Northwest of the Sun and Moon Empire, Evil Demon Forest.
As the largest gathering place of wild soul beasts on the continent, second only to the Star Dou Great Forest, this place was filled with many powerful existences and was fraught with danger. Moreover, it was guarded by the Evil Eye Tyrant Monarch, ranked second among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, the Evil Emperor.
Even the powerful soul mentors from the Sun and Moon Empire side, when seeking soul rings to advance their ranks, did not dare venture too deep into the Evil Demon Forest, for fear of provoking that Evil Eye Tyrant Monarch.
However, at this moment in the eastern peripheral area of the Evil Demon Forest, there were over a thousand figures dressed in uniform black cloaks busily at work.
Inside the Evil Demon Forest, these people were extremely conspicuous. They were transporting large amounts of supplies out and piling them up in an open area, where specialized personnel would then store them in spatial storage soul tools.
Once the items piled on the open ground were collected into the spatial storage soul tools, more would continue to be stacked.
This was precisely the Holy Spirit Cult's old lair within the Evil Demon Forest. The busy thousand-plus people were the foundation that the Holy Spirit Cult had accumulated over the years. Although most of them had relatively weak soul power cultivation, generally between three and six rings, there were also one or two hundred powerful evil soul masters at the seven-ring Soul Saint realm or above. These powerful, evil soul masters were directing the weaker ones in the transportation work.
Among the transported and piled supplies were various rare metals, countless gold soul coins, all kinds of precious materials, and occasionally even a few soul bones emitting rich soul power fluctuations, whose value was difficult to estimate. While it might not be said that they were as wealthy as a nation, they were certainly no worse off than Shrek Academy.
All of this had been plundered by the evil soul masters over time.
Zhongli Wu and Feng Ling were right in the center of the crowd. Ever since they had been ambushed and counterattacked by Xu Zihuang and the Body Sect last time, both Zhongli Wu and Feng Ling had been seriously injured. Relatively speaking, Feng Ling's condition was much better; after this period of recuperation, the injuries her body had suffered had basically recovered.
But Zhongli Wu had been forced to self-detonate his original life beast spirit, a heavy blow that was almost irreversible. Even to this day, the strength he could exert was only less than eighty percent of his peak period.
Watching his subordinates transport the supplies, Zhongli Wu, his body shrouded in a black cloak, had a gloomy expression, his eyes filled with uncertainty and suspicion.
"Mother and Uncle Long were actually heavily injured by that little thing?!"
Recalling what had happened earlier, he still found it hard to believe. Two Limit Douluos being suppressed by an eight-ring Soul Douluo was simply too bizarre.
Yet in the face of the facts, he had no choice but to believe it.
Not only had Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui been heavily injured by Yu Tianhuang, but it had taken them a full two months to barely stabilize the injuries within their bodies. Today, without alerting that Evil Eye Tyrant Monarch, they had secretly returned to the Evil Demon Forest.
Although their Holy Spirit Cult had reached some kind of agreement with that Evil Eye Tyrant Monarch, allowing them to set up their headquarters in the periphery of the Evil Demon Forest, the Evil Eye Tyrant Monarch was by no means a benevolent being. Once the Holy Spirit Cult no longer existed on the same level as it, it would absolutely not mind destroying the Holy Spirit Cult. Even though the Holy Spirit Cult had offered it no small amount of tributes over the years, it would be the same.
The positions of soul beasts and soul masters were inherently opposed; it was fundamentally impossible for them to fully trust each other. Moreover, many of the evil soul masters in the Holy Spirit Cult needed to cruelly kill soul beasts to increase their strength, extracting beast souls to enslave them.
The Evil Demon Forest was the Evil Eye Tyrant Monarch's territory, its domain of dominion. If it were not for its eighth heavenly tribulation approaching and not wanting to bear the risk of having to use its original power, it might not even have given the Holy Spirit Cult a chance to negotiate back then.
And now, the injuries of Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui were conservatively estimated to require two to three years to recover. Therefore, Ye Xishui decisively ordered her subordinates to temporarily evacuate the Evil Demon Forest first.
Glancing at the only four remaining Title Douluo elders behind him, Zhongli Wu's expression became even more ferocious. Of the eight great elders under his direct command earlier, four had died at the hands of Yu Tianhuang.
However, with eight-ring Soul Douluo cultivation, this child had already become a major threat to their Holy Spirit Cult. If he were allowed to break through to the Title Douluo realm, what would become of them?
...
In the blink of an eye, another month had passed.
In the courtyard of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, Ning Tian, dressed in a long white skirt with blue patterns, was playing with Yu Ningqing, who had already opened her eyes.
