The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi tapped his fingertips lightly against the table, his brow slightly furrowed. "The price of whale rubber has already increased tenfold. The older varieties have practically vanished from the market."
"Hmph!"
Bone Douluo Gu Rong snorted coldly.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan certainly moved fast. They swept up all the whale rubber over a thousand years old on the market long ago."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin said evenly, "They began secretly buying whale rubber a year ago. We were all kept in the dark."
Gu Rong continued, "That old dragon played dirty. We agreed that the Upper Three Sects would be branches of the same tree, yet he kept all the benefits for himself!"
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was wealthy, far richer than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. But now, even with a mountain of gold, they could not buy quality whale rubber, making it difficult to improve the sect's strength.
Ning Fengzhi pondered for a moment, then suddenly raised his eyes.
"Whale rubber is only a supplement. Yu Tianming's thousand-year First Soul Ring and ten-thousand-year Second Soul Ring are primarily due to his talent."
At those words,
Gu Rong and Chen Xin exchanged a glance. The latter asked, "Fengzhi, what are you suggesting?"
"Prepare a generous gift. I will visit the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in person."
Spirit Hall, the Pope's Hall.
Bibi Dong crushed an intelligence scroll between her fingertips, a cold light flickering in her eyes. "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan dares monopolize older whale rubber?"
Beside her, Ghost Douluo Gui Mei and Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan remained silent.
Bibi Dong rose and gazed ahead, her crimson lips parting slightly. "Pass down my order-have Salas 'request to purchase' whale rubber from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in Spirit Hall's name."
"What if they refuse?"
A trace of coldness flashed through Bibi Dong's eyes. "Then have a few elders pay them a 'visit' in person."
"If the soft approach fails, we will use force! Can a mere Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan overturn the heavens?"
Bibi Dong thought highly of herself, but in truth, she could only command a few elders.
Her trusted subordinates were limited to Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
Spirit Hall's strongest experts, the Peak Douluos, were all in the Worship Hall!
And the Worship Hall answered only to the Great Enshrined, Qian Daoliu. It wielded immense authority and had little regard for Bibi Dong, the Pope.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Two luxurious carriages slowly departed, their wheels making soft sounds as they rolled over the bluestone road.
Inside the first carriage,
Yu Tianming sat by the window, gazing calmly outside.
Dugu Yan leaned languidly against his shoulder, her emerald eyes half closed and purple hair draped over her shoulders, like a lazy cat.
Ye Lingling sat quietly opposite them, her hands folded over her knees and her gaze cool.
"Hey, Tianming."
Dugu Yan suddenly spoke, twirling a strand of hair around her fingertip. "Does your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan have a lot of stubborn old fogies?"
Yu Tianming rubbed his chin. "It's not too bad. A few elders really are stubborn old fogies."
"But my grandfather is the sect master. His word is law in the sect, and those old fogies can't openly oppose him."
"That's good!"
Dugu Yan let out a breath of relief. "I can't stand those stuffy old fossils."
Ye Lingling interjected, "Grandpa Yu is very kind. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's elders shouldn't be too difficult to talk to either, right?"
Yu Tianming smiled and shook his head. "My grandfather isn't kind to everyone."
Yu Yuanzhen was very stern before outsiders, commanding respect without showing anger and exerting an overwhelming sense of pressure. His kindness toward Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan was a case of loving the house and the crows upon its roof because of Yu Tianming.
The atmosphere in the second carriage was much livelier.
Yu Tianheng sat in the middle, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, clearly in a good mood.
The brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo squeezed together, their hefty bodies occupying nearly half the carriage.
Yu Feng and Osler each leaned against a window, looking around excitedly.
"Hey, Tian Heng, does your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan really have a forbidden ground like the rumors say?" Yu Feng asked curiously.
Yu Tianheng nodded. "Yes. Ordinary clan disciples aren't allowed inside."
"Then doesn't that mean we can't go in either?" Osler asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You can if I take you, but you definitely can't go in on your own," Yu Tianheng said.
Shi Mo gave an honest smile. "We won't. We won't wander where we shouldn't."
Yu Feng's eyes shifted. "What if I sneak in?"
Yu Tianheng glanced at him. "If you're not afraid of being beaten to death with clubs, you're welcome to try."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Originally, Yu Tianming had only intended to bring Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling back to the sect.
But Yu Tianheng wanted to return too, and after Yu Feng and the others learned about it, they also wanted to visit the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. In the end, all eight went together.
An hour later.
The carriages traveled along a mountain road, surrounded by lush woods.
Suddenly-
Boom!
A blast of black Soul Power descended from the sky, instantly blasting apart the road ahead.
"Enemy attack!"
The man driving the first carriage looked ordinary, but at that moment, Soul Saint-level Soul Power fluctuations erupted from him.
He was the Soul Saint who had previously protected Yu Tianming and Yu Tianheng in secret-Yu Wuchen.
A cold light flashed in Yu Wuchen's eyes. Moving like lightning, he vanished from the spot.
Shhk!
A short sword formed from Soul Power and wreathed in lightning appeared out of thin air, thrusting straight at the throat of the black figure in midair from a bizarre angle!
"What?"
The leader of the black-clad men clearly had not expected such a swift response. He hastily raised his hand to block, but Yu Wuchen's short sword still pierced his arm, sending blood spraying.
"What powerful assassination techniques! Who are you?" the black-clad man demanded, his voice filled with shock and anger.
Yu Wuchen sneered. "A thing that hides its head and shows its tail dares ambush our clan's young master?"
"Hmph!"
The black-clad leader snorted coldly. "I was merely careless just now. A Soul Saint like you can't stop a Soul Douluo like me!"
Yu Wuchen did not answer. His figure vanished again, leaving only a lightning afterimage.
Amid flickering lightning, he was already locked in battle with the Soul Douluo-level black-clad man!
At the same time,
Over a dozen black figures suddenly leaped out of the surrounding mountain woods. Every one of them possessed a formidable presence, the weakest at the Soul King level. There were several Soul Emperors among them, as well as two Soul Saints!
"Protect the young sect master!"
Ten experts from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan instantly appeared.
Their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Souls erupted as they charged straight at the black-clad men!
Another Soul Saint expert swiftly took up guard beside the two carriages, his cold, sharp gaze sweeping their surroundings while he kept his presence concealed.
Yu Yuanzhen had long anticipated that someone would try to assassinate Yu Tianming and had specifically sent them as escorts.
"Yanzi, Lingling, stay in the carriage."
Having confirmed that the danger outside was not great, Yu Tianming's eyes flashed coldly. He instantly released his Valstrax Martial Soul and rushed out of the carriage.
Dugu Yan was about to say something, but Ye Lingling caught her hand and said softly, "Don't distract him."
Dugu Yan gritted her teeth and finally nodded.
Roar!
A silver dragon silhouette soared skyward, scorching dragon energy sweeping in all directions.
Yu Tianming's arms instantly underwent Dragon Transformation. Scales covered them, his fingers became sharp claws, and the lance-wings on his back spread, their six dragon energy vents poised to fire!
"First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon's Wrath!"
Rumble!
Violent lightning coiled around his entire body. Yu Tianming became a streak of crimson lightning and dove straight at the nearest black-clad Soul King.
The black-clad man had just driven back an expert from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Before he could react, a streak of lightning flashed before his eyes-
Pfft!
Yu Tianming's silver dragon claw pierced straight through his chest!
"You..."
The black-clad man's eyes widened as he stared at the youth before him in disbelief.
Yu Tianming withdrew his dragon claw, and the black-clad man's corpse crashed to the ground.