Half an hour later.
The Mysterious Underworld Sect, the council hall.
"Bastard! This is outrageous!"
"She might as well have robbed us! Those are five Black Tortoise Divine Pills!!!"
A furious roar shook the roof of the hall.
The current sect master of the Mysterious Underworld Sect, Xu Zhenghao, Xu Sanshi's father, sat in the seat of honor with a livid face. The teacup in his hand had been crushed to pieces.
"Father, you have to stand up for me!"
Xu Sanshi covered his eyes and wailed, "That brat beating me would've been bad enough, but he just had to hit me in the face. Look at me! My handsome, dashing face is all swollen up like a pig's head!"
Xu Zhenghao was furious, but he still had some sense.
Suppressing his anger, he turned to the guard beside him and asked, "Tell me the truth. Did things really happen the way Sanshi just said?"
The guard trembled all over with fright. He wouldn't dare hide anything, so he hurriedly recounted the whole story from beginning to end, including the mysterious woman.
When Xu Zhenghao heard that his son had tried to pick up two young girls, provoked a fight to show off, and ended up beaten like this, his face burned as if someone had slapped him in front of everyone.
What a disgrace!
He'd made a complete fool of himself.
Xu Zhenghao had always thought Xu Sanshi was a bit of a wastrel, but at least he had good talent and a strong bloodline.
Perhaps one day he'd have a chance to restore the glory of the Black Tortoise.
But this?
This was all he had to show for himself?
Xu Zhenghao slapped Xu Sanshi across the face. "You little bastard! Is this how I raised you?"
"Ow! Father, why'd you hit me?"
"Hit you? I'll thrash you too, if you want! Believe me?"
Xu Zhenghao forced down his anger.
No matter what, Xu Sanshi was still his son, even if he had been the one in the wrong this time.
But five Black Tortoise Divine Pills really was too steep a price!
The entire sect only had three in its stores. They were the sect's treasured reserves, reserved for its future core disciples.
The entire Mysterious Underworld Sect had only one person who'd ever taken a Black Tortoise Divine Pill: Xu Sanshi. Even Xu Zhenghao himself, a Titled Douluo and sect master, had never had the chance to take one.
That showed just how precious the Black Tortoise Divine Pill was.
Demanding five was no different from outright robbery.
As for the mysterious woman the guard had mentioned, Xu Zhenghao had completely disregarded her without even realizing it.
She was only a woman. How strong could she possibly be?
The guard was simply making a fuss, scared half to death.
Xu Zhenghao was a Titled Douluo. He could count on his fingers the women in this world who could make him wary, and every one of them was a renowned old monster.
"Someone."
Xu Zhenghao snorted. "Prepare the carriage. I'm going to meet that woman."
"Yes!"
At the same time, outside Qingfeng Academy.
Chen Doudou was squatting on the ground, bored out of his mind as he drew circles with a twig.
He finished one circle and drew another, muttering under his breath, "What's taking them so long? They're so inefficient. I'm about to die of boredom."
Jiang Nannan sat beside him, her palms slick with sweat, her knuckles clenched white.
Her eyes were full of worry. She asked quietly, "Doudou, do you think they'll bring a lot of people? I heard the Mysterious Underworld Sect has a lot of experts..."
"Don't worry."
Without looking up, Chen Doudou continued drawing circles. "With Sister Dong here, she can beat however many people they bring."
Jiang Nannan: "..."
Was he seriously not bragging?
The crowd outside Qingfeng Academy had been noisy, but suddenly they went quiet, as if someone had grabbed them by the throat.
A completely black carriage, drawn by four black steeds and surrounded by a team of guards, came to a stop before them.
The carriage door opened, and Xu Zhenghao stepped down slowly, surrounded by his guards.
Even without releasing his Soul Rings, the pressure of someone long accustomed to holding power rolled over them, making the very air seem to congeal.
"What a powerful pressure!"
"So this is a Titled Douluo? Terrifying!"
"Master Xu came here in person? It's over, it's over. That brat's dead for sure!"
The onlookers murmured among themselves, their faces filled with fear and schadenfreude.
Xu Zhenghao's eyes immediately fixed on Chen Doudou in the middle of the crowd. "You're the brat who injured Sanshi?"
This was Jiang Nannan's first time seeing a Titled Douluo. Her legs shook uncontrollably, and her face went pale as paper.
But she still forced herself to hold firm, gritting her teeth as she stepped in front of Chen Doudou.
"P-Predecessor."
Jiang Nannan's voice trembled, but she stubbornly straightened her back. "This has nothing to do with Doudou. I was the one who kicked him."
Chen Doudou stared at her in surprise. "Sister Nannan?"
"Oh?"
Xu Zhenghao narrowed his eyes and glanced over Jiang Nannan.
With just one look, he saw through Jiang Nannan's Soul Power cultivation. A calculating glint flashed across his eyes.
Level sixteen?
At her age, with that level of Soul Power, and coming from a commoner background—could she have Innate Full Soul Power?
If she really did, then the girl named Jiang Nannan at Sanshi's awakening ceremony...
It seemed this brat wasn't entirely without merit. At least he had good taste.
"Little girl, where's the person behind you?"
Xu Zhenghao withdrew his gaze and looked toward the empty spot. He sneered, "I brought the Black Tortoise Divine Pills. Let's see if you dare take them."
