Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

He paused for a moment, as if searching for the right word.

"It's as if the Xue Qinghe of the past was a fake. It's as if he's been playing the role of a perfect crown prince all along, and now he doesn't want to play it anymore."

The study was quiet for a while. Yu Yuanzhen tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the chair twice, making a dull sound.

Yu Yuanzhen thought of the current Pope Bibi Dong; this woman was never one to be content with her lot.

After all, it is no easy feat for someone to rise from a non-six-winged angel spirit body to become the Pope of the Spirit Hall.

How could a woman like that possibly marry her prized disciple to the Heaven Dou Empire to become a minor imperial concubine for no reason?

“If Xue Qinghe really has a problem,” Yu Yuanzhen said, his voice a few decibels lower than before, “then the fact that the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall entered the palace is definitely not a coincidence.”

Ning Fengzhi nodded. "That's exactly what I'm worried about. The Spirit Hall is extending its reach into the Heaven Dou harem, and Xue Qinghe not only doesn't resist, but actually welcomes it. Sect Master Yu, tell me, would a normal emperor just stand by and watch foreign powers infiltrate his harem without doing anything?"

"So," Yu Yuanzhen narrowed his eyes, "what do you plan to do?"

“I would like to invite the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect to join the game.” Ning Fengzhi cut to the chase, no longer beating around the bush. “Right now, the court is in a state of panic, but most officials dare not speak out. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect stands up, it will be too conspicuous, and Xue Qinghe’s dissatisfaction will all be directed at us. But if the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect stand up together, along with several other forces that have already spoken with me, the situation will be completely different.”

He leaned forward slightly, but his eyes, which were always smiling, held no trace of a smile at this moment.

"With more people and more power, no single faction will stand out. Xue Qinghe's discontent will be spread out, and he won't dare to attack two of the three sects at the same time. As long as we can force him to distance himself from the Spirit Hall, even if it's just a superficial distance, there's still room for this game to be resolved."

Yu Yuanzhen remained silent for a long time. The candlelight flickered gently beside him, casting shifting shadows on his sharply defined face.

“I don’t really like getting involved in politics,” Yu Yuanzhen finally spoke, his voice still rough. “But you’re right. If the Spirit Hall really swallows up the Heavenly Dou Sect, the next one will be the Star Luo Sect, and the next one after that will be my Blue Lightning Tyrant Clan. Rather than being passively beaten later, it’s better to tighten the fence now.”

He raised his eyes, his sharp eyes staring directly at Ning Fengzhi.

"Tell me, how exactly do I do it?"

Ning Fengzhi's lips curled up slightly. He knew Yu Yuanzhen would agree. Although this old dragon had a fiery temper and spoke bluntly, he was never confused on matters of principle; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to bring the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect to its current position.

“Joint pressure,” Ning Fengzhi said succinctly. “The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant School will lead a coalition of several other influential sects and families to jointly petition His Majesty to prioritize national affairs, distance himself from Hu Liena, and maintain a distance from the Spirit Hall.”

Will he listen?

"Not necessarily."

Ning Fengzhi answered crisply, "But that's not the goal. The real goal is to make him see clearly that the court is not a monolithic entity, and that the combined pressure from the three upper sects is something even the emperor cannot completely ignore. If we can force him to back down, even if it's just a symbolic step back, then we still have room to maneuver in this game."

Yu Yuanzhen stared at Ning Fengzhi for a long while.

"Ning Fengzhi, all of you who play tactical support roles have dirty hearts."

Ning Fengzhi picked up his teacup, his smile remaining as refined and gentle as ever. "Sect Master Yu is too kind."

Yu Yuanzhen snorted and picked up his teacup. "What if he doesn't back down? What if he's determined to ally himself with the Spirit Hall?"

The air in the study seemed to freeze at that moment.

Ning Fengzhi's hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air. The tea in the cup had completely cooled, and a few unfurled tea leaves had quietly sunk to the bottom.

