Dugu Yan's Challenge

The gem Ning Rongrong wanted was not anything precious, merely a piece of amethyst.

Lan Hong had been playing with it in his hand, trying to carve patterns into it with sword energy. He had not put it away in his Spatial Soul Tool, but Ning Rongrong unexpectedly took a liking to it.

"Little miss, I bought this amethyst for seventy Gold Soul Coins. If you offer eighty, I'll sell it to you!"

"I'll pay one hundred Gold Soul Coins. Give it to me now!"

"Deal!"

Lan Hong handed the amethyst to Ning Rongrong, and Ning Rongrong generously paid him one hundred Gold Soul Coins.

Watching Ning Rongrong happily leave with the amethyst, Lan Hong thought, What a little rich girl! One Gold Soul Coin could support a commoner for a long time.

Still, Lan Hong would have to buy another crystal to take back with him.

As for Ning Rongrong, she had simply acted on a whim. She thought the amethyst in Lan Hong's hand looked pretty and bought it. Ning Rongrong often did things like that, and those secretly protecting her had grown used to it.

Lan Hong had not tried to gouge her, so they did not pay much attention to him.

When Ning Rongrong had played to her heart's content and returned home, she found Ning Fengzhi with a stern expression.

"Rongrong, you snuck out again!"

"I only went out to have some fun!"

"You still dare to talk back! Didn't I tell you to cultivate properly?"

"Cultivation is too boring! You never keep me company, Father, so I had no choice but to go out and play!"

"Fengzhi, don't make things difficult for Rongrong. She's just a child! It's only natural for children to be playful!"

"Uncle Jian, you spoil her too much! Rongrong is very talented. It would be such a waste if she didn't cultivate properly!"

"Elder Jian, look at Father. He's always forcing me to cultivate. Cultivation is just too boring!"

"Fine, fine, fine! Elder Jian will accompany you in cultivation from now on. Would you like to practice swordsmanship with Elder Jian?"

"No! Practicing swordsmanship is too tiring! Is there any way to cultivate without getting tired at all?"

"You sure know how to dream, child!"

"Hmm?"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin picked up the amethyst Ning Rongrong had hung at her waist.

"Uncle Jian, what's wrong?"

"Rongrong, where did you get this amethyst?"

"I bought it in Heaven Dou City! Is it some kind of treasure?"

"Not exactly. Can you give it to Elder Jian?"

"Of course! I only spent one hundred Gold Soul Coins on it. Impressive, right?"

"You child... All right, go play."

Ning Rongrong skipped away, and only then did Ning Fengzhi turn serious.

"Uncle Jian!"

"Don't worry. I merely sensed a faint sword intent within this crystal! The scratches on it are the source of that sword intent."

"Ning Lin!"

"Your subordinate is here. Where did Miss buy this crystal?"

"Reporting to Sect Master, Miss bought it from a passerby!"

"What did that passerby look like?"

"This... Your subordinate did not pay much attention. That passerby looked very ordinary and had no intention of deceiving Miss, so..."

"Enough, Fengzhi. Let fate decide."

"Sigh! You may leave."

"Yes!"

The reason Ning Fengzhi took this so seriously was because he hoped to find a successor for Sword Douluo. Sword Douluo had extremely high standards for accepting disciples, and after so many years, he had yet to find a suitable one.

At the same time, Ning Fengzhi wished to nurture the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's next generation of guardian Douluo. After all, both Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were already advanced in years.

Naturally, Lan Hong knew nothing of what had happened in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. For the next while, he immersed himself in researching Soul Tools with Lan Mao.

Once he started researching, he lost track of time. Many days had passed without him going to the Great Soul Arena for Soul Fighting.

This left Dugu Yan, who had been waiting to test herself against Lan Hong, with quite a buildup of resentment.

Inside Lan Hong's dormitory, he let out a long breath.

"It's finished! Finally finished!"

Lan Hong and Lan Mao had worked together to complete an offensive Soul Tool. Its attack power was somewhat weak, but they had at least achieved a breakthrough from zero to one.

The Soul Tool in Lan Hong's hand was somewhat similar to Tang San's Sleeve Sword. Both fired arrows.

However, Tang San's Sleeve Arrow was powered by mechanisms, while the Soul Tool in Lan Hong's hand was powered by Soul Power.

The most critical part of a Soul Tool was its soul guide patterns. Like the circuits on a chip, those patterns were incredibly complex.

Even for this simple Soul Tool, Lan Hong had tried countless times before working out a complete, closed-loop set of soul guide patterns.

"Now that I've made this breakthrough from zero to one, the rest will be much easier.

"I can rest for now. I probably can't afford all the materials needed to make more advanced Soul Tools, and I don't have that much time either.

"For now, my main priority is raising my Soul Power Level. I need to reach level forty within two years."

For now, Lan Hong was going to Heaven Dou City to take part in Soul Fighting. To him, it counted as a form of relaxation.

Not long after Lan Hong arrived at the Great Soul Arena in Heaven Dou City, Dugu Yan came over with Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling was now a healing Soul Master employed by the Great Soul Arena. She had discovered that frequently using her spirit skills for healing could improve her control over them.

Though it left her exhausted every day and consumed a great deal of Soul Power, she felt it was worth it. Besides, the Great Soul Arena paid fairly.

"Miss Ye, Miss Dugu, you're here!"

"Has that person not come today?"

"No, Young Master Purple Mist has already arrived and is preparing for Soul Fighting!"

"Oh! I've finally waited for him! Go notify him for me. I want to challenge him!"

"Certainly, I'll go right away!"

Just as Lan Hong finished preparing, a staff member from the Great Soul Arena came over.

"What is it this time?"

"Someone has issued you a challenge. Will you accept?"

"Blue Electric Tyrant again?"

"No! The challenger uses the alias Jade Phosphor and is a level thirty-two Control System Soul Master!"

"It's Dugu Yan. Why does she suddenly want to challenge me? Is she trying to avenge Yu Tianheng?"

Lan Hong considered it for a moment, then ultimately decided to accept the challenge.

Standing on the Soul Fighting Stage, Dugu Yan carefully examined Lan Hong. However, his face was completely covered by a squirrel mask, leaving none of his true appearance visible.

Lan Hong stood with his sword in hand, while Dugu Yan had also completed her Martial Soul Possession.

"Yu Tianheng bragged about how amazing you were. I think he was just making excuses for himself. This time, I'll let you taste defeat!"

As always, Lan Hong remained silent. At the signal, the Soul Fighting began, and Lan Hong unusually chose to launch the first attack.

Lan Hong's sword grazed past her neck and sliced off a lock of her hair.

If not for the naturally keen sense of danger possessed by snake-type Martial Souls, she might have been instantly defeated in their first exchange.

She immediately discarded all thoughts of underestimating her opponent and released her spirit skills.

"First Spirit Skill, Jade Phosphor Red Poison! Second Spirit Skill, Jade Phosphor Blue Poison!"

Both were self-enhancement spirit skills. One increased speed and strength, while the other increased defense, dulled pain, and could also paralyze opponents.

Just as Dugu Yan was about to release her Third Spirit Skill, Jade Phosphor Purple Poison, Lan Hong's Purple Cloud Sword struck again.