Lin Chen had exhausted all his energy assisting Dugu Bo in condensing the dual cores, and now, mentally and physically drained, he collapsed to the ground, his face slightly pale.
Hearing Dugu Bo's solemn vow, he waved his hand and spoke weakly but still steadily, "It was nothing. I have another favor to ask of you."
"Find me a piece of whale glue, at least 70,000 to 80,000 years old, 80,000 to 90,000 years old would be best, the older the better."
Dugu Bo was taken aback upon hearing this, then a mischievous grin spread across his face. He looked Lin Chen up and down with ill intent, and teased, "Oh? Whale glue? You usually seem so cold, but you're into this stuff? This stuff... if my Yan Yan were with you, could she handle it in the future?"
As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Lin Chen's lower body with a lewd expression that said, "I understand."
"Grandpa!" Dugu Yan blushed with embarrassment and anger, stomped her foot, and glared at Dugu Bo coquettishly, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Lin Chen's forehead veins throbbed, and he looked at this disrespectful old man with a helpless expression, saying irritably, "Old monster, what kind of filthy things are in your head!"
"This whale glue is used to temper the physical body and raise the limits of the body! My next spirit ring is of extremely high quality, and I must use it to temper my bones and muscles to ensure that the absorption is foolproof. Go to Heaven Dou City and see if the royal treasury or auction house has it. It should be at least 60,000 to 70,000 years old."
He paused, then added, "By the way, also help me find a soul tool that can be used for long-distance sea voyages."
"Going out to sea?" Dugu Bo stopped joking and his expression turned serious. "You want to go out to sea? That place is extremely dangerous."
Lin Chen shook his head: "I don't have any plans for now. The plan is to hold it after the All-Continent High-Level Soul Master Elite Tournament. However, things are unpredictable, and it may be earlier. I really don't know where to go for training right now. Staying at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy is just for convenience and to make it easier to register for the competition."
Dugu Bo understood immediately and patted his chest, "A piece of cake! Leave the whale glue and soul tool to me! I still have that much face in Tiandou City. You rest assured and I'll take care of it right away! Yan Yan, stay and take care of him!"
After saying that, Dugu Bo disappeared into the courtyard in a flash, leaving behind only a blushing Dugu Yan and Lin Chen who was meditating with his eyes closed.
After Dugu Bo left, Lin Chen slowly sat up, looked at Dugu Yan whose cheeks were still flushed, and chuckled: "Aren't you going to invite me in for a seat or have dinner? I've been traveling for several days and I'm exhausted."
Dugu Yan suddenly came to her senses and quickly nodded, "Ah, okay! I'll arrange a room for you right away. Go and rest first, and I'll prepare dinner!"
She hurriedly led Lin Chen into an elegant guest room, then blushed and quickly retreated to prepare the meal.
Lin Chen closed the door, sat cross-legged on the bed, and took out the storage bracelet that sealed the Thunder Pool. With a slight movement of his fingertips, strands of pure purple-gold lightning slowly overflowed, flowing into his body along his meridians, nourishing his over-consumed spiritual and soul power.
As he meditated, his thoughts drifted to distant places.
Where should I go next to hone my skills?
Go to sea? The oceans of Douluo Continent stretch to the horizon, and even with a map, one would be like a headless fly, unsure of where to go. While the Dragon Tomb is desirable, it lies far in the depths of the endless sea. With his current strength, venturing there rashly might lead to encounters with powerful sea spirit beasts along the way.
After much thought, it seemed that there was only one place in the entire Douluo Continent that was most suitable for him—the City of Slaughter.
That place is the source of evil, a purgatory for the strong. Emerging from there not only grants access to the God of Slaughter domain, but is also the necessary path to inheriting the Asura God's position. With his decisive ruthlessness and unparalleled strength, traversing the Hell Road is no difficult task.
only...
Lin Chen frowned slightly.
There are only about four years left until the Continental Elite High-Level Soul Master Tournament. Clearing the Hell Road is easy, but the bloodlust and lingering effects from the City of Slaughter require a long period of tempering at the Moon Pavilion to be completely purified. Five years—is that enough?
