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"Chen Xin, take a look at the nonsense you wrote in that letter. Do you even believe it yourself?"
"A fourth spirit ring nearing forty thousand years? For an ordinary person, their fourth ring is barely close to ten thousand years."
"As for a forty-thousand-year fourth ring? I've never even heard of such a thing!"
"And what's this about him forcing you to use your ultimate technique, 'Sword Dao Chen Xin,' just to barely suppress him?"
"You even claimed that he only lost because he wasn't yet proficient with his spirit skills, and otherwise, the outcome would have been uncertain?"
"From where I'm standing, it's obvious that you swordsmen have grown soft with age—either you went easy on him out of pity, or your strength has simply declined."
Unfazed by Gu Rong's taunts and skepticism, Chen Xin merely smirked—he was long accustomed to Gu Rong's penchant for bickering.
With a playful curve of his lips, he replied:
"If you don't believe me, feel free to test him yourself. But if you lose, don't say I didn't warn you."
"Test him? Fine… let's do it."
Gu Rong brushed off Chen Xin's provocation with a casual nod.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
Just as Gu Rong was about to say something more, a sudden knock at the door interrupted him.
"Who is it?! How dare they interrupt at a time like this?!"
Ning Rongrong, who had been eagerly anticipating the "show," immediately flared up. She turned toward the door and snapped irritably.
The door creaked open slightly, and the plump manager entered cautiously, his tone brimming with respect and nervousness:
"Little Princess, it's me. My apologies for disturbing all of you."
Upon hearing it was the manager of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, Ning Rongrong's delicate brows furrowed:
"Hmph! So it's you, fatty?"
"You'd better have some earth-shattering news, or else you can expect my 'reward' when I get back!"
Her words dripped with unapologetic arrogance.
The manager wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead, his face plastered with an ingratiating smile:
"Little Princess, Master, and esteemed elders, please forgive me for interrupting your gathering."
"It's just that…"
"Dai Chengfeng, the young master, has arrived. He specifically asked to see the Little Princess."
"Dai Chengfeng?!"
Those three words rippled through the room like a stone thrown into still water, eliciting varied reactions.
Ning Rongrong froze for a moment, but the dissatisfaction in her large, beautiful eyes was quickly replaced by delight:
"He's here to see me?"
"Hurry up! Let him in already! What are you waiting for?!"
Meanwhile, Chen Xin, who had been calm and composed, now wore a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
"Well, speak of the devil—he's here."
"Hmph! Perfect timing!"
Gu Rong's sharp gaze gleamed with excitement, and a chilling smirk spread across his face.
"Chen Xin made him sound like some godlike prodigy. Today, I'll personally verify whether he's truly a peerless genius with three heads and six arms or just a flashy fraud blowing smoke."
As for Ning Fengzhi, the patriarch of the vast Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, he maintained a gentle smile. Nodding to the manager, he spoke warmly:
"Since an esteemed guest has arrived, why keep him waiting? Please invite Young Master Dai Chengfeng inside."
The manager bowed deeply and hurried out to relay the message.
Even before Dai Chengfeng stepped into the room, the atmosphere within had already grown tense and charged.
Only Ning Rongrong remained oblivious—or perhaps indifferent—as her face radiated pure anticipation for Dai Chengfeng's arrival.
---
Soon, the door opened once again.
Light poured in from the doorway, outlining a tall, imposing figure.
Dai Chengfeng had just entered. Before he could fully survey the room, his gaze landed on Ning Fengzhi, seated beside the main seat, exuding an air of refined elegance and a faint smile.
When his eyes shifted to the towering, gaunt man beside Ning Fengzhi—his piercing gaze akin to an eagle's—Dai Chengfeng couldn't help but betray a flicker of surprise, despite his usual composure.
"They're here? Ning Fengzhi and Bone Elder Gu Rong?"
Dai Chengfeng's mind raced.
"The leader of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, along with two 'pillars of stability,' have all come to Tian Dou City…"
"Could something be about to happen?"
At that moment—
"Dai Chengfeng!"
Ning Rongrong's crisp voice shattered Dai Chengfeng's train of thought.
Like a lively deer, she bounded over to him, her demeanor brimming with pride and unmistakable affection.
"Look, look! Surprised? My dad and Grandpa Gu are here too!"
She pointed her slender finger at the elegant, composed middle-aged man. "This is my father, Ning Fengzhi, the leader of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!"
Ning Fengzhi's smile remained unchanged as he gave Dai Chengfeng a slight nod. His voice was warm and rich, carrying the dignified presence of a great sect leader:
"My daughter is quite mischievous. I've heard that you took care of her in the Great Star Dou Forest. I'm deeply grateful."
Dai Chengfeng swiftly masked his earlier surprise and returned Ning Fengzhi's gesture with an elegant bow, his tone measured and respectful:
"Sect Leader Ning is too kind."
Next, Ning Rongrong gestured toward the towering, sharp-eyed elder with an unusual frame:
"And this is our Grandpa Gu! Bone Elder Gu Rong, titled 'Bone'—he's an incredibly powerful Title Douluo!"
"There are hardly any on the continent who can match him in battle!"
Dai Chengfeng nodded respectfully. "Greetings, Elder Gu Rong."
Gu Rong inclined his head slightly but remained seated, his sharp gaze appraising Dai Chengfeng from head to toe.
"Boy, so you're Dai Chengfeng?"
Dai Chengfeng met Gu Rong's unflinching scrutiny with unwavering eyes, responding calmly:
"That's correct. May I ask what Elder Bone Douluo wishes to discuss?"
"Hmph!"
Gu Rong snorted derisively. "No need for formalities. That old fool, Chen Xin, has been singing your praises to the heavens—forty-thousand-year fourth spirit ring, forcing him to use 'Sword Dao Chen Xin'…"
"It makes my heart itch, and my hands itch too."
He paused, his tone suddenly sharpening. "But I think it's just that old fool growing senile, seeing geniuses where there are none."
"Boy, tell me straight—are you really as extraordinary as he claims?"
His words were blunt, and Ning Rongrong instinctively opened her mouth to interject—but a subtle glance from Chen Xin stopped her.
Chen Xin leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, the playful smirk on his lips unwavering, as if silently saying:
'The show begins.'
Faced with Gu Rong's brazen questioning, Dai Chengfeng did not feign modesty.
"Yes."
"The age of my fourth spirit ring is indeed thirty-five thousand years."
"As for the battle with Sword Douluo…"
Dai Chengfeng paused, his gaze sweeping calmly over Chen Xin before locking onto Gu Rong's piercing eyes.
"Sword Douluo is one of the strongest in this era. I fought with everything I had, and if not for his mercy, I would have been in grave danger."
"Is that so?"
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