Upon receiving a message from his Taiqing clone, Lin Yu immediately activated his external soul bone, Wind Thunder Wings, and left the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, making his way to Heaven Dou City.
Within Heaven Dou City:
After arriving at Heaven Dou City, the team dispatched by the Spirit Hall didn't immediately head to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan. Instead, they found a hotel to rest for the night.
Taking advantage of this, Lin Yu smoothly replaced his Taiqing clone and checked into the hotel.
The next morning:
After having breakfast, the group continued their journey by carriage, leaving Heaven Dou City and heading toward the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan.
After traveling for more than two hours, they arrived at a high mountain. There, before them, stood a dazzling silver-blue glazed pagoda. Scattered across the mountain, they could see palaces, squares, and various pavilions, harmoniously integrated into the landscape.
This was none other than the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan!
Upon the arrival of the Spirit Hall delegation, the gatekeepers quickly notified their superiors. Before long, Ning Fengzhi, accompanied by Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong, came out to greet them.
"Haha, Chrysanthemum Douluo, long time no see! How is your esteemed Pope faring these days?" Ning Fengzhi greeted with a gentle smile, gripping his jade staff.
"Thank you for your concern, Sect Master Ning. Her Majesty the Pope is doing quite well," replied Chrysanthemum Douluo Yueguan with a nod.
"Please, everyone, come in!" Ning Fengzhi smiled as he led the Spirit Hall delegation up the mountain toward the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect.
As they walked:
While Ning Fengzhi and Chrysanthemum Douluo Yueguan engaged in conversation, Lin Yu took the opportunity to observe his surroundings. He saw many young men and women dressed in silver uniforms walking about, likely disciples of the sect. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile clan's environment was stunning, with lush greenery along the paths, intricate flowerbeds bursting with vibrant blooms, and lavish yet harmonious pavilions and courtyards.
Under Ning Fengzhi's guidance, the group reached the peak of the mountain and entered a magnificent seven-story pagoda. This was the symbol of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, representing the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Spirit. It served as Ning Fengzhi's office, the sect's meeting hall, and a place to receive guests.
In the welcoming hall on the first floor, after tea and refreshments were served, Ning Fengzhi asked with a smile, "Chrysanthemum Douluo, has your esteemed Pope discussed how our two sects will conduct this exchange?"
"Of course, the exchange will naturally be physical," Chrysanthemum Douluo replied with a soft, somewhat sinister smile. "Recently, both your sect and ours have received considerable rewards from the live stream. How about we let our disciples spar and see where we stand?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yu's mind raced. So that's why they were holding this exchange—both sides had gained rewards from the live stream and wanted to test each other's strength.
It made sense. Currently, Spirit Hall's strongest figure was still Qian Daoliu, but due to repeatedly answering questions incorrectly, his cultivation had been reduced to rank 97. On the other hand, Sword Douluo Chenxin, having answered correctly once, not only evolved his Seven Kills Sword Martial Spirit but also gained a domain, likely raising his cultivation to at least rank 96, possibly even 97!
Thus, with the current strength of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, even Spirit Hall had to take them seriously. Although Spirit Hall still had a rank 98 Golden Crocodile Douluo, it was uncertain whether he could defeat Sword Douluo Chenxin. This was likely why both sides opted for a peaceful exchange to gauge their future interactions.
"So, shall we begin now?" Ning Fengzhi asked with a smile.
"Since there's nothing else to discuss, we can start right away," replied Chrysanthemum Douluo Yueguan.
"Very well, I'll inform some of our disciples. Sword Uncle, please escort Chrysanthemum Douluo and the others to the arena," said Ning Fengzhi. He stood and left to summon a few disciples with sufficient strength, while Sword Douluo Chenxin led the Spirit Hall delegation to the arena.
At the Arena:
Soon, both teams gathered at the arena. Spirit Hall had brought four people: Xie Yue, Yan, Hu Liena, and Lin Yu. In response, Ning Fengzhi selected four disciples from his sect.
Once both sides were ready, Xie Yue was the first to step onto the stage. He briefly introduced his Martial Spirit, his combat path, and his current level of cultivation—rank 42 Spirit Ancestor.
From the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, a disciple named Chen Mo stepped forward. He was a relative of Sword Douluo Chenxin and also wielded the Seven Kills Sword Martial Spirit. Although visibly older than Xie Yue, his cultivation was also at rank 42.
As their battle began, Lin Yu was taken aback by what he saw. Both combatants had learned martial arts that Lin Yu was very familiar with—Xie Yue unleashed techniques like the Six Cold Arts and Spiral Nine Shadows, while Chen Mo demonstrated Lingbo Weibu and Dugu Nine Swords.
Both fighters had their strengths—Xie Yue's blade techniques were more powerful, while Chen Mo's swordplay was more refined. It was clear that in a prolonged fight, Xie Yue would likely lose due to greater energy consumption. Realizing this, Xie Yue chose to unleash his full power, aiming to end the fight quickly.
His gamble paid off. Thanks to his unique Moon Blade Martial Spirit, which far exceeded the limitations of traditional weapons, Xie Yue ultimately overpowered Chen Mo, who had yet to fully master the Dugu Nine Swords.
The Second Match:
Next was Hu Liena, who faced an opponent from Bone Douluo Gu Rong's family, with cultivation matching her own.
Ning Fengzhi had selected these opponents carefully. He could easily gauge the strength of Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan.
During this fight, Hu Liena revealed martial arts that once again caused Lin Yu's heart to race. She was using the Heaven Demon Art, a powerful technique from the Yin Kui Sect, perfectly suited to her abilities. Unsurprisingly, Hu Liena claimed victory in her match as well.
The Third Match:
Yan faced an opponent with the Gale Falcon Martial Spirit. Although Yan's opponent was older, they were both of equal rank. Yan's showcased martial art was Flame Blade, from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, while the Gale Falcon Spirit Master displayed the Nine Yin Claws and Ghostly Inferno Roar.
Though the Gale Falcon Spirit Master initially held an advantage due to flight, Yan's durability and raw power allowed him to withstand many attacks. Ultimately, he found an opening and defeated his opponent with a well-placed Flame Blade.