That night.
The Heaven Dou Empire, the Dugu Manor.
A girl's loud laughter suddenly broke the silence of the night.
The laughter was crisp and loud, echoing in the quiet courtyard, carrying a hint of schadenfreude.
Inside the room, the candlelight flickered, casting the shadows of the three people onto the wall.
Lin Mo sat on the edge of the bed, looking helplessly at the two women in front of him.
Dugu Yan was laughing so hard she was doubled over, her whole body slumped on the table, her shoulders shaking, and tears welling up in her eyes.
She braced herself on the table with one hand, pointed at Lin Mo with the other, and her lips moved a few times, but because she was laughing so hard, she couldn't speak for a moment.
Ye Lingling sat on the other side. Although her reaction wasn't as exaggerated as Dugu Yan's, she was clearly stunned.
Those purple eyes widened, their gaze lingering on Lin Mo's face for a moment before shifting away, as if processing the information they had just heard.
Lin Mo told the two women everything about Qian Renxue without hiding anything.
From Qian Renxue's true identity to her infiltration of the Heaven Dou Empire, to that cup of wine, and then to that night in the secret room... she told everything in detail.
Lin Mo never expected Dugu Yan to react this way.
After Dugu Yan finished laughing, she wiped away the tears that had welled up in her eyes, pointed at Lin Mo with her slender finger, and said in a voice that still carried an uncontrollable laugh:
" A-Mo, you always bully us, I never thought you'd end up like this..."
In Dugu Yan's eyes, it was astonishing that Lin Mo would fail in such a place; it was like someone who had been hunting geese all day, only to have his eyes pecked out by the geese themselves.
They were usually the ones Lin Mo kept up with, and each time they were exhausted so much that they couldn't even get out of bed the next day.
Unexpectedly, Lin Mo was also drugged and plotted against.
Moreover, the person who drugged him was a woman, a woman who had once been his sworn brother... Just thinking about this made Dugu Yan unable to suppress the urge to smile.
Ye Lingling chimed in, "This woman is shameless! Drugging someone... I can't believe she did something like that." Ye Lingling frowned slightly, her tone full of helplessness.
She had met Qian Renxue a few times, and the woman's impression of her was that she was arrogant, aloof, and haughty.
I never imagined they would do something like this in private.
That's so shameless!
After laughing, Dugu Yan said seriously, "It seems my feeling was right after all. That woman really did have some bad intentions. I just didn't expect her to actually target A-Mo, and actually do it..."
After receiving the answer from Lin Mo, many of Dugu Yan's doubts were resolved.
The reason why Lin Mo took so long to return even though he only went to pick up a message has also been found.
She had noticed something was off about the way Qian Renxue looked at Lin Mo, but she dismissed it as her imagination. Little did she know that Qian Renxue was actually after Lin Mo.
Ye Lingling nodded, her gaze shifting to Lin Mo, her tone calm. "In that case, many things become reasonable."
"Since Qian Renxue and Xue Qinghe are the same person, it's not hard to explain why Xue Qinghe values you so much, and why he even gave you the nation's most precious treasure after becoming the Heaven Dou Emperor."
When Xue Qinghe gifted the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud Lin Mo, they were all shocked by the new emperor's generosity.
Looking back now, it wasn't a gift from the emperor at all; it was clearly Qian Renxue's personal investment.
"Yeah yeah."
Dugu Yan continued, "But I'm afraid Qian Renxue doesn't know that the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud she gave you, A-Mo, is actually the Sea God's Heart."
"Without the Sea God's Heart, I would not have been able to pass the Nine Trials of the Gods..."
At this point, Dugu Yan's lips curled up slightly, and a glint flashed in her eyes.
"If she had known back then that the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was the Sea God's Heart, the most crucial token of the Sea God Inheritance, she probably would never have given it away so casually..."
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Qian Renxue had schemed against Lin Mo and them, but she never expected that she would inadvertently give away a treasure so valuable that its worth was beyond measure.
The Sea God's Heart —that is the key to unlocking the Sea God Inheritance.
If Qian Renxue knew the truth, she would probably regret making Ziduqing's decision.
Thinking of this, Dugu Yan, who had subtly turned the tide, breathed a sigh of relief.
But when she looked at Lin Mo, she couldn't help but laugh again, recalling the embarrassing experience Lin Mo had told her earlier.
Lin Mo looked at her smiling face, and his eyelids twitched.
This woman, she's addicted to laughing, isn't she?
Seeing this, Lin Mo no longer hesitated and immediately sought an opportunity to Payback.
He stood up, picked up both women, one in each arm, and carried them both in his arms.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling exclaimed in surprise at the same time. Before they could react, Lin Mo threw them onto the bed.
The bed Limber, and the two women bounced on the mattress, their hair disheveled and their clothes in disarray.
Dugu Yan struggled to sit up, but Lin Mo had already pressed down on her.
He raised his hand and slapped each of the two women's soft buttocks hard.
Smack
Smack
Two crisp sounds echoed clearly in the room.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling both exclaimed "Oh dear!" at the same time, and both girls blushed.
