Seven Treasures Glazed Tile, Rongrong's First Encounter

At the southwestern edge of Star Dou, an unnamed valley lay shrouded in mist, lush with vegetation. Yang Yu stood at the valley entrance, watching Xiao Wu's pink figure vanish completely into the depths of the dense forest, his gaze calm and unruffled.

"Your Highness, this trip to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect..." Yue Guan stepped forward, his usual smile still on his face, though his eyes were somewhat solemn. "The Upper Three Sects are bound together by common cause. Though they submit to the Empire on the surface, they are arrogant at heart. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in particular is wealthy beyond compare, its defenses impregnable, with two Titled Douluo, Sword and Bone, guarding it. If we visit them like this, would it not..."

"No matter." Yang Yu cut off his concerns. His voice was calm, yet carried unquestionable confidence. "We are not going to war. We are going to do business—and to... collect a debt."

Collect a debt? Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance, both utterly perplexed. But they did not dare ask about His Highness the Holy Son's intentions.

"Elder Ghost, I'll have to trouble you to go ahead first." Yang Yu looked toward Gui Mei in the shadows. "Conceal your tracks and investigate the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's outer defenses, especially the movements and habits of that Little Princess, Ning Rongrong. Do not approach the core area, lest you alert Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo."

"Yes." Gui Mei answered hoarsely, his figure melting away like ink in water as he vanished soundlessly from where he stood.

"Elder Ju, let's go." Yang Yu did not linger. After choosing a direction, he set off, with Yue Guan following close behind.

This time, they did not use Space Travel. The two traveled like ordinary wayfarers through the hilly region along the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. Yang Yu took the opportunity to familiarize himself with and adapt to the power of the First Spirit Ring he had just acquired.

"Your Highness, how does it feel?" Yue Guan could not help asking as he watched Yang Yu's steady steps and condensed aura. A five-thousand-year First Ring was a feat that overturned all conventional knowledge in the world of soul masters!

Yang Yu raised his right hand, his thoughts stirring slightly. A deep-purple Spirit Ring instantly lit beneath his feet, profound as amethyst, its surface rippling with silver Spatial Ripples. The phantom of the Dragon of Eternity and Time emerged in his palm. Around its crystalline dragon body, the faint spatial ripples became clearer and more controllable.

"First Spirit Ability: Void." Yang Yu quietly spoke the name of his Spirit Ability.

Buzz! The space around him distorted faintly, and his entire body seemed to blur in an instant! The next second, his figure appeared without warning beside a large tree ten meters away! There was no afterimage, no sound of rushing air—it was like Instant Movement! Then, he pressed his palm through the air toward a waist-high boulder ahead!

"Stagnate!"

An invisible wave carrying the power of spatial confinement instantly enveloped the boulder! The air within a meter around it seemed to freeze at once! Several falling leaves hung strangely in midair, as if someone had pressed pause! Though the restraint collapsed after only a brief instant and the leaves continued drifting down, that fleeting sensation of Space Stagnation was unmistakably clear!

"Instant Movement for ten meters... area-wide spatial confinement for one instant..." Yue Guan's eyelids twitched as his eyes filled with amazement. "What an overbearing time-and-space Spirit Ability! His Highness has only just acquired his Spirit Ring, yet can already control it to this extent. He truly is... a monster!"

Yang Yu withdrew his Martial Soul and Spirit Ring, his face slightly pale. This First Spirit Ability consumed an enormous amount of Soul Power and spiritual power. With his thirty-third-level Soul Power, using it two or three times in succession was already his limit. Yet its effects were indeed astonishing! Whether for short-range displacement to evade attacks or small-scale spatial confinement to control the battlefield, it was practically a divine ability! Combined with the Dragon of Time's own predictive and slowing abilities, its practical combat value was impossible to estimate!

He nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. I still need more practice." He continued onward, silently recovering his Soul Power as he traveled while organizing all the information he had on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Ning Rongrong.

Several days later, the Glazed Mountains, where the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was located, came into distant view.

Seven strange peaks, as though cast from glazed crystal, rose from the earth. Beneath the sunlight, they reflected rainbow-colored radiance, magnificent and dreamlike. At the foot of the mountains stood an enormous city built against the slopes and surrounded by towering walls. Its architecture was lavish and exquisite, primarily white and pale gold. Its streets were broad and clean, packed with people, and everywhere carried an air of prosperity and peace. It was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's outer main city—Glazed City.

Security at the city gates was strict. The guards wore uniform silver-white armor, with the emblem of a seven-tiered pagoda embroidered across their chests. Their auras were fierce, and even the weakest among them were Soul Grandmasters. Inspections were thorough, yet everything remained orderly.

