Caught in a Pincer Attack by the Summoner and the God of Kindness
That place used to be...
Moonlight Pavilion!
Upon seeing Moonlight Pavilion, Xue Ke suddenly remembered her teacher, Tang Yuehua, who had taught her etiquette and helped her maintain the dignity of royalty in front of countless nobles!
The years she spent hiding and struggling day and night within the restoration organization left her almost completely cut off from the outside world, and many people and events were buried deep in her memory.
She summoned a maidservant who was standing nearby, pointed to the tall building, and asked, "Is that building still Moonlight Pavilion? Is Tang Yuehua, the master of etiquette, still there?"
The maidservant respectfully replied, "Your Highness, that building is no longer called Moonlight Pavilion; it's now just a rather well-known restaurant. As for Tang Yuehua, whom you mentioned... this servant has never heard of such a person."
"What about the Clear Sky Sect?" Xue Ke asked immediately afterward.
The maidservant respectfully replied, "The Clear Sky Sect. It is said that at the very beginning of the great war, the Clear Sky Sect chose to join the Star Luo Empire. However, after the Star Luo Empire was defeated, the Clear Sky Sect disappeared without a trace, and their whereabouts are currently unknown."
Upon hearing this, Xue Ke stared blankly at the now-renovated high-rise building, remaining silent for Jiujiu.
The Moonlight Pavilion has changed hands, the teacher has disappeared without a trace, and even a behemoth like the Clear Sky Sect has vanished into thin air.
Things have changed, but people are no longer the same.
She believed that her return to her old stomping grounds and wielding power was a victory over the past.
But only now did she truly realize that the "Heaven Dou Empire" that she had once known, struggled with, and suffered from, yet which also carried all her memories of her girlhood, had been completely crushed during her years in exile, and even its traces had been quickly erased.
The gleaming city beneath her feet was the Heaven Dou City of the Spirit Hall Empire, no longer the imperial city of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Chapter 278 A Double Attack from the Summoner and the Godess of Kindness
Xue Ke never imagined that she would see the white-haired swordsman Li Bai, who had amazed her in her youth, again, especially under such circumstances.
The area was heavily guarded by the Spirit Hall Empire, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
Those former nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire Kingdom and the surviving restorers were like lambs to the slaughter, gathered together and guarded, about to be escorted to Spirit City to face their final judgment. Li Bai, still dressed in white, became a member of the escort team, responsible for assisting with this journey.
He had just returned from the Extreme North Icefield, and a chilling aura still lingered around him. His flowing white robes further accentuated his aloof and cold demeanor, making him seem out of place in the hustle and bustle of the world, even more unapproachable than he was remembered.
Once upon a time, Xue Ke was the innocent and well-protected Heaven Dou Empire princess who dared to run past Ning Rongrong of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without any hesitation, with girlish shyness and admiration, trying to get close to this dashing and unrestrained sword immortal.
But now...
Xue Ke almost instinctively wanted to hide. Too many unbearable things had happened—a forced marriage, struggling to survive in the restoration organization, betrayals and compromises made for self-preservation and power, the blood on her hands... All of this had long since eroded her former innocence and purity, leaving her riddled with holes.
She was afraid.
She feared that if Li Bai knew about her experiences over the years, even the slightest bit of disgust and contempt would show in his bright eyes, which always carried a hint of drunkenness and a touch of wildness.
That was crueler to her than any trial.
There were many people at the scene, and all kinds of eyes were fixed on the extraordinary white-robed sword immortal.
Li Bai remained calm, occasionally taking a sip from the wine flask at his waist. His gaze swept across the crowd, but he didn't linger on any one person for long, as if these prisoners and the escort mission were just ordinary scenery along his long journey.
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Unfortunately, as the new city lord of Heaven Dou City, Xue Ke stood at the front of the line and could not avoid it, but her posture carried a hint of stiffness that was barely perceptible.
Facing her former beloved, the ethereal Li Bai, she couldn't ignore the gazes cast upon her by the captured nobles and Soul Master behind her—gazes filled with venom, deep-seated hatred and contempt, their curses nearly overwhelming her. The label of "traitor" was indelible in their eyes.
Even Li Bai couldn't help but glance at her a few more times, not only because of her prominent position at that moment, but also because of the way the prisoners were looking at her.
Ning Rongrong clung tightly to Li Bai's arm, as if asserting her dominance, and glared at Xue Ke without any politeness. She had a very deep impression of this "love rival" who had once been rumored to be marrying Li Bai.
