Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Ning Rongrong's face was filled with barely suppressed excitement and pride. She took a deep breath, as if she were about to announce some incredibly good news.

"Actually... this time climbing the Sea God's Light, it wasn't just about passing the test!" She winked, keeping everyone in suspense, and only after seeing the curious looks on everyone's faces did she have a sudden thought.

In an instant, dazzling nine-colored divine light burst forth from her palm, illuminating the entire courtyard! The radiance was more magnificent and sacred than ever before!
A more exquisite and majestic glazed pagoda appeared out of thin air, slowly rotating in her palm. The pagoda was crystal clear and shimmering with light. The original seven-story structure had disappeared, replaced by a clearly defined nine-story structure!
Each layer radiates a different, magnificent halo, representing different ultimate amplification attributes! The vast and pure auxiliary power ripples out like the tide, causing the soul power of everyone present to involuntarily become active and resonate with it!
"This is... the ninth floor?!" Dugu Yan was the first to exclaim in shock, her emerald eyes filled with disbelief.

Even Ye Lingling's usually cold face showed a rare look of shock as she stared intently at the dreamlike nine-story pagoda.

As the inheritor of the Nine Heart Begonia lineage, she understands better than anyone what this "Nine-Story Glazed Pagoda" means.

The Nine-Heart Begonia and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda are both top-tier support-type martial souls on the continent, sharing a mysterious similarity and each burdened with its own destiny. Because of this, she understands all too well the terrible price her clan has paid to pass on the title of "Number One Healer in the World": generation after generation of single-lineage heirs, a thin bloodline, and each generation walking on thin ice.

Now, Ning Rongrong has actually broken the limit that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda has been passed down through generations.

Ye Lingling gazed at the dazzling nine-story pagoda, a faint yet incredibly complex emotion flickering deep within her cool eyes—a mixture of shock, relief, and perhaps even a hint of indescribable hope.

Even Feng Yao and Qian Renxue showed a hint of surprise and admiration in their eyes.

Ning Rongrong nodded vigorously, her voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Yes! The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda! When I was making my final ascent up the stairs, the pressure was immense, I felt like I was about to be crushed... Then I desperately channeled my soul power and the power of the Star Luo Spirit Pearl... Somehow, I... I broke through! It spontaneously transformed into nine levels!"

She held the newly evolved form of her martial soul with great affection, feeling the immense auxiliary power it contained, far exceeding that of the past.

"Excellent, Rongrong..." Feng Yao was genuinely pleased and smiled, "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda has evolved into the Nine Treasure Pagoda; this is a qualitative leap. Congratulations!"

Qian Renxue nodded and said, "I wonder what kind of amplification the two rays of light behind will provide. If the teacher knew, he would be extremely pleased."

Although Ye Lingling didn't speak, her eyes were filled with genuine joy, showing her happiness for her friend.

Dugu Yan stared at the shimmering Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's palm. Then, as if suddenly struck by a thought, she abruptly turned to Feng Yao beside her, her gaze intense. She grabbed his sleeve and asked urgently in a low voice, "Little Feng! Little Feng! Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda could evolve into the Nine Treasures, breaking the limits of their family's martial soul... Then, what about Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia?" Her voice trembled slightly, filled with immense anticipation. "Is it possible for her... is it possible for her to also break that damned curse of a single lineage passing down the lineage?"

Although her voice was soft, none of those present were ordinary people. Ye Lingling's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and she lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes concealing the turmoil within. Ning Rongrong also suppressed her excitement and looked over with concern.

All eyes were focused on Feng Yao.

Feng Yao did not answer immediately. His gaze swept past the silent Ye Lingling beside him, then met Dugu Yan's eyes, which were filled with eagerness and expectation. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke calmly:
"In a sense, Lingling's situation is different from Rongrong's. The Nine Heart Begonia itself is not a flawed martial soul."

"How is this possible?" Dugu Yan almost blurted out, but then subconsciously stopped herself, glancing carefully at Ye Lingling, afraid of touching on her deep-seated pain.

Feng Yao shook his head slightly. As his understanding of the laws of heaven and earth deepened, many previously vague points gradually became clear. He continued to explain:
"All things in the universe operate according to their own laws. The Nine-Heart Begonia, as a top-tier martial soul, is itself the ultimate manifestation of the Ye family's bloodline power. The reason why there are cases of a single generation passing it down to one person, or even... paying the price of life, is not because the martial soul is flawed, but because the Ye family's predecessors did not hesitate to use forbidden methods, preferring to concentrate all the bloodline power into one person rather than see this martial soul completely annihilated as the bloodline thins out."

