Chapter 136: 153. Yu Yuanzhen Humiliated
"Ning Fengzhi, you meddling troublemaker," Jiang Mo snarled, pointing his Coiling-Dragon Staff at Ning Fengzhi.
Yu Yuanzhen's gaze toward Ning Fengzhi also turned sour. Without the Body Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect could have climbed a tier to claim second place; by inviting the Body Sect, Ning Fengzhi had all but locked them back into third.
Under the pressure of so many powerhouses staring his way, Ning Fengzhi could only bite the bullet. "Your Holiness, honored consecrated elders, since this is a continent-wide reselection, we cannot very well exclude the Body Sect."
Bibi Dong's tone was mocking. "Sect Master Ning has a point. Without the Body Sect, you might have emerged as the number one sect today; yet you spent two-tenths of your sect's wealth to invite them and surrender what could have been yours."
Ning Fengzhi kept his composure. "Your Holiness, titles are illusory; strength is fundamental. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect lacks the strength to be first, we dare not occupy that seat."
"Very well. Since the Body Sect has arrived, grant them seats," Bibi Dong ordered, having the arrangements redone. She then addressed the Body Sect delegation: "Sect Master Huo, please."
Huo Qiqiang nodded and took his place.
Before them lay a vast arena, wide enough for multiple Titled Douluo to unleash their full power.
Bibi Dong spoke. "We begin the reselection for the Upper Three. First: the position of the world's foremost sect. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will hold the platform."
Ning Fengzhi stepped up with Chen Xin and Gu Rong.
"You all go," Huo Qiqiang said to his side, choosing not to act himself.
The seven Titled Douluo elders of the Body Sect strode out. Ning Fengzhi promptly abandoned any thought of fighting. Bowing to Bibi Dong, he declared, "Your Holiness, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect concedes this bout and willingly yields the seat to the Body Sect."
Bibi Dong smirked. "Sect Master Ning truly is magnanimous. Then the result is thus: the Body Sect claims victory. Do any other sects challenge them?"
None dared. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wouldn't fight, the rest had no chance. Spirit Hall announced the Body Sect as First of the Upper Three.
"Next, the contest for Second of the Upper Three. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect holds the platform," Bibi Dong said.
The Seven Treasure trio mounted the stage. Yu Yuanzhen eyed them, tempted, but with his current 95th-level Super Douluo cultivation, either Chen Xin or Gu Rong would be a brutal fight—and with Ning Fengzhi's amplification behind them, the odds were worse. He shelved the thought.
At last, he turned to his son with a helpless sigh. "This father is old. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's prestige must rest on you from now on."
Yu Xiaomen nodded. "Father."
With no challengers, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect retained Second.
"Now for Third of the Upper Three. Sect Master Yu of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect will hold the platform," Bibi Dong announced.
By rule, Yu Yuanzhen stood alone to defend.
Below, Ning Fengzhi adjusted his glasses. "Here is the key moment. Bibi Dong built this spectacle to push the Dragon Elephant Sect—an affiliate of Spirit Hall—into the Upper Three. Without the Body Sect, Third would have been reserved for them. Now… not so simple."
Gu Rong analyzed, "Though the Dragon Elephant duo are Titled Douluo, the gap between levels at that realm is obvious. Sect Master Yu's martial soul is top-tier and strongly suppresses common beast spirits. Hu Yanzhen and Tuoba Xi may lack the courage to challenge him."
"Hmph," Ning Fengzhi snorted. "The Lower Four should stay in their place."
"Yu Yuanzhen!" Hu Yanzhen's rough voice boomed as he stepped onto the stage beside Tuoba Xi. "The Dragon Elephant Sect challenges you today—we will topple your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect."
"Hahahaha, bold!" Yu Yuanzhen flared his martial soul. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon loomed behind him as nine rings fell—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black. "Behold the power of the number one beast spirit under heaven!"
Hu Yanzhen's Diamond Mammoth manifested, his ring configuration matching Yu Yuanzhen's, though his cultivation was only level 93.
The true shock came from Tuoba Xi. When his martial soul awakened, it wasn't the expected White-Armored Earth Dragon—it had evolved into a White-Armored Holy Dragon. The holy dragon ignored the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's pressure entirely, answering with a provocative dragon's roar.
Tuoba Xi's rings shone: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red. His cultivation sat at level 94, just one below Yu Yuanzhen.
When that blood-red ring descended, Yu Yuanzhen's heart sank. Bibi Dong had three hundred-thousand-year rings; Qian Jun, Jiang Mo, Chrysanthemum, and Ghost each had one; the Body Sect fielded a host of them—and now even a "mere" Tuoba Xi had a hundred-thousand-year ring. When did such rings become wholesale?
"The old Dragon King has met his match," Chen Xin murmured.
"May the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect hold the line," Ning Fengzhi said quietly.
No one expected the fiercest battle to erupt over third place: the Lower Four's leader challenging the tail of the Upper Three.
Though Yu Yuanzhen had the edge in level, he faced two at once—neither of them easy prey. Hu Yanzhen's defense was legendary; even before reaching Titled Douluo, few at that realm could breach him. Now a Titled Douluo, his bulwark was terrifying. Tuoba Xi, while slightly weaker in raw level, held the advantage in spirit quality and ring array.
The Dragon Elephant Sect's master and deputy worked seamlessly: one drew fire and absorbed pressure, the other struck with full force. Their tandem overwhelmed Yu Yuanzhen's options. In the end, he was battered off the platform in humiliation.
As he tumbled from the stage and lost the Upper Three seat, Yu Yuanzhen's mind flashed back to that flat-topped youth. If only he hadn't wasted years on Xiaogang… by now he might have reached level 96. Would he be suffering this disgrace today?
(END CHAPTER)
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