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Ning Fengzhi and Gu Douluo soon arrived at Xue Qinghe's residence.
At this moment, Xue Qinghe was pacing back and forth in front of the study, his gaze occasionally glancing toward the city, his anxiety evident.
Hearing the commotion in the air, he exclaimed in surprise, "Teacher, Gu Douluo, why have you come? I've already sent General Rockson to support the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Don't worry."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "Qinghe, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect wasn't attacked."
"Huh?" Xue Qinghe's eyes went blank, stunned for a moment.
Gu Rong explained, "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family was attacked, but the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect wasn't. You were likely misled. The person behind this might target the Crown Prince's residence next."
Ning Fengzhi continued, "Compared to the Crown Prince's residence, the palace's defenses are even stricter. Qinghe, let's go to the palace together to see His Majesty. This matter is of great importance—we can't afford to be careless."
"Alright, I'll go with you." Xue Qinghe casually selected a few guards and stepped into the spatial passage opened by Gu Rong.
Inside the palace, Xue Ye was gravely ill, and the atmosphere in the entire palace was solemn.
Xue Xing and Xue Beng, the uncle and nephew who had been under house arrest, were now confined in the palace by Xue Qinghe to prevent them from seizing the opportunity to rebel.
Under the guidance of the attendants, Ning Fengzhi met Xue Ye in the emperor's bedchamber.
In just one year, Xue Ye's health had drastically deteriorated. He was now emaciated and mentally disoriented.
"Qinghe, is that you?" Xue Ye's voice was extremely weak, his mind clouded.
"Father, it's me. Something major has happened in the city tonight. Teacher and Gu Douluo have come with me to discuss countermeasures with you," Xue Qinghe said anxiously.
However, Ning Tianchen subtly tugged at his collar, signaling that Xue Ye shouldn't be involved in the discussion.
Xue Ye, in his current state, was incapable of handling political affairs. Ning Tianchen had placed heavy bets on Xue Qinghe—only when Xue Qinghe ascended the throne could he cash in.
At this moment, he naturally hoped Xue Ye would pass away sooner rather than later.
With a feeble grip on Xue Qinghe's hand, Xue Ye muttered weakly, "Qinghe, I leave the empire's matters to you. Be wary of your uncles…"
Before he could finish, Xue Ye's eyes closed, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
"Imperial Physician, quickly call the imperial physician!" Xue Qinghe shouted in panic.
"Qinghe, you must take charge now," Ning Fengzhi grabbed his collar and shouted.
The imperial physician rushed into the bedchamber to treat Xue Ye, while Ning Fengzhi took Xue Qinghe to the Reception Hall to convene an emergency meeting with the ministers.
On the way, Ning Fengzhi casually asked, "Qinghe, do you understand the meaning behind His Majesty's last words?"
Among Xue Qinghe's well-known uncles, only Xue Xing came to mind. But clearly, Xue Ye wasn't referring to him.
It was known that the kings of Tiandou Empire's several kingdoms and duchies were all members of the imperial family. For example, King Kundera of Balak Kingdom was even Xue Ye's brother.
After failing to secure the throne, Xue Ye, upon ascending, hadn't purged him but instead assigned him to govern Balak Kingdom.
While Xue Ye lived, these kingdoms and duchies wouldn't dare oppose his rule. But if he passed away, whether Xue Qinghe could suppress them remained uncertain.
"Teacher, rest assured—I've already made plans."
---
Meanwhile, at the Hao Tian Sect's stronghold
The battle continued until just before dawn. Nearly all disciples of the Hao Tian Sect had perished, four of the five elders had fallen, leaving only the second elder and Tang Xiao struggling to hold on.
Surrounded by the Spirit Hall's powerful experts, the second elder despaired and said, "Sect Leader, the Hao Tian Sect is finished!"
Tang Xiao, battered and disheveled, gripped his Hao Tian tightly and roared hysterically, "No, the Hao Tian Sect isn't finished, and it never will be! As long as one disciple survives, the Hao Tian martial soul will be passed down through the generations!"
Tang Xiao knew that Tang Hao, his son, and Tang Yuehua were safe. As long as they survived, there was still hope for the sect's legacy.
But he didn't know if Tang Yuehua would learn of the sect's destruction. If she couldn't prepare for what came next, she too would face trouble.
Jin E Douluo looked down on them condescendingly. "Stop resisting fate and accept your destiny. Perhaps I might spare some respect for you."