His gaze was calm, and his voice was steady yet powerful: "This obsession is essentially the same as that of the ancestors of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School who pursued breaking through the limits of the Glazed Tile Pagoda throughout the ages—it is all for the sake of protecting the inheritance."

"You mean..." Dugu Yan's eyes suddenly lit up, "as long as Lingling's own bloodline power is strong enough, she can break free from the shackles of fate?"

“That’s right.” Feng Yao nodded affirmatively. “Mainland Soul Masters often only focus on cultivating Soul Power, neglecting the essence of Martial Soul, which actually originates from bloodline and life level. As long as they continuously break through their own limits, like Rongrong, they will naturally break free from their shackles one day. With Lingling’s talent, if she can pass the Sea God’s test, achieving a title is only a matter of time. At that time, her life level will leap forward, and her bloodline will naturally strengthen… Even if she gives birth to a treasure in the future…”

Before he could finish speaking, Ye Lingling, who was not far away, blushed slightly and gently pinched his arm, stopping him from saying anything more.

Dugu Yan understood perfectly. She and her grandfather, Dugu Bo, were the best examples—her grandfather evolved the Azure Phosphorous Serpent into a Serpent King through his own talent, while she herself, without the gift from the Blue Silver Clan and Feng Yao's use of immortal herbs to rebuild her foundation, would probably have been unable to break through the Azure Phosphorous Serpent's limits in her entire life.

Qian Renxue nodded slightly, her voice clear and calm: "What Xiaofeng said makes sense. Even in my Angel Clan, whose bloodline has been passed down to this day, the vast majority of our clan members can only awaken the most basic Twin-Winged Angel Martial Soul."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yao's eyes flashed with understanding, and he added softly, "Xue'er's ancestor was a true deity. Even gods cannot change the laws governing the world. If one wants to forcibly reverse the laws of the world, one must naturally pay the corresponding price. Lingling has no curse on her. Everything... is just the price that the Ye family must bear in order to retain the power of the Nine Heart Begonia."

At this moment, Ning Rongrong rested her chin on her hand and looked curiously at Feng Yao and Qian Renxue: "Little Feng, Sister Xue'er, what are the contents of your second test? Will they be the same as ours?" She subconsciously felt that since the first test was different, the second test would probably be difficult to be the same as ours.

Feng Yao closed his eyes and concentrated, carefully sensing the second test information transmitted by the Sea God's mark. At first, his brow furrowed slightly, then slowly relaxed, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes. He looked at everyone and spoke calmly:

"My second test is called 'Heart of the Vast Ocean'."

"The assessment requires me to enter the 'Raging Waves' in isolation within a year, without relying on soul power or external objects, and to perceive and resonate with the various distinct 'intentions' contained within the waves—anger, roar, sedimentation, inclusiveness, gestation, and destruction—ultimately restoring the Raging Waves to calm."

His gaze passed over the window frame and landed on the dark, surging sea in the distance, as if he could already see that roaring ocean: "Every raging wave is a dialogue with the emotions of the sea. What I need to do is not to fight against it, but to understand the origin of its myriad emotions... until I can condense a 'heart of the sea' in my mind that can encompass all the myriad aspects of the vast ocean and all things flowing into it."

This test targets the spiritual and legal realms, and its danger and mystery far surpass those of ordinary trials.

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. It was clear that Feng Yao was facing a much more solitary and perilous path of cultivation.

At this moment, Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes and calmly said, "I only had one test, and I have already completed it."

Everyone was taken aback.

"What about our second test?" Dugu Yan quickly sensed her own test mark, and Ye Lingling and Ning Rong also immediately closed their eyes to communicate. Soon, surprise appeared on the faces of the three women.

“My second test is ‘assistance, the ring sea blockade’…I need to assist Sister Yan in passing through the ring sea,” Ning Rongrong read softly.

Ye Lingling nodded as well; their assessment was also to assist Dugu Yan in breaking through the blockade.

After a moment of contemplation, Dugu Yan said, "My test is to break through the blockade of the Ring Sea without polluting the seawater."

