The three passed through the mountain forest.
Dugu Bo kept watching their surroundings.
They were inside Heaven Dou Royal Academy, where students usually came and went in great numbers.
Yet wherever Ning Xian passed, everyone moved aside of their own accord.
No one could see him.
The bewilderment in Dugu Bo's eyes deepened.
"Senior, what exactly brought you to Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
Ning Xian stopped.
Ahead, an ancient pagoda stood hidden among the mountains.
The pagoda had only three stories.
Its exterior looked weathered, and vines even covered its walls.
Yet in Ning Xian's perception, every inch of space within the pagoda was in motion.
The energy of heaven and earth flowed along its structure.
Countless traces of Martial Souls had accumulated within.
Xuanhuang Radiance rose from the base of the pagoda, connecting to the energy veins of the mountains and land.
Ning Xian gazed at the ancient pagoda before him.
"I came here for this pagoda."
Dugu Bo followed his gaze.
"The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda?"
Ning Xian nodded.
"It has been here far too long."
Dugu Bo looked at the ancient pagoda, his expression gradually turning grave.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy regarded the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda as a sacred cultivation ground.
Yet from Ning Xian's words, this ancient pagoda did not seem to belong to the academy.
Dugu Bo turned to him.
"Senior, do you know this pagoda?"
"It was mine to begin with."
Those words fell.
Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan froze at the same time.
Ning Xian raised his hand.
The ancient pagoda's doors opened on their own.
The Xuanhuang aura that had lain dormant for centuries slowly surged out from within.
Ning Xian strode toward the doors.
"Let's take a look inside."
Dugu Bo looked at the open doors, then at Ning Xian's retreating figure.
He finally understood that the other man had never put the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well first, from beginning to end.
In Ning Xian's eyes, the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda was the true purpose of this visit.
Dugu Bo gathered his thoughts and followed with Dugu Yan.
Inside the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
Mystic Yellow Radiance flowed slowly along the stone walls.
There were no tables or chairs in the pagoda, nor any stairs leading to the upper floors.
Countless Martial Soul phantoms floated around them.
Blue Silver Grass.
The Clear Sky Hammer.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
The Jade Phosphorous Serpent.
Beside each Martial Soul phantom, dozens of Soul Rings flashed in turn.
Dugu Bo stood beside the doors, his eyes full of astonishment.
This was not his first time entering the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
Yet on his previous visits, he had only sensed the rich energy of heaven and earth.
He had never seen these Martial Soul phantoms before.
Dugu Yan extended her slender hand, wanting to touch a Jade Phosphorous Serpent phantom.
The instant her fingertips drew near, the Jade Phosphorous Serpent opened its eyes.
Emerald-green poisonous mist spread out with it.
Dugu Yan hastily withdrew her hand.
"Why is it the same as my Martial Soul?"
Ning Xian walked up to the Jade Phosphorous Serpent phantom.
"You've entered this place before."
"The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda recorded your Martial Soul."
Dugu Yan looked around.
There were at least tens of thousands of Martial Soul phantoms inside the pagoda.
This meant that every Soul Master who had entered over the centuries had left a trace.
Dugu Bo looked up at a longsword.
It was the Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul.
Nine Soul Rings floated beside its blade.
Streaks of sword energy constantly transformed within the Mystic Yellow Radiance.
Dugu Bo watched for a long time before asking, "Can this pagoda work out Soul Skills?"
"Yes."
Ning Xian raised his hand.
The Seven Kill Sword phantom descended into his palm.
The nine Soul Rings lit up in sequence.
A streak of sword light swept through the pagoda, finally stopping before the stone wall.
The sword light left no trace.
Ning Xian released his hand.
The Seven Kill Sword returned to its original position.
"It records every Martial Soul and Soul Skill that has appeared within the pagoda."
"Over the centuries, it has accumulated a fairly decent collection."
Dugu Bo's eyelid twitched.
Tens of thousands of Martial Souls.
Countless Soul Skills.
Yet Ning Xian called it merely a fairly decent collection.
"Does the Heaven Dou Imperial Family know about this?"
"No."
Ning Xian walked deeper into the pagoda.
"They can only use its outermost energy-gathering effect."
"As for recording Martial Souls and working out Soul Skills, they lack the ability to activate those functions."
Only then did Dugu Bo understand.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy had occupied the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda for centuries, yet had never truly mastered this treasure.
They merely cultivated with the power that seeped out of the pagoda.
Dugu Yan followed beside Ning Xian.
Her pale purple short skirt swayed gently with her steps.
She looked up at the Clear Sky Hammer floating high above.
"Can this place really increase cultivation speed?"
"It's useful for ordinary Soul Masters."
Dugu Bo took up the explanation.
"For those below Soul King, entering this place can multiply their cultivation speed several times over."
"Soul Emperors and Soul Saints can also gain considerable benefits."
