"Nana, I need to head out with Elder Yunshan to deal with something dangerous. You should stay in the residence and rest for now. Wait for us to come back, alright?" Yin Zhang said softly.
Hu Liena hesitated, but seeing the resolve in his eyes, she could only nod.
"Alright, Brother Zhang. I'll rest here. You must come back safely—and be careful!"
Yin Zhang smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. You've seen my strength. Ordinary people can't hurt me."
With that, he led Yunshan out of the Dugu residence and headed straight for the palace.
Watching his departing figure, Hu Liena clenched her fists.
"These past two days, I've felt my bottleneck loosening… Brother Zhang and Elder Yunshan are dealing with danger outside, so I can't slack off. I need to cultivate harder. When Brother Zhang comes back, I'll give him a surprise!" she thought.
---
Yin Zhang and Yunshan soon arrived at the palace.
As for Dugu Bo, he had already gone ahead earlier that morning to discuss matters with Qian Renxue and the others.
"Hm? That's Xiao Zhang… but why is there another Title Douluo beside him?" Tang Zhen suddenly frowned, his keen perception flaring. "And that aura—at least level ninety-five!"
"There's another Title Douluo with Yin Zhang?" Qian Renxue was startled as well. "What's going on?"
Had Yin Zhang been taken hostage by a Title Douluo brought in by the marshals—or had he brought reinforcements instead?
Dugu Bo and Tang Zhen exchanged a glance, the two who had the closest ties to Yin Zhang.
"If Xiao Zhang has really been captured, then I'll risk my life to save him," Dugu Bo said gravely.
Tang Zhen nodded. "Agreed. If he's been taken, we rescue him first—everything else can wait."
Snake Spear and Porcupine exchanged helpless looks.
Why did things have to go wrong at such a critical moment?
Even Qian Renxue spoke up firmly, "Yes. If Yin Zhang is truly in danger, then his safety takes priority over everything."
The group moved outside to the open grounds.
At that moment, Yin Zhang and Yunshan descended from the air. Seeing the five of them brimming with vigilance, Yin Zhang was momentarily baffled.
"What's going on? Why do you all look like you're facing a great enemy?" he asked in confusion.
Yunshan's brows furrowed slightly. Though he said nothing, his aura was taut. As someone summoned by the system, his trust extended only to Yin Zhang. Even these powerful figures were watched carefully—ready to be cut down if they posed the slightest threat.
Sensing Yunshan's tension, Yin Zhang said helplessly, "Elder Yunshan, there's no need to worry. These are all Title Douluos of the Spirit Hall, as well as the granddaughter of our Grand Elder. They're companions."
Yunshan nodded. His expression eased a little, though he remained cold and distant.
Tang Zhen then asked, curiosity evident, "Xiao Zhang, who is this? We sensed your aura earlier and thought you'd been captured by an unfamiliar Title Douluo."
Only then did Yin Zhang understand. He nearly laughed at the misunderstanding.
Clearing his throat, he said, "Let me introduce him. This is Senior Yunshan, a reclusive Title Douluo I met during my travels. I once helped him break through a bottleneck, and he came to repay that favor. I invited him to join the Spirit Hall. From now on, he'll serve as a Title Elder. Elder Yunshan, please introduce yourself."
Yunshan did not hesitate. He stepped forward and spoke calmly, "Greetings, elders. My name is Yunshan. My martial spirit is Wind. I am a level ninety-seven Title Douluo. I look forward to your guidance."
As he spoke, his martial spirit manifested.
A mighty wind surged forth, and nine soul rings rose beneath him—two purple, four black, and a blazing red ninth ring.
Level ninety-seven?!
And a hundred-thousand-year ninth soul ring?!
The group was stunned.
A level ninety-seven Title Douluo—even within the Spirit Hall, this was a peak existence.
Before their recent breakthroughs, even Qianjun and Jiangmo had only been level ninety-six. And now, a level ninety-seven powerhouse had appeared out of nowhere, bearing a red soul ring no less.
With such qualifications, Yunshan could directly enter the Hall of Worship as an enshrined elder—perhaps even ranking above the likes of Qianjun, Jiangmo, Qingluan, and Xiongshi, second only to Qiandaoliu.
Qian Renxue was shocked as well, though she concealed it perfectly. She cast Yin Zhang a deep look, sensing that the truth behind Yunshan's appearance was likely far more complicated than Yin Zhang's explanation.
Still, one thing was certain—Yunshan's presence all but guaranteed victory.
Even if the marshals had contacted the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, even if Ning Fengzhi arrived alongside Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, the outcome would not change.
Qian Renxue gave a light cough and said, "Since Elder Yunshan is here, things are even better. I've received new intelligence. Several marshals have begun to suspect my identity and sent people to contact Ning Fengzhi a few days ago. It's likely that Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo will all appear tonight."
Perhaps they merely wanted to confirm her identity. But now, she had no intention of continuing this charade.
With five Title Douluos present, even if Ning Fengzhi broke through to unprecedented heights and amplified Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo to terrifying levels, they could still suppress them and seize control of Heaven Dou City.
"Once Heaven Dou City is under our control, with the Spirit Hall backing us, the other kingdoms will have no choice but to submit. Victory or defeat will be decided tonight. Let's move!"
"Set off!" the others responded in unison.
Yin Zhang paused briefly, then said, "Since those marshals have already contacted the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, we can't follow the original plan blindly. We should consider acting together—or splitting into two teams. If we're caught and defeated separately, it'll be hard to recover."
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