"Little San, when are we going to get our Soul Rings?" Dai Mubai asked.
"Well, Brother Siming hasn't come back yet, and I can't help worrying a little. I have a feeling something's about to happen," Tang San said, concern showing in his voice.
Wasn't that the truth? Jiang Siming had sold Tang San out without a second thought.
"Boss Dai, Third Brother, what are those two little red dots up ahead? What the heck are they? Could they be ghostfire?" Ma Hongjun had spotted two little red dots in the distance by the academy gates.
Tang San activated his Purple Demon Eye and got a clear look.
"Brother Siming! It's Brother Siming. But there's an old senior beside him. They're over there, um..." Tang San trailed off.
"Little San, what's wrong?" Boss Dai asked.
"Nothing. They just look really familiar. Siming I can understand, but what's going on with that old man?" Tang San said, puzzled. There was no helping it—the cigarettes from the system really were that miraculous.
"Why don't we go over and see?" Dai Mubai crossed his arms over his chest and walked straight toward them.
Jiang Siming and Dugu Bo were chatting away when they saw the group approaching from the distance. They slowly rose to their feet.
"Brother Siming, why are you sitting outside the academy? And may I ask who this senior is?" Tang San asked politely. The others looked just as curious.
"Little Monster, aren't you going to introduce me?" Dugu Bo looked at Jiang Siming.
"Little San, this is Senior Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo. Old man, this is the person I told you could help you." Jiang Siming said.
The scene fell completely silent. Everyone except Dugu Bo stared at Jiang Siming in shock, their eyes seeming to say, "If you've been kidnapped, just blink."
After a long pause, Tang San spoke. "Brother Siming, don't joke with me. How could I possibly help a Titled Douluo?" Although Tang San couldn't think of any reason Jiang Siming would deceive him, he was still full of doubts.
"Let's head back to the academy first. I'll explain everything as we go." Jiang Siming stretched and spoke nonchalantly. You had to admit, with a Titled Douluo standing beside him, everyone else was amazed while he stayed completely relaxed. That was pretty impressive.
The group headed into the academy. As they walked, Jiang Siming asked, "Where did the dean and Teacher Zhao go?"
"The dean and Teacher Zhao? They probably went to collect the money. They bet quite a lot on our Spirit Fighting matches today. The amount was pretty big, so, uh..." Tang San said awkwardly.
"Got it, got it," Jiang Siming replied.
After that, they each returned to their dorms, and Jiang Siming, Dugu Bo, and Tang San began discussing the details.
Dugu Bo stood to the side with his arms crossed, looking every bit the aloof master.
"Brother Siming, may I ask what Senior Dugu needs me to do?" Tang San couldn't help asking. He still felt a little uneasy.
"Little San, don't be nervous. The old man won't do anything to you. More precisely, he wouldn't dare." Jiang Siming gave Dugu Bo a teasing look.
"Hmph." Dugu Bo snorted in protest, but didn't deny it.
The more Tang San listened, the more confused he became. Titled Douluo were incredibly powerful. What did he have that could make one wary of him? Was it because of Brother Siming?
"The old man has a problem with his body and wants you to take a look," Jiang Siming said plainly.
"May I ask what kind of ailment you have, Senior Dugu?" Tang San didn't beat around the bush. After all, Jiang Siming had brought him here. Besides, given that Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo, even if Tang San couldn't help him, he likely wouldn't lower himself to do anything to him.
Dugu Bo spoke calmly. "Toxins have built up in my body over many years. It's an innate flaw in my Martial Soul. Do you have any way to resolve it?"
Tang San was astonished. He was skilled in poisons, but even his father didn't know that. The Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record was far too important to reveal. Jiang Siming had clearly recommended him to Dugu Bo because he knew what Tang San could do.
Jiang Siming had known Tang San would have questions, so he spoke with genuine feeling. "Little San, don't overthink it. I'd never harm you. After all, you're my brother."
