About an hour later.
The black Soul Ring shed by the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python shattered, and the third Soul Ring beneath Su Changge's feet finally solidified.
At that moment, Su Changge's aura surged!
He broke through the level 29 bottleneck and charged straight into the level 30 Soul Elder realm.
Level 30 peak!
Level 31...
And it still wasn't over. The second trait, Devour, activated.
Su Changge swallowed every last trace of the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's remaining Soul Power, blood and qi... and evolutionary energy.
The level 31 bottleneck shattered at once.
At the same time, consciousness stirred deep within his mind.
"Ding! The host has obtained his third Soul Ring. Martial Soul Evolution: Hobgoblin promoted to Goblin Shaman. Third trait reward acquired: Pure Stat Monster."
(Note: If you wish, you can raise your attributes in any dimension to their maximum at any level.)
"This time, I've really hit the jackpot."
Information flashed rapidly through Su Changge's mind.
Yet when he saw his third Soul Skill, he still couldn't help crying out in shock.
Third Soul Skill: Space Control!
The upper limit of this Soul Skill was simply absurd. It would keep evolving as his understanding of the laws of space deepened.
Once he mastered it, crossing the sea of stars and tearing apart the heavens and earth would be child's play.
"Hm? How is it? What kind of Soul Skill did the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python give you? Want this old man to judge it for you?"
The Pufferfish Douluo had noticed Su Changge's reaction and took an interest.
He was curious to find out how strong Su Changge was now that he had advanced to level 32 and become a Soul Elder.
Could he still fight above his level like he had as a Soul Grandmaster, overcoming the strong with the weak and killing Soul Masters an entire realm above him as easily as butchering dogs?
"Ahem... just an ordinary control-type Soul Skill. Nothing special."
"By the way, senior, you've spent a long time in Tiandou Imperial City. Do you know where Poison Douluo Dugu Bo is these days?"
Su Changge gave an awkward laugh and hurriedly changed the subject.
As if! A trump card wasn't a pair of underpants. How could he just show it to anyone?
All right!
He was truly an ungrateful wretch.
Su Changge had completely forgotten that obtaining a thirty-thousand-year-old Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python as his third Soul Ring had been entirely thanks to the Pufferfish Douluo.
"Forget it, you brat. You've got too many schemes."
"If you don't want to tell me, I couldn't care less."
"I'm a Titled Douluo. What Soul Skill haven't I seen?"
"Even if your third Soul Skill has some merit, how strong can it possibly be?"
Su Changge's evasiveness had left the Pufferfish Douluo feeling slighted.
He snorted, secretly deciding that on the way back to Haagen-Dazs Royal City, he would give Su Changge a proper 'welcome.'
Didn't the brat like throwing up?
Then he'd make him travel all the way north, throwing up nonstop.
Having figured out how he would torment Su Changge, the Pufferfish Douluo turned his attention back to him. "By the way, what do you want with that old poisoner, Dugu Bo? Do you have a grudge against him too?"
There was a teasing note in the Pufferfish Douluo's voice.
It made sense. As two of the few Titled Douluos on the Douluo Continent who were skilled in poison, it would've been strange if they hadn't clashed.
"No... nothing like that."
"But I heard Dugu Bo hid plenty of good things in a secret place somewhere in Sunset Forest."
"If he's not there, why not take this chance to ransack his lair? Those treasures are just going to waste sitting there. We might as well put them to good use."
Su Changge didn't give a thought to the older man's stamina. He'd finally gotten a chance to order the Pufferfish Douluo around, and he was determined to squeeze every last drop of effort out of him.
"Oh? Treasures?"
At Su Changge's words, the Pufferfish Douluo's eyes lit up.
He didn't care about the treasures Su Changge had in mind.
But he was very interested in secretly giving Dugu Bo a nasty surprise.
"If those things go missing, will Dugu Bo fly into a rage?"
