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Leaving Tiandou City, Xuan Ming flew southeast following Little Ah Yin's guidance, arriving at the Blue Silver Forest within two days.
"You used to live here?" Xuan Ming asked.
"Yes, I've always been here," Little Ah Yin said, slowly releasing her aura.
In just a few breaths, this ancient forest seemed to awaken, and the Blue Silver Grass everywhere began to sway cheerfully.
"Your Majesty, you've returned?"
A powerful mental force accompanied by a vast life aura surged from the depths of the forest.
"I... I'm back," Little Ah Yin's mood was somewhat complex.
This was the place where she had cultivated for nearly a hundred thousand years. In the countless years past, she could only stay in one place. Even after cultivating to the ten-thousand-year realm, her mental force could not cross the forest's boundary.
This place was both her home and the cage that had trapped her for tens of thousands of years.
"The older one, have you thought it through?" Xuan Ming asked. "Actually, this matter doesn't require your consent. I'm only asking out of respect. If you're unwilling, I also have ways to temporarily suppress your consciousness, at least until this matter is over."
"While I'm still willing to respect you, give me an answer."
"Why don't you just kill me?" Big Ah Yin came back online. "Wouldn't it be simpler to just erase my personality?"
"Firstly, the situation is complex, and I wouldn't feel at ease doing that," Xuan Ming said calmly. "Besides, do you think Little Ah Yin would agree?"
Although they were two independent personalities, there weren't many conflicts between Little Ah Yin and Big Ah Yin. After gaining Big Ah Yin's memories, Little Ah Yin felt more sympathy for her other self, almost seeing her as an older sister, and would never agree to Xuan Ming eliminating Big Ah Yin's existence.
"You two decide," Big Ah Yin's voice fell silent.
"She's very sad, very pained, and can't make a decision," Little Ah Yin came online.
She had her suspicions, but she didn't want to doubt. She allowed herself to overlook the flaws because she also knew that human emotions couldn't be pure. After so many years of activity in the human World, she had also grown. She knew that sometimes, for some things, not being too particular would allow one to live a happier life.
Even if Tang Hao's feelings for her weren't entirely pure, at least she still had her child. But now, her child was also gone, and she had nothing left.
"Then can you make the decision for her?" Xuan Ming asked.
"I can," Little Ah Yin said.
"If she's going to hate someone in the future, let her hate me."
"..."
"Forget it, just hate me," Xuan Ming sighed.
"Anyway, there are already many people who hate me."
...The Royal Hunting Ground, located fifty kilometers southwest of Tiandou City, was where the Tiandou Empire's qualifying rounds would be held.
"Where have you been for the past half month?"
Led by Xue Qinghe, the Royal Fighting Team arrived at their exclusive resting area inside the hunting ground. As the team representing the Tiandou Royal Academy and the Imperial Family, their resting area was still quite luxurious in terms of specifications.
"Handling some personal matters. What, did something else happen while I was gone?" Xuan Ming said.
"Many things," Xue Qinghe pulled Xuan Ming away from the camp area.
"The Supreme Pontiff suddenly announced that the location for the finals would be Spirit City. This matter has already spread and won't change, but I always feel something is off."
Ever since the incident in the Sunset Forest, the Supreme Pontiff's power had been seized by the Elder Palace. The current controller of Spirit City and the actual wielder of power in Spirit Hall was Gold Crocodile Douluo.
Previously, the Supreme Pontiff had been trying to have the finals held in Tiandou City to leverage the power of the Spirit Hall in Tiandou City and the prestige of this grand event to reclaim some of her power as Supreme Pontiff.
Now, the Supreme Pontiff had actually given up this opportunity.
Based on his understanding of that woman, she wouldn't just sit back and do nothing!
"Anything else?" Xuan Ming asked.
Xue Qinghe frowned slightly. "Also, the Seven Great Families might be resorting to force."
During the preliminary rounds, everyone was wary of Xuan Ming causing trouble in the final stage of the preliminaries. After all, the preliminaries had the most spectators, and being held in Tiandou City, the influence spread the fastest.
However, Xuan Ming made no move, not even attending the final ceremony of the preliminaries. This left everyone utterly perplexed about what he was thinking.
The qualifying rounds were private matches, and the finals were now set in Spirit City. Coupled with some news that had spread from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, many people now suspected that Xuan Ming had colluded with Spirit Hall.
Some even believed that setting the finals in Spirit City was Spirit Hall's plan to use Xuan Ming to cause trouble and suppress the Seven Great Families and the Two Great Empires.
Slave trade, after all, was not something that could be openly acknowledged. Even if Spirit Hall was involved, it was far less deeply than the Seven Great Families and the Two Great Empires.
If Spirit Hall truly wanted to rectify the situation, they could arrest the Spirit Masters involved. Although affected, it would still be bearable.
