Ning Fengzhi's Surprise (Please Subscribe, Tip, Vote with Monthly and Recommendation Tickets)

Chen Xin, who had been sitting on the left with his eyes closed in meditation, slowly opened them.

In that instant, the entire hall seemed to be swept by invisible sword aura.

His gaze was sharp as lightning, as though it could pierce space and look directly toward Sunset Forest.

"Fengzhi," Chen Xin said in a low voice with a metallic edge, a rare hint of gravity in his tone.

"That elder's perception was correct."

"There really were four Titled Douluo auras erupting from the heart of Sunset Forest."

"Three of them... were strong!"

"Extremely strong!"

He paused, as though recalling what he had felt in that moment.

"That scorching aura, like a molten hell; that frigid aura, so cold it seemed capable of freezing the soul; and another... a sharpness lurking within the shadows of an abyss... If any one of those three unleashed their full strength, their pressure alone would be enough to make even this old man find them troublesome!"

As soon as he said this, Ning Fengzhi and the intelligence elder's expressions turned grave.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin, a Level 96 Super Douluo, whose Seven Kill Sword Intent stood unrivaled across the continent!

For even Sword Douluo Chen Xin to find them "terrifying" was simply unimaginable!

Chen Xin continued, confusion and deep wariness coloring his voice. "The moment I sensed something amiss, I immediately set out to investigate."

"But... before I even arrived, those auras suddenly vanished, as though they had never existed."

"Even so, merely approaching the edge of that area, the lingering echoes of Soul Power were enough to alarm me!"

"It was... a difference in quality!"

"I even feel..." He looked toward Gu Rong on the right and slowly said,

"Even if Old Bones and I joined forces against any one of those three, I fear... the outcome would be uncertain, and the danger immense!"

The hall fell into dead silence!

Even Gu Rong, as steady as a mountain, abruptly widened his eyes, his face filled with shock!

A Level 96 Super Douluo and a Level 95 Titled Douluo joining forces, yet still considering it perilous? Just how powerful were those three mysterious figures?

He looked at Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong, his expression complicated. "This is not cowardice. It is judgment."

"From the lingering pressure alone, like the aftermath of a primordial beast awakening, I can conclude that—even if Old Bones and I joined forces, we would find it extremely difficult to gain any advantage under the suppression of those three!"

"The purity of their Soul Power and the profundity of their realms are far beyond those of ordinary Super Douluo!"

"I have dealt with most of Spirit Hall's worship elders. I am familiar with the characteristics of their Soul Power."

"Chrysanthemum, Ghost? Golden Crocodile? Qian Renliu? None of them!"

"They... do not seem to be from Spirit Hall, nor are they any known powerhouse from the Upper Three Sects or the two great empires."

"They are more like... figures who appeared out of nowhere, or... old monsters who have lived in seclusion for centuries!" Chen Xin's words were filled with vigilance toward this unknown power.

On the right, Gu Rong, as steady as a mountain, slowly spoke as well, his voice deep and resonant.

"Old Sword's instincts are right."

"Even sensing that lingering pressure across space made my heart pound."

"Especially that cold, sharp aura. It clung like a maggot to the bone, and its danger was no less than that of the other two."

"That old poison Dugu Bo was caught among them. I'm afraid his chances of survival are slim. Or perhaps... he has already been killed?"

"The key is, why did they gather in Sunset Forest?"

"What exactly is hidden in the place guarded by Dugu Bo's poison formation, to draw such terrifying beings?"

Ning Fengzhi frowned deeply. "Three Super Douluo of unknown origin, powerful enough to trouble even Uncle Jian... appearing near Dugu Bo's lair and instantly suppressing the situation... This is anything but ordinary."

"Dugu Bo's life, death, and allegiance have all become mysteries."

"They concealed their auras and vanished without a trace. That is what is most unsettling."

He looked at Gu Rong. "Uncle Bone, I'll trouble you to personally make a trip to the outskirts of Sunset Forest. Do not venture in recklessly, and do not attempt to track those three mysterious figures."

"Use your spatial abilities to sense the lingering auras and traces of battle as thoroughly as possible without alerting anyone. See if you can find clues to Dugu Bo's whereabouts, or confirm whether there are still any traces of those three powerhouses in that area."

"Uncle Jian, I'll have to trouble you to remain and guard the clan, just in case."

"This matter... must be handled with extreme caution. We cannot let it become public."

Chen Xin gave a slight nod. A flicker of fighting intent flashed in his eyes, but there was far more gravity than excitement.

Gu Rong rose to his feet. "Understood, Fengzhi."

"I will proceed carefully and investigate only the outskirts."

His tall figure vanished from the hall amid ripples of spatial fluctuations.

Heaven Dou Empire, deep within the imperial palace.

Xue Ye listened to the urgent report from the royal worship elder, his dignified face clouded over.

"Four Titled Douluo-level auras? And the pressure from three of them was so overwhelming that even you, a worship elder, felt suffocated?"

"They erupted near Dugu Bo's territory and then instantly subsided?"

Xue Ye's voice was low, carrying both imperial authority and deep apprehension. "Investigate!"

"Activate the most secret intelligence channels. Observation is the priority; under no circumstances are they to approach or attempt to investigate!"

"I want to know who they are!"

"Why they came!"

"What relationship they have with Dugu Bo!"

"Whether they have already left!"

"But remember, everything must be done on the premise of not alerting them!"

"With such power, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family is absolutely incapable of contending with them at present. Observe quietly and gather intelligence first!"

Alarm bells rang wildly in his heart, along with a profound sense of helplessness. The emergence of this mysterious force was like a sword hanging over the empire's head.

Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Thundercliff.

As Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen listened to his subordinate's report, his face darkened like still water. His usual fiery temper and roaring fury were absent, replaced by a suppressed gravity.

"Four Titled Douluo? Three auras absurdly powerful? The battle was instantly suppressed and ended?"

Yu Yuanzhen's fingers tapped against the heavy stone table, producing dull thuds. "That old poison Dugu Bo was among them too?"

"Hmph, someone probably came looking for him!"

"What could that blasted forest possibly have that was worth mobilizing such a lineup?"

His eyes glinted. As the master of a sect, he understood perfectly what it meant for a force to possess three such terrifying powerhouses.

Though the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had him, a peak Douluo, overseeing it, they still had to exercise the utmost caution before such an unknown and powerful group.

"Pass down my order!"

Yu Yuanzhen said in a deep voice, "Unless absolutely necessary, no member of the clan is to approach the core region of Sunset Forest in the near future!"

"Also, send several quick-witted Soul Douluo skilled in concealment. Have them disguise themselves as a soul-hunting party and observe from afar at the outskirts!"

"They may only watch, not ask questions, and they must not provoke or investigate anyone!"

"The moment they discover any suspicious powerhouse, they are to report back immediately. There must be no mistakes!"

"Remember, observe!"

"You are not going there to die! Just find out whether those people are still there and what sort of people they are!"

His orders were filled with caution.

Faced with an unknown and terrifying force, even the mighty Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had no choice but to temporarily rein in its sharp edge and observe from the shadows.

For a time, the foremost powers within the Heaven Dou Empire all turned wary eyes toward Sunset Forest, which appeared tranquil but had just endured a silent storm.

The mysterious appearance of three unfathomably powerful Super Douluo of unknown origin was like a dense cloud of doubt hanging over the continent. The undercurrents they had stirred had already begun to surge.

And at the heart of the storm—deep within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—Ling Han's transformation had only just begun.