Before his words had even faded, a terrifying aura shot up into the sky.
Nine Soul Rings rose beneath his feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.
The pressure of a Titled Douluo poured out without restraint. Everyone nearby was instantly left gasping and scrambled backward.
Xu Sanshi poked his head out of the carriage and pointed at Chen Doudou, shouting smugly, "Hmph! Now you know what happens when you hit me, don't you? My father's a Titled Douluo!"
But just as Xu Zhenghao's pressure reached its peak—
An even stronger, more despair-inducing pressure soared into the sky.
"Master Xu, are you looking to die?"
In that instant, Xu Zhenghao felt the blood in his body turn ice-cold.
That pressure came crashing down like a towering mountain. It crushed his aura in an instant and pressed so hard against his bones that they creaked. He couldn't even move a finger!
Who on earth was this woman?
Just a trace of her pressure was enough to leave a Titled Douluo like him gasping for breath?
How could he possibly still act as arrogantly as before? Even his voice began to shake. "P-Predecessor! Please calm down!"
"May I ask your title, Predecessor?"
Xu Zhenghao struggled to force out those words, cold sweat instantly soaking his back.
Bibi Dong gave a cold snort and stepped forward. Her purple hair and black robe stirred despite the lack of wind, and her eyes were as cold as frost. "You want to size me up? You're not qualified."
"Hand over the five Black Tortoise Divine Pills first."
"Predecessor, there are... only three."
Xu Zhenghao's expression was more painful than if he were crying. The sect had only those three in reserve, and he'd brought them all.
"Oh, three."
A cruel curve lifted Bibi Dong's lips. "Then make up the difference with Soul Bones. Two of them, at least 50,000 years old."
50,000 years?
And two of them?
Xu Zhenghao wanted to cry, but with the other side holding all the power, he could only grit his teeth and agree.
For some reason, standing before this woman, he couldn't even summon the slightest thought of resistance.
Then Bibi Dong sent him a telepathic message, her voice exploding directly in his mind. "Remember this: from now on, your family's Black Tortoise Divine Pills can only be supplied to the Spirit Hall. Understood?"
If the Black Tortoise Divine Pill didn't have the special properties that could help restore the Spirit Hall, would she have let them off so easily today?
"Yes, yes... You're right, Predecessor. We'll supply them to the Spirit Hall. We won't ask for a single coin."
Xu Zhenghao forced a bitter smile, his heart churning with shock.
He never expected this powerhouse to be from the Spirit Hall!
When had the Spirit Hall gained another expert of this caliber?
Even a fallen camel was still bigger than a horse!
Xu Sanshi watched this scene and shouted in disbelief, "Father, what's wrong with you? Didn't we come here to get even? Hurry up and beat them up!"
"Shut up!"
Xu Zhenghao slapped him across the face. The blow was so hard that Xu Sanshi spun in place, his teeth flying out.
He was furious with his son for being so hopeless. If not for this little brat, how would he have provoked such a monster?
"Hmph. Get lost!"
Bibi Dong said coldly, "Remember: tell that brat to keep his head down from now on. If there's a next time, I'll take your lives!"
"Yes... Yes, Predecessor. Your words are a lesson to us."
Xu Zhenghao was as relieved as if he'd been pardoned. He didn't dare linger. Taking Xu Sanshi and the guards with him, he scrambled into the carriage and fled in utter disgrace.
Only after the carriage vanished in the distance—
Did the entire scene sink into deathly silence.
A few seconds later, it was as if something had suddenly snapped, and the crowd erupted.
"Did I see that right? Master Xu just... left?"
"Even a Titled Douluo didn't dare breathe too loudly in front of her. Th-That was a Titled Douluo!"
"Two 50,000-year Soul Bones! The Mysterious Underworld Sect must have emptied its coffers. That's terrifying!"
The noble youths, who had been gloating a moment ago, froze. Deep fear and lingering dread replaced their smug expressions.
They'd pointed and whispered, waiting to see Chen Doudou make a fool of himself.
But reality had slapped them hard across the face.
Titled Douluo were rare even across the whole continent. Yet in front of that woman, Xu Zhenghao had been like a tiger with its teeth pulled, lacking even the courage to fight back—and he'd had to pay with the family fortune.
"Gulp."
The sound of someone swallowing was especially clear in the silence.
Everyone's eyes involuntarily focused on Bibi Dong, Chen Doudou, and Jiang Nannan.
All that remained was deep reverence.
A few timid Soul Masters even went weak in the knees, nearly dropping to their knees.
Jiang Nannan stared blankly at Bibi Dong's back. A flush of excitement spread across her pale little face, and her eyes brimmed with admiration. "Sister Dong... I had no idea you were so powerful!"
Bibi Dong ruffled her hair. "Little girl, you did well just now. Want to become my disciple?"
At first, she'd thought Jiang Nannan had approached Chen Doudou because, after seeing his Martial Soul, she'd wanted to climb the social ladder.
After all, she'd seen plenty of people claw their way up from the bottom, then desperately try to curry favor with the powerful.
But now she saw that wasn't the case at all.
The little girl simply wanted to repay a kindness.
With that kind of character, that kind of integrity, and the talent of Innate Full Soul Power—
She had no reason not to take her as a disciple.
It was just that Martial Soul... a Soft Bone Rabbit was a bit, uh...
Before you continue