Death Canyon
One year later.
The five of them have made quite a name for themselves in Northern Border.
They fought hundreds of battles, large and small, eliminating at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, Wolf Bandits.
Every battle is a life-or-death struggle, and every fight is a test of strength.
The rampant Wolf Bandits in the Northern Border Heaven Dou Empire has been severely curbed.
Those villages that were once feared are now gradually regaining their vitality.
Children are playing at the village entrance again, women are washing clothes by the river again, and men are working in the fields again.
Smoke rose again from the chimneys above the village, and laughter echoed through the village once more.
Moreover, these Wolf Bandits can also produce Soul Bones.
There is an extremely low chance that the leader of the Wolf Bandits will produce Soul Bone after he dies. This is information that Tang San knew in his previous life, but this is the first time he has seen it with his own eyes.
Tang San couldn't help but wonder, since this Wolf Bandits was like him, a being half-human, half-beast, could he also produce Soul Bone?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shudder.
Along the way, the group obtained two Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones: a ten-thousand-year-old left leg bone and a twenty-thousand-year-old right leg bone.
However, Tang San felt that the two Soul Bones were too old and of average quality, and most of their Soul Bone Skills were of the "berserk" type, which would cause the user to lose their mind when using them.
Therefore, Tang San did not let everyone absorb it.
Although these two Soul Bones are of average quality and the skills they possess are not suitable for them, they are still Soul Bones. They can be sold for a considerable amount of money, or used to exchange resources with other factions in the future.
Soul Bones are a form of hard currency on the continent. Although a ten-thousand-year-old left leg bone isn't considered top-grade, it can still fetch a high price of over a million Gold Soul Coins.
A 20,000-year-old right leg bone can fetch millions of Gold Soul Coins.
The biggest piece of news Tang San heard that year was that the Clear Sky Sect had reopened its gates.
Tang San was very surprised when he heard this news half a year ago.
The Clear Sky Sect has been in seclusion for over a decade, remaining aloof from worldly affairs. Many on the continent believe that the Clear Sky Sect has declined, and some even speculate that it no longer exists.
The sudden announcement of reopening the mountain gates has shocked the entire continent, causing an uproar in the Soul Master World.
The news that shook the entire continent even spread to the Northern Border of the empire.
However, Tang San thought that it was Tang Hao's return, the powerful strength of Tang Hao and Tang Hao Tang Xiao, and the five Titled Douluo elders that gave the Clear Sky Sect a lot of confidence.
Tang Hao a level 97 Super Douluo, Tang Xiao a level 96 Super Douluo, and the five elders are all level 92 to 95 Titled Douluos.
With seven Titled Douluo in charge, coupled with the power of the Clear Sky Hammer, and the domineering strength of the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes and the Great Sumeru Hammer, the Clear Sky Sect's strength is enough to rival the Spirit Hall.
With such strength, there's no need to be subservient to anyone anymore, and no need to hide anymore.
But Tang San didn't want to rely on anyone. The Clear Sky Sect was the Clear Sky Sect, and he was himself.
Tang San didn't want to get involved anymore. He just needed to take care of his own little world and deal with the future later. He just needed to look after himself and his women.
After all, with Qian Renxue's connection, the Worship Hall should no longer specifically target the Clear Sky Sect.
Bibi Dong of the Pope's Palace alone is not enough to control the Clear Sky Sect right now, and it's not worth it.
Bibi Dong had no enmity with the Clear Sky Sect; her greatest target for revenge was always the Angel Clan.
Unless the Clear Sky Sect actively blocks Bibi Dong's path, Bibi Dong is unlikely to actively eliminate the Clear Sky Sect, as doing so would only weaken her own power.
Speaking of Qian Renxue, Tang San felt a pang of longing for that little angel.
It's been almost two years since I parted ways with Qian Renxue, and I haven't seen her for almost two years.
I wonder how her cultivation is going, and if she's thinking about me.
