Three months passed in the tense, secret preparations.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect showed the deep foundations and efficient resolve befitting one of the Upper Three Sects. Ning Fengzhi commanded from the center, planning every move with precision. Through a web of complicated yet discreet channels, he contacted forces within the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family that remained loyal to Emperor Xue Ye, and reached a preliminary alliance with Poison Douluo Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's sect master.
Yu Yuanzhen had reservations about directly interfering in the empire's royal affairs. But after Ning Fengzhi carefully explained the immense threat the Spirit Hall would pose to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan if it annexed the Heaven Dou Empire, and Yu Yuanzhen considered his grandson Yu Tianheng's increasingly close ties with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the formidable sect master finally agreed to act. After all, he understood better than anyone the truth of the saying: when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.
With everything in place, a net of encirclement and slaughter quietly spread around the Crown Prince, "Xue Qinghe," and the forces lurking by his side.
The ambush site was chosen along Xue Qinghe's usual route to inspect the imperial hunting grounds: a treacherous place called Falling Eagle Ravine. Its rugged terrain made it ideal for an ambush and helped keep the outside world from prying.
That day, the sky was gloomy, with dark clouds hanging low, as if heralding an approaching storm. The Crown Prince's procession rolled into Falling Eagle Ravine in grand fashion. At its head, "Xue Qinghe" sat in an ornate carriage, his expression calm, though deep in his eyes lay the detached arrogance unique to Qian Renxue, who saw through everything.
The instant the procession had fully entered the ravine, a sudden change erupted!
"Activate the formation!"
A harsh cry, aged yet full of authority, rang out. It was Bone Douluo Gu Rong! Elite disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, already lying in wait around them, instantly activated a massive barrier. A hazy yellow light shot into the sky, completely sealing Falling Eagle Ravine off from the outside!
At the same time, five terrifying auras, like slumbering ferocious beasts abruptly awakened, locked onto the carriage from five different directions and launched a fierce attack!
To the east, Sword Douluo Chen Xin stood in his fluttering white robes, sword and man as one. He transformed into a silver streak that tore through heaven and earth, his Seven Kill Sword aimed straight at the carriage. Before the peerless sword energy even reached its target, the carriage horses were already whinnying and collapsing to the ground!
To the west, Bone Douluo Gu Rong's body swelled as he spread his White Bone Domain. Countless enormous bone spikes burst from the earth like a forest, sealing off every escape route!
To the south, Poison Douluo Dugu Bo revealed his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Avatar. A vast cloud of dark green poison, seemingly alive, spread with a hissing sound that could corrode anything. It did more than attack—it also disrupted the enemy's senses!
To the north, Yu Yuanzhen, sect master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, was wreathed in violent blue lightning. A colossal phantom dragon claw blotted out the sky and slammed down with a destructive force. When a true dragon's wrath was roused, millions of corpses followed!
High above the center, where it mattered most, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect master Ning Fengzhi stood in midair. Before him floated a nine-tiered pagoda, radiant with flowing colors and flawless in every detail: the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda! After advancing to Soul Douluo, his support abilities had undergone a qualitative leap!
"Nine Treasures Turn Into Glazed Glass! First: Strength! Second: Speed! Third: Soul Power! Fourth: Defense! Fifth: Attack! Sixth: Amplification!"
Six dazzling beams of nine-colored light cascaded down like the Milky Way from the heavens, precisely enveloping Chen Xin, Gu Rong, and Yu Yuanzhen!
With the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda boosting all their attributes by a terrifying eighty percent, the auras of the three Super Douluo surged to a suffocating level!
The light of Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword blazed brighter. His sword intent was so fierce that it seemed capable of cleaving space itself!
Gu Rong's White Bone Domain solidified into a fortress of steel, and the bone spikes grew several levels sharper and sturdier!
Yu Yuanzhen's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was engulfed in bursts of lightning, its dragon might surging as if it had truly transformed into an ancient thunder dragon!
"Rats of the Spirit Hall, die!" Yu Yuanzhen had the hottest temper of them all. With a roar, he sent the amplified giant lightning dragon claw crashing toward the carriage!
"We've been exposed! Protect the young mistress!" Beside the carriage, two figures who had kept their auras concealed could no longer hide. Their terrifying Soul Power burst forth, reaching the level of Titled Douluo! One had a ghostlike form and wielded a strange snake lance—Snake Lance Douluo.
The other had a scorching aura, as if he were a burning sun—Porcupinefish Douluo! They were Qian Renxue's personal guards, two elders of the Spirit Hall!
