Chapter 58: Battle of the Titled Douluos - Dugu Bo VS Chrysanthemum Douluo

"Just now, what did the Sect Master say?" In the plaza, someone pinched the flesh at their waist, clearly thinking they were dreaming.

"Ouch, pinch yourself instead!" The person next to them immediately complained in dissatisfaction.

However, they quickly came to their senses. The pain meant this wasn't a dream. What the Sect Master said was indeed reality. Their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was about to have three Titled Douluos in its ranks.

Ning Fengzhi observed the expressions of the crowd below with great satisfaction. If even the members of his sect were this surprised, then once this news spread, other sects across the continent would surely be in an uproar.

"Heh, let the spies from other sects spread the word if they like. Let the name of my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect resound throughout the continent!" With Ning Fengzhi's wisdom, he had long identified the identities of many spies.

However, he didn't intend to expose or eliminate them just yet because he knew that even if he removed these spies, the Spirit Hall would simply send more. Moreover, spies who believed they were safe after being discovered were the easiest to manipulate.

Ning Fengzhi planned to use these spies to spread the news of Yin Yang's breakthrough Titled Douluo. While everyone focused on Yin Yang, they wouldn't notice that the sect's two veterans Titled Douluos and Ning Fengzhi himself were progressing even more dramatically.

In the future, if anyone grew envious of the sect's strength and decided to attack, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, with Ning Fengzhi's support, would easily catch their opponents off guard and strike them down.

"Tomorrow, Uncle Bone and I will accompany Elder Yin Yang to the Star Dou Forest to obtain his ninth spirit ring. During this time, the Seven Treasure Hall needs to prepare two more seats for the future Guardian Douluos," Ning Fengzhi ordered.

"Why two seats?" someone below asked in confusion. With only Yin Yang becoming a Titled Douluo, why build two chairs?

"You fool," someone else explained smugly, "don't you know the Sect Master has OCD? If only one chair is built, it'll look asymmetrical. Besides, the fourth chair can serve as a motivation for others. Do you think our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect lacks the money to build an extra chair?"

Of course, Ning Fengzhi wouldn't reveal the truth just yet. The matter regarding Dugu Bo still needed to be resolved about his conflict with Chrysanthemum Douluo.

...

The next morning, Ning Fengzhi left with Bone Douluo and Yin Yang. Sword Douluo stayed behind to guard the sect. In truth, this trip wasn't just to help Yin Yang obtain his ninth soul ring, but also to help Ning Fengzhi acquire his eighth soul ring.

Meanwhile, Tian Lin sat cross-legged in his room. Apart from Ning Rongrong, everyone had finished absorbing the medicinal energy, so he could now safely absorb his soul bone.

A soul bone with a lifespan of 60,000 years would undoubtedly bring a massive boost to all his attributes.

As for Ning Rongrong, Ning Fengzhi had temporarily taken her Heaven Mending Pill. It wasn't because he didn't want to give it to her, but because after personally experiencing its effects, Ning Fengzhi realized that the pill's medicinal power was too strong. He worried that Ning Rongrong's young body wouldn't be able to handle it yet. He decided it would be safer for her to take it after breaking through to Soul Elder.

Both Tian Lin and Sword Douluo, as well as Bone Douluo, agreed with this decision.

As for Ning Rongrong herself, she didn't mind at all. After all, she was still a child and didn't yet feel the weight of responsibility for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. She had little interest in pursuing power.

In her heart, she thought: with her father, Grandpa Bone, Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Eagle, and Brother Sword protecting her, who would dare to bully her?

At that moment, Ning Rongrong quietly sat beside Tian Lin, watching him absorb the soul bone. She was surprisingly well-behaved, not saying a word, worried she might disturb him.

...

Meanwhile, deep in the Sunset Forest, in a desolate and lifeless poisonous grove, Dugu Bo strolled. Not long ago, he had sent a challenge letter to Chrysanthemum Douluo of the Spirit Hall. Today was the day of their duel.

"After all these years, old poison, have you finally accepted your fate? You've come to die willingly." A charming male voice echoed from the forest. It belonged to none other than one of the current Titled Douluos and a prominent figure of the Spirit Hall, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan.

"Hmph, years ago, I was hunted to near death by you and that old ghost. Today, I've come to settle the score!" Dugu Bo's years of hatred burned within him, and he was determined to wash away his humiliation today.

However, Yue Guan merely scoffed, disdainfully laughing, "Settle the score? Haha, have you forgotten? Every time we fought, you were beaten into a sorry state. The most dangerous time, if you hadn't been lucky enough to encounter Prince Xue Xing's patrol troops, who forced me and the old ghost to retreat using the might of the Heaven Dou Empire's army, you'd already be dead."

Hearing this painful reminder, Dugu Bo's anger flared even more. "That just means I wasn't destined to die back then! Yue Guan, let's see how I deal with you today!"

"Old poison, this time, there's no Prince Xue Xing to help you!"

The two Titled Douluos exchanged provocations before simultaneously activating their soul power.

Yue Guan, whose level was slightly higher, prepared his attack first. His fifth black soul ring lit up. "Fifth Spirit Ability: Gathering of Cold Petals!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo unleashed a flurry of flower petals. Under the effect of his fifth spirit ability, the petals transformed into razor-sharp blades with incredible speed and unstoppable force, all aimed at Dugu Bo.

In a battle between experts, one wrong move could mean defeat. Dugu Bo had no choice but to focus on evasion, abandoning any opportunity to attack.

Using the complex terrain of the forest, Dugu Bo leaped and dodged continuously, avoiding the assault of the cold petals. However, Chrysanthemum Douluo relentlessly pursued him, leaving no chance for a counterattack.

"Damn it, this cursed flying attack just keeps draining my stamina. I must find a way to get close to Yue Guan."

"Third Spirit Ability: Jade Phosphor Bewitching Array."

With his current Titled Douluo strength, Dugu Bo could instantly activate his third spirit ability. But the poison from this ability was insignificant to Yue Guan.

Of course, Dugu Bo never intended to defeat Yue Guan with this. He only wanted to use it to disrupt Yue Guan's vision.

"He's gone!" Yue Guan lost sight of Dugu Bo and had no choice but to retract his cold petals.

At that moment, Dugu Bo appeared behind Yue Guan in a flash and punched him. Yue Guan raised his hand to block but was forced back by the force of the punch.

Dugu Bo immediately pressed forward again, seamlessly transitioning between attacks. This time, it was Yue Guan who found himself on the defensive.

"What incredible speed. Is this old poison throwing caution to the wind? With the poison in his body, if he exerts himself like this without reserving soul power to suppress it, isn't he afraid of dying from the backlash?" Yue Guan had always dismissed Dugu Bo because he knew Dugu Bo couldn't fight at full strength.

Though technically a Titled Douluo, Dugu Bo's actual combat power was only slightly superior to that of a Soul Douluo. But today, Dugu Bo was unleashing the full strength of a true Titled Douluo, leaving Yue Guan deeply unsettled.