Sword Douluo, Come With Me!

After completely resolving the poison threatening Dugu Bo and his granddaughter,

securing the one-year Soul Bone Wager and locking down the entire herb garden at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well,

Qin Yun did not linger.

He bade Poison Douluo farewell and headed straight back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Over the past dozen days,

he had not only reached level forty-seven, but had also gained a uranium crystal core as a deterrent and bound a Titled Douluo firmly to his side.

It had been a fruitful trip.

He traveled at full speed.

Before long, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's imposing gates came into view.

The disciples guarding the gates spotted Qin Yun from afar.

Their expressions turned respectful at once. None dared slight him.

By now, everyone in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect knew who Qin Yun was.

He was a junior whom sect master Ning Fengzhi valued deeply and spared no effort to nurture. More than that, he was the key to the sect's future rise—and the man everyone expected to become its Sect Son-in-Law.

His talent, strength, and vision far surpassed those of every other young member of the sect.

Even elders treated him with deference.

The gate guards bowed one after another.

Qin Yun had barely entered the sect

when a refined figure strode toward him. It was Ning Fengzhi, who had been waiting for him.

"Xiao Qin, you're finally back."

Qin Yun had told them that Dugu Bo might take him away for a few days and that his life would not be in danger.

Even so, Ning Fengzhi had been worried.

To the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Qin Yun

was no longer just a promising junior. He was their one chance to rise against the odds, and they could not afford to lose him.

"Don't worry, Uncle Ning. I know what I'm doing!"

"I know, and we trust you. But if you're going away for this long again, take a few people to protect you!"

He then changed the subject, took out an exquisite Storage Jade Token, and handed it to Qin Yun.

"You asked me to gather rare metal ores. I called on the sect's connections and resources these past few days and found a batch of excellent raw ore. See if it's what you need."

Qin Yun accepted the token and sent his mind into it to inspect its contents. His eyes brightened, and he was struck by how much had changed.

When his Elemental Martial Soul had first awakened the metals of the Fourth Period,

Flender had taken him all the way to Metal City. Even after spending a fortune and overcoming one obstacle after another, they had barely scraped together a small amount of ore.

Now, with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—one of the continent's foremost powers—behind him, gathering scarce ores had become effortless.

He had not needed to run around at all. The sect had gathered everything for him.

That was the advantage of having a powerful organization behind him.

As the two talked,

a girl's bright voice rang out.

Ning Rongrong hurried over in a long dress, her eyes curved with delight.

"Qin Yun, you're back!"

"What happened? Weren't you just going to take a look at Heaven Dou Academy with Brother Xue? Why were you gone so long?"

"If you join Heaven Dou Academy, I'm going too!"

Qin Yun's expression softened at the sight of her beaming face. He chatted and joked with her as they stood close together.

"Of course. Come whenever you like."

This time, Qin Yun had not brought Ning Rongrong any immortal herbs.

He still needed to run a few experiments.

If they succeeded, the rewards might be even greater.

Over the next few days,

Qin Yun set everything else aside and rested at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, consolidating his level forty-seven Soul Power.

Once he had recovered,

Qin Yun went to see Ning Fengzhi.

The two Soul Sages guarding the sect master's study stepped aside when they saw him.

Ning Fengzhi himself had long since granted Qin Yun permission to enter whenever he wished.

Inside, Ning Fengzhi was frowning over a ledger of sect accounts.

He looked up as Qin Yun entered.

"Xiao Qin, what brings you here so late? Is something wrong?"

Qin Yun sat down and said,

"Uncle Ning, I plan to leave for Holy Soul Village soon."

"Holy Soul Village?" Ning Fengzhi repeated, puzzled.

"Where is that?"

Rather than answer, Qin Yun asked, "Do you trust me?"

Ning Fengzhi answered without hesitation.

"Of course I do."

Qin Yun had told Ning Fengzhi all about his plans to forge Soul Bones.

Qin Yun's ties to the sect now ran deep, and Ning Fengzhi trusted him without reservation.

"I'd like Senior Sword Douluo to come with me."

"I'll explain the details when I get back, Uncle Ning."

When Qin Yun finished speaking,

Ning Fengzhi closed his eyes for several breaths. When he opened them again, his decision was made.

"If you need Uncle Sword with you, this trip must be dangerous."

"I won't ask why. Just tell me one thing—how confident are you?"

Faced with Ning Fengzhi's grave question,

Qin Yun remained composed. His answer came without hesitation or bravado.

"Ninety percent."

That confidence was no empty boast. Qin Yun had already thought it all through.

His ultimate goal was the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone in Holy Soul Village.

That Soul Bone possessed extraordinary vitality and a top-tier healing ability that could mend its bearer's wounds. It was among the finest healing Soul Bones on the continent.

To unlock the Zirconium Element and forge a healing Soul Bone of his own by replicating it,

Qin Yun needed an actual Soul Bone to serve as a template.

The greatest uncertainty on this trip was Tang Hao.

Though Tang Hao had a full set of Soul Bones to bolster him, old wounds still plagued him. He could not fight at his peak.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin, by contrast, was a level ninety-six Titled Douluo with a solid foundation. His level put him firmly above Tang Hao's.

He could hold Tang Hao off.

And Qin Yun still had Uranium Crystal Fission as his ultimate trump card—a killing move capable of severely wounding a Titled Douluo.

With both safeguards, they would have room to maneuver even if they met Tang Hao head-on.

If all went smoothly and they avoided Tang Hao, the trip would be risk-free, and the template would be theirs.

Ninety percent

was Qin Yun's most conservative estimate after weighing his trump cards against their respective strengths.

Seeing the steady confidence in Qin Yun's eyes, Ning Fengzhi finally relaxed and nodded his consent.

Before dawn the next day,

morning mist hung over Heaven Dou City, and the darkness had yet to fully lift.

Qin Yun and Sword Douluo concealed their auras and movements, evaded every patrol and watcher, and slipped out of Heaven Dou City unnoticed.

Spirit Hall had plenty of spies in the city, so they were careful.

They also could not let anyone else know that Sword Douluo had left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Once outside Heaven Dou City, Sword Douluo took Qin Yun with him.

He gripped Qin Yun's shoulder, touched a toe to the ground, and shot forward like a wisp of smoke.

A Titled Douluo traveling at full speed was astonishingly fast.

The mountains on either side blurred into dark silhouettes. Streams and villages vanished behind them in moments.

All Qin Yun could hear was the wind roaring past his ears.

Before long, they reached their destination.

They stood atop a low hill.

Through the thin mist below, the rooftops of Holy Soul Village had begun to emerge.