**** ANNOUNCEMENT ****
Hey, everyone!
I'm officially launching my new translation project here on WN next month. It's called:
Legend of the Dragon King: True Self
It's a DD3 fic by the same author as this story! More than 20 chapters are currently available to everyone on my Patreon. Feel free to check them out and get a head start on the story!
I've also reopened the "Founder Tier" on Patreon for a limited time. This is a special tier designed to reward those day-one supporters with the highest level of access at a discounted price, which is locked in as long as you stay subscribed.
Joining the Founder Tier instantly unlocks:
75+ Advanced Chapters of BTTH: From Genius to Invincible
40 Advanced Chapters of DD2: Glory of the Unrivaled Angel
50 Advanced Chapters of Legend of the Dragon King: True Self
Speaking of this fic: There are fewer than 50 chapters left until the grand finale on Patreon! Now is the perfect time to catch up and binge the ending.
Patreon.com/kisshot
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Word Count: 2,944 Words
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Since arriving at the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Na Na had thrown herself into training under the head maid, determined to become Ling Bai's personal attendant one day.
Yu Mengdi, meanwhile, remained single-minded in her desire to pledge herself to Ling Bai, longing to serve the Seraphim just as the Angel Legion had served their ancestors for ten thousand years.
When both women realized the position they had long ago set their sights on was under threat, their gazes sharpened at once. Aura flared against aura as neither ceded so much as half a step.
The Shrek students were dumbstruck. Was competition in the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan really this intense? Two beautiful women, locked in a death stare… all for the right to be a maid!
"Both of you, sit down."
"As you command, Master / Idol."
Only when Ling Bai spoke did the two of them reluctantly take their seats, leaving the pouring and serving to the clan's other maids.
Amusement sparkled in Ning Fengya's azure eyes as she ordered a banquet prepared to welcome the new arrivals.
Five members of the previous generation's Shrek Seven Monsters had come, and the talents of Ji Juechen, Yu Mengdi, and the others were in no way inferior. Add to that the thirty-plus senior Outer Courtyard students Ning Tian and Wu Feng had recruited, and this could only be described as an abundant harvest of geniuses.
The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan showed these prodigies the utmost respect. Not only did Clan Head Ning Fengya attend in person, even Jianmu Douluo appeared briefly to offer a few words of encouragement.
The Inner Courtyard students still managed to maintain their composure; they had, after all, once met Dragon God Douluo Mu En. The Outer Courtyard students, however, could only stare with mouths rounded into perfect O's.
Close proximity to a Limit Douluo was something they had only ever dared to dream about. Now that the dream had become reality, their hearts pounded wildly with excitement.
Among the dozens of geniuses, Ning Fengya's gaze immediately locked onto Ling Qiuxi. Startled by a face so eerily similar to Ling Bai's, she casually asked about their relationship.
Ling Bai and Ling Qiuxi had already agreed on their story: they were long-lost siblings whose blood relatives had all passed away.
The banquet ended with hosts and guests thoroughly satisfied. Afterward, Ning Fengya arranged rooms for everyone to rest while Ling Bai sought out Jianmu Douluo to discuss other matters.
"Teacher."
"Mm."
Jianmu Douluo gestured for Ling Bai to sit, then smiled. "The clan is truly flourishing now. Of the children you brought back, at least ten have the makings of Titled Douluo. Especially your sister Qiuxi and that little Ji who never lets go of his sword. Their futures are limitless."
Ling Qiuxi, Ji Juechen, Ling Luochen, Chen Zifeng, Yu Mengdi, Yao Haoxuan, Xi Xi, Xie Huanyue, Jing Ziyan, Na Na…
Barring any unexpected calamities along the way, they would very likely all become Titled Douluo-level powerhouses. Add in Ye Guyi from Mingdu's Linglong Pavilion, Dugu Lin from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and Han Ruoruo from Shrek Academy… the future looked brilliantly bright!
"It's a pity Aunt Ya says the Heavenly Soul Empire chose the Body Sect." Ling Bai's eyes darkened slightly.
"That's only to be expected."
Jianmu Douluo replied calmly. "This generation of the Heavenly Soul royal family produced a princess with Twin Martial Spirits. She awakened both the inherited Heavenly Soul Martial Spirit, Snow Lotus, and the Body Martial Spirit, Spirit Brain.
