Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
When the day arrived for the Heavenly Curtain to continue its mysterious broadcast, people across the continent once again finished their tasks early and prepared themselves.
Merchants closed their stalls sooner than usual.
Students rushed through their lessons.
Spirit Masters returned from training grounds.
Even nobles postponed meetings.
All waited quietly for the strange screen in the sky to light up once more.
The Heavenly Curtain had become more than a spectacle.
It had become the greatest source of entertainment, gossip, and shock across the entire Douluo Continent.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School
Within the grand halls of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, the atmosphere was relaxed.
A banquet table had been prepared with wine, meat, and fruit.
Bone Douluo sat lazily in his chair, one hand holding a chicken leg and the other a small cup of wine.
He laughed while staring upward at the sky.
"To be honest, this Heavenly Curtain has given us quite an amusing pastime."
Beside him, Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly.
"Hahaha, when you put it that way, it seems Douluo Continent truly lacks entertainment."
Their daily lives were usually occupied by sect affairs, cultivation, diplomacy, and political caution.
Compared to that, watching the secrets of parallel worlds unfold was unexpectedly enjoyable.
Across from them sat Sword Douluo, calm and silent as always.
After a moment, he finally spoke.
"Fengzhi."
"What do you think would have happened if the Yu Yuanzhen of that parallel world truly sent his son to Spirit City?"
The room quieted slightly.
Ning Fengzhi pondered the matter carefully.
"What would happen?" he repeated.
"I cannot be certain."
"At that time, the Pope was Qian Xunji."
"You both know his temperament."
"He was forceful, ambitious, and domineering."
"With such a man, no possibility would surprise me."
Bone Douluo leaned forward.
"Then tell me this."
"Would Qian Xunji move against Yu Xiaogang because of his talent?"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head immediately.
"No."
His answer was firm.
"We have watched the Heavenly Curtain from the beginning."
"We know how terrifying the Yu Xiaogang of that world eventually became."
"But the people living in that era had not seen any of this."
"In their eyes, Yu Xiaogang was merely a foolish child who finally recovered from dullness, only to awaken a malformed spirit with Innate Rank One Soul Power."
Bone Douluo nodded slowly.
That was true.
Without future knowledge, who would value such a child?
Ning Fengzhi continued.
"He was only fortunate because his father was Yu Yuanzhen."
"And because the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect possessed some treasure capable of strengthening a Spirit Master's physique."
"That was how he obtained a thousand-year first spirit ring."
"The truly valuable things would not be Yu Xiaogang himself."
"They would be Yu Yuanzhen… and that hidden treasure."
He folded his fan and smiled faintly.
"Think about it."
"If someone with Innate Rank One Soul Power could obtain a thousand-year first ring…"
"Then what might someone with Innate Rank Nine—or Full Innate Soul Power—achieve?"
Bone Douluo's eyes lit up in realization.
"Exactly!"
"Qian Xunji might even welcome Yu Xiaogang warmly."
Sword Douluo gave a rare nod.
"That is likely."
Ning Fengzhi smiled but said nothing more.
Yet inwardly, another thought stirred.
A Changing Continent
For reasons he could not fully explain, Ning Fengzhi increasingly felt that the atmosphere of Douluo Continent had changed over the years.
Long ago, the continent had been calmer.
Though rivalries existed, there had been limits.
Back then, disciples from major sects could travel abroad without constant fear of assassination.
No one hunted talented youths simply because they might become future threats.
The clearest example was the famous Clear Sky twins.
Tang Hao and Tang Xiao had displayed monstrous talent from a young age.
Anyone with eyes could see they would one day become Titled Douluos.
Yet neither the Spirit Hall, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, nor the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had attempted to eliminate them.
They were allowed to roam the continent, grow stronger, and build their reputations.
That era now felt distant.
At some unknown point, things had changed.
Whenever a genius appeared in another faction, the first thought many leaders had was no longer admiration.
It was suspicion.
Then calculation.
Then the question:
Should they be removed before they grow stronger?
That change had made travel dangerous.
Young geniuses rarely ventured far anymore.
Ning Fengzhi narrowed his eyes.
"When did it begin?"
He already knew the answer.
It likely began after the death of Qian Xunji and the rise of the new Pope—
Bibi Dong.
Since then, relations among the major powers had grown steadily worse.
Tang Hao had offended Spirit Hall over a spirit beast and was hunted into hiding.
Qian Xunji died from severe injuries.
Tang Hao's father, former sect master of the Clear Sky Sect, died from rage.
The Clear Sky Sect sealed itself away.