"What nonsense!" Tang Xiao raised his Hao Tian and charged forward.
Qing Luan Douluo flapped his wings, creating a gust of wind that knocked Tang Xiao to the ground.
The second elder watched this scene and closed his eyes in despair. At the same time, his aura surged violently.
"Sect Leader, find Tang Hao! Learn the secret technique of exploding rings and avenge the Hao Tian Sect!" The second elder grabbed Tang Xiao by one leg and hurled him out of the sect gates with all his strength.
Then, his soul power grew even more turbulent, and his body began to swell.
"Not good—he's going to self-detonate!" Qing Luan Douluo took a step back and suggested, "Second Elder, I'll go after Tang Xiao."
Jin E Douluo raised his hand to block the path. With his other hand, he suddenly grabbed at the air in front of him, forming a golden soul power barrier.
A loud explosion rang out.
The second elder, with his Level 94 cultivation, unleashed all his strength, creating a crimson mushroom cloud.
However, against Jin E Douluo's soul power barrier, the force of the explosion was like a tiny insect trying to uproot a tree.
As the shockwaves dissipated, Qing Luan Douluo couldn't help but ask, "Second Elder, why didn't you pursue Tang Xiao?"
The force of the explosion had propelled Tang Xiao far away, and using that momentum, he had already vanished without a trace.
Jin E Douluo sneered. "We can't let that woman get carried away, lest she drags the Spirit Hall into an abyss. Of course, this is also Elder Brother's intention. Letting Tang Xiao escape fulfills the promise he made years ago."
After prolonged contact with Ning Tianchen, Qing Luan Douluo's way of thinking had changed significantly compared to before. He couldn't understand why Qian Daoliu repeatedly let members of the Hao Tian Sect escape for the sake of an insignificant promise.
After all, if the Hao Tian Sect regained enough strength, they wouldn't show mercy to the Spirit Hall when they struck back.
However, with his current strength and position, he couldn't change Qian Daoliu's decision. Thus, he silently accepted Jin E Douluo's actions.
Once the battle ended and the battlefield was cleaned up, Jin E Douluo waved his hand and laughed arrogantly, "Pack up all the treasures of the Hao Tian Sect—don't leave a single piece behind!"
The Spirit Hall's experts stationed outside the Hao Tian Sect either possessed flight-type martial souls or flight soul skills. Without relying on chains, they could easily reach the sect's stronghold.
---
On the walls of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect
Ning Tianchen and the others kept watch until dawn.
As the first rays of sunlight broke through the darkness, Chen Huayu's body slumped, and he collapsed to the ground. "Finally, we've made it through."
Ning Tianchen turned his head, scanning the weary group. "Go eat something first, then rest."
Feng Xiaotian didn't say much, bowing his hand. "I'm heading back. I've had a bad feeling in my heart all along."
Ning Tianchen stopped him. "Be careful and prioritize your safety. Last night's events might be a signal. Next, the Elephant Armor Sect might pose a threat to your three families."
"Remember, the sect is behind you. If anything happens, send someone to inform us immediately."
Feng Xiaotian nodded seriously.
Without delay, he activated his martial soul and used his third soul skill to fly toward Element City.
Ning Tianchen gazed toward the direction of Tiandou City in the distance, lost in thought.
The Spirit Hall would certainly deny that they were responsible for attacking the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family and the Hao Tian Sect.
The continent's situation was already volatile. When news of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family's annihilation spread, it would undoubtedly add fuel to the fire.
Now, with Emperor Xue Ye gravely ill, the Star Luo Empire had long planned to seize Tiandou Empire's lands.
It was foreseeable that the continent would plunge into chaos in the coming years.
Seeing him lost in thought, Ning Rongrong waved her hand in front of him. "Brother Tianchen, Grandpa Sword is calling us."
Snapping out of his thoughts, the two headed to the sect's meeting hall.
Chen Xin said, "The sect leader just sent a message confirming that the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family has been massacred. Moreover, early this morning, residents from the outskirts reported that there was another battlefield outside the city last night. The empire is investigating, but the situation remains unclear."
"Tianchen, Rongrong, war on the continent is inevitable. You two are favored by deities—complete your trials quickly and become strong enough to protect yourselves."
Ning Tianchen, of course, wanted to continue his trials, but unfortunately, the second trial hadn't shown any signs of progress.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have proposed going to the place where Huang Wu and Bao Zhen had encountered trouble for training.
