Douluo: Breathing Makes Me Stronger, Tang San Was Terrified!

Upon hearing this, Pufferfish Douluo straightened up, clasped his fists, and returned the salute. "Young Master, please remain calm. I will investigate at once."

After saying that, Pufferfish Douluo turned and left as well. Once outside the study, his figure flashed, and he rose directly into the air, silently departing Crown Prince Mansion from above.

After Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo left, Xue Qinghe was the only one remaining in the study.

Though her expression was calm, her heart was anything but. A sense of urgency had already risen within her.

Xue Qinghe was, in truth, Qian Renxue. At six, she had awakened her Angel Spirit and possessed Innate Full Soul Power, along with Level 10 Divine Bestowed Soul Power. In other words, she had been born with Level 20 Soul Power.

With innate Level 20 Soul Power, she had become a Soul Grandmaster at the age of six, placing Qian Renxue far ahead of other Spirit Masters from the very start.

Thirteen years had now passed. Qian Renxue was nineteen years old, and her strength had already reached the Soul King realm.

A nineteen-year-old Soul King had surpassed ninety-nine percent of the Spirit Masters on the Douluo Continent.

Though Qian Renxue was not overly proud, attaining such a realm at her age still left her quite satisfied.

But compared with Lan Chen, Qian Renxue was deeply dissatisfied with her cultivation progress.

In Qian Renxue's view, Lan Chen was at most born with Innate Full Soul Power. Even so, he had become a Seven-Ring Soul Sage at around thirty.

Yet at Qian Renxue's current cultivation speed, by the time she was around thirty, she would at most be a Seven-Ring Soul Sage as well.

It was this comparison that gave Qian Renxue such a powerful sense of urgency.

Qian Renxue thought to herself:

My many years as an undercover agent have greatly slowed my cultivation. With my talent of innate Level 20 Soul Power, I should never have remained only a Soul King.

Lan Chen's appearance has served as a reminder. He is merely a support Spirit Master, yet he possesses such astonishing cultivation speed. I should also focus wholeheartedly on cultivating for a while, or I would truly be wasting the talent of innate Level 20 Soul Power.

Poison Douluo's Revenge

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

As the second-ranked powerhouse among the Seven Great Sects of the Douluo Continent, the disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had always been high-spirited and brimming with confidence.

But now, every one of those Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples looked uneasy, panicking at the slightest disturbance.

The entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was gripped by fear, as though shrouded beneath an enormous dark cloud.

They could not be blamed for their terror. Over the past ten days, something horrifying had happened within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Some Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples had been bitten by unknown venomous snakes while sleeping and died from the poison in their dreams. By the time they were discovered, it was already the next day.

The corpses of those poisoned by snakes were blue-purple and stiff all over, their deaths grotesque and horrifying.

Other Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples had been eating when they suddenly clutched their throats with both hands, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed. Their bodies curled like giant shrimp as they trembled uncontrollably, dying before everyone's eyes.

Such public executions struck directly at the deepest fears in anyone's heart, utterly tearing apart their mental defenses. No one knew whether they would be the next person poisoned.

There were even Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples who, while patrolling on guard duty, were suddenly engulfed in a great green fog. Holding their breath was useless. The deadly poison in the green fog could corrode their skin, making their entire bodies ache and itch.

It felt as if countless tiny insects were crawling beneath their skin. They could not stop themselves from scratching and clawing, over and over, until they became bloody figures. In the end, they tore apart their own flesh and bones, even ripping out their internal organs.

Incidents like these had occurred countless times over the past ten days, leaving the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples in a state of constant terror.

Death was indeed terrifying!

But waiting for death was a hundred times more terrifying!

Especially since they knew they would not die easily. They would die in unbearable agony, and their corpses would become grotesque and horrifying afterward. That was enough to shatter anyone's mental defenses.

On the Douluo Continent, only one grandmaster of poison could use toxins with such supernatural mastery.

Poison Douluo Dugu Bo!

Using such methods against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples was a provocation, a blatant slap in the face.

In the past, Ning Fengzhi would certainly have taken Chen Xin and Gu Rong to hunt Dugu Bo across the continent. He would not have been able to vent his hatred without killing Dugu Bo.

