Defeated in One Move, Pay Extra

Seeing the situation in the courtyard clearly, Bai Shu no longer concealed his presence. Together with Xie Biyan, he drifted down silently, landing like two falling leaves.

This abrupt appearance instantly shattered the seemingly peaceful atmosphere within the courtyard!

Ning Fengzhi's gentle smile stiffened, and Qian Renxue's pupils contracted sharply!

As for Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who had been resting with his eyes closed, he snapped them open!

Clang!

A crisp sword hum erupted in an instant! Two beams of light, as tangible as steel, shot out from his eyes. The temperature of the entire courtyard plummeted to freezing, and a terrifying, indestructible sword intent coalesced into an invisible blade, locking firmly onto Xie Biyan, who had descended from the sky!

However, facing a sword intent capable of threatening a ninety-seventh-rank Super Douluo, Xie Biyan merely tilted his head slightly, a cold sneer curling his lips. The next instant, an even colder, massive ink-green aura erupted from within his body!

Boom—!

Two invisible yet substantial forces collided violently in mid-air! The moment Chen Xin's indestructible sword intent touched the ink-green aura, it emitted a "hissing" sound, like ice being pierced by a red-hot iron, before being instantly corroded and dissolved as if it were nothing.

Chen Xin was struck as if by lightning. The stone stool beneath him cracked with a "crunch." He let out a muffled groan, his face paling slightly. The look he cast toward Xie Biyan was filled with unprecedented shock and wariness!

One move! A single clash of auras, and he had lost—and lost so thoroughly! The opponent's soul power was far above his own!

For a moment, the entire scene fell into dead silence!

Yet, before they could react further, Dugu Bo stood up abruptly. The nervous caution he had displayed while facing Chen Xin vanished, replaced by a sense of heartfelt respect and relief.

He strode forward and bowed slightly to the youth who appeared to be only in his teens:

"Young Master, you have returned."

Bai Shu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping calmly over the pale-faced Sword Douluo and the grave-looking Ning Fengzhi. Ignoring their suspicious and uncertain stares, he asked directly:

"Senior Dugu, how have the arrangements for the auction of the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma gone?"

"Reporting to the Young Master!" Dugu Bo replied immediately. "I have followed your instructions and had the Heaven Dou Auction House begin the publicity. However, the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma is too precious; the Heaven Dou Auction House dared not keep it, so I will have to deliver it on the day of the auction."

Bai Shu nodded with satisfaction. "Very good. As long as there were no mishaps, that is fine."

Yet, this simple exchange—the titles of "Young Master" and "subordinate"—fell upon the ears of Ning Fengzhi and his companions like a thunderclap!

One was the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, the other the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; neither had any idea that Dugu Bo had joined another faction.

Moreover, he had pledged his loyalty to such a wet-behind-the-ears youth as... Young Master?!

How could this be!

Ning Fengzhi and Qian Renxue exchanged an instinctive glance, both seeing the same astonishment and confusion in the other's eyes.

Ultimately, it was Ning Fengzhi who recovered first. He forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and asked Dugu Bo gently, "Your Excellency Dugu, might I ask who this young friend is?"

At these words, Dugu Bo straightened his back and tilted his head slightly. Just moments ago, he hadn't dared to breathe loudly because of Sword Douluo, but now that his Young Master had brought people back, the situation had turned around completely, and he felt a surge of pride!

However, before introducing him, he looked respectfully at Bai Shu. Seeing Bai Shu nod slightly, he spoke in a deep voice:

"This is my Young Master, Bai Shu. As for the gentleman beside him, he is the Ten Thousand Scorpion Douluo, my Young Master's Guardian."

Hearing Dugu Bo's words, Ning Fengzhi's eyes narrowed. A mysterious top-tier Douluo capable of suppressing Sword Douluo in an instant was actually willing to serve as a Guardian for a youth!

Could he be a genius from some hidden family that has never appeared in the world? But what kind of terrifying family could dispatch such a powerhouse to escort a youth?!

