"Bone Spike Barrage!"
Gu Rong roared. Hundreds of black vortices formed around him, sharp spikes jutting out, each nearly ten meters long. The black soul ring at his feet glowed—it was his eighth soul skill.
But the beast opposite him simply watched, curiosity glinting in its huge pupils.
"Heh!" Gu Rong sneered.
His black robe billowed, making him look like the god of death—a stunning sight. Even Su Wen, watching, admired his formidability. With a soul core, Gu Rong would approach Rank 97–98, capable of suppressing even Xuan Zi. In the original, his dramatic fall in battle was memorable.
But...
There are no "ifs."
Su Wen smiled, sipping his tea in the tower—he and those by the window could see everything, as bone spikes rained down on the valley from above.
Rumble!
Gu Rong's face twisted in disbelief.
Dust rose, covering Xuan Ji's enormous frame.
Cheers erupted from thousands of disciples, worshipping their guardian, believing he'd defeated the savage beast...
Yet only Gu Rong knew the truth: not a single strike had penetrated.
His bones felt as if they hit an unbreakable wall. Whenever he'd used this in the past, even Old Poison had to seriously defend. Against this beast, it was like quicksand—no response.
"Bonehead, above you!"
Chen Xin's voice rang out.
Gu Rong snapped his gaze up—the massive beast now hovered above, its fiery golden eyes burning like twin suns, a deadly claw raised and slashing down...
In those eyes, he saw only indifference—as if squashing an ant.
"Ninth Soul Skill: Bone Dragonification!"
As Gu Rong watched in horror, a colossal jet-black bone dragon appeared above.
BOOM!
The two forces collided. Xuan Ji's claw struck the bone dragon's spine—the "continent's best defense"—shattering it, sending shockwaves everywhere. The dragon, with Gu Rong, was slammed into the valley floor.
Dust billowed.
The entire sect's cheers died instantly.
Many clutched their heads in agony from the shock, saved only by Chen Xin's shield.
"..."
The valley went silent.
Ning Fengzhi forced a smile. "Sect Master Ning, rest assured—I didn't kill him..."
"I'm sure you didn't." Ning Fengzhi's mouth went dry. Even at the sect's core, with two Title Douluo as guards, he felt no safety.
Oh—for Bone Uncle had been defeated...
Even Chen Xin, who always had the air of a sword immortal, looked tense, prepared for life-or-death combat.
As the dust cleared, the beast still stood tall, its golden eyes scanning the crowd. Even standing at the valley floor, it could look the disciples in the eye, perhaps even down at them.
But all focus fell to the pit at its feet.
There lay Bone Douluo, mangled, barely breathing, all his bones shattered, his soul power spent, unable to heal. Only his neck remained intact.
The entire sect was horrified.
The mighty guardian, now half dead...
The beast—Xuan Ji—moved past the frightened crowd and lowered its golden eyes to the tower's seventh floor.
Inside, Chen Xin tensed, covering Ning Fengzhi, ready to fight.
In the lavish hall, even Dugu Bo was stunned, his head spinning as he finally realized Su Wen's true strength.
Had he been playing all along? If he'd been serious against Dugu Bo at their first meeting...
gulp
Gu Rong was half dead already...
Su Wen finished his tea, then spoke:
"Go to Spirit Hall."
"Drag Bibi Dong out..."
"Leave her alive—don't kill by mistake..."
Now that Xuan Ji was out, he might as well make a major move. Since Elder Yiwas now a Death God, a god-king, he could entirely restrain Tang San.
Once, caution was needed—no more.
Pretending to be weak was boring.
"Yes."
Xuan Ji's voice thundered, causing headaches all around.
The huge beast leapt away like a titan, shaking the land.
Ning Fengzhi's lips twitched.
What was this? One moment fighting, the next attacking Spirit Hall?
Did this mean Spirit Hall would take revenge on his sect?
"Why?" Chen Xin, finally relaxing, asked Su Wen.
"Why go to Spirit Hall?"
"My beast's killing intent can't be suppressed easily. I only had it hold back against Bone Douluo. If you, Sword Douluo, want to exhaust its anger, I can always call it back."
"Ahem, Spirit Hall's full of experts. Let the worship hall elders loosen their muscles." Chen Xin's eye twitched; he immediately declined.
Let Spirit Hall take the heat started by Bone Douluo...
He'd just silently mourn for a few minutes.
"Mr. Su, in fifty years, I've never met such power. Please forgive any disrespect earlier..." Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath.
