Xue Ye's Thoughts

Late February, 2625 of the Douluo Calendar.

A convoy came from the north, following the flow of people into the towering north gate of "Heaven Dou City".

After bidding a reluctant farewell to Tang Xiao, Ling Yi rode his horse toward the Green Wood Merchant Association's headquarters in the city.

Half a year later, walking through the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire again, watching the pedestrians and merchants coming and going, and the shops on both sides of the street, Ling Yi felt a rare sense of leisure welling up in his heart.

Dismounting, Ling Yi decided to walk the rest of the journey.

And so, a handsome young man with an aloof and independent air, leading a fine steed called Wuyun Treading Snow, with two cats and a dog clearing the way in front of him, created a unique scene on this bustling street.

Heaven Dou City is very large. It is five and a half streets from the North Gate to the headquarters of the Green Wood Merchant Association. It would take at least two hours to walk there.

So, half an hour later, as soon as Ling Yi entered the third street, a royal guard dressed in gleaming gold armor came to greet him.

The captain, whose golden helmet bore a distinctive white feather and black feathers, strode up to Ling Yi and bowed respectfully. "Xu Yixiu, Heaven Dou Royal Palace Guard, pays respects to Master Ling!"

Ling Yi glanced at Xu Yixiu and the twenty Xu Yixiu, then his gaze swept over the many pedestrians who were consciously keeping a certain distance. He raised an eyebrow and said in a cryptic tone, "Pretty efficient, huh? I've only been in the city for a short while, and you've already found me. This is the kind of efficiency you'd expect when catching a fugitive."

"Master Ling is too kind," Xu Yixiu said awkwardly in a low voice, "This is, after all, ' Heaven Dou City.' His Majesty has set up special sentry posts at all the city gates. As long as a distinguished guest enters the city, the news will be sent back to the palace in the shortest possible time..."

"Alright, it was just a joke, don't be so serious~" Ling Yi glanced at Xu Yixiu and said slowly, a kind smile suddenly appearing on his face.

Faced with Ling Yi's smile, Xu Yixiu's tension inexplicably dissipated by most, and his mind became more agile. Remembering that he was carrying orders, he quickly bowed to Ling Yi again and said respectfully, "Master Ling, His Majesty invites you to the palace."

"Oh?" Ling Yi looked at Xu Yixiu with some surprise and asked, "So urgent? Did something happen?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yixiu gave an awkward yet polite smile, "Master Ling, I dare not speak presumptuously about His Majesty's affairs."

"Alright~" Ling Yi nodded noncommittally, then raised his right hand, shook the reins, and said, "Let's go to the palace like this. My horse... and the others..."

As Ling Yi spoke, his gaze swept over Ah Huang and Meow Meow who were close to him, finally pausing on Little Black, who was isolated a few meters away, before asking, "What are the arrangements?"

"That's easy~" Xu Yixiu was obviously prepared and replied without hesitation, "There are special stables in the palace. Master Ling's divine steed, as well as these little playmates, can all be served by special people in the palace."

Hearing this, Ling Yi shook his head and said, "Forget it, these little guys aren't so easy to take care of. I'll find an empty space later and let them play by themselves."

Seeing that Ling Yi seemed to agree to go to the palace, Xu Yixiu was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, "No problem, no problem, Master Ling, please—!"

Another half hour later.

In the inner palace, on the plaza between the outer court and the inner palace, Ling Yi dismounted and patted Treading Snow's neck. "Wait for me here, don't wander around."

"Hissing sound—!"

Treading Snow snorted Ling Yi, revealing a well-behaved and obedient expression.

Ling Yi turned around, waved to Meow Meow, and the next second he hugged Ah Huang, who was rushing towards him. He rubbed the dog's head helplessly and instructed Meow Meow, who had come closer, "Keep an eye on Ah Huang and Little Black for me while I'm gone."

After a pause, Ling Yi glanced at Little Black, who was lazily lying on the ground wagging its tail, and continued, "If you encounter any problems you can't solve, just take the Lingdang off Little Black's neck. Remember the steps?"

Upon hearing Ling Yi's words, Meow Meow's vertical pupils narrowed slightly, and a solemn expression appeared on her cat face as she nodded to Ling Yi.

Ling Yi reached out and ruffled the Meow Meow's fluffy head, then pushed away the grinning Ah Huang in his arms and walked up to Xu Yixiu: "Let's go~"

"Yes!" Xu Yixiu readily agreed, then turned and led Ling Yi towards the inner palace area where Xue Ye, his concubines, underage princes, and princesses resided.

As they walked, Xu Yixiu tapped his fingers lightly on the hilt of his sword at his waist, and said respectfully, "Master Ling, please rest assured, there are guards everywhere in the palace, your mount and your beloved pet will be safe."

