Secret Chamber Breakthrough, a Hidden Move in Heaven Dou

Secret Chamber Breakthrough, a Hidden Move in Heaven Dou

Ghost Leopard Douluo's training room was located deep within Spirit Hall, in a separate, gloomy area under heavy guard, filled with all manner of warning Soul Tools and traps. The room was simply furnished, containing only several meditation cushions and a massive Mysterious Ice Jade Platform that radiated a chilling aura.

Ling Feng was thrown onto the jade platform. The icy chill jolted his mind awake, and even the pain from his wounds seemed to lessen somewhat.

"Kid, you're damn lucky!" Ghost Leopard Douluo tossed Ling Feng a bottle of emerald-green medicinal liquid that radiated a rich life aura. "Drink it! This is Ten Thousand Year Ginseng King Essence, to strengthen your foundation and replenish your vitality! Get better fast! Damn it, I just picked you up from the Star Dou Forest, and you nearly died again in our own nest!" He cursed gruffly, but the concern in his eyes was genuine.

Ling Feng did not stand on ceremony. He pulled out the stopper and downed the fragrant liquid in one gulp. Instantly, a vast yet gentle life energy surged through his limbs and bones, like sweet rain nourishing parched earth. It rapidly repaired his damaged Meridians and internal organs while replenishing his depleted Soul Power. Combined with the Mysterious Ice Jade Platform's chill suppressing his injuries, the effect was exceptional.

"Elder, those assassins..." Ling Feng asked as he guided the medicinal energy.

"Hmph! Suicide soldiers! Their tracks were clean!" Ghost Leopard Douluo's face darkened. "Their souls had restrictions placed on them. The moment we touched the core, they self-destructed. The spider emblem on their cuffs was forged, pointing to a small family that had already been wiped out. The trail... is cold." His withered fingers tapped against the edge of the jade platform, producing dull thuds. "But to dare make a move in Spirit Hall's core territory, and nearly succeed... whoever is behind this has considerable power!"

Ling Feng fell silent. He knew Ghost Leopard was right. The mastermind was deeply hidden. Qian Renxue? It was possible, but the risk was too great; it did not seem like her style. Internal forces opposed to Spirit Hall? Undercover Agents from Heaven Dou or Star Luo Empire? Tang Hao? All were possible.

"You've been too high-profile lately." Ghost Leopard Douluo looked at Ling Feng, a trace of complexity in his cloudy old eyes. "The identity of the Son of Judgment, your status as the Pope's adopted son, the edge you showed in the arena, and... the secret chamber you brought back from the Star Dou Forest. You've stepped on too many toes. A tree that stands out in the forest will be toppled by the wind! Kid, keep a lower profile from now on! Before you have enough strength, hiding your brilliance and biding your time is the proper path!"

"I understand." Ling Feng nodded. This assassination attempt had sounded an alarm for him. He was still not strong enough! He had to grow stronger faster!

Over the following days, Ling Feng stayed in Ghost Leopard Douluo's fortress-like training room, recovering and cultivating in peace. Nourished by both the Ten Thousand Year Ginseng King Essence and the Mysterious Ice Jade Platform, his injuries healed at an astonishing rate. At the same time, he used this rare quiet and secure environment to fully assault the twentieth-level bottleneck!

Level twenty! It meant he could obtain his second spirit ring! It meant a qualitative leap in strength!

As he circulated his Soul Power and tempered his foundation, he repeatedly considered the plan for obtaining a God-Bestowed Spirit Ring. The permission granted by the system allowed him to choose a direction and obtain a spirit ring far beyond the normal limit! What he needed was offense? Defense? Control? Or... an even stronger judgment trait?

A few days later, his injuries were fully healed, and he had returned to peak condition!

Ling Feng sat cross-legged on the Mysterious Ice Jade Platform, his consciousness sinking into his sea of consciousness.

"System, activate the God-Bestowed Spirit Ring permission for the second ring!"

