Dugu Bo

The Dark Gulu Ball struck the Ghost Tiger in the forehead. Its shell burst with a flash of black light, enveloping the entire beast.

The Ghost Tiger let out a deafening roar and struggled desperately.

Its body trembled violently within the black light, as if fighting against some invisible force.

The Dark Gulu Ball's capture mechanism differed from that of ordinary Gulu Balls. During capture, it injected dark energy into the Soul Beast. If the beast's attributes matched, the chances of success rose dramatically;

if they didn't, the Soul Beast would endure tremendous pain and might even die.

The Ghost Tiger's attributes were highly compatible with darkness. After struggling for about three seconds, its body suddenly stopped trembling and began to shrink.

The black light wrapped it into a fist-sized ball, which slowly flew back into Luo Chen's hand.

Luo Chen caught the Dark Gulu Ball, feeling it grow slightly warm in his palm.

The dark-red patterns on its surface shone brighter, pulsing rhythmically like a heartbeat.

Capture successful! Immediately afterward, a purple Soul Ring rose from beneath Luo Chen's feet. His yellow, purple, and purple Soul Rings lit up. He had finally advanced to a three-ring Soul Elder. Yet as he sensed his own level, he realized that the Soul Power that had accumulated in his body for so long seemed to have awakened. The moment he absorbed his third Soul Ring, his level had shot straight to 38!

Before Luo Chen could even breathe a sigh of relief, a surge of powerful Soul Power suddenly came from the King Ball!

"This Emperor has finally recovered to the thousand-year level!" Another part of the Evil Emperor's seal had been lifted. Relying on that surge of Soul Power, Luo Chen forcibly broke through to level 40!

Luo Chen let out a long breath. At least ten years hadn't caused him to fall too far behind in Soul Power cultivation. He put away the Dark Gulu Ball and turned toward Luo An'an.

Just then, an old voice came from behind him. "A four-thousand-year Ghost Tiger, taken down in one move? Interesting."

Luo Chen spun around. An old man in a dark-green robe had appeared beneath a tree ten meters away without him noticing.

The man stood with his hands behind his back. His emerald hair and beard stirred gently in the breeze, and his pale skin looked even stranger beneath the shade. He watched Luo Chen with narrowed eyes and a faint, knowing smile.

Dugu Bo.

Luo Chen's heart tightened. He had been focused on fighting the Ghost Tiger and hadn't sensed Dugu Bo's arrival at all.

Sure enough, even with his mental power temporarily at the Spirit Abyss Realm, he could still fail to detect a Titled Douluo if he wasn't careful.

"This junior is Luo Chen. Greetings, Senior Dugu." Holding Luo An'an, he bowed.

"Oh? You know who I am?" Dugu Bo asked curiously.

"This junior is the one who wrote you that letter."

"So it was you!" Dugu Bo suddenly understood. "You said you could solve the problem that's been troubling me for so long?"

"That's right," Luo Chen replied.

Luo Chen was about to explain when Dugu Bo cut him off. "Hold on. We can leave that for later. This poison has troubled me for years, so there's no need to rush. For now, I'm more interested in that ball of yours. What is it? A Soul Tool?"

Luo Chen paused, then smiled. "Senior, it's my Martial Soul, called the Gulu Ball."

"Your Martial Soul captures Soul Beasts? I've lived for decades and never heard of anything like that. Catch another one and let me see."

Luo Chen replied, "Senior, my Martial Soul has its limits. I can't capture one whenever I want. I have to find a suitable one first..."

"Tell me what you want. If it's in Sunset Forest, I can catch it for you."

"Senior, there's no hurry. I came today to ask you for a favor."

Seeing Luo Chen subtly steer the conversation elsewhere, Dugu Bo let the matter drop and answered, "In your letter, you said you wanted to borrow my Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. How did you learn that I had it, and what do you want to use it for?"

Luo Chen told him about Luo An'an's situation. Dugu Bo looked at the innocent-faced girl, unable to hide his surprise.

"Devouring power? Twin Martial Souls? Are you kidding me? Both siblings are geniuses?" Dugu Bo was at a loss. He had thought his granddaughter was already a genius, but now there were two more prodigies.

Dugu Bo continued, "I came here today intending to send you away. A place like the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well isn't somewhere just anyone can enter. But now..." He paused, his gaze settling on Luo Chen's Martial Soul and Luo An'an. "I've changed my mind. You and your sister can come with me. Stay as long as you like, until you successfully awaken your Martial Souls."

Luo Chen was delighted and bowed.

"Thank you, Senior Dugu."

"Don't thank me yet." Dugu Bo waved a hand. "I'm not letting you use it for nothing. First, don't forget what you promised. Second..." He glanced at Luo An'an, the corner of his mouth curling slightly. "I'm very interested in both your Martial Souls."

Luo Chen's heart tightened, though he kept his expression calm.

"This junior understands."

Dugu Bo looked at Luo Chen but said nothing more. He turned and walked deeper into the forest, hands behind his back. His pace was unhurried, as if he were strolling through his own garden.

"Follow me. Don't get lost."

Holding Luo An'an, Luo Chen hurried after him.

After they had walked a while, a visible cloud of poisonous mist appeared in the air ahead. It was gray-green and viscous, like a translucent film spread through the air.

Faint shadows of snakes darted through the poison, which carried a disquieting, decayed stench.

This was the poison formation Dugu Bo had laid down, created by a Titled Douluo. If an ordinary person touched it recklessly, they would suffer mild poisoning at best—or die on the spot.

Dugu Bo raised his right hand and lightly swept his five fingers through the air. The poison parted as if torn open by an invisible hand. Gray-white mist churned around the opening, with something faintly writhing within it.

The rotten stench in the air faded somewhat, replaced by a crisp, indescribable scent, as if ice and fire had mingled in the air.

Luo Chen's keen mental power sensed that the poison hadn't vanished completely. Instead, it had switched from "defense mode" to "passage mode."

The poison formation's runes remained, but Dugu Bo's Soul Power had quietly formed a protective layer around Luo Chen and Luo An'an, separating the siblings from the surrounding toxins.

It was Soul Power manipulation on the level of a Titled Douluo, precise down to every inch and every wisp.

"Come in." After a long walk, Dugu Bo stood at the entrance to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. He glanced back at Luo Chen.

Holding Luo An'an, Luo Chen stepped forward. Once they passed through the poisonous mist, the view ahead opened up.

The dense forest thinned, giving way to low shrubs and strange flowers and plants scattered across the ground.

The air's temperature began to fluctuate—now scorching, as if they were standing beside a furnace, now freezing, as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.

"We're nearly there," Dugu Bo said casually. Luo An'an poked her head over Luo Chen's shoulder and looked around curiously.

She spotted a cabbage with the lustrous look of a fiery-red gemstone. Tiny flames danced across its leaves, and she hurriedly ducked back into Luo Chen's arms.

"Brother, that cabbage is on fire!"

"It isn't on fire. That's just how it looks."

"Will it burn if I touch it?"

"Yes, it will. An'an, don't you dare touch it!"

Luo An'an ducked her head back in and pulled her little hands to her chest.