Douluo: Emerald Poison Emperor

By this point in the conversation, Qian Renxue was already quite satisfied.

Internally, she had marked Chen Ming with a big mental checkmark, deciding that after recruiting him in the future, she would cultivate him as a trusted confidant within the Heaven Dou Empire.

From here, she assumed the conversation would simply proceed as a formality. However, when she casually brought up the internal state of the empire, Chen Ming's response took her by surprise.

"Corrupt and greedy officials must be punished. A high-ranking corrupt official is like a mountain—oppressing the citizens of the Heaven Dou Empire, blocking the light of justice, and fostering countless parasites in the shadows."

"They drink the people's blood, demand their lives, and dig away at the very roots of the empire. They turn the citizens into enemies of their own country and transform soldiers meant to protect order into bandits who destroy it. Such internal enemies are far more detestable and terrifying than external ones."

"Parasites among the nobility are still parasites. Their noble status doesn't change that. Perhaps their ancestors contributed greatly to the country, but these descendants don't deserve the prestige left behind."

"Those who deserve to die should die, and those who deserve punishment should be punished. For difficult nobles, remove the main branch and support a subsidiary one. For disobedient nobles, back a controllable heir or encourage internal conflicts between their offspring. If a noble refuses to cooperate, offer their interests to someone else—plenty of others will comply if they don't."

Chen Ming believed he had expressed his ideas subtly, refraining from proposing anything too radical for the standards of the Douluo Continent. He thought he was merely demonstrating the mindset of a capable minister in a feudal era. Yet his words left Qian Renxue deeply shocked.

Among the infestation of parasites in the Heaven Dou Empire, there was someone who shared her views?!

Qian Renxue could tell that Chen Ming wasn't just parroting learned rhetoric to curry favor. His words flowed naturally as if they stemmed from his core beliefs—like someone insisting on sweet or savory soy milk.

He wasn't speaking to flatter her; this was genuinely how he would approach the situation if he were in her position.

Qian Renxue, who had seen her fair share of natural-born political creatures, had never encountered someone with such an unconventional mindset. Chen Ming didn't talk like a noble at all—his words were aggressive, almost as if he wanted to shred these parasites to pieces.

If she weren't a spy for the Spirit Hall masquerading as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, she might have suspected him of being a Spirit Hall plant.

To Qian Renxue, Chen Ming's stance was almost too idealistic, reminiscent of the lofty principles left behind by the Angel God—so noble they seemed detached from reality.

Angel God above... She sometimes questioned whether her ideas were right or wrong. Yet here was someone who seemed even more resolute in such beliefs.

Reflecting on Chen Ming's demeanor and remarks, an idea suddenly crossed her mind.

Perhaps this Chen Ming truly has a natural connection with our Spirit Hall.

Even after the banquet ended and Chen Ming had departed, Qian Renxue remained seated, deep in thought. It wasn't until a long while later that she shook her head and sighed softly.

"These matters... who can say for sure?"

"Still, I should observe him more closely in the future. He is an interesting person."

"Throughout history, the Douluo Continent has produced many talented individuals, but not all of them reach the pinnacle. With his mind, it seems likely he'll achieve something remarkable in the future."

"If our Spirit Hall replaces the Heaven Dou Empire to establish the Spirit Empire, we will inevitably unify the Douluo Continent. With his talent and aptitude, Chen Ming might truly shine brightly in this process."

"Dugu Bo is aligned with Prince Xue Xing. Let me see if I can take this opportunity to win him over. Even if I can't bring Dugu Bo to our side, there's no way we can give up on Chen Ming."

Qian Renxue moved the untouched pastries on the table closer to herself. While nibbling on them, she mulled over her thoughts.

"If I fail to recruit him and he sides with Xue Xing..."

At that thought, Qian Renxue chuckled and dismissed the idea herself.

"No, that's impossible. Even if he doesn't side with me, with his personality and talent, he can't side with Xue Xing."

"This person is far too intelligent, and most importantly, he doesn't appear to harbor any ambition."

"While it's true that intelligent people don't necessarily need ambition, someone as sharp as him, with thoughts so different from the average noble, how could he possibly lack ambition?"

"Though he doesn't show it, his ambitions are likely beyond the comprehension of most. Does he aim to carve out a kingdom for himself? Or establish a family or sect that lasts for millennia?"

"In any case, there's no way he'll choose Xue Xing's faction. After all, no prince, no matter how influential, can compare to a crown prince, especially not when I hold real power as I do."

"Given that, there will be countless opportunities to recruit him in the future. No matter how ambitious he is, his aspirations could never exceed those of our Spirit Hall."

"Serpent Spear Uncle," Qian Renxue called softly, turning her head toward an empty corner. In response, a figure clad in black silently appeared before her.

"Your Highness." Given the setting of the Seven Treasures Pavilion, the Serpent Spear Douluo prudently addressed her as "Your Highness" rather than "Young Miss."

"If the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan seeks to trouble Chen Ming, we'll step in and resolve it for him. He's an intriguing person and may become a significant asset for us."

"Of course, we don't need to resolve it completely. At the very least, he needs to understand that it's the Crown Prince who is shielding him from this issue."

"To garner such attention from Your Highness is truly his fortune," the Serpent Spear Douluo said with a faint smile, nodding to show he understood and would handle the matter.

Seeing that Qian Renxue had no other orders, the Serpent Spear Douluo didn't linger. He melted back into the shadows, continuing to guard her from the dark.

However, while concealed, the Serpent Spear Douluo found himself deep in thought.

Was it an illusion? He couldn't shake the feeling that Chen Ming might have already noticed his presence at some point.

As a Title Douluo, the Serpent Spear Douluo had immense confidence in his abilities. He considered it impossible for a mere Soul Grandmaster to detect him.

But as someone who had climbed step by step to the peak of soul master ranks, the Serpent Spear Douluo also trusted his sixth sense.

There was no concrete reason, but he couldn't help feeling that Chen Ming had indeed sensed his presence yet chose not to show it.

Given Chen Ming's demeanor and talent, the Serpent Spear Douluo found himself increasingly convinced of this possibility. Yet, without any solid evidence, he dared not report it to Qian Renxue. Instead, he resolved to quietly investigate Chen Ming on his own.

If Chen Ming truly had noticed him and handled it well, the Serpent Spear Douluo wouldn't mind taking him on as a nominal disciple.