Chapter 85: Shocking Headlines
"Seven Titled Douluo?"
Xiao She's eyes lit up in astonishment—so many!
Elder Snake and Elder Scorpion were equally dumbfounded. "Young Master, is that real?"
But when they thought about it carefully, it actually made sense.
Since the Clear Sky Sect had sealed its mountain, no one knew what had been happening inside.
Its members had been cultivating in seclusion for over a decade—it wasn't impossible for them to break through.
The elders of the Clear Sky Sect were still fairly young back then; each was already at the Contra level when they went into hiding.
After eleven entire years, it was hard to believe that none of them had advanced.
"Everything is possible," Dugu Feng said mysteriously.
There really were seven of them in truth. Including Tang Bo, the old sect master lurking in the shadows, that made eight.
And not to forget Tang Chen, possessed by the King of Slaughter.
The Clear Sky Sect was far from weak.
The Spirit Hall was foolish to think otherwise—nurturing a tiger that would someday strike back.
"I understand now, Young Master. I'll go to the outskirts of Star Dou Forest and leak the news there.
I'll spread it through the nearby supply towns—no connection to our clan whatsoever, but it'll spread fast!"
Elder Snake chuckled darkly. For an old fox like him, such schemes were child's play.
Elder Scorpion's eyes glimmered with excitement too. He couldn't wait to see the chaos that rumor would unleash across the continent.
Of course, Dugu Feng, coming from Blue Star, understood best how news spread.
Back home, weren't the headlines always like those so-called shocking clickbait posts?
Shocking! You thought there were only a dozen Titled Douluo in the world?
The Truth Revealed—What Has the Clear Sky Sect Been Doing All These Years?
Breaking News! The Continent's Greatest Hidden Force Emerges!
Thirty Years East, Thirty Years West—The Clear Sky Sect's Return for Vengeance Will Shake the World!
Why are the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts fleeing Star Dou Forest? Too many new Titled Douluo from the Clear Sky Sect!
Once those kinds of headlines spread, every spirit master on the continent would be gossiping about it.
It would become the hottest topic, not only in spirit master circles but also among nobles, merchants, and idlers in tea houses and taverns across major cities.
Dugu Feng explained some of these "Blue Star media tricks" to Elder Snake and Elder Scorpion.
"Young Master, you're a genius!" they exclaimed.
"The Clear Sky Sect won't even know how they died! Hahaha!"
All three—Elder Snake, Elder Scorpion, and Xiao She—looked at Dugu Feng with open admiration.
"Now it's up to you, Elder Snake," Dugu Feng reminded.
Elder Snake pounded his chest confidently. "You can count on me, Young Master!"
With everything arranged, Dugu Feng finally relaxed.
He had originally planned to seize the opportunity to bring the four single-attribute clans under control—especially the Breaking Clan.
But the thought of Tang Bo, the old sect master hiding in the shadows, made him reconsider.
For all he knew, those clans still maintained contact with him.
The Dugu Clan couldn't afford to expose its ambitions too soon.
For now, strength came first.
Their top fighters numbered only three Spirit Sages—far too few.
His father was about to break through to Contra rank, and Elder Scorpion was on the verge of Spirit Sage level. Once that happened, the clan's high-end power would become formidable: one Contra and three Spirit Sages.
Poison masters excelled in silent killing—even Spirit Sages were deadly; Spirit Douluo, even more so.
That very day, Elder Snake departed on his mission, and Elder Scorpion entered seclusion determined to break through.
Dugu Feng had Xiao She summon another clan spirit master—the one who had traveled with them to Soto City before, possessing the Flower Spider martial soul.
The Flower Spider was a small arachnid beast with bright, patterned colors on its abdomen and back—lively but deadly toxic.
This spirit master, called Flower King, had been level fifty when he visited Soto City years ago.
Now, he was still a Spirit King at level fifty-seven—one of the clan's strongest after Elder Scorpion.
When Flower King entered the main hall, Dugu Feng couldn't help but stare—he was strikingly handsome.
Perhaps his martial soul influenced his appearance.
His complexion was pale, skin smooth like jade, features delicate and almost feminine—the kind of beauty nobles would fight to recruit.
Yet despite his youthful look, he was already well past forty.
"Flower King," Dugu Feng said, "Elder Scorpion and Elder Snake are occupied with important matters. For now, you will handle clan affairs."
"Ah, Young Master—I'm not good at this sort of thing…" Flower King's voice was soft and melodic, sending a shiver down Dugu Feng's spine.
"You're already a high-level Spirit King, soon to reach Spirit Emperor. It's time you shoulder some responsibility.
When the clan grows stronger, I plan to establish a Council of Elders—you could easily be one of them.
You're the fourth strongest in the family; it's time you act like it," Dugu Feng said sincerely.
(He didn't count Elder Nine and Little Nine, whose strength remained hidden.)
"There's nothing complicated to handle. Just stay here in the clan, supervise daily work, guide others' cultivation, distribute medicines, and help with soul ring hunts when needed. Simple matters."
He waved his hand lightly—decision made.
Flower King blinked. "The Young Master makes perfect sense… I could become an elder!"
Delighted, he left brimming with ambition.
Dugu Feng, using his free time, began personally guiding his clan members one by one.
Aside from Flower King, there was another Spirit King—a Spirit Master with an Ice Toad martial soul at level fifty-three.
The rest numbered over thirty, all at Spirit Ancestor level or below.
With his current understanding of cultivation, Dugu Feng found himself more than capable of being their teacher.
Whether in combat technique, soul power meditation, or toxin research, his knowledge far surpassed theirs.
After all, he had been trained brutally by his father, Dugu Shuo, from childhood, and he possessed external soul bones, spirit orbs, and his own domain field.
Over a month passed as he trained and guided them personally.
It wasn't his love for teaching that drove him, but the need to strengthen the clan.
Their overall power was still too weak—he had to do something.
"Young Master, you're practically a god to the clan now," Xiao She said in awe.
He had been following Dugu Feng throughout the process, learning immensely along the way.
Dugu Feng sat cross-legged, white ripples pulsing around him as he cultivated the Slaughter God Domain.
He believed Xiao She's words completely.
Since he had detoxified every clan spirit master, none had suffered another poisoning episode.
Freed from pain, their cultivation had soared. To them, Dugu Feng was nothing short of divine.
"Xiao She, with so many Titled Douluo in the Clear Sky Sect, don't you feel something?" Dugu Feng asked suddenly.
Xiao She's eyes shone with competitive spirit. "One for Elder Snake, one for you, Young Master—and the rest are mine!"
"You're still far behind," Dugu Feng said with a laugh. "You'll need to train harder—you're almost being overtaken by me!"
At that, Xiao She fell silent, diving back into rigorous practice.
Someday, when Dugu Feng obtained immortal herbs, he would give one to Xiao She—to change his very potential, to turn him into a true prodigy.
Dugu Feng smiled faintly at the thought.
(END CHAPTER)
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