Green Garden Encounter, Seven Treasure Breakthrough

As the emerald-green Wooden Door slowly opened, an almost liquefied, dense aura of life rushed toward them.

Ning Fengzhi's taut nerves instantly relaxed, as though every pore on his body had opened at that moment, greedily breathing it in.

"This... this is..."

Ning Fengzhi's eyes widened as he stared at the sight before him. Even as the Sect Master of one of the Upper Three Sects, he could not help but lose his composure.

As far as the eye could see stood an incomparably massive ancient tree.

Its canopy was like a giant umbrella, its branches dense, every leaf glowing with a faint Purple Light. Its thick, gnarled roots sprawled across the ground.

Among its branches hung more than a dozen fist-sized fruits that shimmered with pink light, giving off an enticingly sweet fragrance.

All around was a lush green garden, where exotic flowers and rare plants competed in beauty, spiritual energy gathering into mist.

The concentration of spiritual energy here was dozens of times greater than even the treasured grounds of his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

"Ah Yin sister."

Zhu Zhuqing's cool voice rang out, carrying a rare softness.

Ning Fengzhi followed her voice and saw a woman in a plain blue dress standing amid the sea of flowers with her back to them.

Hearing the call, the woman slowly turned around.

Her azure-blue hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Her features were exquisitely beautiful, and her bearing noble and elegant, as though she were the Empress of this forest.

Yet deep within her gentle eyes seemed to linger a trace of faint sorrow.

But when she saw Zhu Zhuqing, she hid that sorrow well and replaced it with a tender smile.

"It's Zhu Qing," Ah Yin said, her voice soft as spring water.

Zhu Zhuqing led Ning Fengzhi, who was already staring in a daze, over to her.

"Ah Yin sister, the Monarch instructed you to pick a Keling Fruit for Sect Master Ning."

Ning Fengzhi abruptly came back to his senses. Although the woman before him looked gentle and harmless,

his keen perception told him that she contained an utterly terrifying amount of life energy!

She was definitely another Titled Douluo whose strength could not be measured!

Ning Fengzhi did not dare show the slightest negligence. He hurriedly bowed, his manner respectful. "Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, greets you, my lady."

By now, he was almost numb from shock.

Just how many monsters of this level were hidden within the Dark Night Arena?

Ah Yin gave him a slight nod but said nothing.

She raised her fair hand and made a gentle beckoning motion.

"Rustle..."

A crystalline strand of Blue Silver Grass grew from beside her feet, rapidly extending toward the giant tree.

The grass blades nimbly curled around one of the pink fruits, plucked it, and steadily delivered it before Ning Fengzhi.

The instant the fruit drew near, a refreshing fragrance entered Ning Fengzhi's nose.

"Boom!"

With only one breath of its scent, Ning Fengzhi felt the Soul Power that had lain dormant in his body for so long begin to boil.

The bottleneck at level seventy-nine that had troubled him for half his life, known to the world as the curse of support-type Spirit Masters, actually showed the first trace of loosening!

"This..."

Ning Fengzhi's hands began to tremble. He carefully accepted the fruit as though holding an unparalleled treasure.

His intuition told him that as long as he ate it, the curse that plagued the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul would be broken today!

"Sect Master Ning should consume it quickly."

Ah Yin gently reminded him, "After this fruit is picked, its spiritual energy disperses easily. I will protect you while you absorb it."

"G-good! Then I'll trouble you, my lady!"

At this moment, how could Ning Fengzhi care about aristocratic etiquette or the bearing of a Sect Master?

He practically stuffed the fruit into his mouth and devoured it in huge bites.

The flesh entered his stomach and instantly transformed into a vast yet gentle current of heat, washing through his limbs.

"Mn!"

Ning Fengzhi let out a muffled groan, his face flushing red. Not daring to delay, he immediately sat cross-legged and began frantically circulating his Soul Power to absorb the medicinal effects.

Watching Ning Fengzhi enter a cultivation state, Zhu Zhuqing withdrew her gaze.

She stepped over to Ah Yin's side, and her originally cold expression became somewhat hesitant.

After glancing at Ning Fengzhi, who was immersed in cultivation, she suddenly leaned close to Ah Yin, lowered her voice, and asked mysteriously,

"Ah Yin sister... what did the Monarch come here to do just now?"

At that question, Ah Yin, whose expression had just returned to calm, suddenly trembled.

A blush instantly spread across her noble, elegant face, and even her crystalline earlobes turned a soft pink.

Her gaze darted away, and she lowered her head in embarrassment without answering.