Yet, the heartfelt respect Dugu Bo showed did not seem fake, which only made Ning Fengzhi feel even more wary. If such a family truly existed, it would be terrifying indeed.

Dugu Bo finished speaking and, ignoring Ning Fengzhi's reaction, turned to Bai Shu. "Young Master, let me introduce you. This is..."

"No need." Bai Shu raised a hand gently, cutting Dugu Bo off. He stepped forward, looked directly at Ning Fengzhi, and smiled faintly:

"I have naturally heard of the great names of Sect Master Ning and His Highness the Crown Prince. I presume you two came here today for that Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma."

"Indeed, my teacher and I are here for that very reason," Qian Renxue added, her gaze filled with scrutiny.

Ning Fengzhi also nodded with a smile, quickly regaining the composure of a sect master.

"I understand your intentions," Bai Shu said calmly. "However, the auction house has already publicized the information. To go back on my word now would damage my reputation. Therefore, I must ask you both to compete at the auction; the highest bidder shall win."

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue was fine. While the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma was useful to her, it was nothing more than a way to shave a few months off her cultivation time; she was mainly here to accompany Ning Fengzhi today.

But Ning Fengzhi was somewhat anxious. Although his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was wealthy enough to rival a nation, there were others on the continent who could compete with them. If the two great empires or Spirit Hall intervened, it was not certain that the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma would fall into his hands.

He took a deep breath and said with a sincere tone:

"Young friend Bai Shu, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can offer compensation that will satisfy you—be it massive amounts of gold soul coins, rare treasures, or even soul bones! I only hope you can transfer this item to me in advance."

Bai Shu was slightly taken aback by Ning Fengzhi's demeanor. Given Ning Fengzhi's status and depth of character, how could he be so impatient?

However, the next moment, Bai Shu recalled the instructions he had specifically given Dugu Bo earlier. A flash of realization crossed his eyes, and he spoke with profound meaning:

"Sect Master Ning, you are so eager—could it be that you wish to use this Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma to... break the shackles of your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Ning Fengzhi's expression froze. He knew he had lost his composure, but the flaws of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda were no secret on the continent. He took a deep breath, quickly regained his composure, and decided not to hide it anymore, asking frankly:

"I will not lie to you, young friend; that is indeed my intention. Since you are the owner of the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma, you must be well-versed in its medicinal properties. Might I ask... is this method feasible?"

Bai Shu fell into deep thought.

On this point, he truly could not be certain. The original records only stated that the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma had the effect of strengthening the foundation and breaking through bottlenecks, but Ning Fengzhi's bottleneck stemmed from the inherent, innate flaws of his martial soul.

In such a case, it was not certain that the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma could defy the heavens and change his fate.

After a moment of hesitation, Bai Shu decided to tell the truth. Deceiving Ning Fengzhi would serve no purpose other than creating a powerful enemy for no reason.

"Sect Master Ning, your situation is far too unique. If it were any other Soul Sage trapped at level seventy-nine, consuming the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma would certainly allow them to break through the bottleneck and step into the realm of the Soul Douluo."

"But you are different. If you wish to ascend to level eighty, you must first evolve your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into an Eight Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. The Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma... is, after all, not a true Immortal Grade Medicinal Herb; its efficacy may not necessarily satisfy you."

Although Bai Shu did not say "no" directly, Ning Fengzhi understood the implication, and the fire of hope that had just ignited in his eyes instantly dimmed.

However, he immediately caught another keyword in Bai Shu's words and asked with an urgent tone:

"I wonder what this... Immortal Grade Medicinal Herb that you speak of, might be?"

Seeing that he had taken the bait, Bai Shu smiled slightly, but instead of answering directly, he recited leisurely:

"A treasure that belongs only in the heavens, rarely heard of in the mortal realm. If Sect Master Ning truly wishes to find it, I fear it may be somewhat difficult."

As the words fell, far from being disappointed, Ning Fengzhi looked at Bai Shu with burning eyes. He had already understood Bai Shu's meaning; simply put—it would cost extra.