Ding! God-Bestowed Spirit Ring permission activated! Please choose your spirit ring inclination:

Option One: Ultimate offense (Spear of Judgment advancement)! Reward: Spirit ring age limit raised to 2,500 years! Spirit skill: Spear of Judgment: Void Split (with spatial rending properties)!

Option Two: Enhanced defense (Wings of Judgment protection)! Reward: Spirit ring age limit raised to 2,300 years! Spirit skill: Holy Judgment Light Shield (area/single-target defense with reflected damage)!

Option Three: Extension of the Will of Judgment (mental/control)! Reward: Spirit ring age limit raised to 2,200 years! Spirit skill: Eye of Judgment (mental intimidation/judgment mark)!

Option Four: Fusion of ice and fire origin energy (special enhancement)! Reward: Spirit ring age limit raised to 2,800 years (extremely dangerous)! Spirit skill: Ice Flame Judgment (area/single-target attack combining the power of ice and fire)!

Ling Feng's gaze instantly locked onto Option Four! 2,800 years! Fusion of ice and fire origin energy! Ice Flame Judgment! This was exactly what he needed! It perfectly suited the physique he had gained from the Ice and Fire Golden Body, as well as the destructive traits of the Judgment Angel! Though the warning stated it was "extremely dangerous," risk and reward had always been directly proportional!

"Option Four!" Ling Feng roared from the depths of his soul!

Choice confirmed! God-Bestowed Spirit Ring generating... Target: fusion of ice and fire origin energy! Age: 2,800 years! Warning: Energy is extremely violent! Host must use the Will of Judgment as the core to guide the ice and fire origin energy in tempering the spirit ring! Failure rate: 70%! Beginning!

An energy torrent even more terrifying and violent than his first spirit ring crashed into Ling Feng's body like a breached celestial river! This energy was no longer pure darkness or light, but a weave of savage freezing cold and scorching heat! It was as though the core energy of the Ice and Fire Immortal Grass had been compressed and poured directly into him!

"Argh—!" Ling Feng instantly felt as if his body were being torn apart, his soul frozen and burned at once! The agony far surpassed that of absorbing his first spirit ring! The backlash from fusing the ice and fire origin energy with the Will of Judgment was even more terrifying!

"Judgment! Fuse!" At the edge of his soul's destruction, Ling Feng let out an unyielding roar! Within his sea of consciousness, the majestic phantom of the Judgment Angel shone brilliantly! This time, its left wing became entwined with icy-blue profound ice power, while its right wing blazed with crimson solar flames! A terrifying will combining judgment, destruction, freezing, and incineration erupted with a thunderous burst!

He used himself as a furnace and the Will of Judgment as a hammer, wildly guiding and tempering the violent ice and fire origin energy flooding into him! Every strike brought agony as though his body were being shattered to pieces, yet it also gradually tamed the violent energy, branding it with the mark of judgment and merging it into the forming purple spirit ring!

The process was even more perilous and agonizing than the first time! Ling Feng's skin split apart again, half coated in frost and half charred black, smoking! Yet he gritted his teeth tightly, his gaze as firm as stone!

Who knew how long it had been before the final wisp of violent energy was forcibly subdued by the Will of Judgment and merged into the spirit ring!

Bzzzz—!

A powerful, vast wave of Soul Power carrying the four terrifying traits of judgment, destruction, freezing, and incineration erupted from Ling Feng like an awakened ancient beast! A deep purple spirit ring encircled him, its violet glow so profound it was nearly black. Golden judgment runes, icy-blue profound ice patterns, and crimson flame patterns faintly intertwined and flowed across it, radiating a heart-palpitating aura!

Second spirit ring, 2,800 years! Ice Flame Judgment! Successfully obtained! His Soul Power Level instantly broke through the bottleneck, reaching level twenty-two!

Ling Feng slowly opened his eyes. Ice and fire seemed to burn within them, while lightning delivered judgment! With a thought, he loosely clenched his right hand.

A brand-new war spear condensed in his grasp! Its shaft was no longer pure violet-gold, but instead displayed a strange Dark Red, like solidified magma! Icy-blue profound ice patterns and crimson flame patterns flowed and intertwined over the shaft like living creatures! A glint of cold light flashed at its spearhead, radiating a terrifying aura capable of freezing souls and burning all things!

