In the Black World, on the road to Heaven Dou City...
"Level 96?"
As Yu Yuanzhen watched the Heavenly Screen reveal the parallel world's version of himself after absorbing the Spirit Bones, he stood frozen in place, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
The Second Elder and Third Elder beside him wore equally stunned expressions.
After all, in their world, Yu Yuanzhen's current cultivation was only Level 95.
According to the timeline shown on the Heavenly Screen, the events involving twelve-year-old Yu Xiaogang had taken place thirty-eight years earlier.
During those thirty-eight years, Yu Yuanzhen had advanced from Level 93 to Level 95, an achievement already considered extraordinary.
On the Douluo Continent, the higher a Spirit Master's cultivation became, the more difficult every breakthrough was.
Advancing a single rank could take years—or even decades.
Some Spirit Masters remained stuck at the same rank for the rest of their lives.
Yu Yuanzhen himself had already reached that stage.
Ever since breaking through to Level 95, no matter how diligently he cultivated, his spirit power barely improved.
He had long believed he had reached the limit of his potential.
Originally, he had been satisfied with becoming a Level 95 Titled Douluo.
After all, only a handful of people on the entire continent could even become Titled Douluos.
Among them, even fewer could continue advancing after reaching that realm.
A Level 95 Titled Douluo already stood among the strongest beings alive.
Yet today...
He learned that the Yu Yuanzhen of the parallel world had reached Level 96 thirty-eight years earlier simply by absorbing two Spirit Bones.
That realization left him speechless.
Then what had the last thirty-eight years of my cultivation accomplished?
Suddenly, a furious roar shattered the silence.
"Ahhh! Damn you, Yu Xiaogang!"
"You've ruined the future of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect!"
The Grand Elder was the first to recover from his shock.
His scream resembled the desperate squeal of a slaughtered pig.
This time...
He had truly snapped.
Forget everything else.
Just considering Yu Yuanzhen alone...
If the parallel world's Sect Master had already reached Level 96 thirty-eight years ago...
Then what level had he reached by the present day?
The Grand Elder didn't even dare imagine it.
Every time the thought crossed his mind, endless rage filled his heart.
Everything was identical.
Both worlds had the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
Both had Yu Yuanzhen as Sect Master.
Both had himself serving as Grand Elder.
So why...
Why did the other world enjoy such prosperity while this one suffered endless frustration?
Yu Xiaogang!
Yu Xiaogang!
Why did you have to become such a disappointment?!
The others gradually recovered from their daze as well.
Without exception, they were consumed by the same burning anger.
Previously, they had never truly understood how vast the gap between the two worlds was.
Now that the comparison stood plainly before them...
They finally realized that the difference wasn't limited to Dragon God Douluo Yu Xiaogang alone.
Everything had changed.
The hatred the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's elders felt toward Yu Xiaogang reached an unprecedented level.
Had they not been on their way to compete for the Spirit Bones...
They might have immediately rushed over to Yu Xiaogang's location and beaten him without mercy.
---
Far away at Shrek Academy...
Yu Xiaogang suddenly shivered.
An inexplicable sense of foreboding rose within him.
For the moment, however, he had no time to think about it.
His attention remained fixed upon the Heavenly Screen.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"How is this possible?"
"How could the improvement be so enormous?"
"Even an eighty-thousand-year torso Spirit Bone and a thirty-thousand-year skull Spirit Bone shouldn't allow a Titled Douluo to jump several levels at once!"
He simply couldn't understand it.
---
Elsewhere...
Tang Hao, who had already left Shrek Academy and was secretly making his way toward Heaven Dou City in hopes of obtaining the Spirit Bones, was equally astonished.
As a Level 95 Titled Douluo himself, no one understood better than he did how difficult it was to advance after reaching that realm.
He had become a Titled Douluo in the year Tang San was born.
Over the following twelve years, he had advanced to Level 95.
That seemed incredibly fast.
But countless factors had contributed to his growth.
First...
He possessed Full Innate Spirit Power.
Second...
His ninth spirit ring was a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring.
Third...
He possessed a complete set of Spirit Bones, including two inherited treasures of the Clear Sky Sect.
Not only were those Spirit Bones incredibly powerful, but they also matched him perfectly.
All these advantages combined allowed Tang Hao to progress at an astonishing speed.
As for Yu Yuanzhen...
Tang Hao had always looked down on him.
In his opinion, even Qian Xunji had been too generous when describing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
Mediocre?
"No."
"They're simply a bunch of useless fools."
Yet now...
One of those "fools" had surpassed him in cultivation.
That thought left Tang Hao deeply dissatisfied.
Fortunately...
He quickly comforted himself.
"At least that's the Yu Yuanzhen of the parallel world."
"As for the one in our world..."
Tang Hao let out a cold snort.
"He's not even worth my attention."
---
Meanwhile, the three members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School were also traveling toward Heaven Dou City.
Bone Douluo pointed at the Heavenly Screen in disbelief.
"No!"
"How does he deserve this?!"
He looked as though he was on the verge of breaking down.
Ning Fengzhi couldn't help smiling helplessly.
His Bone Uncle and Yu Yuanzhen had been rivals for decades.
Both possessed Beast Spirits.
Both wielded dragon-type Martial Spirits.
Both belonged to the Upper Three Sects.
Both were from the same generation.
And both had remained stuck at Level 95 for years.
They had competed with one another since their youth.
Friend...
Rival...
Enemy...
Those words perfectly described their relationship.
Now, seeing Yu Yuanzhen of the parallel world advance to Level 96...
Bone Douluo simply couldn't accept it.
"We agreed to remain stuck at Level 95 together."
"How dare you secretly break through?"
"What?"
"That's only your parallel-world self?"
"That still doesn't count!"
Beside them, Sword Douluo silently watched the image of Yu Yuanzhen.
A Level 96 Peak Douluo...
Now that was an opponent worthy of crossing swords with.
Unfortunately...
He wasn't from their world.
---
[The Heavenly Screen continued...]
[After bringing Dugu Bo into the reception hall, Yu Yuanzhen encountered Yu Xiaogang, who had just finished his daily cultivation and was resting.]
[Yu Xiaogang had been lounging comfortably in a chair.]
[The moment he noticed the visitors, he immediately straightened his posture and stood respectfully.]
"Greetings, Seniors."
[He politely bowed to both of them.]
[Dugu Bo looked at the young man with obvious approval.]
"So this is His Excellency Thunder's youngest son—the one who obtained a thousand-year first spirit ring."
"What an outstanding young man."
[Originally, Dugu Bo had imagined that the son of a Titled Douluo—someone who had achieved such an unbelievable feat—would naturally be arrogant and proud.]
[Instead...]
[Yu Xiaogang remained humble and courteous.]
[Such behavior was exceedingly rare.]
[Yu Yuanzhen laughed heartily.]
"Hahaha! My son doesn't deserve such generous praise from Dugu Soul Sage."
[His impression of Dugu Bo immediately improved.]
[After all...]
[Anyone who praised his son automatically became a friend.]
[Dugu Bo smiled faintly.]
[Yu Yuanzhen soon returned to the main topic.]
"Alright."
"Let's skip the pleasantries."
"Since you've come here in person, I assume you're very interested in that sixty-thousand-year Medusa."
[Hearing those words, Dugu Bo's expression became serious.]
[He knew...]
[The real negotiation had finally begun.]
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)