He slowly set down his teacup. The porcelain cup made a very soft sound as it touched the mahogany tabletop, yet it was remarkably clear in the quiet study.

Ning Fengzhi raised his eyelids, but his eyes, which always held a hint of a smile, were now devoid of any smile. There was only a calm, cold, and bottomless stillness, like a deep pool.

“Then…” His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself, but every word clearly fell into Yu Yuanzhen’s ears, “For the future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School… I don’t mind letting Xue Qinghe die of illness and joining forces with the Tiandou Clan to support the young emperor to ascend the throne.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the candlelight in the study flickered. Yu Yuanzhen's hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air, and for the first time, a genuine look of surprise appeared on his sharply defined face.

He looked at Ning Fengzhi, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School Master, who was known for his refined and gentle demeanor and always appeared to be a nice guy, and at the extremely cold calm in his eyes.

He suddenly realized that the person in front of him was far more dangerous than he had imagined. He had always thought Ning Fengzhi was a smart man, a smart man who knew how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and knew how to change his stance according to the wind, but did not possess true decisiveness.

But he was wrong.

True decisiveness is never shown in favorable circumstances, but rather in the ability to make the decisive move without hesitation when cornered.

"Are you confident?" Yu Yuanzhen asked, his voice deep and rumbling like thunder.

"That's why we need the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect to join us." Ning Fengzhi's voice remained calm.

Chapter 492 Moon Pass and Ghosts

"We don't know how strong the Spirit Hall is. We also don't know if they will start a full-scale war for the Heaven Dou Empire. So we can't afford to take any chances. This matter must be settled before everyone can react."

Ning Fengzhi paused, then said, word by word, "If it comes to that, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School will need the help of the Title Douluo of the Blue Lightning Tyrant School, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant School will also gain sufficient benefits in the operation."

With Xue Qinghe dead, the throne is vacant. Which of the old princes in the imperial clan wouldn't want to put their own person on the throne? But as long as our two families join forces, plus the support of a few sensible people in the Tiandou imperial clan, we can appoint a new emperor in the shortest possible time.”

Yu Yuanzhen remained silent for a moment before slowly asking, "Where is the candidate?"

Ning Fengzhi smiled.

The smile was faint, yet it carried a sense of composure as if everything was under control. He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then said, "Sect Master Yu, the number of members of the Heavenly Dou royal family has never been small."

He put down his teacup and tapped his finger lightly on the table.

"The lineage of Emperor Xueye has indeed declined. His sons either fell ill or died, leaving only Xue Qinghe today. But the Heavenly Dou royal family has been passed down for so many years, with numerous collateral branches and clans, and countless young children within them."

These words were spoken lightly, but Yu Yuanzhen sensed their weight.

He frowned.

There were indeed quite a few members of the imperial family.

But most of these people live in luxury and are spoiled. Can they shoulder the heavy responsibility of being the ruler of a country?

More importantly, who should be chosen?

Choose one, and that one objects. Choose another, and that one causes trouble. Which of those old princes in the imperial clan isn't a shrewd shrew among shrewd men? They seem amiable on ordinary days, but once the throne is involved, they turn on you faster than flipping through a book.

Yu Yuanzhen voiced this concern.

Ning Fengzhi laughed again after hearing this.

"Sect Master Yu," he shook his head, his tone as if he were teaching an ignorant child, "this kind of thing is never something that can satisfy everyone. We just need to win over some and strike down others."

"Win some over, strike down others?" Yu Yuanzhen repeated, his brows still furrowed.

“That’s right.” Ning Fengzhi’s voice remained gentle, but every word carried an undeniable weight. “Those in the imperial clan who understand the situation and know that the tide cannot be turned, we will give them the titles, fiefdoms, and positions in the new dynasty they desire. Those who don’t understand, who can’t see the situation clearly, or who are simply fixated on a particular candidate…”

He paused, a hint of coldness creeping into his smile.

"Their objections are useless."

Yu Yuanzhen was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "That's true. But when that time really comes, those who oppose us will be a force to be reckoned with. And there are plenty of experts in the imperial clan."

