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Nine Treasures Crystal Tower, Secret Chamber.
Jianmu Douluo led Ling Bai into the Secret Chamber, the emerald glow that covered his entire body slowly dissipating, revealing the true face of this Ninety-Eighth Rank Sealed Douluo, the Pillar of Stability of the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower.
He was very old, old to the bone.
As the saying goes, the older a person is, the more empty they become. Jianmu Douluo was so old that it seemed as if the years had gnawed away all his flesh and blood. Even his loose white robe couldn't hide his paper-thin frame.
"Teacher..."
A trace of pain flickered in Ling Bai's eyes as he hurriedly stepped forward to support Jianmu Douluo, a golden aura wrapping around Jianmu Douluo's pulse.
Jianmu Douluo's vitality had diminished even more compared to a year ago when Ling Bai left the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower. This was the hidden injury left by the battle with Main Body Douluo Poison Unkillable, similar to the fate of Dragon God Douluo Muen, incurable and only waiting for death.
"It's fine, it's fine."
Jianmu Douluo's weathered face pulled into a slight smile, and he tightly held Ling Bai's hand as they walked to the sandalwood table.
The two sat facing each other, a layer of emerald green light enveloping the Secret Chamber to prevent others from eavesdropping. Then, Jianmu Douluo spoke, "Fifty-fourth level, advancing fifteen Soul Power levels in a year... Did you use the ultimate talent of the Death Prison Spider Emperor?"
"Yes."
In front of Jianmu Douluo, Ling Bai had nothing to hide.
"How many times?"
"Twice," Ling Bai admitted. "Both times were against soul beasts. The first time was during the Shrek Academy Freshman Evaluation Task, where I was forced to fight Medusa, the Ten-Thousand-Year Snake Queen, and Yao Luo, the Fifty-Thousand-Year Death God's Bloodline simultaneously. I had to use the Soul-Devouring Snake Swarm to boost my combat power.
The second time was in the Star Dou Great Forest when I faced a life-threatening situation. There happened to be a Soul Ring left from a soul beast clan's civil war nearby, so I got lucky."
"Good."
Jianmu Douluo nodded slightly. For most soul masters, the killing of a thousand soul beasts was less heinous than the murder of a single human. He was a man of broad horizons and not a rigid thinker. As long as Ling Bai did not harm innocent civilians, he would always stand firmly by Ling Bai's side.
"You've always had your own mind, my child," Jianmu Douluo reminisced. "I was initially reluctant to let you enter Shrek Academy because I feared that the Dragon God and Taotie might uncover the secret of the Death Prison Spider Emperor. But my ability to refine the Ming Emperor Pill had reached its limit, and I could no longer help you control the evil power of the Death Prison Spider Emperor. I thought the Golden Light Tree at the center of Sea God Island might be effective for you. After much deliberation, I decided to let you go.
If the evil soul beast were discovered, I would have gone to Shrek Academy with a weathered face to bring you back, at least ensuring your safety..."
"I am ashamed to have caused you so much trouble, teacher."
Ling Bai stood up and bowed deeply. Jianmu Douluo had spared no effort for him, nearly risking his life to refine the Ming Emperor Pill, which used the inner core of a ten-thousand-year-old light soul beast as the main ingredient.
The bond between teacher and student did not mean that the student should take the teacher's efforts for granted. Ling Bai always felt deep gratitude and a sense of guilt towards Jianmu Douluo.
"Sit down, there's no need for such formalities between us."
Jianmu Douluo, like an ordinary kind old man, patted Ling Bai's hand and continued, "This time, I feel that the evil aura around you doesn't seem to leak out as it used to. Have you found a way to control the Death Prison Spider Emperor?"
"Yes, teacher."
After a moment's hesitation, Ling Bai allowed the Death Prison Spider Emperor to possess him, and two large Soul Rings, one gray and one black, emitted a deep and heavy aura.
"With this special gray Soul Ring, the Death Prison Spider Emperor has become much more stable. By continuously absorbing the light energy from the Golden Light Tree, I can now stably use the Death Prison Spider Emperor in combat without being influenced by the evil power. To completely control the Death Prison Spider Emperor, I still need two rare Heavenly Treasures."
Jianmu Douluo gently stroked the gray Soul Ring, which was actually Elax, and sighed, "A golden scale is not just a fish; it becomes a dragon when it meets the wind and clouds. Indeed, your decision to leave the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower was right. Fortunately, I didn't make a big mistake by trying to stop you last year.
Tell me, what do you need? I and Fengya will use the full strength of the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower to help you find it. The three empires of the original Douluo Continent are under our control, and Fengyu can help with the Sun Moon Empire."
The Death Prison Spider Emperor was a major concern for everyone. Solving this issue meant that Ling Bai would become a dual-god-level soul master without any worries, which would be a good thing for Ling Bai, Jianmu Douluo, and the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower.
