Chapter 57: Taking Down Dugu Yan
During this period, aside from his cultivation, Ning Bei also spent the remaining time building a relationship with Xiao Wu.
He had some plans regarding the two golden-handed fighters in the Star Dou Forest. Once he reached the Soul Sage level at the seven rings, he would be able to execute those plans. Before that, it was important to have Xiao Wu completely trust him.
As a result, Ning Bei often made time to take Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu to Seven Treasure City to have some fun.
This carefree life allowed Xiao Wu to forget her troubles. When she first came to the human world, she had been somewhat fearful, but now everything was different. She not only found Ning Bei as her source of support and a cheat code for cultivation but also had the protection of two Title Douluos.
For a while, even her desire for vengeance against her mother's death was pushed far out of her mind.
With the help of the Pill Tower, her cultivation level had successfully broken through to level 15, which was much faster than when she cultivated alone, even with her habit of slacking off.
The problem was, every time Xiao Wu started cultivating in the Pill Tower, she would be called out by Ning Rongrong, and her attention would quickly shift to the various new and interesting things that Rongrong had. The two would then start goofing off together.
After several months of cultivation, the Emerald Swan had successfully broken through the ten-thousand-year limit. Now, aside from the newly joined three Red Magic Mastiffs, everyone in Ning Bei's team had reached the ten-thousand-year cultivation level.
The three Red Magic Mastiffs, named Wang Wang, now had 3,000 years of cultivation. Ning Bei had placed them on the fourth floor of the Pill Tower, where they enjoyed an 8-year cultivation increase every day. After the Emerald Swan broke through to the ten-thousand-year level, Ning Bei placed it, along with the Demon Face Spider and the Demon Eye Magic Tree, on the fifth floor, where the three soul beasts shared the medicinal fragrance, while Ah Bao was placed on the sixth floor alone.
Ning Bei planned to have Ah Bao break through to the 50,000-year level first. By then, it would be much stronger than an average hundred-thousand-year soul beast. At that point, he would also have a Title Douluo-level bodyguard for himself.
If all went as expected, it would be stronger than both the Serpent Spear and the Stingray.
After Ah Bao, Ning Bei would fully focus on cultivating the Demon Eye Magic Tree. After consuming the celestial herb, its bloodline would be almost as strong as the Dark Golden Fearsome Bear's. Once it reached the 50,000-year level, it would likely become a Title Douluo-level combatant as well.
Including the Sky Blue Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape, along with the three beasts—Ah Zhu, Chang´e, and Wang Wang—plus the enhanced Sword, Bone, and Poison Douluos, Ning Bei would have at least ten Title Douluo-level combatants when the massacre happened according to the original timeline.
Not to mention Ning Fengzhi, the super support. After all this time, he surely wouldn't be standing still.
By the time Bibi Dong decided to attack the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, even if she ignored Qian Renxue's objections, Ning Bei could only say, "Go ahead, try it."
And that was still without considering his combat-enhancing pills.
Even now, with Dragon Power Pills, Beast Power Pills, Wind Running Pills, Qi Increasing Pills, and Strengthening Pills, Ning Bei could easily double the combat power of the above-mentioned Title Douluos.
At this point, he could only shout, "My teammates and I are terrifyingly strong!"
Of course, these were still Ning Bei's personal thoughts. Whether or not Xiao Wu's two younger brothers were willing to come out remained to be seen, but with the Pill Tower, he didn't worry too much about it.
Once he reached the seventh ring, his Pill Tower would be effective against hundred-thousand-year soul beasts as well. At that point, with 64 years of cultivation every day, Ning Bei didn't believe those two soul beasts would be able to hold their ground.
One day, a visitor arrived at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—Ning Bei's little girlfriend, Dugu Yan.
She entered Ning Bei's room and skillfully jumped onto him, the pressure on her chest making his heart flutter.
"Ah Bei, I've broken through to Soul King. Yesterday, Grandpa took me to get my soul ring."
