Dugu Bo's gaze swept over the dilapidated houses, then looked at the figures working in the fields in the distance, and shook his head speechlessly.
"Even ordinary people shouldn't live like this—let alone the fact that there are quite a few Soul Master among them with considerable cultivation."
Soul Master with Soul Power, even the lowest-ranking Soul Master, can find some pretty good jobs.
They may not be extremely wealthy, but they are more than capable of supporting their entire family.
But the dilapidated village before him was challenging Dugu Bo's understanding; this was no longer poverty caused by individual reasons, but collective poverty.
Lin Mo did not respond. The current predicament of the Speed Clan is due to complex reasons that cannot be explained in a few words.
The most fundamental reason is that their own arrogance makes them unwilling to join other Soul Master sects, and they also lack any good means of making a living.
Furthermore, because they were formerly from the Clear Sky Sect, they were even unwilling to accept the Soul Master subsidies issued by the Spirit Hall.
This is what led to the current situation. If it weren't for the frequent assistance from the other three races, their situation would probably be even worse than it is now.
Before long, Lin Mo and Dugu Bo, who had just arrived in the village, were noticed by the others.
A tall man in his early thirties emerged from a mud house, eyeing them warily.
"Who are you? What business do you have in our Bai Family Village?"
Lin Mo stepped forward, his expression calm. "We have come to pay a visit to the Bai family patriarch, Senior Bai He."
"I have a business deal I'd like to discuss with the nobility."
"Business?" The man frowned even more, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Lin Mo and Dugu Bo.
He was also a Soul Master, but his cultivation level was only Soul Elder.
However, the Sharp-Tailed Swift Martial Soul is the best scout, and he still keenly Frisk the fluctuations in Soul Power on Lin Mo and Dugu Bo.
These two are beings he cannot defeat!
After hesitating for a moment, the man finally stepped aside.
"Come with me," he said. "I'll take you to see the chieftain."
He was also a little curious, since their Speed Clan had been living in seclusion for a long time since leaving the Clear Sky Sect.
Aside from having connections with the other Four Single-Attribute Clans, they haven't had much interaction with other Soul Master for a long time.
As for doing business?
The Speed Clan is so poor, what kind of business can they possibly do with others?
However, since the two of them mentioned the clan leader's name, he naturally didn't mind taking them to meet the clan leader.
In his view, even if the two were truly up to no good, with the clan leader's cultivation as Eight-Ring Soul Douluo, suppressing them would be more than enough.
Lin Mo nodded and followed behind the man with Dugu Bo, heading towards the center of the village.
Along the way, many villagers peeked out of their houses, curiously observing Lin Mo and Dugu Bo, these two outsiders, who had appeared in their village.
The luxurious robes worn by Lin Mo and Dugu Bo stood out starkly against the backdrop of the dilapidated village.
The man led the two to a relatively spacious courtyard in the center of the village.
The houses in the courtyard are neater than other places. There is a wooden sign hanging at the door with the word "" engraved on it.
"Chief, we have guests." The man stopped outside the courtyard gate and announced loudly.
The courtyard was quiet for a moment, then a strong, resonant voice rang out.
"Come in."
The three people pushed open the door and entered.
Upon entering, Lin Mo saw Bai He and a young girl beside him.
The Bai He has a slender body, but it looks well-proportioned. It has long, white hair that falls down its back, and its face is as rosy as a baby's.
The girl beside him looked to be about the same age as Lin Mo, with a tall and well-proportioned figure, a graceful body, and an extremely beautiful appearance.
The moment the two entered, Bai He, with his Sharp-Tailed Swift Martial Soul, clearly sensed the fluctuations of Soul Power emanating from Lin Mo and Dugu Bo.
His first glance was at Dugu Bo, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
Titled Douluo.
When the Bai He turned its senses toward Lin Mo, he was completely stunned.
Five-Ring Soul King?
The young man looked to be about the same age as his granddaughter, but the Soul Power emanating from him had reached the Soul King level!
The Bai He even thought it had misperceived, and subconsciously examined it carefully again.
Yes, it is indeed the Fifth Ring Road.
"You two—" Bai He opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to start.
He had been in charge of the Speed Clan for many years and had seen many storms, but what he saw before him was still beyond his comprehension.
A twelve or thirteen-year-old Soul King?
Before Bai He could ask any questions, Lin Mo stepped forward and bluntly revealed his identity.
"Junior Lin Mo greets Chief Bai He."
Lin Mo bowed slightly to the Bai He, "This is Senior Dugu Bo."
Upon hearing this, the Bai He's pupils contracted again.
Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo.
He quickly stood up and bowed respectfully to Dugu Bo: "Junior Bai He greets Your Jade Phosphor Douluo."
Dugu Bo waved his hand and said calmly, "No need for formalities. I'm just accompanying Lin Mo here on business today."
Lin Mo didn't beat around the bush and stated his purpose directly, " Bai He, this junior comes from the Ye Family Medical Hall in Heaven Dou City."
"Through the channels through which I acquire medicinal herbs from the clinic, I learned that the clan leader once intended to sell a ginseng of excellent quality, but I don't know why it ultimately fell through."
"Judging from the few descriptions that have been passed down, it should be something that the younger generation needed."
At this point, Lin Mo paused, his voice slightly excited, "I wonder if Chief Bai He would be willing to part with it? This junior will certainly be able to offer a price that satisfies the chief."
The Bai He paused for a moment.
However, the reason he was stunned was not because of the news that Lin Mo wanted to buy ginseng from him, but because of the name " Lin Mo ".
Even though he was far away in Yu Feng City on the border of the Heaven Dou Empire, he had heard of the name " Lin Mo ".
The young Soul King who has recently caused a sensation across the entire continent, is only twelve years old and Fourth Soul Ring has lasted for ten thousand years.
Rumors spread like snowflakes, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
Bai He initially thought it was just an exaggeration, after all, a twelve-year-old Soul King was simply too outrageous.
But seeing it with my own eyes now, I realized that those rumors were probably not unfounded.
At this moment, Bai He swallowed hard and tentatively asked, "Young friend Lin Mo, could it be—you are the one from the rumors—"
Lin Mo nodded, readily admitting, "If the clan leader is referring to a twelve-year-old Soul King or someone with a ten-thousand-year-old Fourth Soul Ring, then it is indeed me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Mo's mind stirred, and Red light emanated from his body. The Charizard appeared and let out a low roar, its eyes sweeping across the surroundings before finally settling on the Bai He.
Five Soul Ring slowly appeared beneath its feet: yellow, yellow, purple, black, and black.
With the cultivation of Soul King and the External Beast Martial Soul, he is currently the only one of his kind in the world.
Bai He looked at the Charizard, then at Lin Mo, and finally confirmed the identity of the boy in front of him.
The girl standing to the side, Bai He's granddaughter Bai Chenxiang, was already stunned.
She stared blankly at the Charizard, then at Lin Mo, her bright eyes filled with disbelief.
Among the younger generation of the Speed Clan, her talent is considered the most outstanding.
At the age of twelve, his cultivation level had already reached that of a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster.
Even within the history of the Speed Clan, her talent was exceptional; in her grandfather's words, she was definitely worthy of a title.
Compared to Lin Mo, who is the same age, he seems particularly inadequate.
There are three major realms separating Soul King and Soul Grandmaster.
This gap is beyond what hard work can bridge.
Bai Chenxiang bit her lip, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her: envy, shock, and a touch of resentment.
After confirming Lin Mo's identity, Bai He took a deep breath and bowed to Dugu Bo beside him once again.
" Your Jade Phosphor Douluo's presence is an honor for this junior, and I apologize for failing to greet you properly."
Dugu Bo nodded in response, "It's alright."
Lin Mo recalled the Charizard, looked at the Bai He, and asked again, "Chieftain, that ginseng—could we part with it?"
He added, "I guarantee I can offer the clan leader a price that will satisfy you."
Bai He nodded, this time without any hesitation.
With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved a lustrous, pure white jade box, measuring one foot and five inches long and half a foot wide, from his Storage Soul Tool.
Bai He carefully opened the jade box and placed it on the table. The moment the lid was lifted, a strange medicinal fragrance filled the air.
Inside the jade box lay a ginseng root over a foot long.
The ginseng is entirely blood red, with a smooth and warm surface, as if it were carved from the finest red jade.
Most notably, the surface of the ginseng has a distinct layer of raised bumps. These bumps connect to form a unique pattern, resembling a five-clawed dragon soaring through the heavens.
The dragon's head, body, Dragon Claw, Dragon Tail —every detail is clearly visible and lifelike.
The entire ginseng plant exudes a rich, bloody aroma; just one whiff of it makes one feel as if their blood has become more active.
Sensing the aura of the ginseng, even Dugu Bo, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but lean over to look.
"This—" Dugu Bo squinted, carefully examining the ginseng in the jade box.
Although he wasn't Soul Master specializing in pharmacology, poisons and medicines are inseparable, and having guarded the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for so many years, he had seen countless rare and precious materials, so his eyesight was naturally quite good.