Third Trial of Heaven-Equal: Contacting Dugu Bo

Meng Shenji walked ahead, with Bai Yi and Ye Lingling following half a step behind him.

Portraits of outstanding Heaven Dou Royal Academy students from past generations hung on the walls along the corridor.

Meng Shenji's steps were brisk, and his aged face was brimming with a smile.

"I saw your performance today."

Meng Shenji coughed twice and said seriously,

"You single-handedly crushed the Five Great Academies. This news will soon spread throughout Heaven Dou City. That achievement is enough to establish your footing in the Heaven Dou Empire's Soul Master world."

"The academy intends to officially appoint you as captain of the Heaven Dou Royal Team. I've already spoken to Yu Tianheng. He has no objections."

Bai Yi did not look particularly surprised. He merely nodded lightly.

"Mm."

Meng Shenji stopped before a door at the end of the corridor.

This was the conference room, only used when the academy had important matters to discuss.

"There are several guests in the conference room today. Mind your manners."

Bai Yi nodded once.

Meng Shenji pushed open the door and walked inside.

The conference room was somewhat larger than Bai Yi had imagined.

A long table stood in the center, covered in dark velvet, with several chairs arranged on either side.

Two people sat by the window. Bai Yi's gaze paused when it swept over them.

An elderly man with white hair sat beside the window. He was lean, his hands folded atop his knees, his eyes calmly fixed on the doorway.

He did not move as he sat there, yet Bai Yi felt an invisible pressure pressing toward him from that direction, as though the air had suddenly grown heavier.

If he remembered correctly, this should be Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

A powerhouse at the Title Douluo level did not need to release Soul Power to make others instinctively feel oppressed.

Bai Yi shifted his gaze away from Sword Douluo and looked at the middle-aged man beside him.

The man wore a moon-white robe. His features were refined, with a gentle smile at the corners of his mouth.

The feeling he gave off was the complete opposite of Sword Douluo's.

There was no pressure and no sharpness. He seemed like nothing more than an ordinary man sitting anywhere at random.

Sure enough, Ning Fengzhi had come as well.

The Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Grand Tutor of the Heaven Dou Empire, and one of the most influential people on the continent.

Bai Yi's gaze rested on them for two seconds before he noticed someone else beside Ning Fengzhi.

A girl in a goose-yellow dress, about his age, with delicate features and large, round black eyes. She was tilting her head as she sized him up.

When she saw Bai Yi looking over, she did not avoid his gaze. Instead, she lifted her chin slightly, as if saying, "What are you looking at?"

Bai Yi understood.

Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a spoiled young miss who had been pampered since childhood.

She was famously arrogant in the original story.

Ning Rongrong glanced at Ye Lingling, then at Bai Yi, her lips tightening slightly.

Bai Yi withdrew his gaze without lingering.

He ran through the situation before him in his mind.

Ning Fengzhi had brought Sword Douluo and Ning Rongrong to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy conference room after watching his match from start to finish.

Considering the plot of the original story, Ning Fengzhi had always liked investing in promising geniuses. His purpose in coming here was most likely to show goodwill and recruit him.

After all, Tang God King had once cooperated with this sect master as well.

Meng Shenji walked to the other side of the long table and sat down, motioning for Bai Yi to sit too.

Bai Yi pulled out a chair and sat down.

Ye Lingling did not sit. She stood behind Bai Yi, her veil covering most of her face and revealing only a pair of deep blue eyes.

Ning Rongrong looked at her again and silently mocked her inwardly.

Who was she trying to impress? Wearing a veil too—she must be too ugly to show her face.

Ning Fengzhi spoke first in a gentle tone.

"Bai Yi, I watched the entire match just now. You truly are the most gifted person I have ever seen."

"I was just a little lucky."

Bai Yi answered modestly.

Ning Fengzhi smiled and gently shook his head.

"It wasn't luck. Your combat experience and grasp of timing are both exceptional. Shui Bing'er's Ice Phoenix martial soul, along with her fusion skill with her younger sister—I don't know of any person her age in the Heaven Dou Empire who could withstand that."

"Not only did you withstand it, you shattered it head-on. And you even used the Ring Fusion technique. If I remember correctly, you only acquired your third Soul Ring not long ago. Luck cannot explain that."

Bai Yi did not argue.

Ning Fengzhi glanced at him, then shifted his gaze away.

"I came today not only to watch the match. There is another matter I wish to discuss with you."

"Please, go ahead."

"I want Rongrong to study at Heaven Dou Royal Academy for a while."

Bai Yi raised an eyebrow.

Wasn't this young miss supposed to wait another two years before defecting to Shrek?

