While Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Xiaogang were having their "heart-to-heart" conversation in the prison, Bibi Dong and Ning Fengzhi's group had already walked outside.
"Your Holiness, are you truly at ease leaving those two together?" Ning Fengzhi asked with a hint of surprise in his tone.
"There's nothing to worry about." Bibi Dong seemed prepared, a faint smile appearing on her face as she said softly,
"If Patriarch Yu truly intends to act outside the rules, then Spirit Hall also has methods that don't follow the rules."
"Don't you agree, Patriarch Ning?"
"Uh..."
Ning Fengzhi's expression stiffened slightly.
Before he could continue, Bibi Dong spoke again: "Compared to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, I'm far more curious about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."
"From the fluctuations of soul power, Title Douluo Gu Rou has likely already reached Rank 98."
"Compared to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is truly overflowing with talent."
"Your Holiness flatters me." Bone Douluo rarely spoke up, but now he said, "Any soul master's talent pales in comparison to yours."
"Rumors say you broke through to Title Douluo at an age even younger than the previously known youngest Title Douluo—Hao Tian Douluo Tang Hao—by several years."
"And now you've reached Rank 99 as a Limit Douluo. If we're talking about overflowing talent, Spirit Hall is the true example."
Bone Douluo's tone shifted slightly,
"As for old men like me and Chen Xin, we might never even touch the bottleneck of Rank 99 in our lifetimes. We can't compare to Your Holiness at all."
Hearing Bone Douluo's words, Sword Douluo's eyelids twitched slightly.
If you want to say you're weak, just say it—why drag me into it?
Still, what Gu Rou said wasn't entirely wrong. Bibi Dong's talent as a soul master was unparalleled in history.
"I merely have the advantage of twin martial souls." Bibi Dong waved her hand dismissively, gazing at the clouds drifting in the sky for a moment before continuing,
"Compared to that Nightmare Douluo who managed to seize the Angelic Sword from Qian Daoliu, I'm far from comparable."
"Wouldn't you agree, Young Patriarch Ning?"
"Uh..."
Eating melons, always eating melons—Ning Rongrong, who had been quietly spectating, suddenly found the melon flying onto her own plate.
Meeting Bibi Dong's probing gaze, Ning Rongrong remained silent for a long moment before speaking:
"As for Kurumi, perhaps she was simply curious about the Angelic Sword, or perhaps Title Douluo Qian Daoliu was careless and let his guard down."
"Perhaps." Bibi Dong merely smiled, neither refuting nor pressing further.
"Young Patriarch Ning also possesses innate full soul power. I wonder what your current true soul power rank is?"
"As the young patriarch of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, you must have some hidden strength. Could you also have twin martial souls?"
"If the Clear Sky School has Tang San with twin martial souls, then as one of the Top Three Sects—and one who even evolved the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda—you surely can't be simple, can you?"
Bibi Dong wisely avoided mentioning the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Blue Lightning?
What was that?
Were they even worthy of being compared to the Clear Sky School and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?
"I'm just an ordinary support-type soul master. I don't have such formidable power."
"Your Holiness, the finals are approaching soon. Wouldn't it be better to leave some mystery?"
Ning Rongrong then abruptly changed the subject, "Rumors say Spirit Hall has an exceptionally powerful Holy Maiden. I wonder where she is now?"
Bibi Dong gave Ning Rongrong a deep look before smiling. "She's still in seclusion. If she emerges in time, you might meet her during the tournament."
"Is that so... No wonder His Majesty Xue Qinghe mentioned not seeing her. Speaking of which, His Majesty Xue Qinghe and Lady Qian Renxue seem to have fallen in love at first sight. Will Your Holiness intervene to separate them?"
Ning Rongrong's words left Bibi Dong speechless. As for how Ning Rongrong knew about Qian Renxue—that wasn't strange, as they had met several times already.
Ning Rongrong had even obtained a token bearing the character "Qian" from her.
"Rongrong!" Ning Fengzhi, sensing Bibi Dong's discomfort, quickly interjected,
"Matters between Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire are not for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to pry into. Have you forgotten what I taught you?"
