Mingluo Nether Spider Lotus, Sword Douluo's Obsession

The Golden Giant Crocodile's strike was like swatting flies, smashing the once-arrogant Seven Kill Sword and Bone Dragon into the ground and carving out an enormous crater.

Once the dust settled.

Chrysanthemum Douluo realized that Chen Xin and Gu Rong were nowhere to be seen.

"Stop looking. They've already left."

"Gu Rong's spatial traversal isn't so easy to pursue."

Golden Crocodile Douluo dispelled his martial soul true body.

His pristine white worshipper's robe remained spotless.

He had no intention of pursuing the three of them. Whether he could catch them or not aside, his duty was to guard Sunset Forest, and he would never leave it lightly.

Yue Guan said gratefully:

"Thank you, Second Worshipper!"

After speaking, he looked at Gui Mei in his arms again, his face filled with concern.

Gui Mei said disdainfully:

"Yue Guan, don't make it look like we're being torn apart by life and death. Sword Douluo is strong, but it's not like I'd die from a single slash."

He was someone who had walked through the gates of hell once. He was never that easy to kill.

Gui Mei barely managed to sit up. After regulating his breath and recovering somewhat from his injuries, he said:

"Let's go. The task His Holiness the Pope gave us is more important."

"Besides, haven't you been longing for the Mighty Qirong Chrysanthemum?"

Elsewhere.

The instant Yu Yuanzhen saw the Golden Giant Crocodile in the distance, he let out a long roar and unleashed his martial soul true body, transforming into a thunderous giant dragon. Yet instead of attacking, he tore open a rift and retreated at high speed.

Only after Yu Yuanzhen had vanished.

Did the Third Elder belatedly realize that Ghost Leopard Douluo and Demon Bear Douluo had surrounded him.

Third Elder:?

His aged eyes were filled with disbelief.

No, hadn't they agreed before coming that they would turn this place upside down?

Demon Bear Douluo continued his mental assault.

"Old bastard, dumbfounded now, aren't you?"

"I think you've hidden inside that turtle shell for too long. Your brain is as stupid as a turtle's dick. Which Titled Douluo from the major sects isn't a crafty old fox?"

"Only a bumpkin like you would help count the money after being sold!"

The Third Elder's face turned crimson, and he completely lost it.

"Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, you two beasts!"

Far away, Yu Yuanzhen, who had already retreated to the outskirts of Sunset Forest, heard the Third Elder's furious roar but felt no pressure whatsoever.

They were adults. If you were out in the world, you had to take responsibility for yourself. If you ran too slowly, who could you blame?

A spatial gate opened.

Gu Rong clutched his chest and stumbled out of it.

Blood dripped from the corner of Chen Xin's mouth as well.

Only Ning Fengzhi was completely unharmed.

Ning Fengzhi stepped forward to support the two of them. His mind, which had been clouded by the immortal herbs, had now calmed down, and his heart was full of guilt.

"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, I'm sorry..."

If Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were to suffer an accident, then even obtaining ten immortal herbs would be useless.

In an instant, the wealthy Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would be torn apart by the hungry wolves around them, their eyes gleaming green with greed, leaving not even scraps of bone behind.

His most treasured daughter, Ning Rongrong, would also fall from heaven into hell in an instant, facing unimaginable misery from then on.

At the thought of this, lingering fear rose within Ning Fengzhi's heart...

Sky Screen timeline—

Bibi Dong ultimately stopped before an immortal herb.

It was a violet-black lotus, two feet tall in its entirety. Its stem resembled segmented black spider legs rooted in the soil. The flower had seven petals, its surface densely covered in fine web-like patterns, like a serene beauty of dark elegance.

Lu Xuan: "..."

He didn't recognize this immortal herb...

It seemed he should complete Bibi Dong's growth mission sooner.

The reward for Phase Mission One was the Hundred Flowers Canon. It should contain all knowledge regarding immortal herbs.

"This thing looks poisonous. Are you going to absorb it?"

Bibi Dong nodded, her gaze never leaving the dark lotus.