Seeing how unbearably shy she was, Zhu Zhuqing formed a guess in her heart.

A faint, unnatural blush also appeared on her beautiful, cool face. After a long while, she finally gathered her courage and quietly sought confirmation again.

"Was it... was it that thing I accidentally... saw you doing beneath the Monarch's desk last time?"

Hearing such Direct words, Ah Yin's blush deepened further.

She did not dare raise her head to look at Zhu Zhuqing. She could only nod weakly and squeeze out a soft sound from her throat.

"Mm."

Having received an Affirmative Answer, Zhu Zhuqing felt her face grow hot.

She thought that with the strength of the Monarch and Ah Yin sister, they must have noticed her arrival long ago. Why had they still let her see it?

The two fell into a brief silence, and an awkward atmosphere filled the air.

After a moment, Zhu Zhuqing bit her lip, and a trace of longing flashed through her lively, catlike eyes.

She took Ah Yin's hand and said softly, "Ah Yin sister... the Monarch has never touched me..."

"Is it because I don't know how, so the Monarch doesn't seek me out?"

"How about... you teach me?"

"Ah?"

Ah Yin lifted her head in shock and looked at Zhu Zhuqing before hurriedly shaking her head in embarrassment.

She had been forced into that kind of shameful thing too...

Besides, how could she possibly teach it?

But Zhu Zhuqing refused to give up. Holding Ah Yin's hand, she gently swayed it, her tone carrying a hint of coquettish persistence.

"Good sister, please teach me!"

"I want to make the Monarch happy too. I'm willing to be like you..."

Hearing those words, Ah Yin truly wanted to turn back into Blue Silver Grass and hide.

But seeing Zhu Zhuqing's eager expression, she simply could not refuse. She could only agree with a flushed face, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

An hour later.

"Phew—!"

Ning Fengzhi, seated cross-legged on the ground, let out a long breath of turbid air. The stream of air was actually a faint gray.

He abruptly opened his eyes, and a brilliant light shot from them.

At this moment, he felt as though he had been completely reborn, more than ten years younger!

Most importantly, the Soul Power in his body was filled to the brim, surging and roaring through his meridians.

This feeling could not be wrong!

As long as he hunted a Soul Beast and absorbed a Soul Ring now, he could immediately break through to level eighty and become a Soul Fighting Douluo!

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was about to become eight treasures, perhaps even nine!

This was something he had dreamed of his entire life, and today, that dream had actually come true!

Ning Fengzhi rose to his feet excitedly and looked toward Ah Yin, who was seated on a swing not far away.

He tidied his slightly disheveled robes and bowed once more. "Thank you for protecting me, my lady!"

Ah Yin had already recovered her dignified appearance, though a lingering blush still remained on her cheeks.

She nodded calmly without speaking.

At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing spoke from the side. "Since it is over, Sect Master Ning, you may leave with me."

"Yes, Miss Zhu Qing."

Ning Fengzhi nodded repeatedly. He was now utterly convinced by the people here.

Zhu Zhuqing turned and led Ning Fengzhi toward the exit.

Before leaving, she suddenly stopped, turned back, and winked at Ah Yin on the swing. With a meaningful smile, she said, "Ah Yin sister, I'll go attend to things first."

"When I have time, I'll come learn from you again."

Ah Yin's body stiffened, and her complexion, which had only just returned to normal, instantly turned crimson again.

After passing through the emerald-green door, they returned to the dark corridor.

Zhu Zhuqing resumed her aloof steward's demeanor and spoke as they walked.

"If Sect Master Ning has no other business, you may return first."

"The Monarch said that this fruit was the result of a cause you planted years ago. What you receive today is what you deserve, so there is no need to thank him again."

At that, she paused, her tone calm. "The Monarch also said that it would not be long before you would surely meet again."

Ning Fengzhi's heart tightened. He bowed to Zhu Zhuqing. "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Zhu Qing."

"Please convey to Lord Dark Night after you return that my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will always await the Monarch and everyone from the Duel Arena!"

Only after walking out of the Dark Night Arena and seeing the noisy crowds outside did Ning Fengzhi feel as though he had entered another world.

He touched his chest and felt the surging Soul Power within. The corners of his mouth could not help rising.

This trip had been more than worthwhile!

Not only had he become acquainted with such a terrifying force, but he had also broken through the shackles of his Martial Soul.

He quickly boarded the carriage and instructed the coachman in a low voice:

"To the Crown Prince Hall in the Imperial Palace!"

He needed to have a proper talk with his disciple, Xue Qinghe. She had never told him about something this important!