Two days later.
Two figures clad in black robes quietly appeared in Zhou Ping's courtyard. They were tall, their faces obscured by the black robes, making it impossible to see their features. The robes fluttered slightly in the wind, exuding an air of mystery and strangeness.
The moment Zhou Ping saw the two figures, he immediately knelt to the ground and respectfully said:
"Welcome, Honorable Elders!"
Jiang Jue stood beside the kneeling Zhou Ping, observing the two figures whom Zhou Ping had addressed as "Elders."
The two simply stood there without doing anything, yet Jiang Jue felt an indescribable sense of oppression.
These two were both Titled Douluo-level powerhouses!
In the Holy Spirit Sect, only Titled Douluos were qualified to become Elders.
It seemed the Holy Spirit Sect truly valued him, sending two Titled Douluos to escort him personally.
"He's the prodigy you reported, possessing both a super evil martial soul and a body martial soul?"
The Elder on the right spoke, his voice deep and powerful.
"Yes, Honorable Elder."
"Come here, little guy. Show me your martial soul."
The Elder on the right lifted the hood of his black robe, revealing a square face with piercing tiger-like eyes that stared intensely at Jiang Jue.
Without hesitation, Jiang Jue activated his body martial soul, knowing it was time to display his talent.
A mighty silver-white figure manifested straight and tall behind him.
"There's no doubt about it—this is a body martial soul!"
"I wonder what that old fool Poison would think if he saw this," the Elder on the right chuckled playfully.
"Show me your other evil martial soul," the Elder on the left said in a harsh, raspy voice.
Jiang Jue retracted his body martial soul and extended his left hand. A purple-black Soul Refining Banner appeared in his grasp.
He hadn't yet mastered using both martial souls simultaneously.
Black energy surged from the banner, enveloping Jiang Jue. His eyes turned ashen gray, and an aura of pure evil emanated from his entire being.
"Yes! That's it! This evil aura is perfect!" the Elder on the left said with a hint of obsession.
"This kid's Soul Refining Banner martial soul is far superior in quality to that guy Wanhun's martial soul," the Elder on the right noted, nodding subtly.
"It even affects his body."
It wasn't surprising for beast martial souls to transform the body upon manifestation, just like Zhou Ping, who exhibited rat-like features when his Bloodthirsty Rat martial soul possessed him.
However, tool martial souls were different. Only the most elite tool martial souls could induce changes in the soul master's body.
"All right, since everything checks out, let's go," the Elder on the right declared decisively.
Clearly, he was the leader between the two.
Jiang Jue noticed a subtle difference in the black robe markings of the two Elders.
The robe of the Elder on the right featured a dazzling golden embroidery, while the robe of the Elder on the left had a blood-red embroidery.
This indicated that one of them was an Elder of the Holy Spirit Sect, while the other was a worship elder of the Sect's Worship Hall.
"Little guy, my name is Zhang Peng, Titled Scorpion-Tiger. You can call me Elder Zhang."
"Masked Douluo, Yue Sheng," the Elder on the left introduced himself.
"Greetings, Elder Zhang and Elder Yue. My name is Jiang Jue," Jiang Jue replied politely while curiously observing Zhang Peng.
So this was the infamous Scorpion-Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng, known for his fondness for drinking beast blood.
Zhang Peng's Scorpion-Tiger martial soul was derived from the Dark Devilgod Tiger, a subordinate martial soul but equally formidable.
In the original storyline, he could hold his ground against Xian Lin'er and was even slightly stronger.
"Let's go, Masked One," Zhang Peng commanded in a low voice.
Nine soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—rose around him one by one.
His eighth ten-thousand-year soul ring glowed intensely as a dense black shadow detached from Zhang Peng's body, transforming into a massive griffin over ten meters wide.
The griffin was covered in dense black feathers, each shimmering with a faint ghostly glow. Its eyes burned with soul flames, and its sharp claws gleamed like steel. Its enormous body nearly filled the entire courtyard.
This was Zhang Peng's famed eighth soul skill—Twelve Beast Command!
