If Xiao Feng could have picked those immortal spiritual plants himself, there would have been no need for him to bring them up, as it would only provoke others' greed.
"Kid, just say it straight!"
Bone Douluo impatiently asked, "Who exactly is the Titled Douluo occupying that treasure land? There aren't many Titled Douluos in the world that Sword Old Ghost and I couldn't take down together."
"That person is none other than the Titled Douluo known as 'Poison'—Dugu Bo!"
"Him!"
Upon hearing this, Sword Douluo was briefly stunned, but then he revealed an enlightened expression, saying, "No wonder that old poisoner can concoct so many deadly toxins."
Although Poison Douluo was the weakest among the Titled Douluos in terms of strength, his group attack capabilities were unmatched.
Perhaps Poison Douluo couldn't defeat other Titled Douluos, but he could reduce his enemies to only Titled Douluos.
Upon learning that the person occupying the treasure land was Poison Douluo, Ning Fengzhi let out a sigh of relief.
Not only was Poison Douluo the weakest Titled Douluo, but he also had no powerful backers. Killing him wouldn't cause much trouble.
As the saying goes: "The merciful do not command soldiers, and the righteous do not amass wealth."
As the leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Fengzhi was undoubtedly not a soft-hearted person.
Since he had already decided to seize the immortal spiritual plants, he had to eliminate the threat of Dugu Bo. Otherwise, if Dugu Bo escaped, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would never have peace.
Even if Dugu Bo was willing to give up the treasure land in exchange for his life, Ning Fengzhi couldn't let him leave alive.
After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was merely one of the top forces. If Dugu Bo had leaked the location of the treasure land, Ning Fengzhi's clan wouldn't have been able to keep it safe.
A Few Days Later
Two explosive pieces of news spread across the Douluo Continent like bombs.
The first: Clear Sky Douluo, who had killed the former Pope of the Spirit Hall, appeared in Nouding City and publicly murdered Yu Xiaogang, who was known as the "Continent's Top Theoretical Master."
The current Pope of the Spirit Hall, upon hearing the news, flew into a rage and immediately issued a continent-wide manhunt for Clear Sky Douluo.
Anyone who provided helpful information or assisted the elders of the Spirit Hall in killing Clear Sky Douluo would receive a soul bone over 50,000 years old as a reward.
Considering that many strong Titled Douluo didn't even possess a soul bone of this level, this news caused a sensation across the continent.
The second: Sword Douluo, under the guise of avenging a disciple of his sect, forcefully killed Poison Douluo outside Tiandou City.
Since Poison Douluo was known to be both righteous and evil, acting solely based on his preferences, many people had been poisoned by him. Even Poison Douluo himself wasn't sure if he had unintentionally poisoned anyone from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
When the news of Poison Douluo's death at the hands of Sword Douluo spread, those who bore grudges against Poison Douluo rejoiced.
On the other hand, the few people who had good relations with Poison Douluo were unwilling to go against the mighty Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan over a dead man.
As for the influential figures who were well-informed, they viewed this incident as a political manoeuvre.
In today's Heaven Dou Empire, only Crown Prince Xue Qinghe and Fourth Prince Xue Beng had a real chance of ascending the throne.
Xue Qinghe was Ning Fengzhi's disciple, essentially gaining the full support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Meanwhile, Xue Beng was only backed by Prince Xue Xing.
Though Prince Xue Xing wasn't powerful, he had once saved Dugu Bo's life and could ask for Dugu Bo's help if needed.
Thus, Sword Douluo's killing of Poison Douluo, while seemingly an act of revenge, was likely an attempt to eliminate a potential obstacle for Xue Qinghe.
It's no wonder the influential figures thought this way—even Xue Qinghe himself believed so.
To prevent suspicion, before Sword Douluo acted, Ning Fengzhi had deliberately visited Xue Qinghe in front of many servants and maids, saying he would give him a great gift in a few days.
At first, Xue Qinghe didn't understand what was going on. But when he heard the news of Poison Douluo's death, he immediately grasped what Ning Fengzhi's "gift" meant.
This way, when the well-connected bigwigs heard the news from various channels, they would assume it was part of a political struggle rather than suspect Sword Douluo of killing for treasure.
As the two bombshells continued to make waves, Xiao Feng led Sword Douluo and the others deep into Sunset Forest.
Before long, they arrived at the valley where the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire resided, and everyone's faces filled with astonishment.
In the centre of the valley, there was an extraordinary pool.
The pool was elliptical, and the water was divided into two distinct colors—red and white—each clearly separate and unmixing.
"This place is so beautiful!"
Looking down at the mist-covered valley filled with rare flowers and plants, Ning Rongrong's face was full of excitement.
"It's truly a masterpiece of nature."
"Indeed, a rare treasure land."
"Kid, now it's your turn."
After Sword Douluo spoke, he manipulated his Seven Kill Sword martial spirit, which expanded several times its standard size, carrying Xiao Feng and the others to the edge of the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire.
Xiao Feng quickly scanned the spiritual plants and locked his gaze on an unusual immortal herb.
The plant's finely woven leaves hung down like vines, while its top bloomed a golden tulip exuding a rich fragrance.
"Found it!"
Xiao Feng hurried to the herb, introducing it: "This is the Qiluo Tulip. After consuming it, you can absorb the essence of heaven and earth and the brilliance of the sun and moon."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is already a treasure-type martial spirit. With the help of this Qiluo Tulip, it can definitely evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong looked at the Qiluo Tulip with burning desire.
"Rongrong, you should take this Qiluo Tulip! Your talent is better than mine. If you can evolve your martial spirit into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, you have a great chance of becoming a Titled Douluo."
As the sect leader, Ning Fengzhi quickly made the most advantageous decision.
Moved by her father's expectant gaze, Ning Rongrong vowed, "Father, I will work hard in my cultivation!"
"Rongrong, you must not eat this flower. Gently inhale its fragrance, slowly absorbing the essence into your body. Then, cultivate your soul power steadily to let the medicine spread throughout your limbs."
"Understood!"
Ning Rongrong obediently nodded and followed Xiao Feng's instructions, bringing her small mouth close to the Qiluo Tulip and gently inhaling.
As the medicinal power of the Qiluo Tulip slowly integrated into her body, she summoned her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial spirit. She sat cross-legged, entirely focusing on refining the medicinal power.
(End of the chapter)
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