Ye Tian had no intention of meeting Xiao Wu.
In the afternoon, however, Xiao Wu still came.
Only, her delicate face no longer carried the joy of the past.
Yet she did not mention the news she had heard from Ning Fengzhi.
Her clear eyes simply gazed at Ye Tian in the courtyard, as if he were just a friend.
"Do you have time today?" Xiao Wu forced a faint smile.
Ye Tian, who had been sweeping the courtyard, set down the broom in his hands.
His gaze inadvertently swept past the top of Xiao Wu's head. "Mm, I do."
He had originally wanted to smile, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't.
"That's perfect. I'd like to invite you for a walk around Heaven Dou City."
"You've been here for so many days, but you probably haven't visited most of the streets, right?"
"If we don't go now… we might never get the chance again."
Xiao Wu's tone was calm.
But the calmer she sounded, the more unsettling it felt.
"May I join you?" Bo Saixi, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, stepped out from the living room, her pale golden waterfall-like hair cascading loosely.
After hearing Ye Tian's explanation yesterday, she knew Xiao Wu might very well take action against him.
Since she had decided to protect Ye Tian, safety was a concern that could not be ignored.
"If Sister Bo Saixi wants to come, of course you may." Xiao Wu tilted her head and smiled brightly.
Though Ye Tian was somewhat puzzled as to why Xiao Wu would invite him for a stroll at this moment, he trusted her character.
If she wanted to sever ties, she wouldn't resort to underhanded tricks.
"Where are we going?" Ye Tian looked up and asked.
Since they were going out, they needed a destination.
"Anywhere." Xiao Wu forced a smile.
Her tone was polite, as if speaking to a newly acquainted friend.
Ye Tian sighed inwardly.
He knew that he and Xiao Wu had grown distant after all.
But he masked it well on the surface.
This outing was likely Xiao Wu's way of saying goodbye to him.
All feasts must come to an end.
There would always be a time when the music stopped and the guests dispersed.
Since this was farewell, there was no need to act overly sorrowful.
Ye Tian walked up to Xiao Wu and casually took her hand:
"Though I haven't explored much of Heaven Dou City these days, I've heard that the banks of the Douluo River are the liveliest part of the city."
"There are many local specialties there. We could buy some while we stroll."
"Alright." Xiao Wu nodded lightly in agreement.
From beginning to end, she never brought up Ye Tian's collaboration with the Spirit Hall.
...
Somewhere in Heaven Dou City, an inconspicuous hotel, top-floor private room.
Dai Mubai sat inside, sipping tea slowly.
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the table, as if waiting for something.
Before long, a middle-aged man dressed as a beggar walked in with a resolute expression.
As soon as he entered, he knelt on one knee before Dai Mubai.
"Your Highness, Ye Tian and Xiao Wu have gone to the Douluo River commercial street."
"Understood. Inform all our hidden pieces—it's time to move."
Dai Mubai set down his teacup lightly, his gaze distant.
"Yes!" The beggar responded solemnly before turning to leave the room.
Beside Dai Mubai, Ning Rongrong, dressed in a cyan gown, wore a somewhat troubled expression.
"Are we really going to take action against Ye Tian?"
Dai Mubai replied indifferently, "Blame himself for this. There are many paths in this world, yet he chose the one that leads to a dead end."
"Though I admire him as much as you do, anyone who stands in the way of our interests must die."
"This is also your father's will, so you should abandon any thoughts of mercy."
Dai Mubai slowly turned his gaze to Ning Rongrong, offering words of comfort.
Ning Rongrong's expression twisted in discomfort, her right hand pressed against her chest.
"You instructed me yesterday to inform Xiao Wu of the mission, but I didn't tell her."
"So, Xiao Wu still doesn't know…"
"What's going on?!" Dai Mubai frowned, slamming the table with a sharp crack, his anger evident.
Zhu Zhuqing, sitting beside him, took Dai Mubai's hand and said,
"Rongrong was worried Xiao Wu wouldn't be able to handle it."
"Though Xiao Wu has a blood feud with the Spirit Hall, her relationship with Ye Tian is extremely close."
"Put yourself in her shoes—even if I were in Xiao Wu's position, I wouldn't be able to help you take action against Ye Tian!"
Dai Mubai's expression softened slightly.
He sighed and waved his hand.
