"Mm, that should do."
Du Busi put away the Heaven-Hiding Ring, patted his waist, and turned to Dugu Bo. "All right, I'll take these medicinal herbs back to the sect. I'll have to leave the rest in your care."
"Go pick up your granddaughter first, then head to Wulan City. Someone will meet you there."
"Yes."
Dugu Bo cupped his hands and bowed again. "Thank you, Sect Master."
Du Busi waved a hand and turned toward the valley's exit. "Let's go. Back to the sect."
Long Aoyu and the other two followed behind. Elder Wei and Elder Zhao each touched the jade boxes holding their Immortal Herbs and walked at the rear of the group, their faces wreathed in smiles.
The group passed through the poisonous miasma passage and left the valley, speeding toward the outskirts of Sunset Forest.
Wulan City.
Inside the Spirit Hall Main Hall, Elder Chen Yuan stood in the center of the hall with four core members of the sect.
All four were Soul Saint-level experts. Their auras were steady and restrained, their gazes like lightning as they stood in a row behind Chen Yuan.
The master of Wulan City's Spirit Hall Main Hall was surnamed Li, a rank eighty-three Soul Douluo.
He had been handling affairs in the rear hall when a subordinate urgently reported that five high-ranking Soul Masters had come to visit. He set aside his work and came out to welcome them himself.
When he entered the main hall and his gaze fell on the lean middle-aged man at the head of the group, his steps involuntarily faltered.
This man... is unfathomable!
Hall Master Li could not gauge Elder Chen's strength.
Despite his cultivation as a rank eighty-three Soul Douluo, he could not sense the other man's aura at all!
Although the four core Soul Saints behind Elder Chen had restrained their auras, he could tell at a glance that all four were at least rank seventy-five.
Hall Master Li hurried forward, cupped his hands, and bowed, his tone exceedingly courteous. "I am Li Chengye, master of Wulan City's Spirit Hall Main Hall. I was unaware of your arrival, Senior, and failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive me."
"You're too courteous, Hall Master Li."
"Please have a seat, Senior."
Elder Chen nodded, his expression calm.
After sitting down, he dispensed with further pleasantries and took three small green-jade bottles from his Storage Soul Tool, gently setting them on the table.
"These are our sect's secret-formula Body Tempering Pills. They have remarkable effects in cleansing Soul Masters' meridians and strengthening their bodies. These three bottles are a greeting gift for Spirit Hall."
Li Chengye's gaze fell on the three bottles of pills, and something stirred within him.
Body Tempering Pills?
He had never heard of them, but something personally delivered by an expert suspected of being a Titled Douluo could hardly be ordinary.
Hall Master Li was just about to inquire when Chen Yuan continued, "You'll understand the effects of the Body Tempering Pills once you try them, Hall Master Li. Our sect master wishes to establish a partnership with your hall. We can provide a long-term supply of pills."
"If your Pope is also interested in cooperating, please send someone of sufficient standing to Wulan City's largest hotel in seven days to discuss the details."
Upon hearing this,
Li Chengye's heart stirred.
This Titled Douluo expert actually belonged to a sect, with a sect master above him.
Li Chengye asked tentatively, "May I ask which sect you belong to, Senior?"
"The Body Sect."
"The Body Sect?"
Li Chengye raised his brows. Certain that he had never heard of this sect, he immediately understood that it must be a secluded sect.
An expert suspected of being a Titled Douluo could not possibly be lying, nor would he have any need to.
"The Body Sect... I'll remember it. I will faithfully report your proposed partnership to His Holiness the Pope."
"Mm."
Chen Yuan nodded slightly, rose, and left with the four core members.
Li Chengye stood beside the table, looking at the three small green-jade bottles in silence for a moment.
He reached out, picked up one of the bottles, and removed the stopper to take a gentle sniff. A crisp medicinal fragrance spilled from its mouth.
The medicinal fragrance was mellow and mild, yet deeply penetrating. Merely smelling it refreshed his mind.
"Someone, come."
Li Chengye spoke in a low voice.
An attendant hurried forward. "Hall Master."
"Immediately arrange for these three bottles of pills to be delivered to the Papal Hall in Spirit City."