The Heavenly Soul Princess apprenticed herself to the Body Sect years ago and is even engaged to their young master. When news of my breakthrough to Limit Douluo spread, Old Freak Du worried I might retaliate recklessly. He proactively approached the Heavenly Soul Emperor, proposing that the two be wed so the Body Sect could become the legitimate Guardian Sect."
"Borrowing the imperial family's name to force you to hold back. Du Busi is certainly clever."
Jianmu Douluo stroked his beard and let out a faint sigh. "Du Busi has always been shrewd. It's just that the Body Sect's arrogance and domineering style blinds many people to that.
Our Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Body Sect both reside within the Heavenly Soul Empire. We were once the Guardian Sect of the old Heaven Dou Empire and remain far closer to the Dou Spirit imperial family, who inherited the Swan bloodline of the original Heaven Dou royal line.
The Body Sect couldn't tolerate us in the past. They sabotaged us openly and in secret, intercepting and killing quite a few of our disciples out on missions. The Heavenly Soul imperial family turned a blind eye, even lent them a hand.
So now that we've grown strong, they can hardly blame us for taking revenge…"
When he finished, master and disciple exchanged a look. In each other's eyes, they saw a dense, matching ruthlessness.
"On that note, Teacher, I obtained some immortal herbs from a treasure land. You should absorb one."
Ling Bai brought the conversation back to business and produced a jade box. As he lifted the lid, a rich orchid fragrance filled the room.
"Eight Petal Immortal Orchid. One hundred thousand years in quality."
Jianmu Douluo couldn't help his surprise that Ling Bai could bring out an immortal herb of this level. He accepted the jade box, glanced once at its contents, then placed it back into Ling Bai's hands unchanged:
"The Eight Petal Immortal Orchid's medicinal properties are gentle and mellow. It strengthens one's foundation, nourishes vitality, and purges bodily impurities.
I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm old. Taking it now would just be wasting it; I wouldn't gain much.
Give it to little Ji instead. In your plans, I imagine you haven't arranged an immortal herb for him."
His tone was gentle yet firm, carrying both a teacher's authority and a father's care. He understood his disciple's character well. Treasures like immortal herbs would only ever go to the people closest to him, and Ji Juechen was far from reaching that level.
Yet Jianmu Douluo could feel the world-shaking sword intent hidden within the young man and didn't want to see such a pearl gathering dust.
Ling Bai nodded silently. Ji Juechen had been born with only Rank 3 innate spirit power, yet had grown into a Spirit Saint in his twenties. That alone testified to extraordinary talent. The Eight Petal Immortal Orchid would more than compensate for his innate shortcomings.
"Teacher, I'll take my leave."
"Alright."
Jianmu Douluo smiled. "Xiao Bai, I see your spirit power has reached the Rank 80 bottleneck. Rest at home for two days, and then I'll accompany you to hunt a spirit beast."
Ling Bai froze for half a second, then met Jianmu Douluo's slightly probing, smiling gaze. Realization dawned, and he nodded before walking out, heading toward Ning Tian's room.
Unexpectedly, Ning Tian wasn't there. Passing maids told him she had gone to find Ning Fengya.
Though night had fallen, Ning Fengya was still handling clan affairs, listening to her daughter recount what she had seen and heard over the years in the Sun Moon Empire, all while ordering her younger sister to do housework.
One mind for three tasks. A traditional Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan specialty.
Ning Fengyu moved like a walking corpse that only knew how to mop floors. Her azure-gold eyes were dull and lifeless, showing not a trace of the Azure Emperor Douluo's past brilliance. The instant she caught sight of Ling Bai approaching, a glimmer of light finally sparked in those dead-fish eyes. Her lips trembled as she transmitted:
'Xiao Bai, save me!
I'm about to be trained into a granddaughter by this vicious old woman!'
"Alright, come here."
Ling Bai descended like a god from the heavens, pulling Ning Fengyu from fire and water.
She kicked the mop away as if felling a mortal enemy, raised her chin high, and strutted proudly to stand at Ling Bai's side before her elder sister.
Ning Fengya looked at the pair and aimed her first question at Ning Fengyu. "Have you finished your work?"
"N-no…"
Half of Ning Fengyu's delicate figure immediately tucked itself behind Ling Bai. She hugged his arm like a life-saving float, voice small and weak:
"Xiao Bai told me to come over. Don't blame me!"
