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

After bidding farewell to Dugu Bo, Feng Yao's figure once again merged into the sky, speeding towards the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Compared to Dugu Bo's reclusive lifestyle, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, as one of the three upper sects, remains the focus of attention for all parties, even in the current tense situation.

Before long, the heavily guarded sect nestled in the mountains outside Tiandou City came into view. Feng Yao did not conceal his presence and was stopped by patrolling disciples at the sect entrance. After he identified himself and explained his purpose, the disciples dared not delay and quickly relayed his message.

This time, it wasn't Sword Douluo who came out to greet them, but Bone Douluo Gu Rong. When Gu Rong saw Feng Yao, a hint of surprise appeared on his usually gloomy face, clearly sensing the unfathomable change in Feng Yao's aura.

"It's been a long time, senior." Feng Yao bowed slightly to Bone Douluo Gu Rong, his attitude humble yet possessing a calm and composed demeanor.

Gu Rong's sharp gaze swept over Feng Yao from behind, his gray eyebrows furrowing slightly, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tension: "Kid, why are you alone? Where's Rongrong?"

Feng Yao immediately realized the other party's possible concerns. To avoid a misunderstanding like that of Dugu Bo before, he quickly spoke, his tone clear and certain: "Senior, rest assured, Rongrong is still undergoing the assessment on Seagod Island. Everything is fine and she is very safe. Please allow me to report the details when I meet Sect Master Ning later."

Hearing that Rongrong was safe and sound, Gu Rong's tense expression eased slightly, and he nodded. His deep gaze fell on Feng Yao again, scrutinizing him carefully, a hint of undisguised surprise flashing in his eyes. He keenly sensed that the young man's aura was harmonious and restrained, seemingly in harmony with the surrounding space, giving him an unfathomable air. Sensing the changes in Feng Yao, Gu Rong couldn't help but feel a little more at ease.

"Well, that's good then." Gu Rong suppressed his surprise and exclaimed, "Kid, it hasn't been that long since I last saw you, but your cultivation has improved by leaps and bounds, it's truly astonishing."

He said no more, turned around and gestured: "Come with me, the sect leader is waiting." After saying that, he led Feng Yao toward the council hall deep in the sect.

Inside the council hall, Ning Fengzhi, having already received the news, stood by the window, his brow furrowed with deep worry. Hearing footsteps, he turned around and, upon seeing Feng Yao, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but it was quickly concealed by a gentle smile.

"Xiao Feng, it's good that you've returned safely." Ning Fengzhi's voice was still gentle, but it couldn't hide a trace of fatigue. "Your aura is calm and composed, far better than before. You must have gained a lot on Seagod Island."

"Uncle Ning, senior." Feng Yao bowed and greeted him, getting straight to the point, "I have just returned from Seagod Island and have come to report that I am safe and sound. Rongrong is doing well on Seagod Island. Although the assessment was arduous, she was determined and made rapid progress."

Upon hearing news of his daughter, Ning Fengzhi's expression visibly relaxed, and concern appeared in his eyes: "That Rongrong, did she cause you any trouble?"

“How could that be?” Feng Yao smiled slightly and revealed the most crucial information, “Not only is there no trouble, but Rongrong has also evolved her martial soul through her own efforts and the opportunity of the Sea God’s assessment.”

"Evolution?" Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong beside him were both stunned, their eyes flashing with disbelief. The evolution of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was a legend that all direct descendants of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had dreamed of!

"Yes." Feng Yao nodded affirmatively, his tone carrying a hint of congratulations, "Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda has successfully evolved into the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda during the assessment."

"Nine-Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!"

Even with Ning Fengzhi's composure, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, leaning forward slightly, his face filled with excitement and elation. Gu Rong's eyes widened even more, his breathing quickening. This was undoubtedly tremendous news for the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School! It meant that the sect's limits had been broken, and its future held limitless possibilities!

"Good! Good! Good!" Ning Fengzhi exclaimed three times, so excited he could hardly contain himself. It took him a long time to calm down before he bowed solemnly to Feng Yao. "Rongrong's good fortune is undoubtedly due to Feng Yao's care and the blessings of Seagod Island. On behalf of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, I thank you!"

“Uncle Ning, you flatter me. This is the result of Rongrong’s own hard work.” Feng Yao stepped aside to avoid the bow, then changed the subject, his expression slightly serious. “I have come here today to ask another question. I have heard of the great changes on the continent and the Tang Clan… I wonder about your sect’s Manager Ning in Notting City…”

Mentioning this, Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but smile slightly: "Little Feng, you're very thoughtful. Manager Ning of the Notting City branch is my cousin, indeed a direct descendant. Fortunately, we noticed Tang San's unusual condition in time and had already secretly recalled all the important direct descendants who were scattered outside. He is now safe and sound and has already taken refuge in the Spirit Hall."

