The Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
The annual celebration arrived right on schedule.
Many noble ministers and the leaders of sects that supported the Heaven Dou Empire had also come.
"Did everyone understand what I just said?"
Tang Yuehua stood at the front, addressing the ensemble that was about to enter the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
"Yes!"
"Good!"
Seeing their bright, eager faces, Tang Yuehua nodded in satisfaction.
"Wei Fan, come here for a moment."
Tang Yuehua beckoned to him.
"What is it, Yuehua?"
Wei Fan asked.
"Will you have any trouble?"
Wei Fan was the one Tang Yuehua worried about most. Everyone else took this event very seriously and had begun rehearsing diligently two months ago.
Everyone except Wei Fan!
Not only did he visit the Moonlight Pavilion just once every ten days or two weeks, but whenever he came, he neglected his proper duties and only taught the others something he called Square Dance.
His attitude worried her as well.
He acted as though it had nothing to do with him, so he could hang it high and forget about it!
"Relax. No problemo!"
Wei Fan made an "okay" gesture.
His goal was to enter the palace with the ensemble, then slip away.
As for getting up there to dance?
Dance, my ass!
Tang Yuehua watched Wei Fan return to his seat, her delicate brows knitting slightly.
How dare he call me dumb!
Led in by the Royal Knights, Wei Fan found an opportunity to slip away as soon as he entered the palace.
With the lesson of his last visit still fresh, he now had a much deeper understanding of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's palace layout.
After rounding a street corner, he checked that no one was nearby and began taking off his clothes.
If he caused trouble in the palace while wearing the Moonlight Pavilion's uniform and someone spotted him, even a little investigation would point suspicion straight at him.
"Who's there?"
The slightest rustle instantly put Wei Fan on alert. Turning his head, he saw a girl of about ten in a Green Uniform standing nearby, staring blankly at him.
Once she realized Wei Fan had spotted her, she turned and ran...
Damn!
Wei Fan hastily stripped off his uniform and chased after her like a hunting leopard, moving at lightning speed.
What a rotten start!
If this girl told anyone, his plans for the day would go up in smoke.
Within a few breaths, Wei Fan caught the girl and clamped a hand over her mouth.
Only up close did Wei Fan notice her beautiful eyes, sparkling like gemstones, her fair skin, her exquisite features, and the hair cascading down her back.
Pretty!
"Shh!"
"I won't hurt you, but you'll have to put up with this for a while."
Fortunately, he had put on his mask while changing, so the little girl had not gotten a clear look at his face.
"Mmph, mmph, mmph..."
The girl's eyes widened like bronze bells, filled with terror.
Wei Fan faintly heard approaching hoofbeats. He knew the mounted patrol would soon arrive.
Without the slightest hesitation, he took the girl over into the palace building beside them. Finding no one around, he ducked into an empty room.
"I'm going to take my hand away. You mustn't shout."
"If you dare shout, your clothes are coming off!"
Wei Fan threatened her.
When the girl nodded, Wei Fan slowly removed his hand from her mouth.
"Do you know who I am? I'm the daughter of Ning Fengzhi, the leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
"You'd better let me go right now, or you're finished when my Grandpa Sword gets here!"
Afraid of Wei Fan's earlier threat, Ning Rongrong really did not dare shout.
She hoped this would frighten Wei Fan into letting her go.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
Wei Fan had never expected the person he kidnapped to be Ning Fengzhi's daughter, Ning Rongrong.
Now this was interesting!
"Well? Scared now?"
"Then hurry up and release me! If I'm happy, I might even ask Grandpa Sword to spare your life."
Although she could not see the face beneath his mask, she guessed Wei Fan must be afraid.
After all, on the Douluo Continent, few people could hear the name of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without feeling awe.
"If you're from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, then I can't let you live."
"Think about it. You're Ning Fengzhi's daughter. After kidnapping you, would I have any chance of surviving?"
"But if I kill you to silence you, neither gods nor ghosts will be any the wiser. No one will know I did it."
As he spoke, Wei Fan drew a gleaming dagger from his waist and advanced toward Ning Rongrong step by step, his eyes flashing coldly.
"What are you going to do?"
"Don't do anything rash!"
"As long as you let me go, I promise I won't say a word."
"I... mmph, mmph, mmph..."
With a wave of his hand, Wei Fan sealed Ning Rongrong's mouth again with Soul Power.
Watching the dagger draw closer and closer, Ning Rongrong was so frightened that tears spilled from her eyes.
I'm going to die! I'm going to die!
Dad, Grandpa Sword, come save me!
All Ning Rongrong could do now was kick her little legs wildly.
"Scared now, are you?"
"If you're scared, stop throwing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's name around."
"Since you're Ning Fengzhi's daughter, you can do something for me."
Wei Fan put away the dagger. The joke ended there.
Judging by how Ning Rongrong had fled earlier, she knew the palace very well. It seemed she had accompanied Ning Fengzhi to the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace plenty of times before. With a guide like her available, why let her go to waste?
"Take me to the Swan Tower!"
"Mmph, mmph!"
Ning Rongrong nodded.
After that little incident, she had become much more obedient.
"Mmph, mmph~"
Ning Rongrong puckered her lips at Wei Fan.
"A kiss?"
Wei Fan asked.
"Mmph, mmph~"
Ning Rongrong's eyes suddenly widened, and she shook her head frantically.
A kiss? Absolutely not!
"You want to talk?"
Wei Fan asked again.
"Mm-hmm!"
Ning Rongrong nodded.
"You don't need your mouth right now. Just use your hand to point out the way."
"And let me warn you, if you dare trick me, you'll be in a world of trouble!"
Wei Fan fixed Ning Rongrong with a warning stare.
After a mounted patrol passed, they left the deserted palace building.
With Ning Rongrong leading the way, they took turn after turn until they reached the foot of a wall nearly a hundred meters high.
"You're saying the Swan Tower is behind this wall?"
Ning Rongrong nodded.
This was the tallest wall in the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's palace. She had deliberately led Wei Fan along the most difficult route.
She was certain this thief could never climb over such a high wall.
Unless he could fly!
Before she could secretly rejoice, she felt a large hand wrap around her waist. Then an irresistible force pulled her into Wei Fan's arms.
"Mmph, mmph, mmph~~~"
You bastard! Let go of me!
Ning Rongrong struggled desperately. This fellow was actually taking liberties with her.
Wei Fan ignored her completely. Blue water flowed from his palm, then quietly gathered beneath his feet.
He planted one foot on the wall, condensing the water beneath it into ice, then took a second step, and a third.
Just like that, he walked up the wall step by step with Ning Rongrong, leaving an icy footprint behind with every step.
When Ning Rongrong realized struggling was useless, she angrily opened her mouth and bit Wei Fan's shoulder.
You filthy creep! That'll teach you to touch my waist!
"Ow~"
Pain shot through Wei Fan, and his grip faltered.
Ning Rongrong slipped from his hands and fell from dozens of meters up...
"Mmph, mmph, mmph..."
Ning Rongrong was both terrified and full of regret.
It's over! It's over!
I'm really going to die this time!
If only I hadn't bitten that creep! He'd grabbed my waist, and now I was going to lose my life too.
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