Spirit City?
Could they be from Spirit Hall?
After hearing Lin Xiao's words, both Ning Fengzhi's and Sword Douluo's expressions changed.
Countless possibilities immediately sprang to mind.
However hard they tried to conceal it, their expressions still looked somewhat unnatural.
Looks like they misunderstood... Seeing their dramatic change in expression, Lin Xiao waved a hand. "Please don't misunderstand. Although we came from Spirit City, we haven't joined Spirit Hall. I merely run a little shop there."
"A little shop?"
Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo were even more bewildered.
"Yes, the Lucky Jar Shop I just mentioned. If you're interested, why not come open a couple of jars? You might find an unexpected reward."
Lin Xiao didn't forget to promote his shop.
If you didn't work hard in your youth, you'd be stuck firing sword energy with backsteps. To avoid spending his future scraping away at enemies with Backstep Slash, he could only work hard at selling jars.
"All right. Certainly."
Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo were rather dazed. Although they didn't understand what these so-called Lucky Magic Jars were, they still nodded.
"Goodbye."
"I'll be waiting at the shop to welcome you both."
Seeing that there was nothing more to say, Lin Xiao willed it, and silver light began shining around him.
He had already taken an Instant Teleportation Potion, so leaving really did require nothing more than a thought.
"What... does this mean?" Ning Fengzhi was puzzled.
Sword Douluo, however, frowned. "There's spatial power..."
Yet before they could ask for an explanation, Lin Xiao and Soderos vanished.
It happened abruptly.
As though they had never appeared at all.
"They're gone?"
Ning Fengzhi instinctively stepped forward and felt around where the two had stood.
Empty.
He confirmed that it wasn't an illusion.
Sword Douluo widened his eyes and extended his soul power perception, but still found no trace of Lin Xiao or Soderos.
"They really have vanished completely. It seems I wasn't mistaken. What that young man named Lin Xiao displayed just now was indeed spatial power. But there's no sign of them within a hundred meters. Where were they teleported?"
Sword Douluo couldn't make sense of it, no matter how he thought it over.
Ning Fengzhi suggested uncertainly, "Could it be possible that they... have already returned to Spirit City?"
"Returned to Spirit City? Is that possible?"
Sword Douluo shook his head slightly, unable to believe it.
The stronger one was, the more certain one could be that this was impossible.
After all, Spirit City was hundreds of kilometers away.
Even someone with spatial abilities couldn't teleport that far.
Not even a Titled Douluo could withstand such a drain on soul power.
"Although I also find it hard to believe, considering the strength that old man displayed and the young man's mysterious nature, I think that may very well be the truth."
Ning Fengzhi remained firm.
"The truth?"
"If that's really the case, just how strong is Lin Xiao?"
Sword Douluo was shaken.
Stumped by the question, Ning Fengzhi shook his head with a bitter smile. "Uncle Jian, I don't know either..."
But if Ning Fengzhi were asked to describe his impression of Lin Xiao now, he would have only one phrase: unfathomably deep!
They fell silent for a moment.
Sword Douluo could only convince himself to accept this seemingly impossible truth.
"Sect Master, what should we do now? Return to the sect?" he asked quietly.
"Do you remember what Lin Xiao said before he left?"
"He told us to find him in Spirit City and open a couple of jars. He said we might get an unexpected reward."
Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Since he's extended an invitation, we must go."
"To Spirit City..."
Sword Douluo's eyes flickered, and he nodded.
He also wanted to know what sort of jars this so-called Jar Shop sold.
And just who were Lin Xiao and Soderos?
Meanwhile.
On the other side of the Star Dou Great Forest, another battle had just ended.
Thud!
An enormous Saber-Toothed Tiger with ten thousand years of cultivation crashed heavily to the ground.
Its eyes, larger than bronze bells, stared at the sinister figure before it, filled with resentment and bewilderment.
It couldn't understand. How could a Soul Master in the forties and a level-fifty Soul Master become so powerful after merging?
They had left it gravely wounded and dying, even though it could rival a Soul Emperor!
And all that had taken just one strike!
