Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin slowly lowered their Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and Seven Kill Sword.
Gu Rong let out a long, heavy sigh and said:
"Fengzhi… Old Swordsman."
"I was only scouting the situation here when I discovered, to my shock, that Spirit Hall had dispatched five Title Douluos. Just Yunshan alone was enough to completely suppress me. I didn't even have the chance to use spatial teleportation—I was defeated outright."
"I originally intended to take my own life so as not to become a burden to you. But their true objective is to force the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to submit. They threatened me directly—if I died, neither of you would survive, and the entire sect would be wiped out."
"So… I didn't die."
"I stayed here, waiting for you, because I wanted to hear your decision."
"If you choose to surrender, I have nothing more to say. If you choose to fight… then I'll fight alongside you one last time."
Ning Fengzhi glanced toward Yunshan, his heart filled with shock.
Chen Xin was likewise silently assessing the situation.
The only truly overwhelming enemy was Yunshan. With Ning Fengzhi's support, Chen Xin might be able to stall him for a short time.
But what about Gu Rong?
Even though Gu Rong had reached level ninety-five, the opposing side had four other Title Douluos. Just two of them would be enough to suppress Gu Rong in a very short time.
That would leave the remaining Title Douluos—along with Yin Zhang, who might possess a second martial soul, and the woman with the Six-Winged Angel—to deal with Ning Fengzhi.
Whether they chose to surround him, take him hostage, or kill him outright, the result was the same.
There was no chance of victory.
Chen Xin fell silent and turned his gaze toward Ning Fengzhi.
He wanted to know Ning Fengzhi's decision.
Chen Xin himself was deeply unwilling to submit to Spirit Hall.
His grandfather had once challenged Qian Daoliu and, after returning gravely injured, died not long afterward. Even though Chen Xin knew that his grandfather had initiated the challenge, and that Qian Daoliu had not directly killed him, the resentment in his heart had never faded.
But the situation now was different.
If surrender was the only way to preserve the sect and protect their people…
Then he would accept it.
At this critical moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on Ning Fengzhi.
Seven Title Douluos were present, all on high alert. If Ning Fengzhi refused, battle would erupt instantly.
Yet Ning Fengzhi did not immediately give an answer.
Instead, he looked at Yin Zhang and gave a faint, bitter smile.
"Yin Zhang, do you still remember our first meeting?"
"It was at Yuexuan. You and Qian Guyunying came to visit me. I was surprised back then—why would Spirit Hall suddenly seek me out?"
"But what I never expected was that you would bring me the greatest opportunity of my life—the immortal herb, Qiluo Tulip."
"After consuming it, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. In one stroke, I achieved what our sect had failed to accomplish for countless generations."
"My soul power broke through to level eighty, and the cultivation ceiling of level eighty-nine was completely removed. Given enough time, I could truly step into level ninety and become a Title Douluo."
Everyone present already knew this—except Ning Fengzhi himself, Gu Rong, and Chen Xin.
But the other Title Douluos and Qian Renxue were all visibly shocked.
So the evolution of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda… had been because of Yin Zhang.
Yin Zhang spoke calmly:
"In truth, the treasures I obtained from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School greatly enhanced my strength. Even the giant egg that was already dead gave me my second martial soul—the Golden Sacred Dragon."
He deliberately emphasized that his second martial soul came from consuming that egg.
Ning Fengzhi's eyes widened.
Was that really possible?
Eating a dead dragon egg… and awakening a second martial soul?
For a moment, Ning Fengzhi didn't know whether to marvel at Yin Zhang's fortune—or curse his own sect's blindness.
If consuming that egg could awaken a Golden Sacred Dragon martial soul…
He would have eaten it without hesitation.
Even without the Qiluo Tulip, evolving the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda wasn't necessarily impossible.
The fundamental limitation lay in possessing only a single martial soul.
If one had a second martial soul…
Then even evolving into the Eight Treasure, or even Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, might be possible.
Ning Fengzhi was confident of that.
But now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts.
Seeing Ning Fengzhi remain silent for too long, Yin Zhang frowned slightly and said:
"Sect Master Ning, are you truly unwilling to surrender?"
"Think carefully. You still have newborn children in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School—barely three years old. Are you really willing to let them die because of pride?"
Those words struck Ning Fengzhi's heart like a hammer.
He had placed enormous hopes on his newborn son and daughter.
If, when they reached the age of six, they awakened the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda…
That would prove that the martial soul could truly be inherited.
That it was not a fleeting miracle, but a future for the entire sect.
Silence fell.
After a long moment, Ning Fengzhi finally let his hands drop.
He withdrew his martial soul.
"…Alright."
"I agree."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School will join Spirit Hall."
"But we must retain a certain degree of autonomy."