Dugu Bo's Speculation, Ning Fengzhi Agrees

Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan also woke early that morning to receive Xue Ye's compensation and news of Xue Beng's death.

After the official delivering the compensation left, Dugu Yan approached Dugu Bo with a puzzled expression and asked,

"Grandfather, my attack may have seriously injured Xue Beng, but you extracted the Jade Phosphorus Snake Venom. It shouldn't have been enough to kill him, right?"

"So how did Xue Beng die?"

"Could it have been you?"

Hearing this, Dugu Bo said,

"Your grandfather would never do something like that. After I agreed to exchange the favor Xue Xing owed me for Xue Beng's life, I never intended to kill Xue Beng."

"Enough. You don't need to concern yourself with the rest. Now that Xue Beng is dead, it may be a good thing. Be more careful at the Academy from now on."

"Go to the Academy for class now."

Naturally, Dugu Yan obeyed Dugu Bo. After she left,

Dugu Bo sat alone in a reclining chair in the courtyard, wondering what Xue Ye meant by this.

The reason was that Dugu Bo had been able to detoxify Xue Beng at the time.

Dugu Bo knew that even without a Healing Spirit Master, Xue Beng's injuries could have healed with rest alone. It would simply have taken longer.

But now Xue Beng was dead, and they claimed he had been treated to death.

In Dugu Bo's view, if Xue Beng had truly been treated to death, someone must have used that Healing Spirit Master to kill him.

Ordinary people would not have had the nerve. Only two people did: Xue Xing and Xue Ye.

But Xue Xing had already used a favor he owed to save Xue Beng's life, so it could not have been Xue Xing. That meant Xue Ye had done it.

Then Dugu Bo began to wonder why Xue Ye had done this.

Could it have been for that eldest prince, whose misfortune had turned into a blessing and whose Martial Soul had mutated into a top-tier Ice Attribute Martial Soul, a matter now being discussed everywhere? Had Xue Ye eliminated Xue Beng, who harbored ambitions for the throne?

Or was Xue Ye trying to curry favor with him, ruthlessly killing his own son to ease Dugu Bo's hatred?

Dugu Bo could not make sense of it. Since he could not figure it out, he decided not to think about it anymore. Xue Beng was dead now, so he no longer owed Xue Xing anything. Besides, what did a Title Douluo have to fear? As long as his granddaughter remained safe, that was enough.

If Xue Ye wanted to win him over in the future, that would depend on his sincerity. With that, Dugu Bo rose to his feet and flew toward his Herb Garden in Sunset Forest.

Meanwhile, Imperial Guard Commander Qin Tian arrived at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School.

After entering the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School, Qin Tian immediately identified himself and explained that he wished to see Ning Fengzhi that day.

Before long, Qin Tian met Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo in one of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School's halls.

Upon seeing the three of them, Qin Tian quickly bowed.

Seeing Qin Tian, Ning Fengzhi asked,

"May I ask what His Majesty wishes to instruct Ning on?"

Hearing this, Qin Tian handed Xue Ye's personal letter from his robe to Ning Fengzhi and said,

"His Majesty asked me to deliver this to Sect Master Ning."

Ning Fengzhi looked curiously at the letter in his hand before opening it.

When he saw its contents, Ning Fengzhi was startled. Xue Ye's letter to him was blunt and direct:

"Sect Master Ning, my son was assassinated, but disaster turned into fortune, and his Martial Soul mutated, becoming exceptionally powerful. Therefore, I hope Sect Master Ning will accept Prince Xue Qinghe as your disciple. Not only do I wish for you to teach Xue Qinghe, but I also hope the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School's two Title Douluo can protect the Imperial Family's sole remaining heir."

"Of course, Sect Master Ning will not be helping for nothing. As a gift for accepting him as a disciple, all of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School's commercial requests within the Heaven Dou Empire will be approved immediately. There will be no obstacles to deep cooperation with the Empire, and in the future, Sect Master Ning will also become the Imperial Tutor."

After reading the letter, Ning Fengzhi's eyes widened. He was shocked that only one of Xue Ye's four sons remained, and that there had truly been a Martial Soul mutation—an acquired mutation, no less.

Then there were Xue Ye's promises. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School was known as the wealthiest sect on the continent, even while being constrained by the two great empires. Ning Fengzhi did not dare imagine what the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School could become if it cooperated with the Heaven Dou Empire and all its commercial activities were opened up.

When Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo saw that Ning Fengzhi had fallen silent after reading the letter, they thought something was wrong and asked,

"Fengzhi, what is it?"

Ning Fengzhi said nothing and simply handed the letter to Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.

After quickly reading it, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo's eyes widened as well. They could see that this was not only an opportunity for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School. If the school agreed, it would become deeply bound to the Heaven Dou Empire in the future, rather than merely maintaining a superficial relationship as it did now.

Once the two had finished reading, Ning Fengzhi asked,

"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, what do you think?"

"I think this can work. Our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School is already within the Heaven Dou Empire, and we're quite close to Heaven Dou City. Cooperation would be mutually beneficial. Besides, can our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School not protect a single prince?"

After Sword Douluo spoke, Bone Douluo beside him also said,

"That sword fool is right. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages of becoming Xue Qinghe's teacher. Once he inherits the Heaven Dou Empire in the future, you will also have found Rongrong an emperor as her senior brother, giving her another path in the future."

Hearing that the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School's two most important elders had no objections, Ning Fengzhi naturally nodded. The benefits he would gain were plain to see, while all he needed to do was accept Xue Qinghe as his disciple and keep him safe.

Ning Fengzhi then said to Qin Tian before him,

"Go back and tell His Majesty that I agree to his proposal. In a few days, I will bring people to Heaven Dou City."

Qin Tian nodded upon hearing this and said,

"I understand, Sect Master Ning. I will return and report to His Majesty at once!"

With that, Qin Tian left the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School and returned to Heaven Dou City to report.

Not long after Qin Tian left, a little girl of three or four ran in and called out to the three of them,

"Father, Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa, what are you doing here? Rongrong couldn't find any of you just now."

The newcomer was Ning Rongrong.

Seeing Ning Rongrong arrive, all three of them smiled. Ning Fengzhi scooped her up and said,

"We were thinking of finding Rongrong a senior brother. If anyone bullies you in the future, you can go find your senior brother."