What was she doing here?

Ning Fengzhi continued,

"She grew up in the sect and has had little contact with children her age outside of it. I originally wanted to send her to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but she was unwilling. After watching your match today, I think having her stay here for a while would benefit her growth."

Bai Yi was silent for a moment before asking,

"Do you want Ning Rongrong to join the Heaven Dou Royal Team?"

Ning Fengzhi did not deny it. "I have considered it."

Bai Yi shook his head.

"It isn't very suitable. I already have Ye Lingling. Nine Heart Begonia is a support martial soul, and Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda is also a support martial soul. Their functions overlap. The team has limited slots, so it wouldn't be a reasonable lineup."

Ning Rongrong's eyebrows immediately shot up.

She had been sitting quietly and swinging her legs, but upon hearing that, she straightened up at once, obvious displeasure in her voice.

"So you're saying I'm unnecessary?"

Bai Yi glanced at her, his tone calm.

"That's not what I mean. It just isn't suitable."

Ning Rongrong pressed her lips together.

She wanted to say something else, but Ning Fengzhi raised a hand to stop her.

Ning Fengzhi smiled, his tone still gentle. "Actually, it isn't redundant."

Bai Yi looked at him.

"Your combat strength far surpasses that of other Soul Masters at your level. The purpose of the other Heaven Dou Royal Team members is to share your burden and create opportunities for you to attack. But if you are already powerful enough to suppress the entire opposing team alone, then the other combatants indeed have little purpose."

Ning Fengzhi spoke slowly, as though helping Bai Yi sort through the idea.

"But support is different. Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia can ensure that you quickly regain your combat strength after being injured, allowing you to continuously suppress your opponents. If the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda's enhancement is added as well, your overall combat strength can rise another level."

He paused and looked at Bai Yi.

"Having multiple support Soul Masters serve you alone is actually the most reasonable arrangement. Your strengths are outstanding enough to justify concentrating resources on you."

Bai Yi remained silent.

At his current cultivation level, he did not really need anyone else's support.

All he needed was to use divine abilities like Seventy-Two Transformations on his own. That was enough.

Ning Rongrong held herself back for a while, but finally could not endure it any longer.

"Father, you want me to support him alongside that woman? No way."

When she said "that woman," she tilted her head toward Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling stood behind Bai Yi, her expression darkening slightly, but she did not react.

Ning Fengzhi reached out and rubbed Ning Rongrong's head.

"Rongrong, your temperament needs some polishing. Support Soul Masters are destined to assist others in the future. They cannot fight alone. Now that you have encountered a genius more capable than yourself, this is the perfect opportunity to learn the idea of cooperation."

Meng Shenji smoothly added from the side,

"Sect Master Ning is right. Heaven Dou Royal Academy welcomes student Ning Rongrong to come study here."

Ning Rongrong's expression remained unpleasant. She turned toward Sword Douluo by the window, her voice carrying a hint of coquettish pleading.

"Grandpa Chen Xin, look at them..."

Sword Douluo Chen Xin had not spoken the entire time.

He sat beside the window, his hands folded atop his knees, his gaze resting on Bai Yi as though evaluating something.

When Ning Rongrong called him Grandpa Chen Xin, he withdrew his gaze and looked at her, then slowly shook his head.

Ning Rongrong's expression fell.

Her last hope was gone.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin's gaze returned to Bai Yi.

This time, he looked for even longer. His gaze was like a sharp sword, stabbing straight toward Bai Yi.

Bai Yi's eyes narrowed as he withstood this show of force.

After Sword Douluo found that Bai Yi was completely unaffected, he withdrew his gaze.

Sitting in his chair, Bai Yi felt that oppressive sensation slowly fade away.

His expression did not change, nor did his breathing rhythm become disturbed.

Clearly, Sword Douluo had wanted to vent a little on Ning Rongrong's behalf, or perhaps warn him not to bully her.

But this bit of pressure was useless against him.

Although his Indestructible Diamond Body had not yet been fully cultivated over the past two years, it was already more than enough to withstand the probing gaze of a Title Douluo who bore no ill intent.

Ning Fengzhi had noticed what was happening and had originally intended to stop it once Bai Yi showed difficulty.

Yet this child had actually withstood the pressure of a Title Douluo—and Sword Douluo at that.

It seemed Bai Yi's spiritual strength was also extremely high.

Bai Yi sat in his chair, moving his gaze away from Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong toward another part of the conference room.

Someone was seated there, dressed in a dark green robe and reclining in the chair farthest from the window.

Dugu Bo's gaze met Bai Yi's in midair, and he deliberately smiled.