Dugu Yan glared at Lin Mo, her expression more like a coquettish glare than Rage. She rubbed her sore buttocks and muttered something under her breath.
Ye Lingling bit her lip, a hint of embarrassment and annoyance flashing in her purple eyes, but she didn't say anything more.
Both women rolled their eyes at Lin Mo at the same time.
This man is always so insensitive; he's being so rough. His buttocks are definitely red and swollen now.
Lin Mo looked at them, a forced smile appearing on his face.
He leaned down, pulled the two women into his arms, and whispered, "Alright, stop fooling around."
Dugu Yan snorted and buried her face in his chest without saying a word.
Ye Lingling leaned on his shoulder, her purple eyes slightly closed, her eyelashes trembling gently.
As night deepened, the candlelight flickered a few times before going out.
The night passed just like that.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling had finished washing up and were sitting on the edge of the bed.
Both women appeared calm. After a night of discussion, they both agreed with Lin Mo's thoughts and choices.
What happens to the Heaven Dou Empire in the future is none of their concern, as long as it doesn't interfere with them.
Dugu Yan leaned against the bedpost, her emerald green eyes gazing out the window, her expression serene.
She never felt much belonging to the Heaven Dou Empire.
Her grandfather is Dugu Bo, her family is the Dugu Manor, and her future lies with Lin Mo.
What becomes of the Heaven Dou Empire, and what does that have to do with her?
Ye Lingling sat beside her, a hint of pity flashing in her purple eyes.
She possessed a greater sense of compassion and empathy than Dugu Yan.
In her view, it would be best if the next round of power transition in the Heaven Dou Empire could proceed smoothly and peacefully, without the chaos and turmoil that occurred in the Star Luo Empire.
Besides, emperors take turns ruling; next year it might be my turn.
This is simply a truth of this world.
The Heaven Dou Empire wasn't originally called the Heaven Dou Empire, and the family that controlled it wasn't the Xue Family.
Qian Renxue's attempt to seize power from the Xue Family is merely a repetition of history.
There's nothing new under the sun.
Ye Lingling sighed softly and looked away.
She stopped thinking about it.
There are some things she can't control, and doesn't want to control.
All she wants to do now is protect the people she cares about.
The following day at noon.
The backyard of the Dugu Manor.
When Lin Mo arrived, Dugu Bo was already sitting on the stone bench.
Ye Linyuan sat opposite him, dressed in a long blue robe.
Upon seeing Lin Mo approach, Dugu Bo put down his teacup and waved to him, "You've arrived? Have a seat."
Lin Mo walked to the stone table and sat down.
He didn't beat around the bush and directly told the two elders about Qian Renxue.
She told everything, from Qian Renxue's true identity to her infiltration of the Heaven Dou Empire, and to the fact that Xue Qinghe was actually her.
The part about the locked room was only mentioned briefly.
After hearing this, Dugu Bo and Ye Linyuan showed the same expression as yesterday when Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, Qian Renxue, and Xue Qinghe were considered as one person.
The exact same look of shock.
Dugu Bo's teacup froze in mid-air, his eyes wide, and it took him a long time to come to his senses.
" Xue Qinghe is actually a woman?" He scratched his head, looking completely puzzled. "She's actually the same person as Qian Renxue?"
"I've seen these two people quite a few times, how come I didn't Frisk anything amiss?"
He had seen Xue Qinghe many times, and also Qian Renxue several times.
These two people, one gentle and refined, the other aloof and proud, have completely different temperaments.
He had never connected them, and he never imagined that they could be the same person.
What surprised him even more was Qian Renxue's cultivation level back then.
He remembered that years ago, Xue Qinghe's cultivation level was only around the sixth or seventh ring, and it was impossible for him to be at the Titled Douluo level.
"Is there really such a high level of disguise in the world? How could she use her Soul Emperor level cultivation to deceive the senses of Titled Douluo?"
Dugu Bo frowned, his eyes filled with confusion.
He considered himself to have strong perception, but Xue Qinghe had appeared in front of him so many times, yet he still couldn't detect any flaws.
Lin Mo remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
"It's most likely a skill from Soul Bone. I've heard that the Spirit Hall has a set of inherited Soul Bone called ' Angel God Armor.'"
"This is a set of six inherited Soul Bone, encompassing all six common Soul Bone. Their age is all 99,999 years, just one step away from becoming Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone."
" Qian Renxue's disguise ability must have originated from the Soul Skill attached to this inherited Soul Bone."
It is precisely because its quality is so close to that of a hundred thousand years old that it was able to deceive your senses, teacher.
This set of Soul Bone is a legacy from the Angel God, of extremely high quality, and its accompanying Soul Skill far surpass those of ordinary Soul Bone.
Even Titled Douluo would find it difficult to Detect.
After listening, Dugu Bo remained silent for a long time.
He picked up the teacup, drank the now-cold tea in one gulp, then put the cup down and let out a long breath.
"I see."
Ye Linyuan lowered his eyes and remained silent for a moment.
A short while later, he raised his head and looked at Lin Mo.
"What are your thoughts, Xiao Mo?" he asked, his voice gentle, but his eyes scrutinizing.
