Within the deepest, most secret chamber of the Eastern Palace in Heaven Dou City, sunlight spilled over long golden hair, making her features even more beautiful than those of ordinary mortals. Pure soul power surged through her body like a tide. He exhaled a long, murky breath, and his clear golden eyes slowly opened, a divine radiance shining deep within them.
"With that new soul master temporarily handling state affairs, I can finally relax and focus entirely on cultivation."
She murmured softly, brows furrowed slightly, and a figure involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
"I wonder, Chen Yi... how far has your cultivation progressed?"
Thinking back to the report from spies in Martial CIty, she remembered how Chen Yi had defeated the genius Feng Howling Sky of the Godwind Academy outside Gale Canyon—using only his body and technique, with no martial soul. This strength made the once-arrogant Qian Renxue raise her estimation of him another notch, tinged with solemnity.
Yet that solemnity was fleeting. Pride born of her bloodline quickly replaced it, and the corner of her lips curled in a dismissive arc.
"Today is an odd day. Even with a noble soul, if this young master moved, I could take your life in an instant. Chen Yi is strong... but perhaps not enough."
At that moment, a careful knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
Qian Renxue's brow creased, but she quickly stilled her emotions.
"Enter."
From outside, the voice of Snake Lance Douluo sounded: "Young master, Sect Master Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has just arrived at the palace and requests an important audience with His Majesty. He is now waiting in the study."
Qian Renxue's eyes lit up. Ning Fengzhi must be fleeing from Gu Rong, the Bone Douluo. If he left his puppet double as a stand-in, it would be easy for those with a Title Douluo's perception to spot its flaws.
"Understood. I'll head to the palace at once."
She rose swiftly, soul power flooding her body, subtly and magically altering her bones and features. Within a few breaths, she had perfectly transformed into the gentle, beloved prince of the Heaven Dou Empire—Xue Qinghe.
…
When "Xue Qinghe" calmly stepped into the solemn imperial study of Heaven Dou Palace, her father, Emperor Xue Ye, her teacher Ning Fengzhi, and the ever-watchful Bone Douluo Gu Rong were already present.
But what gave her a chill was the presence of a burly, resolute-faced middle-aged man in plain black robes seated beside Ning Fengzhi. Despite radiating a restrained aura and calm composure, his seat was equal to Ning Fengzhi's—clearly a figure of extraordinary status.
Xue Qinghe's eyes flashed. She quickly reined in her surprise and stepped forward with a perfect, gentle smile, bowing respectfully to Emperor Xue Ye and Ning Fengzhi.
"Your son greets Father. Teacher, Bone Douluo, it has been a long time. I hope you are both well."
Her gaze turned to the black-robed man, a polite question in her tone.
"And this is...?"
Ning Fengzhi, as always, wore a gentle smile as he introduced the man to his beloved disciple.
"Qinghe, you're just in time. This is the Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, under the crown of Howling Sky Douluo."
"Clear Sky Sect Master? Howling Sky Douluo?!"
Xue Qinghe's heart sank, but her expression remained calm as she bowed again.
"So it is Howling Sky Douluo himself. Forgive me for not recognizing you."
Tang Xiao only glanced at Xue Qinghe, his eyes peaceful, nodding slightly in greeting without saying much.
Xue Qinghe took her seat below Emperor Xue Ye, her gaze sweeping imperceptibly over Tang Xiao once more, a sneer in her heart.
Hmph, not long after Tang Hao's death, and the rats are already restless?
Ning Fengzhi then took the lead, his expression slightly solemn.
"Your Majesty, Howling Sky Douluo, the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is about to begin."
"At that time, the Grand Martial Academy and the Spirit Hall Academy teams are sure to clash fiercely. I was wondering... can we really stir the waves?"
Ever since being rebuffed by Wisdom Brain Douluo at Grand Martial Academy, Ning Fengzhi clearly realized his influence couldn't penetrate the Body Sect. Even the Ye family had become an obstacle, and there was already a latent competition and animosity between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Body Sect.
Emperor Xue Ye hesitated, understanding Ning Fengzhi's intentions. But with the Body Sect's base in the Heaven Dou Empire, they held the advantage of proximity. If they rashly intervened in the Spirit Hall conflict, the Body Sect would be displeased. The risks might outweigh the gains.
From her seat, Xue Qinghe sneered inwardly. Through Spirit Hall, she knew the Ghost Douluo had formally returned to the Body Sect, and Chu Shanhe had promised to lead their experts to leave their marks at Douluo Hall. In other words, in the short term, a subtle understanding and balance had formed between the Body Sect and Spirit Hall—open conflict was impossible.
Ning Fengzhi's calculations were likely doomed to fail.
At that moment, the silent Tang Xiao spoke, his voice low and brimming with suppressed fury, his fist unconsciously clenched.
"The old beasts of the Body Sect and that brat Chen Yi killed my second brother Tang Hao. They must pay the price. If there's a chance to strike at the Body Sect, my Clear Sky Sect will never hesitate!"
The discussion continued, gradually shifting to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Three Great Sects.
Regarding the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, Bone Douluo Gu Rong couldn't help but laugh with a trace of disdain in his tone.
"Since the rise of the Body Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect have kept their heads down."
"I've heard they're uneasy now, fearing the Body Sect might seize their title as 'the number one beast martial soul in the world.'"
Everyone present showed clear understanding at these words. In today's Douluo Continent, martial souls are divided into two broad types: Tool Souls and Beast Souls. If forced to classify, the Body Sect's martial soul could barely be grouped as a "Beast Soul."
If they were inclined to compete for the title, it wouldn't be impossible for them to act against the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect. However, out of pride, the Body Sect had shown no such intention. In their eyes, their martial soul was independent—neither tool nor beast—so how could it be confused with a beast martial soul?
Seeing the tense atmosphere, Ning Fengzhi concluded:
"The Body Sect's strength is immeasurable. It's hard for us to confront them head-on. If we want to deal with or pressure them, we must unite the Three Sects again; otherwise, our efforts will be in vain."
Tang Xiao nodded, a sharp, calculating glint in his eyes.
"Sect Master Ning is right. Yu Yuanzhen treasures his useless son Yu Xiaogang; he's like a piece of his own heart."
"It just so happens that during this period, that so-called 'Grandmaster' might have some connection to my nephew Tang San... We can use him as an entry point to promote the alliance of our three Sects."
This was partly why Tang Xiao had spared Yu Xiaogang, despite knowing he might slow Tang San's cultivation progress.
Today, the Clear Sky Sect faced a dire situation: Spirit Hall pressing from the front, and the Body Sect rising behind. Stabilizing the alliance of the Three Sects and leveraging the power of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sects was their only chance to breathe. Otherwise, given the Body Sect's grudge over Wisdom Brain Douluo's killing of Tang Hao, they would surely move against the weakened Clear Sky Sect in the future.
Within the empire, a few calmly discussed the continent's schemes, their words shaping the direction of the future. Only Emperor Xue Ye, seated at the pinnacle, maintained an imperial dignity on his face—yet a trace of worry and indifference flickered deep in his eyes.
As ruler, he desired stability and balance between the major sects, above all else—lest the empire fall into chaos.
…