The little boy stared blankly at Ning Chen. A trace of bewildered disbelief first appeared in his bright eyes, then a thin veil of tears gradually welled up.
He wiped his eyes with his grimy sleeve and nodded hard.
With that, Ning Chen had gathered eight children who had awakened body martial souls.
For the first time, the eastern wing of the Earl's Residence had come alive with a little bustle.
Standing in the courtyard, Ning Chen watched the children sit together for a meal under the care of the serving women, silently making plans.
Once the Earl's Residence was fully renovated, and once the children had been nursed back to health.
He could officially begin specialized training for their body martial souls, gradually selecting the children who would enter the Eternal Myriad Spirit Realm in the process.
Two years slipped by in a flash, like a white steed glimpsed through a crack.
Amid the shifting winds of Heaven Dou City, hidden currents had surged several times over those two years.
Emperor Xue Ye had never found a good opportunity to deal with Xue Qinghe. Every scheme he laid was quietly dismantled by her, as though an unseen hand were protecting the crown prince from beyond mortal sight.
Instead, Emperor Xue Ye's own health had steadily deteriorated over those two years. At first, an occasional chill lingered despite prolonged treatment, followed by a loss of appetite and listlessness.
Later, he even missed morning court frequently, confined to his bedchamber while imperial physicians took turns attending him.
The physicians could not diagnose a specific cause. They merely said that excessive toil had accumulated into illness and that he needed quiet rest.
Only a few perceptive people vaguely sensed that the emperor's illness had come far too suspiciously. Yet none dared investigate,