It had never seen anything like this.
"You can rest in peace, having fallen to my newly mastered Crescent Moon."
The sinister figure before the Saber-Toothed Tiger spoke.
As the words fell.
A cloud of pink mist erupted, and the figure split into two people once more.
They were Hu Liena and Xie Yue.
"Brother, you're incredible!" Hu Liena looked at Xie Yue with admiration in her eyes.
After all, Xie Yue had almost entirely controlled Demon Charm after they merged. Hu Liena hadn't even used her charming ability before Xie Yue gravely wounded this ten-thousand-year Saber-Toothed Tiger with his newly mastered Self-Created Soul Skill, Crescent Moon.
And that was with Xie Yue holding back so he could absorb its Soul Ring.
Otherwise, this Soul Beast, whose strength rivaled a Soul Emperor's, would have been killed instantly.
"Honestly, I'm surprised too. I didn't really feel it when I sparred with Elder Snake Lance before. Only now have I realized how powerful this Soul Skill is."
"That million Gold Soul Coins wasn't wasted at all. Such a huge increase in strength-it was worth it!"
Xie Yue answered with a smile, his eyes brimming with excitement.
Before, they had only been able to contend with a Soul Emperor.
Now, however, they could slay a Soul Beast comparable to a Soul Emperor. Such a leap in strength was staggering.
"Once we finish this mission and get Teacher's reward, I'm going to open ten jars too!"
Hu Liena's eyes were also full of longing.
She knew perfectly well that her brother's current achievements were inseparable from the treasures he had obtained in the little shop.
If her brother could become this strong, why couldn't she?
Yan quietly clenched his fists as well. "If I get a few more Proficiency Capsules, might I also have a chance to master such a powerful Soul Skill?"
Yan had witnessed every bit of Xie Yue's performance.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't envious.
He also made up his mind. "Once we finish this mission and get our reward, I'll open a few more jars too, bringing my total to ten."
Hidden from sight.
In an ancient tree not far away, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo concealed themselves amid the canopy.
Having witnessed Xie Yue's clean, decisive takedown firsthand, Ghost Douluo wore an admiring expression. "Xie Yue's performance was astonishing. His newly mastered Soul Skill, Crescent Moon, actually took down a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in one strike."
Chrysanthemum Douluo said in his soft, effeminate voice, "Didn't you hear what they were discussing earlier? This was another opportunity he gained in the little shop. Apparently, after taking two Proficiency Capsules, his understanding of his Soul Skill advanced by leaps and bounds, turning Full Moon into Crescent Moon. Although it lost its defensive capabilities, its offensive power more than doubled."
Truthfully, even a Titled Douluo would envy such an opportunity.
"Chrysanthemum Guan, if His Holiness hadn't assigned us to protect them in secret, wouldn't we be opening jars and improving our strength right now?"
Ghost Douluo's voice was full of yearning.
"Heh."
"What's the rush?"
Hearing this, Chrysanthemum Douluo gave a soft laugh. "Once Xie Yue finishes absorbing his Soul Ring, they can set out to complete the mission His Holiness assigned them: executing that Soul Emperor whose crimes are piled to the heavens. I was a little worried before, but now it seems those worries were entirely unnecessary.
"Counting from now, we'll be back in Spirit City in four days at most. We'll still have time to open jars before the purchase limit resets."
"Really?"
Ghost Douluo was skeptical.
"Of course. If you can't open any, I won't open any either."
Chrysanthemum Douluo gave his solemn guarantee.
Ghost Douluo snapped, "If I can't open any, how the hell could you?"
And at that moment.
Spirit City.
A burst of silver light flickered inside the little shop.
Lin Xiao and Soderos abruptly appeared.
"Finally back..."
"Now I'm already a level-twelve powerhouse. On such an important day, I should open a few dozen jars to celebrate."
Lin Xiao thought for a moment, then made a wish:
"I'm not asking for much. No need for epic or mythic items or anything. Just give me a few dozen Level-Up Tickets first. I'm still a ways off from awakening, anyway..."
P.S.
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