Chrysanthemum Douluo hugged his pot containing the enlightenment tea sapling, glanced at Tang Hao's ragged robe, missing sleeve, and trembling body, and nearly burst out laughing.
Give everything?
With what?
That one remaining arm?
Or that rotten life that wasn't even worth sweeping into a trash bin?
At another table, Ning Fengzhi also shook his head silently. He raised his teacup to hide the mocking curve at the corner of his lips.
Once, Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao had been a titan who shook the continent.
Now, even the phrase "give everything" felt pitifully weak.
Lin Feng finally reacted.
He slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze sliding over Tang Hao like a passerby appraising some broken junk at the roadside.
Then he shifted lazily in his recliner, a faintly amused smile tugging at his lips.
"Did you misunderstand something?"
"You don't actually think you still possess anything I would be interested in… do you?"
His tone wasn't loud.
His expression didn't change.
But every word landed like an invisible, flaming slap across Tang Hao's already shattered pride.
Boom.
Tang Hao's mind went blank.
His face drained of color, then flushed dark purple with humiliation.
His left fist clenched so tightly his nails pierced his palm, blood dripping between his fingers—yet he felt nothing.
Humiliation.
A humiliation he had never suffered, not even when Ning Fengzhi had bonked him on the head like a stray dog.
And this humiliation was delivered by—
By this young man!?
What right did he have!?
Tang Hao's jaw trembled with fury.
But at that moment—
Lin Feng spoke again.
"However…"
The tone was light, almost lazy.
"But since you've already said so… I'm not usually an unreasonable person."
Lin Feng leaned forward slightly, for the first time meeting Tang Hao's eyes directly.
"Since you want it so badly, I'll satisfy you."
Tang Hao froze.
Then an uncontrollable ecstasy burst across his bruised face.
"Really?!"
"Of course."
Lin Feng's faint smile made Tang Hao feel, for half a second, that perhaps this man wasn't so hateful after all.
But that thought lasted exactly one second.
Because Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.
Just that.
And then—
A terrifying, indescribable pressure crashed down.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH—!!!"
Tang Hao's entire body arched as he collapsed to his knees, screaming like his soul was being ripped apart.
Because—
It was.
He felt an invisible giant hand grip his very essence and tear.
At the same time, his spirit rings burst out of his body uncontrollably—
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!
Nine rings, trembling violently.
The rings of the legendary Clear Sky Douluo.
The core of his power.
Now behaving like rebels fleeing their master.
And that final ring—
The red, hundred-thousand-year ring from Ah Yin's sacrifice—
It pulsed wildly, flashing more and more intensely.
Gold Crocodile Douluo sucked in cold air.
"Is this… Ring Explosion?!"
Impossible.
No one would use Ring Explosion in such agony, at the brink of passing out.
Ghost Douluo's voice was dry and trembling.
"Senior… is forcibly stripping his spirit rings."
Silence slammed into the entire hall.
Even Ning Fengzhi jolted, nearly dropping his teacup.
Forcibly stripping a living Titled Douluo's spirit rings?
Was that even possible?
Under everyone's horrified gazes—
The hundred-thousand-year spirit ring reached its brightest point.
CRACK!
A sound like shattering glass resounded through Feng Ran Pavilion.
The red spirit ring—symbol of unmatched power—shattered into a million crimson motes.
Then—
Something no one would ever forget in their lives happened.
Instead of dissipating—
The shattered energy condensed.
It formed a brilliant crimson river of power—
And surged across the shop.
Straight toward the Blue Silver Emperor.
The little plant on the counter extended its two thickest vines, like welcoming arms.
It accepted the energy without an ounce of rejection.
Right before everyone's eyes—
The Blue Silver Emperor began to grow.
Half a meter.
One meter.
One and a half meters…
Leaves unfurling like silk ribbons, glowing blue-gold, shimmering like a dream.
Everyone held their breath.
The aura continued to rise—
70,000 years.
80,000.
90,000.
100,000—
THUMP.
THUMP.
A heartbeat.
A deep, resonant, unmistakably human heartbeat.
It echoed not in their ears—but directly in their souls.
Ghost Douluo's hands trembled.
"Heartbeat…?"
"Is she… really going to…"
The plant's aura shot up again.
Blue light exploded outward, soft yet impossibly dominating.
The pure life force washed over the entire restaurant.
Everyone felt like they were soaking in a divine spring, every pore relaxing.
Everyone except—
Bibi Dong.
She stood there, eyes glowing amethyst, emotions churning.
On one side—
Worship, astonishment, awe at Senior's god-like methods.
On the other—
A dark, suffocating jealousy.
Senior was doing all this…
for another woman.
Her heart tightened painfully.
No.
She cannot be allowed to steal Senior away!
Bibi Dong's fists clenched, her mind blaring with alarm.
Within the dazzling blue radiance—
A slender, graceful silhouette slowly formed.
"Transformation…"
"The Blue Silver Emperor is truly transforming back into human form!"