Chapter 28

After arriving in Heaven Dou City, the group went their separate ways.

Ning Fengzhi and his two companions returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Xue Qinghe, meanwhile, was entrusted to Dugu Bo to be escorted back to the imperial palace.

Xue Qinghe looked toward Xuan Qing.

"Brother Xuan Qing, please forgive me. I have been away for many days, and official business must have piled up like a mountain. Once I have finished handling these matters, I will certainly call upon you to offer my apologies."

Xuan Qing waved his hand dismissively.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you are being too formal. Please, attend to your duties; do not worry about me."

Xue Qinghe turned and walked into the imperial palace. His back looked somewhat heavy, likely deeply unsettled by Xuan Qing's words.

Dugu Bo looked at Xuan Qing.

"Where are you two going? You can't possibly go back to live in the herb garden, can you?"

Xuan Qing thought for a moment.

"Are there any empty rooms at your manor?"

Dugu Bo laughed.

"How can you ask that? Aside from the servants and maids who clean, it is just Yan Yan and myself in the entire manor. There are plenty of empty rooms; you may stay in whichever one you please."

"Then I shall stay at your place. I have nowhere else to go anyway, so I will rest for a while before deciding on anything else."

Dugu Bo patted his chest and said.

"No problem! Stay as long as you like; treat this place as your own home."

The three of them walked toward Dugu Manor. Located within Heaven Dou City not far from the imperial palace, the manor was vast, yet with so few people, it appeared quite desolate.

Upon returning to the palace, Xue Qinghe immediately sought out Emperor Xue Ye, needing to report the information he had gathered over the past few days.

Emperor Xue Ye was in his study; seeing Xue Qinghe enter, he set down his memorial.

"Qinghe, you have returned. Did you gain anything from your trips to Suotuo City?"

After bowing, Xue Qinghe briefly recounted the events, covering Xuan Qing's strength, the true face of Yu Xiaogang, the Twin Martial Souls of Tang San, and the secret of the Blue Silver Emperor.

He concluded with Xuan Qing's warning: Martial Soul Hall would inevitably launch a war within twenty years.

Emperor Xue Ye remained silent for a long time after listening. He rubbed his temples and sighed.

"I have long known that Martial Soul Hall would make a move, but I did not expect it to be so soon. It is a pity that such a rare Twin Martial Souls talent was raised to be a waste; what a shame, what a shame!"

Xue Qinghe hesitated for a moment before offering a reminder.

"Father, the one we should be most concerned about right now is not Martial Soul Hall, but Xuan Qing."

Emperor Xue Ye was visibly stunned.

"Why? He should have no malice toward us."

"Does Father recall the large number of nobles slaughtered over the past two years, with evidence of their corruption hung upon their corpses?"

Emperor Xue Ye's expression shifted.

"Are you saying... this was done by Xuan Qing?"

Xue Qinghe nodded.

"Although it seems incredible, that mask has already been produced by the Demon Dragon, which is practically an admission of guilt."

"And the facts prove that Xuan Qing does not care who you are; he only looks at right and wrong. As long as he believes you deserve to die, he will absolutely take action."

Emperor Xue Ye's face turned deathly pale as he recalled those shocking cases.

City lords, nobles, and generals—he showed no mercy, killing them without hesitation.

If Xuan Qing decided that the Heaven Dou imperial family also deserved to die... he dared not think further.

"Father, the slave trade must at least be halted. It will affect us, but compared to pushing Xuan Qing to the other side, this loss is nothing."

Emperor Xue Ye nodded.

"Pass on my decree: convert all registered slaves into servants. If they do not wish to stay, provide them with funds and let them leave."

Xue Qinghe shook his head.

"Father, that is not enough. Do not forget that those nobles violated imperial law, yet many turned a blind eye. Xuan Qing cannot be unaware of this; he is likely waiting for a fuse."

Emperor Xue Ye frowned.

"A fuse? What kind of fuse?"

"Xuan Qing is waiting for us to show our stance. If he sees that we are only doing superficial work without genuine reform, he will likely take matters into his own hands."

"When that time comes, it will not just be a few nobles who die; the entire Heaven Dou City could be washed in blood."

Emperor Xue Ye's face turned completely white. He wanted to argue, but swallowed his words.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Xue Qinghe took a deep breath and spoke.

"Purge the officials, strictly investigate corruption. Start from the imperial family, then the nobility, then the bureaucrats. Investigate every single one; show no leniency."

Emperor Xue Ye let out a bitter laugh.

"How is that easily done? Those nobles will never agree to it."

Xue Qinghe's gaze turned thoroughly cold.

"Whether they agree or not, they must comply. They have only two choices: their power or their lives. Or perhaps there is one other desperate measure—kill Xuan Qing."

"But aside from Martial Soul Hall, who has the capability? And who knows if there is a peerless Douluo backing him? If the Demon Dragon Douluo were the strongest, he wouldn't be following him around."

Emperor Xue Ye fell silent.

He knew his son was right, but this reform was too difficult; to move against the nobles was to shake the very foundations of the empire.

Yet, if he did not change, that blade of Xuan Qing's would remain hanging over his head.

