A Solo Battle Against Two Soul Elders! Gu Ling Surrounded by Poison Mist?

At his side stood a middle-aged man who looked to be around forty. He wore a spotless white robe, had a face like carved jade, and carried himself with refined elegance. In his hand, he held a sapphire-blue staff.

The last person was an extremely tall old man.

The old man looked exceptionally thin, so thin that he seemed to be little more than a skeleton. His long black hair hung loose behind his head, and his face was sharply defined.

Though the old man had not released any Soul Power or deliberately displayed any imposing aura, anyone who approached him instinctively felt an indescribable pressure and unconsciously kept their distance.

The three of them entered the Great Soul Arena together.

The young man at the front looked at the bustling surroundings and suddenly said with a smile:

"Teacher, it has been quite some time since we last came to the Great Soul Arena."

The white-robed middle-aged man beside him smiled as well.

"It is not bad to occasionally watch the younger generation's soul battles."

As he spoke, his gaze casually swept over the list of upcoming matches hanging nearby.

Suddenly, the middle-aged man slowed to a stop, his eyes settling on one of the upcoming two-on-two soul battles.

"Teacher, what is it?"

Seeing him abruptly stop, the young man beside him looked puzzled.

The middle-aged man did not answer at once. He narrowed his eyes slightly and carefully examined the battle information hanging on the wall. The competitors in one of tonight's two-on-two matches were clearly listed as:

[Gu Ling, Ye Lingling VS Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan]

Behind their names were brief descriptions of the Martial Souls they had registered.

Bone Dragon Martial Soul, Nine-Heart Begonia, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Jade Phosphorous Serpent.

When he saw the words "Bone Dragon," the middle-aged man's previously calm gaze visibly shifted. Then, his eyes fell upon the name Gu Ling.

"Gu Ling... Bone Dragon Martial Soul?"

The middle-aged man softly repeated it. As if he had suddenly realized something, he immediately turned toward the tall, thin old man beside him. Surprise appeared on his face.

"Uncle Bone, look over here."

Hearing that, the old man immediately looked toward the display in the distance. When he saw the words "Gu Ling" and "Bone Dragon," his somewhat lazy eyes narrowed slightly as well.

The middle-aged man could not help but laugh.

"Interesting. Someone actually has the exact same Martial Soul as you, and even shares your surname?"

"That is far too much of a coincidence. Could it be that you secretly had someone outside..."

At those words, the old man's face clearly showed greater surprise. Bone Dragon Martial Souls were already extremely rare; there were very few people on the entire continent who truly possessed one.

And now—

A young Soul Master with a Bone Dragon Martial Soul had suddenly appeared at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.

What was more, he was also surnamed Gu!

The old man stared at the name for several seconds, then lightly stroked his chin and said in a low voice:

"Fengzhi, do not joke about me. I have never heard the name Gu Ling. I am not the only one with a Bone Dragon Martial Soul, but..."

As he spoke, his gaze once again fell upon the two words Gu Ling.

"This kid is also surnamed Gu. That is indeed interesting."

Seeing the two chatting so enthusiastically, the young man beside them was clearly intrigued as well.

"His opponent is Yu Tianheng, who possesses the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul."

"Bone Dragon against Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."

"This soul battle seems more interesting than the ones we had planned to watch."

At that, the old man's lips curled into a faint smile.

He might not have had much interest in the soul battles of other young Soul Masters, but he could not possibly be uninterested in a youth who possessed the same Martial Soul as him and also shared his surname.

"Since it is such a coincidence, let us go take a look."

The middle-aged man nodded with a light smile, then said seriously:

"That is exactly what I was thinking. If he has been arranged to face Yu Tianheng in a two-on-two soul battle, then this Gu Ling is probably no ordinary Soul Master."

With that, the three changed direction and headed toward the branch arena where the two-on-two battle would take place. Before long, they arrived at a VIP area above the spectator stands.

The old man still said little, but his mind had already begun recalling something.

A few minutes later.

As spectators gradually entered, the atmosphere in the branch arena became increasingly lively.

Within the VIP viewing area.

The three people who had just entered the arena had now taken their seats.

They were none other than Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; Bone Douluo Gu Rong; and the current crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire—Xue Qinghe!

The three had merely come to the Great Soul Arena in their spare time to watch young Soul Masters battle, yet they had unexpectedly encountered a young Soul Master whose Martial Soul was also a Bone Dragon and whose surname was Gu.

Thus, even Gu Rong had developed a rare degree of interest.

"Uncle Bone."

Ning Fengzhi sat upright in his seat, his gaze resting on the soul battle platform below as he smiled.

"There are not many young people who can interest even you."

Gu Rong curled his lip.

"I am merely curious."

"Bone Dragon Martial Souls are rare enough, and this kid just happens to be surnamed Gu."

"I have to see whether his Martial Soul is truly the same kind as mine."

Xue Qinghe sat to one side, his gentle smile unchanged as he said softly:

"If he can appear in a two-on-two soul battle alongside Yu Tianheng, he is likely a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy as well. If that is the case, we can have someone investigate him afterward."

Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly. It seemed he had the same thought.

As the three conversed.

On the soul battle platform below, Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan had already emerged first from one of the passageways.

With their appearance, cheers immediately erupted from the surrounding stands.

Clearly, as members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Imperial Dou Team, the two had taken part in quite a few soul battles at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena and had gained a certain amount of fame.

Not long afterward, from the passageway on the other side.

Gu Ling and Ye Lingling slowly walked out as well.

Ning Fengzhi was not surprised when he saw Ye Lingling. Though the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul was exceedingly rare, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect naturally knew of such top-tier support-type Martial Souls.

What truly drew his focused attention was the black-robed youth standing beside Ye Lingling.

He wore a simple black fitted outfit. At around twelve years old, he was tall and slender, yet under the gaze of thousands of spectators, his face showed no trace of nervousness.

Gu Rong studied Gu Ling for several moments, raised a hand to stroke his chin, and said in a deep voice:

"This kid is the one with the Bone Dragon Martial Soul?"

Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly.

"That should be right."

Just then, the referee at the center of the soul battle platform suddenly stepped forward. He first glanced over both sides, and after confirming there were no issues, he loudly announced:

"Both sides, prepare!"

"Two-on-two soul battle—begin!"

As his words fell!

Yu Tianheng stepped forward almost immediately and shouted:

"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul! Possession!"