Chapter 101: A Storm Gathers at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School
The time for the Sect Competition drew nearer. A palpable, electric tension stirred the entire Spirit Master world of the Douluo Continent.
From across the land, dozens of large and small Spirit Master families, along with hundreds of thousands of lone Spirit Masters, began their pilgrimage, all rushing toward the heart of the continent: Spirit City.
Among this massive, unprecedented influx, the lowest cultivation level permitted entry was Spirit Emperor. There wasn't a single cultivator below that rank allowed within the city walls during this prestigious event.
The reason for this strict rule was simple: capacity and prestige.
Only a Sect powerful enough to be led by a Spirit Douluo was granted the privilege of bringing a small, hand-picked retinue of disciples below the Spirit Emperor rank to observe.
All other individuals had to possess the requisite cultivation. Furthermore, there were strict quota restrictions. If the number of applicants exceeded the limit Spirit City could accommodate, only those at the Spirit Douluo level or higher were guaranteed entry.
Under this iron-clad rule, countless lone Spirit Masters at the Spirit Saint and Spirit Emperor realms, all eager to witness the spectacle, had set off more than a month in advance to secure their place.
In fact, even when Jingni was crowned Titled Douluo and became the Second Guardian, many of these powerful lone Spirit Masters had already appeared in Spirit City. Their arrival, weeks early, heralded the start of the grand gathering.
The Sect Competition, a grand event held only once every 30 years to select and rank the Seven Great Sects of the world, was a rare and magnificent sight.
The competitors themselves were, at minimum, Spirit Douluo-level powerhouses. It was a stage where clashes between Titled Douluo were not just possible, but expected.
For the vast majority of Spirit Masters, the chance to witness a battle between Titled Douluo was a near-religious experience, something worth boasting about for a lifetime.
The Titled Douluo, in turn, were happy for the audience. They needed these thousands of spectators to witness their power and proclaim their prestige throughout the Spirit Master world.
The more renowned a Titled Douluo became, the higher the prestige of their Sect would naturally rise, and the larger the share of the continent's resources they could claim.
As the entire Douluo Continent boiled with anticipation, the most powerful Sects were making their final preparations. This Sect Competition promised to be the most predictable, yet also the most intense, in recent memory.
The predictable part was the outcome of the Upper Three Sects. The positions would, without question, be claimed by the Clear Sky Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. All three now possessed Titled Douluo-level guardians.
As for why it was the most intense... it was also because of these three Sects.
The previous competition, 30 years ago, had been a foregone conclusion. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had no Titled Douluo at the time. The Clear Sky Sect's former Sect Master, Tang Chen, with his Level 99 Limit Douluo might, had dominated all the heroes. He had swept through the major Sects, and the ranking was decided without any real suspense.
This session was different.
The disappearance of Tang Chen had, by now, become an open secret in the upper echelons of the Spirit Master world.
Without Tang Chen's shadow looming over the continent, the Clear Sky Sect was left with only its current Sect Master, Tang Tian, a Level 95 Titled Douluo.
[Inorin's Note: The name 'Tang Tian' is used here as it appears in the provided text, which may differ from the wiki-canon 'Tang Xiao' as this is a fanfiction.]
They now faced the strong rise of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, which boasted two Titled Douluo guardians. The Clear Sky Sect's long-held position as the "World's Number One Sect," and the Clear Sky Hammer's status as the "World's Number One Tool Spirit," were both precarious.
In addition, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's current Sect Master, Yu Yuanzhen, also possessed Level 95 strength. He was a powerhouse who could not be underestimated.
This Sect Competition, therefore, was a struggle for dominance. The ranking of the Upper Three Sects was filled with the smell of gunpowder.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
A magnificent mountain range, stretching for several kilometers, rose straight into the sky. Its peaks pierced the thick clouds, seeming to exist in a realm separate from the mortal world below.
On the very highest peak, a resplendent, nine-storied, pagoda-shaped palace stood. Its yellow glazed tiles shimmered with an opulent, golden light, a beacon of wealth and power visible for miles.
This was the main hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School: the Seven Treasure Great Hall.
Inside the first-floor hall, the air was still, carrying the faint, clean scent of polished nanmu wood and old wealth. A golden lacquered, carved throne was situated on a central Sumeru-style nanmu platform. Six towering, gold-painted, coiled dragon pillars surrounded the throne, exuding a majestic, yet restrained, aura.
In the center of the ceiling, high above the throne, was a massive, intricately carved coiled dragon caisson ceiling, a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
Inside the palace, Ning Fengzhi, the new Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, stood with his back to the palace gate, a gesture that was both contemplative and a subtle display of authority. He wore simple, elegant white robes, yet his presence commanded the room. He looked out over his domain, his handsome, scholarly face etched with a melancholic and preoccupied expression.
Below the platform, two old men sat opposite each other. The old man on the left, whose face was as withered as ancient tree bark, spoke. His voice was a dry rattle, like wind blowing through fallen leaves.
