"This…"
What price?
This stumped the group.
Even Teacher Wang Teng was momentarily at a loss for what to offer.
The girl before them had effortlessly defeated a thousand-year Titan Giant Ape without using spirit rings.
Even as a Level 72 Soul Sage, he wouldn't dare claim he could defeat a Titan Giant Ape—at best, he'd exhaust his soul power and flee.
After all, the Titan Giant Ape's attributes were top-tier, with thick skin and immense strength.
A hundred-year Titan Giant Ape could rival a ten-thousand-year spirit beast, let alone a thousand-year one.
But this unknown girl had defeated it without spirit rings and even grievously wounded it with a single sword strike—wasn't this the work of a Title Douluo?
"I've heard that the Huo Family of Blazing Fire City possesses a stone that enhances fire-attribute comprehension. How about trading that?"
Ning Rongrong's voice pulled them back to reality.
"You want the Seven-Colored Flame Stone?!" Huo Wu's eyes widened.
"Oh, so that's its name?" Ning Rongrong's smile deepened at Huo Wu's reaction. She had guessed correctly—the Huo Family likely had an item that could serve as the fire-attribute counterpart to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's fire spring.
"Yes, how about it?"
"A Titan Giant Ape's spirit ring—even if only a thousand-year one—is comparable to a ten-thousand-year ring. Aren't you tempted?"
"Apologies, Senior." Huo Wushuang stepped forward with a bow.
"The Seven-Colored Flame Stone is a treasure passed down through generations of the Huo Family. It enhances fire-attribute Martial Soul comprehension. Even our mother doesn't have the sole authority to decide its fate."
"Besides, as precious as the Titan Giant Ape is, it can't compare to the stone's importance to us."
"I see…" Ning Rongrong wasn't surprised. It would've been strange if they agreed.
"Then I'll change the terms."
"Take me to meet the dean of Blazing Wind Academy. I'll negotiate the trade myself. Along the way, you can fill me in on what's happened these past few years."
Ning Rongrong paused mid-sentence.
The Godwind Academy and Blazing Fire Academy merged into… Blazing Wind Academy?
What kind of nonsense is that?
For a moment, she was utterly baffled.
"That's no problem," Huo Wushuang said.
"Brother…" Huo Wu looked like she wanted to say more.
Huo Wushuang shook his head at her before turning back. "We would be honored to escort you to Blazing Wind Academy, Grand Priest. However, we truly have no authority over trade matters."
"I already said I don't need you to decide. And don't worry—I'm a civilized person. I dislike violence. My sect also has a decent reputation."
"Might I ask which sect you belong to…?" Wang Teng couldn't help his curiosity.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Haven't you heard of it? The Sect Master has some… unique hobbies, but the clan's commercial reputation is quite solid."
"Uh—the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?!" All four of them gaped.
"What, never heard of it?"
"N-No, of course we have!" Wang Teng's voice trembled with awe. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is the continent's top alchemy sect, with wealth rivaling nations!"
"Some even say it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the recently resurgent Clear Sky Clan as the continent's top sects!"
"To think you hail from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan!"
"Truly… terrifying!" Wang Teng sucked in a cold breath.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's public information listed four Title Douluo, but rumors spoke of a fifth—a 99th-Rank Title Douluo comparable to the Spirit Hall's High Priest. Could this pinked haired girl be…?
"Could you be the legendary 'Nightmare' Title Douluo?"
Yes, only such an existence could so easily defeat a thousand-year Titan Giant Ape.
"Night… Nightmare?"
Since when does the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan have something like that?
Ning Rongrong blinked in confusion.
"You… don't know?" Wang Teng looked equally puzzled. "About two and a half years ago, near the Far North, the Spirit Hall's High Priest, Qian Daoliu, sparred with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's 'Nightmare' Grand Priest."
"In the end, it seemed the Nightmare Grand Priest won by a narrow margin…"
There were no walls without cracks.
Somehow, news of that battle had spread, complete with vivid details.
The Spirit Hall had tacitly acknowledged it.
Thus, a silent consensus had formed among the continent's Soul Masters.
Especially after the Clear Sky Clan's return, this consensus had solidified. On the surface, the rankings of the "Seven Great Sects" (Upper Three and Lower Four) still existed, but in reality, they were meaningless.
The Spirit Hall, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and the Clear Sky Clan—these three factions, each with a 99th-Rank Limit Douluo, were now recognized as the continent's super-first-rate powers.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?
A lone wolf, with only one Title Douluo at Rank 96—how could it compare?
"So that's how it is…" Ning Rongrong sighed.
So the battle from a "Year" ago still got out.
Was it the Clear Sky Clan?
The Spirit Hall wouldn't spread its own humiliation. It had to be the Clear Sky Clan.
But details like the Angelic Sword seemed absent—perhaps even the Clear Sky Clan didn't dare push things too far when it came to matters involving gods.
"Good. Your information is valuable to me." Ning Rongrong nodded.
"The spirit beast is yours. As per our agreement, take me to meet your dean."
Both sides felt they had gained from the exchange.
Especially Huo Wushuang's group—they felt they'd struck gold. All they had to do was recount recent events and escort this Grand Priest to their dean, and they'd get a five-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape's spirit ring for free!
As for the trade's outcome? That wasn't their concern.
To absorb a spirit ring, the recipient had to deliver the killing blow.
Not everyone had Ning Rongrong's versatile Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—capable of killing, storing, and utilizing spirit rings in one go.
Most Soul Masters struggled to find suitable spirit beasts, as spirit rings would dissipate if not absorbed in time.
"Ssshhhk—"
Huo Wushuang slit the unconscious Titan Giant Ape's throat. In its comatose state, its defenses were weakened—a weapon made of special metal, infused with soul power, could pierce its hide.
After some effort, a purple spirit ring finally rose from the Titan Giant Ape's corpse.
The beast was dead.
"This… this is!"
Huo Wushuang's body trembled as he stared at the Titan Giant Ape's remains.
The others' pupils also contracted sharply.
"Oh? Not bad. An unexpected bonus."
Ning Rongrong murmured, her expression unchanging.