With one of the Upper Three Sects gone into seclusion, the balance of power shattered.
Only the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School remained to check the influence of Spirit Hall.
And Bibi Dong's methods were said to be even harsher than Qian Xunji's.
No wonder the continent felt like a storm gathering before thunder.
"What a pity…"
Ning Fengzhi sighed softly.
"That stable age may never return."
Personally, he preferred balance.
Balance allowed great sects to prosper.
Balance created predictability.
In chaos, even mighty factions could collapse overnight.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School itself might one day suffer some disaster and lose its place among the Upper Three Sects.
That was unacceptable.
I only hope the continent can stabilize again someday, he thought.
Just then, the sky brightened.
The Heavenly Curtain had begun.
Ning Fengzhi immediately set aside politics and turned his attention upward with the others.
The Heavenly Curtain Begins
Golden light spread across the heavens.
Then familiar words appeared.
[Comparison of the Two Douluos – Continuing Broadcast]
[Today's Subject: Black World Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang]
The hall erupted in interest.
Bone Douluo laughed.
"Ah! Another Yu Xiaogang episode."
Sword Douluo closed his eyes in mild resignation.
Yu Xiaogang Seeks Knowledge
Scenes began to play.
A younger Yu Xiaogang appeared, looking troubled and frustrated.
[After noticing his cultivation speed had slowed greatly, Yu Xiaogang searched through every record in his family archives but found no solution.]
[Thus, he concluded there were simply too few books in the family library.]
[So he decided to go somewhere with more knowledge—Spirit City.]
Bone Douluo nearly choked on his wine.
"He concluded that because there weren't enough books?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled helplessly.
"A bold theory."
The image shifted.
Yu Xiaogang stood before his stern father.
Father and Son
Yu Yuanzhen sat behind a desk, imposing and severe.
His brows immediately furrowed.
["You want to go to Spirit City?"]
His tone carried obvious displeasure.
["You've already embarrassed yourself enough here. Now you wish to run to Spirit City and disgrace us there as well?"]
The audience in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School burst into laughter.
Bone Douluo slapped the table.
"Hahaha! Honest words!"
Sword Douluo hid a smile.
The Heavenly Curtain continued.
Yu Yuanzhen's anger was understandable.
Years earlier, Yu Xiaogang had publicly demonstrated his first spirit ability before the family elders.
The result had been disastrous.
For a long time afterward, Yu Yuanzhen had avoided those elders out of shame.
Now that the incident had finally faded, his son wanted to carry the family's humiliation to the center of the continent.
To Spirit Hall itself.
Xiaogang's Stubbornness
The image showed a grown Yu Xiaogang, already in his twenties, crossing his arms stubbornly.
["I don't care. I'm going!"]
Bone Douluo laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink.
"He's already over twenty and still behaving like this?"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head with amusement.
Yu Yuanzhen, however, was not amused.
["Go? Go my foot! Get out!"]
He slammed the table and waved Yu Xiaogang away.
The younger man glared resentfully before storming out.
Then silence filled the room.
Yu Yuanzhen leaned back in his chair.
He breathed heavily for a long time before calming himself.
Finally, he muttered:
["I truly owe you in this life…"]
Something in those words made the viewers fall briefly quiet.
For all his anger, there was helpless love there too.
A Father's Last Effort
Suddenly, Yu Yuanzhen slammed his fist onto the table again.
Then he reached for paper and brush.
He began writing.
After finishing, he folded the letter carefully and sealed it in an envelope.
He called for a servant.
A man quickly entered and bowed.
Yu Yuanzhen handed over the letter.
["Deliver this personally to Pope Qian Xunji of Spirit Hall."]
["Tell him that if he agrees to this matter, I, Yu Yuanzhen, will owe him a favor."]
The servant accepted the letter and departed.
When the room became empty again, Yu Yuanzhen exhaled deeply.
His shoulders seemed older.
His pride seemed tired.
Then he spoke softly to no one at all.
["Xiaogang… ah…"]
["Please stop making your father lose face."]
["I am truly begging you."]
Silence in the Hall
Even Bone Douluo stopped laughing.
Ning Fengzhi lowered his fan.
Sword Douluo opened his eyes.
Whatever faults Yu Xiaogang possessed, one truth remained clear.
Yu Yuanzhen had tried.
He had scolded.
He had raged.
He had lost face repeatedly.
Yet in the end, he still bowed his pride and wrote to an enemy power for his son's sake.
Ning Fengzhi sighed quietly.
"Being a sect master is difficult."
"Being a father may be harder."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)