuyun informed him as soon as it was generated. Xue Qinghe then brought her to this cultivation room, while she went to find a Soul Purification Master. A short while later, the person in front of her pushed open the door and entered.

"The amount doesn't matter; what matters is the consumption of purification and the speed of future births. We'll begin purification immediately. In a moment, our palms will face each other, and my soul power will surge into your body. It might feel a little uncomfortable, so please bear with it." Qian Renxue, to prevent Zhu Zhuyun from discovering her connection with Xue Qinghe, proactively severed ties and replied in a cold tone.

"Okay," Zhu Zhuyun replied, raising her fair arm.

Qian Renxue also raised her hands, palms facing Zhu Zhuyun's. The next moment, streams of pure, warm, and holy soul power slowly flowed from her palms and entered Zhu Zhuyun's body.

What a beautiful person! And she has such a powerful purification ability. I wonder where Xue Qinghe found this Soul Master? Zhu Zhuyun, who was lost in thought, suddenly changed her expression. She clearly felt that the warm current that had been flowing into her body instantly turned into a gentle yet domineering heat current, which quickly circulated throughout her body. The pale red evil energy was gradually roasted and peeled off, and was completely purified and dissipated in the air.

P.S.: These chapters mainly focus on the development of the relationships between the characters. This part of the story will be completed within two days, followed by Shrek Academy and the tournament.

Chapter 382: Traveling Together

What Qian Renxue didn't notice was that a trace of residual evil energy quietly merged into her soul power, and then entered her body through her clasped palms.

It can only be said that although the Demonic Beauty can be considered an evil soul beast, it is not pure evil enough. This has prevented the divine power from evolving completely, giving some abnormal energy that is not considered evil a chance to take advantage of it, thus sowing the seeds of hidden dangers.

A quarter of an hour later, Qian Renxue withdrew her divine soul power, let out a long breath, and saw beads of sweat on her brow.

"Alright, it's completely purified. At this rate of purification, I'll purify it for you once a week." After calculating the consumption of soul power in her body, Qian Renxue said this to Zhu Zhuyun.

"Then I'll trouble you. Please convey my gratitude to His Highness the Crown Prince." Zhu Zhuyun felt the desire in her heart gradually subsiding, and looked at the blonde girl in front of her with sincere eyes.

"You should say that to His Highness the Crown Prince yourself. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now." Qian Renxue smiled faintly, stood up, and pushed open the door to leave.

"What a pity, if only I were the one whose evil energy erupted!" A thought suddenly surfaced in Qian Renxue's mind, only to be quickly dismissed. Golden flames flickered in her eyes, a faint glimmer of black energy flashing across them.

……

Sunset Forest is adjacent to Tiandou City. After having a big meal in Tiandou City to satisfy their appetites, Tang Shan and Gu Yue headed straight for this vast gathering place of soul beasts.

The number of people heading to Sunset Forest is relatively small, and the vast majority of them are Soul Masters whose goal is mostly to hunt for Soul Rings. People like Tang Shan and Gu Yue, who visit Sunset Forest as a scenic spot, are definitely a very small minority.

With each step light and silent, Tang Shan could cover more than ten meters in an instant, his movements as fluid as flowing water. A gentle breeze lifted the skirt of the young woman, Gu Yue, her figure light and graceful, closely following the young man. Her long hair, like the Milky Way, fluttered in the wind, strands brushing against her cheeks, revealing a touch of elegance and ethereal beauty. What a perfect couple!

"Tangshan, when will I finish cultivating my Dan Jin?" Gu Yue blinked her bright eyes, watching Tangshan walk with curiosity. She tried to imitate his gait by standing on tiptoe, but after several attempts, she still couldn't get it right, and her face was full of distress.

With his hands behind his back, Tang Shan walked without stopping, his steps graceful and elegant. Hearing Gu Yue's question, he lazily replied, "Once you have fully developed your body's potential, you can try to control your internal energy to unleash powerful energy."