Chapter 290: The Early Return
Yu Xiaogang clutched the intelligence report in his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his teeth nearly grinding to dust. His body trembled as he read through the information regarding the Soul Master Tournament in the Heaven Dou division.
There was no doubt he had been betrayed.
And this was clearly Tang Hao's doing.
Tang San had knelt and kowtowed before him. If Yu Xiaogang were to believe that his disciple had no desire to learn the secret of cultivating twin martial souls simultaneously, he would be a fool.
That left only Tang Hao. Yet before leaving, Yu Xiaogang had specifically spoken with Tang Hao, advising him to keep a low profile so his mission could proceed smoothly.
But now…
Tang Hao, you've ruined me! Yu Xiaogang howled internally.
Tang Hao had never trusted him. He had continued acting as he pleased, paying no heed to Yu Xiaogang's plans. As for the Elder Token, Tang Hao likely never cared about it in the first place.
"Heh, do you have anything else to say?"
Bibi Dong watched Yu Xiaogang's utterly defeated expression, an indescribable sense of satisfaction rising in her heart.
The scene she had hoped for did not unfold, yet the very request Yu Xiaogang sought had been destroyed by the person he trusted most. A twisted pleasure filled her chest.
"No… nothing more…"
The report slipped from Yu Xiaogang's hands. Since Bibi Dong already knew everything, what was the point of pleading any further?
Bibi Dong stared at him blankly, a trace of hesitation flickering in her heart before she instinctively asked, "Is that disciple of yours really so important to you? You didn't even look like this when you left Spirit City all those years ago."
Yu Xiaogang hadn't expected Bibi Dong to say such a thing. He lifted his head mechanically, glancing at her before answering,
"You wouldn't understand. He is my hope… like a son to me."
He avoided directly addressing her words, unwilling to recall the past when he had left like a stray dog.
But to Bibi Dong, his reaction was nothing short of confirmation.
She had lost again. Twenty years ago, she had lost to Liu Erlong. And now, she had lost to his disciple.
Then… what did that make her?
Bibi Dong could no longer contain her emotions. She grabbed the teacup beside her and hurled it at Yu Xiaogang's head.
Yu Xiaogang didn't dodge. Or rather, he didn't have time to.
The cup shattered against his forehead, blood mixing with the long cooled tea as it trickled down his face and seeped into his collar.
"No… Xiaogang…"
The stark sight of his blood brought Bibi Dong back to her senses, and for a moment, she softened. She instinctively took a few steps forward, wanting to help tend to his wound.
But Yu Xiaogang, his face expressionless, took two steps back, halting her advance. This was already a better outcome than he had anticipated.
Under Bibi Dong's gaze, Yu Xiaogang bowed deeply.
"If Your Holiness still has any lingering sentiments from the past, I ask that you allow me to leave… and show some mercy to that child. He is innocent. He doesn't even know of Tang Hao's identity."
Bibi Dong's outstretched hand froze in midair.
He was still pleading on behalf of his disciple.
Blood dripped onto the pristine floor, a stark reminder of boundaries that should not be crossed.
After a long silence, Bibi Dong, still staring at the blood on the ground, finally uttered three words:
"You may go."
Yu Xiaogang said nothing more. He straightened, turned around, and walked out of the hall without looking back. He knew Bibi Dong had given her word.
As his figure disappeared, Bibi Dong collapsed into her chair, staring fixedly at the blood staining the floor.
"Why didn't he dodge?"
"His child… his child… A cursed fate… Why must I endure all of this?"
"If back then… our child… they'd be around that age now, wouldn't they?"
"I've hurt him again…"
"Why…?"
In the secluded palace, a dark purple mist began to rise, interwoven with muffled sobs and chilling, hateful whispers, as if multiple voices resided within.
And Bibi Dong did not emerge.
Outside, under the astonished gazes of the guards, Yu Xiaogang descended the mountain with his forehead wrapped in white bandages.
Ignoring their questioning looks, he let out a sigh of relief. Only when he was a fair distance away did he dare to glance back at the Supreme Pontiff Palace. His eyes held a trace of lingering fear.
Thank goodness.
Bibi Dong's reaction had been strange, but in the end, he had made it out intact. Reaching up to touch his now scabbed over wound, his heart seethed with rage toward Tang Hao.
That bastard had nearly gotten him killed.
As for Bibi Dong, Yu Xiaogang felt little beyond mild frustration. Though he sometimes reflected on the past and cursed Qian Xunji in the depths of the night, the truth was that Bibi Dong held little weight in his heart certainly not as much as the books and knowledge he had spent his life pursuing.
This time, he had gambled too much.
At least Bibi Dong had chosen to let him go.
That was the best outcome he could have hoped for.
Yu Xiaogang let out a self deprecating laugh and headed back to the hotel. He still needed to properly tend to his wound, and more importantly, he had to write a letter immediately. He couldn't let the favor he had risked so much to earn be wasted just because of Tang Hao's reckless actions, which could put Tang San in danger.
