The reason Ning Fengzhi's appearance forced the enemy to retreat was simple: while his personal offensive and defensive capabilities were not strong, a Titled Douluo supported by him was effectively equal to two. Under his assistance, Sword Douluo Chen Xin alone was enough to handle both the Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluos, not to mention the presence of the Serpent Dragon Joint Assault.
"Father! Why are you here?" Ning Rongrong cried out excitedly, rushing forward to throw herself into Ning Fengzhi's arms.
Ning Fengzhi hugged his daughter and smiled. "I didn't come here just to protect you. I was entrusted by His Majesty to guard the Crown Prince."
As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi cast a subtle glance at Gu Xuan, who simply smiled and said nothing.
Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, as the representative of the Heaven Dou Empire, had brought few attendants. Aside from the fifteen academies, he was assigned a carriage, but he was not alone inside; Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin had been with him. As the future of the Empire, Emperor Xue Ye would never let the Crown Prince travel without protection; thus, he had requested Ning Fengzhi's secret escort.
As the Clan Head of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Fengzhi was always accompanied by a powerful guardian. This time, it was Chen Xin's turn to follow, while Bone Douluo Gu Rong stayed behind to guard the clan. They had not rushed to intervene earlier; Chen Xin had prepared to strike when the Golden Eagle Soul Douluo moved a second time, but the Unrivalled Dragon Serpent Duo had unexpectedly intervened first.
Once Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin revealed themselves, the battle lost all suspense. The two opposing Titled Douluos were not fools; they recognized the total suppression and chose to withdraw immediately with their subordinates.
With the enemy driven back, everyone felt a wave of relief. If the students hadn't taken the "bandits" seriously at first, their hearts had leapt into their throats when the Titled Douluos appeared. Those were Titled Douluos! Three had appeared today, nearly a fifth of the total number on the entire continent. Before such power, the students felt incredibly small.
Xue Qinghe displayed the poise of his imperial education. Once the enemy retreated, he methodically organized the Royal Knights to move the undamaged carriages to the front, treat the horses, and restore the formation. Within a short time, most of the five hundred knights had recovered their combat effectiveness.
The black-clad attackers hadn't shown much killing intent during the melee, mostly playing a defensive game to buy time for their leaders. Consequently, the highest casualties were among the hundred or so men killed earlier by Tang San's poisoned hidden weapons.
Gu Xuan watched Xue Qinghe command the troops, a strange feeling stirring in his mind. He wondered if Xue Qinghe had known about this specific operation beforehand.
After finishing his duties, Xue Qinghe returned to Ning Fengzhi's side and asked respectfully, "Teacher, what do you think we should do next?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled calmly. "Continue according to the original plan. After this lesson, they won't act rashly again. After all, they won't pay too high a price just for Tang San."
It was clear to anyone with eyes that the operation was targeted at Tang San. Now that they knew Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin were on guard, no one—unless they were a fool—would rush out to throw their life away.
"Understood," Xue Qinghe said to the knight captain. "Continue the march."
The convoy moved on, but the atmosphere had grown noticeably tense. Tang San immediately boarded the Shrek Academy carriage. He knew he was now the focal point of everyone's attention. Two Titled Douluos had been sent specifically to kill him. One failure didn't mean they wouldn't try again; being marked by powerhouses of that level was far more terrifying than a mere thorn in one's side.
Later, Tang San visited Ning Fengzhi. Gu Xuan and Xue Qinghe were also present in the carriage. After expressing his gratitude, Tang San didn't leave but stayed to talk with Ning Fengzhi and Gu Xuan.
Gu Xuan eventually suggested that Tang San withdraw from the competition. After all, he was too conspicuous: a member of the Clear Sky Clan, son of Tang Hao, Rank 49 before age fifteen, and a genius with twin martial souls. Any one of those titles was enough to put him on Spirit Hall's kill list.
However, Tang San did not choose to retreat. He frowned, thinking for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I must participate in this competition."
"Uncle Ning, Brother Gu, I understand your meaning. But I believe this is a vital trial in my life. If I can break through this, it will become much harder for Spirit Hall to deal with me in the future. They cannot cover the sky with one hand forever."
"Very well, since you have decided, I will not persuade you further. I will do my best to ensure your safety," Ning Fengzhi replied. His words were calm, but as a Clan Head, this was effectively a formal promise.
"Uncle Ning, I may not be able to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, but as long as I live, the clan will always be my friend," Tang San made his own promise.
Gu Xuan smiled on the side, remaining silent while observing Xue Qinghe. He noticed the Crown Prince was lost in thought.
On the other side of Spirit City, Tang Hao watched Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang. Since meeting the Supreme Pontiff half a month ago, Xiaogang had become quite despondent. Tang Hao had originally thought Xiaogang came to Spirit City so early to plot something, so he had followed him. It seemed Xiaogang had achieved nothing, but Tang Hao did not relax. Spirit City was full of danger; he had to plan his own path of retreat.
The Heaven Dou convoy continued its march without further incident. To better protect the soul masters, Xue Qinghe temporarily requisitioned three thousand heavy armored troops from passing cities and summoned more experts from the capital.
Finally, on the twenty-first day, the contingent arrived at Spirit City. Due to the city's special regulations, Xue Qinghe ordered the armored troops and Royal Knights to station themselves outside the walls, leading only the fifteen academy teams inside.
Compared to the sprawling Heaven Dou City, Spirit City was much smaller—roughly one-third the size. However, the awe it inspired in soul masters was no less significant. The city walls were built to the standard of a capital's main fortress, standing eighty meters high and over thirty meters thick, constructed entirely of granite. This city was built solely by Spirit Hall's funding.
Uniquely, Spirit City was not a rectangle but a hexagon, possessing six walls. The patrols were entirely composed of soul masters wearing Spirit Hall's specialized uniforms. Each of the six walls bore a massive relief, identical to the symbols on the Spirit Hall tokens, representing the six powerful Martial Souls.
Upon entering, the city felt empty. There were few pedestrians and even fewer shops; those that existed mostly sold items for soul masters. A Cardinal came out to receive them, and the group of over two hundred was quickly settled into a hotel on the west side of the city. To their shock, even the hotel staff were Soul Masters of at least Rank 20.
The hexagonal city was built around a hill, which featured two extremely prominent buildings. The one halfway up the hill was the most magnificent. Even from a distance, its columnar structure, domed roof, and golden facade shone brilliantly in the sun. That was the brand-new Supreme Pontiff's Palace, the residence of the highest ruler of Spirit Hall.
(End of Chapter)
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