Golden Crocodile Breaks Through, Gathering at Sunset Forest

Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

As the phenomenon grew ever more magnificent, Jin Yan could not help but feel worried.

"Uncle Zhang, such a massive phenomenon will inevitably draw the attention of Heaven Dou City's powerful figures. We should make preparations early."

Zhang Yan bowed slightly. "Young Master, what should we do?"

Jin Yan did not answer. Instead, he asked, "In Uncle Zhang's opinion, how much longer will my grandfather need to break through?"

Zhang Yan glanced at the phenomenon in the sky, which showed no sign of dissipating, and pondered for a moment. "Hard to say. But with the old master's accumulation, it should be soon. A few hours, perhaps."

Jin Yan nodded. "Then no one can disturb Grandfather during these next few hours. Let's return to the poison array first. When the time comes, we'll see who has arrived before deciding what to do."

"Alright."

Tuo Ba Xi also revealed himself. In the current situation, there was no longer any need for him to remain hidden.

Sure enough, before long, Jin Yan saw Soul Masters entering the range of the poison array. However, none were figures well known across the continent, so Jin Yan simply sent Tuo Ba Xi to drive them away.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, a gleaming streak of sword light rapidly flew toward them.

Jin Yan narrowed his eyes. A big fish really has come.

"Young Master, those are people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. It should be Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi."

Tuo Ba Xi's towering frame nearly blocked Jin Yan's entire view. Seeing the figures flying through the sky, he spoke in a deep, muffled voice.

"This looks like that old poison freak's poison array."

The sword light landed, and Sword Douluo spoke to Ning Fengzhi.

Ning Fengzhi looked at the enormous poison array. Though he could force his way inside, he did not wish to offend Poison Douluo, leaving him in a difficult position for the moment.

"Uncle Jian, I think there may be a powerful Soul Beast appearing inside. Poison Douluo may not be able to handle it alone. If we go in and help him, I doubt he will mind. After all, Poison Douluo still has a granddaughter. He cannot afford to be injured. Since we can help, we should."

But who was Ning Fengzhi? He quickly found himself a justification, even calculating his means of threatening Dugu Bo with perfect clarity.

Sword Douluo frowned. As a swordsman, he disliked such tactics somewhat, but he also knew that using underhanded methods for the sect's development was understandable. Thus, he said nothing.

"Sect Master Ning, I'm afraid such methods are not very honorable."

Just as the two were about to act, a sinister voice rang out from the nearby forest. Dugu Bo emerged with a dark expression, clearly having heard every word they had said.

Yet Ning Fengzhi did not care in the slightest. He shamelessly stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Poison Douluo, so you were here. I thought you had been tied down inside by a Soul Beast. Since that is the case, things are even simpler. Why don't we go in together and kill it?"

A mild smile remained on his face as he met Dugu Bo's increasingly unfriendly gaze without the slightest concern.

"Hmph!" Dugu Bo snorted coldly, unwilling to bother with him further. "Sect Master Ning, please return. There are no powerful Soul Beasts here, much less any so-called treasures!"

He placed particular emphasis on the word "treasures," directly exposing Ning Fengzhi's purpose in coming.

Unexpectedly, Ning Fengzhi's shamelessness had already reached an outrageous level.

He took a step forward. "Poison Douluo, you jest. How can the matter of a treasure be settled by one person's word alone? The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is known throughout the continent. Beyond its support abilities, its ability to appraise treasures is also unmatched. Otherwise, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could not have amassed such wealth."

He looked rather pleased with himself. "Senior, it would be better to let me take a look, lest you fail to recognize a treasure."

By the end, his tone had turned sharp, revealing the imposing presence of a sect master.

Others might fear Poison Douluo's formidable reputation, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect did not. The sect's Soul Masters were spread throughout the continent, and they had people at Heaven Dou Royal Academy as well. If Dugu Bo refused to comply, they could simply use his granddaughter to threaten him.

Everyone in Heaven Dou City knew that Dugu Bo doted especially on this granddaughter of his.

If they imprisoned Dugu Yan, perhaps in a few decades, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would possess a stable inheritance of the Jade Phosphor Serpent martial soul as well.

He thought this darkly, though a gentle and refined smile remained on his face, enough to send chills down one's back.

"Poison Douluo, I think Sect Master Ning makes a good point. If there is a treasure, everyone can share it. Why make things so unpleasant?"

At that moment, an aged voice rang out from deep within the forest.

Upon hearing that voice, even Jin Yan was stunned, his expression turning strange.

These three old acquaintances had all come. It was truly lively.

The newcomers were naturally the three Education Committee members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

By rights, Dugu Bo could be considered half a retainer of the Heaven Dou Empire, so they should have supported him.

But Dugu Bo stood with Xue Xing's faction, while the three Education Committee members belonged to Xue Qinghe's side. With the Crown Prince's teacher present, they naturally supported Ning Fengzhi.

Within the poison array, Jin Yan saw Dugu Bo's ugly expression and knew that it was time for him to appear.

"Everyone, this is ultimately Senior Dugu Bo's territory. Isn't it rather excessive for you to arrive uninvited?"

Seeing Jin Yan walk out of the poison array with a smile, everyone present aside from Dugu Bo was somewhat stunned.

Ning Fengzhi's expression soon darkened.

He did not know Jin Yan, but seeing him emerge from within the poison array gave him reason to suspect that Jin Yan had monopolized the treasure inside.

The three Education Committee members were even more stunned. They had thought Jin Yan had long since returned to Spirit Hall.

After all, the Heaven Dou Empire had issued an expulsion order against him, while Spirit Hall had solemnly claimed that Jin Yan had returned to Spirit Hall and had even been severely punished. Yet judging by his appearance now, he was clearly perfectly fine.

The three men's expressions also turned unpleasant.

Zhilin, who stood at the back, even cursed aloud.

"It's you, you little beast!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan behind Jin Yan glared furiously. Eight Soul Rings flashed around him in an instant, and he actually intended to kill Zhilin on the spot despite the presence of several Titled Douluo.

With Jin Yan under his protection, someone still dared to insult him to his face. Zhang Yan considered it a personal humiliation.

Fortunately, Jin Yan stopped him in time.

Even so, Zhilin's face turned pale with fright.

That halberd strike from Zhang Yan that day had nearly scared him out of his wits.

Naturally, Zhang Yan's display of power was also sensed by Sword Douluo behind Ning Fengzhi.

"A Titled Douluo," he murmured by Ning Fengzhi's ear.

Ning Fengzhi's expression shifted at those words. Seeing that Zhang Yan had only eight Soul Rings beneath him, he realized that Zhang Yan was a newly advanced Titled Douluo.

At that moment, he could not help looking toward the other burly man behind Jin Yan. His expression changed drastically as he blurted out in shock.

"Sect Master Tuo Ba."

"Hahaha!" Tuo Ba Xi laughed loudly, releasing the aura of a Titled Douluo as well.

"To be remembered by the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects, is truly an honor for me, Tuo Ba Xi."

Feeling Tuo Ba Xi release the aura of a Titled Douluo as well, Ning Fengzhi's mood instantly sank to rock bottom.