Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends.

She walked to the stone table, picked up a herb that was used as a deposit, and whose entire body looked like solidified ice crystals, and played with it between her fingertips.

"Perfect timing. I still have a few Soul Power Breakthrough Pills left from the last one I made for the Spirit Hall. But let's change the appearance a bit, since this one is custom-made."

The reason Ge Duo had to fake the pill-refining time was simply to make the pills seem hard-won, so as to better squeeze the good stuff out of Yu Yuanzhen.

After all, things that are too easily obtained are never cherished.

She collected the deposit from the table, turned around with a pleasant expression, and walked towards her crystal house.

For her, this deal was incredibly profitable with no initial investment.

……

The fact that Yu Xiaogang returned to Tiandou City did not attract much attention.

A Great Soul Master whose Soul Power is stuck at level 29 for life, and whose Martial Soul is a malignant mutation, can hardly cause any trouble in the Heaven Dou Imperial City, where Soul Masters are everywhere.

In most people's eyes, he was just a good-for-nothing, a loser who had long been eliminated by the times. His return or departure was silent, like a speck of dust falling into water, without even a ripple.

However, this excludes certain individuals with a politically astute, almost hound-like, instinct.

And coincidentally, Ning Fengzhi, the sect leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, is just such a person.

Deep within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School castle lies an elegantly furnished yet luxurious study.

Ning Fengzhi stood by the window, gazing at the meticulously trimmed flowers and plants in the courtyard outside.

He didn't look very old, with a refined and gentle face, and his moon-white robe accentuated his otherworldly air. However, deep within his eyes, which always held a smile, lay a composure and deep thought that belied his age.

Ning Fengzhi's soul power level had already reached level seventy-nine for many years, which was already the limit of talent for a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda soul master.

No matter how hard he cultivated, his soul power could not increase even slightly. Therefore, he had long ago shifted all his attention and energy from his personal soul power cultivation to the development and future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Of all these matters, the most crucial, and the one that troubled him the most, was how to resolve the inherent flaw of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul—the inability to break through level 80 throughout his life.

This is like an invisible shackle, imprisoning every direct disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and limiting the ultimate height the school can reach.

As the sect leader, Ning Fengzhi was constantly thinking about the possibility of breaking this shackle.

When Ge Duo suddenly appeared, the pills she concocted that could help people absorb soul rings beyond their level gave him a glimmer of hope.

Since that kind of pill can break the conventional rule of the absorption period of the soul ring, does it also mean that it may also affect the bottleneck of the martial soul itself?

To this end, Ning Fengzhi exchanged a large number of pills with Ge Duo and conducted careful tests on the disciples within the sect.

The effect was indeed astonishing, but it was limited to the absorption of soul rings. It seemed to have no direct effect on the limitations of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda that were rooted in the bloodline's origin.

The sect has many affairs to attend to, and verifying the effects of the elixir takes time. In addition, establishing a stable connection with Ge Duo is not easy. All these factors combined have prevented him from finding a suitable opportunity to personally investigate whether Ge Duo really has a way to solve the ultimate problem of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Although reason told Ning Fengzhi that this hope was so slim as to be almost unrealistic. How could a mere pill easily reverse the fundamental flaws of a martial spirit?

However, the fact that Yu Xiaogang had quietly returned to Tiandou City and was related to his father, Yu Yuanzhen, the sect leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect, was like a spark that instantly touched Ning Fengzhi's tense thoughts.

He understood the key point almost immediately.

Who is Yu Xiaogang?

That theoretical master whose soul power could never break through level 30 due to a malignant mutation in his martial soul.

What else could he possibly want to return to Tiandou?

Aside from His Majesty Gedo, who is said to be able to concoct all sorts of magical elixirs, Ning Fengzhi really couldn't think of a second answer.

Therefore, when his subordinates brought more detailed information today, confirming that Yu Yuanzhen and his son had indeed headed towards Sunset Forest, the spark in Ning Fengzhi's heart suddenly shone brighter.

His gaze seemed to pierce through space, landing on that area shrouded in poisonous miasma and fog.

“Ge Duo…” Ning Fengzhi murmured to himself, a faint, inquisitive smile playing on his lips.

"Let me see just how good you really are."

Chapter 152 Exhibition Match

If... if Ge Duo could really solve Yu Xiaogang's problem of not being able to break through to level 30, then Ning Fengzhi was willing to believe that this mysterious and unpredictable alchemist might actually have some unique insights or even solutions regarding the shortcomings of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul.

