The one who attempted to ambush Tokisaki Kurumi was a Title Douluo. From the fluctuations of his soul power, he far surpassed She Long and Ci Xue, whom Kurumi had easily defeated.
In appearance, he looked like a spirited young man in his early twenties, but his actual age was certainly far greater than that.
Yet now, with a sword pressed against his throat, the youth's expression instantly turned stormy.
"As expected, it's you people." He first glanced at the long sword resting on his neck. Merely feeling the pressure of the sword up close actually gave him the sensation of facing the Angelic Holy Sword.
However, what concerned him even more was the wielder of this sword.
Long pink hair cascaded down to her waist, and her pupils were an unusual color, more like an ancient heterochromatic clock.
"Ning Rongrong, what exactly does your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan mean by this?"
Ning Rongrong was on the Spirit Hall's blacklist. Encountering this unscientific support-type soul master, even a Super Douluo would abandon the mission and flee for their life.
But this youth refused to believe such nonsense. Today, no matter what, he had to fight.
"My father is Xue Qinghe's teacher. I just never expected Spirit Hall to have infiltrated the Heaven Dou Empire to this extent. Even when Princess Xue Ke is acting as regent, she still needs to be monitored?"
"Those who don't know might think Spirit Hall has successfully usurped the throne and sent the Third Enshrined from the Enshrined Hall. Truly extravagant. Am I right, Level 97 Azure Luan Douluo?"
"You know I'm Level 97, and you still dare…" Azure Luan Douluo was extremely displeased.
Two and a half years ago, during the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, he had watched Ning Rongrong defeat their Young Master and even toy with Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Douluo who had detonated his soul rings. But so what?
Defeating the Young Master might have been due to Ning Rongrong's own strength, but playing with Tang Hao was nothing more than a clever trick.
He himself was a Level 97 Title Douluo.
Could a mere Soul Douluo really defy the heavens?
As for that so-called Dark Devilgod Tiger below and Tokisaki Kurumi, it was probably just exaggerated rumors.
Defeating the Great Enshrined Qian Daoliu and seizing the Angelic Holy Sword? With the Great Enshrined's magnanimity, he might have simply lent the Angelic Holy Sword to them for fun out of consideration for the many years the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had taken care of Qian Renxue. He wouldn't care about such a thing at all.
Otherwise, the world wouldn't have stories of Tang Hao escaping the Great Enshrined's pursuit back then.
If the Great Enshrined had truly pursued him with full killing intent, Tang Hao would have long become a dead rat.
The Great Enshrined was too merciful.
—Sigh!
Sometimes, Azure Luan Douluo also felt that the Great Enshrined should establish his authority properly.
However, since the Great Enshrined had no such intention, then let him, Azure Luan Douluo, establish that authority instead!
"Sharp-tongued little girl, I advise you to put down the sword in your hand."
"Although a divine artifact is strong, I, Azure Luan Douluo, am no pushover!"
Azure Luan Douluo's aura rose steadily. Ning Rongrong couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised.
Wasn't it said that Azure Luan Douluo always considered the bigger picture? How was this considering the bigger picture?
"Sigh… Really, why do people always think that a support-type soul master like me wouldn't have any legitimate means of self-defense?"
"Tai Chi Domain!"
Suddenly, a small-scale domain enveloped both Ning Rongrong and Azure Luan Douluo.
Azure Luan Douluo's expression changed slightly.
"A domain? No…"
"This feeling… my power has been sealed!"
It was as if tens of millions of tons of weight were pressing down on him. His body's cells, even his soul power, seemed to be restrained by some bizarre energy.
Uncontrollably, beads of cold sweat seeped from Azure Luan Douluo's forehead.
He could break free, but in the time it would take to do so, his head might already have moved house.
From the corner of his eye, he saw that Ning Rongrong's expression had already become as calm as still water. Azure Luan Douluo couldn't help but feel shocked in his heart.
"What kind of monsters are these? She can seal a Level 97 Title Douluo without even using her martial soul or soul rings."
"Could it be that I, the grand Azure Luan Douluo, Third Enshrined of Spirit Hall, am a fake Title Douluo? Have all these years been lived like a dog?"
Just as Azure Luan Douluo was pondering what to do next, Ning Rongrong's voice echoed in his ear:
"How about it, Senior Azure Luan? Want to test whether the treasured sword in my hand is sharp enough?"
"Rest assured, I inherited my skills from Sword Douluo. My sword is very fast."
"I guarantee you'll feel perfectly comfortable, without even a trace of pain."
"Of course, if it does hurt, you can scream into the air a few times so I know my technique still needs more practice."
Azure Luan Douluo: "…"
He really wanted to retort, but for a moment, he didn't know where to start.
