Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

She leaned halfway out from the dragon throne, resting her chin on one hand and beckoning to the military officers with the other. The gesture was as casual as if she were ordering her servants to bring her a plate of fruit.

"Generals," she said with a laugh, her tone light and cheerful as if chatting with an old friend, "you'd better hand it over quickly."

She tilted her head slightly, gestured with her chin towards Yueguan, and lowered her voice, but it was just enough for the entire hall to hear clearly.

"Otherwise, Elder Yueguan will take action. And when he does, he won't be as easy to talk to as I am."

The way she said it made it sound like she was thinking of the generals. It sounded like she was earnestly advising them not to invite trouble upon themselves. It sounded like she was on their side, only calling for outside help as a last resort.

Upon hearing this, the lips of several civil officials in the hall twitched.

Is this what you call being easy to talk to? You're about to give away the entire empire, and this is what you call being easy to talk to?

But the military commanders didn't think so.

The old general with gray hair stared at Qian Renxue for two seconds, then glanced at Yue Guan.

Yue Guan still had that smiling face, but a cold glint had begun to appear in his eyes.

The old general quickly considered the situation in his mind.

Trying to tough it out? We can't.

Call for reinforcements? The Imperial Guards aren't even enough to fill their teeth.

Can we really rely on these civil officials in the imperial court? What can these old fogies do besides kowtow and wail?

He gritted his teeth, reached into his robes, and took out a tiger talisman from his personal storage soul tool.

The tiger tally was cast entirely from a rare, dark gold metal, and was engraved with a fierce tiger roaring to the sky, its eyes wide open and lifelike.

Under the light, the tiger tally's surface shimmered with a faint halo.

Those were soul power imprints personally applied by emperors throughout history, the only proof for mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops of the Heavenly Dou Empire.

The old general's hands, holding the tiger tally, trembled. Those rough, calloused hands, which had gripped knives, killed men, and stained blood on the battlefield, now shook like the last withered leaf on a branch in the autumn wind.

"Your Majesty..." His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, "This is the Tiger Tally passed down from the previous emperors of the Heavenly Dou Dynasty... You really..."

"Of course I know." Qian Renxue's voice remained gentle, but beneath that gentleness lay a chilling calm. She reached out and lightly tapped the tiger tally in the old general's hand with her fingertips.

"Hand it over."

The old general closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he bent down and presented the tiger tally with both hands.

A platinum bishop standing in the front row stepped forward and accepted the tiger tally. His movements were steady, his face expressionless, as if he were signing for an ordinary shipment. The tiger tally flashed slightly in his hand before being stored in his storage soul tool.

Once there's a first, there's bound to be a second.

The other generals exchanged glances, sighed, and took out their tiger tallies from their respective storage soul tools.

One, two, three military tallies—the tally for mobilizing troops, the tally for the Imperial Guard, the tally for the border troops—were handed to the platinum bishop one after another.

With each tiger tally taken away, a suppressed gasp echoed in the hall, as if someone were witnessing the skeleton of an empire being pulled away piece by piece.

Qian Renxue's smile deepened as she watched this scene.

When the last tiger tally was taken away, she finally stood up from the dragon throne.

The beads on her crown swayed gently as she rose, making a soft clinking sound. She stretched, as if she were strolling in her own backyard, completely unlike the demeanor of a fallen monarch.

"Alright, alright, the important business is done."

She clapped her hands as if she had just finished a trivial task, then waved her hand casually, as if she were dismissing a group of guests who were lingering on their business.

"My esteemed ministers, that's enough for today. We can discuss other matters tomorrow..."

Oh wait, I guess there's no need to attend court tomorrow either. Anyway, go back and eat and drink well, and get some rest. You've all worked hard these past few days.

The main hall was completely silent.

The civil and military officials looked at each other, some trembling, some gritting their teeth, some with red eyes, but no one moved.

They didn't know whether to leave or stay, whether to be angry or desperate, or what awaited them if they went out now.

Qian Renxue looked at the group of dejected ministers, then glanced at the sky outside the hall, estimating that it should be about time.

The Spirit Hall people are always quick to act.

With Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo stationed here, the Soul Masters outside should have already taken over the key locations in Heaven Dou City as planned.

The city defenses, post stations, and government offices are probably all staffed with our own people by now.

She withdrew her gaze, glanced at the ministers who were still frozen in place on both sides of the hall, and smiled.

"What, you're reluctant to part with me? Don't worry, we'll meet again. But next time we meet, I might not be dressed like this."

She turned and walked towards the back of the hall. Her bright yellow dragon robe trailed on the white marble floor, making a soft rustling sound.

Moon Gate and Ghostly Spirit followed silently behind her, while several Platinum Bishops also withdrew from the main hall one after another.

The silence in the hall was only broken when the bright yellow figure completely disappeared behind the hall.

An elderly minister with gray hair finally couldn't hold on any longer; his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

Those around him rushed to help, only to find their own legs trembling. The officers clenched their empty hands, their knuckles turning white.

Someone muttered a curse under their breath. No one responded. Because everyone knew it was too late to curse.

As the civil and military officials stumbled out of the palace gates, they were greeted by a city that was being rewritten.

On the streets of Heaven Dou City, countless Soul Masters dressed in the uniforms of the Spirit Hall surged forth like a tide from underground, swiftly and systematically taking over every key point of this ancient imperial city.