Zhang Peng lifted Jiang Jue with his soul power, allowing him to stand firmly on the griffin's back.
"Watch me," Masked Douluo Yue Sheng said.
He also revealed nine soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—but his aura was noticeably weaker than Zhang Peng's.
Zhang Peng was a Super Douluo, while Yue Sheng had just reached Rank 91.
"Hummm!"
A giant human face appeared behind Yue Sheng. As he raised his hands and moved his fingers rapidly, twisted light shadows enveloped the griffin.
Upon closer inspection, those illusory shadows were actually white maggots radiating strange spiritual waves.
Yue Sheng's martial soul was Demonic Maggots, a bizarre martial soul that evolved by devouring human souls. His favorite pastime was consuming the brain matter of various creatures.
"Dark Soul Concealment!"
Yue Sheng's sixth soul ring shimmered, and the white maggots suddenly split into countless fine threads, forming a ring that surrounded the griffin.
The massive griffin, along with Jiang Jue and the two Elders, vanished into thin air.
They hadn't left; they were merely hidden by the Demonic Maggots.
This was the unique characteristic of the Demonic Maggot martial soul. In a sense, Yue Sheng was half a spiritual-type soul master.
Zhang Peng was responsible for flying, while Yue Sheng handled concealing their tracks. The two complemented each other perfectly.
"Zhou Ping, do your best. Your reward will be issued soon," Zhang Peng's voice echoed.
Zhou Ping knelt on the ground, shouting:
"All for the Holy Sect!"
The griffin flapped its wings and soared into the sky, disappearing into the horizon.
In the air, Zhang Peng condensed a protective barrier with his soul power to shield Jiang Jue.
The griffin had reached an altitude of three thousand meters, the limit for ordinary Titled Douluos, where the temperature was already extremely low.
"Hey, kid! Look here!"
Behind Jiang Jue, Yue Sheng suddenly called out to him.
The moment Jiang Jue turned around, a human face covered with countless white maggots appeared in front of Yue Sheng. Faint spiritual waves emanated from it.
Jiang Jue felt dizzy and nauseous at the sight.
"Hehehe…" Yue Sheng chuckled maliciously at Jiang Jue's reaction.
Jiang Jue suddenly remembered that Yue Sheng had this peculiar sense of humor, and in the original story, he even left Tang Ya, the Blue Silver Saintess, with a psychological shadow.
Zhang Peng shook his head slightly. There's no such thing as a sane evil soul master.
Apparently, Yue Sheng had eaten so many brains that he had driven himself mad.
After a while, Jiang Jue recovered and quietly moved closer to Yue Sheng.
Huh? Why is this kid approaching me voluntarily?
Yue Sheng was puzzled.
"Elder Yue, where are we going?" Jiang Jue asked innocently, as if nothing had happened.
"To our Holy Spirit Sect headquarters, of course."
"And where is our headquarters?" Jiang Jue continued asking.
"Our headquarters is located at—wait!"
Yue Sheng suddenly felt a surge in his mind, and a cold sweat broke out on his face.
Thankfully, he hadn't said it. If he had uttered one more word, he would have exploded on the spot!
Before entering the Sect, anyone granted access to the headquarters was implanted with a restriction by Ye Xishui. Apart from the Grand Supreme Leader, the primary and deputy leaders, and the Chief Worship Elder, anyone attempting to reveal its location would trigger the restriction and explode instantly!
Since Jiang Jue hadn't officially joined yet, revealing the location would have been fatal for Yue Sheng.
"Did you do that on purpose or by accident, kid?" Yue Sheng asked nervously, feeling aggrieved.
"What are you talking about, Elder Yue?" Jiang Jue asked innocently. "You still haven't told me where our headquarters is."
"I'll tell you a big fat nothing! Don't bother me!"
Seeing Jiang Jue's clueless expression, Yue Sheng grew irritated, turned away, and ignored him.
"Hmph, trying to scare me? I, Jiang Jue, never hold grudges because I always take revenge on the spot!"
Jiang Jue stretched his body and returned to sit beside Zhang Peng.
(Chapter End)