"Report to His Holiness the Pope that an expert suspected of being a Titled Douluo has appeared in Wulan City. Claiming to belong to the Body Sect, he visited with four high-ranking Soul Saints and left three bottles of Body Tempering Pills."
"He stated that there is a sect master above him and that they wish to cooperate. Please ask His Holiness the Pope to decide."
"Yes."
The attendant left to carry out his orders.
At dusk.
Traveling at full speed, Long Aoyu's group arrived at the canyon where the Body Sect was located.
"Greetings, Sect Master, Young Sect Master, Elders!"
Seeing their return, the guards at the entrance immediately bowed.
Du Busi did not break stride. "Have Elder Chen and the others returned?"
A guard hurriedly answered, "Sect Master, Elder Chen has already returned. He should be in the council hall now. The other elders are all there as well."
"Mm."
Du Busi nodded and strode toward the main hall.
Long Aoyu and the others followed.
They pushed open the council hall's doors to find the interior brightly lit with candles.
"Sect Master!"
"Sect Master, you're back!"
Seeing Du Busi, Long Aoyu, and the others, Jin Peng and the other elders called out.
Chen Yuan had been sitting to one side drinking tea. When he saw Du Busi push the doors open and enter, he set down his cup, stood, and cupped his hands. "Sect Master, the task you assigned has been completed."
Du Busi walked to the seat of honor and sat down, gesturing for everyone else to take their seats as well.
"Tell me what happened."
Chen Yuan briefly recounted what had happened at Wulan City's Spirit Hall Main Hall.
"Given how Spirit Hall operates, they should send someone in seven days."
After hearing him out, Du Busi nodded. "Well done. Go again in seven days. If whoever Spirit Hall sends lacks sufficient standing, leave immediately. There's no need to discuss anything further."
As he spoke, he looked at Jin Peng. "Old Jin, go with Old Chen."
Jin Peng nodded. "All right."
Having settled the arrangements concerning Spirit Hall, Du Busi's expression relaxed somewhat.
"All right, that takes care of Spirit Hall. Now it's time to distribute the Immortal Herbs."
At these words,
the atmosphere in the council hall grew noticeably livelier.
Du Busi took the Heaven-Hiding Ring from his waist and placed it on the table. Channeling Soul Power into it, he took out jade boxes one after another, arranging them neatly on the table by category.
The first things he took out were the Immortal Treasures-
Lovesick Heartbreak Red, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, aromatic silk beauty, earth dragon golden melon, cockscomb phoenix sunflower, narcissus jade muscle bone...
Each plant was sealed in a specially made jade box and preserved in excellent condition.
Du Busi swept his gaze over the jade boxes on the table, then looked at Jin Peng and the other elders.
"Xiao Yu, Aotian, and Na'er have already taken Immortal Herbs. Old Wei, Old Zhao, and I have also chosen ours and only need to take them."
"So these Immortal Herbs are yours. I'll distribute them according to how well they suit you."
"No objections?"
"None!"
Jin Peng and the other seven elders answered in unison.
"Mm."
Du Busi nodded and turned to Jin Peng. After a moment's consideration, he picked up a pitch-black stalk of bamboo from the table and handed it over. "Ink jade divine bamboo refines the sinews and bones and suits a torso martial soul. This one is yours."
"Thank you, Sect Master!"
Jin Peng accepted it directly, without standing on ceremony.
Du Busi then looked at Chen Yuan and pushed the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew in front of him.
"Old Chen, your brain martial soul has the greatest need for Spiritual Power. Besides tempering the eyes, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew can also nourish your Spiritual Origin."
Chen Yuan accepted the jade box. "Thank you, Sect Master."
Du Busi next looked at the elder whose body martial soul was his fists and whose title was "Demon Fist Douluo," handing him the earth dragon golden melon.
"Old Zhou, this earth dragon golden melon can enhance bodily strength and physical resistance. It suits your fist martial soul quite well. After you take it, your bodily strength can rise another level."
Elder Zhou, the Demon Fist Douluo, grinned and accepted the jade box. "You know how to treat us, Sect Master!"
Soon,
the remaining five elders had each received a suitable Immortal Herb as well.
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