Dugu Bo broke through, Hu Liena absorbed a Soul Bone, and they set off for Star Dou Great Forest!

Elsewhere.

Heaven Dou City.

Dugu Bo's residence stood on a quiet hill in the western part of the city.

At that moment, he sat in his study, lost in thought as he looked at the two bottles of pills in his hands.

The bottles were small and made entirely of white jade, each containing thirty pale green pills.

One bottle was his, and the other was his granddaughter's.

Yue Guan had delivered them personally a few days earlier.

His expression had been complicated when he accepted the bottles.

On the one hand, he wanted to curse someone out.

Almost all the herbs in his medicinal garden had been picked clean. Apart from those that had to be consumed shortly after picking, everything else was gone.

On the other hand, he was grateful.

These pills were lifesavers against the poison from the Dugu Family's Martial Soul backlash.

He had taken one, and that night, he had not felt the slightest discomfort.

For the first time in decades, he had slept so soundly.

"That fellow Chrysanthemum Guan... what exactly did he put in these pills?"

Dugu Bo muttered, his gaze lingering on the bottles for a long time.

He could not figure it out.

Given Yue Guan's personality, he would never help him for nothing, yet he had not mentioned any additional conditions.

He scratched his head, his green hair slipping between his fingers.

"Forget it. I'll stop thinking about it."

He carefully put the bottles away, stood up, and walked to the window.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

Dugu Bo finished his last pill.

When he woke that morning, he immediately noticed the changes in his body.

An unprecedented sense of ease spread throughout him.

He closed his eyes and circulated his Soul Power.

His meridians were completely clear, and the sensation of blockage that had plagued him for years had vanished entirely.

Moreover, in just one month, his Soul Power had risen from Level 91 to Level 93.

Not only that, but his signature green hair had also turned completely black again. The man in the mirror looked ten years younger.

"Well, I'll be..."

Dugu Bo murmured, his fingers unconsciously touching his face.

He had become intensely curious about Yue Guan's pills.

What exactly had gone into them, and why were they so effective?

He had a vague feeling that Level 93 was not his limit. He might even have a chance to push for Level 95.

"Yanyan..." He suddenly thought of his granddaughter. "Once she finishes her pills too, she should be able to free herself completely from the trouble of Martial Soul backlash."

Dugu Bo let out a long breath, turned, and left the room.

Meanwhile, at Spirit Hall.

Another five months had passed.

Inside his sleeping quarters, Gui Yuan sat cross-legged on his bed, the Soul Power within him considerably more substantial than it had been six months earlier.

Over those six months, his Soul Power had steadily risen from Level 36 to Level 39.

Of those levels, Level 39 had come from triggering the [Level Up!] reward.

He was only one step away from Level 40.

Meanwhile, Hu Liena and Xie Yue had both broken through to Level 40.

Xie Yue was very surprised by this.

His younger sister was a year younger than him, yet she had broken through even faster than he had.

He was almost sixteen now, while Hu Liena was only fourteen and a half.

"Haven't you been pushing yourself too hard with your cultivation lately?" Xie Yue could not help asking as he looked at Hu Liena.

Hu Liena smiled. "Have I? I think it's been fine."

What she did not say was that she did not want her junior brother to leave her too far behind.

As for Yan, he was still at Level 39, just a breath short of Level 40.

His cultivation resources had been halved over the past six months, and his supply of whale rubber had also been cut off, so his cultivation progress naturally lagged behind theirs.

That evening, inside the Pope's Palace.

Bibi Dong summoned Hu Liena alone.

The great hall was empty except for the master and disciple.

Bibi Dong took a Soul Bone out of her Soul Tool and held it in her palm.

The Soul Bone was pale pink throughout, with fine patterns of light flowing across its surface, as ethereal as a thin mist.

A faint, elusive sense of charm emanated from it, making one unconsciously want to look a little longer.

"This Soul Bone is called the Spirit Condensing Charm Skull. It's sixty thousand years old."

"Its quality is no worse than the one I gave Xiao Yuan before."

"After you absorb it, you'll also have a better chance of absorbing a ten-thousand-year fourth Soul Ring."

As Hu Liena looked at the Soul Bone, warmth welled up in her heart.

"Teacher, this is too precious..."

"Take it." Bibi Dong's tone was calm but brooked no refusal. "You are my disciple. You won't lack any of the resources you should have."

Hu Liena pressed her lips together, stepped forward, and accepted the Soul Bone.

"Thank you, Teacher."

She said no more words of gratitude. Some things only needed to be kept in her heart.

"Absorb it now," Bibi Dong said. "I'll stand guard for you."

Hu Liena nodded, sat cross-legged in the center of the great hall, and pressed the Soul Bone against her forehead.

Bibi Dong stood beside her with her hands behind her back, watching her calmly.

In truth, under the normal course of things, Hu Liena should not have received a Soul Bone so early, even as her disciple.

She had originally intended to wait until Hu Liena became a Soul King and offer it as a championship reward at the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament.

That would have been a reasonable justification.

But now that she had given it to her early, she would naturally face some pressure.

Fortunately, because she had another disciple as well, Qian Daoliu had not said much about it.

Love for the house extended even to the crow on its roof.

Several hours later.

Hu Liena slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes were a little deeper than before, and the allure at their corners had grown more pronounced.

Abundant spiritual power flowed around her, changing even her entire bearing.

"How do you feel?" Bibi Dong asked.

Hu Liena stood and stretched a little. "Teacher, I feel like my spiritual power has increased so much."

She paused, then told Bibi Dong about the skill the Soul Bone had granted her. "The Soul Bone Skill is called 'Bewitching.' It's a spiritual control Soul Skill."

"Once used, it can affect an opponent's mind and slow them down."

Bibi Dong nodded slightly. "Good. You now have two spiritual control skills. Next, we'll look for something geared toward spiritual attacks for your fourth Soul Ring."

"As for the Demon Fox's foxfire ability, leave that for your fifth Soul Ring."

Hu Liena smiled faintly. "I'll follow your guidance, Teacher."

Bibi Dong looked at her, a barely perceptible trace of satisfaction flashing through her eyes.

"Go back and prepare. We leave for Star Dou Great Forest in three days."

"Yes, Teacher."

Three days later.

Early morning, at the foot of Pope Mountain.

Bibi Dong had changed into a simple, close-fitting purple-black outfit and tied up her long hair. She looked a little less imposing as the Pope and a little sharper.

Hu Liena and Xie Yue stood behind her, both ready to leave.

Gui Yuan had come early that morning to see them off.

Standing at the entrance to the Pope's Palace, he waved at Hu Liena. "Teacher, Sister Nana, Brother Xie Yue, take care on the road."

Hu Liena walked over with a smile and reached out to pinch his cheek. "Don't worry. With Teacher here, we'll be fine."

"You, though-don't slack off while I'm away."

Gui Yuan said, "...When have I ever slacked off?"