Xue Ye's Birthday Banquet, a Perfect Opportunity

Before setting out for the Po Clan, Bing Yekong still needed to take a risk and visit the Icefire Yin-Yang Well.

After all, his greatest bargaining chip for negotiating with Yang Wudi lay within the Icefire Yin-Yang Well.

That Fragrant Qiluo Immortal Herb.

Bing Yekong might not be able to accurately identify the other immortal herbs, but the Fragrant Qiluo Immortal Herb was different. It was exceptionally distinctive, and he had prepared enough things to find it.

That fellow Yang Wudi only cared about medicine and battle.

Bing Yekong was only a Soul Exalt now. Beating him was unlikely, so he could only approach this through medicine.

Yang Wudi was obsessed with refining medicine, especially poison. Thus, the Fragrant Qiluo Immortal Herb had become something he would pursue for the rest of his life.

After finalizing his plan, Bing Yekong went to find Shui Qingrou.

"Taking leave?!"

Inside the dean's office, Shui Qingrou frowned as she looked at the boy standing before her.

"Little Yekong, how long have you even been in school before asking for leave? And you want a whole month at once. You'd better give Auntie a reasonable explanation!"

This was the first time Shui Qingrou had treated Bing Yekong so sternly. In the end, she was simply worried about him.

Bing Yekong had no choice either. The Po Clan was in the Star Luo Empire; even a month was considered short.

"Auntie Shui, I have my own reasons. This concerns my life. Please believe me."

Bing Yekong certainly could not tell her everything, so he could only try to bluff his way through it.

Shui Qingrou had always respected his wishes. Seeing Bing Yekong so serious and solemn, she wavered somewhat.

Ever since Bing Yekong was little, Shui Qingrou had always felt that he was different from children his age—frighteningly mature.

Now that he was going out into the world alone, Shui Qingrou surprisingly could not summon much worry. It was as if Bing Yekong should simply be like this, as if nothing would happen to him.

In the end, Shui Qingrou shook her head and sighed. "Fine. Since you insist, Auntie Shui will respect your choice."

She took out a gold soul card worth one hundred thousand and handed it to Bing Yekong. "Stay safe."

The instruction contained only four words, yet it was filled with sincerity.

Bing Yekong solemnly accepted the gold soul card, then bowed before turning to leave.

He did not tell Shui Bing'er or Shui Yue'er. It was only one month, after all. Once he was done, he would return.

After packing his things, Bing Yekong left Tianshui Academy and departed Element City.

His next destination was Heaven Dou City.

He was going to Heaven Dou City first because he needed to confirm Dugu Bo's whereabouts.

Otherwise, if Dugu Bo was at the Icefire Yin-Yang Well, would he not be walking straight into death?

Bing Yekong did not believe that, before he had the ability to cure him, the Soul Douluo backing him could protect him.

Therefore, to be safe, Bing Yekong decided to inquire in Heaven Dou City first.

He had Shui Qingrou's identity token on him.

A Soul Douluo's status was second only to that of a Titled Douluo. With Shui Qingrou's identity, gathering a bit of information would not be difficult.

Several days later, at the gates of Heaven Dou City, the boy arrived in a white robe, covered in travel dust.

Before Bing Yekong even entered the city, he spotted the notice posted at the gates.

After briefly reading it, Bing Yekong was overjoyed.

The notice concerned Xue Ye's birthday.

The aging Xue Ye always wanted to properly celebrate every birthday, which was why this notice had been posted at the city gates.

Its general meaning was that, on the emperor's birthday, the people would celebrate together, and the common folk would receive a few benefits.

Bing Yekong had no interest in any of that. Instead, he looked at the list of those invited into the imperial palace.

The list was brief, naming only several important figures.

Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Tang Yuehua, mistress of Moon Pavilion, and Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo—Bing Yekong's target for this trip.

That was also why Bing Yekong was so delighted.

Dugu Bo's name appeared on the list, and with the birthday celebration beginning in just two days, he had to be at his residence in Heaven Dou City at this moment.

To be safe, Bing Yekong still chose to enter the city.

After entering, Bing Yekong casually found a roadside tea stall and planned to gather some information.

The casual conversation of several people nearby drifted into his ears.

"Hey, did you hear? Poison Douluo came for His Majesty Xue Ye's birthday this time!"

"Isn't that normal? He's a royal retainer. By both sentiment and reason, he would come."

"I even saw His Excellency from afar yesterday, when he was traveling with His Highness the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng. That presence—whew. As expected of a Titled Douluo!"

Bing Yekong stopped listening after that. He had already gotten the answer he wanted.

He stood up, left a silver soul coin on the table, and strode away.

After leaving Heaven Dou City's gates, Bing Yekong hurried toward Sunset Forest.

He had to make haste and take the Fragrant Qiluo Immortal Herb before Dugu Bo returned.

Several more days passed before Bing Yekong finally set foot on the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

Once he arrived, Bing Yekong began to move with greater caution.

Although the soul beasts of Sunset Forest were generally not as powerful as those in the Great Star Dou Forest, it was still not a place where he could act recklessly.

Bing Yekong's current strength was, at best, that of a Soul King. Or, with elemental suppression, he could fight a Soul Emperor.

If just two soul beasts tens of thousands of years old showed up, he would most likely die here.

Therefore, Bing Yekong had to be cautious, cautious, and even more cautious.

As he ventured deeper, the wild scent in the air grew increasingly pronounced.

To prevent his aura from being exposed, Bing Yekong released his martial soul.

The Heavenly Frost Sword appeared in his hand, and Ultimate Ice soul power instantly spread throughout his body, tightly enveloping him.

This way, not even a trace of aura would leak from Bing Yekong. As long as he did not run directly into a soul beast, he basically would not be discovered.

Just like that, Bing Yekong made his way smoothly to the center of Sunset Forest, near the Icefire Yin-Yang Well.

But at that moment, Bing Yekong felt an icy sensation at the back of his neck.

A bad premonition instantly surged through him.

Bing Yekong abruptly turned around, yet found nothing.

He gripped the Heavenly Frost Sword, his heart rising to his throat.

Suddenly, Bing Yekong sensed something and leaped sharply backward.

He sprang five or six meters away in one bound.

At the spot where he had just stood, the ground collapsed.

A massive brown spider emerged there.

Bing Yekong recognized the species of spider before him at a glance.

An Earth Cavern Demon Spider.

Judging by its size and the knowledge he had learned, it was at least forty thousand years old and nearly at the Spider Emperor level.

"So that's why I hadn't sensed any soul beast aura for so long. You were the one stalking me!"

Bing Yekong could evade the notice of soul beasts above ground, but it was difficult to evade those underground. There was nothing he could do about being discovered by this Earth Cavern Demon Spider.

However, Bing Yekong did not panic.

Ultimate Ice kept him calm as his mind raced, considering countermeasures.

A forty-thousand-year Earth Cavern Demon Spider already possessed considerable intelligence; it simply could not speak.

It did not attack immediately. As though it had Bing Yekong completely cornered, it merely watched him with great interest.