Chen Jieqi returned to Heaven Dou City in the evening before the knighting ceremony.
He and Dugu Bo flew all the way from the Cangmang Mountain Range.
It was already dark when we entered the city, and the lanterns on the street lit up one by one, making the bluestone pavement glow red.
Dugu Yan is waiting for them at the Dugu Manor.
Seeing his figure, she said nothing and just handed over a neatly folded blue uniform.
"Wear this tomorrow."
Chen Jieqi took over the uniform, the smell of sunshine still lingered on the fabric.
He glanced at Dugu Yan. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Thank Lingling, she washed it for you."
Chen Jieqi said nothing, put his uniform on his shoulders and walked into the house.
Dugu Yan followed him, with two steps between them.
Dugu Bo on the side couldn't help coughing, and his face was so dark that he could squeeze out water.
Only then did Dugu Yan realize that he took Dugu Bo's hand coquettishly.
"Grandpa, you are back too."
"It's rare to remember that grandpa is here." Dugu Bo snorted.
Then he also walked into the house.
The knighting ceremony was held the next morning.
Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Hall of Governance.
Xue Ye is sitting on the dragon chair, wearing royal robes, and hundreds of civil and military officials are lined up on both sides.
Xue Qinghe is standing in the first row of His Highness, Heaven Dou Crown Prince is in the position.
Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo are both here. Although it is not stated explicitly, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is regarded as the country-protecting sect of the empire, and they are connected with each other.
Station Dugu Bo was tidy up today and stood opposite Ning Fengzhi.
Chen Jieqi stood in the center of the hall, with long silver-white hair tied behind her head and a straight blue uniform.
Dugu Yan, Yu Tianheng, Yu Feng, Osler, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Ye Lingling stood behind him, seven people lined up.
The ceremonial officer read out the imperial edict.
"Imperial Fighting Team, captain Chen Jieqi, led the team to win the continental high-level Soul Master Academy elite competition championship.
The merit is in Sheji, and Earl is specially promoted, given a gold seal, and the East Foothills of Tiantou City mine and surrounding forest land are sealed for forever."
Chen Jieqi stepped forward, bowed and took the imperial edict and golden seal with both hands.
The gold seal is small and slightly heavy, with his name engraved on the bottom.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Xue Ye looked at him, nodded slightly, and held his beard in a smile that could not be concealed.
"Earl, Heaven Dou Empire, who are less than fifteen years old, have the first job in years. Work hard and the empire will not treat you badly."
Chen Jieqi lowered his head. "I will certainly live up to His Majesty's high expectations."
When he stood up, his fingertips paused for a moment on the line at the bottom of the seal, Earl, Yongye.
What Xue Ye gave was not a reward, but a deal, using East Foothills mineral veins and forest land to nail a person to Heaven Dou's chariot.
He raised his eyes and glanced past the dragon chair. Xue Ye was smiling, Xue Qinghe was also smiling, and Ning Fengzhi even nodded with satisfaction.
Three smiles, three rulers, all measuring the same boy.
He stood up and stepped aside. The ceremony officer continued to read.
"Imperial Fighting Team Vice Captain Yu Tianheng, team members Dugu Yan, Yu Feng, Osler, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Ye Lingling, each will be granted the title of Viscount and a gold seal."
The seven people stepped forward one after another, bowed and saluted, and received the imperial edict and the golden seal.
When Dugu Yan took the golden seal, his eyes fell on Chen Jieqi and the corners of his mouth curved.
Yu Tianheng held the golden seal and thought, now I am the first in line in the sect.
Yu Feng grinned, was bumped by Osler with his elbow, and stopped again.
Xue Ye looked at this young team and laughed heartily.
"Heaven Dou Empire, there is a successor."
After the ceremony, Huangdou everyone gathered together briefly in the square outside the temple.
Yu Feng turned the golden seal over and over.
"Viscount, if my father knew about it, wouldn't he be able to dig out the family tree and rewrite it?"
Osler looked at him sideways.
"Your father has known about it for a long time. The news from the palace reached home before you did."
Yu Feng was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Yes."
Yu Tianheng stood aside, he had already decided to go back to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan today.
Replace the leg bones and then retreat.
Dugu Yan walked to him. "When are you leaving?"
"Now."
Dugu Yan nodded without holding back.
Yu Tianheng turned around, walked a few steps, stopped, and did not look back. "Yanzi."
"Hmm."
"Wait until I come back."
Dugu Yan said nothing, watching Yu Tianheng continue walking, and his back disappeared outside the palace gate.
Shi Mo and Shi Mo stood on the edge of the square, with smiles on their honest faces.