Her practiced blame-shifting made Ling Bai think of their childhood love-and-war. He cast a helpless glance at the coward who automatically shrank to half her height in front of her sister, then spoke solemnly:
"Aunt Ya, Xiao Tian, I've found the immortal herb that can evolve the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
"Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?!"
Ning Fengya's eyes narrowed sharply. "Xiao Bai, you mean… the Beautiful Silk Tulip?"
Ling Bai smiled. A brilliant golden tulip appeared in his hand. Its rhizome and leaves formed an intricate curtain of vines, each strand exquisitely arranged. The fragrance that wafted out refreshed the mind and spirit.
"The Beautiful Silk Tulip, which has cultivated to become a 100,000-year plant-type spirit beast. It comes with its own 100,000-year spirit ring and spirit bone. Its essence and body can help two Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas evolve."
Ning Tian covered her mouth with both hands, eyes shining with tears. Seven rings and nine rings were worlds apart. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had been searching for the Beautiful Silk Tulip for a full ten thousand years. Ten thousand years!
Ning Fengya accepted the Beautiful Silk Tulip, starlight flickering deep in her eyes. Even with its energy thoroughly sealed by Ling Bai, she could still feel her Martial Spirit's origin quivering within her, wave after wave of voracious desire to swallow the flower bubbling up from the depths of her being.
"Though the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan renamed itself the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, ancestor Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was never passed down. The clan's name has always been… undeserved."
Ning Fengya calmed herself and spoke slowly. "Xiao Bai, you are Xiao Tian's benefactor, and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's benefactor as well.
This time, we… have bet correctly."
"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has supported my growth. There is no way I would allow the clan to lose."
Ling Bai's tone was serious. "Aunt Ya, you and Xiao Tian should absorb the Beautiful Silk Tulip now. Its spirit ring will be perfect as your eighth."
As Clan Head, Ning Fengya had been tempered by the clan's herbs since childhood. She possessed a full set of six standard spirit bones and had never slackened in her cultivation over the years. Once she broke through this barrier, her spirit power would definitely not stop at just Rank 81 or 82.
With her body at this level and under these 'pressured' conditions, she was fully capable of absorbing a 100,000-year spirit ring for her eighth.
Ning Tian felt joy for both her mother and herself. Her gaze toward Ling Bai overflowed with love. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was every Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master's dream, and today Ling Bai had realized that dream for her.
Titled Douluo! Class 9 Spirit Guidance Master!
The gate to the realm of the strong had been blown wide open!
"Xiao Tian, you absorb the essence first. The Beautiful Silk Tulip's body, spirit ring, and spirit bone can wait until you reach Rank 70."
In the midst of their joy, Ning Fengya's instruction fell like a bucket of cold water.
"Why, Mother? We can both become Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas!" Ning Tian protested, baffled.
Ning Fengya's voice turned cold. "Have you forgotten everything I've taught you? The clan's inheritance is paramount; personal honor and disgrace come second!
A Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master carries the mission of passing down this Martial Spirit. Your father has been gone for over ten years. What use is there in my evolving? Who am I supposed to pass it down with?
With you?"
She tilted her snow-white chin toward Ling Bai, who instantly deflated, clamping his mouth shut and hardly daring to breathe.
"Fengya, me, me, me—use me!"
A head popped out of the shadows with a soft puff. Shadow Dragon Douluo Xie Qin beamed as he eagerly volunteered himself.
"…Toss him out."
A cross-shaped vein pulsed at Ning Fengya's temple.
"On it, Sis!"
Ning Fengyu cheerfully grabbed Shadow Dragon Douluo by the back of his collar, flung him out the window, then dusted off her hands and returned obediently to her spot.
Ning Tian giggled. "See, Mom? Your charm is as great as ever. It's not just Uncle Xie; even Director Du from Shrek's Outer Courtyard still thinks of you. If you wanted to pass down the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, it would be a piece of cake!
The Beautiful Silk Tulip is Bai-ge's heartfelt gift. Can you really bear to waste it?"
Ning Fengya looked at Ning Tian's hopeful face and Ling Bai's gentle expression and finally let out a helpless little smile. "Fine. I'll listen to you."