Several thoughts flashed through Bai Yi's mind.

Dugu Bo appearing here meant that he was paying more attention to Bai Yi than Bai Yi had previously estimated.

This man had watched his matches for two days. Afterward, he had not left, but instead followed them into the conference room.

Perhaps he was waiting for a suitable chance to make contact with him.

And Bai Yi also wanted to contact Dugu Bo.

He recalled the contents of the Third Trial from a month ago, when he had reached level thirty.

[Third Trial of Heaven-Equal Activated · Eight Trigrams Furnace]

[Requirement: Enter the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well at the center of Sunset Forest. Soak for forty-nine days at the intersection of the Cold Extreme Yin Spring and Blazing Yang Spring, enduring dual tempering by ice and fire. You may not leave the spring during this period, nor may you rely on external aid.]

[Reward: Obtain a third Million-Year Soul Ring. Unlock divine abilities: Indestructible Diamond Body (Complete Version), Fiery Eyes]

The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was in Sunset Forest.

This was Dugu Bo's most secret place.

The most practical way to enter it was to gain Dugu Bo's trust.

Although his Seventy-Two Transformations was a divine ability that even Title Douluos could not see through,

his cultivation in the spring would require him to return to his original form and remain there for forty-nine days.

And Dugu Bo also needed the spring to suppress the poison in his body, so Bai Yi would inevitably be discovered.

Therefore, the best way was to follow Tang God King's approach.

Cure Dugu Bo and his granddaughter of their poison.

Bai Yi was making plans in his mind.

But Dugu Bo took the initiative to stand and walk over to Bai Yi.

He looked down at Bai Yi, his eyes glowing with a faint green light.

"I heard that you've been bullying my granddaughter all these years."

Dugu Bo's face was cold and sinister. "How should we settle this score?"

Bai Yi looked up at him.

The aura radiating from the Title Douluo was neither deliberately restrained nor deliberately released. It simply pressed over naturally.

Bai Yi was somewhat speechless.

"Your granddaughter was the one constantly provoking me. I've actually been holding back."

Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes. "Holding back? Whenever she came home crying while clutching her backside, I certainly didn't think you were holding back."

Bai Yi shook his head.

"Many of the others who came looking for trouble had their legs broken by me."

Meng Shenji's mouth twitched when he heard that. He knew it only too well.

Bai Yi was practically a demon child. He showed no restraint when fighting his classmates.

The forces behind many students had expressed dissatisfaction more than once.

Meng Shenji, as the chief, had borne much of that pressure himself, and he even had to seek the Crown Prince's help from time to time.

If not for the Crown Prince valuing Bai Yi,

this demon child would have been thrown into the river long ago.

Dugu Bo snorted coldly.

Of course, he knew that every time Dugu Yan returned home, she had not suffered any substantial injuries.

He merely wanted to find an excuse to test the child's reaction.

Because he had learned something astonishing from his granddaughter.

This brat seemed to be helping Ye Lingling heal the flaw in her martial soul.

"I don't care about any of that."

Dugu Bo snorted coldly.

"Anyway, you bullied her."

His tone was domineering, as if he had no intention of being reasonable.

"You bullied my granddaughter, so you have to find a way to please her. Apologize properly and calm her down. Otherwise..."

Dugu Bo did not finish the rest of his sentence, but his emerald-green eyes fixed on Bai Yi, making his meaning abundantly clear.

Bai Yi spoke.

"Fine. Tomorrow, I'll go to your home and apologize to her of my own accord, right in front of you."

A flash of surprise crossed Dugu Bo's eyes.

This brat was actually delivering himself right to his door?

Then he could not blame him for whatever he did when the time came.

The air in the conference room fell silent for a moment.

Meng Shenji looked somewhat nervous, because he knew Poison Douluo's temperament well. He was extremely protective of his own.

If Bai Yi really obediently fell into his hands, his life would not be in danger, but he would likely suffer a little.

"Senior Dugu."

Ning Fengzhi spoke, his tone still gentle.

"I have also heard some things about your granddaughter's performance at the academy. She has a rather competitive personality and may take the initiative to challenge opponents stronger than herself. I think Bai Yi is a very good practical combat opponent for her."

Meng Shenji also spoke at the right moment.

"Senior Dugu, Bai Yi's performance at the academy has always been excellent during the two years since he enrolled. His sparring matches with student Dugu Yan were all normal practical combat training, with no malicious intent to injure her. Please do not make things too difficult for him."

Bai Yi smiled and waved his hand as he spoke.

"It's fine. Isn't it just an apology? I've always been quite generous and respectful toward girls."