"Before reaching the Seventh Ring Soul Saint, absorb the ultimate light and ultimate fire from a ten-thousand-year-old Heavenly Treasure, or a soul beast."
"This..."
Jianmu Douluo frowned, "A ten-thousand-year-old ultimate attribute, even the Heavenly Treasury doesn't have such treasures. In my memory, the only one related to this on the Douluo Continent is the Golden Light Tree at Shrek Academy."
Mentioning the Golden Light Tree at Sea God Pavilion, even someone of Jianmu Douluo's status started to grind his teeth, saying helplessly, "The old guys at Shrek Academy treat the Golden Light Tree like their life. Absorbing ten-thousand-year-old Soul Power would surely damage its foundation. It would be more practical to take their lives directly."
Ling Bai agreed. That's why he didn't dare to tamper with the Golden Light Tree. If it were discovered, the elders of the Sea God Pavilion would likely strip him alive personally.
The ultimate fire was easy to solve; the Blazing Apricot Delicacy wouldn't run away from the Ice and Fire Dual-Eyed Spring. But what about the ultimate light? For a moment, he was at a loss.
Worry crept onto Ling Bai's face. When Elax mentioned the solution a year ago, he wasn't in a hurry. After all, there was a significant gap between level forty and level seventy. But time flew by, and his Soul Power had surged to level fifty-four. With normal cultivation, he would likely break through to Soul Saint in three to four years.
Hmm, is there a possibility...
To find the Imperial Auspicious Beast Three-Eyed Golden Lion in the Star Dou Great Forest and discuss it?
Ling Bai fell into deep thought. The old fellow Red King seemed to be neglecting his duties... Perhaps... Maybe... Eighty percent...
Feasible!
"Young man, don't always be so deep in thought and frowning. Tell me something cheerful."
Jianmu Douluo coughed, and Ling Bai suddenly saw a familiar look in those cloudy eyes.
The most common expression of the outer courtyard girls, gossip!
"That... How are you and Xiaotian getting along?"
"..."
Ling Bai leaned back, looking at the old man as if he had a problem. The old man looked up at the sky, but his ears honestly perked up.
"Pretty... pretty well?"
Ling Bai answered with a squint, mainly because they were still young. Discussing marriage at twelve was too early. Ning Tian usually ran between the soul master and soul engineer departments, and Ling Bai's inner courtyard life was also very busy. Their daily interaction was limited to a mere twenty minutes of dinner, with Wu Feng always tagging along. It was hard to develop any real feelings, but he got along well with the older sisters in the inner courtyard.
"Hahaha!"
Jianmu Douluo burst into laughter at his disciple's rare display of unease. After a long while, he composed himself and said seriously, "I'm not worried about your marriage. You're not the type to lack female companions. But Fengya is quite concerned. You're always smart and quick-witted; you can't hide anything from her..."
Jianmu Douluo paused slightly and continued, "Xiaobai, if Fengya ever goes too far, I hope you won't hold a grudge. Her greatest wish is to lead the sect to the glory of the second-largest sect in the world from ten thousand years ago. All her hopes rest on you, and the more she values you, the more anxious she becomes, which might lead her to do some improper things..."
"I understand, Aunt Ya also understands." Ling Bai lowered his eyes, his long lashes casting a shadow on his eyelids.
Ning Fengya was a competent head of the sect, always prioritizing the overall interests of the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower. Ling Bai couldn't deny that she had treated him like her own child for years, giving him whatever he needed without hesitation. There's no such thing as a free lunch, and Ling Bai should accept the price behind it.
"Good, I'm relieved to hear that."
Ling Bai understood the art of leaving things unsaid, and Jianmu Douluo clearly caught the underlying meaning, saying softly, "Fengya is a rare talent, not inferior to any generation of sect leaders in the history of the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower. Unfortunately, no one is perfect; she often forgets that the key to human interaction is sincerity.
Sincerity is the most important."
"Yes, disciple... teacher?"
Ling Bai suddenly noticed that Jianmu Douluo's smile was gone, and his aged eyes had become as sharp as an eagle's.
"After a long journey, go back and rest."
Jianmu Douluo dispelled the emerald green light. Ling Bai looked at him deeply and bowed before leaving.
Sensing Ling Bai's departure, Jianmu Douluo gazed out the door. His eye sockets were deep, almost like dark abysses, making it hard to see his eyes. Only by looking closely could one see the faint glimmer hidden deep within.
"Old friend, when did you start eavesdropping?"
"Hahaha, can't fool you, Jiren..."
Laughter rose, and a hunched figure slowly entered the Secret Chamber. The two old men faced each other, one with a bent spine almost at a ninety-degree angle, the other with a hollowed-out body like a skeleton. They looked like two old houses, with all their beams and pillars rotten. Who would have thought that these two were the Dragon God Douluo Muen and Jianmu Douluo Jiren, who had once dominated the continent.