But now, Chen Xin had been defeated head-on by Dugu Bo and was still seriously injured. He was completely incapable of fighting again anytime soon.

Gu Rong, who remained, had to protect Ning Fengzhi while also handling the sect's defenses. Against Dugu Bo's elusive methods, he was equally stretched too thin.

Main Peak Hall!

Ning Fengzhi sat in the seat of honor, his hands tightly gripping the armrests. His face was ashen, and his eyes gleamed with a devouring fury. Gritting his teeth, he said word by word, "In ten days—just ten days—more than three hundred Spirit Masters of my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have been poisoned to death, while over five hundred more have been tortured by poison until they are neither human nor ghost!"

"Though our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect claims to have five thousand Spirit Masters, in only ten days, nearly one-fifth of them have lost their combat capability!"

"Poison Douluo, what fine methods. I underestimated him. If he continues tormenting us like this, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect may truly be wiped out!"

Ning Fengzhi felt his heart convulsing in waves. The deaths of three hundred Spirit Masters and the poisoning of five hundred more had already dealt a crippling blow to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Fengzhi seemed to have aged ten years. The exhaustion between his brows could no longer be concealed.

He was deeply conflicted. Dugu Bo had already caused enormous losses to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

If they admitted defeat now and apologized to Dugu Bo, then those people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would have died for nothing.

But if they refused to yield and fought Dugu Bo to the bitter end, then the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might be erased from the Spirit Master world.

This was the problem Ning Fengzhi faced. Though he knew that continuing to hesitate would bring even greater losses to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he could never make up his mind.

While Ning Fengzhi was still hesitating, Gu Rong could no longer endure it.

Gu Rong came to Ning Fengzhi's side. Violent, bloodthirsty light shone from his deeply sunken eyes.

He had never been a patient man. Dugu Bo's utterly unrestrained provocation had long surpassed the limits of what Gu Rong could tolerate.

Gu Rong spoke in a chilling tone:

"Fengzhi, stop hesitating. Let us try once more. Even if I have to risk my old life, I will deal with Dugu Bo."

"In ten days, we have lost nearly a thousand Spirit Masters. Everyone outside is laughing at us now. The mighty Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has been bullied by Dugu Bo until we cannot even fight back."

"If we do not respond forcefully, then putting aside the Clear Sky Sect's seclusion, both the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the forces of the Lower Four Sects will be eyeing our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect like prey."

Gu Rong had a point. This time, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had lost both face and substance. It was perfectly normal for others to covet them.

But Gu Rong was only a high-level enforcer. He was responsible for fighting others and only needed to consider risking his life.

As the true master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi had far more to consider.

To Ning Fengzhi, preserving the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's legacy was more important than anything else.

Ning Fengzhi shook his head and gave a bitter laugh. "Uncle Bone, even Uncle Sword was defeated by Dugu Bo. How could you possibly kill him?"

"We have already formed a grudge with Dugu Bo. If we attempt to assassinate him again, his next retaliation will certainly be even fiercer."

"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has only suffered crippling losses for now. We have not yet reached the point of destruction. But if Dugu Bo abandons all restraint and releases his poison without regard for consequences, then our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will truly be erased."

At this point, Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath. He had finally made up his mind and said with both helplessness and resolve, "I have decided. Since we cannot kill Dugu Bo now, we can only lower our heads to him. The three hundred Spirit Masters who died cannot be saved, but the five hundred poisoned Spirit Masters still have a chance."

"We will bring a valuable gift, a gift Dugu Bo cannot refuse, and apologize to him. At the same time, we will ask for the antidote to save those five hundred poisoned Spirit Masters."

"Only this can minimize our losses. The disaster the sect has suffered this time—every fault lies with me, the sect master. I made the wrong decision."

"Even if I must sacrifice my old face, I will save those Spirit Masters who have been poisoned and tortured half to death."

"Mm... Dugu Bo may not be willing to see us now. We need an intermediary. Dugu Bo is a guest of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. As long as someone from the Heaven Dou Imperial Family steps forward, Dugu Bo will have to show some respect."