Tang San stared intently at Jiang Siming, then took a deep breath and let it out. "Brother Siming, I trust you. I'll do my best to solve Senior Dugu's problem, but the medicinal herbs I need may be hard to find."
"You don't need to worry about that. What heavenly treasures could my Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well possibly be lacking?" Dugu Bo said confidently, his imposing air rising dramatically.
"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!" Tang San exclaimed in shock.
"Kid Tang, if you can resolve the hidden problems in my body and my granddaughter's, I'll let you visit the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well freely from now on." For anyone skilled in poisons or medicine, this was an offer impossible to refuse.
"Fine." Tang San made up his mind. He trusted Jiang Siming and believed he would never harm him. Tang San's spiritual power was exceptionally strong, and he could sense that Jiang Siming's emotions had been genuine when he spoke. He didn't know how Jiang Siming had learned his secret. Perhaps Tang San had accidentally let it slip when they were children.
"However, Senior Dugu, you may have to wait a while. I've just reached level 30, so I need time to get a Soul Ring," Tang San said.
Dugu Bo readily agreed. His problem hadn't flared up yet. And in the world of Soul Masters, delaying someone's cultivation was as grave a grudge as killing their father or stealing their wife. After all, one could only begin cultivating at the next stage after obtaining a Soul Ring.
After Tang San left.
"As expected of the Clear Sky Douluo's son. Little Monster, what kind of people have you been making friends with? Why does the word 'genius' seem more and more ordinary?" Dugu Bo couldn't help sighing. He was a Titled Douluo, yet Jiang Siming wasn't afraid of him because he had the strength to back it up. Tang San had shown no fear of him either. That made Dugu Bo feel rather humiliated.
"Maybe birds of a feather flock together. But I'm definitely the strongest," Jiang Siming said smugly.
"All right, I'll be off. When he's ready, just bring him to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to see me." Dugu Bo turned to leave, a trace of reluctance in his expression. He was clearly the sort who seemed cold on the outside but was warm underneath. He had already opened up to Jiang Siming and, in truth, had come to think of him as a friend—or perhaps even something more.
After Dugu Bo left, Jiang Siming began recalling the original story.
"Dugu Bo has appeared earlier than expected, but it shouldn't have much impact. So this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest ought to be pretty interesting, huh?" Jiang Siming pondered.
The Battle Before Setting Out
The next day.
Jiang Siming had gotten up early. Recalling the battle in the Mirror World the night before, he couldn't help twitching the corners of his mouth. Dying really was awful. He had to die ten times every night, and Jiang Siming thought his poor little heart couldn't take it.
But he'd definitely made progress. He'd gone from being completely unable to fight back to being able to put up a basic fight against those relentless Mirror World copies. Fighting himself was certainly strange, but to improve, he had to master all his abilities and identify their weaknesses, then gradually refine them.
Jiang Siming's Martial Soul and Soul Skills were both powerful to the point of being absurd. But as his fight with Dugu Bo had shown, if it came down to the sheer power of their moves, Dugu Bo could beat him with Soul Power alone. There was no way Jiang Siming, who was only level 30, could compete—even though his Soul Power was far more substantial than an ordinary Soul Master's. So what Jiang Siming needed most now was to improve his technique.
If Jiang Siming went all out and activated God of Slaughter Possession and Evil Aura, his attack power could reach terrifying heights in an instant. But with his current Soul Power, he wouldn't be able to sustain it for long. If his opponent kept dodging, Jiang Siming would simply be worn down to death. He compressed his Soul Power because he'd realized his skills consumed far too much. His cultivation was a little slower that way, but with his freakish physique, he was still keeping up with Tang San and the others—and even edging ahead.
In these circumstances, Jiang Siming understood that he needed to master combat and killing techniques. Of course, combat techniques and killing techniques were similar, but not the same. In a fight, he only needed to use the sharp sword energy of the Immortal Extinction Sword to keep his opponent at bay and the killing power of the Immortal Slaying Sword to wear down their fighting strength. That would let him win with ease.