Chapter 196: with translation of chapter title

Bi Bi Dong coldly watched the members of Seven Treasure Glazed Sect and Royal Battle Team leave the field, then her icy gaze turned to Ning Fengzhi beside her, and she said indifferently:

"The disciples under Sect Master Ning are quite good, just lacking in character."

Hearing Bi Bi Dong's implied words, Ning Fengzhi kept his gentle smile: "Your Excellency, young people's methods inevitably differ somewhat; moreover, the Spirit Hall academy is overly powerful, so they do this merely to save a bit of face."

Belittling oneself while exalting others—Ning Fengzhi is well versed in this tactic.

Bi Bi Dong said nothing more, rose and left: "Then we shall wait and see."

Bi Bi Dong departed, the two generals Hen and Ha following closely behind, while the Golden Crocodile Douluo had already left after admitting defeat to the Spirit Hall academy; now only Ning Fengzhi and Chenxin remained seated in their original spots.

After the experts had left, Chenxin sent a mental message to Ning Fengzhi: "That girl is the bloodline of the former Pope; when Old Bone brought little Xuan to obtain his fourth soul ring, she had already broken through to Soul Saint, so this time they likely have no chance at the championship."

Ning Fengzhi's wise eyes flickered: "No matter, the final reward is indeed generous, but giving them sufficient pressure in this last match is also a good thing."

However, as he spoke, Ning Fengzhi suddenly shifted tone: "Uncle Sword, do you really think Xuan and his group have no chance at all? Xuan's current strength might even be unclear to you."

Chenxin heard this, pondered a moment, then said: "This brat can indeed bring miracles; let's see how he performs this time."

Afterwards the two began idle chat, and in the end they returned to the topic of Gu Xuan's lifelong affair.

Ning Fengzhi helplessly rubbed his forehead: "This brat, he's now taken a liking to a young lady of the Zhu family of the Xingluo Empire; I really don't know how someone like Uncle Bone could have a grandson like Xuan!"

Upon hearing that, Chenxin also smiled and shook his head: "Fengzhi, we needn't worry about the young people's affairs; as long as it doesn't affect Rongrong, let Xuan decide for himself, after all who hasn't had a youthful, reckless period? Why, you weren't any different back then..."

"Cough cough..." As Chenxin began to reminisce, Ning Fengzhi immediately coughed and said: "Uncle Sword, let's not bring up the past, but Xuan's taste is still decent; that young lady of the Zhu family is only fourteen and already a Soul Ancestor—her talent is not bad."

However, saying this, Ning Fengzhi's brows slightly furrowed as he sighed: "But that young lady is already engaged to the Xingluo imperial family..."

Chenxin merely replied indifferently upon hearing that: "That brat has already begged me for help; I'll personally make a trip then..."

Ning Fengzhi gave a helpless smile, then said no more on the topic; afterward the two rose and left, since the match would start in the afternoon.

Returning to the lounge, Gu Xuan had five girls seated beside him: Du Gu Yan, Ye Lingling, Ning Rongrong, Li Li, and Zhu Zhuqing.

Indeed, Zhu Zhuqing was there too, because she didn't want to stay alone, so seeing Gu Xuan and the others return, she followed them.

Gu Xuan glanced at everyone, then said: "Yanzi, Rongrong, you don't need to take this afternoon's match too seriously; prioritize your safety—Qian Renxue is a Soul Saint level, you might not be able to defeat her."

Du Gu Yan heard this, smiled, and confidently said: "I indeed cannot beat a Soul Saint, but I can reduce them to just a Soul Saint."

Hearing that, Gu Xuan also gave a helpless smile, thinking how familiar this sounded.

Isn't this exactly the declaration of his father-in-law, Dugu Bo? Although he can't defeat a Titled Douluo in single combat, he can reduce them to just a Titled Douluo.

Ning Rongrong and Li Li also chimed in: "Yeah, when the time comes, big sister will go up and release poison to fell those Spirit Hall people, then we'll swarm Qian Renxue; even if he's a Soul Saint, he might not be able to beat us with so many of us."

Hearing that, Gu Xuan instantly felt energized, because what Ning Rongrong and Li Li said was correct: given Du Gu Yan's current strength, even the two Soul Kings Xie Yue and Hu Liena couldn't withstand her poison.

As long as Du Gu Yan poisons them all down, wouldn't the scales of victory tilt toward Seven Treasure Glazed Sect?

They might even actually defeat the Spirit Hall team in the end!

Earlier, out of concern that Du Gu Yan and the others might get injured, Gu Xuan had wanted to play it safe; now that Ning Rongrong and Li Li raised this, he instantly felt the idea was feasible.

However, the Spirit Hall might not lack ways to restrict Du Gu Yan; this also needs careful planning.

Afterwards everyone began discussing the plan; if the Seven Treasure team really managed to defeat the Spirit Hall team, then Gu Xuan himself wouldn't need to reveal his strength.

…………

Time passed in a flash; the morning air was cool and comfortable, but by afternoon, when the sun hung high at the zenith, that coolness had been replaced by a faint scorching heat—even though it wasn't midsummer, the temperature remained quite high.

The seven members of the Spirit Hall academy team stood silently to the side; in the square before the Papal Hall, the two teams that had entered the losers' bracket final were staring at each other.

Under the referee's announcement, both sides began releasing their martial souls.

Undoubtedly the most eye-catching was the Spirit Hall side, for at this moment Qian Renxue's body bore two yellow, two purple, and three black—seven soul rings—and behind her two pairs of golden wings spanned over six meters; she stood there thus, her whole person appearing sacred yet mighty.

