Through the carriage's half-covered window, Yun Tian's gaze fell straight on Tang San in the crowd, who looked like a lapdog in front of Xiao Wu.
The faint fluctuations of level-thirty soul power coming from him were practically unconcealed before Yun Tian.
Just broke through to Soul Elder? Fine. I won't go to Star Dou Great Forest yet. I'll wait for him to bring the Eight Spider Lances to my doorstep himself.
They would be staying in Suotuo City for a while. As it happened, Tang San and the others would also head to the Soto Great Soul Arena after hunting down their soul rings.
When that time came, he would simply find a way to seize the Eight Spider Lances from Tang San.
In any case, as long as the Eight Spider Lances had not fully fused with Tang San, they could still be taken from him through external means.
Perfect. While Tang San and the others are away, I'll go to Sunset Forest and redeem the immortal herbs.
Just as Yun Tian was considering what excuse to use to leave the group, the speeding carriage stopped.
"Everyone, get out. We're here," Elder Xu's voice rang out from outside.
Then, those inside stepped out of the carriage in an orderly fashion.
The seven figures, all exceptional in both bearing and looks, drew the attention of passing pedestrians almost the instant they stepped down.
Shui Bing'er looked over the Soto Great Soul Arena before her.
It was not even half as big as the one in their Skywater City!
At that moment, Yun Tian walked straight up to Elder Xu and cupped his hands slightly before him.
"Elder Xu, my home happens to be near Suotuo City. I've been away for so many years, and I'd like to go home for a visit. About half a month."
At Sang Biao's current speed, half a month was enough to travel from here to Sunset Forest, collect the immortal herbs, and return.
"Well..."
A trace of difficulty crossed Elder Xu's face. Yun Tian was simply too important to their Skywater Academy now.
Going out alone was a major matter, one he dared not readily agree to.
Seemingly noticing Elder Xu's hesitation, Yun Tian spoke again.
"Elder Xu, you needn't worry. My home is in a village very close to Suotuo City. Besides, with my current strength, even an ordinary Soul Saint can't do anything to me, so please rest assured."
Elder Xu thought it over. What Yun Tian said was indeed true.
Suotuo City was an unremarkable city, and even Soul Emperor-level experts would not come here.
That went doubly for those villages. Having even a single Soul Grandmaster there would already be quite something.
With Yun Tian's strength, nothing would happen to him even if he provoked the strongest person in the area.
"All right, then. But give me your home address. If you aren't back in half a month, I'll follow the road to your home and search every place along the way."
Hearing this, Yun Tian nodded, then casually named a small village neither particularly near nor far from Suotuo City.
"Elder Xu, I'm off."
Summoning Sang Biao, Yun Tian leaped onto his back.
"Mm. Stay safe. If you run into danger, don't think twice. Run straight back here."
"Understood."
With that, Yun Tian and Sang Biao shot forward, disappearing from everyone's sight in barely a dozen breaths.
Only after traveling for about three days did Yun Tian and Sang Biao reach the entrance to Sunset Forest.
For those three days, they had not rested at all, traveling day and night to arrive just as dawn broke on the third day.
"Sang Biao, have a sniff. See which direction has the most pungent smell." Yun Tian patted Sang Biao beneath him.
A dog's nose was far keener than a human's, especially since Sang Biao was now a martial soul.
Moreover, Yun Tian's own soul power level had reached fifty-two.
Sang Biao's nose had become even more sensitive. Even if a scent was faint and far away, he could still detect it.
"Woof, woof."
Suddenly, Sang Biao raised his head and barked toward the northwest.
After heading northwest for nearly an hour, a mass of dense, emerald-green poisonous mist appeared before Yun Tian through the gaps between the leaves.
Pushing aside the leaves before him, he suddenly had an unobstructed view.
Ahead, not a blade of grass grew within a ten-li radius, forming a stark contrast with the surrounding scenery.
Through the layers of poisonous mist, Yun Tian looked straight toward the top of the valley.
Hot vapor was constantly rising from there.
"Sang Biao, build an Ice Bridge leading straight to that entrance."
Naturally, Yun Tian would not be foolish enough to take Sang Biao directly through this poisonous mist. If he did, this day next year would be the anniversary of his death.
Sang Biao's ability was enough to build an ice bridge that would avoid the poisonous mist while reaching the top of the valley.
"Woof, woof."
A surge of soul power suddenly rose from Sang Biao, and in an instant-
The surrounding soul power trembled wildly and poured into his body.
But before Sang Biao could begin creating the ice bridge, an angry shout suddenly erupted from the valley.
"Who dares approach my Medicine Garden?!"
As the words fell, a dark-green figure flew out from the top of the valley and stood upright in midair.
Upon emerging, Dugu Bo locked onto Yun Tian almost at first glance.
"A Soul King?"
Looking at Yun Tian's youthful appearance, Dugu Bo could not help narrowing his eyes.
"Boy, are you the one trying to break into my Medicine Garden?"
Dugu Bo abruptly appeared before Yun Tian.
Under the terrifying pressure radiating from Dugu Bo, Yun Tian barely managed to raise his head.
"Senior, a pungent, fishy odor surrounds you, and the Jade Token hanging at your waist is engraved with the two characters for Dugu. I presume you are Senior Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo."
"Hmph. You know quite a lot. But do you know that the more you know, the shorter your life becomes?"
One soul ring after another descended from above Dugu Bo's head to his feet.
The terrifying aura of a Titled Douluo pressed down on Yun Tian until he could barely breathe.
"I don't think so. I believe the more you know, the longer you live. For example, I know that you're suffering a backlash from your own martial soul's poison, and I can borrow the poison inside you. In that case, would you still kill me?"
After Yun Tian finished speaking, a slight but unmistakable change came over Dugu Bo's expression.
"Impossible. The people who know about this can be counted on one hand!"
Dugu Bo stared fixedly at Yun Tian, trying to catch the slightest unusual change in his expression.
But there was no unusual change. His expression remained ordinary, as though he were discussing something perfectly commonplace.
"Heh. Boy, are you toying with me?"
"My title is Poison. Across the entire continent, when it comes to using poison, aside from that Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall who far surpasses me, everyone else can only stand on equal footing with me at best. And you're saying I've poisoned myself with my own poison?"
The corners of Yun Tian's mouth lifted slightly. His redemption code had been waiting for quite some time.
"Whenever the sky turns overcast and it rains, don't you feel a numbing itch along both sides of your ribs? It strikes once at noon and once at midnight. In your current condition, each episode should last a full two hours or more. And every night during the third watch, don't you feel needle-like pain at the crown of your head and the soles of your feet?"
"If those symptoms aren't poisoning, what else could they be?"
Before you continue