Yang Yu and Yue Guan did not enter the city. Gui Mei emerged from the shadows cast by the roadside trees like a phantom, bringing intelligence.

"Your Highness, Glazed City is heavily guarded, and the core region is protected by layers of formations. Sword Douluo Chen Xin has remained stationed at the main peak year-round. His aura is razor-sharp, so this subordinate did not dare venture too deeply." Gui Mei's voice was hoarse. "However, that Little Princess Ning Rongrong has a lively nature. She enjoys excitement and cannot stand the Sect's dull routine. Recently, she often slips out of the inner city to visit the Myriad Treasures Pavilion in the outer city. The Myriad Treasures Pavilion is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's largest auction house and treasure shop. Its security is comparatively lax, making it the best place to approach her."

"Myriad Treasures Pavilion..." Yang Yu nodded. "Understood. Elder Ju, come with me to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Elder Ghost, support us from the perimeter."

"Yes!" Yue Guan and Gui Mei answered in unison.

Gui Mei's figure melted back into the shadows. Yue Guan swiftly took out an ornate purple robe with gold trim from his Storage Soul Tool and respectfully handed it to Yang Yu. "Your Highness, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is famed for its wealth and places great importance on attire and appearance."

Yang Yu accepted it and changed into it. The Purple-Gold Robe enhanced his already steady temperament with an added touch of nobility. Combined with his calm, profound eyes, he did not resemble a six-year-old child at all, but rather the young master of some ancient noble house.

The two entered Glazed City and headed straight for the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, located in the most prosperous district of the outer city.

The Myriad Treasures Pavilion was a magnificent seven-story building, constructed entirely from lustrous white jade and glazed crystal, gleaming brilliantly beneath the sun. A steady stream of people flowed in and out of its entrance—Nobles in luxurious clothing and powerful soul masters passed through without end. Eight Soul Ancestor guards with condensed auras stood at the entrance, their sharp gazes sweeping over everyone entering and leaving.

Yang Yu and Yue Guan's arrival did not draw much notice. Yue Guan had concealed his Titled Douluo aura and appeared to be nothing more than the steward of a wealthy young master. Though Yang Yu was young, his bearing was extraordinary. The guards merely glanced at him twice before allowing him through.

The moment they stepped onto the first floor of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, it was as if they had entered another world. The vast hall was splendidly adorned in gold and jade, with a massive crystal chandelier hanging from the domed ceiling. Its gentle light illuminated every corner. The air carried a faint scent of sandalwood mixed with an exotic medicinal fragrance. Rows of enormous crystal counters displayed a dazzling array of goods: rare ores emitting various colored lights, precious medicinal herbs sealed in jade boxes, finely crafted Soul Tools, and even several Spirit Bones radiating powerful fluctuations! Countless well-dressed customers lingered before the counters while attendants moved among them, quietly offering introductions.

Luxurious! Extravagantly luxurious! This was the foundation of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

Yang Yu's gaze calmly swept over treasures that would have driven outside soul masters mad, without the slightest ripple in his expression. He had come here to wait for one person.

"Wow! This is so pretty!" A crisp, sweet little girl's voice, filled with undisguised excitement and spoiled arrogance, rang out like a silver bell from the second floor, instantly drawing Yang Yu's attention.

He looked up.

At the railing of the circular second-floor corridor lay a little girl. She wore a pink-and-white lace dress with a puffy skirt decorated in tiny pearls and crystals that glittered under the lights. Her smooth chestnut hair cascaded over her shoulders like silk, while a delicate little diamond crown rested atop her head. Her face was exquisitely lovely, her skin fairer than snow, and her large eyes, as pure as the finest sapphires, were currently fixed brightly upon a string of rainbow gemstones displayed in a counter below, filled with undisguised longing.

She was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Little Princess—Ning Rongrong!

Two middle-aged maidservants stood beside her, both with steady auras and vigilant eyes. They were Soul Kings, carefully guarding either side of Ning Rongrong while occasionally scanning their surroundings.

"Miss, the Tears of the Rainbow is the finale auction item. It will not be auctioned until several days from now," one maidservant reminded her quietly.

"I don't care! I want to see it now!" Ning Rongrong pouted and stomped her foot petulantly. "Go tell the shopkeeper that Ning Rongrong wants to see it! Tell him to bring it up right away!"

"This..." The maidservant looked troubled. The Myriad Treasures Pavilion had its own rules.

Just then, a gentle voice sounded. "Since Miss Rongrong likes it, making an exception once is no great matter."

A refined middle-aged man in brocade robes came up from the stairway. He was the Myriad Treasures Pavilion's shopkeeper. With a respectful smile on his face, he said, "Someone, bring the Tears of the Rainbow for Miss Rongrong to admire."

