Chapter 102: An Alliance of the Three Sects
"Indeed. A Titled Douluo under 25, and the youngest Guardian of Spirit Hall—the thought alone is chilling."
In the grand, sunlit hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Ning Fengzhi's voice was heavy. He leaned on his simple staff, his expression uncharacteristically grim.
"Compared to her," he continued, "Tang Hao, hailed as the Clear Sky Sect's once-in-a-century genius, and Tang Xiao, who was praised alongside him as one of the Haotian Twin Stars, can barely even hope to catch up."
Ning Fengzhi showed a bitter smile.
Such a peerless genius, and a great beauty at that. She was more than 10 years his junior. Why hadn't he met her first?
With such a powerful individual, his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School wouldn't be in such a passive, precarious position.
Add to that Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo... if he had three such pillars, even Spirit Hall would have to weigh its options carefully if it ever wanted to move against his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
In fact, he thought with a private, wistful sigh, if she could be transformed into Lady Ning, it would be even better.
His Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School could prosper for at least three generations. Perhaps one day, it could even reach the heights of the Clear Sky Sect during Tang Chen's era, standing as the true, undisputed number one sect.
"Is she really that formidable?" Bone Douluo, Gu Rong, was standing by a window, his arms crossed. As a pure commoner-born Spirit Master, he didn't know as many ancient secrets as Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo. He frowned, his voice a low grumble, clearly disbelieving.
"A Titled Douluo under 25 is simply too astonishing to hear. It sounds like a fabrication from Spirit Hall to intimidate us before the Sect Competition."
"The former Second Guardian of Spirit Hall, Gold Crocodile Douluo, is from the same era as my grandfather," Sword Douluo, Chen Xin, spoke from the other side of the hall. His voice was as sharp and clear as his blade.
"20 years ago, his Spirit Power had already reached Level 98. He possesses the top-tier Beast Spirit, the Golden Crocodile King, and his ninth Spirit Ring was a 100,000-year one. Even my grandfather, also at Level 98, never managed to defeat him."
"Such a formidable individual," Sword Douluo continued, his eyes closed as if replaying a battle he had only heard of in legends, "was defeated by this Jingni Douluo. And she did so while her Spirit Power was lower than Gold Crocodile Douluo's, at Level 97. Do you still think she's not formidable?"
At these words, Bone Douluo, who usually clashed with Sword Douluo and loved to argue, immediately quieted down. He swallowed hard, the sound audible in the silent hall, and blurted out, "How on earth did she reach that realm before 25?"
Though he was arrogant, it depended on who he was facing.
Like many strong individuals on the Douluo Continent, Bone Douluo had a common flaw: he bullied the weak and feared the strong, flattered superiors, and disdained inferiors.
When facing those weaker than him, he would adopt an indifferent attitude, even looking down on them.
For example, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo. Bone Douluo, and even Ning Fengzhi, looked down on them. They were likened to the 'Hum and Ha Generals,' two lackeys of Spirit Hall, mere clowns.
Because by themselves, they posed no threat to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
But facing Jingni was different. A strong individual who could defeat a Level 98 Gold Crocodile Douluo... she alone was enough to inflict devastating, perhaps fatal, damage on their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
"Because she is a Twin Spirits user," Ning Fengzhi's face was solemn as he dropped the second bombshell. "And she has successfully cultivated them."
"Twin Spirits? Can something like that even be successfully cultivated? That's too incredible." Bone Douluo was stunned again, his mind reeling.
For someone who had successfully cultivated Twin Spirits, it meant that the nine Spirit Ring configurations of their second Spirit would at least start at 10,000 years, possibly even reaching 100,000 years.
He couldn't even compare to such a genius. He felt a cold dread creep up his spine.
"Whether she succeeded in cultivating them or not, for now, what surprises me is Spirit Hall's grand publicizing of this new Second Guardian," Ning Fengzhi said, his mind shifting from awe to political calculation.
[Inorin's Note: "Guardian" (Gongfeng) is the term used in this novel for the High Priests of the Elder Hall, such as Gold Crocodile Douluo or, now, Jingni. The leader is the High Priest, Qian Daoliu.]
"Spirit Hall originally had seven Guardians, each with Spirit Power at least at Level 96."
"Strong individuals of their caliber are the true foundation of Spirit Hall. They generally don't act easily unless Spirit Hall faces a life-or-death crisis. Even in Spirit City, they are rarely known. Why is it so unusual this time?" Sword Douluo said in a deep voice, picking up on Ning Fengzhi's line of thought.
"Before Jingni Douluo's title conferment, the most famous young talents in Spirit Hall were the Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong, and Qian Xunji's 'second brother,' Qin Xuan. They were both the continent's top genius Spirit Masters."
"In contrast, Jingni Douluo was little known, and had never even made a name for herself in the Spirit Master's world."