Even if the possibility is only one in ten thousand, it deserves his utmost attention.

……

Inside the training ground of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy.

On the central stage of the arena, two figures stood facing each other.

On one side was Lin Wan, who stood there in a somewhat lazy posture, as if what was about to happen was not a battle at the Soul Master level, but an insignificant morning stroll.

His excessively handsome face was expressionless, except for a pair of sea-blue eyes that were lightly fixed on his opponent.

On the other side was a male student with an extremely burly and robust physique. With his martial spirit attached, his skin was a grayish-brown color, appearing rough and tough. Above his nose and on his forehead, a thick and sharp single horn gleamed with a cold light. His muscles were bulging, exuding a sense of power.

Beneath his feet, four soul rings, two yellow and two purple, slowly swirled, clearly indicating that he was also a Soul Master.

His martial soul is the One-Horned Rhinoceros, a beast martial soul known for its defense and strength.

At this moment, the one-horned rhinoceros soul sect looked solemn and his muscles were tense, not daring to be careless at all.

Although Lin Wan appeared to be full of flaws, he knew very well that the seemingly slender boy in front of him was a monster capable of defeating the Netherworld White Tiger of the Star Luo Empire head-on.

The referee stood on the sidelines, looked at both sides, and after confirming they were ready, swung his arm down sharply: "The match begins!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Soul Master of the Unicorn Rhinoceros let out a deep roar, and his first and third soul rings lit up at the same time.

"Rhinoceros Armor Protection!"

"A savage charge!"

A thick layer of grayish-brown energy armor instantly covered his entire body, making his already robust physique appear even more unshakeable.

Immediately afterwards, he slammed his feet into the ground, his whole body like a runaway rhinoceros, head down, pointing his sharp horn at Lin Wan, and charging forward with unstoppable momentum! The arena floor trembled beneath his feet.

Faced with this fierce impact that was enough to shatter rocks, Lin Wan didn't even release her soul skill; she simply used her martial soul to possess him.

Her silver hair swayed slightly, and the blue in her eyes deepened a bit. Behind her, an elegant and gorgeous phantom of a nine-tailed fox flashed by.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, instead of retreating or dodging, he stepped forward to meet the ferocious charge.

Just as the unicorn was about to touch his body, Lin Wan's body shifted slightly to the side at an incredible angle and speed, almost gliding past the other's arm.

At the same time, he casually raised his hand, his palm covered with a faint, almost invisible wave of soul power, and gently pressed it on the side waist that was completely exposed due to the charge.

That place is a relatively weak point in the flow of soul energy for the Rhinoceros Armor Protection skill.

"Oh!"

A muffled thud.

The imposing One-Horned Rhinoceros Soul Master felt an incredibly sharp force pierce through his armor, instantly interrupting his soul power. His forward momentum suddenly stalled, and his massive body lost its balance. As if drunk, he staggered forward several steps before finally collapsing to his knees with a loud thud, barely managing to keep from falling completely.

The light on his gray-brown armor flickered rapidly a few times, becoming dim and uncertain.

He tried to stand up immediately, but found that the place where Lin Wan's palm had pressed was sore and numb, and his soul power was not flowing smoothly, so he couldn't exert any strength for a moment.

Lin Wan had already appeared behind him silently, like a ghost, the moment he stumbled and rushed out.

Lin Wan didn't even turn around. She simply raised her finger and lightly drew it towards the outside of the ring, pointing at her opponent who was temporarily unable to move.

A gentle yet irresistible surge of soul power erupted, pushing the one-horned rhinoceros soul master, who was still struggling to get up, directly off the edge of the arena.

The entire battle was so fast that it was impossible to react.

From start to finish, it only took a few breaths. Lin Wan didn't even use any of her soul ring skills, just the most basic martial soul possession, plus a precise sidestep, a casual press of the button, and a casual wave of her hand.

A battle between Soul Masters has come to an end.

A brief silence fell over the room.

Then, a burst of discussion and exclamations suddenly erupted.

"It's...it's over?"

"I didn't even see what happened!"

"That's the One-Horned Rhinoceros Martial Soul, renowned for its defensive power! How come it's like paper in front of him?"

In one corner of the stands sat several strikingly beautiful young women.