During the period after giving birth, Ning Tian's physical condition had recovered very well. Her figure was no different from before, and from a distance she looked full of youthful girlishness. After all, she and Xu Zihuang were both only just nineteen years old.
The color of Yu Ningqing's eyes followed Xu Zihuang's, but was lighter, presenting a clear, pale purple. Under Ning Tian's teasing, she let out crisp, tender giggles, her mouth still sucking on the several fair and delicate fingers of her right hand.
"Let me do it."
Xu Zihuang stepped forward with a smile on his face.
"Mm." Ning Tian nodded gently, then carefully handed the little one over to Xu Zihuang, smiling as she said,
"Ningqing, let Daddy hold you, okay?"
A sense of closeness born from blood connection arose naturally. Xu Zihuang held the little one in his arms with a doting expression, gently rocking her.
When little Ningqing saw Xu Zihuang's face, she laughed even more happily, continuously making babbling sounds from her mouth.
The family of three stood in the courtyard where snow-white apricot blossoms were drifting down; the scene looked exceptionally warm and harmonious.
Ye Guyi, who had just finished talking with Xu Zihuang, had a hint of envy in her eyes. However, she had long since accepted Ning Tian and now felt more heartfelt relief. Moreover, Yu Ningqing was the continuation of Xu Zihuang's bloodline.
"Am I a bit superfluous here?" Ye Guyi deliberately inserted herself with a tone of mock jealousy.
Ning Tian's pretty face flushed slightly as she said, "Sister Guyi, it's not like that at all."
"Alright, you two should try to come back as soon as possible." Ye Guyi's pretty face immediately bloomed into a smile again as she took the already somewhat drowsy little Ningqing from Xu Zihuang's arms.
Newborn children get sleepy easily. Most of the day is spent in sleep.
Xu Zihuang nodded slightly toward Ye Guyi, then took Ning Tian's hand.
The reason Xu Zihuang wanted to take Ning Tian away from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School this time was to help her obtain a suitable seventh soul ring. With the nourishment of the Water Immortal Jade Muscle Bone, Ning Tian's soul power cultivation had smoothly broken through the seventy-level bottleneck not long ago.
Perhaps due to a mother's instincts, Ning Tian glanced reluctantly at little Ningqing before bidding farewell to Ye Guyi.
"Sister Guyi, Ningqing is in your care."
"Don't worry."
Afterward, Xu Zihuang used the innate ability of his Golden Pupil martial soul to take Ning Tian across space, directly arriving inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The strange two-colored spring water, dotted with heavenly treasures and laden with abundant fruit, instantly drew Ning Tian's gaze.
"Tianhuang, is this the treasured land you mentioned?"
Ning Tian withdrew her gaze and looked at Xu Zihuang in surprise.
Xu Zihuang nodded frankly.
"This treasured land is one you should have heard of as well. It's called the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, located right in the center of the Sunset Forest."
"Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?!" The surprise in Ning Tian's eyes grew even stronger, followed by a look of realization.
There were some records about the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well within the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, though the exact location was unknown. It was said that the Qiluo Tulip that their ancestor Ning Rongrong had consumed came from this treasured land known as the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Xu Zihuang stepped forward, his spiritual power locking onto a strange golden tulip within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. The stem and leaves of this golden tulip were like vine curtains, finely combed and dense, and its rich fragrance gave off a sense of grandeur and magnificence.
Following Xu Zihuang's gaze, Ning Tian couldn't help but murmur with a dazed look in her eyes, "It really is the Qiluo Tulip."
A gentle yet somewhat helpless male voice came from the main body of the Qiluo Tulip.
"Sir, didn't you say you wouldn't make a move against us again?"
When Xu Zihuang had passed by earlier, the surrounding plant-type soul beasts had all lowered their heads, trembling. Now that the Qiluo Tulip spoke, they similarly did not dare to chime in, fearing they would become the target of this fiend before them.
Xu Zihuang calmly gazed at the Qiluo Tulip.
"I naturally will not go back on my word; I still have that much credibility. This time, I brought my wife here only to ask whether you are willing to become her soul spirit. If you are willing, everyone will be happy. If you are not, I will not force you. Besides you, we have other suitable targets."
The other targets Xu Zihuang mentioned referred precisely to the Blue Silver Emperor in that valley in the southern part of the Sun and Moon Empire.
Hearing Xu Zihuang refer to her as his wife, Ning Tian felt a myriad of emotions in her heart, all turning into a sweet and happy smile.
The Qiluo Tulip also began to examine Ning Tian.
"So that's how it is. The flower pollen you took from me last time was for her. A Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda soul master, my attributes are indeed very compatible with her martial soul."
After pondering for a moment, the Qiluo Tulip continued in a deep voice, "If you can turn me into an existence like the Thunderclap Hell Vine, then I am willing to voluntarily become her soul spirit."