At the city gate, the city guards who were originally wearing the standard armor of the Heaven Dou Empire had been replaced by the Spirit Hall's guardian knights. They were clad in silver armor, their hands on their sword hilts, standing as straight as spears.

The flags on the city walls had also been changed; the double-headed eagle flag of the Heavenly Dou Empire had been replaced by golden flags embroidered with six-winged angels, fluttering in the autumn wind.

On the main road, squads of Spirit Hall Soul Masters were patrolling. Their steps were uniform, their eyes calm and alert, as if they had walked these stone paths countless times.

Most of the shops on the street were closed, and occasionally a brave soul would peek out through the crack in the door before immediately retreating back inside.

The order to take over the post stations has spread throughout the city, and the transmission of all letters and messages has been brought under the surveillance of the Spirit Hall.

Several imperial officials who hadn't yet stepped down stood by the roadside, staring blankly at the scene before them. No one told them what to do, and no one came to arrest them.

When the people from the Spirit Hall passed by them, they would even nod politely before continuing on their way.

This calm is more terrifying than any violence, because it means that the entire city has been brought under so complete control that even symbolic resistance is no longer necessary.

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Ning Fengzhi stood by the study window, motionless for a full half-day.

The ancient pine tree in the courtyard swayed gently in the wind, but his face was even greener than the pine needles. Hurried footsteps sounded behind him, and Bone Douluo Gu Rong pushed open the door, not even bothering to close it.

"The Spirit Hall's spirit masters have taken over Heaven Dou City. The city defenses, post stations, and government offices have all been replaced by their people."

Ning Fengzhi did not turn around, but simply nodded slightly.

“Fengzhi, this Spirit Hall is going to be…” Ning Fengzhi interrupted him before he could finish speaking.

"Uncle Gu, I just received news that Xue Qinghe has offered the Heavenly Battle to the Spirit Hall." He finally turned around, his refined face devoid of any smile, only a calm, cold, and bottomless stillness, like a deep pool.

Gu Rong's pupils contracted slightly, and he opened his mouth, but found that he didn't know what to say.

The study remained quiet for a while. Faint sounds of street noise drifted in from outside the window; it was the sound of Spirit Hall Soul Masters taking over the streets, their orderly footsteps like drumbeats striking the heart.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin stood in the corner, holding his sword, like a long sword that had not yet been drawn.

He finally spoke, his voice calm yet carrying a subtle sharpness: "Feng Zhi, should I make a trip to the palace? To see if Xue Qinghe is really himself, or if he's being manipulated by someone."

Gu Rong shook his head and spoke for Ning Fengzhi before he could answer.

“I sensed the aura of at least two Title Douluos in the palace, and possibly more.”

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured into the study. Chen Xin's brows finally furrowed slightly, and his slender fingers, resting on the hilt of his sword, unconsciously tapped lightly.

There are at least two Title Douluos here. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School only has two Title Douluos, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo. All their resources are here.

Ning Fengzhi was silent for a moment, then spoke. His voice remained steady, but Gu Rong could hear the extreme tension beneath that calm. He had known Ning Fengzhi for most of his life and had never heard him speak in such a tone before.

"Prepare for evacuation."

Ning Fengzhi raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Chen Xin and Gu Rong, his voice calm yet each word as firm as iron.

"Evacuate all disciples, core members, and important supplies from Tiandou City. Leave in batches, do not use the same city gate, and do not travel in large groups. Disguise yourselves as merchant caravans and civilians leaving the city. Those who can leave today should not be left until tomorrow."

Chen Xin nodded slightly, then turned and walked towards the door.

Gu Rong watched his figure disappear through the doorway, then turned back to look at Ning Fengzhi.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just sighed, turned around and followed Chen Xin out.

Ning Fengzhi stood alone by the window, looking down at his palm.

Those long, slender hands, which always held the teacup steadily, were now trembling slightly.

It wasn't fear, it was anger.

He spent countless years meticulously planning and gradually binding the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School with the Heaven Dou Empire, placing all his bets on Xue Qinghe.

He thought he was playing a grand game, that he was laying the foundation for the sect's eternal prosperity.

In the end, Xue Qinghe overturned him along with the chessboard.

He slowly clenched his fist. Anger was useless, and regret was even more useless. The most urgent task was to withdraw the sect completely from this storm.

He was rapidly calculating in his mind the evacuation route, the contact with the Star Luo Empire, and whether the political bargaining chips that had not yet been cashed in could still be used.

These thoughts moved so fast they barely paused, taking shape in just a few breaths.

Ning Fengzhi raised his head again and looked out the window. The sky over Tiandou City had changed.

The Spirit Hall's actions were so swift that they didn't seem like a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather like a meticulously planned game of chess that had been rehearsed countless times.

The handover of city defenses was completed, the guard posts at various passes were rotated, and even the Soul Masters patrolling the streets had been changed twice.

Within half a day, the entire Tiandou City was as if an invisible hand had completely erased it from the old map and placed another piece on the new map.

But this city is not only inhabited by compliant citizens.

The exodus of nobles lasted for a full day and night.

These people are used to living a life of luxury, and forcing them to live under the control of the Spirit Hall is worse than killing them.

The procession leaving the city formed a long line on the official road.

The Spirit Hall's guardian knights stood guard at the city gate, watching coldly without intervening or even bothering to ask any questions.