In any case, Azure Luan Douluo hadn't yet reached the point of joking with his own life. Moreover, since the other party could seal him, she might truly possess the ability to kill a Title Douluo. The rumors circulating in the Enshrined Hall might actually be true.
"Oh right, I almost forgot."
"The sword in my hand has already tasted the fresh blood of five 100,000-year sea spirit beasts. I wonder how the blood of a Title Douluo will compare."
The words Azure Luan Douluo had just prepared got stuck in his throat again.
The blood of five 100,000-year sea spirit beasts, plus what he had just overheard from Xue Ke, She Long, and Ci Xue's conversation, combined with the current "stalemate" situation.
Azure Luan Douluo no longer doubted that this seemingly harmless pink-haired girl in front of him possessed the ability to kill 100,000-year spirit beasts.
"What exactly do you want?" Azure Luan Douluo exhaled, lowering his stance. There was no helping it—his strength was insufficient, so he could only do this.
"No matter what you say, my useless fa—cough cough, my father is still someone's teacher." Ning Rongrong laughed awkwardly.
"As for who that someone is, I won't say. You and I both understand."
"So, I don't want to make things too irreconcilable."
"However, I am very curious about what exactly you people are planning."
"If it were just to monitor Xue Ke, there would be no need for the Third Enshrined of the Enshrined Hall to personally come, right!"
"Ning Rongrong, this has nothing to do with you, does it?" Azure Luan Douluo frowned deeply.
"Indeed, it has nothing to do with me. But since I want to know, now it does." Ning Rongrong's words made the corners of Azure Luan Douluo's eyes twitch.
What kind of twisted logic was this?
"Princess Xue Ke, may I ask you one thing?" Ning Rongrong's gaze passed over Azure Luan Douluo and landed on Xue Ke.
"I think you already know the truth, don't you? Then why do you still work for Spirit Hall?"
"Of course, whether you answer or not is your freedom. I have no intention of forcing anyone outside of Spirit Hall. Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has always convinced others with virtue—but Spirit Hall is another story."
Azure Luan Douluo: "…"
What did Spirit Hall ever do to you!
Spirit Hall has treated your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan quite well. If not for our support, would your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan have developed so quickly? Your businesses span the entire continent and can now stand toe-to-toe against Spirit Hall.
He couldn't think about it anymore—the more he thought, the more frustrated he became.
"This…" Facing Ning Rongrong's gaze, Xue Ke fell silent for a moment.
"Don't worry, speak boldly." Ning Rongrong smiled. "Not long ago, I just slaughtered a Level 99 demi-god sea spirit beast on my side."
"Although Qian Daoliu is a bit stronger, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan isn't exactly vegetarian either."
Silence. A long silence followed.
Finally, Xue Ke raised her head. "May I know what your stance is?"
"You have helped the Clear Sky Sect, helped Spirit Hall, and even helped the Star Dou Great Forest."
"What exactly are you doing all this for?"
Helping Tang Xiao of the Clear Sky Sect heal his injuries and regrow his severed arm. Helping Qian Renxue escape Tang Hao's attack. And even lending a hand to the Star Dou Great Forest, reportedly against some terrifying enemy.
This kind of fence-sitting behavior truly made people very uneasy. Since the other party had asked, Xue Ke simply voiced it directly.
"As for us…" Ning Rongrong smiled lightly. "We just want to survive. The continent is about to undergo a great reshuffling. Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan only wishes to safely weather this storm."
"Just like how I once had to tread carefully around Qian Renxue back then—now, there is no longer any need for that."
"I'm sure Princess Xue Ke has also received information from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, right?"
"You mean the thirteen Title Douluo?"
To be honest, when Xue Ke had just confirmed the information from Ning Fengzhi's side, even Spirit Hall was stunned.
Double-digit Title Douluo—how is your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan this ridiculous?
But things had already come to this point; there was nothing to be done.
It was said that the Enshrined Hall had even discussed plans to attack the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, this unstable factor.
However, because the cost would be too great, no consensus was reached.
In the end, the matter was simply shelved.
The most important reason was Qian Daoliu—he had never agreed from beginning to end.
Xue Ke was able to know these confidential matters of the Enshrined Hall because of Qian Renxue. She was tacitly regarded as one of Qian Renxue's people. Although worried, after She Long and Ci Xue received the news, they did not hide it from Xue Ke.
"I don't have any grand ambitions." Seeing that Ning Rongrong did not answer her question, Xue Ke did not press further and simply said, "I only hope that Qian Renxue will keep her promise and revive my imperial father. Nothing else matters."
"I know how much value I have, and moreover, that value does not belong to me—it was obtained for me by Qian Renxue."