Void Concealment

After finishing the hot pot, Lin Rong and the Old Butler rested in the cave for the night.

The next morning, they officially began their operation.

Lin Rong and the Old Butler first found a relatively spacious clearing on the outskirts of the Frozen Forest.

The view here was unobstructed, and the soul beasts active nearby were not highly cultivated, making it a good place to carry out their plan.

To conserve Soul Power, Lin Rong did not summon the Dragon Soul of the Nine Bend Vine Dragon to shield him from the freezing winds. Instead, he put on the cold-weather clothing prepared by the Old Butler.

With the Dragon Soul protecting him before, Lin Rong had not felt much. It was only now, when the biting wind cut across his face like blades, that he realized just how harsh the environment here was.

By comparison, the Old Butler remained utterly composed in the face of the biting wind.

With Level 90 Soul Power and the physical constitution granted by eight Soul Rings, a little cold wind was nothing.

Seeing the young master like this, the Old Butler placed a hand on Lin Rong's shoulder and used Soul Power to form a barrier that blocked the cold wind.

"I really don't know why the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King ran off to such a godforsaken place."

Lin Rong complained, then wrapped the Azure Dragon Vine in life force.

As he took out the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, the layer of life force enveloped it, preventing its aura from leaking out and alerting the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King.

Standing beside Lin Rong, the Old Butler also summoned his martial soul, the Star Disc.

Eight stars shimmered atop the White Jade Star Disk, echoing the eight Soul Rings pulsing beneath the Old Butler's feet.

When the ninth star on the White Jade Star Disk lit up, it would signify that the Old Butler had fully entered the realm of a Titled Douluo.

"Young Master, we can begin."

Upon hearing this, Lin Rong grasped the Old Butler's hand. At the same time, a green pattern resembling bamboo leaves lit up between his brows.

Immediately afterward, the bodies of Lin Rong and the Old Butler gradually turned translucent before vanishing completely from the forest clearing.

This was the head Soul Bone skill of the Kongqing Bamboo: Void Concealment.

After activating this skill, Lin Rong himself would turn into nothingness where he stood.

In the void state, he was immune to all physical and energy attacks, and could not be detected by any skill or method.

Each time he entered the void state, it could last for up to twelve hours unless he voluntarily exited it.

However, the moment he made a move, he would immediately reveal his physical form.

When Lin Rong had first obtained the Kongqing Bamboo head Soul Bone, its age had only been 981 years, and it had not yet surpassed the category of hundred-year Soul Bones.

The Soul Bone skill, Void Concealment, could only affect Lin Rong himself.

Once the Soul Bone's age had grown to a thousand years, Void Concealment was enhanced and could bring others into the void state along with him.

Now that the Kongqing Bamboo head Soul Bone was just over three thousand years old, Void Concealment could bring up to three people into the void state.

This Soul Bone skill did not consume Soul Power, but it had a daily usage limit.

At its current age of just over three thousand years, the Kongqing Bamboo head Soul Bone could use Void Concealment at most three times a day.

Without a doubt, this was an exceptionally practical top-tier soul skill.

However, Void Concealment was not without weaknesses. After activating the skill, it required a certain amount of time to fully enter the void state.

Before fully entering the void state, it could not grant immunity to attacks, only damage reduction.

The closer one came to complete nothingness, the greater the damage reduction.

Before his body had fully turned ethereal, Lin Rong placed the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng in his hand atop a rock.

With no source of power sustaining it, the layer of life force wrapped around the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng quickly dispersed into specks of light in the air.

With the concealment gone, the aura of the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was exposed to the outside world.

Almost at the exact instant the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng's aura was exposed—

Inside an underground cave somewhere in the Frozen Forest.

The Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King, which had been lying on a rock just moments ago, suddenly trembled.

The aura emitted by the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng stirred something within the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King that originated from the depths of its bloodline.

This primal call from its bloodline caused the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King to lose its usual rationality.

The next moment, the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King unhesitatingly used earth escape, rushing toward the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng at the fastest speed of its life, heedless of everything else.

Time passed second by second.

In the void state, Lin Rong and the Old Butler stared ahead with full concentration, wary of the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King that could appear at any moment.

However, the underground cave where the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King had been staying was some distance away from the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng.

Even with its astonishing earth escape speed, it would still take some time to reach its destination.

During its journey, the primal call originating from its bloodline had already passed its initial peak.

The caution ingrained into the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King over countless years gradually allowed it to retain a shred of rationality amid the call of its bloodline.

As time passed, that shred of rationality rapidly grew stronger, causing the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King's earth escape speed to slow considerably without its awareness.

But it had only slowed its speed of travel.

Because even though the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King had regained its senses, it still could not completely suppress the call of its bloodline.

However, the closer it got to where the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was located, the slower the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King traveled.

The caution and suspicion in its heart made the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King investigate any potential dangers along the way.

Yet the journey went unexpectedly smoothly.

Without sensing any danger during its approach, the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King arrived within one li of the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng.

"It's here!"

Lin Rong clenched Old Butler's hand, instantly growing excited.

Because he was in a void state, the Life Sense bestowed upon Lin Rong by the Nine Bend Vine Dragon had been greatly weakened.

Only when the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King came within one li did Lin Rong vaguely sense its presence.

"Mm." Lin Rong frowned tightly after sensing the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King's abnormally slow pace.

"As expected of a ginseng emperor that's lived for a hundred thousand years. It really is cautious."

"The Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng is already within reach, yet it can still suppress the stirrings in its heart and carefully check the surroundings for danger."

"Good thing I have the Void Concealment skill. Otherwise, I might not have been able to evade such a meticulous inspection from the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King."

Deep underground.

The Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King would stop for a long while to inspect its surroundings for danger after taking almost every small step forward.

A mere one-li distance, under the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King's cautious behavior—

It took several full hours before the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King finally reached the soil beneath the rock where the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was located.

Beside the rock, Lin Rong, still in his void state, had long since lost count of how many times he had cursed the Ten Thousand Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King in his heart.

"I've waited so long the flowers are practically wilting. It's finally almost time to make a move!"