Feeling the powerful Sword Intent coursing through him, Lan Minghua sighed.
He quickly opened his personal panel to check.
[Host: Lan Minghua.] [Template: Wretched Fate Hua.] [Roleplay Progress: 47%.] [Character Legacy: Sword Nine Yellow.] [Moves: Diamond Palm, Dragon Claw Hand, Golden Bell Shield, Chrysanthemum Acupoint Hand, Heaven and Earth, Dragon King Supreme, Sword One through Sword Nine...] [Overall Strength: Level 98 Titled Douluo.] [Peak Experience Card: 0 remaining.]
"Gold-tier items really are something. One use was enough to raise my overall strength to the level of a Level 98 Titled Douluo."
After all, the gold-tier character Wu Song had started with Level 96 Soul Power.
That meant the Sword Nine Yellow legacy had to come with at least Level 96 Soul Power as well.
Combined with Wretched Fate Hua's roleplay progress of over forty percent, it wasn't unreasonable for Lan Minghua's overall strength to reach Level 98.
"Level 98? That'll do. As long as I don't run into those few Limit Douluos, I should have no trouble."
Lan Minghua finally breathed a sigh of relief. With overall strength at Level 98, he could handle most unexpected situations.
Wu Song was with him, but there was no substitute for being strong himself.
Before long, Oscar and the two girls had also absorbed all the medicinal power of the Immortal Herbs.
Oscar's Soul Power rose by five levels, reaching Level 40.
Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Power rose by two levels, also reaching Level 40.
Meng Yiran hadn't done quite as well. After absorbing the Immortal Herb, her Soul Power rose by six levels, leaving her at Level 39.
Still, it was a very good result. Her Soul Power had risen by six levels in all.
Oscar jogged over, excitement written all over his face. "Master, I'm Level 40!"
"Mm, I know. And then?" Lan Minghua rolled his eyes.
"Of course we go Soul Hunting! Otherwise, I'll be stuck at Level 40."
As Oscar spoke, Lan Minghua flicked him on the forehead.
"Settle down. Your increase came without any side effects, but your Soul Power is still a little unstable. Spend some time consolidating it first. Once Yiran reaches Level 40, we'll go Soul Hunting together."
Their Soul Power had risen too quickly, and Lan Minghua didn't want it to become truly unstable.
Besides, he already had an idea for Oscar's Fourth Soul Ring: a Mirror Shadow Beast from the Frozen Forest.
The Star Dou Great Forest lay south of the Heaven Dou Empire, while the Frozen Forest lay to the north.
So Lan Minghua decided they would return to Shrek Academy to prepare, then take them Soul Hunting once Meng Yiran reached Level 40.
With that, Lan Minghua summoned the Flying Prop Item Sword he had just drawn and took them out of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Wu Song went back with them, too. It was time for the people of Douluo Continent to learn of the Heavenly Dragon Gang's existence.
Meanwhile, Gui Mei and Yue Guan returned to Spirit Hall with grievous injuries, leaving Bibi Dong furious.
But as soon as Yue Guan and Gui Mei returned, they passed out completely, leaving Bibi Dong unable to find out what had happened.
Elsewhere, several guests arrived at Shrek Academy.
They were Tang San's master, Yu Xiaogang; the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi; and Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
Seeing that Ning Rongrong still hadn't returned, Sword Douluo Chen Xin let out a cold snort.
"Hmph! Flender, if anything has happened to Rongrong, there'll be no need for you or Shrek Academy to exist anymore!"
Flender's forehead was beaded with sweat. His strength was nowhere near enough to withstand the pressure of a Titled Douluo.
Just then, Zhao Wuji returned to Shrek Academy with Tang San and the others.
"Dean, we're back!"
Flender hadn't even moved when Sword Douluo Chen Xin dashed out ahead of him.
Seeing Ning Rongrong safe and sound, he finally let out the breath he'd been holding.
"Rongrong, thank goodness you're all right!"
Ning Rongrong looked up in delight. The moment she saw Sword Douluo's familiar face, she rushed into his arms.
"Waaah! Sword Grandpa, someone bullied me! You have to stand up for me!"
Everyone, happy New Year's Eve!
"Don't cry, Rongrong. Tell Sword Grandpa who bullied you, and I'll teach him a lesson."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin doted on Ning Rongrong. He couldn't bear to see her suffer even the slightest grievance.
With someone familiar to rely on, Ning Rongrong's old Little Demoness personality returned.
She pointed at Flender, who had just come out, and said coldly, "Sword Grandpa, it was him! He bullied me and called me useless!"
Flender's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected Ning Rongrong to hold a grudge so fiercely.
Besides, he'd only dared to scold her like that because he'd received a letter from Ning Fengzhi.
Otherwise, even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't have dared treat Ning Rongrong, that little tyrant, like that.
"Sect Master Ning, this..."
Flender shot Ning Fengzhi a pleading look, but Ning Fengzhi ignored him completely.
After all, as Ning Rongrong's father, he was hardly going to take Flender's side.
Flender was dumbfounded. He hurriedly protested, "Sect Master Ning, you can't treat me like this! It was clearly..."
"Silence!"
Sword Douluo wouldn't let Flender get the words "you told me to" out. A streak of Sword Qi struck him.
Sword Douluo knew full well that Ning Fengzhi had tacitly approved everything Flender had done to Ning Rongrong.
But he wasn't about to let Flender ruin the relationship between father and daughter.
They needed a scapegoat right now, someone for the Little Demoness to vent all the resentment she'd built up.
Otherwise, he and Ning Fengzhi would be the ones to suffer.
And Flender had walked right into the line of fire. He could only blame his bad luck.
"Boom!"
Flender felt a stab of pain in his abdomen. Then his view swept backward as he flew through the air like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily into the house behind him.
With a rumble, the already dilapidated house collapsed into rubble.
"Flender?!" Zhao Wuji cried out. He hurried over to dig Flender out.
A trace of blood marked Flender's lips, and his eyes were dark with anger.
Sword Douluo furrowed his brows, an almost imperceptible Sword Qi locking onto Flender.
It seemed to say: Go ahead and try. Let's see whether your mouth is faster or my sword!
He was using his power to bully Flender into swallowing the insult.
Flender was furious, but he still held back, not daring to show his displeasure.
Seeing this, Ning Fengzhi nodded in satisfaction. Everything was going according to plan.
Zhao Wuji sighed, his opinion of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect sinking considerably.
He knew that everything Flender had done to Ning Rongrong had been tacitly approved by Ning Fengzhi.
Now Ning Fengzhi was making Flender bear all the consequences alone.
Wasn't that just burning a bridge after crossing it?
"Huazi really is the best. If he promises something, he'll never go back on his word."
Zhao Wuji was glad he hadn't gotten involved. Otherwise, his fate would have been no better than Flender's.
Seeing Flender beaten until he spat blood, Ning Rongrong looked smug. If she'd had a tail, it would have been wagging high in the air.
She glanced at Zhao Wuji with disgust. "Sword Grandpa, Zhao Wuji, too. He failed to protect me in the Star Dou Great Forest and nearly got me killed by the Titan Giant Ape!"
"Very well. Sword Grandpa will teach him a lesson right now!"
Without even asking what had happened, Sword Douluo swung his sword at Zhao Wuji.
Zhao Wuji had no time to react before a streak of Sword Qi slashed across his chest, sending him flying.
"You!" Feeling the warmth spreading across his chest, Zhao Wuji seethed with anger.
Ning Rongrong, you ungrateful brat!
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