Persuasion

While Dugu Bo and Ye Renxin discussed their next steps, Ye Qingxian told Lu Xuan and the other two about the plan.

Lu Xuan had already considered the matter. "The safest places would be the Ye Family Medical Hall or the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."

He continued calmly, "The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would be the simplest choice. Once we settled in, no matter what turmoil erupted outside, it couldn't reach us."

Zhao Yan and Ye Qingxian both nodded.

They agreed that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was the best choice. As long as they stayed there, they would have no need to worry about danger from outside.

But neither Dugu Yan nor Ye Lingling was pleased with the idea.

At their lively age, they could hardly bear the thought of being shut away in one place for so long.

"The Ye Family Medical Hall would be different. Aunt Ye would be there as usual, while the three of us could cultivate in the courtyard or take short walks nearby," Lu Xuan went on. "To outsiders, we'd just be three kids. We wouldn't be going out to hunt Soul Beasts or absorb Soul Rings, so we'd be unlikely to attract serious trouble."

Staying at the medical hall would not isolate them from the world like the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, but it posed little risk.

For one thing, the Ye Family was kind and had no enemies.

Even if someone came looking for trouble, Lu Xuan was strong enough to handle any opponent below the Soul King level.

Besides, although a ninth Soul Ring would be extremely difficult to find for his master and Uncle Zhao, Uncle Dugu Xin's eighth Soul Ring should not take nearly as long.

Once Dugu Xin obtained his eighth Soul Ring, their group would face little danger by remaining in Heaven Dou City.

At present, the strongest fighters in the Heaven Dou Empire were Soul Douluo at most, and they were hardly among the most formidable.

If Dugu Xin became a Soul Douluo, he would certainly rank among the strongest of them!

Lu Xuan glanced at Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling beside him. Their gloomy faces gave away how little they wanted to stay in one place for long.

"I know you think staying put would be boring," he said gently. "You want to go out and see the world."

He paused, a warm smile in his eyes, then made them a promise. "How about this? Once I reach Soul King, I'll take you both traveling and training. We'll see what the continent has to offer."

"Really?!"

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, listless a moment ago, lit up at once. Their disappointment vanished, replaced by delight and anticipation.

Lu Xuan's Soul Power was only at level thirty-eight, and he had yet to become a Soul Ancestor, but neither girl doubted him for an instant.

They knew his astonishing talent and terrifying cultivation speed. What took others years or even decades of bitter effort took him hardly any time at all.

They were sure he would become a Soul King before long.

He might even do it before Ye Renxin and Zhao Yan obtained their ninth Soul Rings.

"Really." Lu Xuan nodded solemnly. "It shouldn't take long, either."

With his Soul Power already at level thirty-eight, becoming a Soul Ancestor was close at hand. Reaching Soul King after that would come naturally, with no bottleneck to hold him back.

He was confident he could become a Soul King before he turned ten. Even across the vast worlds of Douluo Two and Douluo Three, such a pace would be extraordinarily rare, far beyond the prodigies of past generations!

What was more, Lu Xuan still had three Nine-Flower Jade Dew Pills refined specifically for him.

By his estimate, they could raise his Soul Power by at least ten levels in one go.

But medicinal power from the Divine Black Jade Bamboo still lingered in his body. If he took the Nine-Flower Jade Dew Pills now, the two potent medicines could clash and waste much of their effect. It was not worth the loss.

Fortunately, nothing was urgent. He could afford to wait until his body had fully absorbed the remaining medicinal power.

"Xiao Xuan has explained the advantages and drawbacks," Ye Qingxian said gently to Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan. "What do you two want to do? Go to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, or stay with me at the Ye Family Medical Hall?"

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling exchanged a glance, caught between the two choices.

Seeing their hesitation, Lu Xuan knew what was on their minds. "Why don't we take our time on the way back and enjoy ourselves? Uncle Dugu still needs to hunt for his eighth Soul Ring, so we can rest in Suotuo City for a while. Once he has it, we can head back at a leisurely pace and enjoy the scenery."

"Okay!"

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling answered in unison.

While others their age were still struggling through basic soul master theory at elementary Soul Master Academies, the two girls had already reached the standard required to graduate from an advanced Soul Master Academy.

Their cultivation put them far ahead of their peers. A chance to enjoy the journey like this was rare enough.

As Lu Xuan persuaded the two girls, Dugu Bo and Ye Renxin stood at the inn's entrance. They exchanged a look and smiled helplessly.

"We were trying to work out how to persuade those two," Ye Renxin said, "but Xiao Xuan has already settled everything. Just as well. He's saved us a lot of talking."

Behind them stood Dugu Xin, who had just finished absorbing his Soul Bone. A trace of envy crossed his eyes.

She was my own daughter, and she'd never listened to me like that!

The group rested peacefully in Suotuo City for two full days, shaking off the fatigue of their journey and battles. Once they were back in top condition, they set out again and entered the vast Star Dou Forest.

Their first priority on this trip was finding a suitable seventh Soul Ring for Ye Qingxian.

Ye Qingxian wanted a fifty-thousand-year-old plant-type Soul Beast. If they could not find one, they would consider an animal-type Soul Beast with abundant vitality.

An Emerald Swan would be ideal, but finding one was another matter entirely.

Ye Qingxian had a clear target: a fifty-thousand-year-old plant-type Soul Beast. The search for Dugu Xin's eighth Soul Ring allowed for more possibilities, but depended even more on luck.

He needed a ninety-thousand-year-old offensive Soul Ring that suited the fierce, domineering nature of his martial soul. It would push his fighting strength as high as possible and lay a firm foundation for reaching the rank just below Titled Douluo.

Quite a few kinds of Soul Beasts would suit him. Dragon-type Soul Beasts, ancient giant pythons, and flood dragons all had powerful bloodlines and swift, ferocious attacks.

But ninety-thousand-year-old Soul Beasts stood among the Star Dou Forest's strongest inhabitants. They were few, elusive, and rarely showed themselves.

Finding a suitable one amid that boundless sea of trees would be anything but easy.

The group had anticipated this and was prepared for their first search to come up empty.

If they still had not found one within three days of Ye Qingxian obtaining her Soul Ring, they would escort her and the children out. Dugu Bo and the other three would then begin a thorough search.

While they were at it, they would search for ninth Soul Rings for Ye Renxin and Zhao Yan too!