Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

After saying this, the two fell silent again.

It's not that I have nothing to say, but rather that there are some things I don't know how to say.

Their situation is indeed very awkward.

Qian Renxue is Bibi Dong's biological daughter, but Bibi Dong has never given her a second glance.

From childhood to adulthood, all her attempts to please others, all her efforts, and all her desperate attempts to prove herself were like punching cotton in front of Bibi Dong.

No, it was more despairing than cotton. At least cotton had a tangible feel, but Bibi Dong gave her only emptiness.

Hu Liena was Bibi Dong's disciple, yet she obtained everything that Qian Renxue had always dreamed of.

Bibi Dong's care, Bibi Dong's guidance, Bibi Dong's approval.

Qian Renxue had wondered countless times if she were not Bibi Dong's daughter, but just an ordinary disciple of hers, would she have gained more?

But it's too sentimental to talk about this kind of thing.

So she suppressed all her thoughts deep inside, never revealing them. Only in the quiet of the night would she occasionally think of herself as a child, the little girl standing at the entrance of the Papal Palace, secretly watching Bibi Dong.

The little girl never cried. She just clenched her fists and told herself: It's okay, I will become stronger, strong enough that she will have to look at me.

Later, she really did become stronger. Strong enough to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire alone for more than ten years, strong enough to sit on the dragon throne and issue orders, strong enough to orchestrate the destruction of the entire Heaven Dou Empire.

But Bibi Dong is still the same Bibi Dong; when she looks at her, her gaze is still as cold as ice.

Hu Liena only learned about these things later.

Before coming to Tiandou City, she had never known that her teacher had a daughter.

It wasn't until Bibi Dong told her the secret that she suddenly realized that her teacher had a daughter who had been an undercover agent in the Heaven Dou Empire.

In a sense, her student took the place of her daughter and enjoyed her favor.

So whenever the two of them are alone, the atmosphere becomes like this.

It's not hostility.

Hostility becomes simpler: either you fight or you argue, and once you're done fighting or arguing, the matter is over.

There was no hostility between them, only an indescribable complexity, like two people bound together by fate, who clearly had a lot to say but didn't know where to begin.

After a long silence, Qian Renxue spoke.

Her voice was as calm as if she were stating a fact that had nothing to do with her.

"The Spirit Hall is already gathering its forces. Once Elder Ju and Elder Gui arrive, Heaven Dou City will be filled with our people. Then, it won't be long before we can return to Spirit City."

Hu Liena looked at her and nodded: "That's what the teacher meant too. She said that after preparing for so many years, a few more days won't make a difference."

Qian Renxue gave a soft "hmm".

Then the two of them fell silent again.

A faint chime drifted in from outside the window; it was the bell tower in the palace used to tell time, striking once every hour. The chime floated in the night, distant and lingering.

Qian Renxue put down her teacup and stood up.

"It's getting late, let's rest."

Hu Liena also stood up, watching her turn and walk towards the inner hall.

The figure appeared exceptionally frail in the dim light, so frail that it didn't resemble an emperor sitting on a dragon throne issuing commands, but rather a traveler who had walked a long way and could finally stop to catch his breath.

Chapter 491 Conversation and Cooperation

Wuhun City, the Pope's Palace.

Bibi Dong has been busy for several days in a row.

She sat on the throne that symbolized the highest power of the Spirit Hall, with a thick stack of files spread out on the long table in front of her, each one a summary of intelligence submitted by the Spirit Hall branches from various regions.

Within the Heaven Dou Empire, the Spirit Masters of the Spirit Hall are gathering towards Heaven Dou City under various pretexts.

Some disguised themselves as guards for merchant caravans, some were seconded to work at the Tiandou City branch, and some stayed in the city temporarily under the guise of visiting relatives and friends.

These relocations were scattered across different times and routes, seemingly unrelated. However, if someone were to piece together all the information, they would be alarmed to discover that an invisible net had been quietly cast, enveloping this ancient imperial city.

And this is only the force on the surface.

Deeper into the shadows, the Spirit Hall's sharpest blades have been honed.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, these two titled Douluos have already set off for Heaven Dou City.

They will not appear in any official documents, leaving no traceable record. Their sole mission is to ensure that no unexpected events occur at crucial moments.

Bibi Dong closed the last file, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes.

The spacious hall was quiet, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight and her own breathing.

Her fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, making a rhythmic tapping sound, a habitual gesture she made when she was thinking.

She had waited far too long for this day.

From the day she was defiled by that beast Qian Xunji in the secret room, from the day she discovered she was pregnant with that child that shouldn't exist...

She was waiting.

She was waiting for an opportunity to seize control of the entire Spirit Hall. She was waiting for a chance to make all those who had oppressed, exploited, and harmed her pay the price.

Now, this opportunity is right in front of us.

Qian Renxue had already paved the way for her in Tiandou City. Although that child was the product of the shame she least wanted to face, it was undeniable that she had done a very good job. More than a decade of infiltration, more than a decade of disguise, more than a decade of walking on thin ice, and finally she had grasped the power of the Tiandou Empire in her hands.

Now, only the final step is needed.

Bibi Dong opened her eyes, a cold glint flashing in her purple pupils.