Soon, a velvet-lined tray was carefully brought over. Resting upon it was a necklace formed from seven flawless, top-grade gemstones of different colors. Under the lights, it refracted a dreamlike rainbow glow, breathtakingly beautiful.

"Wow! So pretty!" Ning Rongrong's eyes shone even brighter as she reached out her fair little hand to grab it.

"Miss, be careful!" the maidservant hurriedly warned.

But Ning Rongrong paid no heed. She snatched the necklace into her hand and played with it fondly, her little face overflowing with satisfaction. She did not notice in the slightest that countless gazes in the hall below had focused on her, filled with envy, reverence, and a trace of barely perceptible greed.

Yang Yu stood in the first-floor hall, quietly watching the scene. The image of a spoiled, willful little princess appeared vividly before him. The corner of his mouth lifted into an almost imperceptible curve. Good. The target had appeared.

He did not approach her immediately. Instead, he walked to a nearby counter displaying all kinds of rare ores and casually picked up a strange metal ore that emitted a soft white glow, its interior seeming to contain a flowing galaxy. He weighed it in his hand.

"This young master has excellent taste." The attendant behind the counter immediately introduced it enthusiastically. "This is Star Silver, produced beneath the ten-thousand-zhang ice layer of the Far North. It contains the power of stars and is the core material for crafting top-grade spatial Soul Tools. It is priceless..."

Yang Yu seemed not to hear the attendant's boasting. His fingers gently brushed across the ore's surface as he sensed the faint spatial fluctuations within it, his gaze focused.

After playing with the necklace for a while, Ning Rongrong seemed to grow tired of it. She casually tossed the priceless Tears of the Rainbow back onto the tray and idly swept her gaze across the hall below. Before long, she noticed Yang Yu.

A boy who looked even younger than her? He wore a lavish Purple-Gold Robe, yet his bearing was unbelievably composed. And what he held in his hand... seemed to be Star Silver? Even her father said that stuff was rare. What could this brat possibly know?

Ning Rongrong raised her little eyebrows, her spoiled nature immediately flaring up. Folding her arms, she leaned against the second-floor railing and looked down at Yang Yu from above. In a voice neither loud nor soft, just enough for him to hear, she said with obvious superiority, "Hey! You little brat in purple down there! Star Silver isn't something you play with! Be careful not to dirty it. Can you afford to pay for it?"

Her crisp, arrogant voice echoed through the hall, instantly drawing many gazes toward Yang Yu.

Yue Guan frowned slightly, displeasure flashing through his eyes. Yang Yu, however, acted as though he had not heard. He remained focused on the ore in his hand and even sent a thread of Soul Power into it. The starlike points of light across its surface flowed more distinctly.

Seeing that Yang Yu ignored her, Ning Rongrong immediately felt embarrassed. Her little mouth pouted even more. "Hmph! Putting on an act! Do you even know what Star Silver is? Do you know how to use it? Don't tell me you're some country bumpkin from a backwater place who's never seen anything good before?"

Yang Yu finally raised his head. His calm gaze passed through the crowd and landed precisely on the face of the girl standing on the second floor like a proud little peacock.

Their eyes met.

Ning Rongrong froze when Yang Yu looked at her with eyes so calm they were almost indifferent. That gaze... did not hold the envy or fear other children her age showed when looking at her. Instead, it was like an adult watching a child throw a tantrum... and it made her inexplicably uncomfortable.

"Star Silver possesses spatial affinity and contains a faint stellar origin. Its melting point is extraordinarily high. It must be refined with extreme fire or the power of stars." Yang Yu's voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly throughout the hall, filled with certainty far beyond his age. "Its true value lies in stabilizing spatial nodes, constructing the core of large teleportation formations, or serving as the energy-conduction hub of high-level spatial Soul Tools. It is not... meant to be fashioned into a flashy but useless necklace pendant."

His gaze swept meaningfully toward the Tears of the Rainbow on the tray held by the maidservant behind Ning Rongrong.

The hall fell silent for a moment. Surprise appeared in the eyes of many knowledgeable soul masters and merchants. This kid... was completely right! Star Silver's true use was indeed in the field of space! How did he know it so well?

Ning Rongrong's little face instantly turned red! Though spoiled, she was still the Little Princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and possessed basic knowledge. Yang Yu's words had not only pointed out Star Silver's real value, but also mocked her earlier behavior with the Tears of the Rainbow as "flashy but useless"! It was practically a slap across her face!

"You... you're talking nonsense!" Ning Rongrong was both embarrassed and angry as she pointed at Yang Yu. "What do you know? My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has every kind of treasure! Who asked you to run your mouth?"

