Killer's Blade

Dugu Feng's face filled with shock. This actually involved the Clear Sky Sect too.

The Clear Sky Sect's withdrawal several years ago had caused a Continental Power Shift that had definitely been brutal and bloody.

Presumably, most clans had taken part.

But based on his understanding of Douluo, the changes afterward were still happening.

By the time of the Soul Master Competition, the Elephant Armor Sect and Four Elements Academy were no longer that close. Instead, they had thrown themselves in with Spirit Hall.

And when Huo Wu carried out the team merger, she had also said that Spirit Hall had always been trying to win over Four Elements Academy, but Four Elements Academy had not been willing to join Spirit Hall.

After Bibi Dong took power, she began breaking down the various factions.

Presumably, this was when she took back the Elephant Armor Sect.

Then would people from Spirit Hall show up this time?

Dugu Feng felt it really was possible.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Since Old Scorpion was able to secretly follow Hu Yanlie and find out he was after a Spirit Bone, how could he suddenly fail to react and get ambushed and badly wounded by Hu Yanlie?

"Could it be that after they entered Sunset Forest, the reinforcements coming to meet Hu Yanlie arrived and discovered Old Scorpion?"

He had to remind Old Snake, lest he capsize in a ditch.

Old Snake was startled at first, then revealed a mysterious smile. "Young Master, you and I thought of the same thing. Not bad, not bad. I now believe more and more that under your leadership, Young Master, the clan will surely grow ever more glorious."

Like hell I believe you. You rotten old chatterbox.

Seeing that Dugu Feng did not respond, Old Snake finally said seriously, "Young Master, we need to be careful from here on. Do you still remember the Serpent Breath Technique I taught you? Hold your breath and close your pores. From now on, Sunset Forest is our hunting ground!"

"I know!" Dugu Feng had already made his preparations.

The Serpent Breath Technique was the state Old Snake entered while meditating, similar to hibernation. It was an excellent method for hiding himself.

The two continued forward. Their speed slowed even further as they kept advancing toward the center of Sunset Forest.

Gradually, they encountered some powerful Soul Beasts.

But the deadly poisonous, icy aura Old Snake emitted made these Soul Beasts not dare provoke them at all. Venomous snakes stood almost at the very top of the food chain among Soul Beasts.

Then Dugu Feng saw a strange scene.

Old Snake stopped in front of a giant tree. The giant tree was rather old, and the hollow near its roots was large enough for a person to crawl into without issue.

After they waited a short while, a Jade Phosphorous Serpent actually slithered out of the tree hollow. Judging by its age, it was at least a five-thousand-year Soul Beast. This Jade Phosphorous Serpent's eyes were lively, and it possessed no small amount of intelligence.

Old Snake seemed to be communicating with this Jade Phosphorous Serpent.

Similar scenes occurred every so often along the way.

Could these snakes all have been tamed by Old Snake?

"Young Master, these Soul Beasts are all my friends. They're Local Tyrants in the forest.

"I once cultivated in Sunset Forest for a very long time and built deep friendships with these snake kings. They all regard me as one of their own!"

So this was how "local tyrant" was used?

Dugu Feng was speechless.

However, this truly brought the two of them great convenience. With these Soul Beasts as guides, it was very easy for them to investigate the movements in the forest.

Just like that, Old Snake and Dugu Feng walked through the forest for more than half a day.

Until night fell.

Dugu Feng leapt up and hid himself in a large tree.

Old Snake, meanwhile, arranged toxins around the great tree.

"According to my friends' guidance, Hu Yanlie and the others are nearby. Maybe tonight we can wait for the rabbit by the stump!"

Old Snake gave a sinister smile and likewise leapt into the tree crown.

As if by prior agreement, the two both took Serpent Meat out of their Soul Tools and began eating. They had to conserve their strength; no one knew what would happen tonight.

Dugu Feng silently sensed the Pill Beads inside his body.

When he absorbed his Spirit Ring, the Pill Beads had also absorbed part of the energy, and the green portions within them had grown larger.

Dugu Feng had a flash of inspiration.

The warm energy emitted by one of the Pill Beads was completely guided by him with his Soul Power into both arms.

Then it covered the two Nine-Section Emeralds.

The Nine-Section Emeralds' growth was still too slow, and his body having one Pill Bead to nourish it was already enough.

The other Pill Bead could be used to help the Nine-Section Emeralds grow.

Only when the Nine-Section Emeralds grew into Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, could they be of greater help to him.

Dugu Feng immersed himself in deep cultivation.

He constantly increased his own strength and that of the two Little Snakes.

Until a trace of pain came, first from the soles of his feet, then from the top of his head.

He understood at once that it was another Poison Attack.

It was already the third watch of the night.

And this time, the pain came with terrifying intensity. Clearly, the Jade Phosphor Purple Poison inside his body had risen to another level.

During the process of fusing with the Soul Ring, even more poison had become part of his flesh.

It had strengthened the Innate Toxin of his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul.

This was the painful part of the Poison Cultivator Branch. Absorbing the Soul Rings of Poison Attribute Soul Beasts made one stronger.

But the Poison Attacks became even more terrifying, and they would come even earlier.

Dugu Yan's First Soul Skill was Jade Phosphor Red Poison, a type of Excitement Poison that could stimulate the nerves and increase a Soul Master's Attack Power and speed by twenty percent.

It was an amplification and control skill, following the Control System path.

It was easy to imagine that the Soul Beast she had hunted for her First Soul Ring definitely had not been a poison-type Soul Beast. Her Poison Attacks could be delayed until the Soul King stage at the latest.

But for someone like Little Snake, who had not yet suffered a Poison Attack, it would come by the Soul Elder stage at the latest.

This was the fundamental difference between the Poison Cultivator Branch and the Cultivating Serpent Branch.

With his entire body racked by agony, Dugu Feng's mind kept thinking over his path of cultivation.

It was to distract himself, using that to lessen the pain.

The two Nine-Section Emeralds on his wrist also sensed their master's suffering.

They actually bit down hard on Dugu Feng's wrist, transmitting their deadly poison into him.

What Dugu Feng often did during a Poison Attack was have the Nine-Section Emeralds bite him.

Of course, his Jade Phosphor Poison would also enter the Nine-Section Emeralds' bodies.

But with the Pill Bead there, he was not worried that the Nine-Section Emeralds would be poisoned to death.

As the Pill Bead spun, it released an extremely powerful suction force.

It helped the Nine-Section Emeralds detoxify.

And during this process, the Nine-Section Emeralds could absorb some of his Jade Phosphor Poison and grow stronger.

It was a mutually reinforcing growth.

No one knew how long passed before the pain receded, and Dugu Feng let out a long breath.

He had endured his first Poison Attack after becoming a Soul Master.

Suddenly, a faint rustling sounded in the forest.

Someone was approaching.

Dugu Feng immediately tightened his body and fully entered a hibernating state.

This was also what he had become best at over the past two years: becoming even more like a Hibernating Snake, not giving off the slightest trace of energy.

All his energy was absorbed by the Pill Bead.

In this process, he had also developed a very strong Serpent Breath Technique. He almost sank into complete stillness, but his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked through the darkness toward the place where the sound had come from.

Several hundred meters away.

A tall Black-Clad Middle-Aged Man was sprinting at extreme speed.

His body gave off a savage killing intent, as if he had just been through a great battle.

But the brightest thing in the dark night was the Great Saber he held in his hand.

The blade was very long, comparable to the man's height. Its edge flickered, reflecting specks of red on the blade. This saber was a Killer's Blade.