Upon hearing this, a strange glint flashed in Ling Yi's eyes.

If anyone dares to mess with Treading Snow and Meow Meow, the three little ones can handle it, but if they encounter a troublesome one, once Meow Meow takes the Lingdang off Little Black's neck, it means that he has released 30% of the seal on Little Black.

What level of combat power does the "Dark Demon Evil God Tiger," with over 60,000 years of cultivation, possess at 30% of its strength?

Hopefully, the royal relatives in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace won't be so irrational.

Of course, Ling Yi wasn't too concerned about Little Black's situation. After all, he, Ling Yi, had quite a bit of influence in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace. Knowing that Treading Snow was Ling Yi mount, no one would usually provoke him.

At this moment, Ling Yi was thinking about something that Xu Yixiu had mentioned in his secret message when he tapped the hilt of the knife, something that had caught his attention.

It seems that the Xue Ye is inclined to banish Empress Dixiya to the cold palace!

As the saying goes: A mother's status rises with her son's.

Although Xue Qianxun is not a son, nor the eldest prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, her Innate Full Soul Power makes her receive more attention than the current eldest prince Xue Luoshu!

So, under normal circumstances, Dixiya's position as empress should Mount Tai, if not rock-solid. She should at least be firmly established. How could she possibly end up being banished to the cold palace?

"Thump, thump-thump, thump..."

As Xu Yixiu's soft tapping sounds reached his ears, Ling Yi began to retrieve all information about "Heaven Dou City" in his mind, connecting and combining it with information about the palace, the royal family, and the maternal relatives.

A few minutes later, Xu Yixiu stopped knocking, and Ling Yi, through clues and the information provided by Xu Yixiu regarding Xue Ye's words and actions, deduced the general truth of the matter.

Simply put, one night three months ago, the Xue Ye after several years, but was ultimately refused by Empress Dixiya.

It is said that the Xue Ye night, and even killed a eunuch who tried to comfort him with a single slap after he left.

Later, after hearing rumors, the maternal clan behind the eldest prince, Xue Luoshu's mother, Empress Denise, began to make frequent moves, intending to push Denise to the position of empress.

Xue Ye was fully aware of the maternal clan's underhanded tactics behind Denise's back, but whether out of lingering anger or ulterior motives, he chose to ignore them.

Clearly, Xue Ye's choice was seen by outsiders as tantamount to tacit approval, which emboldened Empress Denise and her maternal clan to become even more unscrupulous.

In comparison to the Radiant Bird of Paradise Clan, whose entire clan Denise, including the elderly and weak, numbered only about two hundred people and whose strongest member was still at the Soul Emperor level, the clan behind Empress Dixiya was far stronger.

Putting aside everything else, just take Denise's grandfather, Storm Duke Iris Targaryen, whose martial Martial Soul Storm Dragon Wolf, and who was an 83rd-level Power Attack System Battle Soul Douluo.

This is already one of the top few people in the current Heaven Dou Empire in terms of combat power.

Not to mention that the Storm Dragon Wolf Targaryen Clan has been rooted in the northern part of the Douluo Continent for nearly a thousand years, even longer than the founding of the Heaven Dou Empire, and their family heritage is unfathomable!

It can be said that in the current Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Ye still needs to rely on the family power behind his concubine Denise to consolidate his rule within the empire.

In comparison, if Empress Dixiya hadn't taken advantage of the righteousness she held during her time as Crown Princess, and hadn't possessed the Innate Full Soul Power talent detected during Xue Qianxun's Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony, Xue Ye would have already made Denise his empress.

Even more than two years ago, after Empress Denise gave birth to Prince Xue Luoshu, Xue Ye had the idea of deposing Empress Dixiya and making Empress Denise the new empress.

In other words, a variety of factors slowed down Xue Ye's actions by two years, and in the end, he waited for Xue Qianxun's Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony and her unexpected Innate Full Soul Power talent.

The road beneath his feet moved backward at a moderate pace, and under Xu Yixiu's guidance, Ling Yi finally arrived at a huge garden in full bloom.

In this season of rampant cold, the fact that this place is warm like spring and full of blooming flowers clearly shows that the Heaven Dou Palace has spent a considerable amount of money to make it possible.

Of course, the exotic flowers and plants vying for attention in the garden did not attract Ling Yi's attention. What he saw first was the quiet figure sitting in the pavilion, and the petite figure beside her, craning her neck and looking in his direction.

Empress Dixiya, Princess Xue Qianxun!

As for the Xue Ye in the pavilion, and the beautiful woman holding a child, Ling Yi ignored them both.

"Uncle Ling Yi —!!!"