That's enough.
A resolute glint flashed in Lin Chen's eyes.
Time is of the essence, so this is a good opportunity to push myself. First, I'll go to the City of Slaughter to temper my character and acquire a domain, then I'll go to Moon Pavilion for purification. The timing will be just right for the Soul Master Competition.
"It's settled then."
He had made up his mind and already had a complete plan in mind:
He'll first return to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, greet the three faculty members, and say he's going out for training. He won't show his face again before heading to Spirit City. He'll emerge from seclusion at Moon Pavilion just before the tournament; at that time, he will be completely transformed.
"However, we must be fully prepared before going to that hellhole."
The Killing Realm has no soul power; it relies solely on physical strength and killing intent to fight. Poisons, hidden weapons, and fighting skills are all indispensable.
A cold smile curled at the corner of Lin Chen's lips.
As evening fell, Lin Chen finished his cultivation and pushed open the door. The living room was brightly lit, and the dining table was already set with steaming dishes, their aroma filling the air.
He walked to the table and sat down, followed by Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan. The grandfather and granddaughter looked at Lin Chen, whose demeanor had become increasingly composed, with a hint of admiration in their eyes.
During the meal, Dugu Bo put down his chopsticks and said with a serious expression, "Little monster, the whale glue you want is hard to find. The high-quality ones are all hidden in the private vaults of those old noble families. As for the soul tools for going to sea, there are only a few in the entire Tiandou City. I'm afraid you'll have to go to the grand auction house in Hanhai City to have a chance."
"It's alright." Lin Chen picked up a piece of food and said calmly, "Take your time searching. I have plenty of time. By the way, old monster, I plan to go back to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy tomorrow."
"No way!" Dugu Bo slammed his hand on the table, objecting urgently. "Are you crazy?! The two Title Douluos, Chrysanthemum and Ghost, are still blocking the academy gate. If you go back, they'll immediately target you! What kind of place is the Spirit Hall? It's a den of dragons and tigers! Once they invite you back to Spirit City, you won't be able to escape!"
He grew increasingly anxious, his tone hardening: "You can stay peacefully in my manor! With my level 96 Azure Phosphorous Poison Dragon here, even if the Spirit Hall comes, they won't be able to lay a finger on you!"
Dugu Yan quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, Brother Lin Chen, Grandpa is right, it's too dangerous, you shouldn't go back."
Seeing the nervous expressions on the faces of the grandfather and grandson, Lin Chen put down his chopsticks and smiled knowingly. "Danger? The word 'fear' doesn't exist in my dictionary."
His eyes turned slightly cold, and his tone carried an undeniable forcefulness: "I'm going back not to hide, but to see them. Wasn't Chrysanthemum Demon Douluo ordered by Bibi Dong to find me? Then I'll go and meet them myself."
"You..." Dugu Bo still wanted to persuade him.
Lin Chen looked at Dugu Bo, who was still worried, and said in a calm but firm tone: "I can't hide forever. Old monster, you still have Yanzi to protect, and you can't openly oppose the Spirit Hall. Don't worry, I won't go with them. As for whether they want to take me down, that depends on whether they have the ability."
"While I may not be able to defeat Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo, I can still intimidate them and escape unscathed. Even if they invite me to the Spirit Hall, with my trump cards, they won't dare to touch me in the slightest."
Dugu Bo wanted to persuade him further, but Lin Chen waved his hand, interrupting him: "There's no way to avoid it. Rather than waiting passively, it's better to face it proactively. Besides, I believe that it's not just the Spirit Hall that wants to see me."
Looking at the composure and confidence in Lin Chen's eyes, Dugu Bo finally sighed and said nothing more. He knew that once this young man made a decision, no one could change it.
Lin Chen turned to look at Dugu Yan, who was quietly eating, and asked gently, "Yanzi, has anything happened at the academy lately? My sister... how is she doing?"
Seeing that Dugu Yan was lost in thought, Lin Chen softly called out, "Yanzi?"