In the end, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! We purge! Start the investigation with me! You will oversee it personally. Anyone who dares to obstruct it shall be charged with treason!"

Xue Qinghe bowed solemnly.

"This son obeys the decree."

Meanwhile, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, things were far from peaceful.

The moment Ning Rongrong returned to the sect, she threw herself into Chen Xin's arms and burst into tears: "Wuwuwu, Sword Grandpa..."

Chen Xin held her with a pained heart, his gaze turning unkind as he looked toward Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong.

"What is going on? Who bullied Rongrong?"

Ning Fengzhi shook his head helplessly.

"Uncle Sword, it is a long story."

Gu Rong took over the conversation.

"Indeed, Sword Man, you didn't go to Suotuo City, so you truly don't know how spectacular these past few days have been."

The three of them brought Ning Rongrong to the council hall, where Chen Xin had her sit beside him and poured her a cup of tea.

"Don't cry, Rongrong. Tell Sword Grandpa who bullied you, and Sword Grandpa will go teach him a lesson."

Ning Rongrong sobbed, recounting the events of the past few days in fragments. From Xuan Qing fighting seven people at once, to his scathing rebuke of Yu Xiaogang, and finally her father forcing her to leave.

Her account was chaotic, but Chen Xin understood.

The more he listened, the graver his expression became, especially when he heard Xuan Qing's words.

"Blue Silver Emperor? Sacrifice? Raised to be crippled? That boy really said that?"

Gu Rong nodded.

"It is absolutely true. And that boy's strength is terrifying. One against seven, he ended the fight in less than two minutes. Tang San even had his head pressed into the ground and rubbed; his face was ruined."

Ning Fengzhi added, "Xuan Qing also exposed that Yu Tianheng is at least twenty-six, pretending to be twenty to pursue Dugu Yan. Dugu Yan exploded on the spot."

Gu Rong chuckled. "That spear was even more impressive. It recognizes its master; if anyone else tries to take it, their life force drains away. The boy said some special martial souls come with their own weapons, like the Golden Dragon having the Golden Dragon Spear."

A sharp glint flashed in Chen Xin's eyes.

"A martial soul that comes with its own weapon? That is truly rare. That boy is remarkably knowledgeable—he even knows the secrets of the Blue Silver Emperor?"

Ning Fengzhi sighed. "It goes beyond just knowing. He even analyzed the situation between the Upper Three Sects and Martial Soul Hall, and every word made sense, especially his evaluation of Qian Daoliu..."

He repeated what Xuan Qing had said while berating Qian Daoliu.

After listening, Chen Xin's mouth twitched.

"That boy... he really dares to speak his mind! But he is right; Qian Daoliu is truly not a good leader. Martial Soul Hall has become increasingly chaotic over these years."

Gu Rong laughed. "You should have seen the Crown Prince's expression; it was truly a sight to behold."

Ning Rongrong asked in a small voice, "Sword Grandpa, is Xuan Qing... really that strong?"

Chen Xin patted her head.

"Very strong. Much stronger than your Sword Grandpa was at that age. A ten-year-old Soul Elder is already a miracle, and to possess his level of strength and insight at ten is truly unique."

"Rongrong, your father was right to bring you back. A place like Shrek is not suitable for you. That man, Yu Xiaogang... his intentions are not pure."

Ning Rongrong lowered her head and said nothing.

She actually knew her father had her best interests at heart, but her heart still ached. During those few months at Shrek, she had already come to think of it as home.

Now, being suddenly torn away felt like being dragged out of her own house, leaving her feeling empty inside.

Ning Fengzhi saw through his daughter's thoughts and gently persuaded her.

"Rongrong, it's not that Daddy won't let you make friends, but you must judge people by their character and whether they are worth it."

"Yu Xiaogang is a fame-seeker, Tang San has been raised to be useless, Dai Mubai is a philanderer, Ma Hongjun is lecherous, and Oscar... never mind, let's not talk about him."

"Zhu Zhuqing has some backbone, but that's as far as it goes. Just as Xuan Qing said, if she wakes up in time, she can still be saved; if she can't, she might as well hang herself and get it over with quickly."

"A team like that isn't worth your devotion. You are the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; you deserve better friends and a better future."

Ning Rongrong looked up, her eyes red. "Then... what about Xuan Qing? Is he worth it?"

The three men exchanged glances and all smiled.

Gu Rong said.

"That brat may have a sharp tongue, but he is upright. The things he does may be ruthless, but they are necessary. Being friends with him is no loss."

Chen Xin nodded as well.

"At the very least, he is better than that group from Shrek. While the boy is arrogant, he has the capital to be, and he sees things clearly and lives with purpose. A person like that is worth befriending deeply."

Ning Rongrong felt a little better after hearing this.

She wiped her tears and whispered, "Then... can I see him again in the future?"

Ning Fengzhi smiled.

"Of course you can. He is right here in Heaven Dou City. If you want to see him, you can go anytime. But remember, be sincere when making friends and don't play little tricks; that boy is sharp, and you won't be able to fool him."

Ning Rongrong nodded heavily, a smile finally appearing on her face.