Chapter 309: Dugu Bo: Accidentally Letting Him Show Off!
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong didn't notice Zhu Zhuqing's glances at Su Ming, but Dugu Bo did, and a subtle, knowing smile crossed his face. Ah, the sweetness of youth.
Dugu Bo then spoke up, drawing everyone's attention, "With your current strength, there shouldn't be any team other than Spirit Hall that could pose a real threat. So, take a break and balance your training with some rest."
Dugu Yan jumped in first, "Grandfather, why only Spirit Hall? We're strong enough as it is! Even Spirit Hall's team might not be our match."
She continued, "Right now, Xiao Wu and I are both at level forty-nine, and Su Ming is at forty-eight. In ten months, we'll all be at Spirit King level. Zhuqing and Rongrong will be high-level Spirit Elders by then, and our team will be solid. Could Spirit Hall's team possibly be stronger?"
"In the history of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, no one has brought a Spirit King to the competition!"
Dugu Bo shook his head and lowered his voice, "Actually, I've recently heard some reliable rumors. Spirit Hall's Bibi Dong has a disciple, Hu Liena, who reached Spirit King status a while ago. Her brother and another teammate also broke through to Spirit King in the last few months, forming what's known as the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall."
"It's said that Hu Liena's strength is terrifying. Her two teammates can't last more than three moves against her. She may even reach Spirit Emperor before the tournament!"
Dugu Yan was shocked. "Grandfather, where did you hear this?"
Dugu Bo gave an awkward smile, choosing not to elaborate.
The others each had their own thoughts. Su Ming had initially thought Dugu Bo's warning about Spirit Hall's team was a bit exaggerated. He believed he could handle the Golden Generation. But Hu Liena's strength seemed… different. She was on track to reach Spirit Emperor? And both Xie Yue and Yan had progressed faster than he recalled from the original story?
Su Ming was most surprised by Hu Liena's talent. At her age, achieving that level of power was impressive—especially without the benefits of immortal herbs.
The four girls exchanged glances. They knew from Su Ming's diary that Hu Liena had received rewards several times. Her impressive power was likely due to those rewards, and being Bibi Dong's disciple didn't hurt either. They now understood that both Bibi Dong and Hu Liena, as diary holders, likely shared a closer bond than in the original story, and Bibi Dong would be fully invested in her disciple's growth.
Dugu Bo then turned to Su Ming, "So, Little Monster, hypothetically, if Hu Liena reached Spirit Emperor level by the time of the tournament, could you defeat her with just your martial spirit?"
Su Ming feigned uncertainty, "Old Monster, you're only telling me her rank, not her martial spirit or abilities. How am I supposed to know if I can beat her?"
Dugu Bo replied, "They say her martial spirit is a fox, specializing in charm and illusion."
The four girls exchanged a look, thinking, Sure, play dumb, Su Ming. As if you don't know Hu Liena's abilities. Your Fire-Eye is her perfect counter!
Su Ming shook his head. "If I can only use my martial spirit, honestly, I don't think I could beat her. I'd likely be defeated right away."
The four girls: …
Dugu Bo was taken aback, expecting Su Ming to boast instead. He thought Su Ming would say, "It's just a Spirit Emperor. I could take her on easily!"
Intrigued, Dugu Bo pressed, "Oh? That doesn't sound like you, Little Monster."
Su Ming waved him off, saying, "Old Monster, you limited me to using only my wood-element martial spirit, but Hu Liena's specialty is charm, which means her mental power is high. I'd probably fall under her spell before I could do anything."
"Setting aside my mental resilience, I'm a guy—and I like beautiful women. If she can charm me, she must be very attractive. No matter how disciplined I am, I'd likely fall for it. The power gap can't be bridged by sheer willpower."
Dugu Bo: …
"But in a real battle, I wouldn't just rely on my martial spirit. My mental power is high enough that unless Hu Liena's mental power has reached a peak level, her charms and illusions would be ineffective against me. And my eyes? They can see through all illusions."
"So, even if her mental power exceeds mine, her charm and illusions would still be useless against me."
Dugu Bo thought to himself that he shouldn't have asked whether Su Ming could defeat Hu Liena—he had just given Su Ming a chance to show off.
"Hmph, Little Monster, don't get too cocky. I know your abilities are exceptional, but be cautious about using your Susanoo and your other skill in the tournament. Many powerful figures will be watching, and if someone from a rival faction sees you as a threat, they may try to take you down before you grow stronger."
"True, you're strong enough not to fear them, but you have teammates. Sometimes it's better to stay under the radar."
Su Ming gave him a disdainful look, "Old Monster, now you're underestimating me. Not even Spirit Hall's team would warrant my using Susanoo or Kamui. Don't worry; I'm cautious."
Seeing Su Ming's confidence, Dugu Bo realized his concern was misplaced. Su Ming was astute and wouldn't miss something so critical. Besides, taking down the opponents in this tournament wouldn't require him to use his hidden techniques.
Given that Su Ming could handle Hu Liena, Dugu Bo thought, the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy stood a strong chance of taking first place this year. The prize was always bountiful—sometimes even including spirit bones. If there were a spirit bone up for grabs, Su Ming's team would be in for a big reward!
"Well, then, head back to the academy and rest for a few days. Rushing ahead isn't always best."
Su Ming, meanwhile, remembered that Qian Renxue had previously invited him to meet under the guise of apologizing for Xue Beng's rudeness. He didn't quite believe her intentions and was curious to find out what she was really up to.