Xu Tianran's eyes flashed with a trace of anger, but he quickly suppressed it, his expression returning to normal.
"Many thanks to Sect Master Zhongli for your concern, but I won't be getting up."
Xu Tianran smiled slightly, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze.
A true schemer!
He conceals his anger while maintaining an unchanged expression, burying his thoughts deep inside. His depth of mind is terrifying.
Jiang Jue observed Xu Tianran and felt a shift in his thoughts.
Originally, Xu Tianran's position in the royal family of the Sun-Moon Empire had been rock solid, making his ascension to the throne almost certain.
However, after an assassination attempt, he lost both his legs and became crippled, which significantly weakened his standing. After all, having a disabled emperor would impact the nation's image tremendously.
But Xu Tianran quickly demonstrated his iron-fisted nature. Despite his injuries, he used overwhelming force to suppress any doubts.
He even managed to uncover the mastermind behind his assassination—one of his own brothers. No one knew how Xu Tianran did it, but that brother was eventually executed by lingchi (death by a thousand cuts) within his own palace, turning the place into a blood-soaked nightmare.
Of course, being betrayed by one's own brother was practically a royal tradition in the Sun-Moon Empire.
"This must be Saint Jiang. Truly a remarkable genius."
"Please, have a seat. No need to stand."
Xu Tianran turned to Jiang Jue, locking eyes with him while offering praise, then signaled for his attendants to bring in two luxurious chairs.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Jiang Jue spoke softly as he and Zhongli Wu took their seats.
There was no need for Jiang Jue to show excessive respect. In this world, strength reigned supreme. He was from the Holy Spirit Cult, and with his Rank 98 master by his side, there was no reason for him to bow or scrape.
Besides, right now, Xu Tianran needed the Holy Spirit Cult more than they needed him.
"I heard that Saint Jiang suffered some hardships recently. I have been quite worried, but I'm relieved to see you return safely."
Xu Tianran looked concerned, as if he truly cared about Jiang Jue's well-being.
"Many thanks for Your Highness's concern."
Jiang Jue replied calmly, with a faint hint of gratitude in his tone.
Of course, he didn't believe a single word of it.
This was all just a social performance. Both sides were merely playing along.
"This is my royal sister. She has been spoiled since childhood."
"Tianzhen, why don't you go play outside for now? Your brother still has important matters to discuss."
Xu Tianran patted the girl beside him with a doting expression.
"Alright, Royal Brother!"
The young girl swallowed the last bite of her dessert, her bright eyes full of mischief. Before leaving, she stole a few glances at Jiang Jue.
Jiang Jue studied her. She had fair skin, soft and chubby cheeks, and eyes filled with intelligence.
Unlike most members of the Sun-Moon Empire's royal family—who prided themselves on their bronzed complexion—this girl had a pale, porcelain-like glow.
She was Xu Tianzhen, princess of the Sun-Moon Empire.
Jiang Jue's gaze flickered with sharpness.
This was the same Xu Tianzhen who would later shine brilliantly in the second Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament. As her name suggested, she was genuinely naïve.
What left the biggest impression on Jiang Jue was her martial soul—the Sun.
This was one of the two supreme bloodline martial souls of the Sun-Moon royal family.
The other was the Violet Radiant Annihilation Dragon, which Xu Tianran had awakened instead.
Jiang Jue speculated that the royal family probably had another Moon martial soul as well, though he had never encountered it.
Regardless, the martial souls of the royal family—whether in the Sun-Moon Empire or the original Three Empires—were all among the most powerful. Otherwise, their bloodline wouldn't have ruled for so long.
Xu Tianzhen grabbed another dessert and skipped away, occasionally sneaking glances back at Jiang Jue.
Xu Tianran noticed and smirked.
He had deliberately arranged for Xu Tianzhen to be here, knowing Zhongli Wu was coming. His intentions were obvious.
"Alright, Your Highness," Zhongli Wu interrupted, ignoring Xu Tianzhen entirely. His eyes gleamed with darkness. "Why have you summoned me here? And why did you insist I bring my disciple?"
Xu Tianran chuckled.
"I invited Sect Master Zhongli to strengthen ties with a young genius like Saint Jiang. Of course, I also have a small favor to ask."
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Bring forth the two treasures."
Xu Tianran lightly clapped his hands.
A shadow detached itself from Xu Tianran's own shadow, slowly forming into the shape of a person.
It was a hunched elderly man, dressed in the most ordinary servant garb of the palace. His frail posture made him seem like he could collapse at any moment.
He held two ornate boxes—one exuding a dazzling radiance, the other giving off an icy chill.
"An extraordinary blade deserves an extraordinary wielder. I have here two treasures that suit Saint Jiang perfectly."
"Xue Lao, present them."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The hunched elder, Xue Lao, responded and opened both boxes.
The first thing that caught Jiang Jue's attention was the item in the jade box.
Inside lay a right-hand bone, its joints thick and robust, glowing with a crystalline icy blue hue. It was as if it had been sculpted from pure ice, flawless and without impurity.
The moment the box was opened, an overwhelming chill filled the study, causing the temperature to drop several degrees.
"A soul bone?"
Jiang Jue murmured, intrigued.
"Indeed," Xu Tianran replied with a faint smile. "Not just any soul bone—an external soul bone, sourced from a seventy-thousand-year-old Titan Snow Demon."
At the mention of Titan Snow Demon, Xu Tianran's eyes flashed with pain. But whatever he was thinking about, he quickly hid it and resumed his calm demeanor.
"Titan Snow Demon Right Hand Bone…"
Jiang Jue whispered, his eyes narrowing.
The Titan Snow Demon was rumored to be the offspring of an ancient Ice God and a Titan Giant, making it an incredibly powerful bloodline.
Newborn Titan Snow Demons were already ten meters tall, and as adults, they grew beyond fifty meters.
This right-hand bone must have shrunk after transforming into a soul bone—otherwise, it wouldn't fit inside such a small jade box.
Moreover, Titan Snow Demons were one of the strongest clans in the Extreme North, with Titan Snow Demon King as one of its Three Heavenly Kings.
Xu Tianran had spent a fortune to acquire this.
A seventy-thousand-year-old external soul bone was priceless—it could grow over time.
With enough energy and opportunity, this Titan Snow Demon hand bone could one day evolve into a hundred-thousand-year soul bone.
At that moment, Xu Tianran spoke again.
"Based on our experiments, this Titan Snow Demon soul bone grants both strength and ice attributes, along with a fixed soul skill."
"The skill is called Titan Snow Burial. Upon fusing with it, the user will gain control over ice energy and can instantly unleash tenfold strength. It also provides a 50% armor-piercing effect and imbues ice power into enemies, freezing them into statues… and burying them in eternal frost."
(End of Chapter)