Taking a deep breath, Ning Fengzhi carefully considered the price he could offer before solemnly asking again:
"I wonder what you need, my young friend. So long as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect possesses it, feel free to ask."
Clearly, Ning Fengzhi was prepared to pay dearly. For even a sliver of hope for Martial Soul Evolution, he was willing to pay any price.
"Sect Master Ning, there's no rush." Bai Shu waved a hand, his expression calm. "You may return to your sect first and look through its records concerning Immortal Herbs. It will both verify whether what I've said is true and allow you to understand their true value. Then, we can discuss a trade."
"This..."
Ning Fengzhi hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded and did not press further. Since Bai Shu had said so, he clearly had no intention of trading with him now. Still, he had at least found a clear direction for evolving his Martial Soul, so this trip had not been in vain.
Afterward, Bai Shu spoke with them for a while longer before taking his leave on the grounds of fatigue.
The day and night of travel had truly exhausted him. Although Xie Biyan had flown with him the entire way, the mental fatigue was all too real.
Not long after Bai Shu left, Ning Fengzhi and Qian Renxue also rose to say goodbye. With Xie Biyan, such a formidable figure, present, there was no chance of buying the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma in advance. There was no point in staying any longer.
After leaving Dugu Manor, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin sat in a carriage bound for their sect. The atmosphere inside was somewhat oppressive.
"Uncle Sword," Ning Fengzhi was the first to break the silence, asking Chen Xin about what had just happened. "What do you think of that Ten Thousand Scorpion Douluo's strength?"
Sword Douluo fell silent for a moment, his tone grave.
"This man... is unfathomable. Although his Soul Power Level is also ninety-seven, I could sense that the quality of the Soul Power within him far surpasses mine. He has likely already reached the very limit of a Super Douluo and may even possess the ability to fight above his level. Even if Old Bone and I joined forces, we might not gain any advantage. We might even... risk defeat."
Ning Fengzhi frowned slightly upon hearing this. "What if I added my support?"
Chen Xin lightly shook his head without hesitation.
"It would be useless, Fengzhi. Like Dugu Bo, he is clearly a Poison Attribute Spirit Master, and his methods of using poison are countless times stronger than Dugu Bo's. Even my sword intent felt somewhat sluggish within that terrifying poisonous domain. If you supported us from the side, you would only become his foremost target. If he wanted to kill you, we would have no way to stop him."
Ning Fengzhi's breathing hitched. He could not help but take the mysterious youth Bai Shu even more seriously, while also yearning even more for the Immortal Herbs Bai Shu had mentioned.
Strength was the foundation of everything. Though he was the esteemed sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, just as Chen Xin had said, if he encountered such a peerless expert, there would be nothing he could do if that person wanted to kill him.
Perhaps only by breaking the shackles of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda would I have a chance to protect myself.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect possessed some records regarding the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, though they were only fragmentary and contained no specific battle records. Still, Ning Fengzhi had inferred some useful information from them.
The final two soul ring skills of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda were likely meant for self-preservation. Only then could Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Masters intervene in battles involving Title Douluo without reservations.
While Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin discussed Xie Biyan's strength, Qian Renxue's expression on the other side was equally grave.
During their earlier conversation, in order to properly play the role of a disciple, she had deferred to Ning Fengzhi in all matters and rarely spoken. The moment she returned to the Crown Prince Mansion, she dismissed all the servants and summoned Pufferfish and Snake Lance, the two Title Douluo.
"Young Master, are you all right?" Pufferfish Douluo spoke first, his voice carrying a trace of urgency.
Because of Sword Douluo, they had not dared to approach too closely this time. Yet they had still clearly sensed the terrifying aura that erupted from within Dugu Manor. That presence had made even the two of them, both Title Douluo in their nineties, feel their hearts tremble.
Had that fluctuation not vanished in an instant, they would have nearly rushed in to rescue her.
Qian Renxue waved a hand to indicate that she was unharmed, then recounted everything that had happened at Dugu Manor to the two of them in detail, especially every detail concerning Xie Biyan.
After she had finished, Qian Renxue looked toward Snake Lance Douluo and said in a low voice:
"Uncle She, return to Spirit City immediately, as quickly as possible! Tell my grandfather exactly what I just told you. This 'Ten Thousand Scorpion Douluo' appeared far too suddenly. His strength may even rival Grandfather Golden Crocodile's. We must uncover his origins!"
"Yes, Young Master!" Snake Lance Douluo did not dare delay. He could sense the urgency in the young master's words.
He too felt deeply insecure now. Such a powerful Title Douluo had suddenly emerged in Heaven Dou City. With their current strength, protecting the young master was already becoming somewhat beyond their abilities.
After clasping his fists in salute, he flashed out of the room and transformed into a streak of light, speeding toward Spirit City.
Only after seeing Snake Lance leave did Qian Renxue relax slightly. She waved a hand, signaling Pufferfish Douluo to conceal himself and continue lying low.
After standing alone by the window for a while longer, Qian Renxue straightened her robes and resumed the gentle demeanor of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. She then went back outside, boarded a carriage, and headed toward the imperial palace.
That night, undercurrents churned through Heaven Dou City. Several major forces were unable to remain calm because of one person's appearance.
The next morning, when the first warm ray of sunlight filtered through the window lattice and spilled into the room, Bai Shu lazily stretched before climbing from the soft bed, feeling refreshed.
Most of the time, he had used meditation in place of sleep, so it had been a long time since he had slept this comfortably.
He had just gotten up and instructed the servants to bring breakfast when he caught sight of a lump beneath the covers out of the corner of his eye.
His steps paused as he looked, amused, at Little Rabbit, who had somehow slipped into his bed and was sleeping soundly.
Xiao Wu was curled up entirely beneath the blanket, with only her little head exposed. Her long eyelashes trembled faintly, and a silly smile still lingered on her face, as though she were having some wonderful dream.
The sight immediately put Bai Shu in the mood for a prank. Suppressing his laughter, he bent down and grabbed Xiao Wu by both arms. Then, with a sudden exertion of his waist and abdomen, he lifted her whole body straight out of the covers and steadily set her down on the carpet beside the bed.
Xiao Wu opened her eyes with a dazed expression. Her feet felt the softness beneath them, while Bai Shu's smiling face was enlarged before her eyes.
She blinked blankly, looked down at the floor, then at Bai Shu. Her mind was completely empty, and she had no idea why she was standing there.
Bai Shu held back his laughter and looked at Xiao Wu with a serious expression. "All right, stop spacing out. We're eating. How could you fall asleep?"
"Huh? Eating? Me?"
Xiao Wu's large eyes were filled with confusion. Still, having been forcibly woken up, she instinctively nodded and drowsily followed Bai Shu to the table, picked up her chopsticks, and began eating.
Only after several mouthfuls of rice porridge went down her throat and the warmth woke her brain did Xiao Wu suddenly come to her senses and realize that she had been tricked!
"Ah!! Bai Shu, you're messing with me again!"
But she was already up, and she had already started eating. What else could she do? She could only turn her grief and indignation into appetite and continue eating with puffed cheeks.
Before you continue