Yin Yang and Chen Xin's cultivation lasted for an entire day and night. At dawn on the third day, the two of them woke simultaneously from their meditative state.
At this time, the outer disciples of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect were beginning their morning training.
Suddenly, a massive phenomenon in the heavens caught everyone's attention. The sky seemed to be split in half by some sharp weapon. Next, the clear sky, which had been free of clouds, was suddenly filled with thunder, and the overwhelming pressure made it hard for anyone to breathe.
Inside the grand hall, Ning Fengzhi and the others exclaimed excitedly, "It worked! Sword Uncle and Uncle Eagle have both succeeded in their breakthroughs."
Chen Xin opened his eyes first. His flowing white hair moved without wind, exuding an ethereal aura. His cultivation level had risen far beyond what it had been before.
"Old Sword, what's your level now? Why can't I see through your strength at all?" Gu Rong asked curiously.
"Ninety-eighth level!" Chen Xin said with disbelief. He then turned to Tianlin and said, "Xiao Tian, what you told me about the Primordial Chaos Immortal Herb raising my level to ninety-eight is true. But I thought I'd just barely reach the ninety-eighth level. Now, I find myself at the mid-stage of ninety-eight, with incredibly refined soul power."
"That's natural. It wouldn't deserve the title of a top-tier immortal herb. Master, condensed soul power will also help you in the future when you aim for the ninety-ninth level," Tianlin replied with a smile.
"Mid-stage of ninety-eight? My goodness, Old Sword, your strength is terrifying now! I'd guess that even Tang Hao might not be your match anymore. Compared to you, I..." Gu Rong trailed off, feeling both happy for his old friend and slightly dispirited.
He had thought that after breaking through to the ninety-sixth level, he had finally caught up to his old friend. But instead, the gap between their strengths had grown even larger.
"Old Bones, don't underestimate yourself. I've noticed that your martial soul seems to have evolved, and your soul power is at the peak of ninety-six. With time, breaking through to ninety-seven should be no problem for you."
Chen Xin, at the ninety-eighth level, was so powerful that he could immediately discern Gu Rong's condition. It was just as expected—soul masters above the ninety-fifth level experienced a qualitative change with every level gained.
Seeing this, Tianlin felt a weight lift off his chest. Ever since joining the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, he had been haunted by the fear of the sect's eventual destruction. To prevent such a catastrophe, he had trained relentlessly, all in the hope of protecting everyone.
Tianlin had never considered leaving. Though he didn't see himself as someone with great righteousness, he would never repay kindness with ingratitude.
However, he realized he had fallen into a misconception. He had been focusing solely on relying on his strength to avert disaster.
In truth, even if he trained with all his might, by the time the Soul Hunting operation occurred, the best he could achieve would be the Soul Sage level. He might barely be able to fight an ordinary Titled Douluo.
Today, he finally found the right path—not only did he need to strengthen himself, but he also needed to strengthen the sect.
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo were the true fighting power of the sect.
With Ning Fengzhi breaking through to the eighty-level threshold, combined with the ninety-eighth-level Sword Douluo, their combined strength was immense. Unless Qian Daoliu or Bibi Dong personally intervened, no amount of ordinary Titled Douluos would pose a threat.
A sect belonged to everyone, and it should be protected through collective effort. This was the truth that Tianlin understood today.
At this moment, on the other side, Yin Yang also opened his eyes. He stood up and, transforming into a bolt of lightning, appeared directly in front of Tianlin. "Xiao Tian, thank you. I've succeeded. The bottleneck that has plagued me for nearly twenty years has finally been broken today."
The excitement in Yin Yang's words was no less than Ning Fengzhi's earlier. After all, becoming a Titled Douluo had always been his dream.
"Haha! Old Eagle, congratulations! Yesterday, Fengzhi also successfully broke through to the eighty-level threshold. Soon, I'll accompany you both to hunt for soul beasts. With this, our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect will have three Titled Douluos! No, wait—if we include the Old Poison who will soon return, we'll have four Titled Douluos!" Gu Rong exclaimed joyfully.
Even the Spirit Hall only had One Hall and Three Douluos on the surface. The strength of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect could now rival almost any force on the continent.
"Uncle Ning, I have a suggestion regarding this. The breakthroughs of you, Grandpa Bone, and Master shouldn't be publicized. After all, keeping a low profile is the best way to survive," Tianlin suggested.
His goal was to deal a heavy blow to the Spirit Hall in the future. Ning Fengzhi agreed with this suggestion, as he had been thinking along the same lines.
A sect could be strong, but it must not appear too strong. Otherwise, it would attract hostility from other major powers, including the Heaven Dou Empire, which had always supported them. Until the day came when Tianlin and Ning Rongrong had fully grown, and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect became invincible, they needed to maintain a low profile.
"Xiao Tian, you're right. However, the earlier phenomenon is impossible to conceal. Fortunately, Uncle Eagle and Uncle Sword broke through almost simultaneously. To the outside world, we can claim that the phenomenon was caused by Uncle Eagle's breakthrough to Titled Douluo," Ning Fengzhi said thoughtfully.
He quickly came up with a plausible explanation. Yin Yang's martial soul, the Thunder Feather Golden Eagle, was aggressive and possessed lightning attributes, perfectly matching the earlier phenomenon. No one would doubt it.
This way, they could hide most of their strength while still showing enough to deter others. A sect with three Titled Douluos would no longer be underestimated.
Ning Fengzhi, along with the three elders, and Tianlin holding Ning Rongrong's hand, walked out of the Seven Treasures Hall together.
By now, a large crowd of outer disciples had gathered outside the hall. As mentioned earlier, the phenomenon was impossible to hide. Ning Fengzhi needed to provide a reasonable explanation to reassure his disciples and any spies from other forces.
However, as they stepped outside, Ning Fengzhi found himself in a slightly awkward situation—he couldn't stop himself from wanting to laugh.
As the sect master, Ning Fengzhi had always maintained a serious and just image. Dignified yet gentle, that was his hallmark. Even when he smiled, it was always a light smile, like a spring breeze. He had never burst into hearty laughter. He had been professionally trained for this—except when he absolutely couldn't hold it in.
"Old Sword, what's wrong with Fengzhi?" Gu Rong used sound transmission to ask Chen Xin.
"He's just too happy and can't hold it in," Chen Xin replied in the same manner.
Indeed, Ning Fengzhi was overjoyed. In just one day, the strength of the sect had multiplied several times. Now, he was about to announce good news to the disciples. How could he hold back?
"Ahem!" Ning Fengzhi coughed to ease the awkwardness, silently reminding himself, "No, I'm the aloof sect master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. I can't break character. I must hold it in!"
"Well, disciples, I'm sure you're all curious about the phenomenon just now. Let me share some great news. Moments ago, our sect's Third Elder, Yin Yang, successfully broke through under the witness of me, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo. He has officially reached the ninety-level threshold, stepping into the realm of Titled Douluos!"