Soon, the headcount was completed, and the team was about to set off.
In the midst of this slight chaos, Ning Rongrong's gaze swept over the heavily guarded prison van procession and suddenly fixed on a familiar figure!
That's... Xiao Qiao!
Her former teammate, that elegant, strong, confident, and determined young woman, is now dressed in prison clothes, sitting quietly in a corner of the prison van. Although her expression remains calm, their circumstances are now worlds apart.
On one side was a high-ranking official wielding power, and on the other was a prisoner with an uncertain future. This dramatic reunion shocked Ning Rongrong, who instinctively cried out in surprise.
In her view, with Xiao Qiao's talent and unique flying ability, she should be Titled Douluo- level powerhouse by now, so how could... how could she have become a prisoner?
Taking advantage of the brief moment of guard duty change and the slight noise, Ning Rongrong released Li Bai, quickly approached the prison cart, lowered her voice, and asked with disbelief and concern, "Xiao Qiao! Are... are you alright?"
Xiao Qiao, inside the prison cart, looked up and saw Ning Rongrong. Her bright eyes remained calm, and she even shook her head slightly, saying softly, "I'm fine."
The two sisters, who had once gotten along well, exchanged a few words in hushed tones across the cold prison bars.
Ning Rongrong was relieved to find that Xiao Qiao had no obvious injuries and was in relatively good spirits. However, seeing her friend in trouble still left her with mixed feelings.
In the end, Ning Rongrong reluctantly left and returned to Li Bai's side.
She glanced back at the still proud, ramrod-straight-backed girl in the prison cart. This former princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School couldn't help but sigh softly, her tone filled with a sense of loss and regret.
"I never expected... that I would see Xiao Qiao again under such circumstances."
Fate is cruel; former comrades-in-arms now stand on completely different paths.
This reunion brought not joy, but the heavy weight of life's unpredictability and the cruelty of war.
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Thanks to the Spirit Hall Empire's tireless efforts in recent years to expand and harden the main official roads, and to uniformly equip them with new freight and passenger carriages improved by Soul Tool Technology, the transportation efficiency of the entire empire has achieved a qualitative leap.
The long journey from Heaven Dou City to Spirit City, which originally took more than ten days, was now completed in just five days, and the huge team could already see the majestic outline of Spirit City.
After the troops entered the city, the prisoners were immediately taken to a heavily guarded prison.
Having successfully completed their escort mission, Li Bai and Ning Rongrong went straight to Ning Fengzhi's residence in Spirit City —a quiet courtyard that wasn't luxurious.
Over the years, Ning Fengzhi has fully demonstrated his "pragmatic" side as a top politician. After realizing the inevitable trend of the Spirit Hall Empire and the hopelessness of his own resistance, he immediately changed his thinking, abandoned unrealistic fantasies, and instead considered how to lead the remaining forces of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into this newly established and vast empire. He also attempted to leverage the sect's past reputation and accumulated wealth to gain sufficient benefits and status for both the sect and himself in the new power structure.
However, he encountered Qian Xunji, a dog that was not like a human.
This opponent's way of thinking cannot be judged by common sense. His cunning and outrageous methods far surpass any political enemy Ning Fengzhi has ever dealt with.
Ning Fengzhi, along with his former sect members, has worked tirelessly and relentlessly within the Spirit Hall Empire's system for many years, only to encounter setbacks and walk on thin ice at every turn. Yet, he has still failed to gain a foothold in the empire's upper echelons and remains excluded from the Core Circle.
Years of exhaustion and mental stress are clearly etched on his face.
The once elegant and handsome Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect now has graying temples, and his brows are filled with weariness and vicissitudes.
The leg, which had suffered a hidden injury in its early years and was already not very agile, became even more lame due to the excessive travel and hard work in recent years.
"Dad!"
As soon as Ning Rongrong stepped into the courtyard, her eyes instantly welled up with tears when she saw her father's noticeably aged figure and increasingly difficult legs.
She couldn't hold back any longer and ran over quickly, her movements very soft, her voice choked with sobs.
Ning Fengzhi opened his arms and caught his daughter. Feeling his daughter's dependence and care, a genuine, yet weary smile finally appeared on his face, which had been tense due to his difficult situation.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back..." he murmured, his gaze passing over Ning Rongrong's shoulder and nodding slightly to Li Bai stood calmly behind him.
He knew that his daughter's safe return, passing of the divine test, and apparent attainment of a respectable position within the Spirit Hall Empire were inextricably linked to Li Bai.
