Gu An didn't keep them waiting long. He soon walked out of the room.
Leng Yaozhu and Zi JI followed behind him.
They naturally recognized Leng Yaozhu. With her fiery red hair and breathtaking beauty, there wasn't a soul at Spirit Transmission Academy who didn't know her.
But they had no idea who Zi JI was!
Mother Gu and Xiao Xiao exchanged a glance. The same question sprang into both their minds.
There had clearly been only Leng Yaozhu and Gu An inside. How had someone else appeared by the time they came out?
Zi JI followed behind Gu An, her long, purplish-black hair falling to her waist as she coldly surveyed everyone present.
Her exquisitely alluring face was completely expressionless.
Before anyone could ask, a streak of light suddenly shot out from deep within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, heading straight for them!
It moved at incredible speed and landed in the courtyard in the blink of an eye.
The light faded, revealing a figure.
It was a white-haired old woman well past seventy, her silver hair neatly tied back and her face covered in wrinkles.
Yet a sharp glint lurked in her cloudy old eyes.
Her back was slightly hunched, and she leaned on a staff of solid jade-green, its surface covered in intricate golden patterns.
Ning Qingyun and Wu Yunshan both looked visibly surprised when they saw her.
Ning Qingyun hurried forward and bowed respectfully.
"Elder Tianxin! Why have you come out of seclusion?"
Wu Yunshan quickly bowed as well.
"Elder, weren't you in seclusion...?"
Ning Tianxin was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's trump card. A genius adopted by the sect, she had been given the surname Ning.
She had served several generations of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect leaders.
After the previous leader stepped down, she had gone into seclusion to try to break through to Level 99 Limit Douluo.
Even when Leng Yaozhu had released her Limit Douluo aura and overwhelmed the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she hadn't appeared.
So why had she come out now?
Ning Tianxin chuckled twice, her laughter hoarse and aged.
"I sensed the aura of a Ferocious Beast just now. I thought something momentous had happened to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, so I came out of seclusion to take a look."
Her cloudy eyes, still hiding a glint of divine light, swept across the courtyard.
They passed over Ning Qingyun and Leng Yaozhu before finally settling on Zi JI.
Zi JI's deep-purple, slit-pupil eyes met her gaze just as coldly.
Ning Tianxin silently drew in a sharp breath.
The Ferocious Beast aura was coming from the purple-haired woman before her!
That oppressive feeling, that baleful aura that sank into one's very bones—it was nothing an ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast could possess.
In truth, there was another reason she had come out of seclusion.
She had cultivated bitterly for years, but still hadn't managed to break through the threshold of Level 99.
With no other choice, she had decided to leave seclusion and travel the world, hoping to find some sort of opportunity.
But she had never imagined that the moment she emerged, she would sense a Ferocious Beast's aura in the heart of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!
At her words, everyone present froze.
What?
She was saying that this beautiful, long-legged woman with fair skin was a Ferocious Beast?!
Ning Qingyun's eyes widened, and she instinctively took half a step back.
Wu Yunshan went so far as to step in front of Ning Tian and Wu Feng, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Xiao Xiao peeked out from behind Mother Gu, her big eyes filled with both fear and curiosity.
Mother Gu frowned deeply, her hands unconsciously clenching together.
A Ferocious Beast... It was an existence even more terrifying than a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!
Why was one here? Why was it following Xiao An?
Ning Tianxin took in everyone's reactions and stepped forward, leaning on her jade-green staff. Soul Power stirred faintly around her.
Though advanced in years, the might of a Titled Douluo was enough to crush most of those present once released.
She spoke in a low voice.
"Qingyun, Wu Yunshan, retreat at once! You cannot stand against a Ferocious Beast of this caliber!"
"Why retreat? She's one of us. There's no need to be surprised."
Gu An's voice rang out, unhurried.
Ning Tianxin whipped around to look at the little boy with black hair and black eyes.
She had been so focused on Zi JI that she had completely overlooked the little one.
Ning Qingyun and Wu Yunshan, hearing Gu An casually call the Ferocious Beast "one of us," wore expressions that were something to behold.
Everyone fell silent.
How could he say it so damn casually?!
One of us? A Ferocious Beast no weaker than Leng Yaozhu, dismissed with the simple words "one of us"?
