Xiao He backed away fearfully, drenched in sweat. He had brought out the Soul Bone he had treasured for years just to buy his life, yet Lin Gu still had no intention of letting him off. He asked in confusion.
Lin Gu merely smiled faintly, recalling how Xiao He had not held back at all. If his shield had not had enough HP to withstand that blow, or if Chrysanthemum Douluo had arrived a little later, he would already have been dead.
How could a single Soul Bone buy me off? He snorted and said:
"You didn't hold back at all just now. I spared you, but I only spared your life. I never said I wouldn't settle accounts with you. Someone like you would only throw your weight around and bully others if you remained a Soul Master. Letting you live is already the greatest kindness I can show you."
With that, Lin Gu turned around, and Chrysanthemum Douluo smiled calmly.
"Good lad. Decisive, with a clear distinction between love and hate. Since I accepted the Soul Bone, I might as well lend a hand!"
With that, Chrysanthemum Douluo extended his right hand and grasped at the air. Soul Power instantly swept forth, seizing Xiao He and hoisting him into the air with one hand.
Xiao He could only plead desperately:
"No, p-please, please, s-sir, spare me!"
But it was already too late. A petal fell from Chrysanthemum Douluo's Martial Soul, sliced through Xiao He's dantian, and erupted inside his body.
Xiao He instantly spat blood. Four Soul Rings lit up, then shattered one after another in an instant.
Xiao He screamed in agony, "Aah!"
Lin Gu looked on calmly. "You brought all of this upon yourself!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo pressed down with his Soul Power, instantly crushing Xiao He's Martial Soul. His four Soul Rings were destroyed along with it, and every trace of light vanished from Xiao He's eyes.
Soul Masters were respected by countless people, yet now he had become a cripple.
Xiao He felt his Soul Power draining away like a torrential downpour, until he could no longer sense it at all. He could no longer sense his Martial Soul either. Dumbfounded, he stood rooted to the spot.
Chrysanthemum Douluo blew the smoke from his hand and said coldly, "Done. Come on, Lin Gu. Back to Spirit Hall!"
Lin Gu nodded and followed Chrysanthemum Douluo away!
Along the way, Chrysanthemum Douluo asked Lin Gu, "Soul Bones are treasures you can only stumble upon, not seek out. Even a Titled Douluo might not have one. Why would you give it to me?"
Lin Gu smiled faintly. With his knowledge of the plot's future developments, obtaining Soul Bones would naturally be easy, so this Head Soul Bone was not important to him. He might as well go with the current and do someone a favor, securing a backer in Spirit Hall for the days ahead. He said:
"I'm only a One-Ring Soul Master. I have no use for something like that, so I might as well give it to you, Elder Ju!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo chuckled, taking it as a child's ignorance of how precious Soul Bones were, but his first impression of Lin Gu was quite good.
Following behind Chrysanthemum Douluo, Lin Gu saw that his [Heartsteel] had already accumulated seventy-three charges. He had just gained another one.
I wonder how much HP I'd gain from "steeling" Chrysanthemum Douluo here once?
Lin Gu really wanted to try. During this time, he had already become able to use [Heartsteel]'s effect at will.
He could trigger it with a mere thought, even through the slightest touch.
So Lin Gu's eyes darted around, and he immediately decided to trip over a stone.
He twisted his foot and toppled toward Chrysanthemum Douluo!
"Oops! I'm falling!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo simply extended his left arm and steadied Lin Gu.
"Be careful! We still have a long way to go!"
Lin Gu nodded sheepishly. "Thank you, Elder Ju!"
Then he triggered [Heartsteel] once.
His HP bar suddenly surged, jumping straight from 186,000 HP to:
[HP: 200186000]
It had increased by a full two hundred million. Lin Gu was dumbfounded on the spot, standing frozen.
Two hundred million in one go! Elder Ju really has a thick HP pool. I wonder how much the level ninety-nine Bibi Dong would have?
Lin Gu was utterly thrilled. In that case, he had to save his remaining [Heartsteel] procs and go straight to Spirit Hall to "steel" a level ninety-nine Limit Douluo.
Once his HP reached a sufficiently safe level, he would seek out hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts. He wondered how much HP they would give him.
That was Lin Gu's plan!
Seeing Lin Gu frozen in place, Chrysanthemum Douluo had no idea what he was so happy about all by himself, so he said:
"Lin Gu, what are you standing there for? Let's go!"
"Coming, Elder Ju!"
Half a day passed, and Chrysanthemum Douluo brought Lin Gu to Spirit City.
Chrysanthemum Douluo gave him a brief introduction along the way, and they arrived at Spirit Hall's main hall. It was truly majestic. Lin Gu looked at it from outside, gazing up at its towering doors, which seemed to soar straight into the heavens.
"So this is Spirit Hall?"
As Lin Gu marveled, two groups soon came forward to receive Chrysanthemum Douluo!
"Welcome, Elder Ju!"
Elder Ju nodded and led Lin Gu inside. They passed through corridor after corridor and arrived at Spirit Hall's main hall, the Pope's Palace.
Chrysanthemum Douluo led Lin Gu up and pushed open the great doors.
"Your Holiness, I have brought him!"
In the center of the hall, an alluring woman sat upon a lofty throne, her chin resting on her hand. Her features were exquisite, her expression stern.
Seeing her, Lin Gu hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting.
"I am Lin Gu. My respects, Your Holiness!"
Bibi Dong calmly looked at Lin Gu below, then asked:
"You are Lin Gu?"
"Yes!"
Bibi Dong looked Lin Gu up and down, then slowly rose to her feet. She descended the steps one at a time, looking at Lin Gu as she continued:
"I heard your first Soul Ring was already a thousand-year one. Release your Martial Soul and let me see!"
Lin Gu did as instructed. A breastplate protected his body, and a purple ring of light drifted up and down around him.
Bibi Dong was somewhat shocked. This was her first time seeing such a genius. She carefully examined his Martial Soul: a breastplate that appeared to offer very good defense.
But besides the breastplate, why was there also an inconspicuous little white wooden knife in his hand?
Startled, Bibi Dong instinctively assumed he had Twin Martial Souls. But upon examining him closely with her Soul Power, she discovered that the little knife belonged to the breastplate Martial Soul. It seemed to have appeared when his Soul Power broke through with his first Soul Ring.
"It seems they aren't Twin Martial Souls!"
Sure enough, Titled Douluo-level powerhouses could all sense changes in Soul Power, allowing them to perceive the state of lower-level Martial Souls.
Only Big Gangzi would mistake them for Twin Martial Souls.
Lin Gu remained silent, letting Bibi Dong examine him. Inwardly, however, he was thinking, Bibi Dong is the Pope. How am I supposed to get close enough to "steel" her once?
Looking at Bibi Dong, her HP must be very plump-no, very high!
Bibi Dong smiled faintly and said slowly:
"Interesting. Lin Gu, what is your Martial Soul?"
Lin Gu had no intention of hiding it either. Only by gaining an important role in Spirit Hall would he have a chance to stay beside Titled Douluo and stack his "steel"!
So he said:
"Your Holiness, my Martial Soul is very special. It's called the Equipment Slot!"
"Equipment Slot?"
Bibi Dong and Chrysanthemum Douluo beside her were taken aback. They had never heard of such a Martial Soul.
Lin Gu continued explaining, "Simply put, every time I break through, I gain a piece of equipment!"
"Equipment?"
Bibi Dong and Chrysanthemum Douluo looked on in surprise.