Six months later, inside the main hall of the Wuji Sect.
Chrysanthemum Douluo sat leisurely on the right, sipping tea, while Ning Fengzhi sat on the left, with the unmoving Sword Douluo standing behind him.
The sect leader's throne at the very top was naturally empty.
Ning Fengzhi was initially surprised to learn that Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had joined the Wuji Sect.
However, upon reflection, he realized that Lin Mu and Chrysanthemum Douluo already had connections, and with Lin Mu's strength and methods, recruiting them wouldn't be difficult.
Moreover, the fact that Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo dared to publicly betray the Spirit Empire was enough to demonstrate Lin Mu's ability to oppose it.
"Elder Chrysanthemum, when will His Majesty Lin Mu arrive?" Ning Fengzhi asked anxiously.
Hearing this, Chrysanthemum Douluo calmly put down his teacup and said indifferently,
"Sect Master Ning, please don't worry. I've already gone to inform him, but he's always very busy; I don't know if he'll have time."
Since joining the Wuji Sect, he had experienced unprecedented treatment.
Since Lin Mu was rarely at the sect, he and Old Ghost were basically in charge of supervising it.
Of course, people like Yang Wudi and Niu Gao also had some authority, but slightly less than the two of them.
Although Lin Mu had completely delegated authority to them, they didn't dare do anything underhanded. Otherwise, if someone reported them, they might not see the sun rise the next day.
In the best-case scenario, they would just be beaten by Lin Mu until they questioned their existence.
Seeing Chrysanthemum Douluo's leisurely appearance, Ning Fengzhi looked helpless and could only sit back down and continue waiting.
More than ten minutes later, Lin Mu and Ghost Douluo finally appeared.
Upon seeing this, Ning Fengzhi quickly stood up from his seat and bowed slightly, saying, "Greetings, Your Excellency Lin Mu."
"Sect Master Ning, there's no need for formalities. What brings you here?"
Lin Mu asked directly.
Although the sect leader's seat was at the top, he had no interest in sitting there; he preferred to handle things simply and directly.
While his cultivation hadn't improved much during this time, he had developed the Elemental Academy into the number one academy on the entire continent, collecting a considerable amount of faith power from elemental soul masters.
For him, it was a fulfilling period.
Ning Fengzhi wasn't surprised by Lin Mu's decisive and efficient style. With such speed, handling matters naturally wouldn't be slow.
"Your Majesty Lin Mu, I haven't seen His Majesty for over a year. I'd like to inquire about His Majesty's well-being."
As he spoke, a strange expression appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face.
It was well known that when Xue Qinghe first took power, he was incredibly diligent, only taking a few days off occasionally. How could he possibly disappear for over a year?
There must be something unusual going on; some even speculated that Lin Mu had murdered Xue Qinghe.
However, few believed this speculation, as Lin Mu would gain nothing by killing Xue Qinghe, especially since Xue Qinghe's ascension to the throne was entirely due to Lin Mu.
As time passed, various speculations emerged, with some even suspecting that Lin Mu had imprisoned Xue Qinghe in a secret chamber.
However, thanks to Lin Mu's stabilizing presence, the Heaven Dou Empire didn't descend into chaos.
Lin Mu didn't care about these rumors at all.
Initially, he wanted to create the illusion that Qian Renxue was still in the palace, but after a year and a half, this illusion collapsed on its own.
During that time, he considered finding someone to impersonate Xue Qinghe, but unfortunately, he couldn't find a suitable candidate.
"Sect Master Ning, knowing too much about some things isn't necessarily a good thing,"
Lin Mu said meaningfully.
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi's pupils contracted, and he immediately took a deep breath, tentatively asking, "Could it be that His Majesty has encountered an accident?"
In his view, Lin Mu couldn't possibly have harmed Xue Qinghe.
There was only one possibility left: something had happened to Xue Qinghe himself, and Lin Mu was forced to keep it secret for the sake of the empire's stability.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
Lin Mu's eyes flickered, carrying a hint of seriousness and threat.
Seeing this, Ning Fengzhi's expression changed. It seemed he had guessed wrong; the matter was far more serious than he had imagined.
After a moment of contemplation, he looked up at Lin Mu and solemnly said, "Your Majesty has been kind to my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. How can I remain uninvolved? Please tell me, Your Majesty."
In truth, he was more concerned for the sect's sake.
After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was already bound to Xue Qinghe. If a different emperor were to rule, the sect would inevitably be affected.
Actually, he had considered siding with Lin Mu, but that path was impossible.
Unless he was willing to merge into the Wuji Sect like the Clear Sky Sect, he couldn't expect Lin Mu's protection.
The Clear Sky Sect, once the number one sect in the world, could only become a small Hammer Hall under the jurisdiction of the Wuji Sect's Tang Sect. If their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect joined, they would likely only become a Tower Hall.
He simply couldn't accept this outcome.
"Alright, telling you isn't impossible."
Lin Mu suddenly stepped forward and lowered his voice. "Xue Qinghe isn't the original Xue Qinghe."
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo were both stunned.
That short sentence exploded in their minds. They had considered many possibilities, but never doubted the authenticity of Xue Qinghe's identity.
Ning Fengzhi quickly recovered, looking at Lin Mu with a complex expression.
No wonder Lin Mu was unwilling to serve the Heaven Dou Royal Family before, but a few years later, he actively helped Xue Qinghe seize the throne.
Clearly, there were clues behind everything.
As for Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo beside him, they already knew about Lin Mu's relationship with Qian Renxue.
After a moment, Ning Fengzhi asked, "Now that you're telling me, aren't you afraid I'll expose this to the public?"
"Since I've already said it, I naturally am not worried about such a thing happening. Even if someone believes you, it's like a mayfly trying to shake a tree,"
Lin Mu said calmly.
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi fell silent.
He knew, of course, that the Heaven Dou Empire had undergone a hidden change, and with the Spirit Empire eyeing it covetously, the Heaven Dou Empire couldn't do without Lin Mu.
Moreover, the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, had vanished without a trace, most likely eliminated.
Even if a suitable heir to the throne could be found, it wouldn't oppose Lin Mu.
Always pragmatic, Ning Fengzhi naturally wouldn't do something so futile.
After some consideration, Ning Fengzhi sighed, then said resolutely, "Since we have already pledged allegiance to His Majesty, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will remain loyal to the end."
At this point, regardless of the fake Xue Qinghe's true identity, he had no choice but to continue down this path.
In truth, the Heaven Dou Empire was definitely much stronger than before, especially with Lin Mu and the Wuji Sect, possessing the potential to unify the continent.
"This matter still requires the assistance of Sect Master Ning to provide some cover."
Lin Mu told Ning Fengzhi about this mainly to use his identity to reassure others.
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi immediately agreed. With frequent border conflicts, concealing the truth wouldn't be difficult.
As for the Emperor's specific situation, he didn't dare to inquire further.