Chapter 26: Another Soul Duel, With a Bet
Time was passing.
On this day, atop the Soul Fighting Platform.
"Dugu Feng, you disrespected our boss and ignored class rules. Today, my second brother Feng Li and I, Feng Ling, will challenge you on behalf of the entire class. We'll make sure you learn that our Heaven Dou Imperial Junior Academy has its own rules!"
Feng Ling stood proudly, a blue sword of light spinning continuously around his body.
Beside him, Feng Li stood in the same stance.
Three months had passed, and the sword-controlling techniques of the two had improved greatly. Three months ago, they couldn't have acted so effortlessly.
Their stylish display caused countless girls below the stage to gaze at them with starry eyes.
Behind them stood Ning Rongrong. In front of her floated the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, surrounded by colorful radiance. She looked like an ethereal fairy, her face showing unabashed pride as she stared intently at Dugu Feng.
"Are there class rules? Teacher Ge never told me that." Dugu Feng asked in confusion.
What kind of class rules? He'd been at the academy for three months, yet no one had mentioned any to him.
"Our boss's word is the class rule. You don't even know that? You definitely need to be taught a good lesson today!" Feng Li sneered obsequiously.
Dugu Feng was speechless. These two were really shameless—licking up so much in front of everyone without feeling embarrassed?
Ning Rongrong looked smug; she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation.
"A challenge is fine," Dugu Feng said lazily, "but last time, you said there should be some stakes. Here, these are my terms."
With a flick of his right hand, he produced a sheet of paper. Infusing it with soul power, it stiffened and flew straight toward the trio.
His technique silenced them instantly.
Ning Rongrong felt a sudden sense of foreboding. Steadying herself, she looked at the list of Dugu Feng's demands.
"One million Gold Soul Coins?"
"An Eight-Treasure Soft Armor forged by Master Lou Gaoda?"
"Ten-thousand-year Whale Glue?"
"Ten gallbladders from ten-thousand-year snake-type soul beasts?"
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened with each item.
Feng Ling and Feng Li also looked at the paper, their faces darkening.
"Dugu Feng, has your Dugu Clan gone mad with poverty? Dare you ask for so much here? I bet you're just trying to hide your greed for the Whale Glue, you shameless man!" Ning Rongrong shouted angrily.
The crowd erupted in astonishment.
Ten-thousand-year Whale Glue—these were no ordinary stakes. People began looking at Dugu Feng in a strange way.
Was this guy even human? Could his body handle it?
"How can a duel between nobles not have proper stakes? Are you so lacking in confidence that you think you'll lose? If you win, you don't have to pay anything! Besides, the total value of these items isn't more than ten million Gold Soul Coins. Is that much?"
Dugu Feng's tone held neither anger nor haste, only mild surprise and mockery.
Even though items like the Ten-Thousand-Year Serpent Gallbladder and the Eight-Treasure Soft Armor were quite rare, they weren't unattainable.
Ning Rongrong's expression flickered. These things were nothing to her.
Of the world's wealth, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan owned one-eighth.
Ten million Gold Soul Coins? Peanuts.
But she couldn't back down now. Rationally, she knew Dugu Feng's confidence meant he had a trump card, and that challenging him was risky.
Emotionally, she couldn't stand it.
It was like a gambler knowing she would lose but still unable to resist betting again—hoping for that tiny chance to win.
"Ten million Gold Soul Coins is a fair price to gauge Dugu Feng's true strength!" she thought bitterly.
"Fine! We'll fight! I don't believe you've improved that much in just three months!"
Seeing their boss agree, Feng Ling and Feng Li hardened their gazes. They could not afford another loss.
"Feng Li! Martial Soul: Wind Sword! Rank 12—One-ring Tool Soul Master!"
"Feng Ling! Martial Soul: Wind Sword! Rank 12—One-ring Tool Soul Master! Watch my sword!"
"Ning Rongrong! Martial Soul: Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda! Rank 13—One-ring Tool Soul Master!"
"Dugu Feng! Martial Soul: Jade Phosphor Serpent! Rank 14—One-ring Battle Soul Master!"
On the platform, the four saluted each other.
Their soul power levels had all increased by one rank.
"Damn it, he's advanced again!" Ning Rongrong cursed under her breath.
A moment later, a sword of light appeared before her. She leapt onto it, her figure rising above the arena.
"The Seven Treasures are famous—First Treasure, Strength!" she cried, summoning two beams of multicolored light that fell upon her allies.
Before her, sixteen swords of light arranged themselves into a circular formation in midair, with Feng Ling and Feng Li back to back at its center.
This was their greatest advantage: flight through sword control.
If they stayed airborne, Dugu Feng's soul power would simply run out before he could reach them.
"Sword Flight!"
Below, the stands erupted with astonishment.
Regardless of its power, it sure looked magnificent—and intimidating.
"Dugu Feng, even if you release poison to blanket the field, it won't reach us now!" Ning Rongrong declared proudly.
She had waited three months for this moment—to show off completely. She didn't know the term "flex," but the feeling was the same.
She wanted to stun Dugu Feng, to hear him beg for mercy.
Just thinking of Dugu Feng's calm, detached face from last time made her seethe.
"This time, I'll make you cry for your parents. You're just a six-year-old brat pretending to be mysterious," she thought bitterly.
Meanwhile, the Feng brothers basked in the admiration and envy of the crowd below. They enjoyed the attention so much that they didn't strike first.
They wanted to see Dugu Feng's face twist in shock and fear.
Dugu Feng looked up at the three in the air, his expression calm.
Indeed, if his Jade Phosphor Poison were still in its first stage, he wouldn't have been able to reach them. Ning Rongrong's strategy was clever.
But he had improved in these three months too. His Jade Phosphor Poison had reached its second stage.
"If you're not going to attack, I will!"
The trio still seemed to be enjoying the crowd's cheers.
Dugu Feng sighed inwardly. If he didn't smack these smug faces, it would be an injustice.
A yellow soul ring rose around him as his Martial Soul activated.
Raising both hands, he gathered the Jade Phosphor Poison through his meridians, concentrating it at his fingertips before releasing it.
Tiny, needle-like beams of violet light appeared.
They shot toward the sword formation—twelve thin rays in all.
The Six Meridians Divine Sword used six beams, but Dugu Feng used both hands, making twelve.
He called it the Jade Phosphor Twelve Fingers.
Excitement surged through him. It was his first time using this self-created technique in battle.
With poison as its medium, its attack power was utterly terrifying.
"A self-created soul skill?" Feng Ling and Feng Li gasped.
It had to be—how else could poison be utilized like that?
There was no time to ponder further, however.
The twelve swords within the formation trembled, then broke formation to strike downward.
In midair, they met Dugu Feng's violet beams head-on.
The instant they collided, the brothers were stunned.
Those fine violet beams carried immense force.
Their conjured swords shattered instantly.
Then, twelve more violet beams surged upward again.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Feng brothers scrambled to summon new swords to block them.
Blue and violet lights clashed in the sky, shimmered by the sunlight into a dazzling brilliance.
The spectacle drew gasps and cheers—the entire academy was gathering to watch.
(END CHAPTER)
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