At Dugu Yan's forceful insistence.
Yu Tianheng was ultimately spared a beating.
But this left Dugu Bo feeling utterly miserable.
He hadn't even planned to do anything to Yu Tianheng.
His granddaughter hadn't even married out yet, and she was already taking someone else's side.
It deeply wounded this old man in his seventies.
Following close behind Chen Xin, he left without even eating dinner, grumbling and cursing all the way.
Tang Xuan did not try to stop him.
The Mandarin Duck Pot was important, but now was not the time to bring it up.
For one thing, Dugu Bo's trust in Tang Xuan was not necessarily very deep at this point.
Bringing it up rashly would seem rather abrupt.
Besides, if Chen Xin were present, Tang Xuan would not even have the chance to make something up.
It would be better to wait until he had studied with the Imperial Dou Fighting Team for a while.
Though it would still seem abrupt then, at least he would have a passable excuse.
Secondly, the Immortal Herbs Tang Xuan had planned for himself were the same as Tang San's.
Without undergoing the tempering of a Thousand Year Soul Ring.
Tang Xuan truly was not confident in attempting the Ice Fire Golden Body.
That thing could genuinely kill him.
In the blink of an eye, four months had passed.
During this time, everything had remained relatively peaceful.
The only thing worth mentioning was this.
The "Star Luo Empire" had dispatched troops to harass the Heaven Dou Empire's border.
Xue Ye concluded that a national war was about to begin.
As a result, the entire Court Hall grew tense.
As the Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe was naturally stretched too thin to come bother Tang Xuan.
The task Tang Xuan had assigned Xue Xing was naturally put on hold as well.
Tang Xuan was not disappointed. His goal had been to keep Xue Qinghe too busy to spare attention elsewhere.
This situation instead suited Tang Xuan perfectly.
As for the actual circumstances of this so-called national war, he understood them as clearly as a mirror.
It would not be long before both sides cease fire.
When that time came, Xue Xing could make another appearance and stall things for another round.
And through these four months of dedicated cultivation.
Tang Xuan naturally broke through to level 20.
After his battle with Xue Xing, Tang Xuan had not been far from the threshold of level 19 to begin with.
He broke through successfully after only one month.
If level 20 had not been a Whole Level Bottleneck.
Then with Tang Xuan's daily high-intensity training beneath the waterfall, he could have broken through even sooner.
And when Tang Xuan told everyone the news.
They all stared at him as if they had seen a ghost.
His talent was formidable, his combat strength was high, and his cultivation speed was this fast as well.
He was not even eight years old and already level 20. Was he going to let anyone else live?
"Tell me, Tang Xiao Xuan, you're not actually some Old Monster who rebuilt his cultivation, are you? A Soul Grandmaster under eight years old—there's never been one in the entire continent's history." Yu Tianheng said with difficulty.
Ever since he had met Tang Xuan.
His worldview had been overturned more times than he could count.
Tang Xuan sighed inwardly.
How could there not be one? That person in the imperial palace was a Soul Grandmaster at six...
"Xiao Xuan, will Sword Douluo help you obtain your Second Soul Ring, or will our Imperial Dou Fighting Team go together?" Qin Ming asked.
Over the past four months, the news that Tang Xuan and Ning Rongrong came from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had long spread everywhere.
After all, Sword Douluo and Poison, two Titled Douluo, had gathered there that day.
It would have been impossible not to draw attention.
"There's no need to trouble Grandpa over such a small matter. Our Imperial Dou Fighting Team should have a battle of its own as well." Tang Xuan smiled.
"That works too. With me there, I can keep all of you safe." Qin Ming nodded.
Qin Ming had now reached level 56, fully entering the realm of a High-Rank Soul King.
His combat strength was not much weaker than that of a Soul Emperor.
With the dual support of Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan, he would even dare to take on a Soul Saint who did not use a Martial Soul Avatar.
They were only obtaining a Second Soul Ring. There should not be any danger.
Sunset Forest.
Just as Qin Ming was about to enter the forest, he suddenly leaped back. Staring at Tang Xuan in disbelief, he asked, "Xiao Xuan, y-you... say that again?"
Tang Xuan sighed. "I said, for my Second Soul Ring, I want to choose a Thousand Year Soul Beast."
When he absorbed his First Soul Ring, a Four Hundred Year Soul Beast had never been Tang Xuan's limit.