Upon learning that Manager Ning had indeed been safely transferred, Feng Yao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's good that everyone is safe. Uncle Ning, you were very farsighted."

Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi sighed softly, a hint of relief and lingering fear in his eyes: "Yes, looking back now, it's all thanks to your reminder, Xiao Feng. If my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School hadn't been able to extricate itself in time and had remained closely bound to them, I'm afraid that... we would have ended up in a miserable state, and our century-old foundation would have been destroyed in an instant."

Feng Yao remained calm, his tone gentle yet profound: "Uncle Ning, you flatter me. The higher you climb, the colder it gets. Standing at the pinnacle of power on the continent, every move you make is crucial to the survival of your sect. Sometimes, one wrong step can lead to an abyss. Your dedication to the sect's prosperity is commendable. The important thing is that the sect is now safe and sound, and the future holds limitless possibilities."

Ning Fengzhi nodded slowly with a solemn expression, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the scepter. His voice was low and deep: "Tang San's temperament has changed drastically, and his strength is unfathomable. He acts erratically and cruelly, without any scruples. On the continent, a storm is brewing, and people are filled with fear." He changed the subject slightly, with a hint of barely perceptible relief, "Fortunately, after committing such heinous crimes, he vanished as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth. This allowed the tense situation within the Heaven Dou Empire to temporarily ease and barely maintain a semblance of stability."

He looked up at Feng Yao, his gaze deep: "Little Feng, your return this time must be... also for his sake, right?"

Feng Yao shook his head slightly, his tone calm yet detached: "This junior returned to the mainland mainly on the orders of the senior from Seagod Island to handle some matters. Unexpectedly, I heard such terrible news on the way," he paused, then continued, "I came here on the way to visit you, to check on the situation in the Heavenly Battle, and to let you know that Rongrong is safe. As for Tang San himself..."

Feng Yao's gaze swept over Ning Fengzhi, as if directed towards a more distant void. His voice, though soft, carried an undeniable certainty: "He is no longer the greatest threat to me. What I truly need to be wary of is the deity standing behind him..."

Ning Fengzhi's gaze was complex, and he murmured softly, as if the word weighed a ton: "God...?"

Then, he slowly refocused his gaze on Feng Yao, his eyes seeming to pierce through appearances and see into his essence. He pondered for a moment, his tone carrying an unprecedented caution and inquiry: "Little Feng, you... must also be a chosen one of the gods now, right?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yao's face revealed a gentle and reserved smile, a smile that contained both understanding and relief. He nodded slightly, not boasting directly, but sharing this honor with another person, saying with certainty, "Rongrong... is the same."

After exchanging pleasantries, Feng Yao was about to take his leave when Gu Rong, the Bone Douluo, suddenly stepped forward, his deep eyes flashing with curiosity and fighting spirit: "Boy, wait a minute."

At some point, Sword Douluo Chen Xin appeared beside Ning Fengzhi, nodding slightly. Though his sharp sword intent hadn't fully erupted, it already caused the surrounding air to stagnate slightly. He said in a deep voice, "Boy, your aura has deepened considerably since your return, a world apart from when we last met you. Old Bones and I are truly curious; would you be so kind as to spar with us and witness the results of our training on Seagod Island?"

Ning Fengzhi did not stop him, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry and anticipation. He also wanted to see just how far this young man had come. Upon hearing this, Feng Yao stopped and turned to face the two renowned Title Douluos. There was no fear on his face, but rather a peaceful smile: "Since you two seniors have such an interest, this junior will gladly oblige. Seniors, let's have a chat in the air."

The three moved extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye they were in mid-air, while Ning Fengzhi appeared on the top floor of the huge glazed pagoda of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Gu Rong and Chen Xin stood on either side, their auras instantly becoming heavy. One was the unpredictable Bone Dragon Douluo, and the other was the Sword Douluo whose attacks were unparalleled in the world. When the two joined forces, their power was enough to make any Title Douluo take them seriously.

However, Feng Yao remained standing still, without even summoning his martial soul Fuxi. He simply raised his hands slowly, his ten fingers slightly bent, as if pressing on invisible strings. His soul rings also appeared around him: yellow, yellow, purple, black, black, black, black, red, red.

"As expected, there are nine..."

Gu Rong and Chen Xin exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. But the next moment, they moved simultaneously!