"I'll head back to Heaven Dou City in a while," Tang San thought to himself. "That's the plan."
Go back and see Qian Renxue, see Dugu Bo, see Shrek's teachers and classmates.
I haven't seen them for two years; I wonder what they've become.
At this point, the group had arrived at the easternmost part of the empire, within the Toks Province.
Toks Province is the easternmost province of the Heaven Dou Empire; further east lies the East Sea.
Standing on the high mountain, on the distant horizon, one can vaguely see a deep blue expanse of water.
The five people stopped to rest on a small hillside.
After a year of training, all five of them have improved.
Tang San's Soul Power reached level 68, an increase of three levels.
From level 65 to level 68, although it's only three levels, each level advancement at the Soul Emperor stage requires a large accumulation of Soul Power and combat experience.
Dugu Yan broke through level 60 two months ago and only needs a suitable Soul Ring to become Soul Emperor.
Her foundation is exceptionally solid, making her fully capable of absorbing a high-age Sixth Soul Ring.
Xiao Wu is level 59 and Shui Bing'er is level 58; both of them have leveled up by four.
Xiao Wu's Lovesick Heartbreak Red allows her to maintain an extremely high cultivation speed; even without deliberate cultivation, her Soul Power steadily increases.
Shui Bing'er's Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone and the Spirit Condensation Wisdom Skull made her cultivation speed equally astonishing, and her Soul Power increased faster and faster.
Ye Lingling reached level 57, having advanced three levels.
As a support-type Soul Master, her cultivation speed was originally slower than that of combat-type Soul Masters, but the improvement in the quality of the Nine Heart Begonia Emperor greatly increased her cultivation speed.
Although level three is not many, it is an extremely rare improvement for a support-type Soul Master.
Tang San stood on the hillside, gazing eastward. That was the easternmost point of the Heaven Dou Empire, the edge of the continent.
"The East Sea lies just ahead. Let's end our training here." Tang San turned around and looked at the four girls.
"Third Brother, where are we going next?" Xiao Wu asked expectantly.
The four girls simultaneously looked up at Tang San.
Tang San looked at the four of them, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.
They followed him on his training expeditions for two years, traveling from the Blue Silver Forest to the Frozen Forest, from the Frozen Forest to the Far North, and from the Far North to the Northern Border. They covered tens of thousands of miles, fought hundreds of battles, and endured countless hardships.
But they never complained; they simply believed in themselves and loved themselves.
"The most urgent task now is to obtain Sixth Soul Ring for Yan Yan. She needs a poison-attribute Soul Beast that is over 40,000 years old."
Tang San squatted down, took out the map from his Storage Soul Tool, and spread it out on the rock.
His finger traced across the map, and finally he pointed to two areas: the Great Wasteland Desert and Death Canyon.
"If we head north, we'll reach the Great Wasteland Desert, and if we head south, we'll reach Death Canyon. Both are quite close to us. The Great Wasteland Desert is extremely dangerous, so why don't we try searching Death Canyon? There should be quite a few high-level Soul Beasts there, and maybe even more poison-attribute Soul Beasts."
Death Canyon is a notoriously dangerous place on the Douluo Continent. It is perpetually shrouded in milky white or multicolored mist, which is often poisonous and a paradise for venomous insects and snakes.
Ordinary Soul Masters wouldn't dare approach, and even high-level Soul Masters would make thorough preparations before daring to enter.
But precisely because of this, there are many poisonous Soul Beasts there, and they are also very old, making it the best place for Dugu Yan to obtain her Sixth Soul Ring.
The group nodded, thinking it was a good idea.
"But before that, let's find a place to rest for a few days. You've all been traveling for a year straight, you must be exhausted."
Tang San's gaze swept across the four girls' faces, noticing the weariness in their eyes.
The four girls nodded in unison, their eyes filled with agreement.
After a year of running around and hundreds of battles, it's time for a rest.
Tang San turned around and walked down the hill, with the four girls following behind him.