"Nangong Wan'er of Exotic Beast Academy?"
"Ah, isn't she the dean of Exotic Beast Academy?"
"Open the main gates at once and invite our honored guest inside!"
"Do not neglect our honored guest! Hurry out with me to welcome her. We mustn't forget our manners and make ourselves a laughingstock!"
Only after a long moment did Bai Jingyu recall the name. Nangong Wan had always kept a low profile, but she was a Soul Douluo.
With Nangong Wan'er's strength, her standing was on par with the sect masters of the Lower Four Sects, or even the heads of reclusive families.
A Soul Douluo was not to be underestimated. In an age when Titled Douluos did not appear, Soul Douluos already ranked among the continent's strongest combatants.
Moreover, Nangong Wan was an heir to the Fire Leopard Sect. She came from a major sect, was the dean of Exotic Beast Academy, and had an entirely respectable background.
"I did not know you were coming, Dean Nangong. Forgive me for not coming farther out to welcome you!"
After exchanging pleasantries at the entrance for a while, Bai Jingyu ushered Nangong Wan'er through the main gates. Once both sides were seated, fragrant tea was served.
"You're too kind, Patriarch Bai!"
"We were passing through your esteemed territory and came especially to pay our respects to you, senior. Please forgive us if we have caused any disturbance!"
After everyone exchanged polite words for a while, Nangong Wan'er finally took the initiative and explained the purpose of their visit.
"I heard that you possess an eighth-grade medicinal herb called Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, Elder Bai. Would you be willing to part with it?"
"My husband is unwell and urgently needs an eighth-grade medicinal herb to nourish his body. I am willing to offer a Thousand-Year Torso Bone in exchange!"
Nangong Wan'er demonstrated her sincerity. Eighth-grade medicinal herbs were hard to find even for a thousand gold, but Thousand-Year Soul Bones likewise had prices yet no sellers.
The drop rate for Soul Bones was pitiful enough to bring tears to one's eyes. Not only was the chance random, but the yield was also pathetically low!
Never mind Thousand-Year Soul Bones-even Hundred-Year Soul Bones had hordes of Soul Masters waving their money and scrambling to buy them whenever they appeared on the market!
"A Thousand-Year Torso Bone!"
"You certainly are sincere, but that Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng is an heirloom of our Speed Clan. If you want it, I'm afraid..."
"You'll have to pay more!"
Bai Jingyu was seasoned and steady. His final words struck like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky, though the outcome was good in the end.
"That can be arranged!"
"I am willing to add three vials of purple potential potion!"
"What do you think, elder?"
Nangong Wan'er spoke with a feigned look of difficulty. Three vials of purple thousand-year Whale Rubber potion were child's play for the Meng Family.
Still, she could not appear too generous!
Whale Rubber potions were hard to obtain on the market even for a thousand gold. Over the past few years, the Meng Family had consistently used scarcity marketing, releasing very few purple potions.
"Good, it's a deal!"
With the agreement settled, both sides completed the exchange on the spot.
Only after leaving the Speed Clan's residence did Nangong Wan'er take out the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng and hand it to Meng Qianqiu for verification.
"Yes, this is indeed the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng I wanted. Judging by its markings, though, it isn't even five thousand years old."
"I'll give this medicinal herb to Grandpa and have him plant it at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Within twenty years, it will certainly mature."
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well could shorten the time medicinal herbs needed to grow, so Meng Zhongqi had long since marked it as the family's property.
Ordinarily, Meng Zhongqi did not stay at home for long. Ever since becoming a Titled Douluo, he had remained at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was the world's finest mimetic cultivation environment. Cultivating there meant having no need to worry about cultivation resources at all.
Under normal circumstances, a Titled Douluo needed more than ten years of bitter cultivation, day and night, to advance a single level.
With the aid of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Meng Zhongqi had raised his Soul Power by one level in just seven years, successfully breaking through to level ninety-four.
By contrast, Spirit Hall's Light Feather Douluo had remained stuck at level ninety-four throughout those seven years, going in circles.
Between level ninety-four and level ninety-five lay a vast natural chasm. Cross it, and a smooth road lay ahead; fail, and all was over!
"It's just a pity this immortal herb came too late."
"Had it come earlier, with this immortal herb and that other stalk of Ink Jade Divine Bamboo, I would have been confident of bringing Qian Jun and Jiang Mo into the Meng Family."
Meng Zhongqi sighed with feeling. Seven years had passed, and the brothers Qian Jun and Jiang Mo had both successfully broken through to become Titled Douluos.
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
"Of Spirit Hall's seven elders, the other six are all diehard loyalists of the Qian Family and followers of the Pope."
"Two immortal herbs alone won't be enough to win over Qian Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo. You should stop troubling yourself over it."
Meng Qianqiu curled his lip. Who was Qian Daoliu? He was one of the strongest Limit Douluos alive, one of the Soul Master World's twin peaks.
Such a peerless powerhouse possessed tremendous personal charisma!
Dragons did not dwell with snakes; the strong would only attach themselves to those stronger still!
Meng Qianqiu had never considered making enemies of the Qian Family or the Clear Sky Sect. He had no desire to invite a great calamity upon himself for no reason!
"When virtue falls short of one's station, disaster is sure to follow!"
"If Qian Daoliu simply chose not to step down in favor of Qian Xunji, that would be a decent choice for everyone under heaven."
"Qian Xunji is brimming with ambition, yet he lacks Qian Daoliu's strength and wisdom. From what I can see, he does not resemble a ruler!"
It was almost foreseeable that once Meng Qianqiu entered Spirit Hall's sights, perhaps only two paths would await him.
Either he would submit to another's control and become an elder of Spirit Hall!
Or he would become Spirit Hall's Holy Son, defeat Qian Xunji, and succeed to the position of Pope, thereby controlling the course of the world.
But whatever happened, he would have to face the current Pope, one of the Soul Master World's twin peaks, Angel Douluo-Qian Daoliu!
Qian Daoliu's attitude mattered greatly to Meng Qianqiu!
Desolate Gold Plain, Silves Kingdom.
A carriage traveled along the Gold and Iron Mountain Range and soon reached Desolate Gold Plain, which bordered Balak Kingdom.
"Once we cross this mountain range, Desolate Gold Plain lies ahead. Farther on, it borders Lima Plain in Balak Kingdom. These two great plains are known as Heaven Dou's granaries and have been wealthy since ancient times."
"The local customs here are rather different from elsewhere, but many dangers lurk here too. You must be careful."
Wolf Bandits ran rampant across Desolate Gold Plain and Lima Plain, but they posed no difficulty for the three. If they encountered any, they could simply kill them with a casual strike.
"Be on your guard!"
"A pack of Wolf Bandits outside has already set its sights on us."
Night fell, and the bright moon hung high. Keeping watch beside a campfire, Meng Zhongqi noticed signs that a pack of Wolf Bandits was approaching.
Under cover of darkness, the Wolf Bandits quietly crept up beside the camp. Beneath the moonlight, their shadows filled the surroundings.
One pair of eyes after another appeared in the darkness.
"They truly have no idea what death is!"
"A mere pack of Wolf Bandits actually dares dig up the ground over Tai Sui's head! These beasts must be tired of living."
Nangong Wan'er had a fiery temper and had been a little spitfire in her youth. Faced with this surprise attack, she could no longer hold her tongue.
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