All of a sudden, Ling Bai felt a tug at his clothes. He turned and found himself staring into a pair of wide, pitiful eyes. Ning Fengyu pressed his arm deeper into her softness and drew out her words in an exaggerated whine:
"Xiao Bai, I want some too~"
Ling Bai pretended not to hear. Ning Fengyu grew indignant:
"We've been through thick and thin together!
I'm Xiao Tian's dear aunt!
We're the best of friends in the whole world!"
Every tactic failed. She clenched her silver teeth and fired her ultimate move, lowering her voice to transmit directly into his mind: "Remember when you were eight and ate Whale Rubber, and I—"
"Stop!"
Ling Bai's heart lurched. He hurriedly produced a jade-white immortal herb. "Origin Energy Immortal Grass. It increases spirit power and helps condense a spirit core."
"Yay!"
Ning Fengyu flashed a victory sign with two slender fingers. The Blue Silver Emperor's sacrifice had granted her a 100,000-year spirit ring and spirit bone, boosting her spirit power straight to Rank 93.
After absorbing the Origin Energy Immortal Grass, reaching Rank 95 as a Super Douluo might still be difficult, but Rank 94 was well within reach.
"Heehee, no more cultivation for me!"
Those words made the other three see black spots. Ning Tian felt deeply embarrassed by her aunt's lazy nature. Ling Bai suddenly regretted giving her the Origin Energy Immortal Grass. Ning Fengya's temper flared as she said coldly:
"Throw yourself out."
"…"
With a mournful expression, Ning Fengyu trudged toward the window, carefully clutching the Origin Energy Immortal Grass the entire way.
Ning Tian and Ning Fengya successfully divided the Beautiful Silk Tulip. One consumed the essence, the other the main body. Both advanced to Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Ning Tian's spirit power broke directly through to Rank 60, while Ning Fengya leaped to Rank 88, not far from the Titled Douluo realm.
Because the fully equipped Ning Fengya had delivered the killing blow, the Beautiful Silk Tulip dropped a random 100,000-year left leg spirit bone, which naturally went to Ning Tian.
Ling Bai then produced the Emerald Demon Bird's external spirit bone, the Emerald Wings, and likewise gifted it to Ning Tian. She was his future wife. She deserved such rare things.
For the rest of the night, Ling Bai moved between rooms, distributing immortal herbs and spirit bones.
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, which granted diamond-hard invulnerability, was perfectly suited for physically powerful assault-type Spirit Masters and went to Ling Qiuxi.
The Infernal Delicate Apricot went to Wu Feng. She would consume the Blazing Rubber first, then absorb the main body later, along with a 100,000-year Blazing Red Lotus left arm spirit bone.
Other geniuses who didn't receive immortal herbs still obtained spirit bones.
Feng Ling's five 10,000-year spirit bones were distributed to Chen Zifeng, Yao Haoxuan, Xi Xi, Gongyang Mo, and Nanmen Yun Er. The 100,000-year darkness-attribute skull spirit bone went to Shadow Dragon Douluo Xie Qin in recognition of his years of loyal service to the clan.
The Wolf Ape left leg bone, which carried the instant teleportation skill, was given to Yu Mengdi, Na Na, and Ling Luochen.
Jing Ziyan and Xie Huanyue had already received spirit bones earlier, so they weren't included this time.
After this round of winning hearts and minds, Ling Bai's remaining spirit bones consisted of only the 100,000-year Cyclops skull from the Holy Spirit Treasury, plus a few 100,000-year immortal herbs. With this distribution, everyone's strength would undoubtedly step up to a new level.
…
Arriving at Ling Luochen's room, Ling Bai lingered outside the door for a moment, as if tangled in his thoughts. In the end, he drew a long breath and knocked.
Creak—
The door opened, revealing Ling Luochen in a clean white dress. Her face was cool and distant, like a snow-lotus untouched by mortal dust.
"Come with me."
Besides the Wolf Ape left leg bone, Ling Bai still had other plans for her. He led her through turn after turn of corridors until they reached the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's underground secret chamber.
The instant Ling Luochen stepped inside, her body stiffened involuntarily. Behind her, the click of the door locking echoed softly. She swept a look around the dark room lit by only a single small lamp, then spoke in a voice edged with complicated emotion:
"Are you going to make a move on me too?"
"…Where did that come from?"
"According to unofficial histories, the Angel Clan has a particular fondness for secret chambers…"