Aromatic Silk Beauty

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, council hall.

Ning Fengzhi sat in the seat of honor, with Sword Bone Douluo standing guard nearby.

Lin Hao and Xiao Wu sat on the left below him.

On the right, Dugu Bo sat quietly drinking tea.

Lin Hao picked up the tea a maid had just poured, blew on it, and took a small sip. Only after the maids and servants had left did he set down his cup and address Ning Fengzhi.

"Sect Master Ning, did you hear that Senior Dugu's granddaughter, Dugu Yan, recently evolved her Martial Soul from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor?"

Ning Fengzhi instinctively glanced at Dugu Bo, who sat quietly drinking tea on the right.

Naturally, Ning Fengzhi could guess that Dugu Bo had suffered a backlash from the poison of his own Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul.

Dugu Bo showed no reaction to his glance.

Ever since the signs of poisoning had vanished from his face, he had noticed something in the expressions of the Soul Masters from various factions who came to congratulate Dugu Yan on her Martial Soul Evolution.

As Lin Hao had said before, anyone with even a little medical knowledge could have recognized his former symptoms of poisoning.

And Dugu Bo happened to be the only Titled Douluo on the Douluo Continent without an attribute.

Ning Fengzhi turned back to Lin Hao.

"Of course I heard. But what does that have to do with our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul?"

"Could what you're offering allow our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to evolve into an Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—or even a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?"

Ning Fengzhi grew excited as he spoke. His guess might well be right.

After all, Lin Hao had brought up Dugu Yan's Martial Soul Evolution.

Lin Hao nodded.

"That's right. What I'm offering concerns the evolution of your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul."

At the confirmation, Ning Fengzhi sprang to his feet.

"Is that really true, young friend Lin?"

"Of course," Lin Hao said. "I have an Immortal Herb. If someone with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul eats it, I can guarantee one hundred percent that their Martial Soul will evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."

Ning Fengzhi grew even more excited. In two quick strides, he reached Lin Hao's seat.

"What price would our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have to pay for it?"

Rather than name his price, Lin Hao took a white jade box from his Storage Soul Tool and opened it.

As the Aromatic Silk Beauty came into view, a rich yet delicate tulip fragrance spread through the hall. Its potent medicinal aroma carried an air of opulence.

At the mere scent of it, Ning Fengzhi felt an overwhelming hunger surge through his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul, as though it were telling him that swallowing this herb would elevate it to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

"It smells wonderful!"

A girl in a silvery-white dress burst in just as the words rang out. It was Ning Rongrong.

She had come to the council hall to find Ning Fengzhi, but the guards outside had stopped her. She was about to leave when the rich tulip fragrance reached her.

At the same time, her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul trembled violently. Without a second thought, Ning Rongrong barged in.

Following the scent, she immediately fixed her bright eyes on its source.

She was the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo had always granted her every wish. The moment she saw the Aromatic Silk Beauty, Ning Rongrong ran to her father, took his hand in both of hers, and swung it from side to side.

"Dad! Grandpa Sword! Grandpa Bone! I want that flower he's holding! My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul wants it so badly! Can you get it for me?"

Lin Hao smiled but said nothing.

As soon as Ning Rongrong finished speaking, a trace of killing intent appeared in the eyes of Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo behind Ning Fengzhi.

But when Dugu Bo took the Poison Core from his dantian and began to toy with it, the two immediately settled down.

The two Titled Douluo withdrew every trace of killing intent, afraid that one wrong move would prompt Dugu Bo to slaughter the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

After the brief clash between the three Titled Douluo, Ning Fengzhi sighed inwardly.

"What price are you asking for that Immortal Herb, young friend Lin?"

Lin Hao named an exorbitant price without hesitation.

"Sect Master Ning, this Immortal Herb is called the Aromatic Silk Beauty. If your daughter Ning Rongrong takes it..."

As he spoke, Lin Hao looked at Ning Rongrong.

"Not only will her Martial Soul evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, but her talent will also improve dramatically. She may even have a chance to become a rank ninety-nine Peerless Douluo one day."

"So I want one hundred million Gold Soul Coins and two Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones: one poison-attribute bone at least thirty thousand years old, and one ice-attribute bone at least fifty thousand years old."

"In exchange, the Aromatic Silk Beauty is yours. What do you think, Sect Master Ning?"

Ning Fengzhi felt somewhat relieved by the price.

With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's ability to appraise treasures, one hundred million Gold Soul Coins was easy enough to raise. A thirty-thousand-year poison-attribute Soul Bone and an ice-attribute Soul Bone at least fifty thousand years old were also within what he could accept.

And according to Lin Hao, the herb would not only evolve Rongrong's Martial Soul but greatly improve her talent. Even if Lin Hao was exaggerating, she should still be able to reach rank ninety-five and become a Super Douluo.

"Agreed!"

"Do you have any other Immortal Herbs that can evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul, young friend Lin? Even if one could only evolve it into the Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would want it."

In truth, Lin Hao did. As mentioned before, for a Martial Soul like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, which had a higher form, evolution required only enough life force to be poured into it.

For a gem-type Martial Soul like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, sufficient starlight power and life force would also allow it to evolve.

There were several spirit herbs containing starlight power in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well: the Star Luo Spirit Pearl, Starlight Grass, Starflower, and the Ten Thousand Year Starfruit borne by Ten Thousand Year Starflowers.

Lin Hao checked his Storage Soul Tool. He had one Star Luo Spirit Pearl, three Ten Thousand Year Starflowers, two ten-thousand-year Starlight Grass plants, and only one Ten Thousand Year Starfruit.

He intended to use the Star Luo Spirit Pearl and Ten Thousand Year Starfruit when forming a Mental Attribute Soul Core, so he could not offer either of them.

That left three Ten Thousand Year Starflowers and two ten-thousand-year Starlight Grass plants.

To be safe, Lin Hao decided to offer one Ten Thousand Year Starflower and one ten-thousand-year Starlight Grass plant.

Having made up his mind, Lin Hao said to Ning Fengzhi,

"Sect Master Ning, let's complete the trade for the Aromatic Silk Beauty first. Then we can discuss the rest."