Upon hearing the Qiluo Tulip's words, all the plant-type soul beasts within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well felt a wave of astonishment, except the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
Xu Zihuang smiled faintly.
"A wise choice. I believe you will definitely feel fortunate for today's decision in the future."
"Then I'll borrow your auspicious words." The Qiluo Tulip suppressed its excitement and replied, then dots of golden light coalesced into a human form, appearing before Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian.
But what surprised both Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian was that the human form manifested by the Qiluo Tulip actually appeared as a golden-haired woman, with a faint smile at the corner of her mouth that made one unable to help but feel close to her.
"You two need not be surprised. My main body, the Qiluo Tulip, is inherently hermaphroditic. Unlike Octagonal and Youyou, I do not have an objective gender in the true sense."
Seeming to see through Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian's thoughts, the Qiluo Tulip explained softly, and its voice also changed into a gentle female one.
"Please tell me what I should do next?"
"You only need to open your mind." As he spoke, Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian exchanged a glance. Ning Tian understood and stepped forward. Even with her vision and state of mind, her eyes could not hide the color of delight.
Being able to speak human words, the Qiluo Tulip before her was clearly a plant-type soul beast with a hundred-thousand-year cultivation. A hundred-thousand-year Qiluo Tulip becoming her seventh soul ring was something she had never imagined.
Without hesitation, Xu Zihuang released soft spiritual power with real substance, enveloping Ning Tian and the Qiluo Tulip within it.
Bathed in the soft spiritual power light, a faint golden glow began to appear on the main body of the Qiluo Tulip. Under the guidance of Xu Zihuang's tangible and qualitative spiritual power, the Qiluo Tulip's spiritual origin, soul imprint, a portion of its purest soul power, and the energy contained in its bloodline talent all began to rapidly condense.
Xu Zihuang raised his right hand, and a ball of platinum-colored light lit up, filled with an aura of light. A golden six-pointed star array also appeared at the feet of Ning Tian and the Qiluo Tulip. Amid the chanting of the equal contract spell, they subtly fused.
In an instant, the main body of the Qiluo Tulip had already withered, and all its original power transformed into golden light and shadow that merged into the space between Ning Tian's eyebrows. A crystal-clear, pale-golden torso soul bone quietly attached itself to Ning Tian's body.
A hundred-thousand-year soul beast would definitely produce a soul bone; even a plant-type soul beast was no exception.
With perfect attribute compatibility, and because the Qiluo Tulip had voluntarily become Ning Tian's soul spirit, the fusion process went exceptionally smoothly.
Sensing the state of its own spiritual origin, the Qiluo Tulip knew that Xu Zihuang had not lied to it.
During the process of the Qiluo Tulip's torso soul bone fusing with Ning Tian, the four-thousand-year Golden Sunflower right arm bone that Ning Tian had previously fused with, began to resonate with it, blooming with brilliant golden light.
"Hm? It's actually a soul bone produced by a plant-type soul beast like the Golden Sunflower." The Qiluo Tulip's somewhat weak voice sounded again.
"This Golden Sunflower actually shares the same origin as me. My main body can absorb the essence of heaven and earth and the radiance of the sun and moon. This Golden Sunflower inherited my ability to absorb the brilliance of sunlight. I can help you refine this right arm soul bone a bit."
Since it had decided to follow Ning Tian, it might as well do a favor while it was at it.
The Qiluo Tulip did not value Ning Tian's talent, but purely because of Xu Zihuang. A human who could obtain the affection of the Emperor Auspicious Beast could not possibly be an ordinary person. Moreover, it had seen Xu Zihuang's terrifying talent with its own eyes.
If there was anyone in the current era most likely to touch that level, it could only be Xu Zihuang.
The decision made was undoubtedly a big gamble, but if the bet was won, the returns would be equally enormous.
"Xiangxiang has gone mad. It really wants to abandon everything and follow these two humans." The Youxiang Qiluo Immortal Product couldn't help but mutter in its heart.
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass also fully extended its perception, sensing the changes in the Qiluo Tulip, and secretly made up its mind.
About two hours later, the torso soul bone left behind by the Qiluo Tulip had completely fused with Ning Tian. The first six soul rings around Ning Tian also trembled slightly.
Then, on the foundation of two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings, a blood-red soul ring appeared and settled into the seventh position.
Holding the magnificent Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in her hand, after completing the fusion with the Qiluo Tulip, her graceful and noble temperament became even more refined and rounded.
Ning Tian slowly opened her eyes and met Xu Zihuang's gaze. The two smiled at each other.
But before the two could converse, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass spoke first: "Can you take me with you as well?"
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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