Chapter 111: The Weakest Titled Douluo is Born, Ning Fengzhi Vomits Blood
At the same time, Bone Douluo's Spirit Power visibly, and catastrophically, declined.
Level 94... Level 93... Level 92...
The aura of a Peak Titled Douluo bled away from him like water from a shattered vase. His Spirit Power plummeted until it finally, agonizingly, stabilized at the bare threshold of Level 91.
Jingni's attack just now was undeniably severe. Not only did she cripple Gu Rong's leg, but the sheer, invasive, 100,000-year-level ice energy had shattered his meridians. It had depleted over 10% of his life-long cultivation, making it impossible for him to advance any further in this lifetime.
"Qin Xuan! You said you wouldn't kill Uncle Gu!" Ning Fengzhi shouted, his voice cracking with an anger so profound it bordered on a scream. He could no longer control his rage.
He even stopped calling him 'Second Majesty'.
Sword Douluo's hand, gripping his Seven Kills Sword, also tightened until his knuckles were white. The air around him grew so sharp it seemed to whine.
Although he usually didn't get along with Gu Rong, and their bickering was the stuff of legends, it was undeniable that they were close friends, brothers in arms who had guarded the clan for decades.
Now that Gu Rong had met such a fate—crippled, his cultivation shattered—it was easy to imagine how furious Chen Xin was.
But for the sake of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, for the sake of the hundreds of disciples standing behind him, he ultimately endured. He did not draw his sword.
"Did I kill him? Isn't he still alive?" Qin Xuan shrugged, his voice casual. He said something that would infuriate others to death without consequence, then chuckled as he playfully chided Jingni.
"My dear, you really are something. Why didn't you wait for me to finish speaking before acting?"
"I wanted you to cripple one of his eyes," Qin Xuan said, as if discussing a minor adjustment. "Not one of his legs."
Qin Xuan didn't want to go too far. Gu Rong's greatest value in Ning Fengzhi's eyes was his Titled Douluo strength. If Gu Rong's realm dropped all the way to Spirit Douluo, he wouldn't be able to use Gu Rong to threaten Ning Fengzhi anymore. A Level 91 Titled Douluo was the perfect, humiliated, yet still-valuable hostage.
"Oh. I made a mistake," Jingni said mischievously, a chillingly sweet smile on her face. She winked her right eye at Qin Xuan.
"Ah—!" Another scream, this one choked and wet, rang out.
Jingni's long sword, moving faster than a thought, plucked out one of Gu Rong's eyeballs.
Holding his half-severed right leg with one hand and covering his empty, bleeding left eye socket with the other, he lay on the ground, writhing in agony.
"Uncle Gu!" Ning Fengzhi's heart was filled with profound, overwhelming grief.
While desperately casting the Seven Treasure True Body's healing light to treat Bone Douluo, he glared at Qin Xuan with bloodshot eyes, his gaze filled with a murderous intent that would have terrified a lesser man.
Qin Xuan simply met his gaze, unfazed. "Alright, from now on, the grievances between me and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and between me and Senior Bone Douluo, are settled."
"If anyone else wants to assassinate me as Bone Douluo did, my wife and I, Qin Xuan, welcome them."
"Elder Yue Guan, Elder Gui Mei, you two continue to preside over the Sect Competition preliminaries."
Qin Xuan ignored Ning Fengzhi's almost murderous gaze. His Changming Sword flew from his hand, and he scooped up Jingni by the waist, leaping onto it. They quickly disappeared from everyone's sight, ascending towards the Elder Palace.
"Respectfully seeing off the Second Priest! Respectfully seeing off the Second Majesty!"
"Someone, bring another chair for Bone Douluo," Yue Guan and Gui Mei respectfully responded.
Then, Yue Guan, along with the surrounding Cardinals, all gloated as they looked at Ning Fengzhi, who was desperately trying to heal Bone Douluo.
"Sect Master Ning. One-Eyed Dragon... oh no, Crippled Dragon... oh no, my memory... Complete Douluo, please take your seat," Yue Guan said with a saccharine smile to Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong. At this moment, he couldn't express how delighted he was.
Every time he recalled the last visit to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to invite Ning Fengzhi to the Sect Competition, and Bone Douluo imitating Old Ghost by calling him 'Juhua Guan', it made him extremely displeased.
Now he could finally return the favor. One-Eyed Dragon. Crippled Dragon. Complete Douluo. These insults, delivered without a single vulgarity, were far more unpleasant than being called 'Chrysanthemum Pass'.
"You!" Ning Fengzhi could no longer hold it in. A mouthful of old blood spurted out, spraying onto the pristine floor. This was from sheer, unadulterated anger.
