Tang Feng knew very well that he could not keep wearing himself down. He had achieved his goal of testing his strength, and even if he gave it his all now, he still could not defeat the Lava Berserk Bear alone.
If he exhausted himself too much, he would be in no condition to absorb its Soul Ring. After all, this Soul Beast was a full five thousand five hundred years old.
After much deliberation, Tang Feng cast Dugu Bo a look that said, "You'd better take over."
Dugu Bo understood at once. A jade-green figure appeared in the clearing, and he flicked a strand of Jade Phosphorous Dragon Venom from his finger. It slipped silently into the berserk bear's wound, instantly corroding its nerves.
The Lava Berserk Bear's massive body went rigid. The huge paw it had just raised fell limply, fear and pain mingling in its slit pupils.
Jade-green poisonous mist coiled around its entire body like chains, invading its meridians, numbing its nerves, and freezing its muscles!
Such was the terrifying might of a Titled Douluo!
Dugu Bo turned to Tang Feng. "Do you understand the gap now?"
Tang Feng nodded with difficulty. "I do... raw strength, level, reserves, adaptability to the environment... there's a gap in every respect. My techniques and the quality of my Soul Skills can bridge part of it, but they still aren't enough to cross such a vast chasm."
Dugu Bo nodded in satisfaction at his words. "Good, as long as you understand. Challenging a five-thousand-year Soul Beast at level thirty was already a near-impossible task. You can be proud of yourself for fighting this far."
Dugu Bo pointed at the Lava Berserk Bear, which was so paralyzed by the potent poison that it could only move its eyes. "Now, it has one last breath left. Go and deliver the final blow."
Tang Feng drew a deep breath and walked toward the Lava Berserk Bear.
The Lava Berserk Bear's eyes were filled with resentment and rage, along with a trace of pleading. But it could no longer even roar, and could only watch helplessly as that human raised a dark-gold hammer.
Gripping the hammer with both hands, Tang Feng looked at the powerful Soul Beast and brought it down. There was no Soul Skill, only a heavy blow delivered with all his strength.
"Bang!!!"
The Lava Berserk Bear's skull cracked. The light in its eyes went out completely, and its massive body crashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
A deep-purple Soul Ring slowly rose from the Lava Berserk Bear's corpse, its color pure and its power surging.
Tang Feng swallowed several Soul Recovery Pills, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.
Half an hour later, Tang Feng opened his eyes, resolve filling his gaze, and immediately drew the Soul Ring toward himself.
Absorbing the Soul Ring was as painful as ever. The power of the five-thousand-plus-year Soul Ring battered his meridians like a volcanic eruption, but with his resilient physique after Ice and Fire Body Tempering, and Dugu Bo standing guard beside him, he made it through with a fright but no harm.
The residual medicinal potency of the Primordial Immortal Herb was also fully activated. Its balanced, gentle power of chaos enveloped the violent Soul Power, compressing, refining, and merging it like a millstone.
Time passed, moment by moment.
The Clear Sky Hammer underwent a visible transformation. Dark-red lava patterns spread across its head like blood vessels, while ice-blue frost patterns wound around its handle like meridians.
Tang Feng's presence climbed steadily, his level soaring from thirty all the way to thirty-one... thirty-three... thirty-five...
At last, his Soul Power fluctuations settled at level thirty-six!
If absorbing the Soul Ring had raised him by only two levels, then the Primordial Immortal Herb had supplied more than six levels of Soul Power outright. More crucial was the quality of his Soul Power. Tang Feng could feel that the Soul Power within him was clearly more than fifty percent higher in quality than before, which would greatly improve his endurance in battle.
Tang Feng slowly opened his eyes, a golden gleam flashing through them.
"How was it? Did you get the Soul Skill you wanted?" Dugu Bo asked eagerly.
Tang Feng rose without answering immediately. The Clear Sky Hammer spun once in his hand, and he leaped high into the air. Soul Power poured into it, and his third Soul Ring abruptly blazed!
"Third Soul Skill, Lava Purgatory Hammer!"
Golden-red lava power rapidly gathered over the Clear Sky Hammer, seeming almost solid. Magma flowed across the hammer's surface, giving off heart-pounding heat. Tang Feng plummeted toward the ground like a meteor and smashed his hammer down!
"Boom!!!"
The earth split apart, and shattered stones flew!
A Lava Purgatory Domain thirty meters in diameter formed around the point of impact. Within the domain, the ground cracked, magma surged, and the temperature rose sharply.
"Within this area, my strength and defense both increase by a hundred percent. Enemies take continuous true damage from lava burns and suffer a twenty-percent slow."
"I can also detonate earthfire anywhere within the domain, dealing additional damage and knocking enemies into the air. But maintaining this domain consumes ten percent of my current Soul Power every minute."
