I Traveled to Douluo and Split into Five People: Chapter 18

"She's pretty."

Qian Xunji: "..." He suddenly felt that Little Xue did not seem to be lacking playmates her own age.

Inside the space.

"That's what happened. I've successfully made contact with Qian Renxue. The little girl is still very innocent and is currently immersed in the sorrowful fact that her mother wants to kill her. As long as I talk her around properly, I'll be able to secure a significant place in her heart. If we fail, I'll find an opportunity to let Tang San kill me in front of her, then leave my corpse before her. That shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"I've also met Chrysanthemum Douluo. At most, within half a year, I should be able to obtain knowledge related to Immortal Herbs."

After saying that, he fell silent, giving the other four room to process it.

"What exactly does Bibi Dong look like? Materialize her so we can have a look."

Tang Yin leaned both hands against the round table they had materialized, full of anticipation. An Lan tapped the table with his fingers, closed his eyes, and focused. Several breaths later, a life-sized Bibi Dong doll appeared on the table.

"Hiss—"

The four of them sucked in a cold breath.

Tang Yin kept nodding.

"These legs are longer than our lives. Who wouldn't get dizzy looking at them? They're a little small, though. Still, just right for one hand to hold."

"Have you spent too long in the Clear Sky Sect, where everyone's got hammers?"

Zhou Xuefeng shot him a glance.

"Can you stop embarrassing us?"

"Everything is going smoothly on my end for now. How are things with you all?"

An Lan swept his gaze across the four. Tian Rui said he was still cultivating. Ning Yulin counted on his fingers and said he would be able to attach his second Spirit Ring soon. Tang Yin puffed out his cheeks and said that he swung a sledgehammer every day.

"I'm still researching my Second Spirit Skill. I'm also looking for some Plant-type Spirit Beasts to devour part of their energy and nourish my Martial Soul." Zhou Xuefeng spread his hands. "I'm saying, can one of you quickly come up with a decisive ability, something suited for infiltration? I'm about to lose patience. I want to deal with the Zhu Family!"

Chapter 30: Take It Slow

30.

"Isn't getting into the Duke's Mansion easy enough? My First Spirit Skill..."

Ning Yulin had some ideas.

"Get an ability that bends light, makes you invisible, something like that. Wouldn't sneaking in be easy?"

"If I could develop an ability like water-ripple invisibility, would I still need you guys?"

Rolling his eyes, Zhou Xuefeng felt utterly speechless. They just opened and closed their mouths, making it sound so easy.

"Then there's nothing we can do about it." Ning Yulin spread his hands. "Even if all of us got our second Spirit Rings, we probably still couldn't handle the Duke's Mansion. Even a third one might not be enough. We'd need a fourth, more or less."

Tian Rui suddenly spoke.

"A suicide attack."

Those five words silenced the other four. He seemed not to notice their looks and continued on his own.

"Anyway, we can't die for good. What are we afraid of? The Duke's Mansion still needs to eat, drink, shit, and piss, right? Hide in a slop bucket, in a supply cart... Have you watched all those assassin infiltration films for nothing? Poison the water, kidnap them, threaten them. If we aren't afraid of dying, we can win no matter what."

Of course, that could work. But Zhou Xuefeng felt that wasting a life over the mere Zhu Family was not worth it. Besides, they did not know what price the five of them would have to pay to revive. If it affected the future, wouldn't that be a loss outweighing the gain?

Still, it was not impossible to consider. If they prepared thoroughly enough, perhaps they would not need to perish together at all.

Zhou Xuefeng looked at Ning Yulin and pondered for a moment.

"Get me some poison, something like Ten Fragrance Soft-Muscle Powder or Sorrowful Breeze. The kind that can take down high-level Soul Saints—no, Spirit Douluos."

The current Netherworld Duke, the Zhu Family's present patriarch, was not even a Spirit Douluo. He was merely a Soul Saint above rank seventy-five. But the Zhu Family did not lack Spirit Douluo-level "experts." After forming the Hell White Tiger with the Dai Family, they had enjoyed considerable resources. Their inheritance had lasted for many generations. Though this generation's patriarch was somewhat useless, it did not mean earlier patriarchs had not left behind capable people.

Ning Yulin nodded, saying that he would do his best to prepare it.

Tang Yin suddenly asked curiously.

"How exactly are you going to take revenge on the Zhu Family? If you count it seriously, the only ones with a grudge against you should be some servants, right?"

Among those who had a direct grudge against Zhou Xuefeng, the highest-ranking was merely the Duke's Mansion steward. The young masters, young ladies, Grand Duke, and the rest above them did not seem to have any direct connection to him.