"Forget it. It's better if Xiao Wu doesn't know about the assassination."
"Her choice… let's make it for her."
After these words, the spacious, luxurious private room fell into silence.
The mood among them was heavy.
Not out of pity for Ye Tian, but because assassinating him was a thankless task.
A battle where the gain did not outweigh the loss.
Ye Tian's relationship with Xue Qinghe was close.
Not to mention, as the Imperial Preceptor, he was undoubtedly under the protection of hidden guards sent by Xue Qinghe.
More importantly, after assassinating Ye Tian, they would likely face retaliation from Xue Qinghe.
If discovered, they would become wanted criminals of the Heaven Dou Empire forever.
Suddenly, Dai Mubai slammed the table and declared firmly:
"To resist the tyrannical Spirit Hall and preserve the power and status of our families, this is a choice we must make!"
"Since this assassination is taking place in Heaven Dou City, those renowned Title Douluo cannot intervene."
"However, I've secretly dispatched two Spirit Douluo from the Star Luo Empire."
Ning Rongrong fell silent for a moment before adding,
"My father has also sent two of his disciples."
Zhu Zhuqing chuckled coldly.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is even more ruthless. Yu Tianheng outright hired a Title Douluo to assassinate Ye Tian."
"Rumors say that Title Douluo is a sea spirit master, so no one will trace it back to us."
Zhu Zhuqing had only met Ye Tian briefly, so she held little personal attachment to him.
She couldn't help but remark, "Just how deep is the grudge between Yu Tianheng and Ye Tian?"
"To go so far as to hire a Title Douluo for this."
"Whatever feud they have, it's ultimately good for us, isn't it?" Dai Mubai smiled faintly and stood up.
"Enough sitting around. We need to head to the Douluo River immediately."
"If anything goes wrong, we can deliver the final blow ourselves."
"Alright." The other three nodded in agreement.
...
...
Though it was called a stroll, as Ye Tian walked alongside Xiao Wu, not a single word passed between them.
Bo Saixi trailed far behind, careful not to intrude.
The bustling vendors along the banks of the sparkling Douluo River failed to break the silence between them.
It wasn't until a peddler actively promoting his wares approached that the stillness was shattered.
The peddler wore coarse hemp clothes and had a sly look about him, carrying a battered box.
After glancing around to ensure no one was nearby, he covered his mouth and whispered to Ye Tian and Xiao Wu:
"Young master and miss, you look like a match made by the gods themselves. I've got something rare—interested?"
"What is it?" Xiao Wu, ever curious, couldn't help but ask.
Hearing this, the peddler checked his surroundings again.
Then, in a hushed voice, he said, "Follow me."
As if intending to lead them somewhere secluded.
Ye Tian chuckled at the peddler's secrecy: "You haven't even told us what you're selling."
"How can we follow you like this?"
At these words, the peddler sighed deeply.
He patted the box and said, "You two must be first-timers here, right?"
"This box in my hands is a marker."
"It… represents that the person carrying it sells Immortal Spirit Fruits…"
Xiao Wu pursed her lips.
"So you're just a fruit vendor?"
"What?" The peddler took offense, shooting Xiao Wu a glare.
"Calling this 'just fruit'?"
"Is the Immortal Spirit Fruit even a fruit?"
Like a thief, he pulled out a fingernail-sized, crimson mineral chunk from the tattered box.
"Here, smell it—genuine Immortal Spirit Fruit!"
Xiao Wu frowned.
This peddler must think she's a fool.
This was clearly a rock.
What kind of "Immortal Spirit Fruit" was this?
Did rocks even have a scent?
She instinctively leaned in to sniff, but Ye Tian pulled her back abruptly.
"Don't fall for his nonsense. This is probably a hallucinogen meant to disorient people."
Ye Tian, well-versed in medicine, had a sharper sense of smell than most.
The moment the peddler revealed it, he recognized it—a natural mineral-based hallucinogen.
"Who sent you to sell this?" Ye Tian narrowed his eyes.
"If you're not buying, why ask so many questions?"
Seeing the young man was sharp-minded, the peddler lost interest and irritably stuffed the "Immortal Spirit Fruit" back into his box.
He glared at Ye Tian disdainfully.
"Don't underestimate these tiny pieces. Just this much is worth a gold soul coin!"