A sharp gleam flashed through Dugu Bo's eyes at his words, and he flicked a strand of poisonous mist from his fingertip to test it. The moment the mist touched the lava, the intense heat evaporated it.
"This Soul Skill suits your fighting style quite well. In a duel, it can create favorable home ground for you. In a team battle, it can divide the battlefield and restrict enemy movement. The consumption seems rather high now, but once your Soul Power Level rises and your total Soul Power increases, that won't be a problem."
Tang Feng withdrew his hammer and stood still. The lava died out, leaving only scorched black ground. He nodded with a smile. "My Clear Sky Hammer now weighs two thousand two hundred jin. With the boosts from my first three Soul Skills, even an ordinary attack has nearly eight thousand jin of force."
"Twelve years old, level thirty-six, and eight thousand jin of attack power. Tsk, tsk, tsk... you're taking the path of extreme burst power." Dugu Bo clicked his tongue.
Tang Feng grinned. "Hahaha, of course. The Clear Sky Hammer is renowned for its strength to begin with. As long as I push that strength to the limit while enhancing its fire attribute, my attacks will be incomparably fierce."
Dugu Bo nodded approvingly. "A wise choice. Specializing in one path and reaching its pinnacle is far better than knowing a little of everything and mastering nothing. What do you plan to do next?"
Tang Feng fell silent for a moment before saying quietly, "I'd like to go to Heaven Dou City first and send word to the sect that I'm safe. Then..."
Tang Feng paused, then continued, "I'd like to find my maternal grandfather, Yang Wudi."
"You want to visit the Breaking Clan?"
Tang Feng drew a breath. "Yes. It's been a long time since I last saw him. Grandfather's clan suffered terrible losses back then, and Spirit Hall suppressed them afterward. I don't know how they're doing now. Since I've already left the sect, I really want to visit him!"
Dugu Bo understood. For once, the Poison Douluo did not tease him, merely patting the boy's shoulder. "The Breaking Clan's residence is still in the southeastern Star Luo Empire. It would take at least two months by carriage, and there are plenty of bandits and Spirit Hall spies along the way. Your identity is sensitive, and you can't readily expose your Clear Sky Hammer. It's too dangerous."
After a moment's thought, Dugu Bo said, "How about this? I'll escort you there."
"How could I ask that? You're a Titled Douluo..." Tang Feng said in surprise.
"None of that!" Dugu Bo waved a hand, laughing as he scolded him. "As it happens, all my toxins have been cleared, and my cultivation has risen greatly. I was just thinking of going to Spirit City to meet an old enemy. I'll take a little detour and drop you off."
"Then I'd better accept respectfully than stand on ceremony! Hahaha..." Tang Feng did not act coy about it either.
With that, the two immediately set off together for Heaven Dou City, reaching Dugu Manor there by nightfall.
Dugu Manor stood in a quiet part of the southern city. Two stone Jade Phosphorous Serpents outside its gates glimmered with an eerie light in the dusk. The manor was quiet, home only to the grandfather and granddaughter and an elderly steward, but at least they enjoyed their freedom.
They had just stepped into the front hall when a soft call rang out.
"Grandpa!"
A girl of about sixteen or seventeen rushed over like a fragrant breeze. Her long black hair traced a graceful arc through the air, its ends curling like snakes' tongues and gleaming faintly.
She was Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan.
Dugu Yan was strikingly beautiful, her features so exquisite they were almost bewitching. Her black eyes were just like Dugu Bo's, their corners slightly upturned, naturally carrying a measure of pride and danger.
Dugu Yan wore a fitted dark-purple outfit. Golden-thread serpent patterns wound around her cuffs and waist, outlining the girl's already mature, curvaceous figure. The jade-green silk scarf at her neck made her skin look whiter than snow. She was like a beautiful venomous snake, dazzling and deadly.
Dugu Yan had been about to throw herself into Dugu Bo's arms, but the instant she spotted Tang Feng, she faltered. A blush spread across her pretty face, and she forced herself to stop short.
Those black eyes, so like Dugu Bo's, swept quickly over Tang Feng before she lowered her long lashes, hiding the fluster and shyness in her eyes.
Dugu Bo laughed heartily. "Yanyan, perfect timing. This is Tang Feng, whom I often mention, the benefactor who helped cure both of us of our poison." Then he winked at Tang Feng. "My granddaughter, Dugu Yan."
Tang Feng spoke first, cupping his fist. "I'm Tang Feng. Greetings, Miss Dugu!"
At his words, Dugu Yan immediately composed herself and bowed deeply and solemnly. "Young Master Tang, I will remember your life-saving kindness until my teeth fall out."
"You're being far too courteous, Miss Dugu." Tang Feng hurriedly made a gesture to help her up, his fingertips stopping short of her sleeve. "Old... er... the venerable senior and I are friends who have faced life and death together. Senior Dugu saved my life first, so I really can't accept such a grand gesture. If you don't mind, just call me Little Feng."