The moment Xue Qianxun saw Ling Yi appear, all her anxiety and frustration vanished. She cheered and jumped for joy as she ran towards Ling Yi.

The people in the pavilion reacted differently to Xue Qianxun's actions.

Queen Dixiya's forced smile transformed into a genuine smile of joy, the sorrow between her brows fading away, giving her the feeling of seeing the clear sky and the bright sun after the clouds had parted.

Xue Ye maintained a self-satisfied smile throughout, his gaze softening as he looked at Xue Qianxun's retreating figure.

Noticing Xue Ye's expression, the beautiful woman holding the child frowned slightly, a flash of coldness crossing her eyes.

Ling Yi, who had already dispersed his mind and let his spiritual power envelop the entire palace, caught Xue Qianxun as she jumped up, and nodded and smiled at Xue Ye and the others in the pavilion.

It has to be said that the Xue Ye, who appeared six months later, surprised Ling Yi somewhat. The other party seemed to have become more like an emperor who did not show his emotions.

Although the scattered fragments of his thoughts carried a faint hint of displeasure, his demeanor, eyes, and even the aura he exuded all resembled that of a father who doted on his children.

"Uncle Ling Yi, I miss you so much—" Xue Qianxun wrapped her arms tightly around Ling Yi 'Ling Yi neck, whispered in his ear, and said very earnestly.

Uncle misses you too~

Ling Yi, carrying Xue Qianxun in his left arm, walked towards the pavilion, smiling at Dixiya, Xue Ye, and the others. At the same time, he flipped his right hand, took out a piece of emerald green wood carving from his storage bracelet, and handed it to the little girl: "Look what this is—"

Upon hearing this, Xue Qianxun's small face remained pressed against Ling Yi's cheek, her crystal-like eyes looking at Ling Yi's right hand, in which was a lifelike Swan carving.

"Swan? A green Swan?" The little girl's eyes lit up. She continued to wrap one arm around Ling Yi 'Ling Yi neck while taking the Swan wood carving from him with the other.

Just then, Ling Yi arrived outside the pavilion and met Xue Ye and the others who had gotten up to greet him.

"Ling Yi greets Your Majesty and the Empress." Ling Yi greeted Xue Ye and Dixiya with a smile, and nodded to the beautiful woman holding the child as a form of greeting.

Xue Ye smiled, but feigned displeasure, saying, "Master Ling, it's only been half a year, why are you still acting so distant?"

Then, without waiting for Ling Yi to say anything, he gestured for the beautiful woman beside him to step forward and introduced her, "Master Ling, this is Denise, my queen. Denise's grandfather was the Storm Duke. This is my and Denise's child. I named him ' Luo Shu ' in the hope that he will become a learned man like you, Master Ling..."

"Denise, this is none other than Master Ling Yi, the city lord of Lingyun City, renowned for his 'seven orifices of exquisite wisdom'!"

Listening to Xue Ye's introduction, Ling Yi's gaze swept over the infant being held in Denise's arms, and he smiled slightly, "Xue Luoshu? A good name."

"Greetings, Master Ling ~" Denise, holding her son, bowed slightly to Ling Yi Ling Yi, her slightly alluring eyes sweeping over him as she spoke in a melodious voice, "I heard my grandfather mention Master Ling at home, saying you are a peerless genius, one in a thousand years on the Douluo Continent. Later, after entering the palace, I often heard His Majesty mention your great name. Seeing you today, you are indeed exceptionally handsome, like a celestial being descended to earth—"

"Your Majesty and Storm Duke are too kind~" Ling Yi replied politely and calmly, holding Xue Qianxun who was unwilling to let go.

"Qianxun, come down quickly, it's not right to keep going like this~" Xue Ye said softly to Xue Qianxun in Ling Yi's arms.

Although Xue Ye's voice was very gentle and her expression was kind, Xue Qianxun subconsciously leaned closer to Ling Yi, as if she was avoiding something.

Upon seeing this, a shadow crossed Xue Ye's eyes, but her face remained gentle.

Ling Yi patted Xue Qianxun, whose body was tense, signaling her to relax, and smiled at Xue Ye, saying, "It's alright. It's been half a year since we last met. The little girl is probably worried that I've run away again."

As he spoke, Ling Yi lowered his head and said softly to Xue Qianxun, "Uncle sensed it. Xue'er's Soul Power seems to have reached the bottleneck of level 20. It seems that Xue'er has been cultivating very diligently in the past six months—"

Hearing Ling Yi's praise, Xue Qianxun's face lit up with a bright smile, "Not only that, I've also mastered several boxing stances, including ' Swan Goose Soars into the Vast Heavens,' and I'm incredibly strong now!"