Chapter 235: The Wolf Bandits
The rapid spread of that saying was, of course, thanks in large part to Dugu Feng.
Fueling public sentiment and stirring momentum—he and Old Snake were masters at it.
Rumors mixed with fabricated tales and sensational headlines spread far faster, feeding people's curiosity even more.
From behind the scenes, Dugu Feng watched as the winds of gossip swirled and waves of talk rose and fell.
"The Haotian Sect is indeed formidable. Of their seven elders, two are dead, but the remaining five have all advanced to Title Douluo. Could it be that there's no bottleneck between Contra and Title Douluo for them? Or does the Haotian Sect have some kind of secret technique?"
It wasn't just outsiders who were amazed by the rumors—Ning Rongrong herself was starting to believe them.
"If there are five elders from the previous generation, how many in the next will be Contras or Spirit Saints? In ten or twenty years, won't they give rise to another group of Title Douluos?"
Ning Rongrong's mouth hung open in awe.
Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, under the leadership of the brilliant Ning Fengzhi, had over five thousand spirit masters across its main, collateral, and affiliated branches—yet not a single new Title Douluo had appeared for years.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were ancient veterans.
The main reason: the bottleneck from Contra to Title Douluo stopped ninety-nine percent of people.
But for the Haotian Sect, producing new Title Douluos seemed as simple as drinking water.
Who wouldn't be shocked?
"People always tend to make linear assumptions based on what they see," Dugu Feng said calmly. "But reality never develops linearly—it's at least spiral in nature.
That generation of the Haotian Sect who became five Title Douluos did so for a reason. They endured the great war against the Spirit Hall—some lost their children, others fought battles of life and death.
Their experiences can't be compared to ordinary spirit masters.
The next generation won't replicate that. It's already impossible for them to produce so many Title Douluos again."
In truth, it was uncertain whether the Haotian Sect itself would even have a next generation at all.
As the continent buzzed with speculation, Dugu Feng and Ning Rongrong quietly left Heaven Dou City.
"At last, freedom! Brother Feng, where are we going?"
Ning Rongrong beamed, thrilled that it was finally time for the two of them to explore the world together.
"Wherever you wish," Dugu Feng said. "I'll take you there."
This journey of cultivation across the continent would take time—plenty for whatever they wished to do.
"Of course, we should find those evil soul masters and rid the world of them!" Ning Rongrong said proudly.
Traveling for pleasure was one thing, but she dreamed of ridding the continent of evil and making a name for herself.
Dugu Feng smiled inwardly. Evil soul masters? Most of those were really just tools or shadows of political forces.
"You won't find many evil soul masters—but bandits, yes. I'll take you to meet a few first."
As he spoke, he released his Jade Dragon Snakes.
He slipped his right arm around Ning Rongrong's slender waist and drew her close.
Then, in a single motion, they shot into the air.
"How fast!"
Feeling the rush of flight again, Ning Rongrong was exhilarated. The speed already rivaled that of a Title Douluo.
"It can go even faster."
Once they were steady, the Jade Dragon Snakes accelerated suddenly, achieving true Title-level flight speed.
Ning Rongrong gasped with excitement.
They soared northward in a straight line—just a faint speck against the sky, gone in an instant.
"Between the Empire and the Extreme North lies a region of dense forests and jagged peaks. There are sure to be wolf bandits roaming there!"
"Wolf bandits?" Ning Rongrong exclaimed. "The sect's trading caravans have sometimes been attacked by them! Those half-wolf, half-human monsters are hated by all—
They raid, kill, burn, and even eat people. A plague on both empires!"
Clearly, she was familiar with them.
"Wolf bandits are hybrids of humans and Gale Demon Wolves. They inherit the wolves' physiques, speed, and innate abilities, while also possessing human intelligence.
Most terrifying of all, they retain the wolves' pack instincts—living and fighting in large groups.
A single pack may have hundreds of members, each at least a Spirit Master, some even Spirit Elders.
They dwell deep in the mountains and forests, and even Spirit Saints or Contras can perish under a full pack attack."
As Ning Rongrong recalled the records about them, she shuddered.
To be labeled a 'curse upon the Empire' meant they were nearly impossible to eradicate.
Their territory was harsh and treacherous, and they hunted like wolves—circling and striking together.
The Gale Wolf bloodline gave them control over wind and speed, making escape easy when things soured.
Thus, while many had defeated them, none had ever completely wiped them out.
"Their so-called advantages mean nothing before my Jade Dragon Snakes. We'll rid the Empire of this scourge," Dugu Feng said coolly, already eager for battle.
"I'll boost your spirit power!" Ning Rongrong replied, just as thrilled.
With that decision, they left behind the fertile plains of Heaven Dou and entered the desolate frontier.
When Dugu Feng had absorbed his second spirit ring years ago, he too had journeyed this far north.
The terrain was familiar.
Along the way, he even reminisced about the taste of the Snake King Eagle—his old sparring partner and, occasionally, his meal—during his solitary year of training on the grasslands, practicing the Twelve Emerald Phosphor Finger technique.
That wild, untamed life left Ning Rongrong utterly enchanted.
After three days of travel, they finally reached the northern border of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Before them stretched endless chains of mountains.
Narrow passes wound between them, leading toward the Extreme North.
Dugu Feng sent the Jade Dragon Snakes ahead to scout, letting them map out the entire range for hundreds of kilometers while also searching for signs of wolf bandits.
Moments later, he suddenly smiled. "Seems we've run into an old acquaintance."
"Here? How could that be!" Ning Rongrong asked in surprise.
"Do you remember Feng Xiaotian? He's cultivating in one of these canyons."
Could this be the legendary Hurricane Canyon?
He recalled that in the original timeline, Feng Xiaotian had once mentioned training there for five years, from level forty-three to over sixty—a rate of growth rivaling even the Shrek Seven after consuming immortal herbs.
Situated where two terrains met, its violent winds earned it its name—Hurricane Canyon.
"In such a brutal environment, he's actually training here?" Ning Rongrong was astonished.
"Come, let's pay him a visit."
The two descended from the sky, walking toward the location Dugu Feng had sensed.
The closer they came to the canyon, the stronger the wind grew.
The air roared with a deafening howl, each gust biting like sharpened ice blades.
The cold carried the chill of the Extreme North itself.
Even spirit masters would struggle to survive long in such a place.
(END CHAPTER)
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