The Sky Screen had exposed Bibi Dong's murder of the former Pope, Qian Xunji. The Spirit Hall elders loyal to the Qian Family would surely refuse to recognize her as Pope. They might even demand that she pay with her life for murdering her mentor.
Even the lower ranks of Spirit Hall would be thrown into turmoil. Their Pope had risen to power by murdering her own master—how could she still lead them?
It was easy to imagine that Spirit Hall was about to be plunged into upheaval.
Afterward, Spirit Hall's strength would inevitably suffer a serious decline from the infighting. How would it be able to deal with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect then?
Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin both indulged in this fantasy.
However, neither of them knew that the young master of Spirit Hall was right beside them at that very moment, taking in every word they said.
You think you can watch Spirit Hall tear itself apart and then come out of this unscathed? Keep dreaming! Qian Renxue seethed inwardly.
She took a deep breath, doing her best to suppress the turmoil inside her. Then, with all her strength, she forced herself to wear a radiant smile and stood up. Smiling at Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, she said, "As my teacher said, Spirit Hall will be too busy dealing with its own troubles for some time to come. It seems we can all breathe a little easier."
"That's right." Ning Fengzhi nodded with a smile.
But then he remembered the Sky Screen showing his sect being slaughtered by Spirit Hall, and his smile slowly faded.
Damn Spirit Hall. No, I have to see if I can take advantage of their infighting and kick them while they're down, weakening them even further!
"By the way, Qinghe, you went to see Xue Hen just now on His Majesty's orders, right? I wonder..." Ning Fengzhi finally remembered to ask Qian Renxue about Xue Hen.
Ning Fengzhi's earlier smug, self-satisfied display had disgusted her, so she answered his question with a weary look. "My royal brother killed Xue Tian with his own hands. I also told him that Consort Ning had been killed. He seemed... quite displeased. He might really take it out on Consort Ning's family—that is, your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Teacher, you should prepare yourself."
"Huh?" At those words, the tension in Ning Fengzhi's face only made it look worse.
This really was the one thing he'd feared most, coming true.
First despair, then joy, and now despair again.
His mood had been tossed about more wildly in a single day than it had throughout all the days of his life before this!
Chen Xin knitted his brows, just as troubled by the news. Still, he reassured Ning Fengzhi, "Fengzhi, the Crown Prince only said it was possible, not certain. Don't worry too much. Besides, even if Xue Hen really does come looking for trouble, Gu Rong and I can join forces, and with the support of your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, we might not necessarily lose to him!"
"Uncle Jian..." Ning Fengzhi, a level 79 Spirit Master, turned to look at his Uncle Jian, his gaze making his question plain.
Uncle Jian, do we really stand a chance against him?
Chen Xin nodded solemnly.
Though Ning Fengzhi knew Uncle Jian was only trying to comfort him, he still felt a little better.
Fine. He'd take things one step at a time. If Xue Hen really came seeking revenge, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would just have to withstand him.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Shrek Academy.
"It really was her. She really was the one who killed Qian Xunji!" Tang Hao clenched his fists and said in a low voice.
Then his liquor-clouded eyes suddenly widened. With a roar, he opened his right hand, and an enormous hammer appeared in his grasp. At the same time, nine Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, and red—rose from beneath his feet. His powerful aura erupted, shaking the surrounding trees violently and forcing Tang San, Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, and the others to retreat again and again.
Clutching the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Hao swung it wildly as he shouted, "Bibi Dong, you've brought such misery upon my Clear Sky Sect! You despicable bitch, I'll never forgive you!"
"Dad..." Tang San raised his right arm to shield himself from the wildly surging aura in front of him. Watching Tang Hao lose control, he was filled with worry.
"Xiao San, let your father vent. Once he's let it all out and calmed down, we can discuss together how to deal with Bibi Dong." Dai Mubai patted Tang San on the shoulder as he spoke. His tone and expression made him seem like a fine big brother who treated Tang San's troubles as his own.
"Mm, thank you, Boss Dai." Tang San nodded gratefully at him.
"We're brothers. We share our blessings and bear our hardships together. What's yours is mine!" Dai Mubai said earnestly.
By now, he had already formed a plan: leave this place and take Tang Hao and his son back to Star Luo City!
He hadn't done so before because he'd feared offending Spirit Hall. After all, Tang Hao was a criminal wanted by Spirit Hall for killing the Pope.
But things were different now. The Sky Screen had revealed the truth: Clear Sky Douluo was innocent. He hadn't killed the former Pope, Qian Xunji. Since that was the case, Spirit Hall had no reason to keep hunting him.
And Dai Mubai could now openly take Tang Hao and Tang San back to Star Luo City to meet his father, Emperor Tianfeng.
Then, under the pretext of helping them get revenge, he could win the father and son over, persuade them to stay and form an alliance with the Star Luo Imperial Family, and tell his father how close he and Tang San were, how Tang Hao was like an uncle to him, and how much Tang Hao valued and supported him. And then...
Heh heh. How could Dai Weisi still compete with him?
With Clear Sky Douluo on his side, the position of Crown Prince was as good as his!
Truthfully, he wasn't all that interested in becoming Crown Prince. But the Star Luo Empire had no princes with independent fiefs, and brothers had no choice but to fight to the death. So Dai Mubai could only seize the position of heir.
Dai Mubai, who had once been terrified, convinced he had no hope and could only flee to another country, was now brimming with fighting spirit, ready to compete with Dai Weisi.
He gazed at Tang Hao, still raging not far in front of him, and a deep smile flickered in his eyes.
The Sky Screen had appeared at just the right time. It was wonderful—heaven was helping Dai Mubai!
In an inn in Heaven Dou City.
"You dared to get in my way and play your little schemes against me. This is what you get in return. Now, take your time worrying about how to clean up the mess inside Spirit Hall." Xue Hen's lips curled as he thought.
Then he walked to the window and opened it, letting the cold night wind blow in unchecked.
The wind swept his hair back as Xue Hen looked up at the bright moon that had reappeared after the Sky Screen vanished. He murmured, "On the Sky Screen, Bibi Dong made it clear that she considers 'Xue Hen' an enemy. So it would only be reasonable for me to do something in response, wouldn't it? Since it's no longer wise to accept the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's offer, I'll use this as my chance to step into the spotlight! First..."
Xue Hen shifted his gaze toward a magnificent building not far away in the city.
The Heaven Dou City Martial Soul Holy Hall.
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