"Spirit Hall academy, Qian Renxue, martial soul: Six-Winged Angel, seventy-fourth rank strong attack battle Soul Saint."

The moment Qian Renxue released her martial soul she became the focus of the entire arena—seven soul rings? Is this some kind of youngsters' competition? Even many high-ranking Spirit Hall officials present are only at this level, aren't they?

Although they knew Qian Renxue's identity was special, they never imagined she was actually the offspring of the former Pope, let alone that she is under twenty-five and her soul power has already reached seventy-fourth rank—her talent surely surpasses that of the former Pope.

The future of Spirit Hall looks promising!

With Bi Bi Dong, this young Titled Douluo, succeeding to the Pope's throne, and in the future Her Highness Qian Renxue possessing extraordinary talent, Spirit Hall is bound to rise!

Compared to Qian Renxue, behind her Hu Liena and Xie Yue appear dim and lackluster; both are Soul Kings, their bodies bearing two yellow, two purple, and one black—five soul rings.

Afterward come the remaining few members of the Spirit Hall team.

Li Qian, martial soul: Black Horn Mountain Pig, forty-seventh rank defense battle Soul Ancestor.

Zhang Ping, martial soul: Golden Waist Flying Swallow, forty-sixth rank agile attack battle Soul Ancestor.

Xu Yu, martial soul: Brilliant Gold Scepter, forty-fifth rank support Soul Ancestor.

Sun Chuantao, martial soul: Ring Giant Blade, forty-eighth rank strong attack battle Soul Ancestor.

This is the strength of the Spirit Hall team; although Yan is currently undergoing treatment, with the addition of Qian Renxue, a Soul Saint, the team's overall strength has increased manifold, for the might of a Soul Saint powerhouse cannot be compensated by mere numbers.

However, after Du Gu Yan released her martial soul and soul rings, the Spirit Hall crowd was shocked again—aside from the earlier twin martial soul Tang San, they now saw another instance of overlevel soul ring absorption.

"Du Gu Yan, martial soul: Progenitor, fifty-fourth rank control battle Soul King." As her martial soul was released, Du Gu Yan's pair of straight, round, long legs transformed into a serpent's tail—this is also why she wears a cheongsam.

Her body bore two yellow, one purple, and two black—five soul rings in a startling configuration; although not as shocking as Tang San's Haotian Hammer, the ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring, this overlevel absorption, still gave everyone present a tremendous surprise and shock.

Qian Renxue's gaze at Du Gu Yan turned somewhat surprised, for she never imagined Du Gu Yan could absorb soul rings beyond her level.

Afterwards Qian Renxue silently looked toward the Royal Battle Team's spectator area where Gu Xuan sat; since Du Gu Yan can overlevel absorb soul rings, what about you, her fiancé?

Qian Renxue couldn't help thinking: "Could it be that your refraining from using your martial soul is meant to hide your secret of overlevel soul ring absorption?"

On the presiding platform, Bi Bi Dong, seeing this, also had her pupils contract—another genius of overlevel soul ring absorption?

When did such talents become so numerous?

As a twin martial soul wielder, she naturally understands better than others the difficulty and hardship of overlevel soul ring absorption.

Bi Bi Dong forced a smile toward Ning Fengzhi: "Sect Master Ning, it seems your sect's genius is indeed extraordinary."

Ning Fengzhi gave a slight smile and replied lightly: "Your Excellency is mistaken; Du Gu Yan is the granddaughter of the Poison Douluo, and it is the Poison Douluo who cultivated her."

Ning Fengzhi's remark is undoubtedly passing the buck; his meaning is twofold: first, Du Gu Yan's overlevel soul ring absorption has nothing to do with his Seven Treasure Glazed Sect—it is the Poison Douluo who cultivated her.

Second, Du Gu Yan is indeed the granddaughter of the Poison Douluo; you'd better not harbor other intentions, after all the Poison Douluo may not be strong in one-on-one combat, but in a group fight your Spirit Hall couldn't withstand her.

Bi Bi Dong smiled upon hearing this, then said: "Let's watch the match..."

After Du Gu Yan released her martial soul, Ma Bao behind her, Yang Po Jun, Zuo Yan, and the others each released their own martial soul.

"Ma Bao, martial soul: Flaming Warhorse, forty-ninth level strong attack system battle soul sect."

"Yang Po Jun, martial soul: Soul-breaking Spear, forty-eighth level strong attack system battle soul sect."

"Zuo Yan, martial soul: Phoenix Divine Wings, forty-sixth level strong attack system battle soul sect."

"Li Li, martial soul: Human Face Demon Spider, forty-fifth level control system battle soul sect."

"Ning Rongrong, martial soul: Nine Treasure Glazed Tower, forty-ninth level support system soul sect."

After such a long match, several people from the Seven Treasure Academy also increased their strength somewhat; aside from lacking a Soul Saint, their strength gap with the Spirit Hall team is not large.

Moreover, Ning Rongrong, the possessor of the continent's top support-system martial soul, can be said to have infinitely narrowed the gap between them and the Spirit Hall team.

However, this gap was completely torn open by Qian Renxue, after all, a Soul Saint has surpassed ordinary Soul Masters, and upon possessing the true form of their martial soul, a Soul Master's strength gains a terrifying boost!

The battle is about to break out!

ps: Typos will be corrected first, then revised.

(End of chapter)