---
Moon Pavilion
Tang Yuehua hadn't slept all night, standing by the window and observing the movements within Tiandou City.
She had no influence in court and didn't know what had happened last night. She only knew that a detachment of the Royal Knights had entered the city.
Normally, the Royal Knights operated on a rotating schedule, and during their rest periods, they weren't allowed into the city without an imperial decree.
This detachment of Royal Knights had rushed into the city, possibly indicating trouble in the Tiandou Empire. Recently, she had learned that Xue Ye was gravely ill. Therefore, she speculated that Xue Ye might have passed away, and to stabilize the situation, the Royal Knights were called into the city at night.
As she pondered, hurried footsteps approached outside her room. "Sir, you can't go in. This is Lady Yuehua's room!"
Confused, Tang Yuehua opened the door and saw a wounded, disheveled man standing before her.
"Brother Xiao!" Her heart tightened, and a sense of foreboding arose.
"Leave. This doesn't concern you. Don't speak of what just happened!" Tang Yuehua instructed, quickly ushering Tang Xiao inside.
"Brother Xiao, what happened? How did you get so injured?" Tang Yuehua asked anxiously.
Tang Xiao, severely wounded, had barely managed to make it to Moon Pavilion with his last ounce of strength.
When questioned, he murmured, "Find… Ning Fengzhi… and Yu Yuanzhen…"
After forcing out those words, his body could no longer hold on, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
Tang Yuehua didn't dare to be careless. She quickly helped him onto the bed and searched her soul-guiding device for healing medicines.
However, Tang Xiao was a Super Douluo. Ordinary healing medicines wouldn't work on him, and regular healing-type soul masters couldn't treat his injuries either.
Tang Yuehua was extremely anxious but didn't dare leave Moon Pavilion, fearing that Tang Xiao might encounter danger if she left.
In her anxiety, she remembered that Tang San had mentioned the residence of Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong. She immediately sent someone to find them.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family was notoriously xenophobic, so directly approaching them would clearly be inappropriate. Moreover, Yu Yuanzhen wasn't an easy person to deal with.
Additionally, she sent someone to Dugu's pharmacy to purchase healing medicines.
---
In the rear mountain
Yu Xiaogang and the others were still unaware of what had happened.
The previous night, they had stayed up late discussing matters with Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng and decided to sleep there.
At dawn, Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng submitted their resignations. "Uncle Xiaogang, we need to return. There's much to do in the sect, and if we return late, Grandfather will be displeased."
Yu Xiaogang replied, "Why don't you come back in a few days? Hehe, Xiao San has gone to pick up Xiao Wu. You can meet up then."
The two nodded in agreement.
Just as they were about to leave, a servant from Moon Pavilion hurriedly arrived with a message. "Who here is Mr. Yu Xiaogang?"
"It's me. Who are you?" Yu Xiaogang stepped forward.
The servant anxiously said, "Mr. Yu Xiaogang, Lady Yuehua requests your presence for a discussion regarding matters related to the top three sects."
Yu Xiaogang was initially surprised but quickly realized, "Ah, the Tang family again, and Xiao San's aunt. So that's how it is. Erlong, let's go to Moon Pavilion."
Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin exchanged glances.
Currently, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family was isolated and needed to find a powerful ally.
The attitude of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had already changed, so they had to seek other options. Although they didn't know Tang Yuehua's identity, the fact that Yu Xiaogang treated her with such seriousness suggested that she was someone of significant importance.
If they could take this opportunity to ally with the forces behind Tang Yuehua, they would have done a great service for their sect.
---
After stabilizing the situation in the imperial court for Xue Qinghe, Ning Fengzhi returned to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
No sooner had he entered the sect than a servant from Moon Pavilion arrived with a message.
"What does Moon Pavilion want from us?" Gu Rong muttered under his breath.
Tang Yuehua's identity was well-hidden, and since the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had little interaction with her, they were unaware of who she was.
Ning Fengzhi declined, saying, "I'm busy with affairs and can't spare the time. I'll personally apologize to Lady Yuehua another day."
Without giving the servant a chance to respond, he and Gu Rong walked into the sect.
By now, it was confirmed that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had been wiped out. Furthermore, after investigation, it was discovered that a large-scale battle had occurred last night in a mountain pass 300 miles east of Tiandou City.
According to the scouts of the Tiandou Empire, it appeared to be the site of a sect's stronghold, though the identity of the sect remained unclear.
