An Unexpected Visitor

At night, the man-made Mimetic Cultivation Fields scattered across Starfall Mountain were brightly illuminated by starlight. The Back Mountain in particular, where most of the Star Crown Sect's strength was gathered, was as bright as day.

Xu Mingxi was meditating beneath the Starry Tree when Xu Fangxing interrupted him. There was news of the soul beasts he needed.

"Mingxi, a Mercenary Group discovered one of the soul beasts you need in the Star Dou Great Forest—a Blazing Sun Unicorn, roughly fifty thousand years old. The other is a Sun Flame Crow. That one is more suitable, but it's over sixty thousand years old, nearly seventy thousand. That's a little beyond the limit."

"Sect Master, I want the Sun Flame Crow."

"Good. I'll accompany you personally this time."

Before taking the Immortal Herbs, Xu Mingxi might have had some reservations. But after the Ice and Fire tempering of his body, his physique had been greatly enhanced.

Moreover, ever since returning to the sect after his training in the Star Dou Great Forest, he had asked the Sect Master to deliberately gather Whale Rubber. Though they had not found any ten-thousand-year Whale Rubber, he had consumed quite a bit of the thousand-year variety—so much that he was nearly suffering from excess internal heat.

He was confident that a soul ring over sixty thousand years old would absolutely not be an obstacle for him. The higher the age, the greater the chance that it would trigger a mutation in his martial soul.

The Blazing Sun Unicorn was a fire-and-holy-attribute soul beast, with the holy attribute accounting for a greater share. Though its attributes were powerful, they were not what Xu Mingxi needed. If he absorbed its soul ring and his martial soul underwent no changes whatsoever, Xu Mingxi would regret it to death.

The Sect Master personally set out, accompanied by the Second Elder and Fourth Elder. Two Titled Douluo and one Soul Douluo took Xu Mingxi to obtain his Seventh Soul Ring.

The Sun Flame Crow's bloodline surpassed even that of the Poison Spirit Flood Dragon. At over sixty thousand years old, it could rival an ordinary ninety-thousand-year soul beast. Its territory lay within the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest, and hunting it would inevitably disturb other soul beasts.

The Sect Master specifically sent a letter inviting Dugu Bo. With his poison, they could avoid most of the trouble.

The news of Dugu Bo's breakthrough to Titled Douluo was no longer a secret. He was now respectfully known by the outside world as the Poison Douluo.

Because Dugu Xin's wife could not withstand the extreme icy and fiery aura within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he could only remain in Heaven Dou City to tend to her health.

Yet because of this, visitors came to his door in an endless stream. The other factions were manageable, but he truly could not refuse the invitations from the Upper Three Sects and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. He had long been driven to distraction by the recruitment attempts of every major power.

Now that he had received the Sect Master's letter, he left Heaven Dou City after merely saying that he was going out to gather medicinal herbs, escaping the vortex at the center of the tangled forces within the city.

"Sect Master, the Poison Douluo has left Heaven Dou City. Judging by his direction, he should be heading for the Star Dou Great Forest."

"Bone Uncle, I'll have to trouble you. Help me find out exactly who stands behind this Dugu Bo."

Ning Fengzhi looked at the intelligence on the table, deeply worried. The situation within the Heaven Dou Empire was like a powder keg now—one spark would set it off.

Ever since Tang Chen vanished, none of the Upper Three Sects had possessed the strength to suppress the other two. They were only barely united due to the threat of Spirit Hall; in truth, they were nothing more than a loose collection of scattered sand.

Leaving aside the force behind the Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo alone was already enough to stir up storms in the Heaven Dou Empire. Ning Fengzhi had no choice but to be cautious.

Bone Douluo possessed the miraculous ability to traverse space, making him the best candidate to investigate Dugu Bo. Even if he were discovered, Ning Fengzhi believed that with his Level 94 strength, he could retreat unscathed.

If Bone Douluo knew what he was thinking, he would definitely be unable to resist slapping him across the face. Dugu Bo indeed would not discover him, but you never mentioned there was a Super Douluo here.

After taking the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma, the Sect Master naturally broke through to Level 97. His foundation had also been strengthened, and if he encountered another opportunity in the future, he might even attempt to break through to Level 98.

The four of them arrived outside the Star Dou Great Forest first and waited. The moment Dugu Bo arrived, the Sect Master discovered Bone Douluo following behind him.

His first soul ring lit up, and the Star Guiding Art surrounded Bone Douluo from all directions. Though it was of little use against him, it could force him to reveal himself.

Startled and suspicious, Dugu Bo and the First Elder hurried over, joining the Sect Master in surrounding Bone Douluo.

Gu Rong felt the pressure emanating from the Sect Master, far surpassing his own, as well as the two Titled Douluo surrounding him. Bitterness filled his heart.

Fengzhi, you've really gotten me into trouble this time.

On Douluo Continent, Super Douluo referred to soul masters between Level 95 and Level 98. Once one reached that level, they had already pulled far ahead of ordinary Titled Douluo.

If Gu Rong had broken through to Level 95, he would not have feared them. Even in the worst case, he could have retreated safely. But he was only Level 94 now, and the leader on the other side was definitely far more than merely Level 95.

Dugu Bo had never felt so furious. He had not expected that after breaking through to Titled Douluo, someone would follow him all the way from Heaven Dou City to the Star Dou Great Forest without him noticing in the slightest.

"Gu Rong, has your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect been following this old man because you intend to make a move against me?"

"Brother Dugu, you jest. I was merely curious for a moment, and that is why I offended you all."

Bone Douluo was also suffering in silence. He truly had not expected to be caught. When had such a powerful Super Douluo appeared on the continent?

But he was in the wrong after all. Gu Rong took out a Box from his Storage Soul Tool and handed it to Dugu Bo.

"Brother Dugu, this is an eight-thousand-year Flame Lion Left Leg Bone. How about accepting it as compensation for this old man's offense?"

Dugu Bo did not take it. Instead, he looked at the Sect Master, who was the one holding authority here.

The Sect Master motioned for Dugu Bo to accept the Soul Bone before turning to Bone Douluo.

"Brother Gu Rong, how about we go down and talk?"

"Of course, of course."

How could Gu Rong dare refuse? Only after the three surrounded him and descended did he see Xu Mingxi and the Fourth Elder standing below. He was immediately stunned.

They couldn't have come to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul rings, could they? With such a powerful lineup, were they planning to hunt a hundred-thousand-year soul beast?

If they had really only come to obtain a soul ring, then wouldn't I have been caught for nothing? Fengzhi, you've led me astray.

After landing, the Sect Master gave Xu Mingxi a meaningful look, telling him that the decision was his to make. Whether Bone Douluo lived or died depended entirely on a single thought from him.

Xu Mingxi understood. Bone Douluo understood as well. Watching Xu Mingxi walk past several Titled Douluo toward him, he knew that his life and death rested in this young man's hands. But why did that face look so familiar?

Xu Mingxi was conflicted as well. The Upper Three Sects were an important force for restraining Spirit Hall. Without Bone Douluo, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would suffer a severe blow.

Furthermore, if they killed him, his own group might be fine, but the Dugu Family would definitely face retaliation. Even considering only that, they could not act so casually.

"Senior Bone Douluo, how about leaving the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and joining our sect?"