Three Immortal Herbs? Going After Ah Yin and the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone?

The City Lord's Mansion's Council Hall.

The seat of honor.

Xu Yu sat in the seat on the left, legs spread wide, his dragon robe stirring despite the lack of wind.

Kong Yan sat on the right, her manner gentle and refined.

Golden Crocodile Douluo, Qian Renxue, and Zhao Lai entered the hall.

There was no show of force, nor any deliberate difficulty.

Golden Crocodile Douluo drew a deep breath and stepped forward twice.

Golden Crocodile Douluo stood second only to the Pope in Spirit Hall, with authority over countless people. Even the Pope had to show him some respect.

Yet at this moment, his expression was solemn. He clasped his fists toward Xu Yu and Kong Yan at the head of the hall and bowed respectfully.

"Golden Crocodile of Spirit Hall pays his respects to the two honored guests."

This bow had nothing to do with allegiance. It was simply a matter of strength.

In the Soul Master World, the accomplished were teachers, and the strong were revered.

Earlier, outside the city, Xu Yu had rendered him unable to move with nothing but his pressure. He had even felt the same helplessness he experienced when facing Grand Pontiff Qian Daoliu.

Though the absolute gap in strength made Golden Crocodile Douluo wary, it also stirred a trace of genuine awe in him.

Having reached Level 98, Golden Crocodile Douluo was a battle fanatic.

He admired the strong and longed even more to discover a path to greater strength.

"Sit."

Xu Yu lifted a hand slightly and gestured toward the guest seats below, sparing not a word more than necessary.

Once the three had taken their seats, maids brought them hot tea.

Golden Crocodile Douluo did not touch his teacup. His gaze stayed fixed on Xu Yu.

After a brief silence, Golden Crocodile Douluo finally could not hold back any longer. His voice carried a hint of hesitation and curiosity.

"Your strength is beyond the heavens. This old man is impressed.

"But... there's something I've been wondering about. I must ask."

Xu Yu lifted his teacup and took a small sip, his expression calm.

"Go ahead."

"I've lived for over a hundred years. I've seen countless extraordinary talents across the continent, and crossed hands with many powerful Soul Masters of my own level."

Golden Crocodile Douluo furrowed his brows, as if searching for the right words—or recalling the earlier battle.

"But before today, I'd never seen Soul Masters like those on your side.

"Whether it was the honored guest who used poison, the one who transformed into a Black Bird, or... you, sir."

As he spoke, Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice involuntarily rose. His eyes were full of disbelief.

"Your Soul Power Levels are clearly about on par with ours. The Black Bird honored guest even has slightly less Soul Power than I do.

"But why...

"Once we fight, whether it's the purity of your Soul Power, your explosive force, or the way you wield your Martial Souls,

"your side overwhelms us in every respect?"

This was what Golden Crocodile Douluo found hardest to understand—and what frightened him most.

If it were simply a matter of higher levels, that would be one thing.

But this kind of invincibility among opponents of the same level, of defeating those above you as easily as drinking water, completely shattered the norms of the Douluo Continent's Soul Master World!

Demon Subduing Douluo, a Level 96 Peak Douluo, had been slaughtered by Wei Kurong like a helpless child, without any ability to fight back.

Where, exactly, did that gap come from?

Xu Zhao had yet to make an appearance, but hearing Golden Crocodile ask this made him curious as well.

In the original story, thousands of years later, the Sun Moon Continent and the Douluo Continent collided.

The Sun Moon Continent gained a huge advantage through Soul Tools.

But when it came to cultivating Martial Souls, it lagged behind the Douluo Continent.

In the end, it was defeated.

But in this era...

Had the Sun Moon Continent's cultivation system actually surpassed the Douluo Continent's in Martial Soul cultivation?

Either the Sun Moon Continent underwent a huge upheaval over the next few thousand years, Xu Zhao speculated.

Or Buddha Tang, after becoming a god, was behind it.

Hearing the question, Qian Renxue beside them pricked up her ears too. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched slightly.

This was the answer she most wanted to know as well.

Xu Yu set down his teacup.

Seeing the longing in Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Xu Yu did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Golden Crocodile, what do you think determines a Soul Master's strength?

"Soul Power Level?

"Soul Ring age?

"Or the number of Spirit Bones?"

Golden Crocodile Douluo was taken aback. He answered instinctively, "Isn't it?"

"Wrong. Completely wrong."

Xu Yu shook his head, his voice carrying undisguised disdain, as if he were judging children still playing in the dirt.

"You rely too much on external objects. You're too obsessed with superficial data.

"In our eyes, the Soul Power you speak of is as insubstantial as cotton.

"Your development of Martial Souls is as crude as a primitive man swinging a wooden club.

"At the same Level 98, the density of a wisp of my Soul Power is more than ten times yours.

"My comprehension of the laws is on a level you cannot even reach.

"When the difference in quality grows large enough, piling up quantity becomes meaningless."

Xu Yu's words were arrogant, but they struck Golden Crocodile Douluo's heart like a heavy hammer.

Soul Power density...

Comprehension of the laws...

Golden Crocodile Douluo's pupils contracted sharply. It was as if he had grasped something, yet as if he had grasped nothing at all.

But he understood one thing.

His opponent had mastered a cultivation civilization far beyond the Douluo Continent's current system!

At that moment, Xu Yu was communicating with Xu Zhao through voice transmission.

Zhao'er, will saying this really work?

Xu Yu felt a little strange about it.

Just keep up the act!

Xu Zhao replied without a care.

As long as they managed to bluff the people from Spirit Hall and the Two Great Empires, that was a success.

Afterward, Xu Zhao planned to take his parents to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Given the current timeline, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had probably already been picked clean.

But it could still be useful to Xu Zhao.

Before leaving the Douluo Continent,

Xu Zhao had gathered a few Immortal Herbs.

They were Ink Jade Divine Bamboo, Earth Dragon Golden Melon, and a Blazing Ginseng King.

All three Immortal Herbs were of sufficient grade, but they lacked enough years.

After planting them at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for a while, they should be ready to consume and refine.

Xu Zhao regretted not getting any Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

But what could he do? The system had arrived so late.

Besides, there were plenty of other top-grade medicinal herbs.

They could all be planted at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

But first, he had to deal with the nuisance that was Dugu Bo.

Dugu Bo had already become sworn brothers with Tang San. It would be best if he could recruit him.

Otherwise, he would have to eliminate him.

According to the system, I can go find Su Yuntao and awaken my Third Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass, without a hitch, Xu Zhao mused.

*Then I can evolve the Blue Silver Grass into a Blue Silver King.

"After that, I'll go swallow the Blue Silver Emperor that grew from the seed left behind after Ah Yin's sacrifice. It's hidden in the cave behind the waterfall in the back hills of Holy Soul Village, where Tang Hao is hiding.

"And I can use that Hundred-Thousand-Year Right Leg Bone too."

Xu Zhao only lacked a Right Leg Bone and a Torso Bone to complete his set of six Spirit Bones.

I should also look for the Blue Silver King. It'd be even better if I could evolve into a Blue Silver Emperor.

*Knowing how that system operates, once I awaken my Martial Soul, I'll probably have to join an academy and then graduate.

"There'll be a few missions in between, but who knows how many rewards I'll get?"*

Although the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was no use to Xu Zhao,

it was still better than nothing.