"Since that's settled, why don't we sign the contract now?"
Li Chen smiled.
"Very well."
Xue Qinghe, played by Qian Renxue, nodded. "I'll have my father pay your deposit at once. I hope we can work together for a long time."
Li Chen nodded.
Both sides brought out their contracts, signed them, and pressed their thumbprints onto them.
Dugu Bo stared, dumbfounded.
What was going on?
They had stripped him of his herbs, and now Ning Fengzhi and the others weren't helping him drive off the Sun Moon Sect. They had become its business partners instead?
"Damn it! If you're doing this, then what about my herbs?"
Dugu Bo clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"Just your bad luck, I suppose."
Bone Douluo Gu Rong smiled.
Dugu Bo nearly fainted from anger.
With the contracts signed, Li Chen and Qian Renxue each put away a copy.
"The thing is, fifty million Gold Soul Coins is no small sum. We'll need time to raise it. Why don't you stay in Heaven Dou City for a few days?"
Qian Renxue sounded sincere. "We can use the opportunity to get to know each other. We'll also be counting on your sect to demonstrate how to use these Soul Tools."
Kong Deming considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Very well."
This was indeed their first visit to Heaven Dou City. Though they now had images from the Soul Tool Satellite,
they had only one satellite so far, and the Heaven Dou Empire occupied the northern part of the continent. A considerable portion of its territory lay outside the satellite's coverage.
And Heaven Dou City was the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire.
A glimpse of the capital could tell them much about the country.
They could learn about its customs in advance and see how strong its military was overall.
"In that case, let's go. After you."
Qian Renxue raised a hand gracefully.
"After you."
Li Chen and his companions rose. Bone Douluo and Sword Douluo did the same, and they all took to the air, heading straight for Heaven Dou City.
Only Dugu Bo remained, clutching his head in anguish as he stared at his stripped-bare Herb Garden.
"My herbs! My herbs..."
Dugu Bo was beside himself with grief. He regretted leaving, even for a moment, and giving the Sun Moon Sect the chance to raid his home.
In truth, though, it was probably for the best. If he had been there earlier, Kong Deming might already have sent him flying with a slap.
Dugu Bo sighed and slumped beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, looking as though someone had died.
Then, suddenly,
a small metal box on the ground spoke. "Dugu Bo, the Sun Moon Sect has a way to cure the poison from your Martial Soul. If you're interested, wait here at midnight. Remember, tell no one."
"Hm?!"
Dugu Bo sprang to his feet and snatched up the little box.
One side of it was a glass screen. It was a Soul Guide Communicator. Once Dugu Bo picked it up, the message repeated twice more.
Only then was Dugu Bo certain he had heard correctly.
"Is this a message the Sun Moon Sect secretly left for me?"
Dugu Bo turned the Soul Guide Communicator over in his hands, studying it as he thought.
"The Sun Moon Sect has a way to cure me? Is that even true?"
Dugu Bo thought it over carefully.
The poison from his Martial Soul had plagued him for years.
Outsiders knew him only as Poison Douluo. They had no idea he was poisoned himself. Otherwise, his hair would never have looked like a green prairie.
In fact,
his own poisoning was not what pained Dugu Bo most. His granddaughter Dugu Yan had begun to suffer from it too, and that was what truly tore at him.
"If the Sun Moon Sect can cure me, couldn't they cure my granddaughter too?"
"If it's true, nothing could be better. But if it's a lie..."
Dugu Bo was uneasy. The Sun Moon Sect had just taken his herbs, and now they were secretly offering to cure him. What were they playing at?
Just then,
the communicator spoke again.
"Dugu Bo, we've already taken the most valuable things you had—your herbs. Why would we bother lying to you?"
"Huh? What the hell? This thing can talk?"
Dugu Bo jumped and nearly threw the Soul Guide Communicator out of his hand.
"Believe it or don't. If you don't, forget it. It'll save us the trouble."
Li Chen's voice came through.
"I believe you, I believe you! I'll do as you say and wait here at midnight."
"Good."
Meanwhile,
in Heaven Dou City,
Li Chen's group flew over the city and did not land until they reached the hall of the Imperial Palace.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong looked in surprise at the Flying Soul Tools on their backs.
After all, the heart of Sunset Forest was dozens of kilometers from the Imperial Palace in Heaven Dou City at the very least.
Even as Titled Douluo, the two of them had spent some Soul Power flying that far.
Yet Li Chen, Huo Yuhao, and the other Soul Kings showed no sign of strain.
Qian Renxue noticed it too, and she could not help wanting one.
If she could get her hands on those Flying Soul Tools, they would be no less valuable than the Soul Tool Hand Cannons.
Holding back her interest,
Qian Renxue led Li Chen and the others into the Imperial Palace. Xue Ye sat on the Dragon Throne and smiled when he saw them enter.
"Qinghe, these people are..."
"Father, they're from the Sun Moon Sect."
Qian Renxue bowed, while Kong Deming and the others greeted Xue Ye with cupped fists.
Qian Renxue quickly explained the terms of their agreement. Xue Ye said in delight,
"I see! Honored guests, please, be seated!"
"Someone, bring tea!"
Kong Deming and his four companions took their seats. Ning Fengzhi and the others stayed and sat down as well.
"Your sect's arrival is a blessing to the Heaven Dou Empire. A toast to all of you!"
Xue Ye was overjoyed.
The Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires both faced the threat of Spirit Hall. It grew stronger by the day, yet neither empire dared openly oppose it.
With the Soul Tool Hand Cannons, the Heaven Dou army's fighting strength would leap forward. They might even be able to counterattack Spirit Hall before long. Xue Ye could hardly contain his excitement.
If Li Chen had known what Xue Ye was thinking, he would have said the old man had drunk too much.
In the Douluo World, battles still came down to the strongest fighters.
Qian Renxue smiled and raised a cup to Li Chen as well. They exchanged a few pleasantries.
Then, while asking about the Soul Tool Hand Cannons and the installation of Soul Guide Circuits, Qian Renxue gradually steered the conversation toward the Flying Soul Tools.
"You want the Flying Soul Tools too?"
Li Chen went straight to the point.
"That's right. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but when our City Defense Army saw you flying earlier, they thought five Titled Douluo had arrived. Quite a misunderstanding!"
Xue Ye laughed openly.
"We'd have to consult our sect master about that. It'll have to wait until our next discussion."
Li Chen neither agreed nor refused outright.
"No matter, no matter."
Xue Ye was in no hurry. As long as there was room to negotiate, he would pay any price to buy them!
If it meant surpassing Spirit Hall and Star Luo, he would spend his last coin!
As they traded toasts, Li Chen, Huo Yuhao, and the others soon began teaching them how to use the Soul Tools.
To help the empire learn as quickly as possible, Xue Ye summoned every forge craftsman in Heaven Dou City.
His plan was much like Bibi Dong's: buy the first batch, then reverse-engineer the technology.
Otherwise, they would have to keep buying them, and fifty million Gold Soul Coins was no small sum even for the Heaven Dou Empire!
At the same time,
outside Spirit Hall,
Smack!
Yue Guan entered Spirit Hall with Yu Xiaogang and the others, full of hope.
The reward he expected never came.
Instead, Bibi Dong berated him in front of everyone!
Before you continue