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is wealthy beyond compare. Naturally, it has everything." Yang Yu's tone remained calm, even carrying a faint, almost imperceptible mockery. "Unfortunately, though the pagoda stands tall, its foundation is flawed. No matter how vast its fortune, it cannot make up for its innate deficiency."

Boom! Those words struck Ning Rongrong like a thunderbolt! They also struck the hearts of every member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in the hall!

The pagoda was flawed? An innate deficiency?!

This nearly pointed directly at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul's greatest pain—the fragility of an auxiliary Martial Soul and its seventy-ninth-level Soul Power limit! This was the entire Sect's taboo! It was a problem Ning Fengzhi and the two Titled Douluo had poured countless efforts into solving, exhausting every possible method without success! Yet now, some brat who had appeared from nowhere had casually exposed it in public?!

"Impudent!" "You brazen madman!" The two Soul King maidservants beside Ning Rongrong instantly changed expression and shouted furiously! Terrifying Soul Power pressure swept down like raging waves, locking onto Yang Yu below! The temperature throughout the hall seemed to drop several degrees!

Countless shocked, horrified, and disbelieving gazes converged on Yang Yu! Was this kid insane?! He dared humiliate their Sect-protecting Martial Soul like this on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's own territory?!

Ning Rongrong was like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on. Her little face flushed crimson, and tears of grievance and fury instantly welled up in her sapphire eyes! Pointing at Yang Yu, her voice even took on a sobbing note. "Y-you're talking nonsense! You're slandering us! My Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda is the number one auxiliary Martial Soul in the world! Who do you think you are?! Catch him! Tear his mouth apart!"

Just as the two Soul King maidservants attacked in fury, turning into two afterimages as they lunged toward Yang Yu!

Buzz—!!!

An indescribable, terrifying Sword Intent that seemed capable of cleaving heaven and earth descended with a crash, like a slumbering dragon awakening! In an instant, it filled the entire Myriad Treasures Pavilion!

All commotion came to an abrupt halt! Time itself seemed to freeze at that moment!

The two Soul King maidservants charging at Yang Yu seemed to crash into an invisible wall of swords. They groaned and were sent flying backward even faster, stumbling as they landed. Their faces were deathly pale, their eyes filled with boundless terror!

Every customer in the hall, regardless of cultivation, felt icy sharpness hanging above their heads, making their souls tremble! Even breathing became extraordinarily difficult!

A figure appeared soundlessly at Ning Rongrong's side on the second floor.

He looked to be around forty years old, his face cold and stern, as though carved by blade and axe. He wore a spotless white robe, his posture as straight as a pine. Most striking were his eyes. Every time they opened and closed, brilliant light flashed from them, as though two peerless divine swords lay concealed within! Merely standing there, he seemed to be the center of the entire world, with all radiance converging upon him! An incomparably sharp Sword Intent spread forth like substance itself, causing even the air to release faint cutting sounds!

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's guardian Douluo, the continent's number one attacker—Sword Douluo Chen Xin!

His gaze was like two peerless divine swords drawn from their sheaths, carrying sharpness that pierced all things and coldness that judged all things. It passed over the second-floor railing and landed with perfect precision on the boy below in the Purple-Gold Robe, who still stood straight and calm beneath such terrifying Sword Intent.

"Boy." Chen Xin's voice was not loud, yet it rang like clashing steel in every person's ears, carrying supreme authority and a trace of cold killing intent. "What did you mean by what you said just now—that the pagoda is flawed, that it has an innate deficiency?"

The terrifying Sword Intent descended upon Yang Yu along with Chen Xin's gaze, like a tangible mountain!

Yue Guan's expression changed drastically, and he instinctively wanted to step forward, but Yang Yu stopped him with a single look.

Yang Yu raised his head and met Chen Xin's gaze, one that could make even Titled Douluo tremble. His small body was like a lone boat in stormy seas beneath the vast Sword Intent, yet his spine never bent. A calm smile even appeared on his face, as if he could not feel the terrifying pressure that could crush him into dust.

"Senior Sword Douluo." Yang Yu's voice remained steady, clearly echoing through the deathly silent hall. "This is not slander. It is fact. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda is unmatched in support, yet unable to protect itself, and its Soul Power stops at level seventy-nine. This is a limitation of the Martial Soul Origin, not something external means can forcibly overcome."

He paused. Under Chen Xin's increasingly cold gaze, his tone suddenly shifted, like thunder exploding through the hall:

"However, heaven never bars every path. A flawed Martial Soul may not necessarily be beyond repair! What if I said... that I know of a method that might break through the shackles of level seventy-nine?"

The entire hall fell dead silent!

For the first time, intense emotion appeared on Chen Xin's cold, composed face! The sword light in his eyes burst forth almost tangibly as he fixed Yang Yu in a deathly stare!