The hammer, the sharp sword, and the monster.
Three patterns made up the Spirit Hall's third-class honorary token.
"The dead man was Yu Xiaogang."
Salas wore a strange, peculiar expression. After pondering briefly, he said,
"The honorary elder was murdered. This matter must be reported to His Holiness the Pope. Send someone to Spirit City to notify him."
"Understood."
The temple deacon took his leave.
But another temple subordinate watched the deacon's retreating figure, deep in thought.
"What's wrong?"
Salas noticed something was amiss and asked.
"Reporting to the Hall Master, last night we also saw Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Young Sect Master Ning Xuan returning from outside."
The subordinate hurriedly answered,
"Moreover, the two seemed to have fought someone. Ning Xuan was seriously injured, and Sword Douluo helped him into the Marketplace."
"Really?"
Salas's body shuddered.
"This subordinate would never dare deceive the Hall Master."
A battle had taken place outside the city in the latter half of the night.
Afterward, Sword Douluo Chen Xin had helped the heavily wounded young master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect return.
And the dead man was Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang also happened to be a teacher at Blue Tyrant Academy.
How could Salas fail to understand after connecting the dots?
Yu Xiaogang had obtained the ownerless Immortal Herb from Blue Tyrant Academy, but somehow, people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had learned of it.
Yu Xiaogang had wanted to escape, so he deliberately spread the news, hoping to fish in troubled waters. But the people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had still stopped him, and in the end, a battle had broken out outside the city.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had Sword Douluo Chen Xin on their side.
Then, the Immortal Herb?
It was surely in the hands of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect now.
Salas's eyes flickered.
He was a greedy man to begin with. How could he let the Immortal Herb slip through his fingers?
That was an Immortal Herb!
"Summon several of the temple's experts. I'm going to demand an explanation."
Salas immediately slammed the table and made his decision.
"Hall Master, please think this through."
The subordinate was startled and hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
"That's the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
The temple naturally did not fear the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was certainly no pushover.
"What?"
Salas raised an eyebrow and scolded,
"An honorary elder was murdered. As the branch hall master, am I not even allowed to go over and make inquiries?"
The Crown Prince's Residence.
Qian Renxue held the note, turning it over with interest.
Then a servant from the Crown Prince's Residence came over.
"Your Highness."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect hasn't made any moves. The contents of the note should just be a prank."
"Good. I understand."
Qian Renxue smiled.
Then she stood up and dusted off her clothes.
"Prepare a carriage."
"Come to think of it, this Crown Prince hasn't seen Brother Ning Xuan in two years."
"Understood."
The Seven Treasure Marketplace.
The Rest Room.
"When are you planning to leave?"
Looking at Tang Yuehua, who had been sleeping in his arms, Ning Xuan raised an eyebrow and asked.
Tang Yuehua looked a little embarrassed.
"It's all your fault. You just had to hold me while we slept."
"Now there are people coming and going outside. How am I supposed to leave?"
"Then don't leave."
Ning Xuan replied.
His hand quietly slid over her shapely bottom.
The palace dress was soft and smooth, its fine fabric seeming to disappear beneath his palm. It felt very comfortable to touch.
"Take your hand away."
Tang Yuehua gave him an exasperated look.
"You're so badly hurt, and it still hasn't put an end to those filthy thoughts of yours."
Ning Xuan smiled.
"What if I told you my injuries had already healed completely?"
"Like I'd believe you."
Tang Yuehua curled her lip, thoroughly disdainful.
"You can only bully me, show off in front of me. If you'd been like this earlier, would Erlong still have gotten together with her cousin?"
Ning Xuan suddenly fell silent.
He also felt that he had changed a lot during this period.
At first, he had been like a lone warrior fighting for pure love.
Honestly,
it wasn't that he had never thought about getting Liu Erlong sooner.
After all, what man wouldn't have that sort of desire?
Especially when he could become one with the woman he loved.
But he had always held himself back, thinking the most beautiful flower should, of course, be picked at the moment most worth remembering.
But the flower he had carefully tended had kept blooming so brilliantly for someone else.
It was impossible that Ning Xuan hadn't been furious!
Even breaking off the engagement!!!
Still hadn't been enough to vent his anger completely!
He had even wanted to kill Liu Erlong to ease the hatred in his heart, but Tang Hao had barged in and saved her.
But that was just as well!
Because Ning Xuan had already drawn up his next plan against the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
That's right. Yu Yuanzhen had been right about one thing.
He, Ning Xuan, was narrow-minded!!!
He held grudges!!!
He would bring the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to ruin!
He would make Liu Erlong live a life worse than death, despised by everyone!
He would make Liu Erlong regret her choice!
But that still wasn't enough!!!
It still couldn't let him vent the feelings in his heart, not until Tang Yuehua appeared.
Wasn't Tang Yuehua her close friend? Weren't they supposed to tell each other everything?
Then he would have Tang Yuehua!!!
He would make Liu Erlong abandoned by everyone!!!
He would make her understand what it felt like to be betrayed!!!
"What's wrong?"
"Why did you suddenly stop talking?"
Tang Yuehua suddenly asked him.
Looking at Ning Xuan, her tightly furrowed brows still seemed to brim with anger.
"Were you asking whether I was getting revenge on her too?"
Tang Yuehua suddenly asked softly.
She shifted closer, pressing herself tightly against Ning Xuan, and gently smoothed the furrows in his brow.
"Don't overthink it."
Ning Xuan caught her wrist.
"I don't mind. What are you worried about?"
Tang Yuehua smiled as she spoke, though there was still a trace of sadness in her laughter.
"After all, besides this clean body of mine, I don't have any other bargaining chips to trade for Immortal Herbs, do I?"
"You got what you wanted."
"And I got what I wanted."
"We both got what we needed. Isn't that just perfect?"
Ning Xuan looked at her forced smile.
The system's voice rang in his mind again.
[The system detected Tang Yuehua's despondent emotions. Emotional Value +200] [Due to Tang Yuehua's special relationship with the host, Emotional Value increased by an additional 500] [System tally: the host currently has a total of 76,000 Emotional Value. Would you like to strengthen the Soul Rings again?]
Ning Xuan paused slightly, then silently issued the command.
"Strengthen."
Boom-
[Strengthening Soul Rings...] [First Soul Ring strengthened to 4,230 years] [Second Soul Ring strengthened to 7,656 years] [Third Soul Ring strengthened to 18,643 years] [Fourth Soul Ring strengthened to 36,854 years] [Fifth Soul Ring strengthened to 76,428 years] [Sixth Soul Ring strengthened to 95,429 years] [Seventh Soul Ring strengthened to 100,000 years] [Eighth Soul Ring strengthened to 123,842 years] [Soul Skills will no longer mutate, but their power will increase as the Soul Rings' years increase.] [All Soul Rings strengthened. Emotional Value cleared...]
"What's wrong? Are you going somewhere again?"
Seeing Ning Xuan suddenly stand up and start getting dressed, Tang Yuehua asked in confusion.
She looked out through the door of the Rest Room.
Ning Xuan could almost see the two groups of people converging at the entrance of the Seven Treasure Marketplace, as if by coincidence.
"We have guests."
PS:
I feel like that psychological analysis was a little twisted and crazy.
If you don't like it, you can leave a comment.
I'll try to rein it in in the chapters to come.