Chapter 51: Ning Fengzhi's Relief
"Here!"
Upon hearing Xue Ye's question, Qian Renxue immediately replied, "Your son believes that mere gold and silver cannot compare to the value of these long-serving officials of the Empire!"
Both Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhilin, as well as the two Soul Douluo dispatched from the royal family's worship hall, were confidants Qian Renxue had brought under her wing using Xue Qinghe's identity.
While infiltrating the Heaven Dou Empire, she couldn't frequently rely on the power of the Spirit Hall. These individuals were her reliable aides, and she had to find a way to rescue them.
"Indeed!"
Xue Ye, being an emperor, quickly realized that if he hesitated to spend money to save his men now, he couldn't expect them to risk their lives for him in the future.
Eager to gather information about the Nine Stars Palace, Qian Renxue immediately requested, "Your son is willing to personally go to the Sunset Forest to negotiate with the people of the Nine Stars Palace to redeem these officials!"
"Absolutely not!"
Xue Ye immediately rejected the idea. In his eyes, Xue Qinghe was his meticulously groomed heir, and nothing could be allowed to happen to him.
"Now that the Nine Stars Palace has turned against the Empire, how can you, the Crown Prince, take such a risk? If something were to happen to you, what would become of the Empire after my reign?"
"Precisely because the Nine Stars Palace has already turned against the Empire, your son must go personally to resolve this conflict!"
Qian Renxue said solemnly, "Father, the Nine Stars Palace is mysterious and powerful. The two Title Douluos with hundred-thousand-year soul rings alone rank it among the top forces on the continent. If we do not resolve our conflict with them promptly, and they turn to Star Luo, the Empire will be in grave danger!"
"Father, rest assured!"
Qian Renxue continued, "Before departing, I will visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and ask Master Ning to accompany me to the Sunset Forest. With Master Ning there, I believe there will be no danger!"
"Very well. With Sect Master Ning accompanying you, those in the Nine Stars Palace should not act rashly."
Convinced by Qian Renxue, Xue Ye nodded and agreed to her request.
After the meeting, Qian Renxue immediately left the palace and headed straight for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was located amidst a mountain range, a common choice for sects. Such locations were far from the bustling cities, allowing them to gather resources from the surrounding mountains and leverage the unique environment to conceal the sect.
Without knowing the way, one would spend a considerable amount of time finding it.
Although Xue Qinghe, or rather, Qian Renxue, was a disciple of Ning Fengzhi, it was well known that this was a political arrangement.
As a result, Xue Qinghe had very limited authority within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and was not allowed to roam freely.
Upon arriving at the outer perimeter of the School, she used the special communication method Ning Fengzhi had given her to inform him. Only then did Ning Fengzhi send a sect elder to escort her inside.
...
Inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's council hall.
On the north side of the hall, facing south, was a large rosewood-carved chair with a sizable jade stone embedded in the backrest.
The jade was a vibrant green, emitting a gentle and warm aura—clearly a piece of premium warm jade.
Seated on the rosewood chair was a man with a handsome and refined face, a straight nose, and a square mouth.
He had an air of scholarly elegance, wearing a spotless white robe, with his smooth black hair flowing down his back.
He appeared to be around forty years old, and he was Ning Fengzhi, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Over the years, Ning Fengzhi had always remained calm and composed, even in the face of calamity.
However, upon hearing what Xue Qinghe had to say, his expression changed several times, feeling a mix of shock and a hint of relief.
Why relief, one might ask? This brought to mind a question posed earlier by Xiao Yu.
Despite knowing from the Nine Hearts Begonia family that the Nine Stars Palace possessed soul tools with offensive or defensive capabilities that could elevate the status of auxiliary spirit masters, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had never approached them for business discussions.
That was because Ning Fengzhi believed that although soul tools were exquisite, long-term use would inevitably lead to wear and tear, resulting in their eventual obsolescence.
As a result, the sect would need to continuously invest large sums of money to replace the disciples' soul tools.
Therefore, it would be more efficient to directly seize the manufacturing methods of the soul tools from the Nine Stars Palace.
In the original story, he even contemplated acquiring the method of making hidden weapons from Tang San but refrained due to his fear of Tang Hao.
However, Ning Fengzhi was a cautious person. Without fully understanding the situation in the Nine Stars Palace, he did not dare to act rashly, leaving Yu Yuanzhen to take the initial risk.
The Nine Stars Palace already had a status comparable to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School with its four formidable members: two unknown Title Douluo with hundred-thousand-year soul rings, the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo with his unmatched dominance in group battles, and Yang Wudi, the head of one of the four affiliated clans of the former Haotian Sect, who, despite being a Soul Douluo, possessed attack power comparable to a Title Douluo.
Upon hearing Xue Qinghe's request, Ning Fengzhi immediately agreed, "Qinghe, rest assured. Notify me when you are about to depart, and I will accompany you along with Sword Uncle. Additionally, if there is any difficulty in raising funds, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School will fully support you!"
Even without Xue Qinghe's invitation, Ning Fengzhi had intended to visit after learning about the strength of the Nine Stars Palace.
Although he had thoughts of seizing the soul tool manufacturing methods from the Nine Stars Palace, nothing had been implemented yet, and their relationship had not deteriorated like that with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
In recent years, with the Haotian Sect in seclusion, the Spirit Hall had been quietly expanding its influence in the soul master world. As the leader of one of the top three sects, Ning Fengzhi increasingly felt this pressure.
At this time, with the emergence of a powerful and mysterious sect like the Nine Stars Palace, Ning Fengzhi naturally sought to establish good relations with them to resist the Spirit Hall in the future.
The supposed master and disciple exchanged formalities, with Ning Fengzhi advising Xue Qinghe not to neglect his cultivation, to which Xue Qinghe responded obediently.
After the pleasantries, Xue Qinghe took his leave.
Once Xue Qinghe had left, an elder with white hair and beard but a baby-like smooth face emerged from the back hall.
This person was Sword Douluo Chen Xin, one of the two guardian Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, known as the strongest attack Title Douluo with a spirit power level of 96.
Besides the old monsters of the Spirit Hall, only he and Tang Xiao, the Sect Master of the Haotian Sect, had broken through the level 95 barrier.
"Uncle Jian, with your vast experience, have you ever heard of the Nine Stars Palace?"
In terms of age, Chen Xin was a generation older than Ning Fengzhi. What Ning Fengzhi did not know might be known to Chen Xin.
Chen Xin shook his head, "I have never heard of this sect. However, if His Highness the Crown Prince was not exaggerating, I suspect that the Nine Stars Palace might be a reclusive sect with a rich heritage spanning thousands of years. It seems their current sect master is unwilling to remain hidden and plans to re-emerge."
(End of the Chapter)
🌟 Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers and supporters!
I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon community, you'll unlock a treasure trove of benefits, including:
📚 Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore new chapters, experiencing the twists and turns of our tales well ahead of regular readers. Your journey through our stories doesn't have to wait!
💬 Connect with the Community: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage in exciting discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.
👏 Support the Creator: Your patronage directly contributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the content you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!
Patreon.com/anish_44