However, Ning Fengzhi knew very well—it was the hidden retreat of the Hao Tian Sect.
Within a single night, two of the top three sects had been destroyed, leaving the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect in a precarious position.
It wasn't that Ning Fengzhi was ignoring Tang Yuehua's request—it was simply that he had no mood for it. With their own situation dire, how could they concern themselves with others?
Ning Fengzhi had just entered his study and hadn't even sat down properly when an urgent report arrived.
"What? The Elephant Armor Sect has attacked the Feng, Shui, and Huo families?" Ning Fengzhi abruptly stood up.
The Feng, Shui, and Huo families were subordinate families of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, and if something happened to them, they had to intervene.
But given the current situation, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect also needed manpower for defense, and Ke Jie was required to stay at Seven Treasure Academy. Who could they send to rescue the three families?
As he pondered, another disciple arrived with a report. "Sect Leader, the Elephant Armor Sect hasn't attacked the three families. However, the Divine Wind, Blazing Fire, and Heavenly Water academies have encountered serious incidents."
"The head of the Feng family speculates that the Elephant Armor Sect likely aims to drive away the three academies to reduce the influence of the three families in Element City."
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
It was only the three academies, and no large-scale conflict had erupted, which was acceptable.
Of course, what he didn't know was that during last night's attack on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, the Elephant Armor Sect had suffered significant losses to its elite forces.
Though acting under orders from the Spirit Hall, they targeted the three families.
But if they truly moved against the three families, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect might take the opportunity to annihilate the Elephant Armor Sect.
With many of its elite forces lost, the Elephant Armor Sect wouldn't be able to mount effective resistance in the short term.
After some deliberation, Ning Fengzhi said, "Let the three academies relocate to Seven Treasure Academy. We'll set aside a dedicated campus for them later."
After the reporting disciple left, Ning Fengzhi sat at his desk, furrowing his brows.
Earlier in the imperial court, many suspected that the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was responsible for wiping out the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family.
Had it not been for Xue Qinghe and the testimony of the Royal Knights, he would have been hard-pressed to defend himself.
In the future, as news of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family's destruction spread, soul masters across the continent would inevitably suspect them. And the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect couldn't possibly refute each accusation individually.
But that was secondary.
The only power capable of destroying the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family was the Spirit Hall.
In one night, the Spirit Hall had wiped out both the Hao Tian Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family. If that kind of power were directed at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, the outcome would be the same.
The strength of the Spirit Hall seemed to far exceed his expectations.
---
Yu Xiaogang and his group arrived at Moon Pavilion.
Notably, Yu Xiaogang kept his face covered throughout the journey, fearing recognition.
On the top floor, they saw Tang Yuehua by the bedside, sobbing uncontrollably.
After taking some medicinal herbs earlier, Tang Xiao had gradually regained consciousness. When he revealed that the Hao Tian Sect had been destroyed, Tang Yuehua's crying never stopped.
In Tang Yuehua's eyes, it was because they hadn't killed Hao Te and his group back then that the location of the Hao Tian Sect was exposed and subsequently destroyed by the Spirit Hall.
With the Spirit Hall possessing such strength, unless Tang Chen returned, there was no hope of revenge for them alone.
"Lady Yuehua, who is this?" Yu Xiaogang stepped forward, feeling that the person lying on the bed looked somewhat familiar.
Tang Yuehua stood up, wiped her tears with a handkerchief, and explained, "This is my elder brother, and also the former leader of the Hao Tian Sect."
Tang Xiao weakly said, "The Hao Tian Sect is no more. Cough, cough… You must be Yu Xiaogang. This matter is of great importance—I need to speak with your father."
After a pause, he asked, "Yuehua, has Ning Fengzhi not arrived yet?"
Tang Yuehua shook her head. "The servant sent to invite him said he was preoccupied with heavy thoughts. It seems the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect has encountered some trouble."
Yu Xiaogang was utterly confused and hurriedly asked, "What's going on?"
Tang Yuehua, her emotions low, clenched her fists tightly and said word by word, "Last night, the Spirit Hall attacked the Hao Tian Sect. Nearly two thousand people in the sect—none survived!"
"What?!" Yu Xiaogang was shocked.
Back then, the Spirit Hall hadn't dealt a fatal blow to the Hao Tian Sect. Why had they destroyed the Hao Tian Sect now?
A secluded Hao Tian Sect posed no threat to them!
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