Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Chapter 34: Sacred Oath
Deep in the Prince's Eastern Palace, in a dark secret room.

Qian Renxue sat cross-legged on a cushion, her delicate fingers clenched into fists, her knuckles white from the strain. Her brow furrowed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, as if enduring some unspeakable torment. In the flickering candlelight, beads of sweat could be seen on her smooth forehead, dripping down her delicate chin onto her luxurious robes.

"Hmm..." A suppressed groan escaped from between her lips and teeth. After an unknown amount of time, Qian Renxue suddenly opened her eyes. Her pupils, usually as cold as frost, now glowed with a faint golden light, which was particularly captivating in the dim chamber.

"Where on earth did this kid go with Dugu Bo?" she whispered through gritted teeth, a hint of imperceptible anxiety and worry etched in her voice. Her slender fingers unconsciously rubbed the jade pendant at her waist, so much so that several tiny cracks appeared on the jade surface.

"Someone come here!" Qian Renxue suddenly shouted, and the painful expression on his face instantly disappeared, and he returned to the image of the prince who was in charge of the overall situation.

"Young Master." A dark shadow appeared behind her like a ghost, kneeling on one knee. His voice was respectful but erratic, as if it came from far away.

Qian Renxue elegantly wiped away the remaining beads of sweat from her forehead, her tone calm as if nothing had happened: "Go and find out where that kid and Dugu Bo went."

"Yes, young master." The black shadow took the order and left. In the blink of an eye, it merged into the darkness, leaving only a faint fluctuation of soul power.

Silence returned to the chamber. Qian Renxue gazed at the flickering candlelight, a complex expression flashing in her eyes. She gently touched her heart, where she felt a strange throbbing sensation.

On the other side, in the Star Forest.

Feng Yao slowly opened his eyes, a gleam of light in them. After several hours of soul-strengthening, he had finally successfully absorbed his first ten-thousand-year soul ring. Before he could fully experience the surging soul power within him, Dugu Bo's figure had already flashed before him.

"Don't move." Dugu Bo's skinny fingers precisely grasped Feng Yao's wrist pulse, a hint of surprise flashing in his turbid eyes, "A soul ring actually allowed you to break through four levels?" The old poisonous creature smacked his lips, his tone revealing a bit of sourness, "But the soul power impact was too strong, and the meridians were a little damaged. Don't worry, I'm here."

Before he finished speaking, Feng Yao's expression suddenly changed. His chest heaved violently, and a emerald green bead shot out from his mouth, hovering just an inch above his palm, radiating a lustrous luster. The bead's surface was crisscrossed with patterns identical to those on the Soul Bamboo, resonating strangely with Feng Yao's breath, as if alive.

"This..." Before Feng Yao could even express his surprise, he heard Dugu Bo snort coldly. The old poison creature waved his sleeves and unexpectedly spat out a emerald green bead from his mouth, but the color was darker, and the surface was wrapped in wisps of poisonous mist.

"I call this Danzhu. Of course, I don't have as good luck as you. This is what I spent sixty years using my soul power to gather poison in my body. Of course, it can only store a part of my soul power and toxins. Danzhu can be seen on many soul beasts. For soul beasts like plants that love to store energy, theoretically this can also be regarded as a kind of external soul bone, and its function is to accumulate a large amount of soul power, and this amount will increase more and more." Dugu Bo explained unhappily.

Feng Yao's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he asked with some doubt: "How can an ordinary soul beast like Soul Bamboo drop such a precious thing?"

Dugu Bo rolled his eyes at Feng Yao and said, "If ordinary soul masters can produce a freak like you, why can't soul beasts do the same? Soul bamboos that can be cultivated for ten thousand years are naturally not ordinary soul bamboos. Just like geniuses among soul masters, there are also differences in talent among soul beasts. This is why the older the soul beast, the greater the probability of it dropping soul bones."

Feng Yao then took back the pill bead, bowed slightly to Dugu Bo, and said with a smile: "Thank you very much, senior."

While Feng Yao was talking, Dugu Bo suddenly took out a few herbs from his soul guide, rolled them into pills, and without saying a word, put them into Feng Yao's mouth.

"Ugh!" Feng Yao rolled his eyes at the sudden bitterness, nearly choking to death. Just as he was about to protest, Dugu Bo grabbed him by the back of his collar and launched him into the air. The old poisonous creature's gloating voice carried over the night wind: "Save your energy, the way back is still a long way!"

But within just two days, Dugu Bo brought Feng Yao back to Tiandou Royal Academy. As soon as they appeared at the academy gate, the news reached Qian Renxue's ears.

