Douluo : People are writing diaries in Douluo

Though Qian Renxue had revealed her true form, making it easier for Su Ming to approach her, he hadn't expected her to drop her disguise so quickly. This had to serve some other purpose. In the original story, Qian Renxue had revealed her true identity to try to recruit Tang San—was that what she had in mind now?

Su Ming frowned at the thought. He had no interest in joining Qian Renxue as her subordinate, just as he had no intention of joining the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan. Being her subordinate would only complicate things, as their difference in rank would make it difficult to gain her favor in the way he intended.

Slightly troubled, Su Ming looked directly at her and said, "You're beautiful, but what are you trying to achieve? Who would've thought that the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire was actually a woman in disguise—a spy from Spirit Hall, no less? That spirit behind you isn't Heaven Dou's royal spirit; it's the same spirit as Qian Daoliu's, the six-winged angel!"

Qian Renxue, who had watched Su Ming pretend to be surprised, felt a little exasperated.

She stepped closer to him, her expression calm but with a hint of a smile. "Why the surprise? Isn't this what you wanted to know? Weren't you testing me just a moment ago? Now you act so shocked?"

"When you first saw me, you must've noticed. Your eyes glowed faintly gold for a moment, didn't they? I knew something was off. Those eyes of yours are quite unique, able to see through even my spirit bone's disguise."

Su Ming stayed silent, but inwardly, he was impressed. Qian Renxue's sharp perception had accurately deduced that something was special about his eyes.

Qian Renxue's scent lingered faintly in the air between them, drawing him in, but he kept his composure.

Seeing that Su Ming wasn't speaking, Qian Renxue didn't mind. She continued, "Little brother, you must've realized I wasn't who I appeared to be, so you tested me, right? Normally, if I extended an invitation, your loyalty should be to me, not to the empire. But you mentioned serving the empire, even asking if I'd approve."

"You're putting me in a tough spot. I'd rather not see Heaven Dou win over someone with your potential. What if your heart was already set on joining Spirit Hall? That would be a huge loss for me."

Su Ming sighed inwardly. Little brother? You've got to be kidding me! Who's little here?

Seeing his annoyed expression, Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Su Ming shook his head. "No, you're absolutely right. I said those things to test you, but I never expected you to reveal your true identity so quickly. I thought you'd be far more cautious, given your careful and calculating nature."

"And stop calling me little brother—I have a name. Call me Su Ming."

Qian Renxue smirked, noticing just how much the nickname irked him. She glanced down at him, chuckling softly. "Oh, I think I'll keep calling you little brother. After all, it's pretty clear you're… little."

Su Ming felt his dignity being questioned. She had cast an eye over him, only to call him "little brother" with such pointed insinuation. It was clearly deliberate, but he decided to play along. "Sure, you're right. Compared to you, I'm just a kid, seeing as you're what? Ten years older than me?" he replied, feigning an innocent grin.

Qian Renxue froze, momentarily taken aback by the jab. She knew she was indeed a decade his senior, but she looked to be only eighteen or nineteen at most!

Her expression darkened slightly as she tried to hold her composure. "Oh? And how do you know that? My age is supposed to be a mystery to everyone outside Spirit Hall. It's not like you could tell just by looking at me."

Su Ming gave a nonchalant shrug. "I calculated it. Your grandfather is Qian Daoliu, right? And former Supreme Pontiff Qian Xunji was your father. Given the timeline, you'd have to be at least in your early twenties. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

Seeing Qian Renxue's reaction, Su Ming allowed himself a small smile. "How about this? If you stop calling me 'little brother,' I'll stop calling you my 'ten-years-older sister.' Or I could give you a title that's a bit more… mature."

"If you insist, I can also prove that I'm not as little as you think."

Qian Renxue held back an eye roll, barely managing to keep herself from retorting. Though it was mostly harmless banter, she found his insistence on calling her "older sister" a bit much.

"Fine," she finally said. "I'll call you Su Ming. But know this, I am not ten years older than you," she replied, her voice laced with annoyance. "And yes, you can call me Qian Renxue. But there's no need to remind me of our age difference every five minutes."

"Deal. Qian Renxue it is," he replied, a trace of a grin playing on his lips.

Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she spoke. "Aren't you worried I might kill you right now? After all, you know a secret I've guarded for years. Yet you're standing here, laughing and joking about it."

Su Ming replied, "I'm not sensing any hostility or killing intent from you. And while your strength far surpasses mine, it's not as though you could easily capture me if I wanted to escape. If we fought here, it would only ruin years of your careful plans as a royal spy."

"Besides, if the Heaven Dou Empire discovered that their Crown Prince was killed by Spirit Hall's spy, they'd be out for blood. I assume you had a hand in eliminating the other princes too, didn't you?"

Su Ming's casual tone caught her off guard. He'd deduced far more than she had expected, even connecting her identity to the royal family's thinning line of succession.

Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow and leaned closer, her tone shifting. "You're asking why I revealed myself, right? You could ruin everything for me. All it would take is one word from you."

Su Ming nodded. This, above all, was what puzzled him. It was unlike her to be so open, and her attitude seemed far more playful than he'd expected from what he knew of her.

Qian Renxue held his gaze and replied with a sly smile, "