Setting Out for the Star Dou Forest

Yu Xiaogang was merely a minor interlude.

Jiang Nian spent a few days recuperating with Qian Renxue before preparing to set out for the Star Dou Great Forest.

Qian Renxue's Soul Power had reached level 10, and her physique would soon be strong enough to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. He wanted to help the girl grow stronger as quickly as possible and find his next suitable disciple along the way.

Before leaving, he sent for Pang Dun. "Deacon Pang, I'm taking Xue'er to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a Soul Ring. We may not be back for a long time."

Pang Dun understood immediately. "Rest assured, Your Holiness. I understand. If anyone from headquarters asks about the young miss, I'll say someone from the branch took her to hunt for a Soul Ring."

Jiang Nian shook his head. "Besides that, I don't want anyone in Spirit City to learn Xue'er's current level."

If Qian Xunji and his lot learned how quickly Qian Renxue was cultivating, they would surely come back to snatch her away.

It wasn't that Jiang Nian feared Spirit Hall. Although his Soul Ring had yet to be fully unlocked and was still just a decoration, he had the Ancient Emperor's body and the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. Confronting Spirit Hall head-on would be no difficult feat.

Jiang Nian simply didn't want to put Qian Renxue in the difficult position of having to choose.

"This..." Pang Dun looked troubled.

Jiang Nian said quietly, "Deacon Pang, understand one thing: this is a notification, not a discussion."

Pang Dun felt the hairs on his back stand on end. "Yes! Yes! I understand, I understand!"

Jiang Nian nodded in satisfaction and took a bottle of pills from his Storage Ring. "Deacon Pang, after becoming a Soul Elder, haven't you found that your cultivation has slowed down, and that even advancing a single level is exceedingly difficult?"

Pang Dun didn't know what Jiang Nian meant. He said carefully, "I'm afraid I've embarrassed myself before you, Your Holiness."

Jiang Nian set the pills on the table. "I was very satisfied with how you handled Yu Xiaogang recently. These pills can improve your ability to perceive Soul Power particles. Consider them my reward to you."

With that, Jiang Nian turned and went to find Qian Renxue, who was cultivating, without waiting to see whether Pang Dun would accept this opportunity.

Pang Dun stared at the bottle of pills and couldn't help swallowing.

Two bottles of pills had recently been driven up to sky-high prices in Suutuo City. A bottle of Blood Stasis Dispelling Pills could heal external injuries in an instant, with effects comparable to a healing-type Soul Emperor's methods. The Soul-Generating Pills were even more remarkable, capable of instantly restoring all of a Soul Elder's Soul Power.

Both bottles had come from Jiang Nian. Just two days ago, Suutuo City's largest auction house had come to his door, kneeling and begging to buy more at three million a bottle, but Jiang Nian had refused.

The reason was simple: the auction house had shown little sincerity. Its original offer for the two bottles combined had been only 500,000 Gold Soul Coins. Clearly, they were not people worth befriending in the first place.

With those examples before him, Pang Dun didn't doubt the effects of the pills in front of him for a moment.

He was all the more glad he hadn't disclosed anything about Jiang Nian to Spirit City. Spirit City would never have given him such benefits.

Pang Dun excitedly tipped the pill out of the jade bottle and swallowed it. In an instant, he felt the surrounding Soul Power particles grow active. This would only make it faster for him to absorb them through meditation.

Outside Suutuo City.

Jiang Nian rented a carriage and set off for the Star Dou Great Forest with Qian Renxue.

"We have to take a carriage everywhere. It's far too inconvenient," Jiang Nian mused. "Once Xue'er becomes a Soul Elder, she should have enough Soul Power to cultivate a Flying Dou Technique."

I can't very well turn Dou Qi into a horse, can I?

Qian Renxue leaned close to Jiang Nian. "Teacher, there are still some things I don't understand about Eight Extremes Collapse."

This was the second Dou Technique Jiang Nian had prepared for Qian Renxue.

By working out the principles of Suction Palm on her own, Qian Renxue had already learned to release her Soul Power outside her body. Eight Extremes Collapse required precisely that kind of control over Soul Power.

Eight Extremes Collapse was a High Xuan Tier technique. If used together with Suction Palm, even a level 19 Soul Master probably couldn't withstand a full-powered blow, given Qian Renxue's current Soul Power.

There was another reason he had chosen this Dou Technique: Qian Renxue's body was already more than strong enough to withstand the recoil from Eight Extremes Collapse.

Jiang Nian stroked her head. "Don't rush. Do you remember how it felt to work backward from Suction Palm?"

"Mm, Xue'er remembers."

"Eight Extremes Collapse works on a principle similar to the one you worked out for Suction Palm, but it requires more refined control over Soul Power. When you throw a punch, your Soul Power surges in waves, one after another. Once you can layer eight waves of force, you'll have mastered it."

"So that's how it works! Xue'er understands!"

Holding an egg, Qian Renxue began trying to send layer after layer of Soul Power into it.

Watching her, Jiang Nian could only marvel that Qian Renxue truly was a genius. In the normal course of events, her innate level 20 Soul Power had merely made her halo shine brighter; her comprehension was second to none.

Half a month later, outside the Star Dou Forest.

The brothers Tang Xiao and Tang Hao had been training in the Star Dou Great Forest. Both had suffered minor injuries while challenging a powerful Soul Beast.

They had now come to a small village outside the Star Dou Forest to replenish their daily supplies.