Yet before the three Super Douluo amplified to the extreme by Ning Fengzhi, their resistance seemed utterly feeble!
Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword struck first. With one thrust, countless streams of sword energy converged into one, rolling back like a river of stars. In an instant, it shattered every attack and defense Snake Lance Douluo could muster! Snake Lance Douluo was horrified beyond belief and struggled desperately to hold his ground, but his snake lance snapped inch by inch beneath the indestructible sword energy!
"Ninth Soul Skill: Bone Transformation Divine Dragon!"
Gu Rong seized the opening. A colossal white-bone divine dragon appeared from nowhere and swallowed the wounded Snake Lance Douluo into a storm of bone spikes. Terrifying crushing and piercing forces erupted at once!
Crack!
Along with a desperate, anguished scream, Snake Lance Douluo's aura went out like a snuffed candle. A Titled Douluo had fallen!
On the other side, Porcupinefish Douluo was beset by Yu Yuanzhen's earth-shattering lightning dragon claw and Dugu Bo's poison that seeped through every opening. He could barely hold his ground, teetering on the brink of death! He desperately unleashed his Soul Skills, his body swelling like a giant poisonous pufferfish as he tried to withstand the assault.
But Yu Yuanzhen's lightning was tyrannical to begin with, and under Ning Fengzhi's amplification, its might was peerless! The dragon claw slammed down, crushing Porcupinefish Douluo's tough defenses inward. Lightning pierced his body, leaving him charred all over as he spewed mouthfuls of blood!
Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor poison also seized the opening, eating into his meridians and Soul Power!
"Miss, run!" Knowing he would not survive the day, Porcupinefish Douluo's eyes flashed with resolve. He ignored his injuries and hurled himself at Yu Yuanzhen and Dugu Bo. His Soul Power reversed wildly within him as he chose the most brutal course of all: self-destruction, in an attempt to win Qian Renxue a sliver of hope!
"Hmph! Struggling in your death throes!" Yu Yuanzhen and Dugu Bo's expressions shifted. They quickly retreated and braced themselves.
Boom—!!!
How terrifying was the self-destruction of a Titled Douluo! A massive storm of energy swept outward, collapsing large stretches of the cliffs on both sides of Falling Eagle Ravine!
In the instant the explosion's chaos and energy obscured everything, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted from "Xue Qinghe" (Qian Renxue), who had remained seated and motionless. It was sacred and noble, yet filled with boundless fury and coldness! The phantom of a Six-Winged Angel flashed behind her!
Without the slightest hesitation, she crushed a token she had prepared in advance, inscribed with intricate angelic runes. A blazing golden light instantly enveloped her!
"Trying to get away?" Chen Xin's eyes sharpened. His Seven Kill Sword became a streak of pure light, pierced through the turbulent energy from the explosion, and slashed viciously at the golden glow!
Screech!
The golden light was torn apart by the fierce sword energy. A stifled groan could be heard, and flecks of golden blood scattered through the air.
But Chen Xin was a moment too late. The remaining golden light swept up the gravely wounded Qian Renxue, forcibly tore through the barrier Bone Douluo had set, and vanished into the horizon, her whereabouts unknown!
The energy storm gradually subsided, leaving Falling Eagle Ravine in ruins.
Snake Lance Douluo had fallen, his body reduced to nothing. Porcupinefish Douluo had self-destructed, body and soul obliterated. Yet their most important target, "Xue Qinghe" (Qian Renxue), had escaped despite suffering grave injuries.
Ning Fengzhi withdrew the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and stared gravely in the direction Qian Renxue had vanished. "She still got away... The Spirit Hall truly has no shortage of trump cards."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin lowered his sword and said calmly, "She took a hit from my sword energy. Even if she survives, she'll be crippled for half a year at least. She won't be able to make waves anytime soon."
Bone Douluo dismissed the barrier and spat. "What a shame. We couldn't keep that impostor here!"
Yu Yuanzhen and Dugu Bo walked over as well, both looking grim.
Although they had killed two Titled Douluo from the Spirit Hall and gravely wounded Qian Renxue, her escape had still left them with a major hidden threat.
"After this battle, the Spirit Hall and we are locked in a fight to the death." Ning Fengzhi looked around at everyone, his voice heavy yet resolute. "We must return at once, rally our forces, and prepare for the Spirit Hall's inevitable, frenzied retaliation! The Heaven Dou Empire must be purged as soon as possible, too!"
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