Now, he was sure—disinheriting Ning Rongrong was correct.
If he'd been so foolhardy as to turn against Su Wen, his entire sect might already be flattened. In the face of absolute power, nothing else mattered.
Destroying the number two clan in the world?
Su Wen definitely had the strength and the spirit.
Otherwise he wouldn't send a beast to raid Spirit Hall itself.
His power was already above the whole continent—a true invincible force.
Today was a warning to Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect...
His back was soaked with sweat. One wrong move, doom.
But he was an experienced leader. He composed himself and understood some mysteries.
He felt that, had another sect offended Su Wen, they'd have been destroyed outright. But he seemed to favor Seven Treasures, even when provoked—he only wounded, not killed.
As if he liked the sect originally, but restrained himself.
"About the soul tool deal earlier, our sect can add three hundred thousand more per set..." Ning Fengzhi tried carefully.
"No need." Su Wen finally set down his tea, walked to the balcony, looking out at the valley. "That money's already been paid for you..."
"Paid for us?" Ning Fengzhi was stunned.
It was a huge amount.
He was about to order 300 sets of fourth-grade offensive/defensive soul tools, 50 sets of fifth-grade. Fourth-grade at twenty thousand coins apiece; fifth-grade at sixty thousand; totaling nine million. Agreeing to increase by three hundred thousand per set would empty the entire sect's coffers.
And someone paid that sum for them?
There were almost no powers rich enough to pay that on their behalf, and anyone who could was a rival. They'd be lucky not to get stabbed in the back, let alone helped.
"Indeed."
Su Wen replied quietly.
If anyone deserved thanks, it was their own future selves in ten thousand years.
He didn't plan to assemble them himself—waste of time. He'd commission them in the future, paid for by Seven Treasures Sect.
Should he pay himself?!
Usually, earlier generations suffer for descendants' comfort. Here, the reverse...
No choice; he was too softhearted.
And as some recompense for Ning Tian, whom he'd neglected at the Sea God blind-date. Even her gaze showed faint resentment.
They'd grown up together, and he'd let someone else claim her.
"Sigh..."
Su Wen leaned on the balcony, gazing at the distant view.
Ning Fengzhi was left baffled.
"Then, the original price?" he asked hopefully.
"What price?" Su Wen raised an eyebrow.
"..."
Ning Fengzhi's lips twitched; he realized that now Su Wen didn't even care about the deal.
For the sect, even if the price doubled, he had to lock in this soul tool order—critical for the future.
He wasn't afraid of paying more. What he feared was Su Wen refusing to sell.
"That's, ah, twenty thousand for a fourth-grade set..." Ning Fengzhi forced out.
"Heh. Didn't I say? Someone already paid for you."
"All of it?!" Ning Fengzhi was stunned.
"Of course," Su Wen laughed.
He'd been testing Ning Fengzhi's sincerity regarding pricing. Since he passed, the future price would do...
"You're really lucky."
Su Wen smiled.
"Lucky..." Ning Fengzhi mumbled, confused.
Su Wen didn't explain, waving them off: "Three months from now, wait for your goods."
With that, he signaled Dugu Bo, and they both vanished, leaving only Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi dumbfounded.
"Not right!"
Ning Fengzhi began pacing, mind racing.
Chen Xin watched quietly.
Gu Rong had been taken off for treatment; there were plenty of soul saints and rank 79 elders here, so Ning Fengzhi wasn't needed for that.
His mind was clearing.
Thinking back—
"Where is Su Wen from?"
"To be so powerful, yet unrecorded in hundreds of years of history, yet claims connection to Qian Xunji..."
He paused, face more and more shocked.
"Maybe that's a red herring—he might not be from this world."
"Someone paid my sect's bill..."
"Whew..."
He exhaled, scalp prickling.
"Fengzhi?" Chen Xin asked, puzzled.
"Who could help our sect? Any idea?"
"Who else but ourselves?" Ning Fengzhi reclined, joy barely suppressed.
"Hmm?" Chen Xin was lost.
"..."
But Ning Fengzhi said no more.
"Uncle Jian, he's already hinted enough. I can guess, but dare not say it aloud..."
"All you need remember is—he is Seven Treasures Glazed Tile's true benefactor."
"Also—announce the next heir as Ning Yuan, officially break from her."
"But..." Chen Xin hesitated.
"He'd never hurt me..." Ning Fengzhi calmed, gaze thoughtful.
...