In Heaven Dou City, at Han Li's residence, Salas knocked on the courtyard gate. Han Li frowned slightly and walked over to open it.
"What brings you here?" Han Li looked at Salas. The man had never come to visit before.
Salas gave a respectful bow and handed over two letters with both hands.
"Your Holiness, these letters come from the Supreme Pontiff Palace and the Elder Hall." As he spoke, he carefully observed Han Li's expression.
"Oh?" Han Li's interest was piqued. A letter from the Elder Hall wasn't surprising, but this was the first time he had received one from the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
Without paying attention to Salas's scrutiny, Han Li opened both letters and read them one by one. After finishing, he casually summoned a small flame, reducing them to ashes without showing any emotion.
"Alright, I'll leave the remaining matters here to you. I'll depart the day after tomorrow," Han Li nodded at Salas, showing no intention of inviting him in before shutting the gate.
Outside, Salas let out a breath of relief and turned to leave. This had gone much smoother than he had expected.
He was well aware of the content of the Supreme Pontiff Palace's letter it merely informed Han Li that the mission in the Heaven Dou division was complete and that he should return to Spirit City to discuss the finals.
Well… in Salas's view, whether Han Li paid any attention to it or not was irrelevant. Unexpectedly, Han Li had agreed outright.
After sending Salas away, Han Li lay back on his reclining chair and closed his eyes.
The Elder Hall's letter had been written by his master, Guang Ling, asking when he planned to return. They had already broken through and were feeling bored. The letter also mentioned that Bibi Dong had met with Yu Xiaogang and, naturally, that he had left with his head cracked open and bleeding.
And now, at this precise moment, the Supreme Pontiff Palace had also sent a summons.
Were they afraid he might kill Tang San? Han Li pondered and could only come up with that possibility. He opened his eyes, but his expression was rather strange.
Lately, he had been busy, so he hadn't been closely monitoring everyone's actions and wasn't entirely sure of their current states. Yet, things had taken an unexpected turn.
What was this supposed to mean? Was Bibi Dong protecting Tang San now?
It made sense that the Elder Hall wouldn't take action against Tang San because of him, but Bibi Dong? Was it because of Yu Xiaogang? But didn't she just crack his skull open?
So… was this some kind of compensation?
Han Li shuddered slightly, feeling goosebumps rise on his arms. He shook his head. He couldn't figure out what Bibi Dong was thinking. The chaos of love combined with her already unstable nature made her the type of person Han Li hated dealing with the most.
Forget it. He had been planning to return anyway. He'd sort things out once he got back.
Tomorrow, he would meet with Qian Renxue one last time before setting out.
"Xiu'er jie," Han Li called out instinctively. They were going home early.
"Hmm? What is it, Xiao Li?"
Time passed quickly. Shui Bing'er was bidding farewell to her teammates at Tianshui Academy, Dugu Yan had gone to find Ye Lingling, and Zhu Zhuqing had sent someone to call Ning Rongrong.
On the surface, only Han Li and Xiu'er remained quiet but that was only on the surface.
While the elimination rounds continued, Han Li and his group quietly left Heaven Dou City.
This time, Han Li made no public contact with Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, and strangely, Xue Qinghe also seemed to have "forgotten" about it.
Han Li's departure didn't stir up much commotion. Compared to the buzz his arrival had caused, it was barely a whisper.
Watching their carriage disappear into the distance, Tang Hao finally returned to Yue Xuan. The Holy Son of Spirit Hall leaving early was a signal at least, in his eyes, it meant his plan had worked.
"So we're heading back, huh? It's a shame Lingling isn't coming with us."
On the carriage, Dugu Yan rolled over lazily on the bed, her voice filled with casual complaint.
"She won't take long. She'll be there soon enough," Han Li replied absentmindedly, setting down his book.
"Well, that's true. It's been a while since I've seen Grandpa. I kind of miss him." Dugu Yan sat up and scooted closer to Han Li, unconcerned about her slightly disheveled robe.
"Old man's already broken through to Rank 96. Have you prepared a gift for him?"
"My return alone will make him happy. Besides, I should be hitting Rank 70 soon. That's the best gift."
"Shameless."
"Learned from you."
Soon, the rest of the group joined in, and the carriage was filled with lively chatter as always.
Han Li cast one last glance back toward Heaven Dou City, his mind lingering on the figures that had followed him from the shadows as he left.
He thought about his meeting with Qian Renxue and the stack of noble family dossiers she had handed him. The smile in his eyes deepened. He hadn't left empty handed, after all.
The stage was set.
Now, he just had to wait for the players to perform.
Oh, right.
He hadn't forgotten to notify Liu Erlong either. She would be coming alone.
The finals…
He was looking forward to them.
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