"Young Master, judging from the direction Dugu Bo was heading, they are very likely to have gone to the Star Dou Great Forest." The vague voice sounded in Qian Renxue's ears again, with some certainty.

"Well, leave now." Qian Renxue's expression was indifferent, her fingertips tapping lightly on the table. After the soul power fluctuations completely dissipated, a sharp light suddenly flashed in her eyes.

"Interesting." She raised the corners of her lips slightly and muttered to herself, "With Dugu Bo's strength, if he was just hunting for a spirit ring in an ordinary way, how could he have let that kid get hurt? Unless..." She suddenly stood up, her luxurious robes shimmering with dark patterns in the candlelight, "Unless they hunted for a spirit ring that far exceeded the limit of a normal spirit master's endurance!"

Qian Renxue paced back and forth in the hall, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "There are clearly soul beasts suitable for Soul Sects in the Sunset Forest, so why would he risk going to the Star Dou Great Forest? Unless..." She suddenly stopped and clenched her fists. "The soul beasts in the Sunset Forest can't meet his needs!"

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but recall Feng Yao's confident look that day, and a hint of anger suddenly appeared on her pretty face. "What a 'no secrets'!" She snorted coldly, and a wisp of golden soul power condensed from her fingertips. "It seems that I underestimated you."

"Come here, go to Tiandou Royal Academy." Qian Renxue flicked her sleeves lightly, her tone calm.

As his soul power circulated, a brilliant golden light flashed, and the noble and cold girl in the mirror had transformed into the gentle and jade-like Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. When Feng Yao finished packing and arrived at the training ground where he usually played the zither, the members of the Royal Fighting Team gathered around him.

"Xiao Feng!" Dugu Yan was the first to step forward, her purple eyes filled with concern. "Did you go well in hunting for spirit rings this time?"

Feng Yao smiled slightly, his fingertips carelessly brushing the tip of his nose. "With Senior Dugu's help, everything will go smoothly." He looked around at everyone, his tone gentle yet dignified. "The competition is imminent. Although we have a place in the competition, we can't slack off in training."

"Oh~" Dugu Yan winked mischievously, "Our Xiaofeng is becoming more and more like a captain."

Feng Yao shook his head helplessly: "Sister Yan, please stop making fun of me. How can there be a captain like me who always misses team training?"

Not far away, Xue Qinghe stood fanning his hand, taking in the entire scene. Watching the young man chatting and laughing cheerfully with his teammates, an indescribable throbbing surged through his heart. He subconsciously clenched his folding fan, the jade-white ribs making a subtle, crisp sound.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Yu Feng was sharp-eyed and was the first to discover Xue Qinghe standing not far away.

Feng Yao frowned slightly, turned around and said to the Huang Dou people, "You guys continue training, I'll go pay a visit to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Everyone nodded in understanding and watched him walk towards the elegant figure.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Feng Yao bowed. Qian Renxue's eyes fixed, and she folded up her folding fan with a "swish": "Are you injured?" Although it was a question, her tone was firm and unquestionable.

Feng Yao's pupils shrank slightly, and when he thought about the prince arriving just as he returned to school, his face suddenly darkened: "Your Highness is monitoring me?"

"What?" Qian Renxue chuckled, her jade-white fingertips gently stroking the fan bone. "Shouldn't I be keeping an eye on a kid who's full of lies?" She took a half step forward, the faint scent of ambergris mingling with a hint of dangerous soul power. "Or would you rather I examine your physical condition in person?"

Feng Yao's eyes darkened slightly, his mind racing. "No, that's not right. With Dugu Bo's strength, even if a Titled Douluo wanted to spy on me, he wouldn't be able to escape detection. After all, Dugu Bo could even detect Guangling Douluo's arrows. Could it be that the method she used that day really left a mark on me? But an angel spirit shouldn't be able to cast a curse."

Qian Renxue observed Feng Yao's changing expression with great interest, and waved her folding fan gently: "Let's go, let's talk it over."

Feng Yao subconsciously took a half step back, his eyes becoming even more alert. "I'm sorry, I can't obey your order. I still remember the 'lesson' I learned the last time I was alone with His Highness. If I find out anything again, I won't have a second life."

Seeing this, Qian Renxue's eyes flickered with a subtle hint of guilt. Feng Yao had been sincere when he offered her the technique that day, but she hadn't concealed it well enough, and to be safe, she had been a bit aggressive.
"Forget it," she sighed softly, pointing her folding fan in the direction of Tiandou City, "How about we go to the teahouse in Tiandou City to talk? I won't attack you in public." She said this with a deliberately helpless look.