"Teacher, this immortal herb is strongly drawing me in. I can feel my martial souls stirring."

"Oh, then absorb it."

After giving it some thought, Lu Xuan felt that this spider-like lotus was clearly highly compatible with Bibi Dong. As for the potent poison it might contain...

Bibi Dong possessed the Death Spider Emperor martial soul and the Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor martial soul.

Which one of them wasn't a top-tier poisonous martial soul?

Even if something went wrong, he had ways to detoxify her.

Outside the Sky Screen.

The audience began discussing it among themselves.

"No matter how you look at it, that immortal herb is poisonous. His Holiness the Pope actually chose it?"

"Exactly. Even through the Sky Screen, it makes my skin crawl."

"I'm really curious what changes His Holiness the Pope will undergo after eating it."

Yang Wudi carefully identified the immortal herb and let out a cry of surprise.

"Mingluo Nether Spider Lotus? This is a god-tier poisonous herb! Let alone eating it, an ordinary person would have their flesh rot and die just from touching it. Only spider-type soul beasts can consume it and evolve their bloodline..."

As he spoke, Yang Wudi fell silent.

Weren't Bibi Dong's two martial souls both emperors among spiders?

Spirit Hall.

Pope Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes settled on Saintess Bibi Dong.

She was curious as well.

Could immortal herbs truly change one's fate against the heavens?

Lu Xuan watched Bibi Dong, wanting to see how she would choose to consume it.

Instead, Bibi Dong simply sat cross-legged on the ground. Behind her emerged the savage phantoms of the Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor. The two Spider Emperor phantoms seemed almost tangible as they extended sharp spider legs like spears and pierced the petals of the Mingluo Nether Spider Lotus.

The juice of the Mingluo Nether Spider Lotus was continuously drawn out by the spider spears and flowed into Bibi Dong's body.

Bibi Dong would need some time to refine the immortal herb.

"Quite an elegant way to eat."

Lu Xuan made an offhand remark.

With nothing else to do, he began recalling the Nine Swords of Dugu, the system reward, in his mind.

The Disciple-Acceptance System had only rewarded him with the sword manual, allowing Lu Xuan to memorize it.

But how much power he could unleash, and whether he could innovate and make breakthroughs, depended on Lu Xuan's own comprehension.

Swordsmanship was like calligraphy; it had no fixed form.

The same sword move differed in every person's hands. Only then could a sword truly be alive.

Gradually, Lu Xuan entered a mysterious state.

With his eyes closed, he did not draw the Godslayer Sword. He merely picked up a branch from the ground and, without using any soul power, practiced the Nine Swords of Dugu at an unhurried pace.

Outside the Sky Screen.

The audience looked at one another in confusion.

"What is the Supreme Douluo doing? Picking up a stick to play with because he has nothing better to do?"

"My martial soul is a sword. I guess the Supreme Douluo is practicing swordsmanship, but his sword moves seem so messy. One moment here, the next there, without any sequence. Why does he look like some child at the village entrance wildly swinging a stick?"

"That's because you don't understand. This must be an unparalleled sword technique. I'm going to memorize it and seek enlightenment!"

"Oh? What have you comprehended?"

"Nothing. Why do I suddenly feel like he's just swinging it around wildly too?"

Only Sword Douluo, who had just fled Golden Crocodile Douluo in a bloody state and had not even stabilized his injuries, had his pupils contract. As if he had seen an unparalleled treasure, he stared fixedly at Lu Xuan in the Sky Screen.

"Pfft—"

Sword Douluo spat out a mouthful of blood, but he paid it no mind, not even having time to wipe away the bloodstains.

Ning Fengzhi hurriedly said with concern:

"Uncle Sword, hold on a little longer. A healing-type soul master will be here soon!"

Sword Douluo remained silent, his eyes unblinking as he watched the Sky Screen.

Gu Rong stopped Ning Fengzhi.

"Fengzhi, don't disturb him."

"He's obsessed now. Even his life is an insignificant matter..."