However, the Seven Great Families and the Two Great Empires were more deeply involved, with larger networks of interests. The Imperial City Auction House was primarily controlled by the Seven Great Families. How could the Imperial Family claim to be ignorant of the illicit dealings happening right under its nose?
Previously, people didn't believe Spirit Hall would do something that would harm a thousand enemies while incurring eight hundred losses for itself. But now, the situation made them suspicious.
After all, even if they lost eight hundred, it would still be a net gain of two hundred. Moreover, Spirit Hall's actual losses might be less than five hundred, and by pushing this matter, all positive influence would belong to them.
Strictly speaking, Spirit Hall would make a guaranteed profit!
"What are you worried about?" Xuan Ming asked.
"Are you perhaps worried that something might happen to me?"
"The Seven Great Families have Titled Douluo," Xue Qinghe said seriously.
"Can you withstand an assassination attempt by a Titled Douluo?"
The number of Titled Douluo on the Douluo Continent was extremely small, with fewer than twenty publicly known. Spirit Hall had hidden Titled Douluo, and other forces also did. Titled Douluo like Dugu Bo, who lived in seclusion in the mountains, also existed.
According to Spirit Hall's knowledge, the Seven Great Families hid at least two Titled Douluo, whose strength and methods were unknown even to the Elder Palace!
If a Titled Douluo of unknown identity and unfathomable methods were to attempt an assassination, even a peer-level expert would find it difficult to defend against.
"They wouldn't actually rush into this Royal Hunting Ground to kill me, would they?" Xuan Ming said.
"Hard to say," Xue Qinghe said.
"The Imperial Family's attitude has also started to become ambiguous."
Originally, the Imperial Family had hoped that Ning Fengzhi could mediate this matter. However, the current situation indicated that Ning Fengzhi was powerless in this regard. Furthermore, Xuan Ming might have already aligned himself with Spirit Hall, becoming their enemy!
Although The Old Emperor hadn't explicitly said anything, his attitude changed very noticeably after the finals location was moved from Tiandou City to Spirit City.
Holding the finals in Tiandou City was the Imperial Family's home ground. Even if things escalated, the Imperial Family would hold the right to speak.
Even at the very last step, the Imperial Family could seize the positive influence and push for reforms—since it couldn't be stopped, and the resistance wasn't great, it was a good opportunity to strengthen imperial power.
But with the finals moved to Spirit City, the nature of the situation changed dramatically!
The Imperial Family would not benefit from it and might even be attacked by Spirit Hall under the guise of righteousness.
"So, the Imperial Family also plans to move against me?" Xuan Ming asked.
"Possibly," Xue Qinghe said.
"That would be excellent," Xuan Ming said.
Xue Qinghe was stunned. "What do you mean?"
"I want to ask you for some information. Does the Tiandou Imperial Family have a national treasure called the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud?" Xuan Ming asked.
"Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud? What is that?" Xue Qinghe asked, puzzled.
"Then do you know where the Imperial Family's treasury is?" Xuan Ming asked.
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was a supreme treasure of the Tiandou Imperial Family. It was normal for Xue Qinghe, who was only the Crown Prince, not to know about it. Probably only successive Emperors would know of its existence.
After all, if news of such a thing spread, those Titled Douluo would have probably already moved to seize it.
"You... what are you planning?" Xue Qinghe's expression was a bit unnatural.
"Stealing things," Xuan Ming said.
Xue Qinghe's eyelid twitched slightly. "Stealing? Is that something you should be saying?"
"It's not my first time stealing things," Xuan Ming said.
"Don't you usually do things with a clear conscience?" Xue Qinghe was somewhat speechless.
"When did you start feeling at ease about stealing?"
"If I were to steal from those farmers outside, I certainly couldn't feel at ease. But if I'm stealing from a group of bandits, what do I have to feel bad about?" Xuan Ming said.
Regarding the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone incident, because of Ah Yin's state at the time, he felt uneasy, so he brought Ah Yin to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, hoping to revive her. It was a form of exchange, even if it was his unilateral 'forced purchase and sale.' But at least it allowed him to live with himself, and even if Ah Yin revived and wanted to reclaim it, that would be reasonable.
But as for robbing the Tiandou Imperial Family, if he hadn't been nominally attending the Tiandou Royal Academy all these years, he would have acted long ago.
"It's like killing people. I never kill innocent people indiscriminately, but if the other party provokes me first, or is as deserving of death as I am, then why can't I feel at ease?" Xuan Ming said.
"Deserving of death..." Xue Qinghe hesitated.
"You're also deserving of death. Don't pretend to be a good person," Xuan Ming glanced at him.
"From the moment I picked up Blood Spear to kill, I was prepared to die violently in the streets."
"Anyone can kill me, even if there's no enmity, as long as they have the same awareness as me."
"As for grand righteousness, just shout slogans to deceive others, but don't deceive yourself."