Spear of Judgment: Ice Flame Form!

Feeling the surging Soul Power within him, several times stronger than before, as well as the war spear in his hand that contained destructive power, Ling Feng's lips curled into a cold, powerful smile. Soul Grandmaster! He had finally entered this level! And he was far beyond others of the same rank!

"Good kid! 2,800 years?! How did you do it?!" Ghost Leopard Douluo had appeared at the entrance to the training room at some point. His cloudy old eyes were fixed on the profound purple spirit ring around Ling Feng, his face filled with incredulous shock! A 2,800-year second spirit ring? This simply overturned all common sense in the world of soul masters!

Ling Feng dismissed the Spear of Ice Flame Judgment and smiled faintly. "Luck, along with a... special opportunity."

Ghost Leopard Douluo gave him a long look but did not press further. Everyone had their own secrets. He only knew that this kid was becoming more and more monstrous!

Just then, a Temple Knight hurried to the door and respectfully reported, "Elder Ghost Leopard, Young Master Ling Feng. His Eminence the Pope summons you both and orders you to proceed to the Pope's Palace immediately!"

Bibi Dong was summoning them? Ling Feng and Ghost Leopard exchanged a glance. It seemed the Pope's "other arrangements" had arrived.

Within the Pope's Palace, the atmosphere was solemn. Bibi Dong sat high upon her throne, her deep violet eyes falling upon Ling Feng as he entered the hall. She immediately sensed his earth-shaking transformation—level twenty-two Soul Grandmaster! And the deeply unsettling aura of his second spirit ring!

A flicker of genuine satisfaction crossed her eyes. The Son of Judgment truly had not disappointed her.

"Ling Feng, your growth has exceeded my expectations." Bibi Dong's voice remained cool, but her appreciation was more apparent. "Spirit Hall needs a sharp edge like yours. But a sharp edge must be used to open new ground."

She paused before revealing her true arrangement. "The Heaven Dou Empire, the heartland of the empire, is also a land where hidden currents surge. I need a pair of eyes and a sharp sword inserted into Heaven Dou's core, to stir the winds and clouds and pave the way for Spirit Hall's future plans."

The Heaven Dou Empire! Ling Feng's heart trembled! It was finally here! This was the crucial step in his plan to intercept Tang San and lay out his pieces across the continent!

"Crown Prince Xue Qinghe is kind, wise, and respectful toward talent." Bibi Dong's gaze seemed capable of seeing through people's hearts. "You will go to Heaven Dou Royal Academy for 'further study' under the identity of the Adjudicator Elder's son and the Pope's adopted son. Get close to him, observe him, and when necessary... assist him. At the same time, keep an eye on a ragtag group called 'Shrek,' especially the young man named Tang San. I want to know every movement he makes!"

Xue Qinghe? The crown prince Qian Renxue was impersonating! Get close to her? Assist her? And monitor Tang San as well? Bibi Dong's arrangement... could not have suited Ling Feng better! He had been worrying over how to obtain a suitable identity to infiltrate Heaven Dou!

"Ghost Leopard." Bibi Dong looked toward Ghost Leopard Douluo. "You will remain secretly responsible for Ling Feng's safety. Do not reveal yourself unless it is a life-or-death situation. Also, mobilize the Dark Spider intelligence network in Heaven Dou City to fully cooperate with Ling Feng's actions!"

"By your command!" Ghost Leopard Douluo bowed as he accepted the order, a glint flashing through his eyes. Heaven Dou City? This mission was getting interesting.

Ling Feng suppressed the wild joy in his heart and assumed a solemn expression, giving Bibi Dong a deep bow. "This disciple accepts the order! I will not fail Your Eminence's trust!"

An invisible net quietly spread toward the Heaven Dou Empire following Bibi Dong's command. And Ling Feng, this crucial chess piece, was about to step onto a new battlefield! The curtain had officially risen on his plan to intercept Tang San and stir the winds and clouds across the continent!