Early the next morning.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky, and a light drizzle began to fall.
Qin Xuan slowly opened his eyes. His aura surged, and then three Soul Rings—two purple and one black—rose one by one from his feet.
"Xuan, it seems that apart from your Soul Power, your spiritual power has also increased more than twofold, hasn't it?" Bibi Dong asked in surprise.
At that, Qin Xuan calmly explained:
"After absorbing this Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, my Soul Power rose by three ranks, and I broke through to the Soul Elder realm."
"My third Soul Skill is called Evil Tiger Demon Spirit Cannon. When activated, the Nine Nether Evil God Tiger spits out a red energy blast."
"Not only is this energy blast incredibly destructive, its range reaches an astonishing one kilometer, and it also carries a spiritual attack."
"Mm..." Bibi Dong nodded in satisfaction and praised him. "That's quite a powerful third Soul Skill."
"The Evil Tiger Demon Spirit Cannon is hardly any weaker than the sixth Soul Skill of an ordinary Soul Emperor."
"But your spiritual power seems to be far beyond that of an ordinary Soul Elder!"
"Could absorbing this Soul Ring have awakened some kind of special eye technique in you?"
"Nothing escapes your notice, Teacher." Qin Xuan gave a sheepish laugh, then cried, "Heaven Burning Demon Pupil, open!"
As soon as he finished speaking,
brilliant purple light shone from his eyes, and everything within three thousand meters came into clear view.
Even the delicate sight of raindrops falling onto lotus leaves was crystal clear!
"This eye technique is called Heaven Burning Demon Pupil. It's an innate eye technique awakened by the Nine Nether Evil God Tiger!"
"Besides greatly enhancing spiritual power, Heaven Burning Demon Pupil also has the effects of powerful attacks, incineration, devouring, and suppression."
"Whatever my pupil light reaches, all things are reduced to ashes. My spiritual power can condense into Lone Fiend Black Flame, which burns a Soul Master's spirit and suppresses all eye techniques and spiritual power of the same rank!"
"When Heaven Burning Demon Pupil reaches its highest realm, it can even unleash the destructive power to burn the Sun and Moon with a glance and shatter the firmament with a single look!"
After hearing Qin Xuan's explanation, Bibi Dong's face filled with shock. She marveled inwardly, Heaven Burning Demon Pupil is truly unbelievably powerful. Not only can it multiply one's spiritual power, it can also condense a strange flame called Lone Fiend Black Flame to burn a person's spirit. It's truly formidable!
After all, Tang San's Purple Demon Eye could see only a thousand meters at most at the Soul Elder realm.
Heaven Burning Demon Pupil's range was three times that, which was more than enough to show just how terrifying the eye technique was.
At the same time, Qin Xuan fell into thought:
With my current spiritual power, I still can't release Lone Fiend Black Flame or the oppressive force produced by transforming spiritual power into a manifestation. I'll need to reach at least the Soul Saint realm to use those two abilities.
As for that manifested pressure, it's a little like the spiritual pressure of a Nascent Soul old monster from the cultivation world next door.
Anyone caught in my eye technique will be dragged into an illusion in an instant.
Inside the illusion, my figure will grow several zhang tall, placing immense pressure on the Soul Master.
I really don't take that little scumbag's Purple Demon Eye seriously.
But right now, I need to find a chance to separate from Bibi Dong.
After this battle, Spirit Hall and Dugu Bo have completely fallen out.
If I miss this opportunity, there'll be no chance at all to claim the Immortal Herb fortune in the future.
But Bibi Dong really is several times stronger than I imagined.
I was absorbing the Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring at the time and didn't see what happened, but judging from the sounds, it seems Dugu Bo was gravely wounded by a single move from Bibi Dong.
If Dugu Bo hadn't used my life to threaten her, his eighth and ninth Soul Skills alone wouldn't have been enough to deal with Bibi Dong!
But after this battle, Dugu Bo has suffered a severe loss of vitality. I doubt he'll recover to his peak for at least two or three years.
After thinking it through, he said, "Teacher, let's leave this place first."
"By the way, could Poison Douluo..."
Bibi Dong smiled and cut him off:
"Xuan, you're wondering whether Dugu Bo might return with reinforcements, aren't you?"
Qin Xuan gave a soft "Mm," then quickly explained his reasoning:
"Sunset Forest is deep in the heart of the Heaven Dou Empire, after all."
"And Dugu Bo is an honorary elder of the Heaven Dou Empire."
"This disciple is worried he might come back with reinforcements and surround us."
Bibi Dong wasn't annoyed. Instead, she gently ruffled Qin Xuan's dark hair with her slender fingers, looking deeply pleased.
"On this continent, where the strong prey on the weak, if you want to stay alive, you need not only strength but also caution."
"Blind arrogance can easily lead to a bitter lesson."
"I'm glad you're thinking this way. At least with your temperament, I won't have to worry about you when you roam the world alone in the future."
"As for Dugu Bo, even if I gave him a hundred guts, he wouldn't dare come back!"
"Oh?" Qin Xuan feigned confusion and gave her a look that said he was all ears.
A red glint flashed in Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes as she said gravely:
"Xuan, below the rank of Titled Douluo, everyone is an ant. It's a cruel thing to say, but it's the truth."
"Even Soul Saints and Soul Douluos are nothing more than slightly bigger ants."
"Even Dugu Bo can kill a Soul Douluo with a casual flick of his hand."
"Across the entire Heaven Dou Empire, there isn't a single Titled Douluo. How would they dare to make trouble for me?"
"And though the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is on friendly terms with the Heaven Dou Empire, it wouldn't dare openly oppose me either!"
"If ordinary soldiers came, what difference would ten thousand—or even a million—make?"
"Once they're poisoned within my Death Domain, their bodies will corrode until they die!"
"Besides, Dugu Bo can barely protect himself right now. He barely escaped with his life. Why would he turn back and risk it so easily?"
Hearing this, Qin Xuan looked relieved and mused inwardly:
Judging by the current timeline, Tang San and the others are still eight or nine years old, just like me.
The only top fighter the Heaven Dou Empire can bring out right now is Dugu Bo.
As for Marshal Ge Long, he's merely a Soul Douluo, so there's no need to take him seriously.
Bibi Dong would probably be glad if the Heaven Dou Empire came back for revenge.
With the poison from her Death Domain spreading as it does, ordinary soldiers coming here would just be moths flying into a flame.
Bibi Dong really is powerful. It seems she didn't even activate either of her two domains when she fought Dugu Bo!
At that moment, Bibi Dong said with a smile:
"Although there was a little hiccup along the way, this trip was still quite fruitful. We even got a Ten Thousand Year Head Soul Bone."
"Let's go. We're heading back to Spirit City."
Qin Xuan gave a soft "Mm," and the two of them promptly set off.
At the exit of Sunset Forest, the luxurious carriage was still waiting where they had left it.
Once inside, Qin Xuan sat opposite Bibi Dong and finally spoke:
"Teacher, I'll get off on the outskirts of Heaven Dou City in a little while. This disciple has some personal business to take care of."
Before you continue