In the village, the two saw a blue-haired girl and were instantly struck by her heavenly beauty.

Tang Xiao swallowed. "Little brother, she's treating people's injuries. Let's go too... Hey... wait for me, you brat!"

Tang Xiao rushed forward. Instead of joining Tang Hao in line, he shoved his way through the crowd waiting for treatment. Intimidated by the strength of a Soul Douluo, the people could only leave in dejection.

Ah Yin frowned at the sight. When she realized he was a Soul Douluo, she grew even more wary.

She was a Soul Beast who had undergone transformation. A Titled Douluo could see through her at a glance. A Soul Douluo couldn't do that, but a careful examination might reveal some clues.

Tang Xiao grinned. "Miss, my arm's a little hurt. Could you take a look?"

Ah Yin was reluctant but couldn't easily refuse. Just as she was about to raise her hand, Tang Hao, who had been waiting for some time, stepped forward.

"Big brother, our Clear Sky Sect isn't an overbearing faction like Spirit Hall. You shouldn't have driven people out of the line. Come back and queue with me."

Tang Hao then cupped his fists at Ah Yin. "Miss, my brother and I have been presumptuous. Please don't take offense."

"Fellow Soul Masters, to make it up to you, I, Tang Hao, will pay your consultation fees today!"

Tang Xiao gave an awkward smile. Something about this felt strange. How had he ended up the villain and his younger brother the good man after all that?

Just then, a master and disciple emerged from the house behind Ah Yin.

They were Jiang Nian and Qian Renxue, who were staying in the village for a while and taking the opportunity to gather information about the Star Dou Forest.

Jiang Nian glanced at Tang Hao. The original story hadn't gone into detail about how the brothers met Ah Yin, but now Jiang Nian understood.

Tang Hao truly lived up to his reputation as the quintessential biological father who sired a child but didn't raise him. He had an agenda from the very beginning.

He had simply let Tang Xiao charge ahead and play the villain, then played the good man himself to draw Ah Yin's attention.

But with Jiang Nian's appearance, all of Ah Yin's attention was drawn to him. She immediately rose and said gratefully, "Mr. Jiang, the diagnostic and treatment methods you taught me really do work. Thank you, sir!"

Jiang Nian smiled. "Think nothing of it. I had no place to stay when I came here. If not for you, Miss Ah Yin, my disciple and I would likely have been sleeping in the wind and eating under the open sky. You gave me a peach, and I returned a plum. There is no need to concern yourself."

Tang Hao glanced at Jiang Nian, then his gaze settled on Qian Renxue's golden hair. That, together with her face, which bore some resemblance to Qian Xunji's, made him suspect the two's identities.

He stepped forward. "May I ask if you're going into the Star Dou Forest to hunt for a Soul Ring?"

Tang Xiao paid Tang Hao no mind and took the chance to approach Ah Yin for another chat, but she couldn't be bothered with him.

Jiang Nian nodded. "That's right. I was just passing by, so please pay me no mind. Farewell."

Tang Hao stepped forward to block Jiang Nian's path, revealing the strength of a Soul Douluo. After eight Soul Rings descended around him, he smiled. "You have a refined bearing, brother. As it happens, I'm also going into the Star Dou Forest. Why don't we form a team and look after each other?"

"There's no need to team up, but thank you for the offer." Jiang Nian hadn't intended to meddle in Tang Hao's affairs, but now that the man was looking for trouble, he couldn't blame Jiang Nian for messing with the bastard.

He turned to Ah Yin, took a hairpin from his Storage Ring, and raised his hand to slip it into her hair. "Miss Ah Yin, this hairpin is for you, as thanks for taking my disciple and me in. Farewell."

Ah Yin was a little dazed. She touched the hairpin in her hair instinctively. "Thank you, sir. I like it very much."

Tang Hao watched Jiang Nian's departing figure, his face darkening.

How dare he associate with the Soul Beast I've set my sights on! He already has a way to die!

That was right. Tang Hao had observed Ah Yin for some time and already discovered that she was a transformed Soul Beast.

She was a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast. A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring was something one could encounter but not seek. When hunted, a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast would usually choose to self-destruct for the sake of its dignity, blowing its Soul Ring to nothing along with it.

The safest and most reliable method Tang Hao could think of was to make her offer herself in Sacrifice!

Tang Hao turned back, only to see Ah Yin still staring in the direction Jiang Nian had left. The veins on the back of his hand bulged at once.

To maintain his kind and gentle persona, Tang Hao forced a smile and drew Ah Yin out of her thoughts. "Miss Ah Yin, are you continuing to see patients?"

"Huh?! Oh... not today, sorry..."

Ah Yin hurriedly packed her things. Only wariness remained in her expression as she looked at the Tang brothers.

Just now, after turning away, Jiang Nian had transmitted a message to her, saying the brothers already knew she was a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast and warning her not to be taken in by their honeyed words.

Whether or not the Tang brothers knew, Mr. Jiang already did. All she wanted now was to flee quickly and find somewhere else to live.

Tang Hao watched in bewilderment as Ah Yin fled. He couldn't understand how she had suddenly become a different person when she'd been perfectly fine just moments ago.

Tang Xiao walked over to his younger brother without a care. "Miss Ah Yin is truly beautiful."

"Indeed." Tang Hao nodded, thinking that a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring was even more beautiful.

Oh, my foolish brother, beauty is but an external possession!