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Knowing that the entrance wasn't the place to discuss matters, the group went inside the somewhat simple but very tidy room.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin was already waiting there. He was still dressed in white, his aura restrained, but when he saw Ning Rongrong return safely, his usually sharp eyes softened a bit.
"Sword Grandpa!" Ning Rongrong's face immediately lit up with a bright smile when she saw Chen Xin, and she rushed over to him just like when she was a child.
Chen Xin smiled slightly and gently patted her head. "It's good that you're back. Did you encounter any trouble on the way?"
"With him here, what trouble could there be?" Ning Rongrong winked playfully, pointing to Li Bai beside her, her tone filled with undisguised reliance and trust.
Li Bai nodded slightly to Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi, his demeanor still free and easy, yet not lacking in politeness.
After everyone was seated, Ning Fengzhi's warm expression faded slightly, and he regained the composure he once possessed as the sect leader. He looked at Ning Rongrong and Li Bai, and asked with concern and seriousness, "Rongrong, how far have you progressed in your divine trials?"
Chen Xin's gaze also turned towards them, filled with inquiry and expectation.
The Divine Trial is their greatest asset in establishing themselves in the Spirit Hall Empire and even in seeking a glimmer of hope for the future.
If it weren't for Rongrong's divine test requiring her to assist only one person, Chen Xin and Gu Rong would probably have gone to the Extreme North with her.
Ning Rongrong and Li Bai exchanged a glance, and Ning Rongrong answered, "Dad, Sword Grandpa, I have passed the First Trial of the Nine-Colored Goddess Examination." Her voice was clear and crisp, carrying a hint of pride after completing a difficult challenge.
Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in both Ning Fengzhi's and Chen Xin's eyes.
"The First Trial..." Ning Fengzhi murmured, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of the teacup. "I hope the exam goes well, Rongrong. If you encounter any difficulties, just let us know."
Chen Xin nodded, a rare hint of approval appearing on his usually stern face. "To reach this level at such a young age and in such a short time, your efforts and talent far surpass those of ordinary people. Very good, you have not disappointed us."
His gaze lingered on Li Bai for a moment. This disciple of his was not only exceptionally strong and possessed unparalleled talent in swordsmanship, but also remarkably cared for Rongrong and protected her throughout her divine trials.
With him around, Rongrong's safety and assessment progress are much more reassuring.
Ning Rongrong felt a warm glow in her heart, sensing the satisfaction and affirmation from her father and Sword Grandpa. Her earlier weariness seemed to vanish instantly. She nodded vigorously, "Yes! We will continue to work hard! We definitely won't let Dad and Sword Grandpa down!"
Seeing his daughter's energetic appearance and Li Bai beside her, Ning Fengzhi's tense nerves finally relaxed a bit.
A genuinely relaxed smile appeared on his aged face, the first such smile in years.
"Good, good... In this way, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School still has a glimmer of hope." He said softly, his tone filled with endless emotion and anticipation.
In this era where the Spirit Hall Empire holds absolute power, the divine test that the daughter and Li Bai undertook was not merely about enhancing their personal strength, but also about giving them the hope of turning their lives around amidst the turbulent waves of the new era.
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Pope Palace, Qian Xunji frowned slightly as he looked at the thick stack of newly presented prisoner lists in his hand.
Even after removing ordinary soldiers and nobles who had been "cleaned out" by Xue Ke through various means, the remaining people on the list were still numerous and had complex identities.
However, Qian Xunji is no longer the Pope who used to do everything himself; he has learned how to efficiently allocate tasks.
He considered the available candidates, and the task ultimately fell to Arthur, who had just returned from his journey.
The list of prisoners was delivered to Arthur before it was even opened.
Arthur had just returned from a journey where his blood pressure had soared due to the trials of the Godess of Kindness, and before he could even catch his breath, he received this tedious task. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly involuntarily.
However, to his slight surprise, a familiar name on the list— Xiao Qiao —was isolated in solitary confinement shortly after entering the prison and disappeared from her cell "quietly" that night.
This clearly involved Qian Xunji's Qian Xunji approval, and Arthur understood perfectly, so he naturally didn't ask any further questions.
But Arthur was also troubled by the remaining group of hot potatoes.
He is now under the divine test of the Godess of Kindness, whose standard of "Goddess of Kindness" is bizarre, and the content of the test is no less outrageous than the various strange orders given by the Summoner Qian Xunji.
At such a time, if he were to take the lead in handling a large number of prisoners, it would easily incur the displeasure of that Godess of Kindness was not quite right in the head.