An Unexpected Encounter with Ning Fengzhi!

The mountain paths of the Nine Dragon Mountain Range wound and twisted, and the higher one climbed, the fewer travelers were to be seen.

Yu Tianlong made his way up a relatively secluded trail, pondering how he might infiltrate the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Charging in head-on was out of the question. Although he had already reached the level of a Spirit Emperor, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was presided over by the Title Douluo Yu Yuanzhen and boasted several elders at the Spirit Douluo level; a direct confrontation would not be a wise move.

Disguising his identity was one option, but his face was known to many within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. If he were recognized, it would only alert the enemy and cause unnecessary trouble.

I must come up with a foolproof plan... Yu Tianlong thought as he walked. Suddenly, the sounds of fighting and cries for help from up ahead interrupted his train of thought.

"Help! Is anyone there? They're trying to kill me!"

The voice sounded quite young, carrying a hint of panic and indignation, yet it was full of vigor, clearly indicating no serious injury. Yu Tianlong raised an eyebrow slightly and hurried toward the source of the sound.

Rounding a dense thicket of trees, the scene ahead came into view.

A youth of about fifteen or sixteen was being tightly surrounded by three men in black masks.

The youth wore a luxurious white brocade robe with a crystal-clear jade pendant hanging from his waist, marking him as someone of extraordinary background.

In his hands, he held a delicate, translucent seven-colored pagoda that emitted a soft, multicolored glow—clearly a Tool Spirit of the highest quality.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!

Yu Tianlong's pupils constricted slightly. The characteristics of this spirit were far too distinct; throughout the entire Douluo Continent, only direct descendants of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could awaken it.

And this youth before him, looking fifteen or sixteen, with an elegant yet spirited demeanor, holding the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda...

Could it be the young sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi?

"Little Young Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, we've been waiting for you for a long time."

The leader of the men in black let out a mocking laugh. "It's long been said that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is wealthier than a nation. If we could kidnap you, how much money would that fetch? Hahaha!"

"You bastards!" Ning Fengzhi gritted his teeth, his face turning pale, yet his eyes burned with an unyielding stubbornness. "Do you know who my father is? You dare touch me? Are you tired of living?"

"Of course we know your father is Sect Master Ning, which is exactly why we have to kidnap you!" another man in black chuckled. "Don't worry, we won't take your life; we're just inviting you to be our guest for a few days. Once your father brings the ransom, we'll let you go, guaranteed safe and sound!"

"In your dreams!" Ning Fengzhi snorted coldly and turned to run.

But the three men in black were clearly no ordinary thugs. The leader was a powerhouse at the Spirit King level, and the other two were Spirit Ancestors. The three worked in perfect coordination, instantly cutting off Ning Fengzhi's retreat.

"Little Young Master, stop struggling. As a Support-type Spirit Master, you can't escape from us." The leader gave a sinister grin, raised his hand, and unleashed a sharp blast of Soul Power directly at Ning Fengzhi's back!

Ning Fengzhi's expression changed drastically. Although he was a four-ringed Spirit Ancestor, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was a purely Support-type spirit with almost no offensive capability. Facing the siege of three Combat-type Spirit Masters, he had no power to fight back.

Just as the attack was about to strike Ning Fengzhi:

"Whoosh!"

A crimson flame appeared as if out of thin air, suddenly interposing itself between Ning Fengzhi and the incoming attack! The temperature of the flame was incredibly high, instantly consuming the blast of Soul Power without leaving a single trace behind!

"Who's there?!" The three men in black were startled, turning their heads sharply toward the direction from which the flame had come.

Yu Tianlong walked slowly out from the shadows of the trees. Perched on his shoulder was a small, silver-white beast, its mouth slightly agape with a wisp of sparks drifting from its lips—clearly, the flame had been its handiwork.

"Three grown men bullying a Support-type Spirit Master, isn't that a bit too shameless?" Yu Tianlong said, hands in his pockets, his tone as casual as if he were chatting with an old friend.

Seeing someone come to his rescue, Ning Fengzhi was stunned for a moment before being overcome with joy. "Brother, help me! They're bandits! They're trying to kidnap me!"

"I heard, I heard." Yu Tianlong waved a hand, his gaze sweeping over the three men in black. "Three Spirit Kings and Spirit Ancestors robbing a four-ringed support user? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at if word gets out? How about this: you leave now, and I'll pretend I never saw anything. How does that sound?"

"Kid, stop meddling in other people's business!" A fierce glint flashed in the leader's eyes. "Get lost if you know what's good for you, or we'll take care of you too!"

"So, there's no room for negotiation?" Yu Tianlong sighed, sounding somewhat regretful. "Then I suppose there's no other way."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the small silver beast on his shoulder opened its mouth wide, and a terrifying suction force erupted!

The three men in black felt as if their very Soul Power were being ripped from their bodies. They were struck with panic and scrambled to steady their minds to resist the pull.

In that split second of distraction, a golden figure darted out from behind Yu Tianlong like a bolt of lightning!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three muffled thuds rang out almost simultaneously. The three men in black hadn't even seen the golden figure's movements before they felt a heavy blow to their abdomens. They were sent flying like kites with broken strings, slamming hard into the tree trunks before sliding limply to the ground, unconscious.

The golden figure came to a stop. It was a chubby little golden beast, using one of its front paws to brush the dust off itself and snorting as if to say, "Pathetic."

It was Little Gold.

Ning Fengzhi watched, dumbfounded. He looked at the three unconscious men on the ground, then at the two small beasts that looked harmless and even a bit cute, and finally at the calm, blue-haired youth with his hands in his pockets. It took him a long while to regain his senses.

"Th-thank you for your help, brother!" Ning Fengzhi quickly retracted his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, hurried over to Yu Tianlong, and bowed. "I am Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. May I ask for your name?"

"Yu Tianlong." Yu Tianlong gave his real name; after all, Ning Fengzhi was from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and had no ties to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, so he shouldn't recognize him.

"Yu Tianlong..." Ning Fengzhi repeated the name to himself, confirming he hadn't heard it before. "Brother Yu, which sect are you from? Your two spirit beasts are truly formidable—they took down three Spirit Kings and Spirit Ancestors in a single move!"

"I belong to no sect or clan, just a wandering cultivator," Yu Tianlong replied casually. "I was just passing through and happened to see someone being besieged, so I lent a hand."

"A wandering cultivator?" A hint of surprise flashed in Ning Fengzhi's eyes, which quickly turned into admiration. "To have such strength at your age as a wandering cultivator, Brother Yu, you are truly gifted! I am impressed, truly impressed!"

Yu Tianlong smiled without responding, instead asking, "Brother Ning, why are you here alone? Where are the guards from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"

At the mention of this, Ning Fengzhi's expression slumped, and he scratched his head in embarrassment.

"This... to be honest, I snuck out. My father keeps me on too tight a leash. We came to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan for the Three Sects Grand Competition, and he had people following me every step of the way. I was so bored that I wanted to take a look around while they weren't paying attention... Who would have thought I'd run into these scoundrels halfway up the mountain."