After a month of bumpy travel, the two carriages finally arrived at Heaven Dou City.
After revealing their identities, the two carriages slowly entered Heaven Dou City. Heaven Dou City was very lively, with vendors calling out their wares on the streets. Pedestrians on the streets were not in a hurry to get on their way, and would stop to take a look if they saw something that interested them.
Upon reaching the most central crossroads of Heaven Dou City, Yue Guan leaped up and landed on Huang Tieyi's carriage. One carriage was heading straight for the Heaven Dou City Spirit Hall Branch; the other carriage, driven by Dugu Sheng, was heading towards the Ye Family of the Nine Heart Begonia.
Huang Tieyi asked with a curious look, "Uncle Yue! It's been a whole month, has your relationship with Miss Ye Qingqing been finalized yet? We don't understand!"
"Qingqing and I are of one mind; we both know what the other is thinking, but we restrain ourselves offline, acting out of propriety. However, I'm still unsure of the Ye Family's attitude." Yue Guan sighed softly, his tone filled with anxiety. "The Nine Heart Begonia clan adheres to neutrality, always deliberately keeping their distance from the Spirit Hall, unwilling to participate in any power struggles. I wonder if Qingqing can persuade her family!"
Huang Tieyi said with a flippant expression, "Uncle Yue, what's there to be so worried about? If the soft approach doesn't work, we'll try the hard one! If the Ye Family absolutely refuses, we'll just go for it! If all else fails, we'll find an opportunity to force the issue while we're in Heaven Dou City. By then, the die will be cast, and they'll have no choice but to agree!"
The words had barely left his mouth when a soft "snap" sounded.
Ling Yuan Douluo raised her hand and smacked Huang Tieyi on the forehead, glaring at the unserious young man in front of her. "A Yi, what kind of nonsense are you thinking about all day? Using a woman's chastity as a bargaining chip to coerce others, are you asking for a beating?"
Huang Tieyi rubbed his forehead, which had been throbbing from the knock, and argued with a wronged expression, "Ling Yuan, people of the Jianghu don't stand on ceremony! When you're out in the Jianghu, you can't be so particular. It's normal to be flexible!"
"Bullshit about the Jianghu heroes not caring about trivial matters." Ling Yuan Douluo's eyes suddenly sharpened, and her tone instantly became serious. "Whoever says this is either a lecherous scoundrel or a worthless piece of trash. Worthless pieces of trash do not represent all women. They may be lowly and dirty, but that doesn't mean all women are like that."
Huang Tieyi immediately said sincerely, "I was wrong. I shouldn't have spoken carelessly and given bad advice."
Seeing that Huang Tieyi had apologized, Ling Yuan Douluo withdrew his sharp expression and turned to Yue Guan, saying, "Yue Guan, if you can be with Ye Qingqing, it will indeed be a great achievement, and His Holiness the Pope will have to think highly of you."
Upon hearing this, Huang Tieyi, who had just admitted his mistake and calmed down, was instantly dumbfounded. He couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "No way, Venerable Ling Yuan, your change of attitude is too fast! You just scolded me, and now you're agreeing with this?"
Ling Yuan Douluo glanced at him sideways and said with a serious expression, "Where did I change my tune? I said I treated people with sincerity and moved them with honesty, and fairly and squarely promoted friendship between the two families. What you're talking about is using underhanded methods and coercing others with dirty tricks, which is essentially kidnapping and scheming. How can these two things be the same?"
Huang Tieyi was rendered speechless by the rebuttal, completely losing his temper, and looked utterly defeated and speechless. "Fine, fine, fine, I admit I was wrong. You have a broad mind, and I'm the one with a narrow mind and a dirty heart, okay!"
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Inside the main hall of the Spirit Hall Branch in Heaven Dou City.
Yang Fanglin, the Spirit Hall Branch, led a group of Soul Master and respectfully bowed to Bibi Dong, who was sitting in the main seat, saying in unison, "Greetings, Your Saintess Hall."
Seated at the head of the table, Bibi Dong spoke calmly and composedly, "Hall Master Yang, please rise. Everyone else, please rise as well."
"Thank you, Your Saintess Hall!" everyone responded in unison, then slowly straightened up, but kept their heads down, not daring to look at Bibi Dong in the main seat.
Bibi Dong stepped down from the main seat, looked at Yang Fanglin who was bowing before her, and said calmly, "Hall Master Yang, the formalities have been completed. Please arrange a place for me to rest."
"Your subordinate obeys!" Yang Fanglin quickly replied, then hesitated slightly before asking softly, "I wonder what important matter Your Saintess Hall has come to Heaven Dou City to attend to? I am willing to go through fire and water for you!"
Upon hearing Yang Fanglin's question, Bibi Dong suppressed a smile and said in a relaxed tone, "The main reason we have come here is to guard against Evil Soul Master taking the opportunity to retaliate and cause trouble."
The Evil Soul Master secretly formed the Holy Spirit Cult, whose first Leader Zhong Hunmie, was killed by their teacher in Niuyueke City. Now, the Evil Soul Master have elected a new Leader. The new Leader is arrogant and domineering, and even dared to show off in Spirit City before being personally intimidated and driven away by the Great Enshrined.
The Great Enshrined feared that if the Evil Soul Master were allowed to develop unchecked, they would become a major threat, so he ordered the complete eradication of all Evil Soul Master throughout the territory.
Heaven Dou City is the heartland of the Heaven Dou Empire, a prosperous and strategically important place. My teacher is worried that the Evil Soul Master, afraid to retaliate against the Spirit Hall in Spirit City, will use sinister and treacherous arts to bewitch Emperor Xue Ye and start a war. That's why he ordered me to lead this team here to maintain stability and defenses in Heaven Dou City."
She paused slightly, then clearly instructed, "From now on, the daily affairs of the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall will continue to be handled entirely by Hall Master Yang. However, if any strange, bloody, or suspicious incidents occur in the city, or if there are any disturbances suspected to be caused by Evil Soul Master, you must report them to me immediately."
Upon hearing this, Yang Fanglin felt a huge weight lifted from his heart, and his tense body quietly relaxed. He had been secretly uneasy, worried that the Saintess's arrival at the Spirit Hall of Heaven Dou City was to seize his power, but now it seemed that wasn't the case. He bowed deeply again, his attitude even more respectful and humble. "Your subordinate understands! I will obey Your Saintess Hall's orders! Your Highness must be tired from your journey, so I will take you all to your private residence to rest!"
"Lead the way," Bibi Dong said calmly. "Hall Master Yang, may I ask how many Soul Master our Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City currently has?"
"Your Saintess Hall, the Spirit Hall of Heaven Dou City has eighty-three Soul Master, two Soul Emperor (myself and the Vice Hall Master), seven Soul Kings, and twenty-three Soul Ancestor..."
"Does the Heaven Dou Imperial Family have any Soul Saint or higher-level Soul Master?" Bibi Dong then asked.
"Your Saintess Hall, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family has one Titled Douluo, who was the previous emperor. Due to his overwork in governing the country, his mental and physical strength has been severely depleted, and he doesn't have many years left to live. There are three Soul Douluo and about fifteen Soul Saint," Yang Fanglin replied.
Bibi Dong asked very detailed questions about the situation in Heaven Dou City and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, but she only asked and did not express any opinions.
And so the group arrived at the villa. The villa was very large, and there was a large artificial lake in the courtyard, in which dozens of red carp swam. When someone arrived, they scattered in a panic.
Huang Tieyi stood by the lake, watching the fish in the water, his heart pounding, sensing that something bad was about to happen...