Chapter 106: You Take the Soul Bone, I'll Take the Soul Ring
Gu Rong and Dugu Bo, both Titled Douluo, had locked onto each other's aura the moment they appeared, thus ignoring their surroundings. After all, no one but a Titled Douluo or a high-level Soul Douluo would dare interfere in a duel between Titled Douluo.
However, Ning Rongrong's shout caught their attention. Though they merely glanced in Xiao Wu's direction, once their focus was on her, the soul beast aura that Xiao Wu had desperately concealed made it impossible for her to hide.
Boom!
Almost instinctively, Gu Rong and Dugu Bo lunged toward Xiao Wu simultaneously.
Gu Rong, with his higher soul power and space-traversing abilities, moved faster than Dugu Bo. In just a blink, his dry yet powerful hand had grabbed Xiao Wu firmly. To be safe, he even used his soul power to knock her unconscious.
"Grandpa Bones, what are you doing? Xiao Wu is my friend! Put her down!"
The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned, including Ning Rongrong, who shouted anxiously at Gu Rong, her beautiful face full of worry.
Gu Rong, who had always doted on Ning Rongrong, shook his head and said, "Rongrong, do you know that your friend is not human? She is a 100,000-year soul beast in human form."
A 100,000-year soul beast?
His words stunned everyone except Dugu Bo. All eyes turned to Xiao Wu, still held in Gu Rong's grasp, filled with shock, fear, and even greed.
"A 100,000-year soul beast!"
Ning Rongrong gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief. "Grandpa Bones, you must be joking! Xiao Wu is obviously human!"
"Rongrong, you don't understand."
Gu Rong sighed. People are not plants; they have emotions. Ning Rongrong and this human-formed soul beast had lived together for almost two years. As females, they had undoubtedly formed a deep friendship, making it nearly impossible for her to accept this reality so suddenly.
However, for the future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a 100,000-year soul beast in human form could not be spared.
Gu Rong patiently explained, "When soul beasts break through 100,000 years of cultivation, they gain a chance to transform into human form, because only humans have the potential to reach the peak. Once they take human form, their original body becomes their martial soul, and their previous cultivation vanishes. They have to start over. At this stage, a soul beast in human form is almost indistinguishable from a human, except to high-level experts like Titled Douluo, who can still sense their soul beast aura."
While explaining, Gu Rong glanced at Dugu Bo nearby. After all, aside from himself, Dugu Bo was the only other Titled Douluo present.
Dugu Bo nodded. There was no point in lying about this. Even if he denied it, Ning Fengzhi would undoubtedly seek confirmation from Sword Douluo.
Dugu Bo couldn't help but cast a resentful glance at the Golden Iron Triangle, who also wore shocked expressions. If it hadn't been for their use of the martial soul fusion skill to summon the Holy Light Dragon and attract his attention, he might have identified the soul beast accompanying them much earlier.
If he had discovered her sooner, he would never have allowed this soul beast to appear in front of Bone Douluo.
With the mutual confirmation from two Titled Douluo, Ning Rongrong finally accepted that her close friend was a 100,000-year soul beast in human form. Her pretty face turned pale.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu had a good relationship, but not to the extent depicted in the original work, where they could overcome the divide between humans and beasts. Their shared experiences were still too few.
A 100,000-year soul beast represents its cultivation, though it doesn't necessarily mean it has lived for 100,000 years. However, since Bone Douluo said that the martial soul of a human-formed soul beast is its true body, it was clear that Xiao Wu's true form was a Soft-Boned Rabbit. Such a soul beast, lacking powerful bloodlines, would need at least sixty to seventy thousand years to cultivate to 100,000 years.
Oh heavens, even if Ning Rongrong lived a hundred times her current age, she wouldn't be close to a fraction of Xiao Wu's age!
And she had been living and eating with this old rabbit, sometimes chatting about intimate topics and even sleeping in the same bed.
Thinking about this, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but get goosebumps.
Beside Ning Rongrong stood Ning Fengzhi, his expression shifting through a mix of emotions. A 100,000-year soul beast in human form was a rare prize, but it would only be advantageous if it fell into the hands of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Looking at the sneering Dugu Bo in front of him and Yang Wudi, who already had the Soul Breaking Spear in hand, Ning Fengzhi understood that this opportunity was too great for his sect to claim alone.
Dugu Bo grinned at Ning Fengzhi and said, "Sect Master Ning, a 100,000-year human-formed soul beast is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect shouldn't think about keeping it all to themselves!"
"Of course," Ning Fengzhi nodded. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't wish to clash with the Nine Stars Palace. As long as Dugu Bo's demands were within acceptable limits, a compromise would benefit everyone.
"So, what do you propose for how this matter should be handled today, Your Excellency, Poison Douluo?"
Just as Ning Fengzhi wished to avoid conflict with the Nine Stars Palace, Dugu Bo also did not want to tear relations with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. After hearing Ning Fengzhi's question, he began to ponder the matter seriously.
"Here's my suggestion, Sect Master Ning. If my palace's intelligence is correct, your sect's Soul Douluo elders are unlikely to ever break through to the Titled Douluo level. That means no one can currently use a 100,000-year soul ring."
Dugu Bo continued slowly, "But my palace is different. Several of our Soul Douluo are highly talented and will likely break through within three to five years. Therefore, I propose we keep this soul beast alive for a few more years. When one of our members becomes a Titled Douluo, we can then take its life. Our disciple will absorb the soul ring, and the soul bone will go to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
A 100,000-year soul beast's most valuable assets are its soul ring and soul bone, so splitting them between both parties was fair and reasonable.
Ning Fengzhi nodded subtly. The Nine Stars Palace's intelligence was accurate; the potential of his sect's Soul Douluo elders had long been exhausted. Even if they absorbed a 100,000-year soul bone, it wouldn't help them.
As for the younger generation, Ning Rongrong was undoubtedly the most outstanding among the disciples. However, even if they ignored the limitations of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile martial soul, it would still take her decades to reach the Titled Douluo level. The time frame was too long, with too many uncertainties. Hence, Dugu Bo's proposal was indeed the most suitable option for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"Very well, let's proceed according to Your Excellency's plan. The soul ring will be yours, and the soul bone will go to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
After agreeing to Dugu Bo's plan, Ning Fengzhi added, "However, until your palace has someone capable of absorbing the soul ring, this human-formed soul beast will be kept under the watch of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
(End of Chapter)
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