"Once they reach the Soul Douluo realm, the effect weakens greatly."
"As for Titled Douluos, it's already very difficult to rely on this place to increase their Soul Power."
He had once cultivated inside the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
Although the energy of heaven and earth gathered within the pagoda was rich, it was insufficient to help a Titled Douluo break through to the next realm.
It was precisely for this reason that the Heaven Dou Imperial Family was willing to give some of the entry slots to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
Otherwise, the imperial family would have sealed off this pagoda completely long ago.
Ning Xian reached the heart of the pagoda.
A Xuanhuang-colored crystal floated in midair.
Within the crystal, countless Martial Souls and Soul Skills were constantly evolving.
"There's not much power left."
"Remaining here, it really doesn't offer much benefit to Douluo-level experts."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo immediately looked at him.
"Senior, are you planning to repair the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda?"
Ning Xian shook his head.
"I'm taking it away."
Dugu Bo's expression froze.
Dugu Yan also stopped.
"Taking it away?"
Dugu Bo hurried to Ning Xian's side.
"Senior, this pagoda is the foundation of Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
"The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda is a major reason the academy has been able to nurture so many outstanding Soul Masters."
"Even the Heaven Dou Imperial Family regards this as a vital site of the empire."
Ning Xian looked at the Martial Soul phantoms accumulated within the pagoda.
"Something I casually left behind back then actually became the foundation of Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
For a moment, Dugu Bo had nothing to say.
To the Heaven Dou Empire, the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda was a sacred cultivation ground passed down for centuries.
Yet to Ning Xian, it was merely an old pagoda shell he had discarded.
From the very beginning, their views of this pagoda had stood on entirely different levels.
Ning Xian raised his hand and pressed it against the Xuanhuang-colored crystal.
The entire Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda trembled lightly.
The vines on the walls fell away.
Xuanhuang patterns buried deep underground lit up one after another.
Amid the mountains, rich energy of heaven and earth rapidly converged.
"Senior."
Dugu Bo backed away.
"The Heaven Dou Imperial Family's people will notice any moment now."
"Let them come."
Ning Xian closed his fingers.
The Xuanhuang-colored crystal settled into his palm.
The tens of thousands of Martial Soul phantoms within the pagoda turned into streaks of light at once, all pouring into the crystal.
Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan felt their vision blur.
The three of them were already outside the ancient pagoda.
The next instant.
The entire Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda rose out of the ground.
The mountain peak shook violently.
The entire ancient pagoda shuddered with it.
The points of light within the pagoda went out one by one.
The formation patterns on the walls began to contract.
Dugu Yan stood where she was, watching the changes around her as a powerful sense of unreality rose within her.
This pagoda was the most important place in Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Her grandfather had once said that even the Heaven Dou Imperial Family could not arbitrarily interfere with the operation of the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
Yet Ning Xian had merely raised his hand.
And this ancient pagoda was about to leave the academy.
"Senior, the people at the academy won't agree."
Dugu Bo looked at Ning Xian.
"What does whether they agree have to do with me?"
Ning Xian closed his fingers.
The Xuanhuang orb of light merged into his palm.
Immediately afterward, the three-story Ancient Tower rapidly shrank.
The tower, dozens of meters tall, became palm-sized in the blink of an eye and landed in Ning Xian's hand.
All the vines and dust on the tower vanished.
The ancient, unadorned tower doors slowly closed.
Ning Xian tucked the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda into his sleeve.
At that very moment.
Several sounds of rushing air came from above the academy.
Several old men in long robes hurried over from afar.
Soul Rings appeared beneath their feet one after another, and they radiated the aura of Soul Douluos.
The old man in the lead landed ahead on the mountain path.
He glanced at the empty valley, and his expression abruptly changed.
"Where is the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda?"
No one answered.
Only a stretch of level ground remained in the center of the valley.
The Mystic Yellow Radiance that had originally linked the mountains and rivers had completely vanished.
Several academy elders turned toward Ning Xian at the same time.
"Who are you?"
Ning Xian looked at them calmly.
"Ning Xian."
The elders exchanged glances.
They seemed to have heard that name somewhere before.
But events from centuries ago had long since become legends.
The records of Heaven Dou Royal Academy only mentioned that a mysterious powerhouse had once left behind the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
As for his name, it had long been lost to the passage of time.
The leading elder frowned.
"Did you take away the academy's Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda?"
"It belongs to me."
"The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda is the academy's foundation, and a precious treasure passed down through Heaven Dou Royal Academy to this day."
Another elder stepped forward.
"If you wish to take it away, you should at least explain yourself to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family first."
Ning Xian glanced at him.
"Since when did something I casually left behind become the foundation of Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
The elders were instantly at a loss for words.
Ning Xian raised his hand.
A wisp of Mystic Yellow Radiance flowed through his palm.
The Soul Power inside all the elders stalled at once.
Their faces paled, and they no longer dared to advance.
