"Your Highness flatters me. If Your Highness encounters any difficulties in cultivation, I can offer some assistance as well."
"Sigh, the Swan Martial Soul of the Xue family line is fairly ordinary. My own cultivation talent also lacks any particular advantage. Even if I devoted myself fully to cultivation, my achievements in the future would still be limited."
Qian Renxue sighed, pretending to appear helpless and dejected.
Chen Ming merely smiled and did not probe further.
"Would the Duke be willing to continue holding a position within my Crown Prince's residence? With the Duke's current status, there is naturally no need for you to actually handle any affairs. Merely holding the title in name would suffice. Should the Duke require anything, I will naturally do my utmost to assist."
"Then I shall trouble Your Highness." Chen Ming did not refuse. Instead, he nodded and said, "Your Highness, after some time, I intend to develop my hometown, Holy Soul Village. I would ask Your Highness to put in some effort and assign several qualified craftsmen and administrators."
It was impossible for Chen Ming to remain in his hometown forever. At most, he would personally design things for a period before allowing others to handle the construction and development according to the direction he established.
It was not that Chen Ming could not play at "city-building," but at present he still placed greater importance on improving his own strength. As for development, steady progress was enough. As long as the lives of the villagers back home improved somewhat and he could establish a solid rear base, that would suffice.
"Of course." Qian Renxue was not afraid of Chen Ming asking favors of her. What she feared most was Chen Ming having no desires at all and keeping his distance from her identity as Crown Prince.
Merely assigning some craftsmen and administrators was hardly a problem for Qian Renxue, who had managed affairs within the Heaven Dou Empire for twenty years.
However, as she spoke, Qian Renxue seemed to recall something and continued:
"Within the Heaven Dou Empire, the clan most skilled in construction and architecture is the Defense Clan, formerly affiliated with the Clear Sky Sect. They once maintained close ties with the Strength Clan."
"The Strength Clan relied on the power of the Clear Sky Sect to run rampant in the past. Now that their Vigorous Orangutan Martial Soul has completely vanished from the continent, I only worry that the Defense Clan, due to their former friendship with the Strength Clan, may harbor certain thoughts and prove untrustworthy."
"Although they are renowned master builders and highly respected among the craftsmen of the Heaven Dou Empire, it is not as though only the Defense Clan can handle such work."
"The Strength Clan once acted tyrannically under the backing of the Clear Sky Sect, making enemies everywhere and even exterminating entire families at the slightest disagreement. After the Strength Clan was destroyed, many families that once held grudges against them gathered within Heaven Dou City, hoping to repay your kindness. Among them should be several families skilled in construction."
"If you have need of them, you may send people to contact them. Some of these families were nearly wiped out under the Strength Clan's oppression and hate them to the bone. Now they are extremely grateful toward you, so they may be worthy of trust."
"Many thanks for the reminder, Your Highness." Chen Ming remembered seeing similar intelligence reports in Spirit Hall before. However, those small families and sects oppressed by the Strength Clan were simply too weak and too scattered to attract much of his attention.
But if he could gather and unify those fragmented families and sects, the territory of his rear base would become far more stable.
Even if they possessed no special abilities, a group of physically powerful Spirit Masters could still contribute greatly to construction work. Whether opening mountains or clearing forests, they would be excellent laborers.
Qian Renxue wore the mask of Xue Qinghe, and naturally presented the stance expected of the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.
After confirming Chen Ming's attitude toward Spirit Hall and toward the Heaven Dou Empire, she no longer attempted to test him further. Instead, she conversed warmly and tried to draw him closer.
As for Qian Renxue's attempts at recruitment, Chen Ming neither accepted nor refused. He merely postponed the matter, saying they could discuss it in the future.
Although Qian Renxue felt somewhat unwilling, Chen Ming had not directly rejected her. In her eyes, that meant there was still hope.
If she could recruit Chen Ming to her side, then in the future she would gain enormous assistance in every aspect.
With Chen Ming's current reputation, whether among great sects or minor sects, among the older generation of Spirit Masters or the younger generation alike, there were many who sincerely admired him. If she gained his support, then gathering experts and talented individuals in the future would become far easier.
...
After a long while, Dugu Bo and Prince Xue Xing finally finished their private discussion. Chen Ming left the palace together with them, paid a visit to Ye Renxin's residence, and only afterward returned to Dugu Bo's estate.
The moment Dugu Bo stepped through the manor gates, a purple-haired young girl immediately threw herself onto him.
"Grandpa, I missed you so much! You're completely different from before now."
Dugu Yan hugged Dugu Bo tightly. Looking at the rejuvenated appearance he had regained, her eyes were filled with shock and curiosity.
"Haha, Grandpa was always this handsome when he was young. It's just that I couldn't show it in my old age. Now that I've regained my youth, it's simply a return to my original prowess."
In front of the granddaughter he had not seen for a long time, Dugu Bo rarely acted playful. Like carrying a child, he lifted the no-longer-young Dugu Yan high into the air and spun her around several times before finally setting her back down.
"Come, Yan Yan, meet your Second Grandpa."
Dugu Bo ruffled Dugu Yan's hair. Looking at her eyes, where the green tint had faded, a trace of relief showed between his brows. He pulled Dugu Yan toward Chen Ming.
"Huh?" Dugu Yan rubbed her eyes and looked at Chen Ming, who appeared even younger than herself, then turned toward Dugu Bo with a completely bewildered expression.
Dugu Yan had imagined many possible scenarios for meeting the continent's number one genius. Some good, some bad, and even some impossible to describe.
But she had never imagined something like this.
"What do you mean 'huh'? Hurry up and call him Second Grandpa. Even if he's young, he's your grandfather's close friend despite the age difference. What are you embarrassed for?"
Dugu Bo smacked Dugu Yan lightly on the head and spoke seriously.
"You and I are able to stand here today because of your Second Grandpa's help. Don't go failing to recognize a good person just because of appearances."
"Uh…"
Dugu Yan's mouth twitched for quite a while. In the end, after hesitating for a long time while looking at Chen Ming, she quietly said:
"Greetings… Second Grandpa."
"Good." Chen Ming nodded. He searched through his soul tool and took out a small bottle of medicinal pills.
During his research on Spirit Beasts in Spirit Hall, Chen Ming had not wasted any materials. All the leftover parts of those Spirit Beasts had been used for analysis and the development of new medicines. Although he had yet to create truly top-tier pills, he had still produced quite a number of useful ones.
"This is Muscle and Bone Strengthening Pill. It's suitable for Spirit Masters at your level. Take one pill a day. It can strengthen the body's physical toughness. After taking it for a month, your overall physique should improve by roughly fifteen to twenty percent. It also has beauty-enhancing effects. Consider this my meeting gift."