Feng Yao was silent for a moment, but finally nodded slightly. He really needed to find out what Qian Renxue had done to him that day.

As they boarded the magnificent gilded and carved carriage, the four pure white horses simultaneously reared up, their gleaming horseshoes gleaming coldly in the sunlight. With a soft shout from the driver, the carriage steadily drove away from the academy, the wheels making a crisp sound as they rolled over the bluestone pavement.

Inside the carriage, tea smoke curled up from the agarwood table. Feng Yao and Qian Renxue sat opposite each other, the air heavy and stagnant.

"I remember," Qian Renxue's slender fingers tapped the teacup, making a crisp sound, "someone once swore to me that he was completely loyal and would never hide anything from me?"

Feng Yao lowered his eyes and remained silent. Although he valued friendship and loyalty, he was not a pedantic person. Speaking against one's will at a critical moment of life and death was more of a temporary measure than a deception.

"That day I presented the treasure to His Highness," he said calmly, raising his eyelids. "Not only did His Highness accidentally break the treasure, he also wanted to take my life. In such a situation, isn't it human nature to say a few words to save my life?"

Qian Renxue's fingertips paused slightly, the ripples in the teacup reflecting her glint in her eyes. "But in the end, I didn't kill you. I even gave you some compensation."

"What compensation?" Feng Yao suddenly leaned forward, his eyes piercing. "Your Highness, by 'compensation', are you referring to that magic that's keeping me awake at night?"

"Indeed." Qian Renxue nodded slightly, her fingertips stroking the gilded armrest, "This is my 'compensation'." Feng Yao remained silent, his scorching eyes piercing her like a sword.

"As for how I know you're injured," Qian Renxue paused, her eyelashes trembling. "That's not some kind of spell, but the sacred oath of the angels. Its only function is—" She raised her eyes to meet Feng Yao's gaze, "between you and me, we share the pain."

Feng Yao's pupils suddenly shrank: "That is to say, if you are injured, I will also..."

Qian Renxue was silent for a moment, and finally nodded slightly.

"Isn't this kidnapping?" Feng Yao smiled bitterly and shook his head, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade pendant on his waist.

"Kidnapping?" Qian Renxue suddenly sneered, her soul power surging, and the curtains of the carriage moved without wind. "Then according to you, should I have taken your life directly from the beginning?"

Feng Yao sighed inwardly. This was bad news. Not only was she tied to the Spirit Hall, but even worse—if it was really like the original novel, Qian Renxue would be struck by a Guanyin tear in the future.
"Your Highness," he forced a smile, "I wonder if there is any way to break this sacred oath?"

Qian Renxue's red lips curled up slightly, but her eyes were cold and stern. "Of course there is." She tapped her chest with a slender finger. "The oath will only be lifted when both of us are willing to die for each other."

Qian Renxue's fingertips gently stroked the edge of the teacup, her voice as light as falling snow: "Now that I have revealed all my secrets, what about you? Can you remain loyal to me and never hide anything?"

Feng Yao slowly shook his head, his gaze as clear as a mirror. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. No one in this world is completely devoted to another, not even their closest relatives." He lifted his teacup, watching his reflection in the water shattered by the ripples. "It's like the method you just mentioned for dissolving a holy oath—if someone truly wishes to die for another, they likely won't say it out loud, choosing instead to endure it silently."

"The best example is your grandfather." Feng Yao added silently in his heart.

The carriage fell into a long silence, the only sound being the regular thump of horse hooves on the bluestone pavement. Amidst the curling smoke, Qian Renxue gazed at the gradually cooling tea, and for the first time, her unwavering belief in "absolute loyalty" began to waver.

The carriage rumbled forward, and the scenery outside the window flowed like water. Qian Renxue suddenly turned her head, her golden eyes like torches: "So, you are unwilling to be honest with me after all?"

Feng Yao opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he saw Qian Renxue suddenly glow with golden light. A surge of overwhelming soul power surged over him like a wave, and he crashed through the car curtain like a kite with a broken string, falling heavily to the ground.

"Ahem." Feng Yao propped himself up, rubbed his stuffy chest, and smiled bitterly at the gilded carriage that was leaving in a cloud of dust. "Haven't I answered yet? Why don't you give me a chance to ask a question?"

Feng Yao dusted himself off and looked at the departing carriage with a hint of doubt: "Speaking of which, can I feel her kick? She's not kidding me, is she?"

Today is the second chapter. The author is going to sleep first and will continue after getting up.

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(End of this chapter)