"It seems I must ultimately turn to my disciple. Heh, fortunes truly change. Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has actually reached the day when we must lower our heads to Dugu Bo."

Lan Chen!

Ning Fengzhi hated him so much that he gritted his teeth, yet there was nothing he could do.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could handle one Lan Chen.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could handle one Dugu Bo as well.

But if the two joined forces, one providing support and the other fighting, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect truly had no solution.

Ning Fengzhi could only hope that everything went smoothly. These nerve-racking days truly could not continue any longer.

50,000-Year Human-Faced Demon Spider Emperor Right Leg Bone

The next day!

Heaven Dou City, Dugu Mansion!

Xue Qinghe, the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou, and Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, paid another visit.

Ning Fengzhi looked somewhat dazed.

A month ago, he had always shown surface respect toward Dugu Bo, the weakest Titled Douluo, while inwardly dismissing him.

Yet in only one month, he no longer dared to hold any contempt for Dugu Bo. This visit was meant to offer compensation and an apology.

After deciding to yield yesterday, Ning Fengzhi notified Xue Qinghe and asked the Heaven Dou Imperial Family to mediate the conflict between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Dugu Bo.

Dugu Bo was a guest of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, while Ning Fengzhi was Xue Qinghe's teacher.

To the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, both sides were equally important powers they relied upon.

If the two sides fought without end, it would be a loss for the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

Thus, Xue Qinghe stepped forward today partly because Ning Fengzhi had asked her to, and partly because Xue Ye had ordered it.

After his moment of reflection, Ning Fengzhi quietly said to Xue Qinghe beside him, "Qinghe, I will be relying on you today."

Xue Qinghe wore a warm smile, her bearing gentle as jade. Hearing this, she replied softly, "Teacher, rest assured. Though His Excellency Green Phosphorus has ruthless methods, he has shown restraint. He must have been waiting for you to come. If we lower our stance later, His Excellency Green Phosphorus will surely be willing to turn a major matter into a minor one, and a minor matter into nothing."

Ning Fengzhi sighed softly.

"I hope so!"

"Uncle Sword, I have wronged you today. You still had to accompany me on this trip."

Ning Fengzhi said those final words to Chen Xin.

Today, Chen Xin was protecting Ning Fengzhi rather than Gu Rong.

This had been Ning Fengzhi's deliberate arrangement.

Chen Xin's severe injuries had not yet healed, and he could only display half his strength. He was not capable of shouldering the duty of guarding the sect.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was currently gripped by fear and needed a powerful figure to oversee the situation. Bone Douluo Gu Rong, whose strength had not been diminished, was the most suitable candidate.

There was another reason as well. Gu Rong's reputation outside was not particularly good. His mouth was foul, his temper was fierce, and he had openly displayed hostility toward both Dugu Bo and Lan Chen.

Ning Fengzhi truly could not guarantee that bringing Gu Rong along would not make Dugu Bo view it as a provocation.

It had to be said that Ning Fengzhi considered matters very thoroughly. But from another angle, his extreme caution also proved that he was genuinely afraid.

Chen Xin, following beside Ning Fengzhi, calmly nodded. "Fengzhi, do not dwell on it. This is all for the sect."

The current Chen Xin seemed no different from before, but anyone familiar with him could see that the light had vanished from his eyes.

The Chen Xin whose eyes had once been sharp as an eagle's, filled with unyielding sword intent that made others afraid to meet his gaze, had completely disappeared.

His sword heart had been covered in dust!

There was now a hint of gloom in Chen Xin's eyes, as though he were merely a dying old man rather than the Sword Douluo who had once shaken the continent.

This time, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's greatest loss might have been Chen Xin losing the spirit and sharpness he once possessed.

Even if three hundred or five hundred ordinary Spirit Masters died, with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's financial strength, they could likely recruit enough Spirit Masters to replenish their losses before long.

But Sword Douluo was a Titled Douluo, the pillar that stabilized the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He had lost his spirit and sharpness.

That was what pained Ning Fengzhi the most.

It was not that Chen Xin was weak, as though he simply could not accept defeat.

During the original Soul Hunting Operation, when facing the siege of four Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall, Chen Xin had fought three, even four, opponents alone with Ning Fengzhi's support.