Staying in Town for Now

Li Changqing soaked in the bathtub of his hotel room, utterly at ease. The exhaustion of twelve straight days searching for Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest had washed away.

He considered what to do next.

He had obtained his Soul Ring. There was no reason to remain in Soul Hunting Town, but he had nowhere else to go.

Join a faction?

Li Changqing dismissed the idea at once. He preferred a life without restraints, and he had no desire to work himself to the bone for some faction.

After some thought, Li Changqing decided to live in Soul Hunting Town for the time being. He could earn money by hunting Soul Rings for others, then sell the Soul Beast corpses and materials to Hundred Beasts Hall. He could make money twice over.

More importantly, he could hone his combat skills along the way.

The next day.

Li Changqing returned to Hundred Beasts Hall. Wu Guangcai was still the only person in the shop.

Li Changqing found that odd. Surely a shop this large ought to have at least a few assistants. And Wu Guangcai did not look like someone unwilling to pay for them.

Though Li Changqing no longer looked as bedraggled as he had yesterday, Wu Guangcai recognized him instantly. "I didn't realize you were such a handsome young man! Have you come to sell more materials today, or is it something else?"

Li Changqing smiled. "Boss, why don't you have any assistants? Can you manage a shop this big on your own?"

Wu Guangcai was surprised. If anyone else had asked, he would have assumed they were looking for work.

But he knew this young man had hunted a Thunder Wolf alone. He had to be a formidable Soul Master, and certainly was not short of money.

Though Wu Guangcai could not guess what Li Changqing wanted, he answered, "What you don't know is that I buy Soul Beast Materials to sell elsewhere in the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Here in Soul Hunting Town, I only handle purchases. Hardly anyone comes into the shop to buy Soul Beast Materials, and the people I deal with are all powerful Soul Masters who rarely haggle. I don't need assistants to keep the accounts; I can manage that myself. The work that really needs extra hands is transporting and selling the materials I've bought to other parts of the empire."

Li Changqing did not really care. The question had only been a way to start the conversation. After all, few people opened by stating exactly what favor they wanted.

Li Changqing nodded slightly, then came to the point. "I'd like to ask you a favor."

"I plan to help people hunt Soul Rings here in Soul Hunting Town. Could you spread the word or introduce me to people who need one? In return, I promise to sell you all the Soul Beast Materials I obtain from now on. What do you say?"

Li Changqing had thought it through. He looked young and inexperienced, and he worked alone. Few people would be willing to hire him to hunt a Soul Ring without someone to vouch for him and help establish his reputation.

This shop had operated in town for over twenty years, so its owner was sure to have plenty of connections. If Wu Guangcai agreed to help, Li Changqing could land his first job quickly and build a name for himself from there.

Wu Guangcai lowered his head in thought. "How strong are you, young man?"

"Was hunting a six-hundred-year-old Thunder Wolf alone not enough?"

Wu Guangcai shook his head. "Killing a Thunder Wolf that old certainly proves your strength, and I can vouch for you. But I'll also need your Soul Power Level, the type of your Martial Soul, and other details so people can better judge what you can do."

Li Changqing nodded thoughtfully. "I'm a Level Twenty-Two Soul Grandmaster. My Tool Martial Soul is the Thunderblade Sword, and both my Soul Rings are Hundred-Year Soul Rings."

As he spoke, two bright Yellow Soul Rings rose from beneath Li Changqing's feet, and a sword crackling with lightning appeared in his hand.

Wu Guangcai was startled. He had assumed the young man had to be at least a Soul Elder to kill a Thunder Wolf without injury. He had not expected him to be only a Soul Grandmaster.

On reflection, it made sense. If someone so young had already become a Soul Elder, he would truly be a genius among geniuses.

Judging by his Soul Power Level, he must have only just advanced. His Second Soul Ring had very likely come from yesterday's Thunder Wolf. A Soul Master who had yet to become a Soul Grandmaster had killed a six-hundred-year-old Thunder Wolf alone—who would believe it?

Now that Li Changqing was a Soul Grandmaster, Wu Guangcai reckoned no Soul Beast under a thousand years old would be his match. After more than twenty years in Soul Hunting Town, Wu Guangcai had seen countless Soul Masters. He trusted his eye for such things.

Wu Guangcai made up his mind. With talent like that, I have to get on good terms with him, no matter what.

Li Changqing added, "Oh, and I'm fast, too." In a flash, he appeared on the other side of the shop.

Wu Guangcai had not seen him move at all. To his eyes, Li Changqing had simply vanished from one spot and appeared in another.

He wiped away nonexistent cold sweat. "Heroes really do emerge young. I never expected you to be so strong at your age. You've astonished me. Don't worry—with your strength and my help, someone should come calling before long."

Li Changqing nodded. "Then thank you, Boss Wu."

"By the way, I haven't asked your name."

"My name is Li Changqing," he replied.

Wu Guangcai nodded. "Then I'll call you Brother Changqing. Just tell me where you're staying. The moment I hear anything, I'll come get you myself. You won't have to trouble yourself."

Li Changqing raised an eyebrow. He had not expected Wu Guangcai to go this far to befriend him. The man was practically offering to put the food straight into his mouth.

Still, that suited him. He could simply wait for work to come to him and save himself the trouble.

Li Changqing told Wu Guangcai which hotel he was staying at, thanked him again, and returned there.

Back at the hotel, Li Changqing sat cross-legged and practiced the Kunpeng Method.

He had still underestimated how quickly he could cultivate with the Kunpeng Method. At this rate, he felt certain he could reach his goals of becoming a Soul Saint within six years and a Titled Douluo within twelve well ahead of schedule.

He could definitely become a Titled Douluo within eight years.

Li Changqing was in no hurry, though. He saw no need to advance so quickly.

He decided to devote some of that time to refining his Soul Power. The Soul Power produced by the Kunpeng Method was already immensely potent, but he wanted to make it stronger still.

Then he could attempt to condense a Soul Core, giving this body a firmer foundation and greater strength.

That way, when he reshaped his body and made the Thunderblade Sword corporeal in the future, the sword would be stronger as well.

If he then fused it with the remains and Soul Bones of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings beneath the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the Thunderblade Sword might become what the Douluo God Realm called a divine artifact—or even a Super Divine Artifact.

Excitement surged through Li Changqing. He let out a long breath and calmed himself, then practiced the Kunpeng Method to purify and refine his Soul Power while quietly waiting for word from Wu Guangcai.