"Senior, don't underestimate the value of those things. If they disappeared, anyone with a normal heart would cough up three pints of blood and fall into a long-lasting state of depression."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"As far as I know, that old Dugu Bo is in Tiandou Imperial City right now, teaching his precious granddaughter. This is a rare chance to raid his home."
"Young friend, if we can get one over on Dugu Bo, I won't take a single coin's worth of those things. They're all yours."
The Pufferfish Douluo was so fired up that he'd even forgotten about his business in Haagen-Dazs Royal City.
Before Su Changge could reply, the Pufferfish Douluo had already become a blur, carrying him a hundred meters away.
"Senior... slow down! No, I'm going to throw up."
After two days and one night, traveling thousands of miles, the Pufferfish Douluo and Su Changge reached the wondrous site in Sunset Forest that Su Changge had told him about: the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Deep within the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, the Pufferfish Douluo saw Aromatic Silk Beauty, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Infernal Delicate Apricot, Aromatic Silk Beauty, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, and more than thirty top-grade Immortal Herbs in all—some whose names he recognized, and others he didn't. He was completely stunned.
Without thinking, he slapped himself.
Damn this mouth of his. Why did it always run ahead of him?
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, who would've believed that old poisoner Dugu Bo had stashed so many top-tier Immortal Herbs in his lair—enough to move any Soul Master?
The Pufferfish Douluo regretted his promise, but he never considered killing Su Changge and taking the Immortal Herbs for himself.
Aside from his own principles, the most important thing was that Su Changge was now one of Qian Renxue's trusted subordinates.
As long as her favor remained, that alone was enough to keep the Pufferfish Douluo from entertaining any improper thoughts about Su Changge.
"Senior, smile a little. Don't look so miserable."
"Don't worry. I'm not going to use all these Immortal Herbs. With a stroke of fortune like this, I should think of my master, shouldn't I?"
"I'll save some that'll be useful to Her Highness..."
"At least you've got a bit of a conscience, brat. Her Highness was right to think so highly of you."
Hearing Su Changge say this, the Pufferfish Douluo's expression immediately improved. Then he left Su Changge to his own devices and headed toward several Immortal Herbs he hadn't seen before.
Whew... Tang San! Xiao Wu! Shrek Seven Devils... don't blame me. I'm taking this stroke of fortune for myself.
If you want to blame someone, blame that bastard Yu Xiaogang.
Night fell.
Su Changge didn't care whether the Immortal Herbs were ripe.
He first plucked the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot, then spent several hours cultivating a body immune to ice and fire.
Next, he spent a full three days consuming the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew to cultivate fiery golden eyes; the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, and Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum to strengthen his muscles and bones, reverse his constitution, and cultivate a jade-bone, golden-body physique... Finally, he tried consuming the Aromatic Silk Beauty.
Unfortunately, although the Aromatic Silk Beauty strengthened his Martial Soul's foundation, it didn't break through the Martial Soul's limitations and evolve it, as it had for Ning Rongrong in the original story.
Su Changge didn't know that during those three days he spent consuming Immortal Herbs, Tang San—thousands of miles away—had been unable to sleep all night. He was listless and couldn't shake the feeling that he'd lost something important.
"Jade-bone, golden-body physique, fiery golden eyes, immunity to ice and fire, immunity to all poisons... and Soul Power."
Su Changge opened his eyes. A golden glint flashed and disappeared from his gaze.
He had gained so much over the past few days.
Not only had he consumed numerous Immortal Herbs and gained all kinds of opportunities and benefits, but his Soul Power had also broken through to level 35, despite his repeatedly holding it back...
Saving him at least three to five months of cultivation.
After steadying himself, Su Changge stood up, gathered the dozen or so remaining Immortal Herbs, and packed them all up for the Pufferfish Douluo.
"Senior, these dozen-odd Immortal Herbs are my token of appreciation for Her Highness."
"In your view, is my loyalty to Her Highness... worth enough?"