"You're not wrong, but!" Zhou Xuefeng nodded. "Without the Zhu Family, how would those servants have dared to do such things? Everything starts from the top and filters down! As for how I'll take revenge on the Zhu Family, you'll find out when the time comes."

He could not be bothered to explain. They could just look at the results when the time came.

Besides, there was no guarantee it would go smoothly.

Having learned An Lan's progress, all that remained was Dugu Yan and the Immortal Herbs. The three looked expectantly at Ning Yulin and Tian Rui, their eyes asking the question. Tian Rui spread his hands. He did not even know which direction the Dugu Family was in yet. He was cultivating while waiting for the time to come, preparing to enroll in Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Though Ning Yulin knew where the Dugu Family was, he still had no suitable reason to approach Dugu Bo.

They should wait until An Lan acquired knowledge of Immortal Herbs.

Several months later.

January, year 2630.

Ning Yulin reached rank twenty and prepared to attach a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda as his second Spirit Ring. The enhancement from Whale Rubber was already sufficient, so there was no need to waste more time. The other four could not accomplish the Thousand-Year Second Ring for one reason or another, so he would do it.

Moreover, with a Thousand-Year Second Ring, if he truly ended up approaching Dugu Bo rather than Tian Rui, it would be easier to gain Dugu Bo's attention.

This time, Ning Fengzhi accompanied him. He wanted to personally watch the process by which his sixth son acquired a Spirit Ring. Since Ning Fengzhi was traveling, one of the sect's two guardians naturally had to accompany him as well.

Today, it was Bone Douluo's turn to stand guard.

"Greetings, Guardian."

Ning Yulin and the others did not receive the same treatment as Ning Rongrong, who could use affectionate forms of address such as Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone. They had to remain respectful. Gu Rong nodded slightly. After hearing Ning Fengzhi speak of this little sixth son's exploits, he too had been rather shocked. Since becoming a guardian of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, this was the first time he had seen such a capable child.

With Gu Rong personally taking action, no other guards were needed.

The three headed directly for Sunset Forest.

"Father, for my second Spirit Ring, I'd like to seek a Spirit Beast focused on healing abilities, one with exceptional vitality."

"That will be easy." Ning Fengzhi nodded. "There is a—"

"A thousand-year one."

Ning Yulin finished the second half of the sentence.

"A thousand-year one? You want to attempt a Thousand-Year Second Ring?"

Though the act of shattering his Martial Soul before had already revealed this child's recklessness, Ning Fengzhi had not expected him to harbor an even more death-defying idea. Ning Fengzhi advised him.

"Countless people have tried to obtain a Thousand-Year Second Ring, but no one has succeeded thus far. They all ended with their meridians half-crippled. Worse still, some had their bodies explode and died during absorption. Or do you intend to use the energy of a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring to continue trying to shatter your Martial Soul?"

After nearly a year of recovery, Ning Yulin's Glazed Pagoda had almost completely recovered, with no signs of damage remaining. Ning Fengzhi instinctively guessed that he intended to continue his previous act of shattering his Martial Soul.

"Of course not, Father. You can ask Senior Guardian to examine me and see whether my physical constitution has reached the standard for absorbing a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring."

Before Ning Fengzhi could speak, Gu Rong became interested in Ning Yulin's unprompted confidence and directly examined him. Several breaths later, he withdrew his hand.

"You have more than enough strength to withstand a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring. How did you do it?"

"Allow this junior to keep it secret for now. After I absorb it successfully, I'll explain it to Father and Senior Guardian."

Seeing the old man and the child reach an understanding without him, Ning Fengzhi could only smile wryly. It was not convenient for him to say anything further, so he said to Gu Rong.

"In that case, Uncle Gu, let's proceed. If I remember correctly, there should be a thousand-year Jade Green Vine ahead."

That name... Ning Yulin vaguely remembered it. He had seen related information in an illustrated guide. Its main body was extremely resilient, while its leaves could release life energy to heal the wounds and even illnesses of itself or other Spirit Beasts. It could also release a life barrier that purified and immunized against negative effects.

However, the guide recorded information about a ten-thousand-year specimen. He did not know how powerful a thousand-year specimen's abilities would be.

He had originally wanted to find a thousand-year Blue Silver Grass or begonia flower, but since Ning Fengzhi had already recommended one, he could not be bothered to go looking for another Spirit Beast.

The absorption process was plain and uneventful.

The Thousand-Year Spirit Ring, far beyond the limit, directly raised his Soul Power by two ranks, bringing him to rank twenty-three.