This affectionate address sent a shiver down Dugu Yan's spine, her cheeks instantly burning hot, and the only thing echoing in her mind was: He called me Yanzi... He actually called me Yanzi...
It wasn't until Lin Chen called her several times that she suddenly came to her senses, exclaimed "Ah!" in a panic, and quickly lowered her head to hide the pounding in her heart. She replied softly, "Nothing much happened at the academy... Ning Rongrong from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School came and became good friends with your sister Xiao Wu. I heard from them that they seem to have known each other before."
Lin Chen nodded slightly upon hearing this, understanding in his heart.
Ning Rongrong has arrived, so it seems the Shrek Academy group hasn't reached the Heaven Dou Royal Academy yet. But by the time they actually reunite, I'll probably already be in the City of Slaughter, or have already cleansed my bloodlust at the Moon Pavilion, so naturally I won't be able to get involved in those entanglements from the original story.
"Since everything's alright, let's go back to the academy together tomorrow," Lin Chen said calmly.
"Okay..." Dugu Yan subconsciously agreed, but only realized what she had said as soon as she finished speaking. Her cheeks turned even redder, and she hurriedly picked up her bowl and shoveled food into her mouth, trying to hide her embarrassment by burying her head in her food. Even the roots of her ears turned pink.
Dugu Bo, who was standing to the side, took in all of this. Looking at his granddaughter's lovestruck expression and glancing at Lin Chen's indifferent expression, he couldn't help but smile meaningfully.
He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and chuckled inwardly: This little monster has my Yanyan completely under his thumb. Well, if these two really do get together, it would be a wonderful thing.
The banquet ended quickly. Lin Chen returned to his room to rest, while Dugu Yan returned to her room with a heavy heart. She couldn't sleep all night, her mind filled with Lin Chen's image and that gentle "Yanzi".
The next day, just as dawn broke, Lin Chen was already fully prepared to depart. Dugu Yan had already dressed up and changed into the uniform of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy, standing gracefully in the courtyard, her eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation and shyness.
"Let's go." Lin Chen took the lead and walked outside.
"Okay!" Dugu Yan quickly followed, keeping pace with him, and the two headed side by side toward the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy.
Lin Chen and Dugu Yan stepped into the gates of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy side by side. The morning sunlight shone on them, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
As soon as he entered, a figure quickly came to greet him; it was Yu Tianheng from the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family.
Ever since Dugu Bo took Dugu Yan away yesterday, Yu Tianheng had been restless and waited at the school gate early in the morning. But when he saw Dugu Yan and Lin Chen return together and act intimately, his face instantly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
"Yanyan, you're back!" Yu Tianheng suppressed his anger and stepped forward to speak, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of flattery.
Dugu Yan frowned slightly, her tone indifferent: "How many times have I told you, don't call me Yan Yan, just call me Dugu Yan or Yan Zi."
After saying that, she didn't look at Yu Tianheng again, but took Lin Chen's arm and said softly, "Brother Lin Yuan, let's go."
Lin Chen nodded slightly, letting Dugu Yan hold his arm, and the two walked straight past Yu Tianheng without stopping at all.
Yu Tianheng stood frozen in place, watching the two figures walk away hand in hand, feeling a surge of jealousy and humiliation rising to his head.
On what grounds?
Lin Yuan is just a guy of unknown origin, so why is he so close to Dugu Yan? Why is he able to take away the person he cares about?
Intense jealousy and resentment instantly warped his mind.
Just then, he suddenly remembered that the two titled Douluo, Chrysanthemum and Ghost, from the Spirit Hall were searching everywhere for Lin Chen's whereabouts!
A wicked thought instantly sprouted in Yu Tianheng's mind.
"Lin Yuan, since you dare to steal my person, don't blame me for being impolite!"
A sinister glint flashed in Yu Tianheng's eyes as he turned and strode quickly towards the Martial Soul Temple outside the academy. He needed to immediately inform Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo of Lin Chen's return!
He wanted to use the Spirit Hall to completely eliminate this thorn in his side!
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