This day.
Heaven Dou City was filled with an atmosphere of fear.
The Royal Imperial Guards and Spirit Master Guard teams scoured the city like a fine-tooth comb.
They practically turned over every inch of land, and all four city gates were heavily guarded, allowing entry but no exit.
The culprit had already been identified.
The clues were actually very clear.
Anyone familiar with Li Dixian knew.
His only recent feud was with Ma Hongjun, who came from outside the city.
And Ma Hongjun's accompanying teacher—the Immovable King Zhao Wuji—was a Spirit Saint-level expert.
Everything matched... The Imperial City, spanning hundreds of square kilometers, seemed vast.
Yet, it couldn't withstand the plowing-like search of the Imperial Guards and Spirit Master teams.
Northern outskirts of the Imperial City.
A secluded village.
Gazing at the suddenly increased number of unfamiliar faces outside the village, Zhao Wuji, hidden in the shadows, clenched his fists, his breathing gradually growing heavy.
He hadn't expected them to find him so quickly!
This Li Dixian truly made many friends!
He returned to the inn where he was staying in the early morning.
Because Ma Hongjun's injuries worsened, he was delayed by seeking medical treatment.
By the time his injuries stabilized, it was already too late to leave the city.
Zhao Wuji turned his head, his gaze directed towards the depths of the village.
Ma Hongjun was hidden there.
He was being cared for by people arranged by Qin Ming.
He couldn't run anymore.
If he escaped, Ma Hongjun would surely be found.
Even if Ma Hongjun hadn't done anything, he wouldn't escape the wrath that would be directed at him.
"Master, Dean... they should have received the news by now..."
"I've done everything I can."
"It's just a pity..."
"I'm not sure if Li Dixian is dead or not!"
Confused thoughts churned in his mind.
Zhao Wuji took a deep breath and strode out from the village entrance.
As soon as his figure appeared.
He was immediately noticed by the searching Spirit Masters.
They surrounded him in a dense mass, blocking every escape route.
"Heh..."
Zhao Wuji's gaze swept over their faces, and he let out a savage grin.
"Before I die, killing one isn't a loss; killing two is a huge profit!"
"Roar—!"
His body suddenly swelled, and violent Soul Power surged, as if he was about to directly unleash his Spirit True Body.
However, at this moment.
A withered, thin hand appeared out of thin air and slapped Zhao Wuji hard across the face.
Clap—!
A crisp sound burst forth.
Zhao Wuji was slapped flying over a hundred meters.
His not-yet-formed Spirit True Body was forcibly dispersed.
"Bullying the small, have you gotten used to it?"
Dugu Bo stood with his hands behind his back, his emerald eyes as cold as ice.
"Old man asks you, where is Li Dixian?"
Zhao Wuji staggered to his feet.
A ghastly green palm print was clearly visible on his left cheek.
The skin and flesh at the edge of the palm print actually peeled off like rotten wood chips.
Zhao Wuji was also a tough man; he trembled all over from the pain but didn't utter a single word.
"Poison Douluo Your Excellency."
Snake Lance, disguised as a Prince's personal guard , stepped forward.
"By the Prince's oral decree, why not hand Zhao Wuji over to the palace for interrogation?"
"Under torture, he won't fail to speak."
Dugu Bo nodded.
"If there's any news, inform this old man first."
...Zhao Wuji was escorted to the backyard of the Prince's sleeping quarters.
He still had a hint of a sneer on his face.
But when his gaze fell upon the person hanging on the thorny stone pillar in the courtyard, it suddenly froze, and his tiger eyes widened.
"Qin... Qin Ming?!"
"You..."
Qin Ming struggled to lift his head, a bitter smile forced onto his pale face.
"Old... Teacher... Actually, when I told you Jian Jiu's identity..."
"I already knew this day would come..."
Zhao Wuji was struck by lightning, standing motionless on the spot.
Regret, self-reproach, pain, and other emotions surged in his heart.