"The Clear Sky Sect's former Sect Master, Tang Chen, is gone, Fengzhi. The Clear Sky Sect is a hammer without a hand to swing it. The current Sect Master, Tang Tian, although a Titled Douluo, is unable to stand alone. The Haotian Twin Stars have not yet matured."
"This Sect Competition," he continued, a skeletal hand gripping the armrest of his chair, "can be said to be our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's best chance to replace the Clear Sky Sect."
"This old man," he declared, his rattling voice rising in volume, "will definitely defeat that old fellow Tang Tian and that old dragon from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. I will win the title of 'World's Number One Sect' for our Sect."
This withered old man's strength could not be underestimated; his Spirit Power reached Level 94. He was none other than one of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's two great guardian Douluo, Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
The white-robed old man on the right, who sat silently with a longsword resting across his knees, his eyes closed, immediately poured cold water on his companion's boast.
"Be careful the wind doesn't sprain your tongue, old bone," he said, his voice sharp and clear, cutting through the hall. "You forget the Great Sumeru Hammer. The Clear Sky Sect's unique skills are not that easy to deal with. Tang Tian may be one man, but he wields the power of a Sect. And that old dragon from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's strength also cannot be underestimated."
He finally opened his eyes, which were as sharp as his sword. "Just you? I'm afraid I'll still have to clean up your mess in the end."
The identity of the white-robed old man was also not simple, and his strength was even greater than Gu Rong's. His Spirit Power reached Level 95. He was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's other guardian Douluo, Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
"Hey, you scoundrel!" Bone Douluo suddenly stood up, his tall, skeletal frame looming. "Are you intentionally trying to undermine me? Don't think that just because your Spirit Power has caught up to mine, I'll be afraid of you!"
"Correction," Sword Douluo said, standing as well. His aura, sharp as a blade, filled his side of the hall. "It's not 'caught up,' it's 'surpassed.' Not convinced? Come on, let's find a place to have a one-on-one fight."
"Here we go again." Ning Fengzhi slowly turned around, his handsome, scholarly face etched with utter helplessness. "Alright, alright, Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu. There will be plenty of opportunities to spar later. Let's talk about the important matters first."
"Hmph." Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo both snorted almost simultaneously. They sat back down, neither looking at the other, their gazes fixed on Ning Fengzhi.
"Fengzhi, what else is there to say?" Gu Rong said casually, resuming his slouch. "In this Sect Competition, both the Clear Sky Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan only have one Titled Douluo, while our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has two."
"Whether in terms of strength or numbers, we have an absolute advantage. The 'World's Number One Sect' is within our grasp."
Ning Fengzhi sighed softly. "What I'm worried about has never been the Clear Sky Sect. It's Spirit Hall."
For him, as long as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School could rank second among the Upper Three Sects, it was enough. As for whether they became the 'World's Number One Sect' or not, he didn't care. That title was a target, and he had no desire to paint one on his back.
He knew, with a chilling certainty, just how powerful Spirit Hall truly was. In the past, there was still Tang Chen, holding them back and contending with Spirit Hall's High Priest.
Now, Tang Chen was missing. Spirit Hall was dominant, an empire masquerading as a religious organization, and its Titled Douluo were appearing frequently.
It was one thing for a new Titled Douluo like Ling Yuan Douluo to emerge. But then, the two infamous Elders, Yue Guan and Gui Mei, had returned. They were both now Titled Douluo, and rumors whispered they possessed 100,000-year spirit rings.
"But then," Ning Fengzhi's voice grew heavy, "a Jingni Douluo appeared. A woman who 'successfully cultivated Twin Spirits' and instantly became Spirit Hall's Second Guardian."
"It is said that she is less than 25 years old, yet her Spirit Power has reached Level 97. She defeated the previous Second Guardian, Golden Crocodile Douluo, in one fell swoop and secured a high position."
"This is no longer a question of competing for the ranking of the Upper Three Sects," Ning Fengzhi said, his voice grim. "This concerns the very survival of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."
"It is hard to imagine that one day, if Spirit Hall suddenly attacked, our entire Sect might be instantly destroyed."
"Furthermore, if this continues, Spirit Hall will sooner or later become powerful enough to overshadow the Two Great Empires. This is absolutely not what I wish to see."
Hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, the previous bickering between Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo vanished. They both fell silent, the gravity of the situation settling upon them.
"Are you talking about Spirit Hall's new Second Guardian, Jingni Douluo, who defeated the former Second Guardian, Golden Crocodile?" Chen Xin spoke, his voice quiet, but an undisguised fighting spirit bursting forth from his eyes.
Bone Douluo, for his part, looked grim. He knew what a Level 97 Titled Douluo meant. He knew what a full set of 100,000-year rings, as the rumors suggested, would imply.
But Sword Douluo was different. He was not just a powerhouse; he was a swordsman.
Because this new Second Guardian was not just a Peak Douluo; she was also a Tool Spirit wielder.
He was very curious what kind of scene it would be when his Seven Kill Sword clashed with her Jingni Sword one day.
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