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"Ruier, you are thinking of things too simply," Tang Chen said as he sighed softly. He reached back and took Xiao Rui'er's hand in his own. A trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes as he spoke in a deep, serious voice. "Yes, Qian Renxue might have some personal appreciation for me, and our relationship is indeed decent.
But you have to understand that the current Spirit Hall is not under her control. The person who truly holds all the power in Spirit Hall is Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong, and she sees me as a thorn in her side that must be removed!"
He tightened his grip on her hand slightly to emphasize his point. "For the sake of power and her own goals, that woman is willing to sacrifice everything, including her own daughter. Inside the hierarchy of Spirit Hall, Qian Renxue is far from having the final say.
She has no real influence when it comes to their overall strategy or major interests. Bibi Dong's attitude toward me and everyone around me is absolutely hostile. She wants to eliminate us as quickly as possible. She won't let us go just because Qian Renxue might feel a bit soft-hearted toward me."
Tang Chen paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Once the Heaven Dou Empire falls completely under the control of Spirit Hall, her next goal will be to gather all the Empire's resources. She will use that strength to purge every single force on the continent that refuses to submit to her. Our Tianxing Academy, and even every person related to me, will be the first ones to face her wrath!"
He looked into Xiao Rui'er's eyes, seeing that she was starting to realize the danger. He continued, "Because of that, it is not enough to rely on a shaky relationship with Qian Renxue. Unless we can find a way to help Qian Renxue completely overcome Bibi Dong and take back absolute control of Spirit Hall, we are in danger.
If Qian Renxue held the power of both Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire, she might actually be able to act on her own will and protect us. But right now, we have to stop Bibi Dong from using this palace coup to turn the Empire into her personal backyard. If Spirit Hall establishes its momentum here, the cost of resisting them later will be a hundred times higher!"
Xiao Rui'er finally understood how serious and complex the situation really was. This was not just a simple fight for a throne in the Heaven Dou Empire. It was an extension of the cruel power struggle inside Spirit Hall itself, and they were already caught in the middle of the storm. She took a deep breath, and her eyes became firm with determination.
"I understand now," Xiao Rui'er said seriously. "That means I must go with you even more. Having an extra person means we have a better chance to succeed. Besides, if it really turns into a life-and-death struggle against Bibi Dong, our Martial Soul Fusion Skill might be the only thing that can make a difference. I'm going to go talk to Uncle Di Tian about this right now."
Tang Chen looked at the determination in her eyes and knew he couldn't change her mind. He thought about it for a moment before finally nodding. "Fine, if that's how it is, let's leave immediately! Chi Wang!"
As soon as he called out, a bright crimson figure stepped out from the shadows of the forest nearby. Tang Chen and Xiao Rui'er looked at each other and nodded. In a flash of movement, they both leaped onto Chi Wang's back. "Go! Full speed to Heaven Dou City!" Tang Chen commanded. Chi Wang let out a long, loud howl toward the sky. Then, the great beast turned into a crimson streak of light, like a meteor tearing through the dark night, carrying them toward the city at incredible speed.
Meanwhile, at the side hall of the Heaven Dou Empire's palace, the atmosphere was heavy. Under Xue Qinghe's sincere invitation and perfect explanation, Tang Xiao, Ning Fengzhi, and the others had followed him. Even though they had many doubts, they decided to play along to see what the truth was. Since the other person was the Crown Prince, they chose to hold back their suspicions for a moment and go to the side hall to rest.
Suddenly, a loud boom echoed through the air! As soon as the group stepped into the decorated hall, the two thick, golden palace doors slammed shut behind them. They closed on their own without anyone touching them, making a heavy, dull noise that signaled trouble.
"What?!" Tang Xiao's expression changed instantly. He turned around fast, his sharp gaze hitting Xue Qinghe like a bolt of lightning. The prince still had a gentle smile on his face, but Tang Xiao's voice turned freezing cold. "Your Highness, what is the meaning of this? Why did you close the doors?"
Ning Fengzhi and the Sword Douluo, Chen Xin, became alert immediately. A low humming sound came from the Seven Kill Sword in Chen Xin's hand. At the same time, the Elders from the Clear Sky Sect began to let their spirit power surge. They gripped their Clear Sky Hammers tightly, ready for a fight.
As Tang Xiao questioned him, the gentle look on Xue Qinghe's face vanished quickly. It was replaced by a smile full of cold mockery. He clapped his hands slowly, and the sound was very loud in the quiet hall. "What is the meaning?" he repeated. "There's no special meaning. I just felt that the feng shui of this hall was quite good. The layout is big enough, too. I wanted to invite you esteemed seniors to stay here and sleep forever."
The faces of Tang Xiao and his companions changed instantly. The trap was now open, and the intent to kill was clear to everyone. "Retreat!" Ning Fengzhi shouted. His reaction was very fast. He moved toward the closed doors with the Sword Douluo, hoping to force them open or find a way out.
However, as soon as he moved, two terrifying auras exploded from the shadows near the door. The pressure was as heavy as a mountain. Two golden figures appeared out of thin air and blocked the path. They were two middle-aged men who looked almost exactly the same. They had simple, old-looking faces and eyes as sharp as an eagle's.
They wore simple clothes and held long staffs made of dark gold, carved with dragon patterns. The pressure from their weapons made the very air feel still. These were the brothers, Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo. They were famous for their joint attacks and incredible strength.
At the same time, the air behind Xue Qinghe twisted, and two more figures appeared. They were Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo, who had been hiding there the whole time. The four Titled Douluos linked their auras together, surrounding the group with Qian Renxue at the center.
But the trap was even bigger. Countless figures wearing black robes and masks moved out from behind the curtains and pillars like ghosts. These were elite Spirit Master death soldiers from Spirit Hall. They moved in perfect order, taking control of every exit and corner of the hall.
The light of many Spirit Rings began to shine, and a cold killing intent filled the room. In just a few seconds, the hall had become a deadly cage. With two Super Douluos, two Titled Douluos, and many elite soldiers, Spirit Hall had prepared a massive trap to wipe out the leaders of the Clear Sky Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
The hearts of Tang Xiao, Ning Fengzhi, and Chen Xin sank. They finally realized that the Crown Prince was actually a deep spy for Spirit Hall. They had walked right into a trap that left them with almost no hope of surviving.
"Alright," Xue Qinghe said as he calmly straightened his sleeves. The cold smile on his face grew wider. "Will you all just commit suicide so you can leave behind a whole corpse? Or do you need my people to help you die?"
Even in this fatal situation, Ning Fengzhi forced himself to stay calm. He took a step forward and stared at the person he thought he knew. "Xue Qinghe! What are you doing?! You are the Crown Prince! You are the heir to the throne! This entire land will be yours eventually! Why would you work with Spirit Hall to commit treason? Emperor Xue Ye is your own father!" He tried to use the bond of family to see if he could shake the prince's mind, even if there was only a small chance.
Instead of an answer, Xue Qinghe let out a loud laugh full of sarcasm. "Hahaha! Father? My father? Ning Fengzhi, you really have been kept in the dark this whole time! My real father died when I was only a few years old! That man, Xue Ye, isn't worthy of being my father. He is just a poor fool that I have played with for more than ten years!"
The words hit like a bolt of thunder. The color drained from Ning Fengzhi's face. He remembered all the small doubts he had over the years. He looked at the cold, emotionless person in front of him. A terrifying thought came to his mind that made his very soul shake. He pointed a trembling finger at Xue Qinghe, his voice hoarse with shock. "Could it be that you... you are not him at all?"