Lin Mo did not hesitate:
"I have no intention of interfering in the affairs between the Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire, nor do I have the standing to do so."
"To put it bluntly, the Spirit Hall's future unification of the continent is an inevitable trend."
After he finished speaking, he shut his mouth and quietly looked at the two elders.
Dugu Bo and Ye Linyuan exchanged a glance, both seeing the same look in each other's eyes.
Neither of them refuted it, because what Lin Mo said was true.
Dugu Bo picked up the teapot, poured himself another cup of tea, and took a sip.
He knew very well that if Lin Mo's statement was true, then the Heaven Dou Empire was now completely under the control of the Spirit Hall.
Xue Qinghe is Qian Renxue, and Qian Renxue is the young master of the Spirit Hall. This means that the entire court, army, and resources of the Heaven Dou Empire have fallen into the hands of the Spirit Hall.
The only remaining independent nation on the continent is the Star Luo Empire.
However, even with the support of the Clear Sky Sect, the current Star Luo Empire is still inevitably mired in turmoil and can hardly protect itself.
Although Dai Mubai ascended the throne, his position was unstable.
Under the tyranny of brutal and bloody suppression, the Star Luo Empire is currently only superficially stable. Beneath the calm surface, various parties are already stirring with ambition.
The entire Star Luo Empire is now like a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.
Ye Linyuan put down his teacup and let out a long sigh.
Although the Body Sect is quite powerful, with three Titled Douluo at present, it is already a force to be reckoned with on the continent.
Even so, compared to the Spirit Hall, it is still a drop in the ocean.
The number of Titled Douluo controlled by the Spirit Hall probably exceeds double digits, including many Venerable-level Titled Douluo with a level exceeding Level 95.
Qian Daoliu and Golden Crocodile are both veteran Titled Douluo powerhouses!
Furthermore, he commands a vast number of low, medium, and high-level Soul Master.
They are capable of protecting themselves, but unable to intervene.
Moreover, he could tell that Lin Mo had no intention of interfering in Qian Renxue's affairs.
Putting aside the fact that Qian Renxue and Lin Mo had already had a relationship, even excluding that relationship, judging from the fact that Qian Renxue had helped Lin Mo a lot in the past, Lin Mo is not an ungrateful person.
Back then, Qian Renxue, in her capacity as Xue Qinghe, bestowed upon Lin Mo the title of "One-Character Prince Equal to the Emperor," the "Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud), and various resources and support.
Lin Mo kept these kindnesses in his heart.
Even without that absurd behavior that night, he probably wouldn't have stopped Qian Renxue.
Moreover, the Spirit Hall is destined to unify the continent in the future. Even if they intervene, it will only increase the variables, and all of this will be meaningless to them.
Ye Linyuan let out a long sigh.
"I don't ask for much. Right now, I only hope that the Heaven Dou Empire can get through this period peacefully and avoid any more unnecessary bloodshed."
Ye Linyuan, who inherited the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul, lived up to his title and also possessed a compassionate heart.
He has saved many people and witnessed many deaths. He understands the preciousness of Life better than most people.
He did not want to see the Heaven Dou Empire become a second Star Luo Empire, nor did he want to see any more innocent people lose their lives in the power transition.
Dugu Bo shrugged, his tone casual. "My demands aren't many. As for Prince Xue Xing, I must save his life no matter what."
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued, "He once saved my life. If that girl Qian Renxue is willing to spare his life and let him live a life of leisure and wealth, Old Ye and I wouldn't mind. We'll even support him within the Heaven Dou Empire."
"Tell Qian Renxue these are our conditions. If she agrees, we'll pretend nothing happened."
Prince Xue Xing had saved his life years ago, and he remembered that kindness for the rest of his life.
It's time to pay it back.
Lin Mo nodded, stood up, and bowed slightly to the two elders.
"In that case, I'll leave the remaining matters here to you, Teacher and Grandpa, so I can go into seclusion in peace."
There was a hint of ease in his tone.
With these trivial matters dealt with, he could finally get back to his own business.
Dugu Bo waved his hand. "You don't need to worry about these trivial matters. Just go into seclusion and break through to the Titled Douluo."
In the end, strength reigns supreme in this world!
Lin Mo straightened up and took a deep breath.
He gazed at the distant horizon, a sense of unprecedented peace welling up within him.
With all the surrounding trivial matters temporarily settled, he could finally go into seclusion to break through his cultivation barrier.
For him, becoming Titled Douluo was the most important hurdle on his path of cultivation, without exception.
The Level 90 bottleneck not only involves the Charizard's Third Soul Core, Ninth Soul Ring, and Ninth Soul Skill, but also the legacy left behind by the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
These were things he had been planning for a long time.
All the legacy left behind by the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings is contained within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
If Charizard can successfully inherit the legacy of the Fire Dragon King, its strength will experience a qualitative leap.
Its strength has increased to a level that is probably no less than when it obtained the seven Soul Ring.
Furthermore, if one could also acquire the Ice Dragon King's legacy...
That would be an unexpected bonus!