"Oh? Really? Congratulations, Yan Zi. How useful is your soul skill?"
After they separated, Ning Bei looked at the girl with a comforting smile.
"It's a plague explosion. I can create a poisonous mist that explodes, damaging the enemy and adding a toxin effect. After being poisoned, the enemy takes double damage from toxin-based attacks. It's a soul skill I got from a ten-thousand-year Swamp Poison Turtle."
After hearing the girl's explanation, Ning Bei felt strange. Why did it seem so familiar?
"That's pretty good, Yan Zi. Once you hurt the enemy with the poison mist, you can unleash your fourth soul skill, Twin Poison Fangs, and relentlessly attack them."
"Exactly! Ah Bei, I'll protect you from now on."
Looking at the girl showing off in front of him, Ning Bei couldn't help but laugh. "You protect me? Then what will happen to Ah Bao and the others? The Pill Tower can't just let them live there for free. They'll have to work for it."
Perhaps it was because she was too excited after obtaining her soul ring, Dugu Yan came to show off without resting.
After chatting for a while, Dugu Yan yawned and fell asleep on Ning Bei's bed. Ning Bei didn't disturb her and tucked her in before leaving the room.
It wasn't until dinnertime that Ning Bei woke her up, and they had dinner together with Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu.
Since Dugu Yan often visited the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she had already become close with Ning Rongrong. However, she was a bit curious about the newly appeared Xiao Wu.
"Ah Bei, who is she?"
Ning Bei didn't reveal Xiao Wu's true identity. It wasn't because he didn't trust Dugu Yan, but because he feared that Dugu Yan might accidentally say something outside, causing unnecessary trouble.
"Her name is Xiao Wu. She's a genius with innate full soul power. Now, she's Rongrong's good friend."
"Innate full soul power? Oh my!"
After hearing Ning Bei's introduction, Dugu Yan's eyes widened in shock. She had only reached level seven in innate soul power when she awakened her martial soul.
If it weren't for Ning Bei's help, she would probably still be stuck at the Great Soul Master level, dealing with the toxins in her body.
Thinking of this, her gaze toward Ning Bei softened.
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong, with their eyes constantly switching between Ning Bei and Dugu Yan, then exchanged a glance, both little tricksters reading each other's intentions and nodding in agreement.
"An affair!"
After dinner and some more casual conversation, Ning Bei sent the two little ones off and took Dugu Yan to the private forest to test the power of her fifth soul skill.
The test subject was the Demon Eye Magic Tree. The poison had no effect on the tree. It could be said that it had no power at all, which made Dugu Yan shout that Ning Bei was cheating.
Ning Bei shrugged helplessly and suggested they pick one between the Demon Face Spider and the Dark Golden Fearsome Bear.
Dugu Yan immediately deflated. One couldn't break the defense, and the other was too fast to touch. Protecting Ning Bei was still a long way to go.
Turning her back to Ning Bei, her meaning was clear. "I know I'm weak, but don't you dare say it. Come over and comfort me."
Seeing this, Ning Bei couldn't help but feel helpless. "I didn't say you were weak, though."
"You said it, loudly!"
Ning Bei decided not to argue and leaned in to give her a kiss. If that didn't work, he'd kiss her for half an hour.
After a long time, they parted.
Dugu Yan's cheeks turned red as she breathed heavily, looking at Ning Bei with embarrassment.
"Annoying."
Her shyness made Ning Bei's fingers itch.
"Yan Zi, I have a luminous soul bone. Should we go back and I'll show it to you?"
"Really? What kind of soul bone is it?"
"Come on, let's go back and see. It's really beautiful."
The moon shyly hid behind the clouds, seemingly embarrassed to look at the two shameless young people below.
In the room, under the covers, the two were examining the luminous soul bone.
After a while.
"Ah! You're lying! I'll bite you to death."
"Hiss, let go, let go, Yan Zi, you're trying to kill your husband!"
"…"
(END CHAPTER)
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