He then turned to Bibi Dong apologetically. "My apologies. Rongrong speaks without thinking."
"Not at all. This is true sincerity." Bibi Dong waved it off before continuing Ning Rongrong's line of questioning,
"Who Qian Renxue likes is her own freedom. Even if it's the emperor of a nation, that's irrelevant."
"However, if Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou were to unite, how would the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School position itself?"
Whether Qian Renxue and Xue Qinghe married or even shared a bed was secondary.
After all, Bibi Dong couldn't control it—nor did she need to. That's right, as a mother, she was just that magnanimous.
What she truly cared about was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's stance.
Ning Fengzhi remained silent, as he could tell Bibi Dong's question was directed at Ning Rongrong, not him.
To be honest, Ning Fengzhi suddenly felt a sense of being sidelined.
Before he could dwell on it, Ning Rongrong's voice reached his ears.
"Your Holiness, a powerful alliance between Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire would be quite disadvantageous for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School!"
"But no matter what, my father is Xue Qinghe's teacher, which means we're somewhat connected to Spirit Hall. Your Holiness wouldn't be so heartless, would you?"
"According to the continent's traditions, disciples and their spouses typically respect their teachers."
"Surely they wouldn't defy their master and betray their ancestors?"
"That would be too strange."
Ning Rongrong suddenly feigned shock,
"Could it be... Spirit Hall has such unique traditions?"
"Tsk—"
"How terrifying, how terrifying!"
Bibi Dong: "..."
What kind of nonsense tradition is that?
Just as she was about to refute, an image of Qian Xunji flashed through Bibi Dong's mind.
"Scram, scram! Evil spirits, be gone!"
Seeing Bibi Dong's expression darken, Ning Rongrong swiftly changed the subject: "Your Holiness, how about we discuss something else?"
"I'm quite curious—what do you plan to do with the information on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Nine Crowns of the True Dragon?"
"Rumor has it that such a secret skill can't be used without the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's soul bones or their martial soul, right?"
Bibi Dong struggled to keep up with Ning Rongrong's erratic train of thought, but since she didn't want to continue the previous topic, she went along with it.
Hearing Ning Rongrong's question, Bibi Dong didn't hide much as she explained:
"Legends say the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's ancestor once entered a secret realm. After emerging, he created the Dragonization Secret Art and the Nine Crowns of the True Dragon technique."
"I found related records in ancient texts—that secret realm seems to be called Dragon Valley. Throughout history, some lucky soul masters occasionally stumbled into it and emerged to achieve great fame."
"Though none lasted as long as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
Bibi Dong turned to Bone Douluo. "As a possessor of the Bone Dragon martial soul, you must be quite interested in this, no?"
Bone Douluo fell silent for a moment before replying, "I've only just broken through and haven't yet needed such a place for enlightenment. If I ever reach a bottleneck, I might be interested."
After a brief pause, Bibi Dong's gaze returned to Ning Rongrong.
"It's said that soul masters of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan who use the Nine Crowns of the True Dragon experience a tremendous boost in power."
"If the user is already a Title Douluo, they can leap several ranks, reaching the level of a Limit Douluo."
"Whether for Spirit Hall's safety or mere curiosity about this secret technique, we must take some precautions."
"Don't you agree, Young Patriarch Ning?"
Ning Rongrong chuckled. "Unverified rumors might just be fabrications by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to inflate their own worth."
"Many unofficial histories survive precisely because of such reasons, no?"
Bibi Dong didn't refute this. To be honest, she also found it hard to believe that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Nine Crowns of the True Dragon could elevate a Title Douluo to Limit Douluo.
But the secret realm their ancestor had entered was something she needed to investigate.
It was only because Gu Yuena was interested that they had brought it up.
As for Yu Xiaogang?
Who was that?
Just a bargaining chip.
He had nothing to do with her, Bibi Dong.
Creak, creak. The sound of footsteps approached.
The group stopped talking and turned toward the prison entrance.
Yu Yuanzhen, his face as dark as storm clouds, walked toward them step by step.