Only at that moment did the leading elder finally recall the name that had lain buried in ancient records.
"Ning Xian..."
"The senior who left behind the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda centuries ago?"
The other elders' expressions changed abruptly.
The owner of the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
The legendary powerhouse who had once changed Martial Soul Origin through his strength alone.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy had been founded precisely because he had left the Ancient Tower here.
They had never expected the legendary figure to reappear.
And the moment he appeared, he intended to take away the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
The leading elder hurriedly cupped his hands.
"Senior, this is a matter of great importance."
"Please stay your hand for now and allow us to seek instructions from the Heaven Dou Imperial Family."
Ning Xian lowered his hand.
"Seek whatever instructions you like."
"I'm taking my tower."
The elders looked at one another.
"What if the Heaven Dou Imperial Family disagrees?"
Ning Xian turned to look toward the end of the mountain path.
"Anyone who questions me can come find me."
With that, Ning Xian walked away.
A thread of Xuanhuang light wound around Dugu Yan's wrist again.
Standing behind him, Dugu Bo watched the academy elders who dared not stop him, great waves already surging in his heart.
The Ancient Tower that the senior had casually left behind had actually been treated as the foundation of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's legacy.
Several Soul Douluo elders stood there, yet they did not even have the courage to stop him.
This was no ordinary strength.
This was an existence even the Heaven Dou Imperial Family had to treat with caution.
Dugu Bo knew very well that he had made the right wager this time.
As long as Ning Xian was willing to act, the problem with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor bloodline would no longer leave him trapped in a hopeless predicament.
"Senior."
He hurried to catch up.
"Are we going to Sunset Forest now?"
"Let's take a look at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well first."
Ning Xian did not turn around.
"The bloodlines of both you and your granddaughter do indeed need the immortal herbs there."
Dugu Bo hastily nodded.
"I understand."
He looked at the white-clad figure ahead, his manner even more respectful than before.
The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda had already been taken away.
The elders of Heaven Dou Royal Academy were still standing where they were.
They stared in the direction Ning Xian had disappeared, and even after the Xuanhuang aura had completely dispersed, no one spoke.
Only after a while did the leading elder say gravely:
"Report this matter to His Majesty immediately."
"With the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda gone, the academy's cultivation earth veins have stopped functioning."
"And investigate Senior Ning Xian's identity at once."
Meanwhile.
Outside Heaven Dou City.
The Shrek group finally arrived near Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Ma Hongjun looked up at the distant mountains, anticipation on his face.
"Didn't Teacher Yu say the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda was deep inside the academy?"
"I heard that tower is incredibly miraculous."
Oscar straightened his clothes.
"They say the two great empires fought several wars over that tower."
"Later, the Heaven Dou Empire took possession of this place and founded Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
Dai Mubai looked toward the mountains.
"If it made the two great empires go to war several times, this tower must be extraordinary."
Tang San said nothing.
He, too, gazed deep into the mountains.
As long as he could enter the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda to cultivate, his Soul Power would certainly increase faster.
The group continued along the mountain path.
But when they finally saw the academy's interior, everyone stopped in their tracks.
The space between the mountains was empty.
Where the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda should have stood, only a stretch of barren ground remained.
Ma Hongjun rubbed his eyes.
"Where's the tower?"
Yu Xiaogang hurried to the edge of the valley.
The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda that had originally stood among the mountains had vanished.
Only an enormous tower foundation remained on the ground.
The surrounding energy of heaven and earth was also rapidly dispersing.
Flender frowned.
"Something just happened here."
Yu Xiaogang's expression was extremely grim.
He had specifically contacted Qin Ming to secure places for them to enter the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
The Shrek group had also come early so they could enter the tower and cultivate as soon as possible.
Yet the moment they arrived, the tower was gone.
Ma Hongjun hurriedly asked, "Grandmaster, can we still go inside to cultivate?"
Yu Xiaogang did not answer.
With the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda already gone, those places were naturally meaningless.
Several academy students hurried over from afar.
When they saw the tower foundation in the valley, they stopped as well.
"Someone took away the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda!"
"The academy's education committee has already sealed off the surrounding area."
"I heard the person who took the Ancient Tower was the senior who left the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda here centuries ago."
Everyone from Shrek looked over at once.
Yu Xiaogang stepped forward and asked, "Who is this senior you're talking about?"
One of the academy students shook his head.
"All we know is that his name is Ning Xian."
"Ning Xian?"
Ning Rongrong immediately lifted her face.
The Ancient Bronze Small Tower she kept close to her body once again emitted Mystic Yellow Radiance.
Tang San noticed her change.
"Rongrong, do you know this person?"
Ning Rongrong pressed her slender hand against the front of her clothes.
"I do."
Ma Hongjun looked toward the Ancient Bronze Small Tower hidden inside her clothes.
"That Small Tower of yours-don't tell me Ning Xian gave it to you?"
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