"Heartless Xiao Tian, locking me up for three days!!!"
At dawn, a song only Tianlin could hear echoed over the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, full of righteous resentment.
"Brother Skydream, I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to. I just forgot again!" Tianlin kept apologizing.
But this time, Skydream Iceworm was truly angry and ignored him.
On Ning Rongrong's side, Snow Empress and Ice Empress also looked displeased. Like Skydream and Xiao Bai, they'd been locked up for three days. Back when they ruled the Extreme North, they'd never suffered such indignity.
"Tianlin, a gentle wife is a hero's grave. You can't indulge in pleasure all day. And Rongrong is delicate—after three days, have you considered her health?" Ice Empress scolded, face matching Tianmeng's.
Snow Empress nodded sagely. "Exactly. If you must indulge, at least let me watch. I still haven't seen how humans make babies. So stingy, Xiao Tian!"
Tianlin had been nodding along apologetically but froze at Snow Empress's words. Her focus always seemed a little off.
"Snow Empress, Ice Empress, Skydream—don't say such things!" Ning Rongrong blushed. "Brother Sword actually spent the last two days taking me sightseeing. We just had too much fun and forgot."
"Oh, two days sightseeing? Xiao Bai, how much is three minus two?" Snow Empress asked gently.
Thinking his mother was testing him, Xiao Bai held up three fingers, then bent two down. "Mother, it's one!"
"Good boy. Xiao Tian, did you hear? Even Xiao Bai can count—you still tormented Rongrong for a full day. Beast!" Snow Empress teased.
"Even if I jumped in the Yellow River, I couldn't wash this away." Tianlin looked defeated—this was social death.
He'd been so lost in Ning Rongrong's tenderness these days he'd forgotten all ambition.
Fortunately, Ning Fengzhi stepped in. Oslo's intel had already been handed over. Since Tianlin and Ning Rongrong were newlyweds, he'd given them a few days off before calling Tianlin back to business.
"Alright, sisters, Skydrean—let my husband go. My father is waiting for him," Ning Rongrong said, straightening Tianlin's collar. "Brother Sword, go quickly. My father seemed serious today. Oslo must have brought important news."
"Alright. Rongrong, please do me a favor. Tianheng and the others are still here at my request. Gather everyone—I need to discuss something with the group, including Oslo and Zhu Zhuqing, even if they're hiding."
"Okay." Ning Rongrong nodded, and they went their separate ways.
She went to gather the Emperor Battle Team and former Shrek members, while Tianlin went to the main hall.
Ning Fengzhi wasn't there, so Tianlin went behind the sect master's seat, opened a mechanism, and revealed a hidden basement.
Sure enough, Ning Fengzhi was there, sitting at a table piled with intelligence reports, looking grave.
"Father-in-law." Tianlin greeted him. Now married to Ning Rongrong, he could no longer call him uncle.
"Xiao Tian, you're here. Had a good few days, I hope. But happy times are short—greater challenges await us." Ning Fengzhi said heavily. "Look at this—this is a message Yu Luomian was supposed to send out in the name of the Upper Three Sects, but Oslo intercepted it. If it had gotten out, a devastating war would have been inevitable."
"What kind of information could be that powerful?" Tianlin asked curiously, reading the secret letter—he was shocked by its contents.
It revealed the true circumstances of Qian Xunji's death, in great detail—from Bibi Dong's violation to her killing Qian Xunji, exactly matching the story Tianlin had told Qian Renxue.
If this message had been sent in the name of the Upper Three Sects, it would have caused the war Ning Fengzhi feared. The three sects appeared united, but a crazed Bibi Dong wouldn't just blame the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family—she'd go after all three.
Qian Renxue's efforts would be wasted, and if this secret spread continent-wide, Bibi Dong might really want to destroy the world.
"It's shocking, isn't it? I thought Qian Xunji was killed by Tang Hao," Ning Fengzhi said. "But now I'm sure—this secret force must be from Spirit Hall, otherwise how could they know such important things?"
"But there's something I can't figure out. This secret force once helped Qian Renxue target my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. They're not loyal to Bibi Dong or Qian Daoliu, but they're definitely on Spirit Hall's side. But right now, a war between Spirit Hall and the Upper Three Sects helps no one. Why are they pushing for war so hard?"
Tianlin lowered his head. Ning Fengzhi made sense. He wasn't surprised by the letter's contents—he'd known already—but he was shocked that someone had leaked it, and more curious about their goals.
He hadn't broken his promise to Qian Renxue and told no one. It couldn't be from her side either.
"Father-in-law, does Golden Crocodile Douluo have any other important intelligence we can connect?"
Ning Fengzhi handed over another thick stack. "Some, but nothing substantial. He only found out that those killing civilians at the border were from Slaughter City—they used a special method to kill and absorb their souls. Golden Crocodile killed three Soul Douluo on the spot. Though the victims couldn't be saved, at least their souls were freed."
"That's all the information. I feel like there's a missing thread. If we can find it, we'll be able to piece everything together," Ning Fengzhi sighed.