After leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, Dugu Feng and Ye Lingling, like a divine couple, rented a carriage and spent a month leisurely traveling before finally returning to Heaven Dou City.
He had intentionally taken his time, knowing that by now, news from the frontlines had surely reached the Clear Sky Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
The various Soul Master families and forces were undoubtedly in an uproar.
This was exactly Dugu Feng's plan—to let the situation simmer before he stepped in to resolve it.
As the carriage entered Heaven Dou City, Dugu Feng's spiritual power sensed the surroundings, noticing the city had grown lively again.
In taverns and teahouses, discussions about the war were incessant.
The names "Serpent Spear" and "Pufferfish" had become frequent topics of conversation.
Xue Qinghe was also being openly and covertly mocked.
The revelation that the royal family had hidden two Titled Douluos was shocking, but they had ended up losing both—a classic case of "going for wool and coming back shorn."
It had truly become a laughingstock.
Of course, behind this, the various Soul Master forces were undoubtedly fanning the flames.
After all, they had been kept in the dark by the royal family: "We all support the Xue Family as emperors, yet you secretly cultivate Titled Douluos? What are you plotting?"
Their intentions were utterly reprehensible!
Dugu Feng listened with great interest throughout the journey, eventually escorting Ye Lingling back to her residence first.
However, after leaving the Ye residence, before the carriage could even set off, Bone Douluo appeared before him as if out of thin air.
Bone Douluo's expression was grim, as if he was suppressing his anger.
"You're quite carefree, aren't you, kid?" Bone Douluo fumed.
He was angry both because Dugu Feng hadn't returned to Heaven Dou City immediately after such a major event and because of Dugu Feng's intimate relationship with Ye Lingling.
"Oh, Your Eminence, there's no need to rush.
I know Brother Xue has already sent word to you, asking me to explain the matter of the two Titled Douluos.
I've returned now, haven't I? I'll go see Uncle Ning right away!" Dugu Feng replied calmly.
Bone Douluo felt helpless. Ning Fengzhi was aware of Dugu Feng's relationship with Ye Lingling but didn't mind.
As a top-tier noble, it was common to have more than one woman.
The fact that Dugu Feng was only intimately involved with Ye Lingling at the moment already made him more restrained than most noble youths.
Although Ye Lingling had some status, in the face of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, she was just an ordinary person. What threat could she possibly pose to Ning Rongrong?
Ning Fengzhi was not petty enough to get angry over such a thing.
Bone Douluo was only this upset because he had witnessed it in person today.
Moreover, after receiving the message from Xue Qinghe delivered from Tongshui City, he had waited and waited, but Dugu Feng simply didn't return.
How could he not be angry?
"Let's go. I want to see how you explain this. Tang Xiao has even suggested replacing the emperor with someone easier to control!"
Bone Douluo led the way toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Dugu Feng followed behind and said, "Sect Master Tang must have received the news from the Star Luo Emperor first, so it's understandable that he's overly agitated."
Bone Douluo was even more incensed. While others were overly agitated, Dugu Feng was overly unagitated.
After all, two Titled Douluos had been hidden right under their noses, making both him and Sword Douluo lose face.
According to the partial explanation sent back by Xue Qinghe, these were Titled Douluos the royal family had been cultivating since the time of Xue Ye the Great.
For so long, they had detected no clues whatsoever.
How embarrassing!
"Hmph!"
Bone Douluo couldn't help but snort coldly and silently quickened his pace.
A moment later, the two arrived at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Located right next to the imperial palace, the sect had continuously expanded in scale after shifting its focus to Heaven Dou City.
The grand and imposing buildings had become landmarks of Heaven Dou City second only to the imperial palace.
As they entered the sect, every passing Soul Master bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Young Master-in-law!"
"Hello, Young Master-in-law!"
"Greetings, Young Master Dugu!"
The forms of address for Dugu Feng varied—some bold ones directly called him "Young Master-in-law," while more conventional ones addressed him by his status.
Dugu Feng politely nodded in acknowledgment.
It seemed his identity had gained recognition throughout the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Dugu Feng gained a deeper understanding of his own reputation.
The title of Heaven Dou's top prodigy wasn't just for show.
Passing through several palaces, Dugu Feng entered the council hall.
He saw Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo seated in the main positions, waiting.
"Greetings, Uncle Ning, Your Eminence!" Dugu Feng said.
"Sit, Feng'er!"
Ning Fengzhi gestured, and the maids standing on both sides served tea to Dugu Feng and Bone Douluo before quietly exiting.
"Speak, young man Feng! Where did those two Titled Douluos come from? Are they related to the Spirit Hall?
And where did those two thousand Soul Masters suddenly appearing under their command come from!"
Bone Douluo, having held back his questions throughout the journey, immediately demanded.
After all, this sudden exposure wasn't just about Snake Spear Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo—there were also all those Soul Masters!
Dugu Feng cupped his hands toward Ning Fengzhi and said, "Apologies for keeping Uncle Ning waiting. Those two Titled Douluos and two thousand Soul Masters are all hidden forces of the royal family.
The reason we never detected any clues is because the royal family concealed these forces in the Western Sea!"
Dugu Feng believed Bone Douluo's anger stemmed mainly from the unknown—they were furious that the seemingly weak royal family could hide such powerful forces.
Naturally, Dugu Feng needed to explain the whole story clearly.
Before leaving Tongshui City, Qian Renxue had provided him with sufficient reasons.
These were the reasonable explanations Qian Renxue had painstakingly devised to distance themselves from the Spirit Hall.
"The Western Sea?" Ning Fengzhi and the other two looked at each other in astonishment.
"Exactly. Among the two Titled Douluos, the one named Pufferfish Douluo has a Martial Soul that's an ocean spirit beast. He was a potential Soul Master discovered by the royal family in the Western Sea.
Ocean Soul Masters and Land Soul Masters have never gotten along, with different beliefs and minimal communication.
The royal family seized upon this point and, several generations ago, dispatched trusted followers to the Western Sea to secretly support some pirate groups in developing power. Unexpectedly, after over a hundred years, the harvest has been substantial.
However, the Xue Family emphasized concealment—whenever these pirate groups took action, they left no survivors, which is why information never leaked.
Before his death, Xue Ye the Great warned Brother Xue that the Heaven Dou Empire should never use this power unless facing national destruction.
But Brother Xue, with his great ambitions to quickly unify the continent, paid no heed to Xue Ye the Great's warning.
Originally, he planned to have these two Titled Douluos and two thousand Soul Masters ambush Star Luo Empire's troops outside the city before immediately returning to the Western Sea, thereby enabling Heaven Dou's army to break through Star Luo Empire's defenses and unify the continent."
Somehow the Star Luo Emperor found out about this, and in the end used the Netherworld White Tiger Soul Fusion Skill to launch a surprise attack and kill these two Titled Douluos!"
Dugu Feng explained seriously.
"It really has nothing to do with the Spirit Hall?"
Ning Fengzhi questioned.
Although this explanation seemed reasonable, something felt off.
Having remained hidden for over a hundred years without any flaws—it was just too perfect!
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