Douluo Dalu: 9 Treasure Sword

All of us entered the carriage which started moving towards Heaven Dou City.

"Grandpa, why couldn't we use your black holes to quick travel" Mayi asked, after a month of infernal training with only uncle Bone spoiling her giving sweets to her, Bone treats her similar as Rongrong and convinced her to call him Grandpa, he always has a soft spot for girls.

"You only see grandpa as a transport method?" said Bone joking but with his usual serious face. Bone explained "My black holes long transport are my 5th ability and it only let me teleport 50 m of my target. I can only make 5 targets, that can't be changed, being Fengzhi, Xiangxie, Chen Xin, Rongrong and Bai, so that I can quickly protect them".

After a long trip we finally arrived at the city. We directly went to the palace.

We passed through many guards checks. With our status as one of the three upper clans the inspections where minimal and we easily passed.

At the palace's doors we exited the carriage, uncle Bone simply disappearing leaving us three 'alone', at least is what it seems. There we were guided by some maid inside the palace to a room.

The room was very luxurious, with one big table surrounded by two sofas at one side, on the other side there was a desk with chairs.

Inside the room there was Qinghe. Seeing us he signaled to the maid who made a bow and left the room.

Qinghe approached us and bowed to dad "It is a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you again, teacher" he turned to me and smiled "Long time not seeing you Bai".

My dad sighed "I always tell you to skip the formalities, Qinghe".

"How can I be so disrespectful to my teacher?" Qinghe said, then turned to Mayi and made a light bow and smiled at her "Who may be this beautiful lady?".

Mayi a little nervous made a curtsy "I am Tai Mayi, your highness, it is my honor have the privilege to meet you".

"You don't need to be so formal, if you came with Bai surely you are good friends, his friends are my friends" Qinghe said "And it's my p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e miss Tai, I am Xue Qinghe, you can call me Qinghe".

"In this case you can call me Mayi" Mayi answered but even now a little wary.

"What will be your relation with Bai and teacher? If is not too disrespectful to ask" asked Qinghe.

"She is my girlfriend, in the future she will be my fiancee when I will tal with her clan" I answered rubbing my neck.

Qinghe's expression changed to a little pissed, but was only an instant, it was so fast changed to her usual smile that we didn't even realized it "Good news for you to find love. I am very jealous"

"What are you joking? With your look and status, surely there are tones of women throwing themselves at your arms" I said to him.

Qinghe forced smiled "In the future a must marry for the convenience of the kingdom, without mattering my opinion so I am glad at least for you to find true love" Qinghe said "For other matters, how did you two meet? Knowing Bai surely there will be some kind of fight".

Seeing Mayi very tense and knowing that she won't answer I answered "We are part of the main team of Heaven Du Imperial Academy. The truth is that the first day that we met we fought".

"I cannot expect anything less from you, Bai" laughed Qinghe. He turned to Mayi "You don't need to be so nervous, speak informally, is no offense" Qinghe tried to calm Mayi "I suppose that if you obtained Bai attention is means that you are very talented"

Mayi nodded "I am rank 43 with 13 years, for strength I am similar to Bai, oriented in raw power unlike him".

"Oh, so another young genius. I would like to have a little spar with you. Maybe later." Qinghe turned to dad "Congratulations to teacher, it seems that the Seven Treasured Titled Glaze Clan gained another talent, securing the future of your clan".

"Is my clan luck for having so talented young generation" Dad said. He then turned serious "For other matters, did you find something new about that?"

Qinghe looked around, specially at Mayi with doubt "Do you completely trust the people in this room?"

"You don't need to be wary, I will trust them with my life" said Dad.

"If teacher said so" Qinghe said "For new information. It is now a matter of fact that Spirit Hall is preparing for war. With the information that I obtained I can assure that, with a minimum of 10 years, they will try to seize the continent"

"So it's true that they are arming themselves, preparing for war" said Dad.

"It is sure. Moreover I investigated about the matter of the Clear Sky Clan 13 years ago. I discovered that Spirit Hall was trying to obtained something that Tang Hao had" said Qinghe.

"What exactly happened between Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Clan and Spirit Hall?" I interjected.

"Tang Hao had something that Spirit Hall wanted. Spirit Hall attacked him, him breaking through to titled douluo killing one titled douluo, injuring another one and injuring the previous Supreme Pontiff so serious that he died after short. At that time Spirit Hall made Tang Hao its number one enemy and the Clean Sky Clan scared from Spirit hall possible repercussions hided away" explained dad.

"It should have been very important, to the Supreme Pontiff himself to go for him. Do you have any idea what could it be?" I asked.

"With the high speed of Tang Hao cultivation being the youngest titled douluo, I can expect to be some kind of method or object to fasten cultivating. I think the latter, because if it was a method the Clear Sky Clan would sided with Tang Hao and not abandoned him, hiding away. For the location of the Clear Sky Clan even now I hadn't found anything" said Qinghe "But Spirit Hall, also is searching for them".

"Spirit Hall as is now is strong enough to clean the continent by themselves with a lot of damage for their part. So if they are preparing, I think is not about collective power. I think that they are waiting for something or someone. Maybe is related with Tang Hao" I said

Dad nodded "This is also another matter, the actual Supreme Pontiff has twin spirits and her strength is without any doubt one of the greatest of the continent. I suspect that Spirit Hall is waiting for her to arrive at her maximum power. Maybe in few years she would arrive at extreme douluo" Dad padded my and Mayi's shoulder "Sorry, but it seems that even your generation might fight in a war in the future"

"Don't worry dad, I am prepared to fight for the clan. In the future I will help" I said looking at the now sad face of dad.

"If all go as planned there won't be any need" said Dad "Changing the subject, we have a class to do" dad turned to me and Mayi "It is best for you to leave, you will be more a annoyance than help"

I was a little angry for his remark, but I calm sighing "Ok. Let's go Mayi" I said. I turned to Qinghe "Good to see you fine. Next time better not wait so much time to meet us".

Qinghe smiles at me "Sure" Qinghe then give some ornament in coin form with the emblem of Heaven Dou Imperial family "Come any time you want, showing this the guards will let you pass. Next time maybe will have some spar" Qinghe turned to Mayi with a teasing smile "I want to know how much stronger than Mayi I am".

Mayi tensed even more and shot an angry face at him. "It is a joke, don't worry I will restrain" Qinghe turned to me giving me his hand "Bye Bai!".

I shook his hand "Bye Qinghe!" I and Mayi left the room and we were guided outside the royal palace by a maid.

Outside of the palace I turned to Mayi and asked "Something happened with Qinghe? You were very tense"

Mayi even now a little strange thoughtful answered "I feel something strange about him. I don't like him. You should be more wary around him, he is hiding something"

"Everyone hides something, specially royalty. He was my first friend, one with a talent that might even be better than mine. I would like to you two to be friends" I said to Mayi "He is also dad's pupil and he trust him so you don't need to be so wary"

"I will try to tolerate him, but I can't assure you that we will be friendly. I sensed some hate towards me, specially after you introduced me" said Mayi.

"Surely is only your imagination. But I am happy for you to at least to try" I said "Let's forget about him and go to the academy. If you want we can stop at the udon stall that you like"

Mayi like forgetting all returned to her usual self and smiles nodded happy at me.