Shi Mo said, "My father said that the viscount must worship his ancestors."
Shi Mo nodded. "My father said so too."
Yu Feng came over. "Your fathers said the same thing."
Shi Mo and Shi Mo looked at each other and nodded at the same time. "We are brothers."
Yu Feng is speechless.
Ye Lingling stood quietly aside, holding only the gold seal in his hand and looking through it.
Dugu Yan walked over. "Lingling, return to the Ye Family?"
Ye Lingling nodded. "Father sent someone to pick him up."
"Yeah. Be careful on the road."
Ye Lingling looked at her and was silent for a moment. "You too."
She turned around and walked towards the palace gate.
Yu Feng and Osler also said goodbye.
Yu Feng said he was going back to the college to pack his things and then go home.
Osler said he did too, and they left one after the other.
Shi Mo and Shi Mo stayed at the end and walked to Chen Jieqi.
"Team Chen, we have returned to our family." Shi Mo said,
"If anything happens, we are always here."
Chen Jieqi nodded.
Shi Mo and Shi Mo walked out of the palace gate side by side.
Dugu Bo left at some point.
The old man didn't like this kind of occasion, so he disappeared as soon as the ceremony was over.
Dugu Yan stood next to Chen Jieqi, looking at the empty square.
"They're all gone."
Chen Jieqi said nothing.
"What about you? Go back to the chapel?"
"Hmm."
Dugu Yan was silent for a moment. "What are you going to do about the Cangmang Mountain Range?"
"Wait." Chen Jieqi said,
"When the time comes, it will naturally open."
Dugu Yan glanced at him and didn't ask any further questions. "Okay. Then I'll go back home. I have something to send you a message."
She turned and left.
Chen Jieqi stood in the square and watched her figure disappear outside the palace gate.
Then he lowered his head and looked at the golden seal on his palm.
Earl, fiefdom, finally has its own place in a legitimate and legitimate manner.
He raised his head and looked toward the east of the city.
There, the outline of Chapel of Light's Hope looms on the skyline.
He walked down the steps.
Moonlight Pavilion
Tang San has stayed at the Moonlight Pavilion for three days.
Tang Hao's injuries have stabilized, but he is still unconscious.
Tang Yuehua said this was a good thing, he was too tired and needed to sleep.
Tang San goes to his room to see his father twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
The rest of the time, he sat on the stone bench in the yard, looking at the green bamboos, doing nothing.
Tang Yuehua didn't bother him.
She just puts a pot of tea on the stone table every day and walks away.
When the tea got cold, she would change it to another pot.
Tang San never drinks.
On the evening of the fourth day, Tang Yuehua sat down opposite him.
"You've been sitting here for three days." Her voice was very soft.
Tang San said nothing.
"What are you thinking about?"
Tang San was silent for a long time. "I want to be alone."
Tang Yuehua looked at him. "That girl?"
Tang San's fingers tightened. He didn't answer, but Tang Yuehua already knew.
"She's gone?"
"Hmm."
"Return to Star Dou Great Forest?"
Tang San raised his head and looked at her.
Tang Yuehua's eyes are calm, without blame or pity,
There is only a light transparency that comes after experiencing many things.
"Your father was like this back then," she said,
"For your mother, I don't want anything."
Tang San lowered his head. "I'm not him."
"I know." Tang Yuehua stood up and patted his shoulder,
"So you won't follow his old path."
She turned and left.
Tang San is sitting alone in the yard, looking at the moon.
In the distance, in the direction of Star Dou Great Forest, there is a cloud, low, like a lying beast.
Night falls.
Chen Jieqi stood at the entrance of the mine, looking at Heaven Dou City thousands of lights in the distance.
Dugu Bo appeared behind him at some point.
"Have you thought about it?"
Chen Jieqi didn't look back. "I've thought about it."
"When?"
"Soon."
Dugu Bo was silent for a moment, and unconsciously pressed his right leg with his right hand.
There, buried through the clothing, was a bone that did not belong to him.
"Think about this first,"
Chen Jieqi whispered,
"Stone Gate can wait. That person won't wait too long."
Dugu Bo didn't answer, nodded and walked inside.
Chen Jieqi stood alone at the mouth of the valley, his clothes fluttering in the wind.
He took out the piece of feather from his arms, the one given by Qian Daoliu, with smooth edges and no burn marks.
He grasped it tightly, the cold edge digging into his palm.
He remembered Qian Renxue saying, "When you drive Stone Gate, I will come."
He remembered that Sheng Hui said, "Evil Soul Master is waiting, waiting for you to consume it, and then grab it."
He took the feather back into his arms.