Chapter 12: Partners In Crime

Gazing at the tragic sight of Princess Lingyang, Ning Fengzhi remained silent. It was clear now that the attack was the handiwork of the Spirit Hall.

"I didn't expect the Spirit Hall to act so quickly..."

"Do you know that Princess Lingyang was my most beloved daughter? Do you know how much pain her death has caused me?"

Seeing Emperor Xue Ye's mournful expression, Ning Fengzhi felt a deep disdain. They had worked together for over twenty years, and "partners in crime" was an apt description. Every time Emperor Xue Ye did something wrong, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had to clean up the mess. Whenever things went wrong, Emperor Xue Ye always had a million excuses to shift the blame onto the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Ning Fengzhi had long since become accustomed to this.

Of course, this was only in their private conversations. To the outside world, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family maintained a flawless image of righteousness and justice.

"What's the use of saying all this now? I suggest you be more careful. Since the Spirit Hall dared to strike once, they will surely strike a second time. Next time, it might not be your daughter who dies but one of your sons!"

Ning Fengzhi's sarcastic remark left Emperor Xue Ye speechless. Indeed, the Spirit Hall had only killed one princess this time. What if they targeted one of his sons next? If this continued, what would happen if the royal family of the Heaven Dou Empire were wiped out?

Seeing Ning Fengzhi's smug expression, Emperor Xue Ye felt a surge of anger and a deep sense of injustice. They had both been involved in the same actions, so why was the Spirit Hall focusing all its attention on the Xue family while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan remained unscathed?

"So, what do you suggest we do? We can't let this continue!"

Emperor Xue Ye was extremely frustrated.

"I suggest finding a way to ease the situation. In a few years, the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament will be held, right? The meeting to discuss it will take place in Spirit City in half a month. That will be a perfect opportunity."

"How should we negotiate?"

"Although the Spirit Hall is powerful, much of its foundation lies within our Heaven Dou Empire. If the Spirit Hall refuses to back down, we can take this opportunity to eliminate this hidden threat. At that time, even Bibi Dong will have no grounds to complain. Reciprocity is key."

Hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, Emperor Xue Ye hesitated for a moment.

"This is a risky move. If it destabilizes our foundation, it could cause major problems for the Heaven Dou Empire."

Ning Fengzhi cursed inwardly at Emperor Xue Ye. This old fool had once been decisive, but now he was nothing but a coward. His daughter had been tortured to death, yet he was still worried about his foundation. If they didn't take this chance to eliminate the Spirit Hall's branches, the entire Heaven Dou Empire could be in jeopardy.

However, Ning Fengzhi couldn't say this outright. Angering Emperor Xue Ye would be counterproductive. Besides, these matters weren't entirely his to control. He had to let Emperor Xue Ye come to his own conclusions.

"Fine, you may leave now."

Emperor Xue Ye was visibly displeased.

After Ning Fengzhi left, a man in black stepped out from behind the curtain. He was the Heaven Dou Empire's greatest expert, the royal family's grand elder, with a spiritual power level of ninety-eight. His presence was the main reason the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan dared not completely sever ties with the royal family.

"You shouldn't have said that."

The grand elder spoke slowly.

Clearly, he had heard the entire conversation.

"Ning Fengzhi is too opportunistic. If we follow his plan and openly oppose the Spirit Hall, who knows if we can eliminate its roots? Meanwhile, the Xue family's position in the Heaven Dou Empire would be jeopardized. Forget about assembling a new team of spirit masters to replace the Spirit Hall's Awakening Masters. The gold spirit coins required for compensating the spirit masters alone would be a massive expenditure. And if we openly oppose the Spirit Hall, we must brace for their retaliation."

Emperor Xue Ye was clearly troubled.

The grand elder shook his head and spoke again.

"Ning Fengzhi's words can be heeded, but not entirely. Now is not the time to openly confront the Spirit Hall. So, showing goodwill at the upcoming meeting is not a bad idea. However, Ning Fengzhi is right about one thing: the Spirit Hall branches are like parasites deeply embedded in our system. Over the years, they've drawn away countless spirit master talents. As a result, the royal family's strength has been declining."

"Take the number of Titled Douluos, for instance. We don't know how many the Spirit Hall has, but the number of Titled Douluos in the royal family has halved over the past century. If this continues for another half-century, we old folks will all be dead. Then, even without the Spirit Hall's intervention, our dynasty will collapse on its own. Therefore, we must maintain good relations with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. The Clear Sky Clan is already a tragedy we cannot reverse. We cannot afford another one. Only by standing together can we prevent the Spirit Hall from going too far."

The grand elder's thoughts were clearly more comprehensive than Emperor Xue Ye's. The emperor had once been a great ruler, but his advancing age had brought about significant changes in his thinking.

"Thank you for your guidance, Grand Elder!"

It was clear that Emperor Xue Ye held the grand elder in high regard.

After the grand elder left, Emperor Xue Ye sat alone in his chair, growing increasingly furious. He felt deeply aggrieved. Not only had his daughter been killed, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had suffered no losses at all. This infuriated him.

No, if the Spirit Hall didn't make a move, he needed to put pressure on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. He couldn't let them get too comfortable, or else the royal family's dignity would be at stake.

"Someone, come here!"

...

Upon returning to the Spirit Hall, Qin Hua immediately sought out Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong had been waiting in the hall for quite some time.

"Well done. You did a great job!"

Bibi Dong's eyes were full of praise. Even before Qin Hua's return, she had already received news from Chrysanthemum Douluo. Qin Hua had handled the task impressively.

He acted decisively and without hesitation. The act of draining Princess Lingyang's blood especially revealed the depth of Qin Hua's hatred, which reassured Bibi Dong. She felt confident that Qin Hua would never turn against her.