Why couldn't they have someone like that on their side?!
They were so jealous they could practically drool from the corners of their eyes!
Ning Tianxin's gaze lingered on Gu An, then shifted to Zi JI, and finally to Leng Yaozhu.
Their positions were telling: Zi JI and Leng Yaozhu stood on either side, subtly shielding Gu An between them.
That alone said everything.
Waves of shock churned in her heart.
The last time Leng Yaozhu had released her aura, Ning Tianxin had been deep in seclusion, isolated by layer upon layer of formations. She hadn't sensed it clearly.
She had assumed that some passing Limit Douluo was releasing their pressure and, thinking it best to avoid trouble, had stayed inside.
Only now, seeing everything with her own eyes, did she truly understand what kind of force the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had joined.
Never mind the Ferocious Beast standing before her—even the red-haired Titled Douluo beside her was more than she had any confidence of defeating.
The aura the red-haired woman gave off was more than a little stronger than Ning Tianxin's at her peak.
A Limit Douluo—and no ordinary one.
All she could do was silently pray that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had made the right choice.
If they had picked the wrong side, the sect would be doomed beyond redemption!
Gu An had no interest in entertaining the old woman who had suddenly appeared.
So what if she was a Titled Douluo?
Could any Titled Douluo be stronger than the two at his side?
The most important thing now wasn't making small talk with an old fossil who had spent years in seclusion. It was the next generation.
He had to make the students of Spirit Transmission Academy beat the students of Shrek Academy to a pulp!
A targeted draw—that sounded amazing!
Before they could keep asking questions, Gu An raised a hand and pointed at the Silver-white Giant Pagoda that had appeared out of thin air in the middle of the academy.
"Forget who she is for now. Listen to me. Haven't you all been asking where Soul Spirits come from? I'll give you the answer now."
Everyone followed Gu An's finger and looked over.
"See that tower? It's called the Spirit Pagoda."
Gu An's voice rang out, clear and loud.
"Once you have this tower, you'll be able to obtain Soul Spirits inside it!"
"As long as your body and spirit are strong enough, you can obtain a Soul Spirit of any level!"
"And Soul Spirits don't stay the same forever. With proper nurturing, they can grow!"
Ning Qingyun's jaw dropped. She completely forgot to maintain the dignity expected of a sect leader.
Wu Yunshan clenched his fists, trembling with excitement.
Ning Tian and Wu Feng even threw their arms around each other, their eyes shining like four stars.
Their cheeks were squished into all sorts of shapes. Ning Tian was just too young.
Otherwise, the impact would have been even greater.
Xiao Xiao ran out from behind Mother Gu and gazed at the tower, her eyes full of longing.
Shock also spread across Ning Tianxin's aged face.
Soul Spirits? Soul Spirits that could grow?
This was an existence that turned the entire Soul Master system of Douluo Continent on its head!
But while Ning Tianxin was stunned, Ning Qingyun and Wu Yunshan were thrilled.
Why had the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect agreed to work with Gu An?
Wasn't this exactly what they had wanted?
With Soul Spirits, Auxiliary Soul Masters would no longer be sitting ducks, helpless at the mercy of others!
Pair the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda with a Soul Spirit that could fight on its own, and their strength would more than double!
They had bet on the right side!
Ning Qingyun took several deep breaths before she managed to rein in her elation, but her voice still trembled.
"Th-this... Xiao An, when can we go inside?"
Gu An looked at their eager faces, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"You can go in now."
Then he turned to Leng Yaozhu.
"Sister Yaozhu, I'll leave it to you to teach them how to use the Spirit Pagoda."
Leng Yaozhu nodded.
"Leave it to me."
Gu An shifted his gaze to Zi JI.
"After that, Zi JI and I will head to the Far North."
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
If the Ice Empress and Snow Empress knew what was good for them, keeping them by his side as Soul Spirits wouldn't be out of the question.
After all, the Ice Empress and Snow Empress were both top Ferocious Beasts of the Far North.
The Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion and Heavenly Snow Woman were not to be underestimated. Subduing them would give him two powerful fighters.
If they refused, then they could die!!!
All of Huo Yuhao's opportunities should belong to him!
The ones he drew in the second round would be more than enough to crush the two women!