"Wow!" Ning Rongrong couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation, her little face full of excitement, and she shook Snow White's arm beside her.

"Sister Xue, look! He's amazing! He's really amazing!"

Snow White's appearance at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy was, of course, as a representative of the royal family to attend the ceremony.

In the past, such matters were mostly handled by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, but recently Xue Qinghe has been unusually busy with official duties. In addition, Qian Daoliu intends to let Princess Bai Xue have more contact with the outside world and interact with people, so she will attend on her behalf this time.

Upon hearing that Princess Bai Xue was coming to Tian Dou Royal Academy, Ning Rongrong immediately responded enthusiastically.

For her, wherever there was something interesting, there she was, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Standing on Ning Rongrong's other side, Dugu Yan's green eyes also gleamed with admiration as she nodded in agreement: "He is indeed too strong. That is a powerful attack-type Soul Master, yet he couldn't even last a single round against him."

She came today on the instructions of her grandfather, Dugu Bo. Ever since Dugu Bo clearly pledged allegiance to Queen Eva, he had hoped that his granddaughter could become closer to Eva's daughter, Snow White.

Snow White, dressed in a pale gold dress symbolizing her royal status, sits gracefully.

She looked at Lin Wan, whose expression remained calm and composed after easily winning the match, and a hint of barely perceptible admiration flashed in the depths of her clear eyes.

She knew very well the incredible effort her summoner had put in to achieve her current power.

On the stage, the referee, recovering from his brief moment of astonishment, loudly announced: "The winner is Lin Wan!"

Lin Wan nodded slightly to the referee, then casually glanced at the girls with special identities in the stands as a greeting, before turning around, jumping off the stage, and walking out of the training ground.

He came to participate in this exhibition match for a simple reason.

First of all, he is now the most dazzling rising star of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy, and such occasions are unavoidable.

Secondly, in his calculations, such public appearances would always bring some reputation points, and little by little, it would be good.

Chapter 153 Training Arrangement

Shortly after the exhibition match ended, in the private meeting room of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy team.

Zhao An, the teacher in charge of the Tian Dou team, stood at the front, his gaze sweeping over the seven main team members in front of him, including Lin Wan, who was standing at the very front, as well as Yu Tianqing, Ning Zetian, and others.

"Everyone, we have already defeated Xingluo in the exchange competition." Zhao An's voice was calm and steady. "But our next goal, which is also our most important goal, is the Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academies, which is not far away."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "In preparation for the competition, the academy has developed a new special training plan for you after careful consideration."

The team members perked up and listened attentively.

"The plan is simple: real combat, lots of high-intensity real combat," Zhao An succinctly explained the entire arrangement.

"We will form a team, led by me, to leave Tiandou City and head to the major cities within the Empire. Our route will circle the border of the Tiandou Empire and eventually return to the Imperial City."

"And in each city, we have only one mission: to participate in the Soul Master Team Battle Competition at the local Grand Soul Arena! We will hone your teamwork and unleash your potential through one real battle after another!" Zhao An emphasized.

Upon hearing this arrangement, Lin Wan did not show any surprise on her face.

The Soul Fighting Competition was exactly what he expected. It was indeed a good way to accumulate practical experience, earn some Gold Soul Coins, and even gain reputation points.

Yu Tianqing's eyes blazed with fighting spirit, Ning Zetian nodded slightly, and most of the other team members also showed eager expressions.

"You have three days to prepare," Zhao An concluded. "Meet at the academy gate at dawn three days from now, and depart on time!"

……

For those immersed in excitement and anticipation, seven days passed both slowly and quickly.

For Yu Xiaogang, these seven days were undoubtedly a mix of torment and anticipation.

He practically counted down the days, his mind constantly conjuring up the scene of him taking the elixir and breaking through the barriers that had plagued him for half his life.

That longing burned through his very being, making him restless and unable to sit still.

On the seventh day, just as dawn was breaking, Yu Xiaogang was already dressed and pacing back and forth in the courtyard.

His face was pale with tension and anticipation, and his fingers unconsciously clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

When the steady, familiar footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, Yu Xiaogang almost rushed over and opened the door.

Standing outside the door was Yu Yuanzhen, who had arrived as promised.

He was still dressed in a simple gray robe, his face calm, but when he looked at his son, a hint of concern was revealed deep in his eyes.

“Father.” Yu Xiaogang’s voice trembled uncontrollably.