And the severely injured Bone Douluo, infuriated by the taunt, fainted on the spot.
This Sect Competition... it could be said to have cost their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan dearly. They had lost both their reputation and their forces.
Not only did they fail to achieve the feat of the Upper Three Sects united, but they had also incurred the deep-seated hatred of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
The greatest loss was still Bone Douluo. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that his Spirit Power was greatly diminished.
Although he was still a Titled Douluo, he had lost a leg and an eye. If he couldn't find a way to restore his right leg, his Spirit Power would likely be unable to advance further in this life.
He would forever be... the weakest Titled Douluo.
"Sect Master!" Sword Douluo stepped forward with his right foot, and almost in the blink of an eye, he arrived between Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo.
He supported the swaying Ning Fengzhi with his left hand and picked up the unconscious Gu Rong with his right. He poured his profound Spirit Power into their bodies, his face a mask of grim determination.
"Sect Master, let's go," he whispered, his voice low and urgent.
Gu Rong was severely injured, and the Sect Master was spitting blood from anger. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had suffered such a humiliating, public insult that he had no face to remain in Spirit City.
As for the Sect Competition, whoever wanted to participate could. In any case, even if their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan didn't participate in this year's Sect Competition, they were still the rightful Upper Three Sects.
With Sword Douluo's Spirit Power nourishing him, Ning Fengzhi felt a little better. Just as he was about to agree to Sword Douluo leaving Spirit City, Qin Xuan's demonic voice suddenly echoed in his ears, transmitted directly by mental force:
"Oh, right. Before the Sect Competition is over, don't try to angrily leave and just walk away. The High Priest might complain about me. I don't mind, but if my wife finds out... she might secretly go to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan overnight, without telling anyone."
Qin Xuan!
Ning Fengzhi's teeth were practically grinding to dust. That wasn't a reminder. It was a threat. A promise that if he left, his clan would be annihilated by that Level 97 monster.
"No, Uncle Gu," Ning Fengzhi said, his voice shaking with suppressed rage. "We can't leave yet. We absolutely cannot let the Spirit Masters of the world look down on my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan must participate in this Sect Competition."
After he finished speaking, he felt his stomach churn and his chest ache with a profound, suffocating discomfort.
He suddenly clutched his chest, and with a gasp, he couldn't hold it in and spewed out another mouthful of old blood.
Then, his vision went black, and he fainted.
"Hahahaha!" Gold Crocodile Douluo's wild, booming laughter echoed across the Supreme Pontiff Palace square. He stroked his dark, bushy beard and laughed heartily.
"To make the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan suffer such a great loss, and leave that boy Ning Fengzhi speechless... I find myself liking this boy Xuan'er more and more."
"The Third High Priest is right! This boy Xuan'er really suits our temperament. If Ning Fengzhi's father knew and saw that boy looking so miserable, he'd probably be so angry he'd come back to life," Guang Ling Douluo chimed in, chuckling.
The other Guardians and Elders were also very happy. Even Qian Xunji was no exception.
Although he didn't particularly like Qin Xuan, and even wanted to eliminate him at one point... he detested Ning Fengzhi even more.
For years, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, relying on its affiliation with the Heaven Dou Empire, had secretly and openly opposed their Spirit Hall.
Today, Qin Xuan had truly exacted a great deal of vengeance for Spirit Hall.
"Alright, this matter ends here. Everyone, disperse."
Qian Daoliu was somewhat exasperated, though a faint smile played on his own lips.
Qin Xuan's conduct today had completely changed his perception. Such tactics—brutal, decisive, and politically savvy, using overwhelming force to establish dominance and then a veiled threat to ensure compliance... no matter where they were applied, they would not result in a loss.
This was precisely what a true leader needed.
Thinking of this, Qian Daoliu was somewhat moved by Gold Crocodile's previous suggestion to make Qin Xuan the successor. But... it was only that. He was a person who liked to play things safe. Otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed the Upper Three Sects to jump around under his nose for so many years.
Until his son, Qian Xunji, became a Guardian himself and voluntarily stepped down, he would not make any changes.
"Yes, High Priest."
The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only Bibi Dong. She stood frozen, staring blankly at the Elder Palace, in the direction Qin Xuan had departed.
"Disciple!"
Qian Xunji saw that Bibi Dong hadn't followed and was still staring at the Elder Palace. His expression, which had been momentarily pleased, turned cold again. He called out.
Only then did Bibi Dong snap out of it.
"Oh. Coming, Teacher."
She took another deep, long look at the Elder Palace, her heart a tangled mess of emotions she couldn't begin to unravel. Then, she followed behind Qian Xunji, returning to the Supreme Pontiff Palace together.
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