The experiment had succeeded. He had broken through the Spirit Skill restrictions of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Though it was still an attribute attachment ability.

"This effect..."

After receiving the information, Ning Yulin immediately cast it on himself. He did not feel anything obvious at first. After standing and looking around, he suddenly noticed that the sparse leaves and swaying grass seemed to have slowed down.

Was this...? Had his thoughts and perception been accelerated?

Looking at his hands, Ning Yulin found it hard to believe. The motion of raising his hand was far slower than his thoughts.

How had this effect appeared?

With Life Force Attachment, he had assumed it would be some sort of healing ability. It now appeared that aside from healing, it had an unexpected effect. He had Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong experience it separately.

Both men's expressions changed.

Ning Fengzhi's feeling was not particularly clear. But Gu Rong quickly adapted to the sensation. In terms of visible numbers, it increased his reaction speed by thirty percent.

Chapter 31: Golden Experience

It could increase the reaction speed of a rank ninety-five Title Douluo by thirty percent.

He could strike faster than others and dodge faster than others.

"Fengzhi, this Spirit Skill deserves to be recorded in the sect's annals!"

Gu Rong gave it that evaluation. It was an ability worthy of being recorded in the inheritance history of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Ning Fengzhi's expression shifted. He had not expected this overlooked sixth son to pioneer a new path for the sect. It seems...

He had nearly forgotten something.

"Yulin, can you tell us now how you managed to obtain a Thousand-Year Second Ring?"

The Spirit Skill's effect was powerful, but the reason Ning Yulin could achieve a Thousand-Year Second Ring was even more important.

"Of course, Father, Senior Guardian. Please listen as I explain."

He spoke of Whale Rubber.

"After awakening my Martial Soul, I considered many methods to break through the rank limitations and the inherent nature of my support abilities. Shattering my Martial Soul to absorb Spirit Rings was my final idea. Before that, I had considered whether continuously attaching Spirit Rings beyond the absorption limit might allow my Martial Soul to evolve..."

"Based on my conclusions, the key to absorbing Spirit Rings beyond one's limit lies in physical and mental strength. Before ten thousand years, physical strength is more important. Thus, I thought of using external means, such as various medicinal ingredients and Medicinal Baths, to improve my physical constitution. But none of them produced satisfactory results."

"When ordinary prescriptions failed, I thought of another direction: aphrodisiacs."

"When people take aphrodisiacs, their blood circulation speeds up. Some people can even erupt with strength far beyond normal in a delirious state, driven by the urge to vent their desires. I thought that if I could find a way to extract that brief effect of physical enhancement, perhaps I could..."

After a round of nonsense, he naturally brought up the existence of Whale Rubber.

This child dared to strive and dared to think, with no shortage of courage. Perhaps he could support the sect well in the future.

The thought of establishing him as heir arose in Ning Fengzhi's heart. Yet he hesitated greatly. It was good to dare to fight, dare to think, and dare to act, but one careless mistake could overturn the entire sect.

There was still time. He could slowly cultivate him.

As long as he taught Ning Yulin properly and made him understand when to take risks and when to be cautious, taking over the sect then should not be a problem. However, the child was currently excited and pleased with himself. Advice at this moment would not only fail to sink in but could easily provoke rebelliousness, so Ning Fengzhi did not pour cold water on him.

He patted Ning Yulin's head.

"This has contributed greatly to the sect. Is there anything you want?"

The three walked out of the forest. Ning Fengzhi intended to reward this little sixth son as encouragement.

What did he want?

Ning Yulin pondered it. For a moment, he really could not think of anything he wanted.

Spirit Bones? Even if he asked, Ning Fengzhi might not be willing to give him any. Even if he truly did, Ning Yulin would not want one of too low an age. Money? As the sixth young master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he lacked none. Women? Getting carried away at this age could go too far, and if it stopped working later, that would be a problem.

As Ning Yulin remained silent before him, Ning Fengzhi found it strange. Could this little sixth son truly be devoted solely to cultivation, completely undistracted?

After thinking it over and over, someone suddenly realized that there seemed to be only one matter Ning Fengzhi could help with right now.

"Father, I wish to propose marriage to a girl."

"Oh?"

That surprised Ning Fengzhi greatly. For Ning Yulin to use the words propose marriage, the other party presumably had some background. Still, before the mighty Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, it should not be a problem.

He immediately smiled.

"I never expected Yulin to already have a girl he likes at such a young age. Which family is she from?"

"Poison Douluo Dugu Bo's granddaughter."

What?