With Ghost's departure, the Black Tiger Sect slunk away from the Great Spirit Arena in disgrace.
Around the arena, the atmosphere lightened instantly. Members of the Ge Family, Thunder Academy, the Zhu Family, and the Dai Family all wore smiles.
Only Tuoba Xi of the Sacred Dragon Clan, had an ugly smile. Although he still managed to keep his composure.
The outcome was already decided.
The share of benefits left behind after the Clear Sky Sect's withdrawal now belonged to the Six Great Families.
What came next was just haggling among the six.
The Dugu Family, had killed two members of the Black Tiger Sect hence they were sure to claim a very large portion.
But those matters were for his father and Old Snake to handle.
Dugu Feng returned to his room in high spirits.
What truly delighted him was that the orb within his body had finally evolved!
Two pearls had split into four!
Sitting cross-legged, Dugu Feng sank his mind inward. In his dantian, four jade-green pearls formed a square, quietly revolving.
But the energy within each pearl was only a quarter full.
"Huh? A quarter?"
Originally, Dugu Feng thought the energy would drop to half. It seemed the pearls' quality had improved greatly.
The energy condensed more like a solid, which was why the quantity appeared so much less.
Boom!
As his senses focused, a torrent of scorching heat burst from the four pearls, flooding into his limbs and bones.
First, the soul power in his meridians surged forward, breaking through yet again and into the seventeenth rank.
Under normal cultivation, he would have needed at least two more months to rise a single level. But now, it had happened instantly!
Dugu Feng was thrilled.
All those sleepless nights of cultivation, all that feasting , it was finally rewarded.
The raging current then poured into his bones, his muscles, every single cell of his blood.
Hah!
His entire body felt strengthened.
"Eh?"
Dugu Feng noticed something odd. Two streams of energy flowed from his arm meridians into the bodies of his Nine-Segment Jade Snakes.
Their crimson eyes trembled violently.
Their strength began to skyrocket.
Eleven hundred years.
Twelve hundred years.
Thirteen hundred years.
Until both pets surpassed two thousand years, the growth finally halted.
Dugu Feng was speechless. Why did it feel like his two snakes had gained more than he did?
No matter. They were his workers anyway…
Besides, the Jade Snakes' bodies were small, requiring little energy to grow.
Most of the heat had gone into strengthening his own body.
It seemed absorbing a thousand-year soul ring for his second ring would be no problem at all. The only question was — how many years should he choose?
Four streaks of green light flashed.
As he exhaled, the pearls drifted into his hand. Already able to change size before, after evolution they had become even more mysterious.
Size could shift at will but that was just very basic.
But as the pearls swirled within him just now, they had drawn in the toxins deep within his bloodline!
After evolving, the pearls craved poison even more.
"Does this mean my poison outbreaks are completely solved?"
The four pearls demanded an enormous amount of toxin. His body might not even be able to produce enough to feed them.
Then what was there to "poison outbreak" about?
And the pearls' devouring power was far stronger than before.
The inherited poison fused deep in his bloodline — born of his father Dugu Shuo's mixed poison, stubborn and unyielding — was the very root of his outbreaks.
Yet now, the pearls could even draw in that stubborn poison.
This was astonishing!
It meant his innate poison problem could be suppressed as long as the pearls kept evolving.
Dugu Feng's mood soared. From now on, the torment of poison outbreaks would be greatly lessened.
In the blink of an eye, another day passed. The final duel had arrived.
Without the threat of the Black Tiger Sect, the matches were sure to be harmonious.
Dugu Feng stepped leisurely onto the arena stage.
He looked forward to today's fight. His opponent was Zhu Zhuqing. He was curious — would she dare to show up?
The roar of the stands answered him. She had guts.
Zhu Zhuqing appeared. The beautiful young spirit master drew a wave of cheers.
Her figure floated as she leapt, landing gracefully on the stage. Her elegant poise stirred cries of awe.
The moment her feet touched down, Zhu Zhuqing released her spirit.
One eye turned emerald, the other orange-blue, and atop her head, a pair of cat ears perked adorably.
"You really dared to get on stage," Dugu Feng said with interest.
Zhu Zhuqing's face was icy. "You're strong. But not so strong as to inspire fear."
"In that case, I'll make you meow like a cat." Dugu Feng grinned brilliantly.
This little kitten's competitive streak was too strong. Time to show her the gap!
He instantly released his spirit, soul power surging forth.
Zhu Zhuqing's expression hardened. She burst into action.
Her ten fingers flicked, sharp claws extending. Her body crouched low like a predator — then shot forward.
"Hei Tian tried the same thing, striking first. Too bad it won't work on me at all."
Even as he spoke, Dugu Feng's eyes locked on the trail of afterimages she left behind.
Her speed was slightly faster than Hei Tian's.
And her footwork, more elusive.
Determination flashed across her face amid the afterimages. Her first spirit ring flared. "Nether Thrust!"
Her figure blurred faster still.
The arena wasn't large. At that speed, she was almost instantly upon him.
She relied on the confusion of afterimages, hiding her true body until the last moment, then doubling her speed for the killing strike.
From above, it looked like she shot in from a diagonal flank.
Her claws stretched wide, about to tear into Dugu Feng's vital points.
Clang!
Sparks burst from her claws, the impact halting her mid-lunge.
Clang!
Another impact rang out.
Even the naïve Zhu Zhuqing realized — her movements had been completely read.
She looked up. Dugu Feng wore a mocking smile. His hands rose, launching streak after streak of violet soul power.
Each strike landed precisely on her claws.
Forcing her back step by step.
Anger flared in Zhu Zhuqing's chest. She surged her soul power. Her figure shifted sideways midair with brute force.
Then lunged again.
But clang, clang echoed once more. Her body jolted repeatedly. She still couldn't escape his assault.
"Damn it, he's toying with me!"
She knew all too well now. She was no match for him.
I'm going to lose? Just like that?
Unwillingness burned in her eyes. She lashed out again with her claws.
"I said I'd make you meow." Dugu Feng's gaze was cold.
"Ah!"
Zhu Zhuqing cried out. Dizziness swept over her. Her spirit possession collapsed, and she crashed heavily onto the arena floor.
"Little kitten, you're far too naïve. Did you really think I was only using soul power?
The poison has already entered your body. Within moments, you'll melt into pus and blood."
Dugu Feng sneered.