"It's been a hundred years since we last met, when we were in our prime, battling the Main Body Sect's twin titans Poison Must Die and Poison Unkillable. Looking back, it feels like it was just yesterday!"
Seeing his old friend after many years, Jianmu Douluo was filled with emotion.
Muen sat in the seat Ling Bai had just vacated, his fingers caressing the sandalwood grain, and said, "We carried an era, but now we are struggling against time. Jiren, do you regret it? If not for the injury from the battle with Poison Unkillable, your achievements would have far exceeded the Ninety-Eighth Rank."
"Regret?" Jianmu Douluo scoffed, "I, Jiren, have always walked the straight and narrow! The Main Body Sect's chaos on the continent and the beast tide caused countless innocent deaths! What did the civilians of the Douluo Continent and the soul masters of the three empires do to deserve this?
Today, Chen Hu actually dared to come and test me. Fine, I promise not to hold back. Before I die, I'll go to the Main Body Sect's stronghold and take down that old poison, Poison Unkillable, first. Then I'll self-detonate to give them a grand fireworks show, dragging the Main Body Sect's foundation to my grave!"
"Your fiery temper hasn't changed a bit!"
Muen chuckled. Although he was a plant soul master, Jianmu Douluo Jiren had no gentle demeanor. He was like a bomb in his youth, ready to explode at the slightest provocation, and now he was getting even more erratic with age.
"You're too lenient!"
With Ling Bai not around, Jianmu Douluo revealed his true nature, pointing and saying, "I don't have much time left, and neither do you.
The Sun Moon Empire is arrogant? The Mingde Hall is arrogant?
If I were you, I'd raid the Sun Moon Empire's royal treasury for a pile of Grade Nine Pre-Loaded Soul Cannon Shells before I die. Find support and food soul masters to enhance my attack and Soul Power, and then run to the Mingde Hall to take out seven or eight Ninth Rank soul masters in a final explosion!"
"What??"
Muen's jaw nearly dropped, and he even forgot to wipe off Jianmu Douluo's spittle.
You blowing up the Main Body Sect and tricking him into blowing up the Mingde Hall, only this old man could think of such things!
"You're really ruthless!" Muen laughed and cried, genuinely giving Jianmu Douluo a thumbs up, admiring him for the first time in his life.
"A life of pleasure, a death of mediocrity is not what I want. Old friend, let's set off a grand fireworks show for the continent together!"
"No, you have your way of dying, and I have mine."
Muen shook his head with a smile. Plant soul masters had long lifespans. As a severely injured body, he had less time left than Jianmu Douluo and had already decided to merge with the Golden Light Tree, protecting Shrek Academy with his soul forever.
Jianmu Douluo regretfully said, "Alright, I can't force you to self-detonate. Speaking of which, we haven't seen each other for a hundred years. Did you come just to chat, or is there something important?"
"Of course there is."
Muen's smile faded, and his tone grew serious, "Jiren, I'm here for your disciple, Ling Bai."
Jianmu Douluo's eyes narrowed, and his aura swirled, "Did Xiaobai offend Shrek Academy, and the Sea God Pavilion's head came to demand justice?"
"No, no, no..."
Muen quickly denied it, and Jianmu Douluo heard the cloudy, aged voice sigh, "Ling Bai is a young hero, destined for greatness. He completed the first Red-level Freshman Evaluation Task in the inner courtyard in ten thousand years. Xuanzi, Shaozhe, and Lao Li have repeatedly told me that we must not let him leave Shrek Academy.
"I could just come and ask for him, but to save face, I won't touch Yanzhao. As for Taotie Douluo Xuanzi and Minggui Douluo Li Yongnian, they can't escape a beating."
"I've warned them not to have any more ideas about Ling Bai. Rest easy," Muen said. "But I have a small question. I investigated Ling Bai's records. He entered at level forty-one, and just now, when he fought a Main Body Sect Soul Emperor, he was already at level fifty-four.
Even with the Golden Light Tree, which helps the Six-Winged Angel advance more efficiently, his cultivation progress seems too fast. That's why I didn't dare to send him on a mission to monitor Evil Soul Masters. I'm afraid he might use the Six-Winged Angel's abilities to kill Evil Soul Masters, increasing his cultivation but not his mental state, or that something unfortunate might happen to him, causing a rift in the thousand-year friendship between the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower and Shrek Academy.
More importantly, the Angel God Position was shattered ten thousand years ago. The Divine Realm no longer has an Angel God, and the human world no longer has a Six-Winged Angel, only a degenerated Holy Angel.
So, where did he come from?
How did he get here?
That Holy Angel Sword also doesn't seem ordinary. What's going on here?
Old friend, please enlighten me..."
(End of Chapter)