Ning Fengzhi picked up the teacup and gently blew on the leaves floating on the surface of the tea.

"Sect Master Yu," his voice remained unhurried, "do you think that if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant School join forces, how many people in the world can withstand them?"

Yu Yuanzhen was taken aback, subconsciously ignoring the influence of the sect on the royal family.

Ning Fengzhi put down his teacup and looked directly at him.

"My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has Uncle Sword and Uncle Bone, two Title Douluos. Your Blue Lightning Tyrant School has Sect Master Jade, who is himself a Title Douluo. If the two schools join forces, you will have three Title Douluos. Looking across the entire continent, apart from the Spirit Hall, which other force can produce more than three Title Douluos at the same time?"

Yu Yuanzhen remained silent.

Ning Fengzhi continued, "There are indeed a few senior members of the imperial clan whose cultivation is not low. However, they each act independently, like a disorganized mess, and none of them are willing to submit to the others."

"We just need to create enough momentum before we take action, so they understand that opposing us means opposing both the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant School simultaneously."

He paused, then said, word by word, "Anyone would hesitate."

Yu Yuanzhen remained silent for a long time.

After a long while, he picked up his teacup and, ignoring the fact that the tea had gone cold, drank it all in one gulp.

“Ning Fengzhi,” he put down his teacup, his voice rough like sandpaper grinding a stone, “you look like a fox, but you’re a wolf at heart.”

Ning Fengzhi smiled and did not deny it.

Yu Yuanzhen also smiled.

The two old foxes sat facing each other in the study, chatting idly for a few more minutes as if nothing had happened.

Yu Yuanzhen said that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect had recently recruited several disciples with decent talent, while Ning Fengzhi said that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had just transported a batch of good ore from the Northern Territory.

Then Yu Yuanzhen stood up and patted off non-existent dust from his robes.

"gone."

Ning Fengzhi rose to see him off, escorting him all the way out of the study, out of the courtyard, and out of the sect's gate.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries at the entrance, Yu Yuanzhen and several Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect disciples disappeared at the end of the long street.

Ning Fengzhi stood at the doorway, watching the imposing figure gradually disappear into the distance. The smile on his face slowly faded, finally settling into a calm expression.

He turned around and walked towards the study.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin appeared in the courtyard at some point, leaning against a pillar with his sword in his arms. He watched Ning Fengzhi walk over and said calmly, "The deal is done?"

"The deal is done."

Ning Fengzhi stopped beside him, gazing at the ancient pine tree in the courtyard, and remained silent for a moment.

"Uncle Jian, do you think I did the right thing?"

Chen Xin did not answer.

Ning Fengzhi didn't need his answer. He knew in his heart that once this step was taken, there was no going back. Regardless of success or failure, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would be in the eye of the storm.

……

Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace.

When Qian Renxue returned from the court assembly, it was already broad daylight.

She wore a bright yellow dragon robe, with the pearl tassels of her crown hanging down her forehead, swaying gently with her steps. Several attendants followed behind her, their steps hurried, none daring to look up at her.

The morning court session was filled with a multitude of trivial matters. The Ministry of Rites said that preparations for this year's sacrificial ceremony to Heaven should begin; the Ministry of Revenue said that several counties in the northern border were not collecting their taxes; the Ministry of War said that there had been a mishap in the allocation of provisions for the border garrison rotation; and the Censorate impeached several corrupt officials.

Qian Renxue patiently reviewed each item one by one, her face still bearing the gentle and composed demeanor of an emperor. Only she knew that her patience had long since worn thin.

She's been sitting on this dragon throne for so long, and all she does every day is the same thing.

Listening to a group of old men arguing, writing "read" on a memorial, and showing different degrees of smiles to different people.

Soon. She told herself. Soon. This dragon robe would soon be unnecessary.

When she reached the door of the Imperial Study, Qian Renxue suddenly stopped.

She raised her hand and waved to the servants behind her. The gesture was casual, and her tone was so calm that it revealed nothing unusual: "You may all leave."