Under Xue Hen's Emerald Recovery, the injuries of the dozen or so Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts quickly healed until they were mostly recovered. One after another, they climbed to their feet and licked the blood from their bodies, gazing at the human standing not far before them with confusion in their eyes.
This human had attacked them, then treated them. What exactly was he trying to do?
Xue Hen was watching them, too. Seeing how much their injuries had healed, he nodded in satisfaction.
Even with the healing effect divided among so many targets, it could still restore the injured to this degree. No wonder it was a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Skill!
Then he turned around, paying no heed to today's sparring partners, and leaped away, vanishing from sight like a streak of light.
"Roar!" Seeing Xue Hen leave, the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts stood dumbfounded. They looked at one another, then charged forward as one, lifting their heads to roar with fury and fighting spirit.
Human, don't run! We were careless just now. If you've got the guts, come back and fight us for another three hundred rounds!
Roar!!!
The furious roars of the beasts echoed across the surrounding several thousand meters.
Xue Hen lightly touched down on the branches of one tree after another, his body flickering away like a ghost and leaving only streaks of afterimages behind.
Hearing the roars behind him, he remained impassive. He'd heard them so often these past days that they'd become familiar background noise.
By now, he had fully mastered the level 97 Soul Power in his body, and he had gained a solid grasp of the twelve newly replaced Soul Skills. He could finally do something befitting his persona.
For instance: settle old scores!
Ning Pianpian, I'm coming!
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"Elder Bone, the king dotes on Tian'er. Two months ago, he already submitted a petition asking His Majesty the Emperor to appoint him heir to the throne. You saw him being named on the Sky Screen, too. As long as we find a way to get rid of Xue Hen, Tian'er's position as heir—and even his future position as king—will be as secure as a rock. Just imagine what a tremendous boon it would be to the sect if the king of Balaque had the blood of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!" Ning Pianpian had brought her son to take refuge at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Now she spoke to Bone Douluo, who sat in a chair beside the seat of honor.
This wasn't the first time Ning Pianpian had said something like this. In fact, she'd returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect more than half a month ago, and every day since, she'd come to Gu Rong with much the same argument.
Her intentions were clear: she wanted the sect to help her eliminate Xue Hen, the thorn in her side, so that she and her son could enjoy a peaceful, comfortable life from then on.
Gu Rong had heard these words so often that his ears were practically growing calluses.
How could he not know that killing Xue Hen would benefit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and do it no harm? He'd even been the first to urge Ning Fengzhi to send disciples out to find Xue Hen and eliminate him.
But...
Things were different now!
Who could have imagined that the boy would be such a monster? Not only did he possess Twin Martial Souls, he'd also reached the Titled Douluo rank in his early twenties. And he wasn't an ordinary Titled Douluo—he was level 97, perhaps even 98. How were they supposed to kill someone like that?
Gu Rong irritably rubbed his temples, then was about to wave Ning Pianpian away, signaling that he would think it over again... and again... and again, and figure out what to do.
However...
"Rumble!" Suddenly, a powerful pressure surged in from outside.
What a powerful aura!
"Could it be...?" Gu Rong's expression changed. Instinctively, he looked down at Ning Pianpian.
Sure enough, a cool voice rang out from beyond the sect.
"Jian Hen has come uninvited. I hope Sect Master Ning will forgive the intrusion!"
Jian Hen.
At the sound of that name, Gu Rong's heart sank. It really was him—Xue Hen! He hadn't gone to the Balaque Royal Palace as the Sky Screen had shown. He'd come to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect instead. How had he known Ning Pianpian had fled here with her son?
"Elder Bone!" Down the steps, Ning Pianpian's heart lurched at the name, and she hurriedly turned to look up at Gu Rong, hoping he could protect her and her son.
"Damn it. Fengzhi and Old Sword Man both went to the Balaque Royal Palace." Gu Rong clenched his right hand into a fist, thinking to himself.
Then he stood up and swept his hand toward Ning Pianpian. "Go hide in the back. I'll go... I'll take some people to meet him!"
"All right, all right. Thank you, Elder Bone. Elder Bone, you must find a way to kill that bastard!" Ning Pianpian nodded repeatedly in gratitude, then hurried to hide behind the main hall.
"Hmph!" After she hurried away, Gu Rong gave a cold snort and clasped his hands behind his back. He summoned his Ancient Dragon Martial Soul. Nine Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—appeared beneath his feet, and a powerful aura erupted from his body, pressing toward the sect gate to collide with the other man's aura.
Unfortunately, Gu Rong's aura was quickly forced back by the other man's even stronger presence. His expression turned awful.
What an obnoxious little brat!
Gu Rong took a deep breath and strode out of the hall. Then he leaped toward the sect's boundary and shouted, "Twelve Stewards, come with me to meet the enemy!"
"Yes!" Twelve voices rang out from somewhere within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. As the words fell, twelve beams of multicolored light flashed. The twelve Soul Emperors who possessed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul hurried toward the sect boundary with Gu Rong, protected by several Power Attack System Soul Saints and Soul Emperors. Their destination was the Seven Treasure Mountain Gate.
At that moment, a young-looking man in a pale-moon robe stood right in front of the Seven Treasure Mountain Gate. A Soul Tool necklace hung around his neck, and his expression was cool and indifferent.
A crowd of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's gatekeeping disciples had gathered before him. Every one of them was on edge, staring at the man, beads of sweat appearing on their foreheads. Some were even trembling uncontrollably.
They couldn't help it. The person standing before them was a Super Douluo with Twin Martial Souls!
"Aaaugh!" A dragon's roar rang out as the enormous phantom of a bone dragon descended from the sky. Gu Rong landed before the gatekeeping disciples, having completed Martial Soul Possession. They all let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Young man, what brings you here?" Gu Rong knew the visitor meant trouble, so he made no effort to be polite. He immediately questioned Xue Hen in a cold voice.
After he spoke, the twelve Soul Emperors who had summoned their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Souls also arrived, protected by numerous Battle Soul Saints and Battle Soul Emperors. They were all poised to act, ready to boost Gu Rong the moment a battle broke out.
Xue Hen held the Imperial Power Sword in his hand, nine Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, red, red—shimmering beneath his feet. At Gu Rong's question, he glanced at him, then swept his gaze over the disciples behind him, especially the twelve Soul Emperors who had summoned their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Souls. Finally, he looked back at Gu Rong.
"Bone Dragon Martial Soul. You must be the legendary Number One Defense Douluo, Bone Douluo. May I ask where Sect Master Ning is?" Xue Hen asked.
"What do you want with our sect master?"
"I'm here to ask him to hand over his cousin, Ning Pianpian," Xue Hen said coolly.
"How dare you!" Gu Rong roared. As his words fell, he raised his right foot, then brought it down hard. The fourth Soul Ring beneath his feet blazed with dazzling purple light.
Fourth Soul Skill, Bone Prison! Activate!
Before you continue