23: Chapter 23 Bone Douluo is seriously injured, and the death of Dugu Bo is exposed.

Two days later. Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, main assembly hall.

A middle-aged man with a face like jade and a refined, elegant demeanor sat upright on the Sect Master's throne; it was none other than Ning Fengzhi.

Below him on both sides, Chen Xin, the Sword Douluo, sat as still as a pine tree, while Bone Douluo Gu Rong had a composed and steady aura.

"Reporting to the Sect Master, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived." A young man bowed and reported.

"Qinghe is here? Quickly, let him come in."

"Yes."

Soon, Xue Qinghe walked into the hall with a calm gait.

"Teacher." He respectfully performed a Disciple's salute, then turned to the two Titled Douluo, "Greetings to Your Excellencies, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo."

The Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"Qinghe, there is no need for such formalities." Ning Fengzhi smiled gently, "Why have you come today?"

"Teacher, the situation is this..." Xue Qinghe's expression became a bit more serious as he recounted the purpose of his visit.

Ning Fengzhi pondered in silence; he was naturally aware of Dugu Bo's disappearance.

But in his heart, this matter brought more benefits than harm to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

With the Heaven Dou Imperial Family losing their only Titled Douluo Guest Elder, they would inevitably rely more heavily on his Sect.

The status of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School within the Heaven Dou Empire would also rise accordingly.

However, since Xue Qinghe had personally come to ask for help, as his teacher, it would be inappropriate to refuse, both in terms of emotion and reason.

"Since that is the case..." Ning Fengzhi looked at Bone Douluo, "I will have to trouble you to make a trip, Uncle Gu."

"Many thanks, Teacher, and to Your Excellency, Bone Douluo." Xue Qinghe bowed in gratitude.

Gu Rong nodded slightly and slowly stood up.

His Bone Dragon Spirit manifested, and ripples appeared in the space in front of him, constructing a spatial channel. Gu Rong stepped inside, and with a flash of light, his figure disappeared from the hall.

"Qinghe, you may rest in the Sect for a while; Uncle Gu will return shortly."

"I apologize for the intrusion, Teacher."

The perimeter of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

A burst of spatial fluctuation quietly spread, and Gu Rong's figure stepped out from the Void Realm.

"This poisonous miasma seems to truly be the work of that old poison master..." He pondered to himself, "Could he really be inside?"

Gu Rong looked at the poisonous miasma before him, his brows slightly furrowed; these poisonous mists were clearly mixed with Jade Phosphorus Snake venom.

Gu Rong stopped overthinking, tore open another spatial rift in front of him, and his figure merged into it.

Inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Ji Xuan was currently tempering his body in the center of the spring water.

Gold Crocodile Douluo was Cultivating in the distance when suddenly, he sensed a Soul Power fluctuation of a level 95 Titled Douluo.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze looking toward the mountaintop like lightning.

Golden Crocodile immediately stood up, his Golden Crocodile King Spirit manifested behind him, nine spirit rings circled under his feet, and his figure instantly vanished from where he stood.

Above the mountaintop.

Gu Rong had just stepped out of the spatial channel and was surprised that this place was a hidden valley, when a chill suddenly shot straight from his spine to the top of his head!

"Not good!"

Gu Rong's pupils constricted sharply as he saw a golden stream of light shoot up from the bottom of the valley, moving at an extreme speed!

"This... Spirit, and a 100,000-year spirit ring! It's that person from Spirit Hall!"

Gu Rong did not hesitate to drive his Soul Power to construct a spatial channel...

Just as his body was halfway into the channel, the golden stream of light had already reached behind him.

Gold Crocodile Douluo slammed a claw toward Gu Rong!

"Pfft—"

Gu Rong felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow, spitting out a mouthful of blood as a claw mark, deep enough to see bone, appeared on his back.

Borrowing this impact force, he forcibly completed the spatial traversal and disappeared from the mountaintop.

"Hmph, you escaped quite quickly."

Gold Crocodile Douluo's figure appeared, looking at the gradually stabilizing spatial fluctuations, the cold light in his eyes not yet dissipated.

