Qi Ling, who burst out of the palace, didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately rushed towards the palace gate. He wanted to get out of there before Xue Qinghe's people could react.
As it turned out, Qi Ling's idea was indeed correct. By the time the army in the palace reacted and mobilized attackers and infantry to surround and annihilate Qi Ling, he had already rushed past the front courtyard and was about to reach the city gate.
"Quick! Close the palace gates! We can't let him escape!" The guards immediately closed the wide gates and waited in ambush for Qi Ling to walk right into their trap.
But then, their expressions became incredibly interesting, because they saw a cloud of mist rise from beneath Qi Ling's feet, and then he flew directly up from the ground, over the city wall, and arrived outside.
"Are you dumbfounded? I can fly!" Qi Ling said proudly, looking at the stunned crowd.
The dumbfounded people of the Heaven Dou Empire hurriedly opened the city gates, but they didn't know what to do. If they were to launch a large-scale manhunt for Qi Ling, the consequences would be completely out of control.
"What happened? Where is Qi Ling?" Just then, Xue Qinghe also arrived at the palace gate and saw a group of soldiers staring blankly at the sky. He couldn't help but ask.
The leading soldier pointed to the sky and said to Xue Qinghe, "Your Highness, you're over there."
Xue Qinghe then saw Qi Ling, who had truly gone far away, and couldn't help but grit his teeth. This guy's methods were truly unexpected.
"Your Highness, should we continue pursuing him?" the soldier asked.
"What's the point of chasing me! Do you think you can catch me all the way to Dragon's Glory City?" Xue Qinghe roared. "Do you want the whole world to know about my plan?"
The soldiers hurriedly knelt down in fear. Xue Qinghe then said, "Continue your patrols. Just pretend nothing happened! Someone will take care of the rest!"
For Xue Qinghe now, all his plans have been disrupted, so his ascension to the throne must be carried out ahead of schedule. Once everything has settled down and he has the upper hand, even Qi Ling will be powerless to stop him.
"However, the only hidden danger is Xue Xing!" A glint flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes, and he immediately shouted to those around him, "Shadow Guards, listen to my command!"
"Sir, what is it?" Four dark figures suddenly appeared beside Xue Qinghe, all with identical postures, displaying excellent professionalism.
"I'm giving you a task, and treat this as your top priority, above all else!" Xue Qinghe said, "Go find Prince Xue Xing immediately, and bring me his head, dead or alive!"
"Yes, sir!" The four dark figures finished speaking and then mysteriously vanished. Xue Qinghe muttered to himself, "Hopefully, it's not too late. Qi Ling, you just wait and see!"
After leaving the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Qi Ling released Xue Ke. Since her cloud mist was not yet able to carry people, Qi Ling had no choice but to hold Xue Ke in her arms.
After inquiring about some specific matters from Xue Ke, Qi Ling understood Xue Qinghe's intentions. For him, the biggest hidden danger hindering his ascension to the throne was only one thing: Qi Ling!
It can be said that without Qi Ling, even if Xue Ke had the right to inherit the throne, Xue Qinghe would not have taken her seriously at all, and the ministers of the Heaven Dou Empire would not have been willing to support a woman to become king.
Ultimately, this is a world where strength speaks volumes. If Xue Qinghe demonstrates sufficient strength, then even if the whole world knows he is a ruthless and heartless villain, people will only admire his ruthlessness and be willing to serve him.
However, Qi Ling's current strength has completely exceeded Xue Qinghe's imagination, even surpassing that of many duchies. Most importantly, Qi Ling has grasped the economic lifeline of the entire continent, and anyone who dares to disobey him will only face death!
Xue Qinghe only realized how terrifying Qi Ling's power was when he was preparing to launch a coup. The power of money, which he had always overlooked, was actually enough to control everything!
"Teacher, what should I do? I feel so sad right now," Xue Ke said sadly. "My father was killed by my brother, and now he wants to harm me too. I really don't know what to do."
" Xue Ke, don't worry, your teacher is here, everything will be alright," Qi Ling said. " Xue Qinghe's actions are destined to end badly, but what we need to do now is ensure our own safety."
"After we get back, I'll take you back to Dragon's Glory City first. That's where you'll be absolutely safe. As for the rest, we'll see how Xue Qinghe makes his moves, and then we'll deal with them accordingly."
Upon returning to the Shrek Academy, Flender had already gathered everyone together. Everyone was overjoyed to see Qi Ling return with Xue Ke.
Qi Ling then recounted what had happened in the palace. Everyone was astonished to hear that Xue Qinghe had actually done such a thing for the throne.
"You can never truly know a person's heart just by looking at their face! I never imagined that Crown Prince Xue Qinghe would be such a despicable person!" Tang San said. "Then, brother, what should we do next?"
"What we need to do now is get to Dragon's Glory City first," Qi Ling said. " Heaven Dou City is no longer safe. Xue Qinghe could come knocking at any moment. Every minute we leave sooner is better."
"Okay, no problem!" Flender said. "I've notified everyone, and they're all ready to leave. They're just waiting for your word."
"Great! Let's set off immediately then," Qi Ling said. " Rongrong will meet us when we arrive in Dragon's Glory City, and I'll arrange accommodations for everyone."
At Qi Ling's command, everyone set off towards the Heaven Dou City, hoping to escape before Xue Qinghe could react.
On their way out, Qi Ling encountered Feng Xiaotian. Looking at the group, he exclaimed in surprise, " Qi Ling? What are you all doing? Are you moving?"
"The world is changing, Feng Xiaotian," Qi Ling said. " Xue Qinghe killed Xue Ye, and there's no place for us here anymore! So we plan to go to Dragon's Glory City and then make further plans."
" Feng Xiaotian, make your choice. Do you plan to stay here and wait for Xue Qinghe's offer of amnesty, or do you plan to come with me?" Qi Ling said, looking at Feng Xiaotian. "You should think carefully. Your decision could very well determine the future of the Four Elements Academy!"
Upon hearing Qi Ling's words, Feng Xiaotian was utterly shocked. He knew that what Qi Ling said was indeed the truth. If he was willing to stay here after the Shrek Academy left, he would definitely be highly valued by Xue Qinghe, Four Elements Academy would rise again.
If they follow Qi Ling, not only is their future uncertain, but even if things stabilize in the future, the Four Elements Academy will probably cease to exist.
So, how should you choose?