Feng Yao nodded slightly. The Sea God's arrangement was indeed reasonable—it would have been almost impossible for Dugu Yan to lead two support characters to break through the sea area guarded by the Demon Soul Great White Shark. However, with the amplification of the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda and the healing of the Nine Heart Begonia, the chances of success were much greater.

The content of the second test was already clear, and the atmosphere in the courtyard quieted down again, yet a firm fighting spirit was subtly flowing through it.

“In that case…” Feng Yao stood up, his gaze sweeping over each of his companions, “We’ll rest for a day tomorrow. Starting the day after tomorrow, we’ll each head towards our respective goals.”

After parting ways with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Tang San returned to the Tang Sect in Heaven Dou City.

Inside the secret chamber, after listening to Titan's detailed report on the recent constraints and blocked resource channels faced by the Tang Sect, Tang San's face remained expressionless, only his deep, dark red eyes radiated an increasingly chilling aura.

"Sect Master, it seems that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Heavenly Dou Royal Family..." Titan's tone was heavy, filled with resentment.

"No need to say anything more." Tang San interrupted him, his voice eerily calm. "They've made their choice. In the end, strength will decide everything on this continent."

He slowly stood up, and the murderous aura that had been suppressed all over him once again spread out uncontrollably, making even a powerful figure like Titan feel a chill.

"Pass the order."

"First, all of Tang Clan's publicly visible businesses should be reduced and reorganized."

"Second, send out all the scouts of the Tang Clan. I need to know the whereabouts of all the important figures of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, especially the direct disciples, as well as the daily routines of those powerful figures in the Heaven Dou Royal Family."

"Third, we must devote all our efforts to developing more potent poisons and hidden weapons, especially... the kind that can be used on a large scale."

"Fourth, from today onwards, the Tang Clan will go underground. No one may act without my order."

The orders were issued coldly, filled with unquestionable decisiveness and a disturbing obsession.

Titan was deeply shaken. He detected in these commands a new, almost insane, sense of adventure and revenge. "Sect Master, what are you going to do..."

Tang San slowly turned his head, his dark red eyes fixed on Titan, a cold and sinister smile curving his lips: "Aren't they afraid of me? Don't they want to cut ties? Then I'll let them see clearly... what price they will pay for defying me, or rather, defying the will of the 'God of Slaughter'."

"Let's start with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School... Since they dared to be the first to withdraw their funding, they should be prepared to bear the consequences. I want their disciples who go out to the outside world to mysteriously disappear one by one."

Meanwhile, inside the Spirit Hall, in the Papal Palace.

Bibi Dong looked at the latest secret letter from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School presented by the ghostly figure. The letter detailed the route and timing of the secret transfer of its direct disciples. A cold satisfaction flashed in her bewitching eyes.

"Very good. Yue Guan, you personally lead a team to meet Ning Fengzhi's people. Make sure their 'safety' is guaranteed." She emphasized the word "safety" slightly.

"Yes, Your Holiness." Yue Guan bowed and accepted the order, a knowing glint in his eyes. This was both a backup plan and a way to firmly grasp the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's weakness.

Bibi Dong then looked at Gui Mei: "Any news from Tian Dou?"

The ghostly figure flickered like a wisp of mist: "Your Majesty, we have preliminarily determined that Tang San is roughly active near the territory of the Power Clan, but his exact whereabouts are extremely well concealed, and there is a barrier similar to a killing field interfering with his movements, making it difficult to pinpoint his location. We have also detected unusual movements and frequent activities by the Tang Sect recently, which may indicate that they are targeting the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Heavenly Dou Sect."

“Oh?” Bibi Dong’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “It seems Ning Fengzhi was indeed prescient; he’s more impatient than we imagined. In that case… Ghost, let our people ‘help’ him.”

"what do you mean?"

“Inadvertently revealed some insignificant members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to the Tang Sect.”

Ghost immediately understood Bibi Dong's intention—to add fuel to the fire and push things along. Since the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was already prepared, let Tang San tear into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. This would test Tang San, expose him completely, make it easier for the Spirit Hall to clean up the mess, and even perfectly pin the blame on Tang San.

"Understood! I'll take care of it right away!"

A storm is brewing rapidly, secretly manipulated by the Spirit Hall and driven by Tang San's increasingly frenzied killing intent. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has become the first epicenter of this storm. Meanwhile, on Seagod Island, Feng Yao and the others are completely unaware of this, focusing on their respective second trials.

...(End of chapter)