"There are rumors," Ning Fengzhi continued, "that Jingni Douluo is the wife of Spirit Hall's 'Second Majesty,' Qin Xuan. That it was Qin Xuan who brought her into Spirit Hall."
"The reason for such a grand display this time might be Spirit Hall's attempt to win over Jingni. After all, Jingni Douluo is simply too young, and her origins are a mystery. They are binding her to them with status and glory."
Ning Fengzhi voiced his conjecture, feeling a sharp pang of sourness in his heart. If only his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School could recruit such a talented, strong individual!
If he could, let alone holding a grand conferment ceremony like Spirit Hall, he would even be willing to charter the entire Heaven Dou City, or even exhaust the wealth accumulated by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School over generations.
"So… what do you plan to do, Fengzhi?" Sword Douluo looked at Ning Fengzhi, his expression solemn.
Bone Douluo's expression also became serious as he looked at his Sect Master. The air in the hall grew heavy. This wasn't just a matter of a new powerhouse; it was a fundamental shift in the continent's balance of power.
Ning Fengzhi was silent for a moment. Then, leaning on the Seven Treasure Staff, which symbolized the authority of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he slowly walked down the platform and out of the main hall.
Sword and Bone Douluo exchanged glances, then followed a step behind him.
Ning Fengzhi stood at the entrance of the Seven Treasure Hall, gazing up at the sky. He said solemnly, "The Sect Competition, while ostensibly balancing the various forces in the Spirit Master's world, is in reality merely a means for Spirit Hall to weaken the major Sects."
"In every Sect Competition, the major Sects fight tooth and nail. My father's generation was a bloody lesson. In contrast, Spirit Hall, as the host, enjoys a transcendent status and does not participate in the competition."
"For decades, they have sat back and watched us bleed each other dry, all while their own power grows unchecked. Now, they have produced three geniuses—Bibi Dong, Qin Xuan, and this Jingni—who eclipse everyone our generation has to offer."
"If this continues, the entire Spirit Master's world will sooner or later be completely swallowed by Spirit Hall."
"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School must not sit idly by and let Spirit Hall's scheme succeed."
"Then are we not going to contend for the title of the Upper Three Sects?" Bone Douluo asked, somewhat unwillingly. He had been looking forward to a match.
"Of course we will contend. However, it won't be a fight to the death like in previous competitions." Ning Fengzhi pursed his lips, his mind made up.
"I've decided to use this Sect Competition to secretly contact the Clear Sky Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. I will tell them that I, Ning Fengzhi, and the three clans are of the same blood. We must stand united and jointly resist the increasingly powerful Spirit Hall."
This was the damp Dragon's Tomb, the ancestral hall of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Gray, giant dragon statues stood encircling a vast, sunken chamber. Between the statues, as far as the eye could see, were crisscrossing underground rivers. Above the rivers, thick, cold fog swirled, making it impossible to see beyond ten meters.
In the center of the dense fog, there was a blue grand hall, carved from the mountain's root.
Only two people stood in the hall.
"Big Brother, whether our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan can become the World's Number One Sect in this Sect Competition depends entirely on you," Yu Luomian said respectfully, his voice echoing slightly in the damp, cavernous space.
"Now that Clear Sky Douluo Tang Chen is no longer here, that old fellow Tang Tian alone is nothing in my eyes. This World's Number One Sect, my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is determined to win it."
Yu Yuanzhen, dressed in a crimson-gold robe, sat on a massive chair. The chair was not made of wood or metal, but a rock-like substance, extremely hard, with a domineering and stable design.
"Big Brother is mighty," Yu Luomian praised.
"Alright, stop flattering me. Do you have any news of Xiao Gang?" Yu Yuanzhen asked casually, his dominant aura softening slightly at the mention of his son.
Yu Luomian replied, "It is said he has now joined Spirit Hall. He is currently staying in Spirit City."
"Joined Spirit Hall?" Yu Yuanzhen frowned, his expression instantly, and somewhat, displeased.
[Inorin Note:
Your Support Keeps This Story Alive!
If you're enjoying this novel, your support means the world to me. Simple actions like leaving a review, power stone, comment, or sharing the story let me know you're out there. It's the greatest motivation for me to keep translating until the very end and ensures this project continues.
For those who wish to support me more directly, you can join my Patreon at [patreon.com/InorinTL]. As a thank-you, you'll receive access to 50 advanced chapters.
This translation is my full-time passion, and your support is what makes it possible for me to dedicate myself completely to bringing you this story. Thank you for reading!
As a special offer, I've opened a few limited-time tiers at a discounted price! You will get all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" (normally $25), but at a much cheaper rate.
These slots are extremely limited:
"The Dedicated Fan": $9.99 (Save 60% / $15.01) - Only 3 slots
"The Lore Diver": $14.99 (Save 40% / $10.01) - Only 7 slots
"The Founding Pillars": $19.99 (Save 20% / $5.01) - Only 15 slots
Grab your slot before they run out! Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [https://ko-fi.com/inorintl].
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]