Half a Year Later, Tang Hao's Pursuit?

The days passed one by one.

Every day, apart from refining the medicinal effects, Xiao Lin practiced playing the flute. His flute music echoed through the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, creating a wondrous resonance with the Immortal Herbs.

Whenever the flute sounded, those Immortal Herbs swayed gently with the melody as if dancing. The entire valley brimmed with lively vitality.

The Blue Silver Emperor he had planted beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well reacted especially strongly to the flute. Its leaves swayed to the rhythm, while the blue-gold light within its veins flickered as though it were breathing along with the music.

Every day, Dugu Yan sat some distance away and quietly listened to Xiao Lin play. She never disturbed him, merely listening and watching in silence. Occasionally, a faint smile would unconsciously curve her lips.

Time flowed away like water.

Spring gave way to autumn, and cold and heat alternated.

In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed.

On this day, Xiao Lin finally opened his eyes.

His appearance had not changed much. He still had that absurdly handsome face, still wore those green robes, and still possessed those jade-colored eyes.

But upon closer inspection, one would notice a subtle change in his bearing—it had become more restrained, more profound, like a treasured sword sheathed in its scabbard. Its edge was hidden, yet no one dared underestimate it.

He lowered his head, looked at his hands, and clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within his body.

The medicinal effects of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot had fully fused into his body, transforming and strengthening his physique.

Now, even without using Soul Power to protect himself, ordinary blades could hardly harm him in the slightest. Furthermore, his resistance to both ice and fire had greatly increased. Against attacks of those attributes in the future, he could nearly negate more than half the damage.

As for the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, it had brought a qualitative change to his Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute Martial Soul.

The flute had become a deeper color, and the nine phoenix patterns upon it had grown far more lifelike, as if they might spread their wings and fly away at any moment. The phoenix aura contained in its music had also become denser and purer, carrying a noble and majestic charm.

Although his Martial Soul had yet to evolve completely, Xiao Lin could sense that its quality had risen to another level. So long as he continued cultivating, one day, the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute would reveal its true form.

As for his Soul Power—

Level forty.

In half a year, he had only gained two levels of Soul Power. It did not sound like much, but Xiao Lin knew that most of the medicinal effects from the three Immortal Herbs had not gone to waste. Instead, they had settled deep within his body and become his most profound foundation.

He was now like a tightly compressed spring, needing only one opportunity to unleash astonishing power.

And that opportunity was his fourth Soul Ring.

"Once I attach my fourth Soul Ring, all that accumulated medicinal power will erupt at once..." Xiao Lin murmured, anticipation gleaming in his eyes. "I might even break through directly to level fifty."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the valley, Dugu Yan had also completed her transformation.

Her Soul Power had likewise reached level forty, while her Martial Soul had successfully evolved into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor under the effects of the Aromatic Silk Beauty.

(Some people said earlier that Dugu Yan should not have four rings yet, so it was changed...)

It was a higher-order existence than the Jade Phosphorous Serpent. Not only was its poison far more potent, but it also possessed several special abilities. As a result, her temperament had become colder, more glamorous, and more noble, with a faint pride between her brows.

Dugu Bo looked at the two young people, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Yan'er was eighteen this year, with Soul Power at level forty. At Heaven Dou Royal Academy, she already counted as a top-tier genius.

But compared to that brat Xiao Lin... sigh, comparing people really could drive one to death from frustration.

Only later did he learn that Xiao Lin was merely thirteen and a half years old.

Thirteen and a half, level-forty Soul Power, Self-Created Soul Skills, original sword techniques, and flute mastery so extraordinary it seemed divine...

"This little monster..." Dugu Bo shook his head and could not help laughing as he cursed, "What sort of parents gave birth to him? It is like heaven itself is chasing after him to spoon-feed him."

"Senior, while I was in seclusion for the past half year, did anything major happen outside?"

Xiao Lin sat on a large rock beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, holding a cup of medicinal tea brewed by Dugu Bo as he casually asked.

Dugu Bo sat opposite him with one leg crossed over the other, cracking some unknown nuts as he said nonchalantly:

"Major events? Nothing particularly huge. Spirit Hall has just become more and more arrogant these past few years, recruiting forces everywhere, and its relations with the two great empires have grown increasingly tense. I heard registration for the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament is about to begin. Apparently, the rewards this time include three Soul Bones. Spirit Hall is certainly making a grand gesture."

Xiao Lin nodded, silently calculating the timeline. According to the original story's timeline, there should still be around a year before the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament began.

This tournament was also an important opportunity for him. Not only could he temper his strength, but he could also gain generous rewards.

Dugu Bo continued rambling on about various miscellaneous matters: one sect entering a marriage alliance with another, a city lord being bought over by Spirit Hall, Soul Beasts rioting somewhere... none of it was information Xiao Lin particularly cared about.

Until Dugu Bo casually mentioned—

"Oh, right, there is one more thing. That Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao, who had disappeared for many years, suddenly showed himself recently."

Xiao Lin's hand holding the teacup jerked violently, and the tea nearly spilled out.

"Clear Sky Douluo?" He tried to keep his voice calm. "What happened to him?"

"Who knows what madness got into that guy?" Dugu Bo shrugged, a trace of schadenfreude in his voice.

"Apparently, he has been running all over the continent, from the Balak Kingdom in the west to the Heaven Dou Empire in the east, then from the Star Luo Empire in the south to the Far North in the north, as if searching for something. Anyone foolish enough to provoke him along the way got beaten half to death. A few unlucky fools were even crippled outright."

Xiao Lin lifted his teacup and took a sip, concealing the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"What about Spirit Hall? Didn't they send anyone to capture him?"

"How could they not?" Dugu Bo sneered. "Spirit Hall sent several Titled Douluo to hunt him down. But guess what? He drove every one of them back! That guy may be alone, but the reputation of the Clear Sky Hammer is no exaggeration. Of the people Spirit Hall sent, some died, some were injured, and the rest slunk back with their tails between their legs."

He shook his head and sighed. "Tang Hao may be a brute, but there is no denying his strength. At his peak, even Pope Bibi Dong would have to fear him to some extent."

Xiao Lin silently set down his teacup, but a storm had already erupted within his heart.

Tang Hao had discovered it after all.

He had stolen that Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, along with the Blue Silver Emperor's original body. Tang Hao was now roaming across the continent, surely searching for those things.

Though Tang Hao still did not know who had stolen them, if he followed the clues, sooner or later he would trace them to Holy Soul Village, to Nuoding Academy, and then to Xiao Lin himself.

When that time came, if an enraged Titled Douluo came knocking, he had no confidence that he could withstand it.

No, I have to increase my strength as soon as possible. Xiao Lin secretly made up his mind. At the very least, I need to reach the Soul Ancestor level before I have any ability to protect myself.

He raised his head and looked at Dugu Bo. "Senior, I want to hunt for my fourth Soul Ring."