He simply had not chosen to absorb one beyond his level because he did not think it was worthwhile.
But a Thousand-year Second Ring was worth Tang Xuan taking a risk for.
"Xiao Xuan, did you even listen during my lessons? Even the weakest Spirit Beast undergoes a qualitative transformation upon reaching a thousand years, becoming fully comparable to a Soul Elder. You're only..." Qin Ming earnestly tried to persuade him.
But Tang Xuan interrupted, "Is my combat strength not even comparable to a Soul Elder?"
Qin Ming was immediately rendered speechless.
According to Yu Tianheng and the others, Tang Xuan had fought a Soul Ancestor evenly at level 18.
Granted, that Soul Ancestor's combat strength had been somewhat pathetic, not even much stronger than Yu Tianheng.
But he had still undergone the tempering of two Thousand Year Soul Rings.
And now that Tang Xuan had reached level 20, he would only be stronger.
Being comparable to a Soul Elder was more than enough.
"Don't worry, Teacher Qin. I train beneath the waterfall every day, so my physical fitness has long become absurdly strong. I also possess a spiritual ability like Sword Momentum. A Spirit Beast that has only just entered the thousand-year range is not particularly dangerous to me."
"Crisis means both danger and opportunity. Once I succeed, the benefits to me will be unimaginable." Tang Xuan comforted him.
After saying that, he took the lead and strode into the forest.
Today, he was definitely absorbing this Thousand-year Second Ring!
"Is it still too late to go back and find Sword Douluo?" Qin Ming stood where he was and gave a wry smile.
If Tang Xuan came to harm under his care, would Sword Douluo not tear him apart alive?
"Even if Sword Grandpa were here, Brother Xuan would make the same choice. He has always dared to take on challenges." Ning Rongrong gazed dreamily at Tang Xuan's retreating back.
"That's true. Tang Xuan isn't afraid, so what are we afraid of? Then let's go crazy with him this once." Qin Ming let out a long breath.
He called for everyone to follow Tang Xuan.
Perhaps heaven itself wanted to help Tang Xuan complete this "defiant act."
Not long after entering the forest, they encountered a Shadow Demon Tiger that had just passed eleven hundred years.
This type of Spirit Beast was a hybrid of a Ghost Tiger and a Bright White Tiger.
It perfectly inherited the strengths of both.
It was incredibly fast, immensely powerful, and possessed an especially large reserve of Soul Power.
Other than being unable to fly, it had no weaknesses at all.
And that was precisely the most important point.
The Bright White Tiger itself possessed a pair of wings.
The Shadow Demon Tiger, which had perfectly inherited the Bright White Tiger's strengths, was naturally no exception.
However, limited by its size, the Shadow Demon Tiger's wings could only grant it the ability to glide.
"That one." Tang Xuan gave a low shout.
Just as he was about to release Level Mountain Style to envelop and suppress the Shadow Demon Tiger.
A Thunder Dragon Claw crackled past him from behind and slammed viciously into the demon tiger's face.
"Tang Xiao Xuan, rest up and conserve your strength. Leave this big tiger to us." Yu Tianheng said with a smile.
It was not that Yu Tianheng wanted to steal the spotlight.
But in his heart.
No matter how confident Tang Xuan was or how convincing he made it sound, absorbing a Thousand Year Soul Ring beyond his level was still a risky undertaking.
One careless mistake could cost him his life.
The more strength he could preserve, the greater his chances of survival.
Tang Xuan naturally understood this and could not help but feel warmth in his heart.
"Fine. Consider it Big Brother inspecting his little brother's strength."
Yu Tianheng rolled his eyes at him.
Just as he was about to retort, Dugu Yan interrupted him.
"Enough nonsense. That tiger is charging at us."
As Dugu Yan spoke, she released a cloud of red poison mist that entered Yu Tianheng's body.
Dugu Yan's First Soul Skill, Jade Phosphor Red Poison, was like a stimulant.
By stimulating the nerves, it could increase the poisoned person's attack power and speed by twenty percent.
Having gained this power, Yu Tianheng felt strength surging through his entire body, as though nothing could stand in his way.
"I'm feeling great right now..." Lightning surged over Yu Tianheng's claws as he bared his teeth and charged toward the Shadow Demon Tiger...
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