Qin Ming should have had a bright future... but because of his almost forced plea for help, he was now imprisoned, his life hanging in the balance.
"This matter has nothing to do with anyone else!"
"It was all done by me alone!"
Zhao Wuji roared hoarsely.
Xue Qinghe walked over.
"Where is Li Dixian?"
Zhao Wuji was silent, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"I want you to release Qin..."
Before he finished speaking.
Swoosh—
A condensed, almost material, bright Soul Power, as sharp as a knife, suddenly swept past.
Puff—
Qin Ming's wrist snapped off in response and fell to the ground.
"Ah!!!"
A mournful shriek tore through the deathly silence of the backyard.
Zhao Wuji's eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently.
"I'll tell you..."
"Li Dixian..."
He stared at Xue Qinghe, cruelty surging in his eyes, enunciating each word:
"Was, killed, by, me."
"His body was thrown into the moat."
"You release Qin Ming, and I'll take you to find his corpse."
The backyard fell into a deathly silence.
Xue Qinghe slowly closed her eyes.
Each breath became difficult, as if her throat was being choked, and a sense of suffocation surged over her.
Only a buzzing noise remained in her ears, and the world seemed to fall silent at this moment.
She dragged her feet.
Ignoring Porcupinefish and Snake Lance's words.
Xue Qinghe didn't even know how she left the backyard.
Seeing Xue Qinghe like this, Snake Lance's face darkened, and he waved his hand; several old eunuchs holding instruments of torture walked into the backyard with sinister smiles.
Xue Qinghe didn't stop until she entered her own sleeping quarters.
Her gaze fell upon the morning light, resplendent on the windowsill, reflecting in her unfocused eyes.
In the hazy light and shadow.
She seemed to see that white-robed young man again, smiling as he patted the empty seat beside him, calling her over to sit with him.
Tears burst forth without warning.
They slid down her pale cheeks.
Xue Qinghe sobbed silently, her slender shoulders trembling slightly.
"Li Dixian..."
"This Prince... Saintess forbids you to die."
"You haven't seen my appearance yet..."
"You haven't called my real name yet..."
"I haven't fished with you under my true identity yet..."
"This Saintess forbids you to die!"
...Soto City.
Flender and Yu Xiaogang, upon receiving the news, were filled with shock and anger.
They immediately set off for Heaven Dou City.
Watching their frantic retreating figures.
Tang San and Oscar exchanged glances, full of questions.
Only Dai Mubai quietly clenched his fists.
Even if the Dean and Master hadn't explicitly said anything.
But that letter came from Heaven Dou City.
To make the two of them so distraught... nine times out of ten, something had happened to Fatty.
Tang San looked at Dai Mubai.
"Mubai, do you know what happened?"
Dai Mubai's expression was uncertain.
Finally, he lowered his voice and told Tang San and Oscar his embellished version of the truth.
The result, naturally, was that Tang San and Oscar felt a common hatred for the enemy.
"Hmph, the Shrek Seven Devils are a team; if that Jian Jiu hurt Fatty, we naturally won't stand by and do nothing."
And less than a day after Flender and Yu Xiaogang left.
Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing, who had been training in the Star Dou Great Forest, returned.
Upon learning that the Dean and Master had rushed to the Imperial City.
Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face changed slightly; she immediately guessed it might be related to "Jian Jiu."
She didn't even have time to say more.
She suddenly flipped onto a horse, shaking the reins.
Like an arrow released from a bow, she galloped towards the official road leading to the Imperial City.
"Hey! Zhuqing!"
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong's shouts were left behind, leaving only dust.
Ferocity surged in Dai Mubai's evil eyes.
"Indeed!"
"That slut Zhu Zhuqing really has something going on with that Jian Jiu!"
..."Cough cough... cough cough..."
On a branch of an ancient tree.
Li Dixian slowly opened his eyes; the sunlight that suddenly entered his vision made him close his eyes for a moment, then open them again.
His lips were cracked, and his voice was hoarse.
"It's good to be alive..."
"Hiss, it hurts so much..."