"Where did you get this?" Ye Tian raised an eyebrow.
The peddler scoffed.
"What, you want in on the business?"
He puffed out his chest proudly.
"Fine, I'll tell you. These Immortal Spirit Fruits are actually made from the fruits of man-eating flowers in the Sunset Forest."
"There are plenty of them there—if you want them for free, go pick them yourself!"
"But don't say I didn't warn you. With your frail body, you might pick them but not live to use them!"
"My scavenger team had twenty people when we went to harvest those flowers. Only three of us made it back."
Xiao Wu couldn't help but feel contempt for the peddler.
"Why not do anything else instead of this life-risking trade?"
"Something so harmful to others and yourself—how can you sell it without shame?"
"Hah." The peddler gave Xiao Wu a mocking once-over, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Young miss from a wealthy family, what would you know about the struggles of us lowly folk?"
"If I had two acres of fertile land, who'd want to crawl through piles of corpses?"
The peddler weighed the "Immortal Spirit Fruit" in his hand before carefully placing it back in the box.
"If it weren't for rich kids like you who love this stuff, who'd even bother picking it?"
Xiao Wu was stunned.
She hadn't expected that a single gold soul coin could drive so many to risk their lives.
And she had no doubt that the peddler would never dream of consuming the Immortal Spirit Fruit himself.
The reason was simple— it was too valuable.
For a moment, Xiao Wu didn't know how to condemn him anymore.
"Aren't you afraid the authorities will arrest you?" Xiao Wu glared.
The peddler laughed hollowly.
"Hah, arrest us?"
"What law have we broken?"
"Everyone who goes to the Sunset Forest to harvest ingredients for the Immortal Spirit Fruit goes willingly."
"No one's forced. If a teammate dies from bad luck, it's not our fault, right?"
"Besides, the Immortal Spirit Fruit isn't lethal, and buyers purchase it voluntarily. So what crime have I committed?"
Xiao Wu fell silent.
The peddler's sales tactics seemed to exploit a loophole in Heaven Dou's laws.
But in her heart, she knew exactly what the Immortal Spirit Fruit was.
Absolutely harmful, to others and oneself.
"One day, that loophole will be closed," Xiao Wu said indignantly.
"Talk to me when you have the power to do so!" The peddler was growing impatient.
Today really was unlucky.
He'd thought he'd landed a big customer, only to run into a moralist.
"And one day, you won't need to sell Immortal Spirit Fruits to survive," Ye Tian murmured.
"Hopefully." The peddler sighed.
He hadn't expected this young man to show him sympathy.
It stirred something in him.
With a foolish grin, he said, "When that day comes, I hope the empire's taxes will be lighter too."
"Let's go." Ye Tian tugged lightly at Xiao Wu's sleeve.
"Mm."
Xiao Wu followed silently, but after a few steps, she couldn't help glancing back at the peddler.
With lingering anger, she said, "He may be pitiable, but that doesn't justify selling something so harmful."
Ye Tian chuckled softly and sat down by the riverbank.
"Want to hear his story?"
"The peddler's?" Xiao Wu looked puzzled.
"Have you met him before?"
"But then why didn't he recognize you?"
"No, we've never met." But I've gleaned much from his words just now.
This piqued Xiao Wu's curiosity.
She sat beside him, her fair legs neatly pressed together.
"Then I'd love to hear what story you can spin."
"Don't tell me you're making it up."
"I'm not." Ye Tian smiled.
"His story is one I know all too well."
"The peddler was born in a beautiful village, surrounded by mountains and rivers, with fertile farmland everywhere."
"But there was one regret—at age six, he failed to awaken a martial soul, becoming an ordinary farmer."
"And so, the village gained a hardworking peasant, tending to his family's five acres of land."
"Young as he was, he was a skilled farmer. Though five acres wasn't much, life was manageable."
"But one day, the tax collector came knocking. The emperor had issued a new decree to expand the military."
"Country folk had no say in imperial edicts. All they could do was pay obediently."
"And so, before the new harvest even came in, the peddler's family paid a hefty tax."
"Life grew harder, but it was still bearable."
"Then autumn arrived, and the crops ripened."
"Just as the family finished hauling the harvest home,"
"the tax collector returned, announcing a new construction tax for the emperor's palace."
(End of Chapter)