She rose from her throne, walked to the palace gate, and pushed open the heavy door.

A gust of wind rushed in from outside, ruffling the stray hairs on her forehead. Sunlight fell on her exquisite yet aloof face, like glazing a sculpture with silver frost.

"Someone come here."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it pierced the night clearly.

A dark figure silently emerged from the shadows beside the hall and knelt on one knee.

"Pass down the order," Bibi Dong's voice was as cold as ice, "Speed ​​up and get to Tiandou City as soon as possible."

"Yes."

The shadowy figure responded, and its form seemed to melt away into the darkness once more.

Bibi Dong stood before the palace gate, gazing at the distant sky. A faint smile slowly curved her lips, a smile that carried a chilling intent that had been suppressed for too long and was finally about to be released.

Qian Xunji, watch from heaven. You destroyed everything I had. Now, my beloved daughter, whom I raised with my own hands, will take over this empire for me. I will hold the entire Spirit Hall in my palm, along with everything you once possessed.

I want everyone to know that Bibi Dong doesn't need anyone's charity.

……

Heavenly Dou City, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Unlike the oppressive tranquility of the imperial palace, the study of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was brightly lit by candlelight.

Ning Fengzhi sat behind his large desk, two cups of freshly brewed hot tea in front of him. The aroma of the tea wafted through the air, but neither of them was in the mood to taste it.

Sitting opposite him was a burly, dignified old man. His hair was already white, but his back was still ramrod straight. He was like a long sword that had not yet been drawn from its sheath, exuding an aura of authority without anger simply by sitting there.

Yu Yuanzhen, the sect leader of the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect.

He is the titled Douluo and the sect leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and also the spiritual pillar of the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

He wasn't wearing his signature blue battle robes today, but instead wore a dark gray casual suit. Even so, when he sat there, the atmosphere in the entire study seemed to drop a few degrees.

Ning Fengzhi picked up the teacup, gently blew on the leaves floating on the surface of the tea, then put the teacup down and spoke.

"Sect Master Yu, what are your views on the Heaven Dou Empire now?"

Yu Yuanzhen sat opposite him, picked up his teacup, and drank it all in one gulp. He never talked about appreciating tea; even the finest tea leaves were just for quenching his thirst.

“I don’t really watch it.” Yu Yuanzhen put down his teacup, his voice rough like sandpaper grinding against a stone. “The Heavenly Battle is something for you clever people to worry about. The Blue Lightning Overlord Sect doesn’t get involved in those complicated matters.”

Ning Fengzhi smiled, his smile still gentle and refined, revealing no superfluous emotions.

He knew Yu Yuanzhen had the confidence to say such things. Unlike the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, which relied on support skills, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Clan was almost entirely composed of battle spirit masters, whose martial spirit was the number one beast martial spirit in the world: the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. In terms of one-on-one combat, across the entire continent, the number of forces that could easily overpower the Blue Lightning Tyrant Clan could be counted on one hand.

Unlike the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, they don't need to rely on marriage alliances, investments, or maneuvering in the cracks of power to maintain their status. They have the power, and if their power is strong enough, they don't need to be subservient to anyone.

But Ning Fengzhi didn't come here today to listen to Yu Yuanzhen show off his fists.

"Sect Master Yu is right." Ning Fengzhi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said in a calm and unhurried tone, "The strength of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect is beyond doubt. However, given the current situation in the Heavenly Dou Empire, it is probably no longer a time when whoever has the bigger fist can rest easy."

Yu Yuanzhen frowned slightly. He sensed a hidden meaning in Ning Fengzhi's words.

"Just say what you want to say."

Ning Fengzhi put down his teacup and looked directly at Yu Yuanzhen.

"I can't see through Xue Qinghe."

Yu Yuanzhen remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Ning Fengzhi continued speaking, his voice still calm, but every word seemed to have been carefully considered before being uttered.

"I chose to support him because I valued his abilities. He handled government affairs with great efficiency and was impeccable in his dealings with people. He was the most outstanding among all the princes. I thought he would be a good emperor, leading the Heavenly Dou Empire to prosperity and becoming the most reliable ally of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."

He paused, picked up his teacup, and took another sip. The tea had gone cold, and a bitter taste lingered on his tongue.

"But now, the things he does are becoming more and more incomprehensible to me. Making the late emperor's queen empress could be attributed to youthful impulsiveness and being blinded by beauty. But marrying the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall as a concubine, and now doting on her alone, has turned the harem and the court into chaos..."

Ning Fengzhi put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

“I have known Xue Qinghe for many years. I have been his teacher since he was the crown prince. I thought I knew him well enough, but now it seems that I have never really known him.”

Yu Yuanzhen was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "You mean, he's faking it?"

Ning Fengzhi did not answer immediately. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze passing over the window and landing on the ancient pine tree in the courtyard, rustling in the wind.

“I don’t know.” His voice carried a rare hint of confusion. “His ability to handle government affairs is still top-notch. He has never made a mistake in handling the complicated affairs of the court. It’s impossible for someone who is blinded by beauty to maintain such a clear mind. But his actions in other areas are completely different from his shrewdness in handling government affairs.”

Ning Fengzhi withdrew his gaze and looked at Yu Yuanzhen.

"It's like..."