Ning Fengzhi stepped outside and took the letter from a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciple. Unfolding it, he found that although the handwriting was no longer as bold and vigorous as in years past, it still carried a familiar flavor.
This was indeed a letter written personally by Emperor Xue Ye.
Quickly skimming past the friendly pleasantries in the first half, Ning Fengzhi gradually knitted his brows.
The letter said exactly what the messenger disciple had reported.
To ease the increasingly strained relations between the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall in recent years, Emperor Xue Ye had decided to send Crown Prince Xue Qinghe as his representative. He would depart early tomorrow morning for Spirit City to attend the Investiture Ceremony of Spirit Hall's newly appointed Platinum Bishop, Lu Tian, four days from now.
Because Xue Qinghe held the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in such high regard, Emperor Xue Ye had asked, privately and as an old friend, for its sect master, Ning Fengzhi, to accompany him with one of the sect's guardian Douluos.
At the end of the letter was the personal seal signifying Emperor Xue Ye's identity.
That old fox!
The journey from Heaven Dou City to Spirit City was a very long one. At a carriage's leisurely pace, it would take at least twenty days or so...
No wonder Xue Ye had sought the assistance of him and a guardian Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Only Titled Douluos or certain high-ranking flying Soul Masters had the speed to bring others to Spirit City within a few days.
Looking at the messenger disciple kneeling on one knee as he awaited further instructions, Ning Fengzhi considered briefly before saying, "Go and tell the envoy that early tomorrow morning, I will await His Highness the Crown Prince's arrival in Seven Treasure City with Sword Douluo and my daughter Rongrong, and we will depart together for Spirit City."
After having the messenger disciple repeat his words to confirm there were no mistakes, he waved him away.
Folding the letter neatly, Ning Fengzhi felt he now understood the deeper meaning behind Emperor Xue Ye's letter.
It was simply an attempt to deepen Xue Qinghe's relationship with him through this trip to Spirit Hall. With the experience of protecting him on this journey, his subsequent appointment as the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor would seem all the more natural.
Besides, Xue Ye had always been suspicious by nature. Perhaps this was also meant to further ascertain the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's allegiance.
Perhaps that old fellow had already summoned Xue Qinghe and was painstakingly instructing him to keep a close watch on Ning Fengzhi's every move over the coming days, to see whether he showed any signs of secret dealings with Spirit Hall~
The Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
"Father, there is no end to state affairs. You must take better care of your health."
"Hehe, it is nothing. Qinghe, do you remember everything I just told you?"
"Yes. I will carefully observe Ning Fengzhi to see whether he intends to collude with Spirit Hall in secret. It's just..."
Dressed in an emperor's informal robes, Emperor Xue Ye, white-haired, aged in appearance, and looking somewhat wan, steadied his breathing. He shifted his attention from the memorials on his desk to the young man whom he had finally named crown prince after two of his other sons had died young, one after the other.
Seeing the uncertainty on his face, Emperor Xue Ye asked with a smile, "It's just what?"
"It's just that if Sect Master Ning truly harbors treacherous intentions, what should the empire do? After all, those two Titled Douluos..."
"He wouldn't dare." A trace of contempt appeared on Emperor Xue Ye's pale face as he sneered, "Ning Fengzhi is fierce in appearance but faint of heart. He looks splendid on the outside, but in truth, he possesses neither vision nor decisiveness."
"He wants to cling to the strong yet refuses to bow beneath anyone. Every generation of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect masters has been like this. It is dictated by the nature of their Martial Soul, and no number of guardian Douluos can pull them back from it."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has neither marriage ties to Spirit Hall nor a place among its core followers."
"Throw in his lot with Spirit Hall and risk being swallowed whole, or cooperate with the empire in name and continue his unchanging life above others-which do you think he would choose?"
"So the more closely you watch him, the more reassured he will feel. That is what makes him a foolish clever man!"
Understanding dawned on Xue Qinghe, and unmistakable reverence appeared on his face. "Father, I understand. In Ning Fengzhi's eyes, the more the empire guards against him, the more it needs him."
Emperor Xue Ye nodded in satisfaction, offered Xue Qinghe a few more words of encouragement, then dismissed him.
But just as Xue Qinghe turned to leave and was about to step through the hall's doors, an unhurried voice sounded behind him again. "Xue Beng has indeed gone too far lately. His confinement can be extended a little longer. But, Crown Prince..."
"Xue Beng is your younger brother, after all."
"Don't look back. Go."
Xue Qinghe paused ever so slightly, then strode out of the hall.
[Ning Rongrong: I just saw Dad and both Grandpas off. I've got good news!]
[Ning Rongrong: @Qian Renxue, Emperor Xue Ye wants our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to protect the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, on his journey to Spirit City. Dad has already agreed to take me along!]
[Qian Renxue: ＾-＾]
[Ning Rongrong: But Sister Xue, how did you know what Emperor Xue Ye's letter said? Don't tell me you have people in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace?]
[Qian Renxue: Selfie.jpg]
[Little Fox: He looks pretty approachable, though not as handsome as Lu Chen. Is this one of our Spirit Hall spies?]
[Back to That Day: Shut up.]
[Little Fox: ...]
[Yanzi: Xue Qinghe, you're Xue Qinghe?!]
[Ning Rongrong: ?]
[Qian Renxue: See you tomorrow, Rongrong~]
[...]
The Soul Fighting Zone of Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy.
Dugu Yan used the poison techniques of her Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul to defeat another opponent who met the requirements of her exclusive system mission. Ignoring the wary and frightened looks around her, she walked off the Soul Fighting stage.
While recovering her Soul Power, she opened the Chat Group panel, wanting to see what new antics her fellow members had come up with.
Then a picture caught her eye...
I've seen this guy before!
Holy Heaven Dou Crown Prince!
[Qian Renxue: Haven't you all been curious why, despite being Spirit Hall's true successor, I've never made a name for myself or shown my face on the continent?]
[Qian Renxue: This is the answer. I was sent to the Heaven Dou Empire when I was very young and used disguise techniques to replace its First Prince, Xue Qinghe.]
[Yanzi: So the Second Prince and Third Prince really were...]
[Qian Renxue: 一一✧]
[Yanzi: It's hopeless. Qian Renxue is here, and a vast empire is about to fall.]
"Xiao Wu, stop licking the cup. I'll pour you another."
"Oh~"
Lu Chen picked up the teapot and spoke to remind Xiao Wu, who had been so stunned that she had finished her tea without even noticing.
Those acting skills really still need plenty of polishing.
But Qian Renxue seems really resistant to suddenly having a Junior Martial Uncle over her head. Is she unable to hold back from making a trip to Spirit City herself?
In that case, I can put revealing the failure of Qian Renxue's palace coup in the original timeline on the agenda.
And there's Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, that top-tier utility man and angel investor.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the first warning that Emperor Xue Ye had been poisoned, slowing the effects of Xue Ye's poison, holding the imperial palace, and being the top-tier protect... of Xue Beng, the Imperial City Battle Royale Champion.
Of course, there was also that deadly poison of his that later changed the course of the battle at Jialing Pass!
I wonder whether Dugu Yan can persuade him to come to Spirit City for the ceremony too.
If he comes, since he's also from the Heaven Dou Empire, he'll probably be seated very close to Qian Renxue, right?
Lu Chen was quite looking forward to it.
When Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue learn just how enormous a role this Poison Douluo played in Tang San's overthrow of Spirit Hall, what expressions will they make?
Before you continue