Chapter 26: Another Soul Duel, Adding Stakes

Time passed.

On this day, at the Soul Duel Stage.

"Dugu Feng, you disrespect our leader and ignore class rules. Today, my brother Feng Li and I, Feng Ling, challenge you on behalf of the entire class! We'll show you that Heaven Dou Royal Junior Academy has its discipline!" Feng Ling stood proudly, a blue Light Sword revolving around his body.

Beside him, Feng Li did the same.

Three months had passed, and their Sword Control Technique had improved significantly. Three months ago, they couldn't have performed so effortlessly.

Their flashy display attracted countless admiring gazes from girls in the audience.

Behind them stood Ning Rongrong, with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda floating before her, surrounded by a rainbow glow. She looked every bit the celestial maiden, her face brimming with undisguised pride as she stared intently at Dugu Feng.

"Class rules? Teacher Ge never mentioned any," Dugu Feng said, puzzled.

What class rules? He'd been enrolled for three months, and no one had told him about any.

"The leader's word is the rule! If you don't even know that, today's lesson will be unforgettable!" Feng Li said, sounding every bit the lackey.

Dugu Feng was speechless. These two had truly mastered the art of bootlicking. Didn't they feel any shame doing this in public?

Ning Rongrong looked smug, clearly enjoying the scene.

"A challenge is fine, but last time we agreed to add some stakes. Here are my terms." Dugu Feng leisurely took out a sheet of paper.

With a flick of his right hand, Soul Power infused the paper, making it rigid as it flew toward the trio.

This display momentarily stunned them.

Ning Rongrong felt a twinge of unease. Steadying herself, she read Dugu Feng's demands.

"One million Gold Soul Coins?"

"Eight Treasure Ruyi Soft Armor forged by Master Lou Gao?"

"Ten Thousand Year Whale Oil?"

"Ten Ten Thousand Year Serpent Soul Beast Snake Galls?"

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened with each item.

Feng Ling and Feng Li glanced at the list, their faces darkening.

"Dugu Feng, has your Dugu family gone bankrupt, making you so shamelessly greedy? You're just using this as an excuse to get Ten Thousand Year Whale Oil, you despicable scoundrel!" Ning Rongrong shouted angrily.

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

Ten Thousand Year Whale Oil? The looks directed at Dugu Feng grew peculiar.

This guy was bold—could his body even handle that?

"How can nobles duel without stakes? If you're so unconfident, does that mean you expect to lose? If you win, you won't have to pay anything! Besides, all this combined is worth at most ten million Gold Soul Coins. Is that really so much?"

Dugu Feng remained unruffled, his tone laced with mockery and feigned surprise.

Even the Ten Thousand Year Serpent Soul Beast Snake Galls and Eight Treasure Ruyi Soft Armor, though rare, weren't impossible to obtain.

Ning Rongrong's eyes gleamed. These items meant nothing to her.

Of the world's wealth, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School held one-eighth.

Ten million Gold Soul Coins was pocket change.

What concerned her was Dugu Feng's confidence—he must have a trump card. Logically, for safety's sake, they shouldn't proceed with this duel.

But emotionally, she couldn't back down.

Like a gambler who knows the odds are against them yet clings to the slimmest hope of winning.

"Testing Dugu Feng's strength with millions of Gold Soul Coins is worth it!" Ning Rongrong hardened her heart and declared, "We'll fight! I refuse to believe you could have improved that much in just three months!"

Seeing their leader's decision, Feng Ling and Feng Li's eyes turned sharp—they couldn't afford to lose again this time.

"Feng Li, Wind Sword Spirit, Level 12 One-Ring Tool Soul Master!"

"Feng Ling, Wind Sword Spirit, Level 12 One-Ring Tool Soul Master, have at you!"

"Ning Rongrong, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Level 13 One-Ring Tool Soul Master!"

"Dugu Feng, Dugu Feng, Martial Soul Azure Phosphorus Serpent, Level 14 One-Ring Battle Soul Master!"

On the Soul Duel Stage, the four exchanged formal greetings.

Their Soul Power levels had uniformly increased by one rank.

"Dammit, he leveled up again!" Ning Rongrong cursed inwardly.

In the next instant, a Light Sword materialized before her eyes. Ning Rongrong leaped onto it, riding the sword as it carried her into the air above the stage.

"Hmph! Seven Treasures are Named, the First is Power!" Two beams of multicolored light descended.

Before her, a circular Sword Formation composed of sixteen Light Swords hovered midair, with Feng Ling and Feng Li standing back-to-back at its center.

This was their greatest confidence—Sword Flight.

As long as they remained airborne, they could simply exhaust Dugu Feng's Soul Power through attrition.

"Sword Flight..."

The audience below the stage erupted in astonishment.

Regardless of actual combat effectiveness, it looked undeniably cool!

And more importantly, it appeared incredibly intimidating.

"Dugu Feng! Even if you spray poison mist across the entire arena this time, you won't touch us!" Ning Rongrong shouted triumphantly.

She had waited three months for this moment.

All for this grand display—though she didn't know the term "showing off," the sentiment was identical.

She wanted to shock Dugu Feng, to make him beg for mercy.

Remembering Dugu Feng's infuriatingly calm demeanor last time made her blood boil.

This time I'll make you cry for your parents! You're just a six-year-old brat—who are you trying to act all profound with?

Ning Rongrong's resentment ran deep.

Feng Ling and Feng Li basked in the admiring, astonished gazes from below, savoring the moment instead of immediately attacking Dugu Feng.

They wanted to see the look of shock, awe, and terror on Dugu Feng's face.

Dugu Feng observed the trio in the sky with complete composure.

Admittedly, if he used the first-stage application method of his Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom, he truly couldn't reach them.

He had to admit Ning Rongrong's plan was clever.

But he too had progressed these three months—his Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom had advanced to its second stage.

"If you won't make the first move, then I will!"

Ning Rongrong's group was too busy reveling in the audience's admiration to notice.

Dugu Feng found this ridiculous—not slapping them down would be a disservice to their current smug expressions.

A yellow Spirit Ring rose as he activated his Martial Soul Avatar.

Then, Dugu Feng raised both hands.

The Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom within his body rapidly circulated through his meridians to his palms before being projected outward.

Hair-thin purple needles of light appeared.

They shot toward the Sword Formation.

Twelve needles in total—where the Six Meridian Divine Sword produced six, his dual-handed technique released twelve. Dugu Feng had named this move Blue Phosphorous Twelve Fingers.

Dugu Feng felt excited—this was his first combat deployment of the technique.

The offensive power of toxin-based Blue Phosphorous Twelve Fingers promised to be extraordinary.

"A Self-Created Soul Skill?" Feng Ling and Feng Li exclaimed in alarm.

Their first thought was of an original technique—how else could poison be deployed this way?

But there was no time for further contemplation.

The twelve light swords within the sword formation trembled before breaking free from the formation, shooting downward like arrows.

In midair, they clashed with Dugu Feng's Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom.

But the moment they collided, both fighters were shocked.

The seemingly delicate threads of light carried immense force.

The light swords they had manifested using their Soul Skills were instantly shattered.

Then, the two saw it—

Another twelve thin rays of light shot skyward.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The Feng brothers scrambled frantically, mustering all their strength to reform the twelve light swords and block the attack.

In the sky, blue and purple radiance clashed, refracting bizarrely under the sunlight.

The spectacle was dazzling.

Such an intense duel drew gasps from the audience below, and soon, nearly the entire academy had gathered to watch.

(End of Chapter)