With a flicker, Gu Rong disappeared into the shadows like a ghost, and countless enormous, white bone spikes appeared out of thin air, piercing Feng Yao from all sorts of tricky angles. A powerful spatial confinement force also quietly descended.

Chen Xin pointed his fingers like a sword, and a silver sword aura, extremely condensed and seemingly capable of cutting through space, struck first and aimed directly at Feng Yao's face, its speed exceeding all expectations.

Facing the combined attack of two Super Douluos, Feng Yao remained unfazed. His fingers, which had been seemingly pressing down, suddenly flicked!

"Om-!"

There was no instrument body, no strings, yet a clear and melodious sound arose out of nowhere, as if it originated from heaven and earth itself.

As he flicked his fingertips, the air around him instantly became viscous and elastic, and transparent ripples, barely perceptible to the naked eye, spread out from him.

The sharp bone spikes that pierced towards him seemed to sink into an invisible quagmire the moment they touched the ripples. Their speed decreased drastically, and their trajectories were strangely deflected. They collided with each other, producing dull thuds, and none of them could get close to Feng Yao. The ancient banyan tree's powerful spatial confinement force was also easily deflected and neutralized by these invisible sonic ripples.

At the same time, Feng Yao flicked his fingers with his other hand and slashed out.

"Zheng! Zheng! Zheng!"

Several more condensed, almost tangible, transparent sonic blades shot out, precisely meeting Chen Xin's sharp sword aura.

boom! boom! boom!
A series of muffled yet deafening explosions erupted in the air. The sword energy and the sonic blade vanished simultaneously, and the dissipating energy shockwaves carved deep grooves into the ground of the training ground.

Chen Xin's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He felt that his sword energy was perfectly neutralized by the invisible blade condensed purely from sound waves. Moreover, the sound blade contained a peculiar vibration, like ocean waves, which was extremely difficult to deal with.

Gu Rong's figure tumbled out of the shadows, his face filled with astonishment. His bone spike attack and spatial control had been effortlessly neutralized by his opponent in such an unprecedented way, as if all his attacks had fallen into the invisible force field that his opponent had already set up.

"You don't even need a martial spirit..."

Feng Yao's ten fingers remained poised, their tips dancing erratically, as if playing a silent war melody. He did not launch an attack, but calmly deflected the increasingly powerful attacks from the two Douluo.

The bone dragon roared, and sword energy ripped through the sky!
However, neither Gu Rong's elusive bone domain attacks nor Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword Intent, powerful enough to split mountains and sever seas, could break through Feng Yao's void sonic blade, which was wielded with pure soul power.

The sound waves sometimes surged like the waves of a vast ocean, layer upon layer, dissipating immense power; sometimes they pulsated like the earth, thick and solid, resisting sharp edges; and sometimes they transformed into countless tiny vibrations and cuts, quietly disintegrating the incoming soul skills.

He could even create spatial ripples, causing the ancient banyan tree's bone spurs to inexplicably veer off course, and causing Chen Xin's sword energy trajectory to deviate slightly but fatally.

After dozens of moves, Gu Rong and Chen Xin simultaneously stopped and took a step back. Both of their faces were filled with disbelief and shock.

They hadn't used their full strength, but they had used seven or eight tenths of their abilities, excluding their killing moves. Yet Feng Yao hadn't even used his martial spirit; he had simply used an invisible rhythm to counter their attack, and yet he had so effortlessly received their combined attack! The depth of his strength was unfathomable, and the exquisite control he had over power was beyond their comprehension.

"The younger generation is truly formidable...the younger generation is indeed formidable!" Gu Rong sighed, shook his head, and spoke with deep emotion.

Chen Xin stared intently at Feng Yao's still calm hands, thinking to himself, "Using heaven and earth as a zither, his understanding of the spirit of the instrument has reached this level... Even Grandpa couldn't have achieved this much."

Ning Fengzhi, watching from the sidelines, was already deeply moved. He could clearly see that Feng Yao's strength had likely surpassed that of Uncle Jian and Uncle Gu. This rate of growth was simply astonishing!
Feng Yao dispersed the invisible soul power at his fingertips and slightly cupped his hands: "You two seniors are too kind."

After this exchange, Feng Yao's status in the hearts of the two Title Douluos had changed. They no longer regarded him as a promising junior, but as a truly powerful figure who needed to be treated as an equal, and even looked up to.

Feng Yao took his leave again, and this time, Gu Rong and Chen Xin returned the courtesy with great ceremony.

After leaving the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Feng Yao headed northwest. There was only one place on the continent where he might cross paths with Tang San—the City of Slaughter. (End of Chapter)