Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin walked out of Heaven Dou Imperial Palace side by side.
Chen Xin's face was filled with confusion.
The scene from earlier still lingered in his mind.
Empress Yunlan had personally promised that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would not need to share any of the benefits they gained in their fight for the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast with the Heaven Dou Empire.
It was utterly baffling.
Hadn't the Empress been pressing them step by step earlier, her words as sharp as blades, all to secure greater benefits for the Heaven Dou Empire?
The situation had clearly tilted in the Heaven Dou Empire's favor. Under her pressure, Ning Fengzhi had nearly been left with nowhere to retreat.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had even prepared itself to be cut to the bone.
Yet in the end... she gave up?
"Fengzhi, what do you make of this..."
Before Chen Xin could finish, Ning Fengzhi interrupted him in a low voice.
"Uncle Jian, if we truly obtain a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, take several Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones from the sect treasury and present them to the Heaven Dou Empire."
Chen Xin was taken aback. He asked in confusion, "Why?"
"Didn't the Empress say that we didn't need to share our gains with the Heaven Dou Empire?"
Ning Fengzhi slowly turned around and looked toward the towering palace city.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice calm but certain.
"Uncle Jian, you only need to understand one thing."
"The Heaven Dou Empire is about to rise."
Only now did Ning Fengzhi truly see it clearly.
What Empress Yunlan had wanted was never a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.
It was the submission of the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
She had held every advantage