Chapter 160: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, Qian Renxue's Anger
Today, the main hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was especially bright.
The gilded pillars had been polished to a shine.
Above, the phantom of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda hovered in midair, layers of radiant light cascading downward, making the jade floor below shimmer like the surface of water.
The Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi, sat in the main seat.
Dressed in elegant purple robes and wearing glasses, he exuded a refined and gentle demeanor.
The feather fan in his hand swayed lazily, while the fingertips of his other hand lightly tapped on the table.
"Tap, tap, tap, tap…"
Seated beside him were two special figures, the sect's guardian Douluo.
One was the Rank 95 Super Douluo, Bone Douluo, Gu Rong.
Gu Rong slouched in his chair, his entire body so thin it resembled a skeleton.
His skin carried a faint grayish-white hue, a sign of having cultivated the Bone Martial Soul to its extreme.
He glanced toward the opposite side.
Rank 96 Super Douluo, Sword Douluo, Chen Xin.
Chen Xin stood straight, his white robes spotless, a long sword resting behind his back, his face completely expressionless.
Gu Rong grinned.
"Old swordsman, why are you pulling such a long face? Looks like someone owes you eight million gold soul coins. Who are you trying to scare?"
Chen Xin didn't even lift his eyelids.
"Noisy."
"Tsk."
Gu Rong shifted his posture, crossing his legs, completely lacking the composure expected of a Titled Douluo.
"I'm just concerned about you. I'm afraid that if your face stays stiff too long, one day you won't even remember where your muscles are when you want to smile."
Chen Xin finally moved.
He slightly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Gu Rong's face as if looking at roadside weeds.
"Old Bone, speaking recklessly, where is your dignity?"
"Dignity?"
Gu Rong pointed at his own nose.
"I've never had anything to do with the word 'dignity' in my life. You, on the other hand, keep that face stiff all day—aren't you tired?"
Chen Xin didn't respond.
He simply straightened his back even more.
Ning Fengzhi's fan paused for a moment.
He looked left, then right, and let out a helpless sigh.
"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone."
His voice was gentle, like a spring stream.
"Why don't you two take a break? I have something important to discuss."
Gu Rong shrugged, giving him some face.
Chen Xin snorted coldly and fell silent as well.
Their bickering wasn't hostility but familiarity, and Ning Fengzhi always stepped in at the right time to mediate.
Ning Fengzhi placed the feather fan on his lap and looked toward Gu Rong, his expression turning more serious.
"Uncle Bone, you've been moving around Heaven Dou City lately. Have you found any information about Poison Douluo Dugu Bo?"
Gu Rong tapped his fingers against his chin.
Though gaunt, his movements carried a lazy casualness.
"Didn't find him."
"That old poison freak is like he vanished into thin air. I searched most of Heaven Dou City and couldn't even find a single hair of his."
"Oh?"
Ning Fengzhi fell into thought.
His fingertips began tapping the table again.
The timing of Dugu Bo's disappearance was far too strange.
This Poison Douluo had always been inseparable from Prince Xue Xing.
If there was any disturbance in Heaven Dou City, he would definitely be the first to show up.
And yet now, he has vanished without a trace.
If not for hearing that Prince Xue Xing had recently been searching for Dugu Bo, he might not even have known about it.
Even Uncle Bone couldn't find him…
Ning Fengzhi lowered his gaze.
He thought of Xue Qinghe.
At present, Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire was gravely ill. The Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, Prince Xue Xing, and other members of the royal family were secretly competing.
Under the Heaven Dou Empire, undercurrents were already surging.
And the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had long since taken a side.
Crown Prince Xue Qinghe was not only the beloved heir of Emperor Xue Ye but also Ning Fengzhi's disciple. Naturally, Ning Fengzhi would support him.
As for Prince Xue Xing… they couldn't be taken lightly.
"Uncle Bone, any other clues?"
Gu Rong thought for a moment and said,
"The only lead is that the old poison freak went back to Heaven Dou Royal Academy not long ago. He stayed for less than half a day and then completely disappeared."
"Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
Ning Fengzhi repeated, his brows slightly furrowing.
That should have been to see his granddaughter, Dugu Yan.
It was common knowledge that Dugu Bo doted on his only granddaughter.
The only good news now was that Dugu Yan was still at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
At this point, he didn't continue thinking further.
The feather fan lightly touched his chin, his fingers slowly rubbing the handle.
His thoughts grew tangled.
"Tang Hao has reappeared for several years now. After destroying several Spirit Hall branch halls, he is still being hunted by Spirit Hall."
Ning Fengzhi opened his eyes and sighed. "Before long, the continent will be thrown into turmoil."
His voice was soft, yet heavy.
"All factions have begun to move. This is not a good sign."
Gu Rong rarely put away his carefree demeanor.
He sat up straight, his back leaving the chair as he looked at Ning Fengzhi.
At this moment, Chen Xin, who had been silent, spoke. "Since things are unstable, Fengzhi, bring Rongrong back."
"Right, right!"
Gu Rong actually agreed with Chen Xin for once, nodding repeatedly.
"That little girl has been running wild outside, but with the current situation, if something goes wrong…"
Ning Fengzhi smiled.
He waved his fan, a trace of gentleness appearing in his eyes.
"Uncle Bone, Uncle Sword, there's no need to worry."
"Rongrong is at Shrek Academy. Flender is quite shrewd; he knows what's at stake."
He paused, his gaze passing through the window lattice of the hall, looking into the distance.
That was the direction of Shrek Academy.
The sky was blue, and the clouds were white.
Once he finished dealing with matters here, he should go see how that little girl had grown.
Her letters said she had improved recently, though who knew whether it was true or just to make her father happy.
That girl had loved acting spoiled since she was young.
Thinking of his precious daughter, the curve of Ning Fengzhi's lips softened even more.
Gu Rong glanced at him and clicked his tongue, turning his head away.
Fine, worry for nothing.
…
Deep within the Crown Prince's residence of the Heaven Dou Empire, in a secret chamber.
Candlelight flickered in the corners, casting long shadows.
Xue Qinghe stood before a stone table.
He lowered his gaze, raising his hand to brush over his soul tool.
Golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall, spilling over his shoulders, the candlelight licking its ends and coating it with a faint glow.
His facial features softened slightly, his brows and eyes more delicate, and his jawline more refined.
His entire aura changed instantly.
From the gentle and refined Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire…
…to the Spirit Hall's young lady, Qian Renxue.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her golden eyes devoid of emotion.
Then she picked up the secret letter sent from Spirit Hall.
The paper was thin.
Information from Spirit Hall's spies had gone through layers of encryption, taking many days to reach her hands.
Her gaze fell upon a single line.
——His Holiness the Pope has recently been secretly collecting whale rubber in considerable quantities. Its destination is unknown.
"Whale Rubber?"
Qian Renxue's fingers tightened abruptly.
Disguised as the Crown Prince, she naturally knew what whale rubber was.
Among the nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire, those playboy heirs treated it as a stimulant, spreading all sorts of exaggerated rumors about it in private.
After years of infiltration, she had heard those disgusting topics no fewer than a hundred times.
"What does that woman want with such a filthy substance?"
Qian Renxue closed her eyes. She refused to call that name.
Since she could remember, she had never once called her "mother" or "mom."
Heh.
She had no mother.
She only had her grandfather, the legacy left by the ancestors of Spirit Hall, and the plan to usurp the nation that must be completed.
But that woman—on what grounds?
On what grounds does she sit on the Pope's throne, control everything in Spirit Hall, and still do such shameless things?
The existence of "whale rubber" made her uncontrollably associate it with something filthy.
End of Chapter