Gold Crocodile Douluo withdrew his gaze, his Soul Power gradually calmed, and he returned to the bottom of the valley.

Ji Xuan sensed the commotion and also rose from the spring water, droplets of water sliding down his well-defined body.

Ji Xuan walked ashore and asked in confusion, "Junior Martial Uncle Golden Crocodile, what was that just now?"

"It was Bone Douluo from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. His Spirit is quite strange; he actually managed to escape."

Golden Crocodile's brows furrowed slightly: "He should have seen my Spirit. It seems that the matter of Dugu Bo will likely not be able to be kept hidden."

Ji Xuan shook his head slightly: "No matter, it would have been exposed sooner or later anyway."

"Furthermore, whether it is the Heaven Dou Empire or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, they will all be enemies of Spirit Hall in the future."

"Even if they learn the truth, so what? Before absolute strength, these forces are nothing more than motley crews."

A cold light flashed in Ji Xuan's eyes as he continued: "Once we deliver these Immortal Plants back to the Elder Hall, the overall strength of Spirit Hall will surely undergo a transformation."

"At that time, if they are sensible, they might still keep their lives, but if they insist on being enemies with Spirit Hall..."

Ji Xuan curled his lips into an arc, paused, and said with a hint of coldness in his voice, "We shall simply cut them down with one sword."

Gold Crocodile Douluo nodded upon hearing this, a look of approval appearing in his eyes.

Ji Xuan's decisive Heart-Nature suited his taste; his eldest brother, Qian Daoliu, was simply too pedantic.

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School main hall.

Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe were conversing with each other.

Suddenly, a spatial channel appeared within the hall.

"It is Uncle Gu who has returned."

Ning Fengzhi turned his gaze toward the spatial ripples appearing in the hall and stood up with a smile to welcome him.

Xue Qinghe also stood up, a trace of imperceptible surprise flashing deep in his eyes.

Gu Rong actually managed to escape from Grandfather Golden Crocodile's hands...

"Something is wrong, Old Bone's aura..."

Just at this moment, Chen Xin stood up abruptly; his face, which was usually as calm as an ancient well, was now deeply furrowed.

The spatial channel vibrated violently as Gu Rong's figure stumbled out, a hideous claw mark, deep enough to see bone, on his back.

Fresh blood stained the clothes on his back, and his aura was extremely weak.

Chen Xin hurriedly stepped forward, supporting Gu Rong, and asked urgently: "Old Bone, what on earth happened? Who wounded you like this?!"

"Cough... cough, it is... it is Golden Crocodile from Spirit Hall."

Gu Rong still felt a lingering fear at this moment; if he hadn't been quite a distance away from Gold Crocodile Douluo, he would never have been able to escape in time. Gold Crocodile's strength was simply too terrifying...

"Spirit Hall?!" Ning Fengzhi's expression became extremely grave, "Uncle Gu, what exactly happened?"

"At that time..." Gu Rong slowly recounted what had happened earlier.

With every sentence he spoke, Ning Fengzhi's expression became a degree more grave.

As soon as Gu Rong finished speaking, Ning Fengzhi said in a heavy tone: "Looking at it this way... Dugu Bo has likely truly been killed by people from Spirit Hall."

Ning Fengzhi turned his gaze to Chen Xin: "Uncle Sword, you should first take Uncle Gu to treat his wounds."

After Chen Xin and Gu Rong left the hall, Xue Qinghe stepped forward at the right moment, a perfectly measured look of shock and anger on his face: "Spirit Hall actually dares to lay hands on an Imperial Guest Elder! Teacher, I will return immediately to report this matter to the Imperial Father."

"Go." Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly.

"This student takes his leave." Xue Qinghe bowed solemnly, and as he turned to leave, he carried a perfectly measured sense of urgency.

After Xue Qinghe left, Ning Fengzhi stood alone in the hall.

A moment later, he instructed the guards outside the door: "Pass down the order: from this day forward, all Sect Disciples outside are to be doubly cautious and focus on monitoring the movements of Spirit Hall."

"Yes."

A moment later, Ning Fengzhi sighed softly and muttered to himself: "A storm is brewing..."