At the Heaven Mending Divine Temple, not long after Ning Chen returned with Yin'er, an envoy from the Southern Bright Divine Dynasty arrived.
The Southern Bright envoy brought lavish gifts and stated his purpose: a marriage alliance!
Looking at the betrothal gifts filling the divine temple, Ning Chen said, "Yin'er, someone wants to marry you."
"That little for a betrothal gift?" Yin'er curled her lip.
"I said before that the Southern Bright Divine Dynasty should not commit the folly of seeking a tiger's hide, yet the Southern Bright Emperor still made this foolish decision," Ning Chen said with a smile.
"Master, you mustn't scheme with my marriage," Yin'er said warily.
"Of course not."
Ning Chen smiled. "Wait and see. Let's see what other moves the Southern Bright Divine Dynasty makes."
Several days later, news spread that the Southern Bright Divine Dynasty and the Ning Clan were to form a marriage alliance. The Southern Bright Divine Dynasty stirred up public sentiment, intent on making it happen.
The Ning Clan neither acknowledged nor denied the rumors from the outside world, as though tacitly accepting them.
The Ning Clan's tacit acceptance caused the rumors to spread ever more widely. Throughout the Southeast Territory and the Southern Territory, nearly everyone believed that the Ning Clan and the Southern Bright Divine Dynasty were about to form a marriage alliance.
At the Heaven Mending Divine Temple, two people played chess. Black and white pieces, every move fraught with danger.
"Marquis of Knowing Fate, what exactly are you plotting?"
The Moonlit Tower Master placed a white piece and said calmly, "With the Ning Clan's current strength, it can stand against the Southern Bright Divine Dynasty head-on. Why do all these useless things?"
"The Ning Clan's target has never been merely one Southern Bright Divine Dynasty."
Ning Chen