Return to Heaven Dou City

"Uh..." Dugu Bo froze for a moment, studying Xu Qianqian for a long while. "You're the girl who was sitting beside Ning Fengzhi at the time?"

Normally, Dugu Bo would not remember the auction house's distinguished guests, but he served Prince Xuexing, so naturally he paid attention to Ning Fengzhi. Ning Fengzhi was Xue Qinghe's teacher, after all.

Then there was the incident where the black-haired girl competed with Huyan Zhen's grandson for the stone. It would have been impossible for Dugu Bo not to notice.

"I didn't expect you to be able to conceal yourself and alter your appearance."

The corners of Dugu Bo's mouth twitched slightly. This martial soul truly had an absurd number of abilities.

Even Dugu Bo could no longer make out Xu Qianqian's original appearance.

Only at close range did her aura feel somewhat different from that of an ordinary person.

"Yes. It was because of that Stone Amber that I was able to break through to level 20."

"If I want to break through to level 30, I'll probably need something similar. That's why I wanted to visit the Heaven Dou Library."

"So that's how it is." Dugu Bo nodded thoughtfully. "But aren't your martial soul skills fixed?"

Xu Qianqian shook her head. "What isn't fixed is my martial soul's innate ability. The things needed for breakthroughs are more like keys to open a door."

"It's somewhat similar to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!" Dugu Bo remarked.

Martial souls came in countless varieties. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's own abilities were supportive in nature and had little to do with absorbing soul rings from soul beasts.

Perhaps it was precisely because it was too powerful that it carried such limitations.

Dugu Bo thought of Ning Fengzhi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul.

It was limited to seven levels, making it impossible to break through to Spirit Douluo, much less become a Title Douluo. Otherwise, given Ning Fengzhi's talent back then, becoming a Title Douluo would not have been impossible.

"Senior Dugu, you saw the future. Perhaps you may have made some deductions as well." Xu Qianqian's sudden words made Dugu Bo pause as he looked over at her.

"Since, in the future you saw, that Sea God had some connection with you..."

"Perhaps the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well..."

"You mean that Sea God might have visited my herb garden while he was growing up?"

"That's possible." Xu Qianqian nodded. "He may be skilled in poison."

Silence. A long silence.

Dugu Bo looked Xu Qianqian, whose appearance had already changed, up and down with suspicion.

"Are you sure the Sea God you're talking about isn't you?"

He had detoxification abilities and had visited his herb garden.

Wasn't the little girl before him exactly like that?

Xu Qianqian: "..."

Well, she had talked herself into a corner.

"Don't worry, I know it isn't you."

Before Xu Qianqian could answer, Dugu Bo waved his hand.

"I couldn't see that Sea God's appearance clearly, but I'm certain his martial soul wasn't a book."

"It doesn't matter whether you're reassured or not." Xu Qianqian said calmly. "I'm not very interested in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Immortal-grade herbs are useless to me as well."

After six years, Xu Qianqian's physique had already been cleansed and refined. She had no need for so-called immortal herbs to purify it further.

"Only you would say that." Dugu Bo shook his head.

Knowing the approximate value of the herb garden, it was impossible for Dugu Bo not to be moved. But he had to be able to keep it first!

As for Xu Qianqian, she had been a little girl with perhaps only one soul ring at the time, yet she could fight Tang Hao and escape. Now she was already a two-ring Soul Master.

Dugu Bo truly did not want to make an enemy of her. She was terrifying beyond belief.

Xu Qianqian's martial soul was also bizarre as hell. Who knew whether she would escape if they fought?

Both his and his granddaughter's poison still depended on Xu Qianqian. As for that Sea God...

Dugu Bo felt that he could not cling to that thigh. Otherwise, he might one day get something like, "Dugu Bo deserved to die."

Seeing that the atmosphere had become somewhat awkward, Dugu Bo changed the subject. "You said earlier that your identity might have been exposed. Is it serious?"

"It's only my speculation." Xu Qianqian shrugged.

She told Dugu Bo about helping Spirit Hall kill the Wolf Bandits, revealing information about Tang Hao, and exposing her ten-thousand-year first soul ring before Ning Fengzhi.

Putting all of that together, along with Xu Qianqian's martial soul abilities, the giant wolf with wind-element attributes that had appeared in the sky over Notting City greatly resembled her abilities.

If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect investigated, they might not be unable to figure it out. They simply could not be completely certain.

"I only exposed a bit more. If they connect the dots, they may be able to deduce that it was me. Though I doubt many people would believe it. It depends on whether Ning Fengzhi believes it himself."

"You really have done something huge!" Dugu Bo slapped his forehead.

Were geniuses these days all this reckless? Still in their teens or twenties, yet constantly dancing around Spirit Douluo and Title Douluo.

"So, what do you plan to do?" Dugu Bo could not quite grasp Xu Qianqian's thoughts.

"Senior Dugu also doesn't intend to remain in Prince Xuexing's camp. With you around, I imagine Ning Fengzhi wouldn't dare act without restraint."

"You think too highly of me." Dugu Bo's eyelids twitched.

"No, no, no. You're capable of slaughtering cities and wiping out clans; not even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would dare underestimate you."

"My soul skill, Thousand Winds, can ensure that Senior's ninth soul skill spreads only in the direction you want."

"With that... the two of us can slaughter to our hearts' content."

"Even with an army of a million before us, we could reduce them to ashes with a laugh."

"No, that's not it." Dugu Bo trembled as he took two steps back. "You little girl, don't—don't ruin my reputation."

Good heavens, I release poison and you fan the wind.

This really could be considered controlling his ninth soul skill, and its strategic value would soar accordingly, but Dugu Bo cared about his reputation!

Seeing Dugu Bo's ghostly expression, Xu Qianqian burst into laughter. "Senior Dugu, are you scared?"

"Skip this topic. Skip it!"

Dugu Bo's face darkened. He always felt that something was wrong with this child's sense of good and evil. Could it be that she had lacked love as a child?

Thinking of what Xu Qianqian had told him, her father had died when she was six. Then she had acknowledged Xiao Yuanshan as her adoptive father, only for him to die again half a year ago.

Could she have become "rebellious"? But this rebellion was far too frightening.

"Which identity will you use to enter the academy?" Dugu Bo forcibly changed the subject.

"I'll enroll under my original name and identity."

Xu Qianqian's words stunned Dugu Bo. He asked in shock, "Are you sure? Tang Hao is still hunting you. What if..."

"Tang Hao's injuries are quite severe. He wants to kill me, and I want to get rid of him too."

"That's a level 95 Titled Douluo." Dugu Bo looked utterly bewildered.

"Level 95 isn't level 100. If he dares attack me at the academy, he'll be provoking the Heaven Dou Empire—though that no longer matters much."

"I'm not without countermeasures either. Don't worry, Senior. I won't drag you into this."

"No, I'm afraid you'll die before Yanyan and I have been cured of our poison." Sometimes, Dugu Bo truly could not understand Xu Qianqian's way of thinking.

Far more people wanted Tang Hao dead than wanted her dead. Even if he did not make a move against her, she would find an opportunity to make a move against him.

After breaking through level thirty and awakening near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, she had already made some guesses.

It was not lightning as she had originally envisioned, but an ability closer to nature—something related to life.

To awaken that ability, there was only one place on Douluo Continent—the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Or something with a similar effect.

For example, the soul bone of the Emerald Swan, or the soul bone of the Blue Silver Emperor—either one would do. It had to lean toward the life attribute, and its age could not be too low.